A THREE-FOLD RESOLVTION verie necessarie to saluation Describing EARTHS VANITIE HELS HORROR HEAVENS FELICITIE PSAL. 107.43 Who so is wise will ponder these things By IOHN DENISON Batchelour in Diuinitie LONDON Printed by Richard Field for Iohn Norton 1608. ⧠To the right worshipfull Sir William Willoughby Knight the best blessings of this life and euerlasting blessednesse in the life to come ALthough right worshipfull my many employments well knowne vnto you might seeme a sufficient remora to my pen yet my desire by all meanes to do good hath more preuailed with me then those lets wherewith I haue conuersed These meditations a testimonie of my desires I make bold to present vnto you to whom if they be worthy of any respect they do belong in many respects as I might sufficiently manifest but that I hold it more expedient to remaine a thankfull silent debter then to become a publicke trumpeter of your priuate fauours If you iudge them worthie vouchsafe them I pray you your patronage if not your pardon at least your acceptance as a token of his thankefull minde who will euer rest Your Worships at commaundment in Christ Iesus I. D. 1 Let heauens powre downe their sweetest influence Let them inrich you with the earths best treasures Let them withall instill truths quintessence Heau'ns ioyes do far surmount all earthly pleasures 2 Let the celestiall powers you guard and guide And countermine when wicked powers conspire Let spotlesse bloud which ran from harmelesse side Quench vnto you the euer burning fire 3 And let the winged Posts voyd of delayes From glorious throne when great Iehoua sendeth Translate your soule when death shal end your daies To that celestiall blisse which neuer endeth To the Reader THe last period and principall Resolution of euery Christian is or should be to glorifie God in the fruition of eternall felicitie Wherein we must remember that remote ends haue subordinate meanes to produce their effects which ought in no case to be neglected And as the sea-man for the getting of his prize must haue care of three principall points first to ballance his ship discreetly secondly to shun the daungerous gulfes of the sea thirdly to get good landing in a safe hauen So euerie Christian that desireth the fruition of true felicitie must first so ballance his affections that they be not ouer-burdened with the loue of this world secondly hee must haue a care to shun the gulfe of hell and eternall destruction thirdly hee must labour to get the kingdome of heauen for his hauen Vpon these pointes good Christian must thy Resolution cast anker if euer thou resolue to be eternally happie Now to helpe forward thy resolution behold here the Worlds vanities deciphered Hels torments displayed and Heauens happines described Meditations in my conceit neuer more fit then in these wretched dayes wherein men are become too great louers of the world haue lost the dread of hell and the desire of heauen The Lord blesse them to thy comfort and saluation And if thou receiue any good by them recompence my paines with thy prayers 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 last iudgement 〈…〉 2. Society with the diuels the daâ— 3. Eternitie of the hellish torment 〈◊〉 3. Heauens felicitie 1. Before the day of iudgment 1. Sanctimonie of life 2. Peace of conscience 3. Comfort at the day of death 2. At the day of iudgment 1. Ioy at the resurrection 2. Comfort to meet and come before 3. Consolation vpon the sentence 〈◊〉 blessed 3. After the last iudgeâ—â—â—â— 1. Freedome from torments and mâ— 2. Fruition of celestiall glâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 The first part Of the Earths vanitie in generall AS it was in the dayes of Noah and Lot Luke 17.26.29 so shall the coÌ„ming of the sonne of man be saith our blessed Sauiour that Sonne of man For as in those times they did eate and drinke marrie build and plant that is exceedingly prosecute the vaine profites and pleasures of the world till the floud came and destroyed them so shall it be when the Sonne of man shall be reuealed Was the world euer more addicted and deuoted to these vanities then now it is and haue we not therefore iust cause to expect that refining fire 2. Pet. 3.10 which shall burne vp all the corruption vpon the face of the earth Almightie God hath giueÌ„ to men three mansions of a diuerse qualitie first the world wherein they liue 2. the graue wherein they corrupt 3. either heauen wherein they are crowned or hell wherein they are tormented In the world their companion is vanitie in the graue the worme in heauen the Angels and in hell the diuels Yet such is the folly of most men that they would haue perpetuall habitations and euerlasting happines in this vaine world to whoÌ„ Augustines speech is very fit August confess lib. 4. cap. 12. Seeke for that which you seek but not where you seeke it you seeke a blessed life in the region of death alas it is not there What extreme folly is this to seeke felicitie where nothing can be found worthy the affecting and following if all were weyed in the ballance of iudgement and discretion What is the world with the things of the world but enimitie against God euen pitch which defileth birdlime which intangleth and a snare which intrappeth Is not her coate misery her crest iniquitie and her motto vanitie Neither are these adiuncts lesse permanent then eminent both in the entrance