would haue lurked in secret And as the beames in the Sunne are not euill though they descry and lay open things deformed or filthy which the wicked desire and as the knowledge of Physicke is not to be condemned which acquainteth vs with poyson and venemous things that are in themselues dangerous and abused by some to their owne destruction So the law is not euill in it selfe though it be abused as an occasion of euill to corrupt and wicked men Without the law sinne is dead not as though there was no sinne in the world before the publishing of the law for euen the Gentiles themselues which had not the law written shewed the effect of the law in their hearts the conscience also bearing witnesse and their thoughts accusing one another or excusing and therefore being conuinced in their soules of sinne without the Law written are a law vnto themselues and sinning without law shall perish without the law written by the law of nature that was grafted in their hearts This is confirmed by many Morall vertues which they naturally followed and by many vices which they naturally hated This knowledge of the light of Nature though vnperfect yet is sufficient to confound them albeit sinne indeede was then hidden in respect which is the meaning of the Apostle and their best knowledge of the Law ouer-shadowed and well-nigh blotted out that sinne could not appeare in his nature But when the Law was renewed sinne that seemed to be dead reuiued and shewed it selfe All the spots did then appeare which before were darkened by the ignorance of Gods Law which Man gained by his fall The Law then conuinced vs of sinne and reuealed our nakednesse which our figge leaues had hidden it opened the inward man with all his concupiscence it shewed vs our shame and confusion our vglesome shape most monstrous to beholde how wee were transformed from the image of God to the similitude of the Diuell It put vs in remembrance of our diuine nature which we had lost it shewed vs hell and the wrath of God nothing but condemnation appeared by it It let vs vnderstand how farre we were led from God how all things within vs and without vs were corrupted and out of course It painted our God in his nature according to his most pure holinesse and iustice how he requireth all our hearts all our soules all our mindes all our strength that is to say the whole man and euery part of him in his seruice The least sinne could not so shroude it selfe but the law discouer it not condemning onely all our outward acts but giuing sentence against all our wicked thoughts yea all our idle motions without consent And therefore since all flesh created of God is corrupted so that all the imaginations of mans heart are onely euill continually since all men by the law are conuinced of sinne all included vnder sinne and subiect vnto the same guilt of condemnation since by the Law commeth the knowledge of sinne which leaueth euery man without excuse since it was added because of transgression and that our sins might more appeare and abound therefore it is called to the vnregenerate man an importable yoke the occasion of sinne the law of sinne and of wrath the administration of condemnation the oldnesse of the letter which cannot giue life but pronounce all our workes accursed The law is a hammer not only to bruise the conscience but to breake it into powder which if it be not done we shall neuer haue the spirit of adoption to seize vpon vs The law commandeth but giueth no power to obey It is but a dead letter and hath but a dolefull and dreadfull sound vntill the spirit come and arme vs with power to performe what the law requireth And now behold the strength and sting of Death How did Death enter by sinne How did sin appeare and what is the strength of the same euen the law of God which giueth sentence of condemation against all flesh and leaueth not one iustified in Gods sight And yet notwithstanding all this the law of God is holy iust and good opening vnto vs his very will which is goodnesse it selfe setting a blessing before our eyes as well as a curse It was not contrary to our nature before it was corrupted but agreeable to the image of man in which hee was first created it sheweth the very perfect patterne of true obedience what is agreeable to God and his nature how much he hateth sinne and delighteth in goodnesse it offereth both life and death life to the obayers death to the breakers Therefore let vs all glorifie God in this behalfe let euery mans mouth be stopt from accusing God or his law let vs confesse against our selues our manifold sinnes and say vnto him Shame and confusion appertaineth vnto vs Death and condemnation are our due Thy heauy anger wrath and hell be our deserts and thou O blessed God art iust righteous good and gracious in all thy doings for euer Let vs thus I say giue sentence against our selues that God may be iustified and praised euen before the most wickedest men when he is iudged Well then let vs beare in minde that God is not rigorous in punishing sinfull man with euerlasting Death by reason of his innumerable sinnes conuinced by his Law and that Gods infinite iustice thus broken and disobeyed could not otherwise be answered of man but by the infinite sustaining of eternall Death And now I pray you marke the whole power of Sathan and kingdome of the Diuell first hee fighteth and warreth with temptations which are as darts to wound our soules to Death which if we resist not being so tempted but yeeld to sinne then comes the Law against vs with his force and by vertue of the Law Death entreth and triumpheth for the sting of Death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the Law for it sheweth vs hell which is the pallace of Death and leaueth vs in perdition See I say what Prince Death hath and what strong souldiers to keepe his kingdome to wit the Diuell himselfe sinne law wrath of God and all to vphold it Wherefore it is no maruell if the remembrance of Death be bitter vnto many and that they abhorre and hate it I say it is no wonder if all their ioynts doe quake and tremble yea and shake a sunder since the horrour thereof made the sonne of God to pray against it to sweate drops of blood for the agony of it and to cry out to his father as a man forlorne why hast thou forsaken me Neither was this so strange a wonder to see the sonne of God so amased at Death for it set both Diuell law sinne hell graue and wrath of God against him All these were armed to ouerthrow him and any or the least of these without this our Captaine Christ will quite destroy vs. CHAP. IX Of
world euen so long there is betweene them a certaine equalitie in the flesh though alwayes an euident distinction in the spirit So that vntill this mortall body hath put on immortalitie and the spirit of Christ which dwelleth in Gods children hath brought them to God in heauen all discommodities and casualties with Death it selfe must needs be incident to all men alike Besides that our earthly prosperitie so dulleth our spirituall senses and our great imployments in the world so carry away our affections and so hinder the remembrance of our latter end that the greatest men many times both for place and gifts doe mightily forget themselues herein and knowing it to be so haue had their speciall Memorandums I omit to speake of the preparing of their Sepulchres in their life time and the purposed placing of them in their common walkes with their set salutations of some seruant to that purpose Thus most humbly supplicating your Honour to be well pleased with this my honest purpose and christian indeuour in the fauourable acceptance thereof I commend your Honour to the gracious protection and direction of the eternall and euer liuing God who euer guide you with his spirit in all your weighty imployments to his glory and the good of his Church c. From my poore Study at Shearsbie in Leicestershire February 21. 1616. Your Honours in all Christian duties wholy deuoted in the Lord Iesus IOHN MOORE AN ABRIDGEMENT OF THE WHOLE Bookes substance OR A GENERALL TABLE of the principall poynts thereof according to the CHAPTERS and SECTIONS The first BOOKE CHAP. I. GOD in his incomprehensible Wisedome Goodnesse and Loue created man at the first as a Chrystall glasse of his glory and a liuely resemblance in a sort of his Maiestie Section 1. Mans body a briefe map and abridgement of the whole worlds perfection 2. Mans excellency and maiestie in his first Creation ibid. Man in his body resembled his Maker and in his seuerall members expressed the varietie of his perfections 4. The very Pagans admired the portraiture of mans body and preferred it before the worlds curious creation ibid. Man especially in his soule resembled God with the manner how 5. Gods Image in man appeared especially in the regiment of the creatures 6. It consisteth principally in righteousnesse holinesse and knowledge ibid. The Image of God in man is to haue the same Will Knowledge Iudgement and Reason with God in humane and heauenly things in a measure with the reason thereof 7. The difference betwixt the Image and Similitude of a thing 8. Christ is the very ingrauen forme of God and the true patterne and type of our first created image ibid. Reason and Will as two wings to the Soule did at the first guide it aright to God that so it might soare aloft with her affections to heauen and heauenly things 9. The excellent harmony in all the faculties of the Soule before Adams fall with the exquisite reason and knowledge thereof 10. CHAP. II. GOD alone is vnchangeable and all creatures haue their being standing and vpholding by him who onely is Sect. 1. Gods name and nature ibid. Adam was mortall by creation yet had he not sinned he neuer had dyed 2. Man was made of a mutable nature in power of standing and possibilitie of falling 3. The reason why God alone is vnchangeably good and all other creatures subiect to decline ibid. Three things requisite for Adam and the Angels to perseuere in goodnesse 4. Why the good Angels fell not but keepe still their standing ibid. Adam if hee would had grace sufficient to haue kept himselfe from sinne and death illustrated by examples 5 6. Adam could fall of himselfe but hee could not stand or rise againe with the vse thereof 7. Why man was made of a changeable nature 8. Man was subiect to death by nature but not of necessitie with the reason 9. CHAP. III. SAthan enuying at mans glorious estate laboured by temptations to supplant him and so preuailed Sect. 1. The manner and degrees of Sathans proceeding 2. Adam by yeelding procured his fall and so sold himselfe to Sinne and Sathan to the iust destruction of himselfe and all his seede ibid. The greatnesse of Adams sinne and the equitie of Gods Iustice in the manner of punishment 3. See the further inlargement of Adams rebellion by the degrees thereof 5. God not onely commanded his obedience but threatned his rebellion 6. Adam by his fall lost Gods Image and contemning life hee found out death ibid. The cursed fruits and effects of his fall 7. Adam procured the practise of euill before he could attaine to the knowledge thereof 8. In searching for knowledge he met with error and blindnesse both of soule and body ibid. Originall sinne as a pestilent poyson infected euery part of man 9. It is deriued from Adam by propagation and by imitation confirmed and multiplyed in all mankinde ibid. The fruits and effects of originall sinne ibid. It maketh man more degenerate then all the rest of the creatures 10. Mighty is the