desires of a breathing and the dimensions of a breathlesse VVretch So small an hole will hold his corps whose hopes deuoured all the Earth It is good for them in their life to take the just measure of their bodie Little will containe it why should they trouble the world with their idle and endles desires What although hee could accomplish his hopes and possesse all the Earth yet were hee but earth on earth and beeing loden with that thicke clay when he goeth to dust shall make as small addition to the Earth in quantitie as the possession of it addeth to his worth Surely their spirit in this case is more lifelesse than their carcase it is a just punishment for their wormish heart to bee cast backe in the dust which they so much affected Let them desire as they will in the end Death will deuoure them Mankynde is as glad to want him as the Earth is to haue him As a pest hee troubled men continually and laboured to turne their lottes in his bosome but now both rejoyce in his death While his friendes lament him both mankynde and Earth rejoyce that their trouble is cast out 18. Wise expounding of Gods wayes â—Ee haue no greater griefes than these of our owne procurement and the foolish expounding of Gods wayes is a great one Wee looke to some particular of his proceeding and sticke on it and rather vpon a crosse than vpon a blessing And if wee goe further wee judge thereby both his purpose and end The worke in our judgement importes both simple anger present and destruction to follow This is a great errour and is shortlie auenged on vs It maketh vs doubt of his good purpose and almost dispaâ—e of the good end But God chooseth for the best end the hardest way both to proue his owne power and to try our faith It is better to expound his wayes by his purpose and end than these by his wayes Though hee should draw vs through Hell yet let vs still bee assured of Heauen His decree is sure as his end certaine they are in him fixed and the way betwixt them lying through many occasions and actions haue difficulties and bad appearance but alongst all these thorters his good-will slideth soft and sure And if our heart bee settled anent his purpose of our election and haue pledges of his end of our glorification wee shall both ouer come the difficulties of the way and resting on the decree shall obtaine the end What albeit the middle linkes of this chaine of our Saluation doe shake on the Earth Since both the ends of it are in Gods hand yea fastened in his heart And hee hath so joyned the linkes of it among themselues that they can neither slippe nor breake and it selfe as fast as hee is vnchangeable His heart must bee pulled out of him before he change his purpose he will denie himselfe ere hee delate his inacted decree All our considerations of our present eternall state are but loose and slipperie till our heart bee fixed in the heart of God 19. The tryall of our time A Wise Traueller considereth in what part of his journey hee is and a wise disposer of his dyet noteth his age temper of his body so a good Christian marketh the tyme of the world and in what periode of the tyme hee liueth All tymes turne in the Circle 1. of Prosperitie in aboundance of Gods blessing 2. Profanesse in the abuse of these blessings 3. Punishment for that abuse 4. Repentance vnder punishment that wee may enter againe in prosperitie as the beginning of that Circle It auaileth greatlie to know in which of these foure wee are if wee bee in the time of Peace and Prosperitie to know the time of our visitation and to use aright the things that concerne our peace If in the tyme of profannesse to eschew sinne and keepe vs from the wickednesse of our tyme If vnder punishment that wee repent tymouslie Doubtles this tyme of the reformed Churches is the tyme of punishment we haue had long Prosperitie the cleare light of the Gospel and offer of Saluation but haue abused it and now God is reuenging on vs the quarrell of his Couenant Leuit. 26. 25. Let euerie one mourne for his owne sinnes and the sinnes of his tyme that hee may haue his Soule for a prey He is voide both of the feare of God and the care of his owne Saluation who now turneth not to God when his Word and Workes of justice about vs and our owne conscience within vs call vs to teares it is tyme to afflict our Soules for our sinnes If wee cannot deprecate common calamities yet wee shall receiue the Murners marke on our forehead Ezech. 9. for our owne saftie And God who had the Arke for Noah and Zoar for Lot shall bind vp our Soule in the bundell of life 1. Sam. 25. 26. Since wee haue not used our former tymes well it is not good to lose the tyme of Repentance also If wee doe there will bee no more regresse to peace but vtter exterminion But if wee returne to God with all our heart when he hath purged his Church by his fierie tryall hee will cast the rod of his anger in the fire and turne our mourning in a pleasant peace O Lord wee waite for thy Saluatioâ— Gen. 49. 20. Short care for a short life THe workes of the most part of men tell that they thinke not of Heauen or that such a heauen as they minde is on earth They seeke earthly thinges and compt their happinesse by their obtaining and their miserie by their want Riches Honour Fame Pleasure c. are the hight of their reach and that not in a small measure as passengers for the way but excessiuelie as possessors of their end No care of another life because no minde of it Or if the thought of Heauen bee forced vpon them it is soone banished by the strength of earth-delights Their desires are as base as the beasts worse for the beast can doe no more and ought no more But men are reasonable and called to Heauen They may reckon on many branches with wormes they come of the earth liue on it creepe on it and in end creepe in it and more wormish than they being more affected with the dungue of the Earth digged out of the bowels of it than with the Heauen What priuiledge their body hath in beeing liuing earth they loose it in seeking lifelesse earth for their happinesse Both doe heere agree an earthly life and an earthly spirit spent in the cares of the Earth But a friend of the life of God lifteth vp the renewed Spirit to heauenlie things It cannot be so basely abject as to mynde and glutte the baggage of the Earth But as it is from aboue so it is all sette on things aboue and turneth euen the necessar and moderate cares of this life to an heauenlie temper by that reference that it hath in their use