continuance and conclusion of this life For we come into the world wailing and weeping we liue in it with toyling and moyling and we leaue it with grieuing and groning Iob. 1.21 Vide Praefa Plin. ad lib. 7. Naked came we out of our mothers wombe and naked must we returne againe Thus both the Orient and Occident the Prologue and the Epilogue of our life is nakednesse And if we view the sundry times places and courses of our life behold they yeeld nothing but vanitie and misery Infancie is weake and feeble youth is rash and dissolute old age froward and doting The pleading places yeeld contention the house cares the countrey labour the Court enuie the sea tempests and pirats the land theeues and robbers Pouertie is despised wealth is enuied wit is distrusted folly is derided yea which is most lamentable vice is aduanced and vertue disgraced Man is by many writers called a little world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not vnfitly in that he is a modell of the miseries of this greater world hauing within him sinne rebelling against him without the world to allure him before Satans snares to intangle him behind a wary conscience to dog him on the right hand prosperitie to inueigle him on the left hand aduersity to vexe him vâ—der his feet the graue open to swallow him and ouer his head the iudgements of God readie to fall vpon him So that a man in this life may verie well be compared to a sea-man in a dangerous and tempestuous nauigation if he
looke vp to the heauens hee beholdeth nothing but a dreadfull darknesse if hee looke downe to the seas he vieweth nothing but the tossing waues if he behold his ship he heares the ioynts thereof cracke very fearfully if he cast his eyes vpon his companions they looke pale and pitifully and in a word there is nothing to be seene but feare and dread on euery side and if it happen that the ship of mans fraile body do saile safely and quietly in the sea of this troublesome world commonly men haue small care of arriuing at the hauen of eternall blisse Those that are in danger of drowning Jonas 1 5. wil cast all into the sea to saue their liues should not we cast all away to saue our soules Shall the feare of drowning in the sea make vs forgo our goods shall not the dread of drowning in hell cause vs to forsake them It is good counsell therfore Aug. in Psa 36. Trample the sea of this world vnder thy feete lest thou be drowned in it Who is he that expecting and hoping for saluation in the life to come would hazard the same for these trifles which hee must needs forgo and how soone or in what maner he knowes not Fie vpon it that all the naturall ornaments of the soule or bodie or all the externall vanities in the world which can be enioyed but a few yeares should cause any Christian man to neglect his soule and the life which can neuer haue an end As for the prophane worldling and secure Atheist I would propound this question to him though his cogitations being carnal he cannot conceit the ioyes of heauen For there is no nation so barbarous but it doth acknowledg there is a God Cic. de leg l. 1. and though he be growne more sottish then the barbarous heathen that he say in his heart there is no God yet let him tell me whether he do not sometimes feare at the remembrance of hell yea though he labor mightily to deface obscure the cogitation thereof would he not giue much that he might be sure to be free from the danger of it yea though he become not onely carnall and brutish For they do beleeue and tremble Iam. 2. but euen worse then the diuels Suppose for the more euident demonstratiō of his folly it were doubtfull whether there were any hell iudgement or torments prepared for the wicked yet what madnesse is it for the loue of these things which are certainly vaine and must certainly be forsaken to be in any possible danger of such intollerable torments And I would faine know of this wretch who doth thus labour to nourish Atheisme that he may securely hoise vp the sailes of vanitie For the wicked perswades himselfe there is no God that he may boldly become abominable Psal 14.1 safely set open the floud gates of iniquitie and without feare or danger haue full scope in the field of impietie what present benefite he hath by his prophanesse and profuse abusing of temporall blessings more then the godly Christian by his religious conuersation and sober vsing of them And what sensible I will not say godly man doth not rather desire to liue like the gracious Emperours Gratianus Vt referunt Eusebius Socrates c. Constantine Theodosius then those gracelesse wretches Caligula Nero and Heliogabalus But leauing the Atheist to his conuersion or confusion let none that feare God and desire heauen suffer themselues by their seruile affections to be made slaues to these base and contemptible things Cypr. A man cannot with one eye behold the earth and with the other at the same time looke vp to the heauens neither can he affect these earthly vanities and withall long after eternall felicitie Chrysost in Iohan. hom 53. in fine He that hath his hands full of siluer must first emptie them before he can catch any gold in them so cannot a man lay hold on heauenly things till he haue let goe the loue of earthly For as in naturall operations the corruption of one must be the generation of another and the diminishing of one the augmentatiō of the other so in