power and raging is the strength of originall sinne ibid. Though sinne be the greatest bondage yet wee are willingly led to the practise and obedience thereof 11. Sinne breedeth in our hearts as wormes in the wood ibid. Concupiscence the fruit of Adams transgression is the Tyrant of the flesh the Law of the members the nourishment of Sinne the feeblenesse of Nature and food of Death 12. Before wee can sinne we are lincked to sinne and before wee offend we are bound with offence ibid. CHAP. IIII. THough the cause of death be iust yet the originall thereof seemeth doubtfull Sect. 1. God is not the author of Death with the reasons why 2. The Diuell is the author of Death proued at large 3. Sathan was created an Angelicall Spirit by sinne hee made himselfe a Diuell and falling from God hee fell from goodnesse 4. Causa causae est causa causali Sathan being the cause of Sinne caused Death ibid. Man and Diuell are partners in Sinne and so in Death 5. Sathan tempted and man consented ibid. The Diuell is not the absolute cause of Sinne and Death with the reasons why 6. Sollicite he may to sinne but force he cannot ibid. Man by nature might haue declined and should in himselfe haue had the cause of sinne and so of death 7. Death hath no proper efficient cause but rather deficient 8. It is a priuation of life onely hauing a name and no nature and substance with the vse thereof ibid. Sect 9. Adams sinne was hereditary to his posteritie and so the punishment proued at large from 10. to 13. The naturall condition of mans soule by originall sinne 13. Though in the iust iudgement of God mens soules be defiled with sinne being ioyned to their bodies yet it is not of compulsion 14. God doth incline the wils of men eyther to good or euill according to his mercy and their iust deserts 16. The children of the regenerate
will be thy sting O hell I will be thy biting The Grecians also deriue it from a word importing to looke vpwards because it brings vs to God and they tearme it Initiation or Perfection because in ending this life it entereth vs or rather perfecteth our life in heauen And the Latines take the name thereof from mora which signfieth delay or tarrying for a thing because it waiteth and expecteth for all men of all sorts and conditions And this may suffice for the dedescription of Death and declaration of the nature thereof CHAP. VI. At Death is due to all mankinde by the meanes of Sinne so all creatures actions and experience it selfe preach and proclaime the same AS the wages of Sinne is Death so all Adams sonnes hauing sinned must needes dye the death As in Adam saith the Apostle all men dye so in Christ shall all beleeuers be made aliue It is Gods Statute enacted in heauen that all must dye euen this were enough to cast a cloud ouer all our fayrest delights but there is more behinde and after that comes the iudgement The perswasion whereof possessing our hearts should one would thinke more then all penall Lawes deterre vs from impietie Ashes saith one are wont to keepe the fire the remembrance whereof wee beare about in our bodies But I would to God that the knowledge of these ashes I meane our fraile estate would keepe in our hearts the fire of Gods grace that we might neuer forget our graue And as the Law of dying was enacted at the first for sinne so hath it beene and shall be executed vpon all men without repeale vnto the end Neyther saith the Apostle any more then hath beene confirmed by a continuall course from the first creation as the registers of the death and buryals recorded in the Scripture doe declare Adam liued saith the holy Ghost by Moses nine hundred and thirty yeares and so hee dyed Seth liued nine hundred and twelue yeares and after dyed c. And is not this a true table most liuely representing our mortalitie and death Of some others it is said that they were gathered to their fathers of others to their people c. but of none that hee euer escaped For what man liueth and shall not see death shall bee deliuer his soule from the hand of the graue Therefore Iosuah calleth Death The way of all the world David The way of all the earth Iob The house of all men liuing He calleth it also The heape whereupon the liues of all men shall be powred where Kings and Counsellors are great and small Captaines and Souldiers bond and free Wee see how the best and happiest dayes of man slide swiftly away after come diseases and dolefull age and last comes cruell Death the lodge of all estates All must dye without distinction wee came by the wombe and wee must goe by the graue Before wee come to the sweet running waters of Shilo which runne softly we must passe the rough waters of Iorden that runne most swiftly Death is the Lady and Empresse of all the world her seizure is without surrender and from her sentence there is no appeale It is not the Maiestie of the Prince nor the holinesse of the Prophet nor grauitie of the Prelate that shee respecteth Strength of body feature or comelinesse of face or other parts learning riches or any such secular regard can plead against Death or priuiledge any person against the graue be thy dayes neuer so few or thy yeares neuer so full be they many or be they few all is one Dayes and yeares and time are no plea against the graue but a fitter pray for Death The Decree is out All must dye Balthasars embleame is written vpon euery mans wall God hath numbred thy dayes he hath laid thee in the ballance thou art found too light though not thy Kingdome which thou hast not yet thy life which thou possessest is diuided and giuen to death All Princes and the basest Peasants yea all persons whatsoeuer may say with Iob Corruption thou art my father Rottennesse thou art my mother Wormes and Vermine yee are my sisters yee are my brethren All men may truely say Graue thou art my bed Sheete thou art my shrine Earth thou art my couer Grasse thou art my carpet Oh Death therefore demand thy due and thou gathering hoast Dan come last and sweepe all cleane away Death is not partiall but dealeth vprightly with all making the state and condition of all men alike that none can repine for as well died righteous Abell whose sacrifice God accepted as enuious Cain whose seruice he reiected as well Abraham the father of the faithfull as Abimelech the infidell as well Isaack as Ismael as well Iacob whom God loued as Esau whom God hated as well chast Ioseph as incestuous Ammon as well meeke Moses as rayling Rabsheka as well Dauid a man after Gods owne heart as Saul from whom God tooke his spirit as well tender-hearted Iosiah as hard-hearted Pharaoh as well Salomon the wise as Nabal the foole as well poore Lazarus as the rich Glutton as well Iohn the beloued Disciple as Iudas the Traitor as well Simon Peter as Simon the Sorcerer mercilesse Death doth exercise her crueltie vpon all alike Notable is that saying of Agesilaus to diuers Captaines counselling him to walke to the hill Olimpus where hee should see such store of wealthy Merchants vttering a world of riches and precious Iewels If I could saith he buy and sell or exchange there sorrow for mirth sicknesse for health death for life I would then goe thither and spend all that I haue but I see that the buyers and sellers yea and the very things themselues are condemned to dye and to perish Wherefore neyther the sight of any thing there can better my estate or help me at the houre of death when I must creepe into my graue For although honour wealth and riches beare here a great sway amongst men yet can they nothing at all preuaile against the graue and Death it selfe Men by wisedome haue found out how the hardest stones may be broken and softened how wilde beasts may be tamed c. but nothing could be inuented whereby Death might be auoyded Gods hand saith one may a man escape but for Deaths dart no man can shunne it Against bodily enemies there may Fortresses be made Castles and Bulwarkes builded but to Death and his forces all men lye open as vnfenced Cities In other dangers power money flight counsell and policie may serue our turne but as for Death it can neyther be banished with power bought with money nor escaped with flying away nor preuented with counsell nor turned backe with policie All I say without redresse must hasten vnto Deaths home Hee therefore that thinketh it strange to dye forgetteth himselfe and his owne nature complaineth of the God of heauen that suffered him to be
in the condemnation of the reprobate and an entrance for his mercy in the saluation of his elect for if there had beene no fall of man God should haue manifested himselfe neither iust in condemning some nor mercifull in sauing others which very much would haue obscured his glory and altogether depriued him of his praises amongst the sonnes of men c. Man was subiect to death by nature yet not of necessitie as though he saw no way to shunne it and now I goe no further then mans knowledge reuealed in the word setting Gods decree and secret counsell aside for he had sufficient power giuen him of God in his creation to auoide it Gods law was written in his heart agreeable to his nature he thought it no yoake or burthen to obserue it his shoulders or backe being bigge enough to sustaine it Sinne therefore wee may see hath diminished our strength and altered our nature that now we are forced to be slaues to those who before were our subiects Gods law now written is the same which before was engrauen in our nature yet now it is such a huge weight and heauie yoake which neither we nor our fathers were euer able to beare CHAP. III. Of the greatnesse of Adams sinne and his grieuous fall with the fearefull effects and fruites thereof MAn being thus created in so glorious an estate raigning and ruling not onely as a Prince but as it were a petty God vpon the earth all things being put in subiection vnder his feete Sathan that olde serpent and enuious aduersary of mankinde hauing fallen himselfe and his associates by his and their owne transgression into a most cursed and wretched estate enuying at the blessednesse of our first parents so happily planted vpon the earth and placed in Paradise possessing the body of the Serpent and abusing his forme drew Enah by his wiles to heare her God accused of vnkindnesse and from hearing to suspition and from suspition to plaine rebellion against his law and so Sathan not contented she was made his snare to catch her husband also But marke I pray you this diuels proceeding and see what hookes this Fisher hid vnder his fine and pleasant baites First he bewitcheth her sences with a faire sight and pleasant shew of the forbidden fruit then he assaileth her with infidelity and doubtfulnesse of Gods word namely that they should die the death thirdly he opposeth himselfe against the vndoubted truth of Gods word setting downe the contrary Ye shall not die lastly he pricketh them forward to pride and selfe-loue Ye shall be as Gods euen as cunning as the highest in good and euill So they poore creatures not resting vpon God nor asking counsell at his word but trusting to themselues deceiued by his strange delusions yeelded and in yeelding were seduced and so shackled with the wards of their owne sinne and fetters of their owne finding out and as he solde himselfe to sinne and Sathan by this his fall so iustly did God ordaine the meanes to hamper him to wit Death and Destruction Neither was this action contrary to his iustice except he should haue denied himselfe nor yet repugnant to his vnchangeable word pronounced for in the beginning