Affliction then wee see and feele the peaceable fruite of Righteousnesse and the health of our Soule Euerie sanctified crosse to the godly hath both a sensible decay of that outward life in the blessinges of God and as sensible an increase of the life of God in God himselfe The life of God is more strong and manifest by such wounding than without it I count it no losse to want that life that chocketh the life of God in mee the more that life is destroyed the more I liue in God and God in mee Heerein is that notable saying verified WEE HAD PERISHED EXCEPT VVEE HAD PERISHED It is good for mee that thou hast afflicted mee for thereby I haue learned to keepe thy Law Psal. 119. 71. Many deare Children of God in their owne sense had perished eternallie if they had not beene brayed in the morter of Affliction 70. Man the most disobedient Creature ALl Creatures stand in their order to God as hee placed them in the beginning but Angels and Men his best Creatures brake their order and left their place They were best gifted and yet fell most yea they onelie fell and Angels better gifted than man fell worse than Man And now while all is subject to vanitie Man is most refractarie to God what law God hath set for other Creatures they keepe it without any breake The Seas keepeth their bounds and passeth them not The Birds know their time and slippe it not The Heauens and Earth their place and change it not and all Creatures follow their Creator and are in their kinde affected towards Man as God directeth them When hee is angrie with Man they can grieue him when he is pleased they comfort him Onelie Man knoweth not or keepeth not bounds time place nor disposition like to God Gods will findeth no rebellion in the whole Creature till it encounter with the Will of Man The Patrons of Free-will may bee ashamed of such a Client and in that plea doe professe a captiuitie of their owne will in the wilfull defence of such a rebellious free-dome This is our shame that beeing better gifted wee are lesse obedient although that Gods Law to vs bee more perfect and his disposition more reuealed to vs yet his law findeth not disobedience nor his disposition a contrarietie but in vs. Unspeakable is his patience that beareth with it and his mercie that pardoneth it But let vs striue to be plyable both in obedience and conformitie with God The gifts of God doe both engage vs to obedience and enable vs for it And disobedience is punished answerablie to the greatnesse of our obligement When wee see these meanest Creatures keepe their course we should bee astonished their obedience is our conuiction as they declare the worke of God in their order so they preach our rebellion who come not neare to them in obsequiousnesse to him 71. Good men most injured THe Christian warfare is full of mistaking some knoweth not the parties other know not the cause It is not aye eâ—ill men that suffer neither at the hands of euill neither for euill But oft-tentimes good men euen the best doe suffer and that for God and at the hands of good men Grosse euils are soone discerned and as they make a dittay and bring on punishment so they close the mouth of the guiltie sufferer But it is more hard when Grace and actes of Grace worthie of loue and honour are taken for grosse sinnes and that not of the wicked onely but euen of the Children of God This sinister judging is in them not as they are his Children but as corrupted Hee is blockish who thinketh Sathan so grosse as to enjure the Sainctâ—s onely by the wicked As hee can transfigure himselfe in an Angel of light so can hee dye the corruption of men otherwise godly with the coloure of Grace and rubbe vpon Gods Children and their obedience to God the colour of impietie Grace is neuer contrare to GODS Grace but loueth and honoureth it as a streame of that same Fountaine and Image of that same God It is corruption that opposeth Grace And the like corruption in others doeth allow that opposing corruption as grace And condemneth injured grace as corruption This mistaking runneth so deepe and strong that I thinke neuer to see it mended till Christ come in the cloudes Let euery one who setteth his heart to serue God resolue to suffer at the hands of the godly and that for good Hee shall not bee a loser therein That Grace shall grow for which hee is injured It is a weake Grace that is not worth an injurie and a weaker that bringing an injurie from indiscreete man cannot sustaine him who is injured for it And let euerie one pray for Charitie and holy Prudence to keepe vs that wee offend not God in injuring his Children and his Grace in them 72 Gods Beggers are best heard IT is not betweene God and vs as betweene man and man when man giueth any thing to day he is slower to morrow and though some three or foure dayes hee giue in end hee will refuse and vpbraide the suter as importune impudent But God giueth liberallie and reprocheth no man Iam. 1. 5. Hee hath an infinite treasure which can neither bee exhausted nor diminished His liberalitie is great and the gifts he now giueth are not our full portion but beginnings and pledges of that perfection which he hath promised and intendeth to giue vs till wee get perfection wee haue not gotten the full measure that he hath ordained the oftner we aske the welcomer are wee And the more wee receiue the more hee giueth hee counteth it good seruice to begge his blessings It is happines for our miserie to haue such a Fountaine and Riuer to runne to Our condition is all in necessitie of his goodnesse and his goodnesse is all for the helpe of our necessities GOD indented with Abraham vnder the name of All-sufficient to tell him that as man bringeth nothing to the Couenant but All-necessitie so hee should meete with All sufficiencie in God Our state is nothing but All-necessitie a want of all good A want of the sense of that want So the want of an heart to desire the supplie of a mouth to aske it of an hand to receiue it and of a price to purchase it But this Fountaine sendeth out a supplie to all these wants hee maketh vs feele our miserie giueth vs an holy thirst of his supplie the mouth for prayer to aske a price in Christ to obtaine it and the hand of Faith to take it What is more conuenient to helpe our necessitie than this sufficiencie It is a goodnesse both full and free to imparte it selfe that it will both helpe the indigent and in a sort act some part of his worke rather than it helpe him not Hee is willing to giue almes who openeth the hand of the begger and then thrusteth money in that hand which hee hath opened so doeth God