spirituall apprehensions the forsaking of one must be the meanes of embracing another you cannot serue God and Mammon Mat. 6.24 First therefore labour good Christian with thy selfe to win and waine thy affections from the loue of this world which I know will be a matter of much difficulty and doth therfore require the greater diligence For Sathan doubtlesse will deale with thee as he did with our Sauiour Mat. 4.8 when he shewed him the kingdomes of the world he shewed him also the glory of them so is it his policie to varnish those vanities which hee meanes to vtter as pictures coursly wrought seeme faire a far off so if thou behold them with a superficiall view they may easily delude thee but come neare and touch them and try them and thou shalt finde they are all meere vanities Some haue thought that at least all the three kinds of goods that is of fortune Philo in lib quid deter potior insul alij the bodie and the minde being conioyned doe produce an absolute felicitie as the Elements combined though not seuerally do make the world but that was their error For albeit in their first frame the bodie with all his members the soule with all her faculties and the earth with all her partes beeing viewed vno actu by the Creator were like the many strings of a sweete and well tuned instrument Gen 1.31 euen all very good Yet since the fall of man they are fallē to such a discord that they can neuer agree together in anie gracious harmony Rom. 8.20.22 til Christ at his second comming doe set them in tune The viewe therefore of their vanitie should cause thee to despise them and to conclude with Salomon Eccl. 12.13 Let vs heare the end of all feare God and keepe his commandements To this purpose haue I penned the first part of this treatise that the same may be a preparatiue to the other following Where thy house is ruinous thou wilt haue care to repaire it and where thy body is ill affected thou wilt take physicke to cure it be not then lesse carefull for thy soule then thou art for these earthly tabernacles So that where thou seest thy self caried forward with the immoderate loue of these vaine delights there apply such medicines as are here prepared for thee to the which if they proue weake in operation thou mayest adde more simples out of the heauenly garden of Gods word but in any case apply them with prayer the onely meanes to make them effectuall CHAP. 1. SECTION 1. A view of the vaine condition of man in respect of the goods of the mind and first of the vnderstanding Eccles 1.2 VAnitie of vanities saith the Preacher vanity of vanities all is vanity If euer there were any man
Citizens of heauen meaning indeede that as we are infranchised and incorporated into the heauenly Ierusalem our coÌ„uersation should bee correspondent to this dignitie And of this priuiledge doth he speak very comfortably Ephes 2.6 saying that God hath raised vs vp together made vs sit together in the heauenly places in Christ Iesus So that Gods Saints on earth though they be poore and base in regard of their outward estate yet being faithfull they are heires of grace and haue seates of honour in heauen together with the thrones and dominations and are therefore no more strangers and forrainers Eph. 2.19 but Citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of faith True it is that as yet the childreÌ„ of God on earth do not actually but potentially and mystically enioy these priuiledges yet because of the present comfort and future certainetie thereof they are actually ascribed to them as alreadie obtained When our Sauior meanes to comfort his seruants to banish distrust of Gods prouidence he saith Feare not little flocke Luk. 12. for it is yours Fathers will to giue you a kingdome Loe this kingdome the Lord doth assure to his children in this life by giuing them the earnest of his spirit for the assurance of the same Howbeit 2. Cor. 5.5 as Dauid was annoynted by Samuel a great while before he obtained the Crowne so doth the Lord annoint his children in this life with the oyle of gladnesse but sets not the crowne of glory vpon their heades 2. Tim. 4.8 till the triumphant appearing of Christ Iesus 1. Joh 3.2 Dearely beloued euen now are we the sons of God saith Saint Iohn so that being adopted in Christ Rom. 8.17 and heires annexed with him we haue assurance of that heauenly dignitie which is prepared in the heauenly places for the sons of God Thus the godly in respect of the remission of their sinnes the sanctificatioÌ„ of lâ—fe their vnioÌ„ with God their ingrafting into Christ their Communion with the Saints and other priuiledges of grace and happinesse whereof they are possessed may very well bee said to haue made an entrance and set foot into the kingdome of heauen and to haue a glimpse of that glory which shall shine most resplendently at the great day of reward These things being wisely weighed in the ballance of a sanctified soule yeeld sundrie profitable vses 1. Hereby a man may haue triall of his future estate by duly considering his present condition Is thy hart profane thy faith dead and thy conuersation wicked then may I say to thee as Iehu said to IehoraÌ„ 2. King 9. What hast thou to do with peace what hast thou to do with the kingdome of heauen which belongeth onely to the righteous and hath no roome for the vnrighteous 1. Cor. 6.9 Reu. 21.27 nor entertaineth any vncleane thing But canst thou