as we haue heard God created man holy and righteous euen like to himselfe and so long as he kept this forme he enioyed Gods presence his protection and prouidence ruled ouer him he wanted nothing that was needefull for him all the creatures were his seruants they came at his call and bowed at his becke he wanted nothing that heart could wish he was placed in Paradise amidst all passing pleasures the ground of it selfe yeelded forth her encrease without toyle or trauell he was made subiect to no creature but was Lord ouer all him onely excepted that had thus preferred him Now this his gracious God and bountifull Lord for all these his graces and blessings vnspeakeable required no great seruice or homage at his hands he exacted no great rent he did not ouercharge him but onely this to shew his soueraigne power he gaue him a Commandement no weighty thing to be obserued but a small matter and easie to be performed to wit that he hauing such choise and aboundance of all things besides should abstaine for his pleasure from tasting of the tree of the knowledge of good and euill and all this he did to try his obedience And now behold this vnkinde creature this vngratefull wretch and wicked man forgetting God and his duetie casting aside his blessings and graces wherewith he abounded most traiterously villainously and shamefully rebelling against his Lord contemneth his Creatour and setteth his God at naught he listneth to the Diuell and beleeueth his lies and followeth like a beast his sensuall appetite and euen in that one thing forbidden spiteth his God regardeth not his word feareth not death that was threatned but eateth of the forbidden tree maugre the beard of God and his iudgements And here let vs throughly consider not so much the matter and meanes which was but the eating of an Apple as the manner and measure of this rebellion and sinne which manifested it selfe by these degrees first a doubtfulnesse of Gods word which made him to stagger secondly a losse of faith not beleeuing Gods threatning thirdly a nise curiositie in departing from Gods word and seeking other wisedome fourthly a pride in desiring to be greater then God had made him fiftly a contempt of God breaking his law against his conscience sixtly an apostasie in falling from the counsell of God to beleeue the Diuell seuenthly an ingratitude and hellish vnkindenesse in driuing away and expelling Gods holy spirit dwelling in them eightly a murthering of himselfe and his whole posteritie for this fall of his was the first opening of the gate to all sinne and misery to all mankinde This sinne therefore can no way be lessened consisting of so many most monstrous and horrible impieties Could any punishment possible be sharpe enough for such a monstrous fact that whereas God had giuen them such liberty and freedome of all things yet would not so much as obey him in this one Againe God did not onely binde him to obedience but threatned his rebellion if thou eate thereof thou shalt die the death Notwithstanding Gods commanding and his threatning he is most carelesse and swiftly runnes headlong to sinne and wickednesse and so entred into such a maze of miseries from whence neither himselfe nor his posteritie were euer able to vnwinde themselues for so abusing his owne free will he lost it and was made a slaue to Sathan and himselfe Gods image being by his fall defaced he became like the diuell and contemning life he found out death euen death eternall This was the wages of his sinne this was the hire of his labour this profit reaped he for his paines God thrust him out of Paradise and being expelled he was kept out by the Cherubins so
presently he saw his shame his figge leaues could not couer his nakednes but God accursed him and his seede he plagued the earth with barrennesse and caused all the creatures to feele the smart of this his fall and as he disobeyed God so procured he the disobedience of all the creatures towards himselfe Hereof comes the fiercenesse of Lyons Beares Tygers Wolues and all wilde beasts hence ariseth all rebellions and vprores warres seditions scarcitie dearth hunger colde and nakednesse murther plagues and all kinde of calamities that are in the world all which are forerunners of this eternall death and ring-leaders to damnation Thus Sathan suggesting a want of knowledge because he knew not euill and so corrupting his heart with a curious desire thereof not able of himselfe to effect the ill that he suggesteth procured man to the practise of ill before he could obtaine to the knowledge thereof euen as a man commeth to the knowledge of poyson by the dangerous taste thereof so deare was the purchase of euils experience that it sodainely procured mans ruine and fall And so his passions were made to see and his Reason blinde in searching for knowledge hee met with error So Reason it selfe the lampe of mans soule which like the Sunne in the firmament spreading her beames thorough mans little centre is now become so dimme and darke in his cloudy and ecclipsed skye that the eye of the soule is as voide of light in things diuine as the little sparkes of fire raked vp close in the ashes which blindnes and ignorance of God and heauenly things were not personall in Adam himselfe but by possession entred into all his posteritie and of-spring And originall sinne the fountaine and wel-spring of all the rest as a pestilent poyson infected euery part This is that canker of our nature and contagious infection the vtter confusion of mans state the roote of iniquitie the puddle of all dregges the seede of rebellion the pumpe of all enormities whence issueth infinite and innumerable vices This is the pit of perdition which Adam digged for himselfe and his broode in this we were left in this we were lost in this we were condemned in this conuicted This sinne is deriued by propagation and laid vpon vs and by imitation confirmed and multiplied in all mankinde whose very bones by the same are corrupted sinewes tainted veines infected arteries poysoned flesh polluted wit confounded minde captiuated knowledge turned into ignorance wisedome to errour will to wilfulnesse memory to forgetfulnesse the whole soule to sinfulnesse reason to rebellion innocency to impudency and immortality to death it selfe both of soule and body So that man now of his owne nature is no lesse the bondslaue of sin then the slaues which are bought whose Maisters vse their seruice as that of their Oxen and Asses at their pleasure So are we wholly led vnder the gouernment of sin being wholly addicted to the seruice thereof And so much the more is our slauery that in our corrupted wills we desire and onely delight to sin which must teach vs to be continually touched with our miserable sinfull life and in this respect daily to desire and long after death as the onely medicine to heale these deadly maladies of our soules Many Beasts and Fowles saith one farre exceed mankinde in some vertue and good qualities as the Doue in simplicitie the Storke in kindnes the Dogge in fidelitie the Oxe and Asse in memorie of benefits c. but in vice and euill man surpasseth them all being more cruell then the Wolfe more crafty then the Foxe more proud then the Peacocke c. yea all vices and wickednes which are but seuerall in beasts are mustered and troupe together in sinfull man And as many members vnited make but one body so doth the Spirit of God terme this heaping of vices in man a body of sinne euery vice being as it were a member It is said that in a Sheepe euery thing turneth to profit the flesh for food the wooll for cloathihg c. but euery thing that is in man is eyther euill or tendeth to euill as the reason to beguile and deceiue the liberty to licentiousnesse the eyes to wantonnesse the heart to couetousnesse c. All the members I say with S. Paul are weapons instruments and seruants to sinne All his actions and affections are out of order As a man that hath a Palsie hath still a motion left of head and hands as hee had before his sicknesse but yet his mouings are now altogether irregular and out of order so all those affections of the minde as Loue Desire Ioy c. and all naturall functions of the body as eating drinking sleeping c. which should haue beene performed without any sinne are now mixed in man with many blemishes and corruptions so that this corruption of our flesh so long as we liue sendeth out the filthy scum of all vncleannesse which continually broyleth and walloppeth in our nature foaming out such filthy froath and stinking sauour to our mindes that it is not onely detestable to the soule of the regenerate but also abasheth the very naturall man to looke into such a loathsome stye of sinne and sincke-hole of iniquities for mighty is the power and raging is the strength of originall sinne in all Adams sonnes breaking out into action Sinfull man saith Iob drinketh iniquitie like water but wee may truely say like wine with pleasure and delight with great facilitie custome and ease passeth hee downe any kinde of sinne that is offered as a man drinketh water when hee is a thirst Wee know that in vs saith Paul that is in our flesh dwelleth no goodnesse but whatsoeuer the corruption of our nature is be it neuer so great yet our fault is neuer the lesse no more then if wee had had an Angels nature which willingly and wittingly wee would peruert For vnto our corrupt nature wee bring of our selues a froward and crooked Will which did corrupt the Angels nature and made them fall from God Therefore let vs not so much finde fault with our nature as condemne our wicked wils so set to worke sinne and with delight affecting and effecting euill The corruption which wee haue our pleasure is in it and all the goodnesse which wee want wee care not for it but our Will is after our worke and as wee are so wee like our selues best Sinne springeth vp and is nourished in our hearts and whatsoeuer is euill in vs there it hath the fountaine in which wee know first that sinne is our owne and in our hearts it breedeth as wormes in the wood And as our heart is the roote of sinne so there is no sinne but commeth from the heart if thy heart accuse thee thy sinnes must needes bite thee To conclude Concupiscence which was the fruit of Adams eating the forbidden fruit cleaueth now to the nature of all his sonnes which is the tyrant of