chase Thee from the Earth O my Soule Miseries made Pegans to desire death but they saw not a Glorie to come God hath enlightned thee in the face of Christ thou knowest that there is Glorie layed vp for thee in the Heauen thou belieuest it hopest for it thou hast tasted it and is vnder a longing desire of it Call thy selfe to minde of the dayes of olde when either a sense of mercie or more usuallie affliction sent thee to God did hee not then allure thee to the wildernesse and speake to thine heart Hosea 2. 14. Wast thou not then vnder his liberall hand as a small vessell vnder a large Fountaine Did not his joyes so abound in thee that thou could neither receiue them all nor keep them in the measure that thou receiued them Tell me what was then thy comfort Thy God so sensible to thee in that diffusion of his loue that thou wast in a sort drawen out of thy selfe at least drawne out of mee Could thou either holde thine affection off God or containe it when it returned to thee Could thou lodge it or God that it brought with it or that sense of him and joye that it reported to thee Did not thy bodie partake of that thy joy with a sweete complacence it rested on that sense and was glad to bee so honoured as to bee a lodging of a Spirit which had so sweete and friendlie an intercourse with God When his loue shed abroad in thee could not abid in these boundes whither was thy griefe greater that so good a God should bee at any time displeased by thee or thy joye because hee was then reconcealed to thee Then atonce were the deepe groanes both of griefe and joy but more of joye than griefe and of joye for that holy griefe for offending so good a Father If thou remember these excessiue joyes why doest not thou mak good use of them They were not giuen thee for that time only but for this that is now What were these tastes first fruits but as the wine grapes that the Spyes broght out of Canaan They were so great that they could not beare them in their hand but were a burden to two men When these two senses of spirituall joy Sonlie griefe reported their burthen of an excessiue sweetnesse was not that a taste of the fruite of Canaan If a Cluster of that Land be so sweete so great to thee What shall thou finde when thou enters in that Land How can thou but loue that Land that hath such fruits long for the fulnesse of that fruite that is so sweete to thy taste when thou wast vnder that sens◠thou was more in God than in thy selfe and more in Heauen than on Earth Since the remembrance of it doeth both present the Image of it and waken it selfe againe in thee Be of good courage enter and possesse the Land God hath discouered it to thee off the toppe of Nebo and Pisgah Thou hast tasted the fruite of it by the report of the Spyes Lay hold on it by the hand of thy loue longing desire God hath cast downe the walles of Iericho before thee and hath wounded the world the sonnes of Anake at thy conuersion and daylie is killing the sonnes of Harapha in thy daylie battells Bee strong and goe fordward for God is before thee Consider by the satietie of the tastes how great a satietie thou shalt haue in Heauen when the smallest blinke of Gods face made thee patientlie to beare forget thy greatest affliction what shall that full presence worke in thee In his presence is fulnes of joy and at his right hand are pleasures for euermore Psal. 16. If thy taste bee vpright thou cannot but long for that fulnesse thou must welcome the Messenger that calleth thee to it How can I but long for a change betwixt two so contrare estates present miserie grieueth mee and future Glorie gladeth me in hope The Earth thrusteth mee from it and the Heauen allureth and draweth mee to it Who can indure such a violence of an out thrusting earth and alluring Heauen Sathans snares doe vex mee heere beneath and the sweetnesse of Christ pulleth mee aboue Naturall miseries made naturall men to desire Death and shall I not desire it more who haue an hope and sight of Glorie which they knew not I will not bee as a Meteor in the Aire betweene them two but I resolue to leaue the Earth that I may goe to Heauen Who can either delight to abide in such an Earth or refuse to goe to such an Heauen All things here inforce a remouing Our life a weariesome journey our walking in it laborious and it selfe a way and not our end And while wee are heere we are absent from God But in Heauen all is contrare our life shall bee pleasant without labour It is our end and not the way Our home in the presence of God This is sufficient to chase thee from Earth and sette thy desires on Heauen Art thou walking in the valey of the shaddow of Death yet feare not euill for God is with thee and in thee and thou in him Can a man that is in God die the death No more than Life can die can that man die that liueth in God As wee are in Christ wee are in life and that life of his euen himselfe can not die so farre art thou from dying in him at death that thou liueth more by death and in it than before it None can take that frō me on the Earth which God is keeping for mee in Heauen My life is not in this bodie nor in the world but in God in heauen It is hid with Christ in God Coloss. 3. 3. And the life that I liue I liue by the Faith of the Sonne of God Galat. 2. 20. My death commeth not so much of paines thrusting mee out of this bodie as of that life and fountaine of it in God sucking and drawing my Soule to it and that not to slay or destroy it but to quicken and perfect it Consider thy selfe art thou not dwyning and dying in this life when sinne liueth in thee and stayeth thee from good and compelleth thee to euill The Bodie though an helpe as it is boared through by the windowes of fiue Senses yet it is an hinder to thy proficiencie perfectiō of knowledge doing A Cage suffereth the Bird to looke through the wyres yet it is a prison to keepe it from libertie When thou art loosed from that cage thou shalt haue greater light in libertie As Christ himselfe ouercame Death so will he doe in mee Sathan did hound it at him as his last and most fearefull mastiue but he destroyed it they went together in others grippes to the Graue but Christ did strangle it in the owne dungeon Hee arose and left it behind him as a conquered and triumphed Enemy he did not that for himself but for vs his owne Bodie will doe it in euerie one
him the more wee loue his goodnesse flee his offence and burne in greatest desire of his union in Christ It setteth all the powers of the Soule on all the reuealed properties of GOD and powring out it selfe on him by all these receiueth the influence of his goodnes most fullie and sensiblie Faith Hope Loue Delight and all other Graces are herein busied on their sweetest worke and God in Christ comming downe to our weaknesse draweth vs so neare to him that wee may taste how good and gratious hee is It is the most immediate worship of God wherein wee draw neere to the Throne of Grace and adore an incomprehensible God-head in Christ wee are thereby not onelie for the present filled with Loue Reuerence and feare of a divine Majestie but at other times holden vnder that same disposition We know wee are euer in his sight and remaine in some measure affected to him as wee are in the time of prayer Beside the great blessinges that wee obtaine in it this is a great one that by daylie standing before God wee know him more and more to our union with him No Soule can seeke his face and see him daylie but must affect him and render it selfe absolutelie to him The disposition to it the worke of it and the fruite of it are three great blessings Poperie is mercenarie and doeth no seruice to God but vnder name of hyre So is it in prayer they haue proclamed to the world that they know neither the delight nor fruite of it while they call it a laborious worke put it among penall satisfactions If they had the Spirit of adoption crying Abba Father they could not haue such pleasure as in that exercise no there is no greater torture to a deuoute Soule than to bee stayed from it The heart-scald doeth not so vex the stomacke as these impediments doe the Soule The impressions of God are so strong in that heauenlie conference that nothing can counterfit them and our contentment so sweete by that sense of his loue that no humane delight can equall it When our heart is taken with a delight to pray we haue found a compendeous way to know God sauinglie and to bee taught of him Next to his holy word the impressions and affeâ—â—ions obtained in Prayer are two cleare Commentaries of his divine properties 8. Fruitfull labours in our callings OUr Soule hath the owne measure which it can not well exceed within that compasse it worketh easily profitablie Without it and aboue there is great toyle but no fruite In our calling and gift wee may doe something because of Gods ordinance promise But without them wee are out of our theets and haue neither a promise of his presence or blessing Yet in our calling and gift wee may exceede if wee reach vs further than the measure of our gift promiseth As God hath distinguished men by callings so by giftes in a calling and men of that same gift by sindrie degrees of the gift The lacke of this consideration maketh so many crosse themselues and others and forceth God to mis-know his owne ordinance while they walke not as hee appointeth While euerie man will doe euery thing no man almost doeth any thing as hee should Our gift and measure of it is our Talent and the labour of our calling is ouâ— exchange According thereto our place is reckoned both in mankinde and the Church so our reckoning wil be at the last day It is wisedome to consider our Calling Gift and measure of the Gift The Calling giueth authoritie and power The Gift sufficiencie The measure of the Gift dexteritie And all of them in this harmonie promise a blessing The Calling presenteth the taske to vs The Gift the parte of it And the Measure the degree of the taske To labour without a Calling is curiositie Without a Gift is presumption And without a Measure is a foolish ouerweening and ouer-reaching it is an abusing of the worke our Gift and our selfe Hee shall not bee ashamed of his reckoning whose labours haue beene all within the bounds of his Calling and their Measure within his Gift degree As God hath first blessed him with the honourable imployment of a Calling and next with some sufficiencie for to doe it And thirdlie with some answerable successe So in end he shall crowne all these Blessings with acception both of himselfe and his labours Well done faithfull seruant thou hast beene faithfull in little I will make thee Ruler ouer much enter into thy Masters Ioy. 9 The world is worse and worse MAnie doe wonder wherefore the world is worse and worse and that justlie how so bad a thing can grow in euill It lyeth all in euill euen in Sathans armes and that is euil enough It would appeare that long instructions Letters Diuine and humane Lawes and Discipline exercise of Religion examples of Gods judgements for sinne might haue some force to mend it These would indeede proue forcible to a curable nature but the world is vncurable The heart of man which is the heart of the world is desparatelie and incurablie wicked Though some men be renewed yet they beget not renewed men but naturall Euerie Age commeth in with the owne guise to adde euill to the former Their corruption letteth them not see the good of former or present times they take hold of euill and thinke it a proofe of their succession both to follow that and augment it As a kinde Burgesse in a Citie loueth the increase of common good so euerie man the increase of the common euill of the world how can it bee good since it hath no good of it selfe but resisteth the goodnesse that God offereth to it all the sins of former Ages remaine in it by reason of mans great corruption and Gods just desertion increaseth wonderfullie And the Prince of it watchfull at all occasions multiplieth wickednesse that God may multiplie wrath It is kindlie to euery thing to growe in its owne gift good thinges by reason claimeth that groweth but euill by violence obtaine it Wee must seeke a new world in this olde one for this will neuer amend Hee shall finde his life for a prey who keepeth himselfe from the contagion of his time Though wee bee some part of it yet let vs not be like to it The new man with new grace shal mak good plenishing for a new Heauen when like draweth to like in the justice of God we shall bee gathered to Heauen while the incurable world goeth to their owne place Hee must bee secured by sauing Grace who would not bee lossed in the worlds wickednesse This preseruatiue commeth onely of God who hath chosen vs out of the world as hee can prouide vs peace in the midst of it so can hee preserue vs in despyte of it hee is ouertaken in the worldes sinne and shall bee involued in their damnation who seeth not this common euill and keepeth not himselfe from it We are foretold that the world