for euer and together eternally Oh saith a godly Father if a sinner damned in hell did know that hee had to suffer those torments there no more thousands of yeares then there be sands of the sea and piles of grasse on the ground or no more thousand millions of ages then there be creatures in heauen and in earth hee would greatly reioyce thereof and comfort himselfe with this poore cogitation that once yet his torments would haue an end but now saith hee this word Neuer breakes his heart when hee thinketh on it and that after a hundred thousand millions of worlds there suffered he hath as farre to his end as he had at the entrance for no water can quench this fire no time can end these torments Death in it selfe to the vnregenerate man is the very gate of hell and wicket-dore of damnation for whomsoeuer it findeth vnrenued by Gods Spirit lying still in the filth of sinne it sendeth them straight to Gods Iudgement seat for speedy vengeance such therefore cannot choose but loathe and abhorre it being the messenger of Gods wrath the wages for their sinne and the fearefull fore-runner of their eternall damnation to ensue For shall it hale them forward to hell like an executioner and they not dislike it Shall it arrest them as a Serjeant to appeare before their Iudge and they not regard it Fearefull no doubt are their fits and furies before their end and grieuous and vnspeakable are their pangs before they come to the full possession of their endlesse paines And what a sorrowfull day will death be to such when Iustice shall set such a fyne vpon their heads that will for euer decay their former wealthy estate in the world and leaue them in a desperate case It is no maruell therefore that wicked reprobates doe so shake and tremble at the remembrance of death for there is cause of more feare then they can feare For the power of Gods wrath which now in death the wicked and vngodly men presently expect to feele cannot be feared as it ought For who knoweth the power of thy wrath There is no feare no suspition no thought which may sufficiently expresse the terrour of it Horrendum est it is a horrible thing so saith the Author to the Hebrewes but how fearefull no creature can tell but they that feele it and lye vnder it in the flames of hell as Diues did Aske no question saith one concerning them that perish concerning the death of the vngodly seeke not neither enquire there is no comfort to be giuen vnto it CHAP. X. The fearefull condition of the reprobate and all wicked men without Christ WHen the wicked and vngodly men shall ponder with themselues vpon the knowledge of the former poynts how sinfull they are and how by meanes of their vnrepentant hearts they are holden in the cords of their sinne and as malefactors apprehended and found guilty are ready to be haled to deaths prison there to lye vntill their arraignment and appoynted time of iudgement speedily to be executed vpon them They cannot choose hauing the sentence of condemnation written in their consciences but tremble and quake at the remembrance thereof If the hand-writing against Balthasar once read vpon the wall caused his very heart to shake and his knees knock together when hee heard that God had numbred his dayes and weighed him in the Ballance how fearefully shall the vngodly be affected with the continuall expectation of the wrath and vengeance of God assuredly decreed sodainly and in a moment to fall vpon them And albeit they striue to put away the euill day from their thoughts and cogitations yet haue they many fits and feuers of feare euen in the middest of their delights When Pharaoh the proud Tyrant had hardened his heart and boasted exceedingly against the people of God yet he no sooner saw the death of the first borne but he feared and trembled as the leaues in the Wildernesse There is indeede a way as Solomon saith that a man thinketh straight and pleasant when yet the issues thereof lead to death but what pleasure is that and what delight Surely in that laughter the heart is sorrowfull and that mirth doth end in heauinesse True it is that such men strengthen themselues and striue to vanquish feare sometimes with one pleasure and sometimes with another but if they would violently cast it out as the Cannon doth her shot yet would it euermore returne againe and vexe their heart And though they would neuer so faine haue their conscience seared as with a glowing Iron to make them senslesse yet sometimes it awakeneth them as out of a sleep and then they see most fearefull sights of horrour and torment and when they feele it least their state is no better then that of the stalled Oxe not knowing being so fat that then he is the fittest for the slaughter All their life is a miserable bondage in feare and terrour of their iust condemnation to ensue They haue the spirit of slauery and feare being the children of the handmaid Hagar borne in the bondage of her wombe they dwell in the Desart of Ambia and are in mount Sinai where is the burning of fire and blacknesse and darknesse and tempest and sound of Trumpet at which they tremble for they are without Christ and therefore must needes be in the horrour and feare of death all their dayes And though through the custome of sinne they come to a slumbring spirit and are cast into a numbnesse of conscience brawned through a senslesse blockishnesse as men hewed out of hard Oakes or grauen out of Marble hauing flinty hearts and adamant soules altogether destitute of true feeling of their sinnes and feare of God yet when the Lord shall let loose the cord of their consciences and shall set their sinnes before their face some of them depart this life like bruitish Swine and others of them surcharged with sinne doe end their dayes like barking dogges The sting of an ill conscience is called a worme that neuer dyeth a searing with an hot iron a sea that alwayes rageth a violent fire to deuoure the aduersary An euill conscience is a heauy burden it will make the wicked grieue at the losse of that he neuer loued for vertue hath this triumph ouer vice that they which hate her most shall be grieued at her absence If a man languish in sicknesse so his heart be whole his sicknesse doth not so much grieue him if he be reproached so he be precious in the sight of God and his Angels what losse hath hee but if his soule be disquieted who dareth meete with the wrath of the Lord of hoasts Who can put to silence the voyce of desperation Who can make agreement with Hell and Diuels In all other afflictions a man may haue some comfort against sinne but this is euer accompanied with the accusation of sinne then a man suspecteth all
earth with as great violence as Ioab from the hornes of the altar whither he fled for a refuge to saue his life What will the wicked doe in the extremity of Gods iudgement whither will they turne them whose helpe will they craue when all things shall cause them to feare and proclaime open vengeance against them Aboue them shall be their Iudge offended with their sinnes beneath hell gaping to deuoure them on their right hand shall be their sinnes accusing them on the left hand the Diuels as tormentours ready to receiue them within them their conscience grieuing without them infinite damned soules wailing weeping and gnashing their teeth Good Lord what will wretched sinners doe inuironed with all these miseries how will their hearts sustaine these anguishes what way will they take to goe backe is impossible to goe forward is intollerable What then shall they doe but as Christ foretold desperately seeke for Death and shall not finde it cry to the Mountaines to couer them who yet shall not stirre to hide them they shall stand forlorne as miserable caitifes to their dreadfull and deadly doome Goe yee cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the Diuell and his Angels For in that man offendeth the Lord and creatour of all things he offendeth also all the creatures together in him whither therefore may he goe for as much as he hath made all things become enemies vnto him There is nothing now left to take his part euen so much as his owne conscience within him barketh out against him yea it is the duetie also of the faithfull to reioyce in the damnation of the wicked as well as to be glad for the saluation of Gods elect and howsoeuer to magnifie the righteousnesse of God The Rauens must haue Hogges garbages Partridges must be set vpon the board before Lords and great men A Murtherer must be laid vpon a Hurdle And it is as meete for Iudas to sit in Hell as for Saint Peter to sit in Heauen And vessels of dishonour are as necessarie for the glory of Gods house as precious vessels of gold for the honour of his seruice Yet this is the height of their horrour when the wicked had rather be tormented in hell then to see the face of Christ their fearefull Iudge wishing the very Mountaines to hide them and the Hils and Rockes to couer them from the glory of his presence Hitherto what Death is in it selfe Now it followeth to shew what it is through Christ to the faithfull The end of the first Booke THE SECOND BOOKE What DEATH is in Christ CHAP. I. Christ alone and none other can and doth redeeme vs from death and damnation WHat our fearefull estate is without Christ we haue heard before being holden in the shadow of death by the chaines of our sins the weight and burthen whereof is the law of God laid vpon vs Hell is our prison and Death is our Gaolor to hold vs. See how fast we are locked from God and his Saints in the dungeon of Death by the meanes of sinne which is a sword to the heart a serpent in the bosome poyson in the stomacke a thiefe in the house It woundeth Nature stingeth the conscience killeth charitie and depriueth vs of Gods fauour which is the worst of all Now in this distresse Christ came to visite vs in his due time euen God and man a right redeemer for vs he tooke our cause vpon him and wrestled with the Diuell that held vs by our sinnes in Death This mighty Sauiour tooke flesh and blood to take our part none could be our Mediatour but he alone none amongst the Angels for they are no men not any amongst the Saints for they were all sinners neither any amongst the other creatures for they were all corruptible so that we can neither giue gold nor siluer for the redemption of our soules neither can wee trust in the merits of Angels and Saints who all want vertue for this worke but onely in Christ the Sonne of God and man a meete redeemer for vs who is our Priest alone abiding for euer because he liueth for euer neither can his Priesthood be translated to another and as the sacrifice is his owne so hee is Priest alone to offer it to his Father which he did once for all vpon the Crosse for all belieuers All promise and hope of life is in Christ alone who hath alone the word of life who is alone the bread of life the water of life the author of life yea life it selfe he that beleeueth in him hath euerlasting life and hee that dwelleth not in him shall neuer see life but abideth still in death Take hold of Christ and take hold of life if thou reach out thy hand to any other thing thou catchest for the winde Looke not for life but where it dwelleth in the flesh of Christ alone there it resteth Death hath reigned in all the world beside and ledde euery creature into bondage If thou lookest to the heauens there is but clouds and darknes if to the earth there is but sorrow and sadnesse If thou callest to Abraham he knoweth thee not if thou cry to Angels they cannot comfort thee if thou looke into thy workes they are vncleane if thou trust in thy prayers the Lord hath no pleasure in them call for the helpe of all creatures they are subiect to vanitie there is no life nor rest but in Christ alone The elders and Angels the beasts and all creatures they giue this honour vnto Christ alone Saluation is to him that sitteth vpon the throne and of the Lambe and they all shoute together and say Amen He that would not wander and goe astray should know both whither and which way to goe Now both of those we haue in Christ alone very God and very man for in that he is God and consequently life to him wee must goe and in that he is man by him wee must come vnto God and be vnited with him that we may obtaine euerlasting life and be freed from death If he be the life then is he the place to whom we must goe if he be the way by him we must trauell to attaine eternall life and if he be the truth that is the accomplishment of the law and Prophets concerning both the shadowes and substance of Gods promises then also is he the onely meanes of our redemption God was so gracious and mercifull vnto mankinde that he bestowed not onely his goods but himselfe to redeeme vs and that not so much for his owne sake as for mans behoofe That man might be borne of God God was first borne of Man Who can hate man whose nature and likenesse hee beholdeth in the humanity of God Doubtlesse who so loueth not man hateth God and so abideth in death God became man for mans sake that he might be a redeemer as he was before a creatour that men not
onely might be ransomed thorough his riches but also loue him the more for his goodnesse God appeared in the similitude of sinfull flesh that each sense of man might be made blessed in him and as well the eye of the heart renewed in his diuinity as the eye of the body in his humanity that whether it goe in or out mans nature which he hath created might in it finde comfort and refreshing No man or any creature else is able to satisfie God for sinne and so saue from death An infinite iustice is offended an infinite punishment is deserued by euery sin and euery mans sinnes are as neere to infinitie as number can make them Where then shall we finde an infinite value but in him who is onely and altogether infinite in himselfe the dignity of whose person being infinite gaue such worth to his satisfaction that what hee suffered in short time might satisfie beyond all times Christ did all and suffered all he did it for vs we in him hee emptied himselfe of his glory that hee might put on our shame and misery not ceasing to be God which he was he became man which before he was not Man to be a perfect mediatour betwixt God and man which were both in one person God that he might satisfie Man that hee might suffer that since man had sinned and God was offended he which was both God and man might satisfie God for man None therefore but he can beare our sinnes and none but he can pay the wages of our sinnes which is the sustaining of euerlasting Death None but he can pleade our cause which onely hath fulfilled all righteousnes for vs. None can purchase our saluation but hee onely that hath paid the price of our redemption He alone hath trod the wine-presse of Gods wrath and there was none to helpe him The cup of bitter affliction whereof he tasted the drops of blood which in his agony distilled from his face for no intreaty with his father could passe from him to any other None but he saueth vs and he is but one and will be alone in all his courses without mixture without medley First last and middest and all filling all yet fined from all in the glorious worke of our redemption No man can ascend but by him that did descend and that is Christ the ladder which Iacob saw at Peniel the Cloud by day and the Piller by night which guideth thee Israell of God in the desart of this world the Kings highway to heauen and happy rest There is no Paradise without this tree of life no perfume without this balme so sweete no building sure without this corner-stone no sacrifice to please without this vnspotted Lambe I say there is no God without Christ in this wicked world As the light of the day is conueyed vnto vs by the Sunne in the firmament so is the brightnesse of heauen by that Sonne of righteousnesse A Planet in the midst of Planets to lighten all aboue and all below whom blessed Angels desire to behold and godly men are earnest to adore Christ is sufficient of himselfe onely and so perfect is his glory that all height must be abased before him he created alone and he will redeeme alone he made alone and hee will saue alone nothing else in earth nothing in heauen nor in the heauen of heauens no vertue no power no strength no name no meanes of saluation but by this our Sauiour Iesus Christ and him alone winne him and enioy ail good things loose him and though thou shouldest get the whole world thy gaine is but damnation Christ is our true Ionah that was alotted to die to deliuer his companions from Death and Diuell He is our true Daniel cast betweene the iawes of these deuouring beast euen the Diuell and Death and yet was not consumed he was sunke and swallowed downe into the bottome of the sea of our sinnes and yet was not drowned but enioyed still the breath of life Many despaire of saluation because of their owne vnworthinesse as though there were no hope of Gods mercie vnlesse we bring our gifts and pawnes in our hands but this indeede were to discredit the Lords mercy and bring in credit our owne merits and rather binde the Lord to vs then vs to him But if our sins be great our redemption is greater though our merits be beggerly Gods mercy is a rich mercy If our case were not desperate and we past hope of recouery our redemption should not be so precious and plentifull But when Heauen and Earth Sunne and Moone and Starres goe against vs then to ransome vs and make a perfect restitution is to draw something out of nothing Euen as in sicknesse to haue either little danger or being in great danger to haue present deliuerance by meanes is nothing in respect but in extreame perill when Physicke can doe nothing and nothing maketh for vs but the graue then to be rescued from the pit and to recouer our life from Death it selfe which Christ onely could and did is redemption indeede Our righteousnesse consisteth in Christ alone who therefore is called our righteousnesse as Ieremy saith He saith Paul is our righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption by his obedience many were made righteous he hath paid our debts by him alone wee are reconciled vnto God he hath obtained remission for our sinnes by his death he hath pacified the wrath of God his father he hath washed vs in his blood which clenseth vs from all sinne All things saith Christ are giuen to mee of God If we then will haue all that is necessary for our happines as Gods fauour righteousnes life pardon of our sins sanctification of the spirit redemption c. We must addresse our selues to Iesus Christ alone whom the Father hath chosen to be the Lord-treasurer of heauen and steward of all his graces As in the colde winter we can be no sooner from the fire but we are colde nor out of the light but we are in darknesse so we are no sooner gone from Christ who is our true righteousnesse light and life but straight way we are in sinne and death for as much as he is the life that quickneth vs the Sunne that giues vs light the fire that warmeth comforteth and refresheth all his members As the Moone hath her light from the Sunne so the Church hath her light life and righteousnes from Christ her head Christ is the sheepe that hath borne the wooll and fleece to make vs garments of righteousnesse to couer our sinne and wickednesse Hee as a glorious King hath adorned the Queene his spouse He hath prepared for her all rich and sumptuous robes hee hath washed her from her blood and pollutions throughout And as there is nothing more vncleane then the Church when she is naked in her selfe so there is nothing more beautifull then when she is decked with
Things present things to come Life Death the world it selfe all is ours and we are Christs Christ in regard of this our vnion with him is not ashamed to call vs Brethren who yet made heauen and earth section 20 and is an immortall and glorious God one with his Father to whom all Angels doe obeysance and the most glorious Princes are but dust and ashes It was a rare thing in Moses being so high in fauour with Pharao that hee would vouchsafe to visite his poore brethren such slaues and bond-men It was singular loue in Ioseph being next to the King in honour and place yet not to be ashamed of his Fathers house being herd-men and sheepe-herds But this is nothing to the kindenesse of Iesus Christ the very shining brightnesse of that most glorious God and his onely begotten Sonne before all eternitie who yet was not ashamed of vs miserable wretched sinners but of his free grace acknowledged vs that were his very enemies in whose person he should suffer a most shamefull and slanderous Death And is it not trow you a iust condemnation if wee wretched men should be ashamed of him who being the God of glory was not ashamed of vs And as they are naturall brethren which are borne of the same Parents so all wee are brethren with Christ which are borne of God through the same spirit by which we cry Abba Father and exercise our loue one towards another in the vnitie of Christian faith section 21 Wee wrastle here with sin as though the steppes of our strength were restrained and looke euen fully vpon death as the Ialour that committeth vs to our graue as a dungeon how be it euen in this doth the Lord reach forth a most approued cordiall to reuiue the faintnesse of our hearts for through the vnion and communion we haue with Christ the vncleanenesse of our birth is washed away in the sanctification of his nature Our transgression remoued in his innocencie our rebellion discharged in his obedience and the vtmost farthing paid in his sufferings And hauing the Image of God which we lost in Adam not renewed onely but a fairer and deeper stampe thereof ingrauen and set vpon vs we may in a Christian resolution challenge at the gates of Hell and Death that nothing can be charged vpon vs as a debt and therefore nothing can light vpon vs as a punishment Wherefore though we mingle here our bread with care and drinke with weeping and haue our lodging in the bed of darkenesse and discomfort it is but to weane vs from the flesh-pots of Egypt till in the heauenly land of Canaan we haue our hearts desire section 22 And though our bodies seeme to perish for euer in in the iudgement of men yet still they haue a being in the sight of God and are members of Christ For the vnion as I haue said betweene Christ and the faithfull is not onely of our soules but of our bodies also all the bodies of the faithfull being vnited to the bodie of Christ And this is such a coniunction as Death can neuer dissolue For though it doth breake the knot betweene Man and Wife yet cannot it infringe the bond betwixt Christ and the faithfull As Death did not make a separation betwixt the two natures of Christ at the time of his suffering though his soule and body were then farre distant in regard of place the one being in heauen and the other in the graue yet were they at that time and in that case personally vnited vnto his god-head no more can Death make a diuision betwixt Christ and the faithfull though there bodies putrifie and rot in their graues yet still they remaine true members of his body And as the Husbandman doth make as great reckoning section 23 of that corne which he hath sowen in his Field and lieth vnder clods as hee doth of that which lieth safe in his barne or garner because he assureth himselfe it will come vp againe and yeelde encrease So Christ our Sauiour doth as highly esteeme of those bodies which are dead and buried as of those which remaine aliue because hee knowes that one day they shall rise againe in honour Their life is but hid for a time and will be found out againe for Christ is able to restore that which nature hath destroyed And God doth deale herein no otherwise with the bodies of his children then Goldsmiths with their old peeces of plate long agoe out of fashion who cast them in the Furnace to refine them and to bring them to a better forme according to his minde Therefore let not the wofull condition of our bodies discourage vs any whit or lessen our hope being ready to die For though the graue deuoure them wormes doe eate section 24 them fire consume them or sea swallow them vp yet being ioyned to Christ in his death and resurrection