none other than a cutting off from that experienced but forsaken good and to be compassed by that prouen but not forsaken euill Experience is an oft repeating of sense and euery such repetition reneweth and augmenteth the affections Not to bee moued by Experience is either to proue wee are senslesse that feele not or wiâ—â—lesse that make not use of our feeling 15. Companie is usuallie hurtfull SCarcelie can wee enter in a societie and come off it without offence Our humours doe either breake out to offend other or taketh offence of them many affect a quicknes of wit in breaking jests on their neighbour but are thin skinned when they are touched themselues They take not the law of friendlie comporting which they giue to others It is Sathans policie to turne Companies the meane of concord in an occasion of discord Hee bloweth at the coale of euery mans corruption a part and finding them in a societie preaseth to kindle them altogether and turne our Tables into snares Men on the other part turne their Christian libertie in a fleshly licence not sparing to refresh their owne myndes with the griefe of others The usuall matter of speech in such meeting is detracting of the absents and scoffing at the faultes of these who are present Or if Grace Wisedome make them beare off these seene blemishes their speech runnes vpon some indirect taxing Societies are Gods blessing to mankynde to sweeten the griefes of this life and mutually to sharpen our wittes for our Callings but that meanes of mutuall good is turned in mutuall hurt and the common benefite of all is ouerthrowne by the passions and indiscretion of some particular ones in a companie Wee canâ—ot eschew all societies but we should make wyse choyse of theÌ„ with whom wee conuerse Some are so dangerous that they cannot bee haunted without certaine inconuenient It is a just thing with God to make men offend other who make it their merriment to offend him When wee are going or byding euen in the best societies secret ejaculations to God for an holy disposition is a good meanes to eschew that euill Happie is hee who commeth better from them than when he went to them Who keepeth him from the offence of God and his neighbour And if their corruption doeth injure him giueth them not a fleshly meeting If we grieue not the holy Spirit by loosing our minds and tongues to the abuse of our ChristiaÌ„ libertie he will secure vs from these mutuall offences They are not as the strife betwixt flesh and Spirit but betwixt flesh flesh If the holy Spirit did ouerrule all in these companies they would not either contest idlie or offend in contesting The domage of societies made some to turne Eremites It were good to haue the Heremites reteerdnes in the noyse of societies 16. The godly Traueller is euer at home EVery one seeketh some delight in trauel that according to their disposition The curious man seeketh rare conceats The proude man respects of honour The bellie-god for odde meates and their following pleasures The Polititian for intelligence as the matter of his plotting and negotiating The Tippler and complementer for purposes of discourse But the good Christian seeketh for heauenly delights His choyse commeth neither through the hands of Cookes nor Venteners nor Merchants nor from the mouthes of Stats-men he can take all these thinges as hee findeth them and use them by the way But his maine care is for God and all his Obseruation runne vpon Gods fauourable presence with him What a pleasure is it to finde all the places of our Trauell and Rest marked with the tokens of his loue our bed with his secret instructions and in the day when wee with-drawe our selues from our Companie and powreth out our heart to him hee answereth vs to our heart that his presence in an vncouth land is as neare and sweete to vs as at home To finde him euery where marking the places of our abode as Bethell the house of God and Peniel the face of God This is GODS calling of vs to the wildernesse to speake to our heartes Hee will tell vs that neither hee nor his working is tyed to one place at home But that all places are for the presence of God to them who are at peace with him The Altar is soone erected and the sacrifice offred on it in the heart that hath a constant Deuotion The Couâ—taines of our Tabernacle are no lesse thaÌ„ the vaile of heauen No man yet sought God truelie but hee knoweth that God is more easie to hec found than his owne heart If wee finde it in an holy disposition then both hee and the furniture for his worshippe are at hand in euerie place Surelie that man may bee from his house but hee is not from God hee carieth his home abroad with him and God whom hee serueth in his house trysteth him in the fieldes This Soule is ordained for heauen that at home and abroad is euer with God Heauen attendeth him on earth and while hee is abroad on earth hee is at home in heauen by that heauenly disposition Other men prouyde bodilie necessars for their journey and the godlie aboue that prouyde for the fauour of God This sacred prouision goeth with vs it carieth vs it keepeteh vs and bringeth vs backe lodened with fruites of it self Heereby in a short journey wee make more true gaine than Solomons Navie did from Ophir 17. The combat betwixt the Earth the Wretch THe Earth groaneth vnder all grosse sinners but hath a particular combat with the Wretch Other sinners burthen it with their vanitie but hee would swallow it vp hee wearieth it in furnishing his desires and hopes And yet is not content His desires augment his hopes and his equalled hopes increase his desires they are the two daughters of the Horse leach which cry Giue giue and mis-contentment comming after saith neuer It is enough To ryse vp from a good Table as hungrie as one sitteth downe is of a doggish appetite so is the Wretch in all his riches Sufficiencie and aboundance doe but inflame and not quench his desire Hee gapeth on the Earth to take it all in his possession though hee joyne Land to Land and house to house yet hee is poore in his owne accompt so long as hee lacketh his neighbours lotte Hee entreth in strife with the earth an vnnaturall Sonne with his Mother and it is hard to knowe which of them is more earthly He desieâ—th all and disgesteth nothing no not the crudities of his owne desire but in end is disgested of his owne aduersarie With what triumph doeth the Earth embrace the dust of her foolish competiture All her superfice and fruits and treasures of her bowels could not satisfie him beeing aliue but seuen foote length of her bosome closeth in his carcase While hee breathed hee would take Iorden in his mouth but beeing dead a small box holdeth his worthlesse ashes O what oddes betwixt the