as Christ and Christians are made one indiuisible body by the bond of Gods spirit they can neuer be seuered from him And although their bodies be as it were rent from the soule by the violence of Death yet in regard of this coniunction with Christ their head neither death nor the graue can separate them from their head For though our bodie be buried in the earth yet our head is in heauen And as one that swimmeth though his body diue and sinke vnder the water yet his head being aboue the streames the whole man is sure and safe from perishing So sure are the faithfull from euerlasting death and destruction though their bodies be entrenched and enterred in their graues being members of their head Iesus Christ ascended aloft aboue the highest heauens to whom they are vnited still by an inseparable bond of his spirit which death can neuer breake CHAP. IIII. The combat and conflict of Christians with Sinne Flesh Death Law and Diuell with their heauenly conquest and triumph ouer them all through Iesus Christ section 1 SVch is the enmitie of the old Serpent in the iust iudgement of God set betweene him and Adams seede that though his head be broken yet still he will labour to bruise their heele Like a coward ouercome he lags behinde for aduantage and not daring to shew his face any more in the field hee dragges in the way and lieth aloofe vpon euery occasion to take them in a trappe Though he cannot preuaile yet prouoke vs still hee will to fight and try our manhood neither can wee otherwise be conquerours then was Christ our Captaine and head who by dying in the field recouered life both for himselfe and his Souldiers for nothing but Death can end this combat Our life is a warfare and that most strange for any section 2 other warre may haue an end either by a conclusion of peace with the enemie or by flying farre from him or by ouercomming him in fight But in this spirituall warre we cannot lawfully make any peace with these our enemies the
holy life heauenly conuersation chearefull death and blessed daparture of the faithfull redeemed by Christ section 1 GOds children now being redeemed from Sinne and Death and truely vnited to Christ by his spirit whom they apprehend by an vnfained faith cannot chuse but shew forth the fruits of this their high calling to the glory of him that hath chosen them And being partakers of the diuine nature they flye from the corruptions of the world and giue all diligence to ioyne vertue with their faith and with vertue knowledge and with knowledge temperance and with temperance patience and with patience godlinesse and with godlinesse brotherly kindenesse and with brotherly kindenesse loue and these things being among them and abounding will keepe them from being idle and vnfruitfull The grace of God to them appeareth not in vaine but teacheth them to denie all vngodlinesse and worldly lusts to liue soberly righteously godly in this present world c. and being risen with Christ from the graue of corruption they euery day more and more seeke those things which are aboue setting their affections where Christ sitteth and not on the things that are on the earth for they are dead to the world and their true life is hid with God in Christ therefore they labour to be holy as he that hath called them to his kingdome and glory is holy They daily imploy themselues in reading and meditating of the word of God in prayer and religious exercises of holy deuotion loathing still this world and sinfull life daily growing to be spirituall and heauenly hauing their affections and zeale inflamed with the loue of God They say with Augustine O Lord I delight to heare of thee to talke of thee to write of thee to deuise of thee and in my heart to print whatsoeuer I learne of thee So must wee walke in these holy paths with all Gods Saints Godly deuotion and holy meditations saith one are section 2 as brine and pickle to keepe and preserue this corruptible flesh of ours from the euill scent that breedeth in our nature by originall sinne They are as faggots and firebrands that enkindle and inflame the loue of God in our hearts And as the fish out of the water die forthwith and the drops of raine distilling from the clouds vpon the ground doe quickly dry and drench vp and the fire without fuell is soone extinguished So our faith and loue c. without these sanctified meanes doe suddenly decrease They are as precious perfumes burnt in a polluted house and sick-mans chamber The sweet incense of prayer and the sauory smell of that odorifferous balme of a liuely faith and effectuall knowledge of God purge and clense the corruption of our liues and vncleane desires God hath chosen vs to be his glorious temple in whom hee dwelleth by his spirit therefore wee must haue our hearts purified by faith and clense our selues from all filthinesse and vncleanenesse both of bodies and soules and so adorne the place of his presence and habitation with all vertue and holinesse Hee that destroyeth the Temple of God him will God destroy for the Temple of God is holy which you are Saint Peter willeth vs to gird vp the loynes of our mindes teaching vs that as they which weare long garments when they come in the foule wayes doe take and gird them vp lest they should tag in the way So we whose mindes and affections doe traile as it were vpon the earth trudging through this foule and filthy world must heaue them vp towards heauen lest they should touch the damnable filth of sinne and wickednesse It is in vaine to boast of iustification without the vnfained sanctification of Gods spirit For as there can be no fire section 3 without warmth and light so neither can God by his spirit be in vs of with any of vs but he will also purifie vs from vice and corruption therefore wee must follow peace and holinesse without the which no man can see the Lord. Christ hath crucified our old man and put to death our vice and corruption and shall wee reuiue the same Shall we maintaine our Sauiours enemies and giue life againe to these deadly poysons of our soules If wee will be Burgesses of heauen we must be strangers to the earth Where is the house of our Father but in heauen and there dwelleth our eldest brother Iesus Christ and all our christian friends and kindred Heauen then is our true Country and on earth we are but trauellers section 4 When Moses had conuersed with God but fortie daies vpon the Mount-Oliue at his comming downe his face shined and glistered with heauenly glory So must we beholding in a mirror the glory of our Lord Iesus Christ in his word and Gospell as it were with open face and not with a vaile as did Moses be changed into the same image from glory to glory as by the spirit of the Lord. If I say but this short time while we liue we be conuersant in heauen by our most holy faith and fruits thereof in all holy affections thoughts words and meditations we shall in the end become heauenly and spirituall both in word and deede As wee see by experience when a country-man hath beene trayned vp sometime in the Court he forgetteth his clownish kinde of life and becommeth a Courtier Let vs therefore leaue the speaches habit fashions and manners of this wicked world wherein we liue and inure our selues with the customes and course of the court of Heauen Let all our thoughts words and communication testifie that in spirit wee are already there section 5 Christ Iesus whom all true Christians haue put on by baptisme as a garment is a most royall robe of grace holinesse and sanctification and shall we be so sloathfull to traile and trample him in the dyrt of filthinesse and sinne or putting him off to put on the vile and spotted garment of the flesh by following the lusts thereof When winter is once ouer the nearer that the Sunne draweth vnto vs the more doth the earth being warmed with the heate thereof fructifie and increase and the longer the daies are the more worke we may doe euen so the nearer the kingdome of heauen doth approach vnto vs by the comming of Iesus Christ the sonne of righteousnesse or the nearer we draw to death the more we should be inflamed in the loue of God and all good workes As the Sunne beames doe come to the earth and yet are in the region from whence they are sent so the mindes and soules of Gods children though conuersant in the earth are truely seated and setled with God in heauen from whence they came Let vaine-glorious worldlings who with the Camaelion section 6 liue by the ayre and therefore are alwaies found gaping and who haue with the Moone but a borrowed light in the world and no true light of
forbidden tree to delight the eye fayre words to please the eare and driue all away Why You shall be as Gods when his drift is to make them all as Diuels What a dangerous Lethargie of the soule is this when so many spectacles of mans mortalitie before our eyes can nothing moue vs or at least our mouing with Agrappa is not much but somewhat which by and by is all forgot and gone and so wee thinke of our end by some running fits and haue done Wee will and wee will not and so with the Sluggard nothing is done Some count it death to meditate of death they like the remembrance of it as Ahab the presence of Eliah to be troublesome to them Let fooles as they doe make but a sport of sinne and section 10 say with the old Epicures What haue wee to doe with Death They shall one day finde that Death will haue to doe with them when hee shall strip them into their winding sheete binde them hand and foot and make their last bed to be the darke and slimy graue Ahab could not abide to heare Micheas speake for that hee neuer prophesied any good but euill vnto him hee would be wicked and yet could not endure to heare any other newes then good So wicked men cannot away to heare of death because they liue a sinfull life Balaam desires to dye the death of the righteous but hee will neuer vndergoe to liue the life of the righteous As Pharaoh said to Moses Depart from among my people so say the vngodly to Death Be banished from vs thy presence thy shadow and the very remembrance of thee is fearefull vnto vs. To muse of their end is the least of most mens thoughts To heare Saint Paul speake of Gods terrible iudgement to come is too trembling a doctrine for our delightfull dispositions to heare with Foelix wee are not at leasure for this is iarring Musicke which sounds not aright in the Consort of our worldly pleasures To thinke of Death is Acheldama saith one euen a field of bloud but wastfully to spend the time in the dangerous delights of sinne and so to be flattered with promise of peace and pleasure is a tuneable Dittie to most mens eares vntill their soules so sleepe in sinne as Sisera slept who neuer woke againe But if any Physitian would take vpon him to make men liue euer in this world what a multitude of Patients should he haue and how well would they reward him Alas poore fooles they are earth and will not know it But will the forgetfulnesse of death preserue them from dying But Plato said truely that there was no more honourable section 11 Philosophy for a mortall man then the daily meditation of his mortalitie and death for the remembrance of death through Gods blessing serues as a sounding Bell to awake vs from the sleepe of our sinnes and as a spurre to pricke vs on to vertue as a bridle to restraine our greedy desires as an oyntment for our eyes to make vs clearely see the foulnesse of our sinne whereof the Diuell is the father Death his fruit and Hell his dwelling place Remembrance of Death is as the match and tinder that nourisheth and inlighteneth the fire of all holy deuotion the Bellowes that kindle all godly affections it is as it were the Fanne that seuereth from our soules the dust and chaffe of all vanitie and sinne it serueth as a Pilot to gouerne the right course of our life who stands euer behinde in the ship to conduct it the better to the desired Port it is better Musicke then that of Dauids Harpe to Saul against all the raging fits and furies of all infernall Spirits section 12 Shew me a promise that you shall liue but to morrow or hauing this assurance that to morrow shall giue you light or if it appeare whether you shall see the light Shew mee I say the promise and liue to morrow But what doe I say It may be thou shalt liue long wilt thou liue a long life and a wicked together and be in danger to end thy life by a miserable and wretched death As the Husbandman is carefull to cast seede into the ground whilest faire weather lasteth and the Merchant to lay out his money whilest the Mart and good Market endureth so must Christians take the time and good opportunitie offered for the night will come when no man can worke We must vse Gods mercies to our gaine and not to our damnation When the third Captaine ouer fifty saw how his two fellow-Captaines were deuoured with fire it went so neare his heart that hee went vp and fell downe and besought the man of God that his life might be precious in his sight But how many thousands of our fellow-souldiers haue wee heard and seene to fall in this spirituall fight How many of our dearest friends haue taken their leaue and yet none or very few maketh supplication I say not to the man of God but to God himselfe that our liues and deaths may be precious in his sight Oftentimes hath God knocked at the doore of our hearts to put vs in minde of our mortalitie for who hath not had experience of his declining nature But yet for all this what little humbling of our selues is there before him whose dominion reacheth vnto the ends of the earth who bringeth to the graue and raiseth vp againe The perfection of knowledge is to know God and our section 13 selues aright and our selues then wee best know when wee haue throughly learned our mortall estate As men wee dye naturally as Christians wee dye religiously wee must first dye to the world that after wee may liue to God By our dying to the world Christ Iesus commeth and liueth in vs and by our dying in the world wee are sure to goe to liue with Christ Wee dye not saith one because wee are sicke but because wee liue so when wee recouer our sicknesse wee escape not from death but from the disease Let vs therefore make that voluntary which is necessary saith S. Chrisostome and yeeld it to God as a gift which wee stand bound to pay as a debt We must not saith Ambrose neyther loath to liue nor feare to dye because wee haue a good and gracious Lord. No good thing can be well and perfectly done at the first seeing therefore it is so great a matter to dye and so necessary to dye well it is expedient that in our life we learne to dye often that we may at last dye well at the very time of death The Souldiers that be appoynted to fight doe first practise themselues in the field to learne in time of peace what they must doe in time of warre The horse that must runne at the Tilt trauerseth all that ground before and tryeth all the steps thereof that when hee commeth to make his course he be not found new
it But on the contrary such as want this good testimonie section 9 of the conscience purified by faith in the blood of Christ their case is very dangerous lying still in their sinnes which in the time of Gods visiting hand will sting them deadly and in this world if they be not awakened by repentance but lye snorting in the same till their dying day their conscience that hath furfeited of sinne in this life will vomit all in their faces when they come once to their reckoning For as a good conscience is a continuall feast and paradise to him that hath it so an euill one is a perpetuall plague and prison to the soule and like the raging sea that casts vp mire and durt A pure conscience saith one is as the sweetest sugar to delay the bitternesse of all afflictions it is as marrow in the bones and good blood in the veynes as sound health to the body fitting and inabling it to sustaine all blustering stormes and winter blasts It is as a watch-tower and Beacon on a hill to giue vs warning and word of all danger imminent to our life As a Trumpet to awaken vs from our sinnes It is as the match and tinder to kindle the fire and zeale of all holy deuotion faith and obedience still pricking vs forward to all vertue and godlinesse till wee end our daies in peace We may say of the conscience as Zeno the Philosopher of a Wife that shee is a continuall comfort or a perpetuall crosse A good conscience is an inuincible Tower it may be besieged but neuer battered and raced to the ground It will neither be borrowed nor bought nor sould yet if it should be set a sale few would buy it The bed of a good Conscience flourisheth alwayes as the greene borders in a Garden If our hearts be setled in loue and obedience to the section 10 Lord all the world besides cannot defile vs. Our heart is the safest Tower of defence that wee haue in all our life take heede therefore of thy heart for if it accuse thee it will kill thee If it be on thy side let the heauens fall yet the ruines thereof shall not affright thee let thy foes be what they will let their counsell be what it can and destruction that is conspired neuer so cruell yet if thy heart be faithfull to God thy enemies shall feare more then thou for Innocencie assisteth thee which is strengthened with the arme of God and cannot be conquered by any meanes of Man Death or Diuell Though nature be weake to raise vp it selfe and aduersities and temptations strong to cast it downe yet both troubles and temptations flye fast away before the face of our trust in God O Lord take from mee saith one if thou wilt my goods and riches my pleasures c. yea my life to so thou leaue mee my heart which way neuer cease to loue thee trust in thee and call vpon thy name Thou canst not be friends with thy selfe till thou be with God for thy Conscience like an honest seruant taketh his masters part against thee when thou hast sinned and will not countenance thee till thou be reconciled to God neyther dare it be kinde to thee and vnfaithfull to her Maker God doth commit men to their Conscience as vnto a Tutor which vigilantly attends vpon them and a man may better flye from any thing then from his owne heart And therefore this hath alwayes beene the ioy and reioycing of the faithfull to haue the witnesse of a good conscience that they haue simply and honestly walked with men in this world This is their Crowne and comfort to thinke how holily and vnblameably they haue behaued themselues that they haue fought a good fight and finished their course and kept the faith that they haue kept the profession of their hope without fainting still with a good Conscience making their request to God This oyle of gladnesse hath cheared their countenance and this pure wine of a good Conscience hath gladed their heart amidst all their griefe it hath sweetned their sorrowes hauing the loue of God shed in their hearts through the holy Ghost And therefore our greatest care must be to haue alwayes a cleare Conscience towards God and man which will greatly cheare vs against our death section 11 Christians must be daily practicioners of Faith and Repentance they must not onely by mortification of the flesh dye to sinne but being renewed in the spirit rise againe vnto righteousnesse and amendment of life They must hate euill and doe good pursue after peace and holinesse without the which no man can see God For as hee that hath a hope to liue againe when he is dead must dye while hee is aliue to sinne and wickednesse So hee that will escape the second death must be made pertaker of the first resurrection to newnesse of life And those that are deliuered from darknesse must be translated into the Kingdome of Christ and being dead in themselues must liue the life of Christ And this is the end why they are freed from their deadly foes to serue God in holinesse and righteousnesse all their dayes So shall they come to peace of Conscience and ioy in the holy Ghost section 12 Repentance and amendment of life serue vs as the Cannon shot to scatter the cruell bands of Death and Diuell and ioyning Faith with Repentance wee shall be sure to winne the field by the safe conduct of Christ our Captaine vnconquerable who as wee haue heard hath satisfied for our sinnes fulfilled the Law and foyled all our foes If the day of our death finde vs a sleepe in our sinne woe be vnto vs for then wee shall hardly awake The end of all things saith Saint Peter is at hand therefore be sober and watch in prayer Euery one in his death shall finde this end of all things when men are once dead and carryed out of dores all is at an end with them neyther hath their body any more then their length of ground One being demanded when it was time to repent answered section 13 One day before our death but when it was replyed that no man knew that day hee said Beginne then to day for feare of fayling and boast not of to morrow for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth It is a folly to dissemble our sores whilst they are cureable and after make them knowne when there is no remedie Many pretend to amend all in time and this time is so deferred from day to day vntill God in whose hands onely all times consist doth shut them out of all time and send them to paines eternall without time for that they abuse the speciall benefit of time in this world For custome groweth to another nature and old diseases are hardly cured Wilt thou goe to heauen liuing in sinne as thou dost It is impossible As soone thou maist driue God