from the Earth But for all these miseries in this life God hath prepared a remeede Our life in Heauen shall relieue vs of them all There shall bee no tempter nor temptation without nor corruption within No passion nor perturbation for any occurrent There shall bee none ignorance nor errour to leade vs wrong No perplexitie or feare or sorrow neither any thing that may trouble the peace or joy of the heart The Soule shall see God immediatelie and perfectlie and bee filled with loue and heauenly affection with that sight it shall enjoy God and rejoyce in that perfect enjoying and rest as in the desired end in a a glorious Peace This is the happinesse of a glorified Spirit This fraile bodie shall bee no more mortall but cloathed with immortalitie It shall bee no more grosse and earthlie but spirituall and pure No more lumpish and heauie but light and nimble as the Eagle in her flight No more darke and obscure but shining in glorie as the Heauen and Starres No sicknesse death but a continuall and constant health There shall be no need of meate to sustaine it or of Physick to restore our hurt health but all necessities remoued As they shall bee cleare as the Heauen so more enduring than the Heauē according to the Body of Christ who shall change our vile bodies and make them conforme to his glorious Bodie Phillipp 3. 21. This is the happinesse of a glorious Bodie Our Lotte shall bee then secured because it is all in God and is God himselfe There shall neither be lack of any conuenient good no sorrow for losses no feare of change and decay of our estate No Theefe shall be there to steale no Cousner to deceiue no tyrrant to oppresse God who hath blessed vs with it shall maintaine our Lotte and that in a place most secure from violence or changes Vanitie and changes are only vnder the Heauen but aboue it there is no change at all This is the happines of an vnchangeable Lot Then all things shall agree well A glorious person invested in a glorious estate a glorious place and that eternallie Thy worke in me about these things is wonderfull O LORD thou hast not suffered mee to bee a stranger either in the miseries of this life or in the joyes of Heauen Thou knowest that feeling is more forcible than speculation and Experience more strong than consideration and therefore hast acquainted mee with them Oft-ten haue I found the frailtie of my bodie but now more than euer for now my reines are full of burning there is nothing sound in my flesh I am weakned and sore broken I roare for the verie griefe of mine heart Lord I powre my whole desire before thee and my sighing is not hid from thee Mine heart panteth and my strength faileth mee and the light of mine eyes euen they are not mine owne Psal. 38. 7. 8. 9. 10. Painefull nights haue beene appointed vnto mee If I layed mee downe I saide VVhen shall I arise and measuring the Euening I am full of tossings till the dawning of the day VVhen I say My Couch shall relieue mee and my bed shall bring comfort in my meditation Then fearest thou mee with Dreames and astonishest mee with visions Iob. 7. v. 3. 4. 13 14. The sorrowes of the Graue doe compasse mee about and the snares of Death ouertake mee Psal. 18. 5. As for my Spirit I haue found therein great exercise all my life-time Satan euer lying in wait to enter by his allurements my corruption readie to yeelde to him My Conscience at her best watcheth ouer Sathan to marke his machinations and ouer my corruption that it yeelde not And when I fall checking mee till I repent Since I knew thee O Lord and the power of thy Grace I haue beene rent by a continuall striuing 1. My passions fighting against other 2. My passions against my reason 3. And my Conscience against them all I know all these discords may be in the naturall man yet are they stronger in the renewed man because of greater light discouering and Sathans more bitter persute And the tendernesse of Grace impatient of sin 4. And aboue them all the battell betweene the flesh and the Spirit euerie one of them lusting against another This hath beene mine exercise since I renounced the world Because these three Childrē Faith Hope Loue doe not worship the image of Popularitie Vanitie that is adored by the world Therefore Sathan held them in the furnace and heateth it seuen folde both in the worlds reuenging humour an◠in the rage of my curbed corruption breaking out in passions As for the Lot wherewith thou hast blessed mee I haue beene continuallie exercised in it Scarcelie can I find any of thy blessinges wherein thou hast not afflicted mee There bee few sorts or degrees of crosses wherein thou hast not schooled mee What Solomon preached of the vanities of the world thou hast in some measure taught mee by deare Experience So that I may justlie euen in thy presence vse the words of thy deare Prophet Ieremiah I am the man that hath seene affliction in the rodde of his indignation My flesh and skinne hath hee caused to waxe olde and hee hath broken my bones hee hath hedged about mee that I cannot get out Hee hath made my chaines heauie Also when I cryed hee stopped out my prayer Hee hath bent his bow and made mee a marke for his arrow Hee caused the Quiuer of his arrow to enter in my reines He hath filled me with drunkennes made mee drunken with wormwood Thus my Soule was farre from peace I forgot prosperitie remembring mine affliction and my murning the wormwoode and the gall my Soule hath them in remembrance and is humbled in me I haue borne the yoke from my youth and sitten alone and keeped silence because I haue borne it Lament 3. v. 1. 4 7. 8. 12. 13. 14. 15. 17. 19. 20. 27. 28. And now I am afflicted and at the point of death From my youth haue I suffered thy terrors Psal. 88. 15. I protest by our rejoycing which we haue in the Lord Iesus Christ I die daylie 1. Cor. 15. 30. Alwayes bearing about in the bodie the dying of the Lord Iesus that the life also of Iesus might bee made manifest in our bodie 2. Cor. 4. 10. So thou hast fedde me with the dyet of thy dearest Children both to fitte mee to a publicke Ministerie that I might speake of thee and thy wayes not from any humane teaching or abstract speculation but as being taught of thee by dearest Experience And to worke in me a loathing of this life wherin euerie day bringeth a newe griefe to the godlie Heerein thou hast giuen mee the just Commentar of that Text which all of vs can reade or rehearse but fewe doe practise Hee vvho will bee my Disciple let him renounce himselfe and take vp his crosse daylie and follow mee Luc. 9. 23. Is not this enough to