effectuall Ieremie perplexed in the dungeon called sighed and cryed vnto God Hearken O Lord vnto me saith Dauid and answere I mourne in my prayer and make a noyse It maketh men to cry as a woman in trauell Demaund now and behold if Man trauell with childe Wherefore doe I behold euery man with his hands on his loynes as a Woman in her trauell and all faces are turned into palenesse It forceth very infidels to humble themselues as Pharaoh Ahab c. See the variety of Gods punishments before he can make his people yeeld yet in the end their vncircumcised hearts shall be humbled and they shall pray for their sinne reason 1 Afflictions and troubles doe breake and tame the stoutnesse and pride of mans heart and nature maketh them to melt and relent who may know by woefull experience that God will not cease from punishing till they leaue their sinning God still addeth seauen plagues to seauen increasing the number and the greatnesse till his children be turned vnto him and be throughly humbled So in Amos he sends his iudgements successiuely because they returned not vnto him So he saith he will returne to his place and not be found vntill they seeke him and amend and God affirmeth that he will enter into iudgement with Ierusalem because she saith I haue not sinned reason 2 Secondly being blinded in our affections they make vs to see and know our selues before I was troubled I went wrong In my prosperity I said I shall neuer be moued Ephraim in presperitie was as an vntamed and wanton Calfe not wonted to the yoake but by chasticements afterwards repenting and being conuerted and instructed I smote my selfe saith Ephraim vpon my thigh I was ashamed and confounded because I did beare the reproach of my youth reason 3 Thirdly by afflictions wee may see the anger and vengeance of God against sinne flaming as an vnquenchable fire and burning to the bottome of hell and in them we proue our owne weakenesse not able to vndergoe or endure them Take away thy plague from me for I am consumed by the stroak of thy hand Therefore Dauid prayeth God not to rebuke him in his anger nor to chastise him in his wrath vse 1 The vse whereof is that wee heare the rod and who hath appointed it That we take notice of Gods iudgements in acknowledging the authour and the end thereof that we humble our selues and meete our God that wee pray for patience and strength to vndergoe trialls and seeing our weakenes to run to God for aide Againe it maketh much for our comfort that afflictions vse 2 are so good and profitable as the effects thereof declare When they are sanctified vnto vs they heale our sinfull nature as a good salue that is laide to the sore they recouer the sicknesse of our soules as good physicke cures the disease Thus they proue as wholsome medicines and fatherly chasticements to amend and reforme Gods elect They are meanes to make vs to know our selues and the corruption of our nature that needeth such violent remedies Wee are readie with Adam to hide our sinnes As malefactors on a racke and vnhappy Schollers in a Schoole are forced to acknowledge their faultes so God by affliction wresteth out a confession of sinne and resolution of amendment in his Children Thus God doth scowre and clense away the drosse and drowsinesse of our nature and so rowseth and raiseth vp our dead hearts to earnest and faithfull prayers that it turnes them to cryings sighings and groanings that cannot be expressed Calling vpon Gods name he heard his voyce doctrine 7 Gods children neuer pray in vaine but are heard and helped of God in their greatest afflictions I called vpon thy name O Lord out of the low dungeon thou hast heard my voyce I called vnto the Lord in my trouble and he heard me See the proofes and reasons hereof with the vses in doctrine the first c. Thou hast heard my voyce That is heretofore thou doctrine 8 hast regarded mee when I prayed therefore heare mee still The experience of Gods loue in our former deliuerances out of dangers ought still to encourage vs to resort vnto him when the like or greater troubles shall assaile vs. Thou hast set me at liberty when I was in distresse haue mercy vpon mee and hearken vnto my prayer That God had deliuered Dauid from the Lyon and the Beare was the speciall motiue and incouragement vnto him to incounter with Goliah and his best assurance to conquere and ouercome him So the church cheareth her selfe in her great ruins and afflictions hoping to be redeemed againe from the captiuity of Babilon O arme of the Lord rise vp as in old time in the generations of the world Art not thou the same that hast cut Rahab and wounded the Dragon Art not thou the same which hast dryed the Sea even the waters of the great deepe making the depth of the Sea a way for the redeemed to passe ouer Thus they speake of their deliuerance from Egipt which is called Rahab putting some part of the Land for the whole and the people therein contained meaning also by the Dragon that tyrant Pharaoh dwelling in the middest of the floudes as Ezekiell speaketh hyding himselfe in the Riuer Nylus and as Paul calleth Nero a Lyon so here is Pharaoh termed a Dragon to expresse the qualitie of Tyrants Thus with the remembrance of that eminent deliuerance out of Egipt they comfort their hearts and cherish their hopes to bee freed from the present captiuity for what shall hinder God from bringing them out of Babylon more then it did the freeing of their forefathers from the slauery of Egipt God is still the same without change or alteration his nature and condition is euer to bee gratious and ready to forgiue he is faithfull and will not deceiue his people his power and will are neuer weakened his truth and promise shall abide for euer Hath he said and shall not he doe it or hath hee done it and cannot hee doe the same againe Feare it not for GOD is constant and vnchangeable in his nature doctrine 7 Which doctrine serueth for the instruction of all Gods children in the variety and continuance of their tryals and afflictions being voyde of present comfort they must remember the times past and thinke of former deliuerances as the ancient Church of GOD hath vsed to doe who still called to minde what they had heard with their eares what their Fathers had tolde them of GODS workes in their dayes in the olde time how GOD had driuen out the heathen and planted them in how hee had destroyed the Nations and caused them to grow and so hee concludeth that they will praise God continually and confesse his name for euer This also reproueth the peruersenes of our nature and vse 2
the flesh the law of the members the nourishment of sinne the feeblenesse of nature and the food of death Oh grieuous necessitie and fearefull state of man before wee can sinne wee are lincked to sinne and before we offend we are bound with offence By one man sinne entered into the world and through sinne death hath gone ouer all Did not our Fathers eate the sowre grapes and are not the teeth of their children set on edge CHAP. IIII. Of the originall and entrance of Death and how iustly it was imposed vpon Adam and all his brood by the propagation of Sinne deriued vnto them THE Nature of man being thus wholly corrupted by Adams sinne Death presently followed him at the heeles to pay him his hyre As Death at first was threatned so speedily vpon his fall was it executed both vpon him and his Yet touching the originall of Death though the cause thereof be iust it seemeth doubtfull from whence it came and what author it had For although the issues thereof be in the hand of God and that it is his handmaide to execute his will as hee also fetters the very Diuels themselues who can doe nothing without him yet all the creatures that God did make were very good and as he is the very goodnesse it selfe so nothing but good proceedes from God Since therefore Death and the Diuell be enemies to God and goodnesse destroyers and corrupters of Nature which he hath made they are none of his creatures hee is neyther their author nor they of his off-spring All things which were made were made by the word and all things which were made by the word were exceeding good Euill then in generall and Death in particular which is euill in it selfe were not made of God and nothing can be good without the soueraigne goodnesse which is God himselfe And whereas good is not there is euill which in effect is nothing else but the priuation of good as death is the want of life and blindnesse the want of sight Lord saith Augustine thou hast not made death neyther hast thou pleasure in the destruction of the liuing therefore suffer not that which thou hast not made to haue dominion ouer me whom thou hast made God made not Death but man after hee fell to sinne receiued the sentence of his disloyaltie and reuolt that he should returne to dust of which he was framed The Diuell hath the power of Death that is hee is the author of Death who by his malicious nature brought it into the world for God made it not neyther hath any delight therein neyther is it good in his eyes nor euer mentioned amongst his workes but from the Diuell and of the Diuell and in the Diuell it beganne and is and abideth and therefore his name is rightly giuen him Abaddon that is a destroyer And as death is of him so for this cause also hee is said to haue the power of it because through his manifold temptations hee maketh men sinne by which Death raigneth For so saith S. Paul of Adam seduced by the Diuell Christ then vanquished him that had the power of Death that is hee abolished sinne and the condemnation of sinne which was the Kingdome of the Diuell and thereby triumphed ouer him For this cause saith S. Iohn the Sonne of God appeared that he might loose the workes of the Deuill that is Sinne and Death which are both of the Diuell for Sinne God condemneth and of Death hee saith I will be thy destruction protesting thereby that hee is author of neyther If God had made Death why did Christ weepe for Lazarus his death for he ought not to mourne for that himselfe had made but by this sorrow hee shewed that those that God had made to liue the Diuell by sinne had made to dye and therefore he raised him from the graue that Sathan might know he should little gaine by mans death I will not the death of a sinner saith the Lord. If God were the author of Death how could hee but be the willer of the same Not God then but the Diuell is the author of Death God made Adam without corruption and created him after his owne Image yet thorow enuy of the Diuell came Death and they that hold of his side proue it so that the Father of Death is the Diuell and as he is euill by nature so likewise is Death in it selfe issuing and proceeding from such a fountaine The Diuell is the author of Sinne and consequently of Death for by Sinne Death entered and Death is the wages thereof Hee that committeth sinne is of the Diuell for the Diuell sinneth from the beginning hee is a murtherer from the beginning hee is both a lyer and the father thereof not by creation but by corruption God made him an Angell hee made himselfe a Diuell so falling from God hee fell from goodnesse and became the father of sinne and wickednes Non stetit in veritate he stood not in the truth Hee that caused Sin caused Death for sinne The third part of the waters became Wormewood and many men dyed of the waters because they were made bitter Bitternes caused death but whence came the bitternesse from the Starre that fell into the waters called by the name of Wormewood And albeit that Death proceeded of the Diuell as wee haue heard yet is it also attributed vnto man himselfe to leaue him inexcusable as plainely appeareth by Paul his comparison betweene Christ and Adam As by the offence of one man saith hee death raigned ouer all and sinne came ouer all to condemnation so by Christ which is one the benefit of grace abounded towards all men to Iustification of life In which Antithesis wee may see Death seazing vpon all men through Adam and that very iustly so that Man and Diuell are partners in sinne and so in death Here two things concurre together the tempter and the obeyer Sathan tempted and man consented He tempted and perswaded of enuy intermingling the matter with belying and slandering of the truth to haue man breake Gods commandement notwithstanding all this Sathan had nothing preuailed had man resisted and not consented to his temptation Therefore wee may conclude that in respect of Sathans enuy lying and other euill attempts tending all to mans destruction hee may be called as hee is indeede the author of death yet in regard of mans consent in transgressing Gods Law Death may duely be imputed to himselfe although there were none other cause for that he was created to the likenesse of God himselfe and flourished with Free-will which as then hee possessed The Diuell then is not the proper and absolute cause of sin because that the nature of the absolute proper cause is such that it going before the effect cannot choose but follow after But it falleth not out so alwayes in man prouoked of the Diuell who