sinne in Christ and in a good Conscience What wonder that the godlie and wicked vpon so contrare grounds and respects haue so contrare thoughts and desires of Death Thou hast builded my Soule vpon these best grounds and filled it with consideration of the best respects of Death therefore it is that I loue it and desire it as thy Messenger in mercie for mine eternall good As Laban welcomed Abrahams seruant and said Come in thou blessed of the Lord so I sette mee not to flee but occure to it not to shune it but to welcome it Nothing affrayeth man more at the sight of Death than vncertaintie of his estate after it Euerie one at death is as a man on an edge of an high Hill all must leepe but euerie one knoweth not where he shall light To the wicked the valley is darke and mistie they know not what shall become of them after Death dulefull is the parting of that Soule and bodie that part vnder sinne and wrath At best they are in this confused vncertaintie not knowing their future estate and if they haue any knowledge it is all spent in mutuall accusing coÌ„demning at the last day and mutuall tormenting in Hell as authors and furtherers of sin Their Soule curseth their bodie because it was too readie an instrument to execute the wicked desires of it And the bodie shall curse the Soule because it was an euill guide to misleede it in sin They liue now in coÌ„cord mutuall flatterie of other which is nothing but their conspiracie against God But when both are sensible of their estate they shall curse other mutuallie As they part at Death so shall they bee joyned at the last day and curse other eternallie in the Hell vpon the same grounds But to the godlie all things are contrare They know whither they goe after Death and their Soules and Bodies at their parting blesse one another for their joynt happinesse in the state of Grace and in mutuall testifying of their seuerall labour in the Lord for attaining that happinesse They part full of the peace of God full of the desire of their reunion and full of the hope of it and eternall Glorie thereafter Thou hast blessed mee with this certainetie For my bygone condition thou perswadest me of my Calling and Election and hast made them sure in me by thy constant working since thou called mee to Grace For my present estate I finde my selfe vnder thy fauour in Christ reconcealed to thee in him as one of thy called and chosen Ones For my future estate I know that my Redeemer liueth and that hee shall stand at the latter day vpon the Earth And though after my skinne wormes consume this bodie yet in my flesh shall I see God whom I shall see for my selfe and not another for mee though my reines bee consumed within mee Iob. 19. 25. I know that if the earthlie house of this Tabernacle were dissolued I haue a building of God an house not made of hands in Heauen 2. Cor. 5. 1. Many seeke certaintie of vncertainties to secure their worldlie state on Earth and neglect their spirituall state in thee But all fastening in the world is loosnesse and a losing of a better But I seeke for a certaintie of that better substance By the Grace working Faith in mee thou hast made mee more certaine what shall become of my Soule and bodie after Death than I am of my goods in the world I haue no promise of their particular state thy Prouidence will secure it selfe of them and they may possiblie fall in the hand of mine enemies But as for my Bodie I know it shall rest in hope in the dust till the Resurrection and my Soule shall bee carried to Abrahams bosome Thou hast tolde mee whither I shall goe when I die euen to that Land of Light and Libertie to these Mansions which Christ in the Heauen hath prepared for mee And for thy loue and desire to bee with thee in them I visite them daylie When at euening morning and midday yea seuen times a day I call on thee my Father in Heauen then am I visiting these Mansions I cannot bow my knee religiouslie to thee but mine heart is then with thee adoring thee in the Heauen of heauens In the time of thy worshippe when I seeke thy face though my Bodie bee on the Earth yet my Soule is beholding thy face thereby acquainting my selfe with the light of thy countenance which I hope to enjoye for euer Thou knowest I counted not these for dayes of my life wherein I did not often draw neare to thee on the throne of Grace almost continuallie setting thee before mee and disposing my Soule and bodie as worthie of thy sight Shall I not then know that way after Death which I daylie haue troden in my life Or shall that light which now leadeth mee in the darknesse of this life be put out at Death I must die but it will not die to mee Thy face that now inlightneth mee shall send out a more glorious splendour in the houre of my Death than euer it sent in this life There is no feare of darknesse in the path of Death when the discouered face of God in mercie shineth on mee and perfectlie inlighteneth mee in that glorious light When bodilie senses doe faile the spirituall sense and sight succeed in their perfection I haue in this life but a small candle lighted at the meanes of Grace in reading hearing and meditation But when these meanes end and mine outward senses doe cease from their work I shall take light immediatelie from God himselfe hee worketh by his ordinance so long as their necessitie or vse remaineth but when these end he commeth in himselfe and worketh more fullie I neede not bee grieued nor my friends cry out in the bitternes of heart when my senses faile The light that I looke for in Death shall as farre exceed my present light as the Sunne in his full beautie at mid-day exceedeth the light of a small candle I shall finde no darknesse in the passage of Death since I am in Christ Hee who is in him shall not walke in darknesse but shall haue the light of Life The immediate â—ight of God needeth not the use of outward meanes It shall bee no losse to mee when perfection supplieth and succeedeth imperfection Thou hast also acquainted mee with Death and made mee feele in some beginnings and resemblance that same which I will finde at his dint that sentence of Death putteth mee to the hight of Resolution and I am vnder thine hand as Isaak vnder the hand of Abraham bound and layed on the Altar and know nothing but that the stroke will come I am readie for it and looke for none other than dissolution But thou knowest thy thoughts concerning mee If thou spare mee at this time this lesson is profitable that thou hast shewed mee the face of Death and yet brought mee backe againe As tender and louing
Parents in this Towne send their sicklie Children ouer this Firth not to leaue them on the other Shore but by Sea-sicknesse to purge their Stomacke and cure them of their infirmitie So thou can imbark thine owne in the Ship of the sentence of Death and Resolution for it and bring them back againe and cause them cast out some noysome corruption in renouncing the world Thou knowest O Searcher of hearts that I neither loue this life nor desire to abide in it for it selfe but for thy Glorie Though I bee full of dayes yet if I can honour thee in it I care not what miseries I vndergoe I had neuer greater contentment than when I was most injured for thy cause As I count of no life but in thee so I desire not to liue but for thee If thou bring mee backe againe serue thy selfe of mee in mercie and doe with mee as seemeth good in thine eyes If thou hast decreed that at this time I shall not die but liue then grant that I may declare the mercies of the Lord That in my lent and prolonged dayes I may magnifie thy glorious Grace in Christ in teaching sinners thy wayes turning them to thee That thy vowes may bee on mee O Lord and I may pay them in the sight of thy people in the great Congregation that when thou hast redeemed my Soule from Death mine eyes from teares and my feete from falling I may walke before the Lord in the Land of the liuing Psal. 116. And may both feele and say with thine holie Apostle Blessed bee God euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort Who comforteth vs in all our tribulation that wee may bee able to comfort them which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith wee our selues are comforted of God For as the sufferinges of Christ abound in vs so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. And whether wee bee afflicted it is for your consolation and saluation Or whether wee bee comforted it is for your consolation and saluation 2. Cor. 3. 4. 5. 6. I looke for a glorious Resurrection and eternall day of light and comfort after it all my deliueries in this life hath some night of affliction following and the verie day of prosperitie may both haue gloumie cloudes of miscontentment and the eclypses of thy face in some desertion But that day in Heauen shall haue no night following none obscuritie by raines or cloudes of affliction None eclypse by desertion but the constant enjoying of thy face for euer Thou will wype all teares from mine eyes both the teares of sorrow vnder temptation to sinne and vnder guiltinesse for sinne committed and vnder affliction As also the teares of joy I shall then rejoyce without teares for my bodie shall haue none excrementitious humour to cast out at mine eyes And that joye shall not bee by way of passion as now but of a glorified affection it shall not bee mixed with feare of ending but endure eternallie Who can refuse to die for to obtaine such a Glorie Death is but short and that Glorie beyond it is euerlasting and shall wype away all sorowes both of this life death Dauids Worthies for a litle water of the well Bethlehem brak throgh the Armie and shall not we for the well it selfe of liuing waters aduenture vpon Death Men sicke of Ambition cast away there life in battells or combats where the victorie is vncertaine and the following fame is but smooke And shall wee not combat with Death where the victorie is certaine and the following glorie is weightie and eternall I haue had an longsome toyle in the world now I am called to the Lords Rest I had no rest heere but in him and it is kindlie that I finde it more in him in the Heauen There I shall rest from my labours There thy wearisome journey shall end in the owne home O my wearie Soule thou needeth goe no further than thine home and thy growth shall end in that thy perfection There is no way beyond the end nor growth aboue perfection Though there bee sundrie degree of of Glorie in Heauen yet the least degree if perfection can bee little shall haue fulnesse It can neither desire more nor receiue more When desire is satisâ—ied and capacitie filled that is absolute perfection Goe then to this rest and sute it of God vpon all these rights which his mercie hath furnished to thee Thou hast his right of the promise in the Couenant Of his acquisition in the purchase of Christ Of his Legacie in the Testament Father I will that these which thou hast giuen mee bee where I am Of Infeftment by the earnest of the Spirit Of begunne possession by the first fruites and of perfection by so many fulnesses Thou art full of dayes and full of labour both of Gods worke in thee and by thee in other in thy calling and full of desire of dissolution and of that better life What then can hold thee out of it God is the Donatour and hath it in his hand Since he hath made thee all these rights hee will maintaine them and put thee fullie in the possession Goe and claime it of his mercie thy claime will bee admitted of him who hath both founded and fraimed it in himselfe How can I but expect the happie end of thy worke in mee O Lord who haue found thee so mercifull in the bygone course of it As thou beginnest in thine own so thou proceedest till thou crown it with glorie My feeling of it is by parts and degrees but in it selfe and in thee it is a continued and compleete worke Thou didst begin in it my free election and seeing mee lye in the lost masse of mankinde didst choose mee in Christ Thou broughtest mee in the world in a time and place where the Gospel was preached and Grace offered And scearcely was I borne when thou washed mee in Baptisme in the blood and renewed mee by the Spirit of Christ. When I was offered to thee in that Sacrament little did I knowe what grounds of Grace thou was laying in mee Thou broughtest mee vp in humane learning vnder good Masters and hemmed in the folie of my youth with the care and proficience in learning With these good occasions thou blessed mee with the hearing of godlie Pastors who did sow the seed of godlinesse in mine heart so that in the verie throng of Schoole-studies thou drew me to a set dyet of priuate deuotion in reading thy word in calling on thy Name So soone as I could discerne any thing thou inclined mine heart to the sacred Ministerie and made mee desire to serue thee in it aboue all callings And sweyed all my thoughts and studies for the obtaining of the abilities of that worke In the verie course of humane learning thou put thine hand in mine heart and entred mee in the grieuous exercise of Conscience to prepare mee for thy seruice and