discerne in thy selfe a sound faith though it be like smoking flâ—xe and an vpright conuersation albeit not free from all infirmitie then may I say to thee as our Sauiour said to Zachaeus Luk. 19.9 This day is saluation come to thy house thou hast set one foote into heauen 2 This may be a motiue to holinesse of life and conuersation Some in the weakenesse or profanenesse of their hearts will bee readie to demaund Mal. 3 14. What profite is it to keepe Gods commandements to walk humbly before the Lord of hostes and behold such a one may here receiue an answer for we see that the godly are in this life interessed in many heauenly priuiledges and shall assuredly in the life to come be partakers of euerlasting happinesse Therfore Saint Peter hauing exhorted men to linke a iustifying faith with sanctified vertues in a golden chaine concludes his exhortation with this reason 2. Pet. 1.5.11 For by this meanes an entring shall be ministred vnto you abundantly into the euerlasting kingdome of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ making the kingdom of Grace the portall to the kingdome of Glorie 3 To a faithfull and a godly man this meditation may minister much cause of true comfort Luk. 10. Reioyce in this saith our Sauiour that your names are written in heauen so let this bee thy comfort my Christian brother that the Almightie hath enrolled thee amongst the holy companie of heauen And herein blesse God for his mercie with the blessed Apostle who considering the greatnesse of his fauour vouchsafed to the Colossians rendreth hearty thanks to God for deliuering them out of the power of darknesse Col. 1.13 and translating them into the kingdome of his deare sonne A man that stands vpon a high and sure rocke laughes to scorne the rough surges of the raging seas and so may a Christian that hath laide this good foundation of a sound faith and a sanctified life safely reioyce against all the surges of troubles and temptations whatsoeuer For though the raine fall Mat. 7.25 and the flouds come and the windes blow and beat vpon this building it shall not fall because it is builded vpon a rocke yea the gates of hell shall not be able to preuaile against it SECT 2. The second steppe to heauen before the day of iudgement namely Peace of conscience AS sorrow of heart and horror of conscience are the vsuall fruites of sinne and iniquitie so is ioy of heart and peace of conscience an ordinarie companion of godlinesse and honestie Gen. 3.8 Adam hauing transgressed and defiled himselfe with sinne when God cals for him doth hide himselfe Abraham a man of a sound faith prompt obedience Gen. 22.1 when the Lord speakes to him answereth chearefully Here am I. Thus we see both parts of the Prouerbe fulfilled Prou. 28.1 The wicked flyeth when none pursueth him but the righteous is bold as a lyon When the heauens are clogged with foggie mists it causeth a sudden darkenesse vpon the face of the earth and when the bodie is oppressed with pale melancholie humors the heart is heauie and the countenance cast downe but the mistes being expelled by the brightnesse of the Sunne all the Horizon laughes for ioy and the pale humors being purged the heart is ioyfull and makes the countenance chearfull So do the mistes and humors of sinne clogge and molest the heart of man but the same being expelled and purged by the bright Sun-shine of righteousnesse the heart is enlarged and reioyceth yea daunceth with ioy as Dauid speaketh Psal 13.5 and the heart being ioyfull maketh a chearefull coâ—ntenance Pro. 15.13 so that the voyce of ioy and gladnesse is heard in the tabernacles of the righteous Psa 118.15 And this ioyfulnesse of hart chearefulnesse of face and gladnesse of tongue do testifie Rom. 14.7 that the kingdome of God is righteousnesse peace and ioy in the holy Ghost Of this fruite doth Salomon speake where he saith Pro. 15.15 That a good conscience is a continuall feast setting it foorth with the same
day in heauen when they enioy not onely the places beautie and the beholding of Christ his glorie but shall themselues also be glorified Mat. 13.43 and shine as the Sunne in the kingdome of their Father Shall they not be glad to be there and wish themselues euerlasting tabernacles in that glorious mount Sion And this shall assuredly be the condition of the godly at that day For as the Lords glorie reflected vpon Moses Exo. 34.30 made his face to shine when he was vpon the mount so shall the Saints of God become glorious in beholding the glory of God and of Christ 1. Ioh. 3.2 and so shall be like vnto him For as hee shall chaunge our vile bodies Phil. 3.21 that they may be like to his glorious bodie so shall he refine and beautifie the faculties of our soules 1. Co 12.10 that the perfection of grace may concurre with the fruition of glorie And euen as a little water mixed with much wine loseth his owne nature and taketh the tast and colour of the wine as iron put into the fire becomes white and like to the fire his old forme being chaunged and as the ayre perfused with the light of the Sunne is so transformed into the brightnesse thereof that it seemes not so much to be lightened as to be light it selfe so shall euery humane defect and deformitie bee now dissolued and abolished in the Saints of God and they shall bee transformed into the glorious image of Almightie God What tongue is able to expresse or heart conceiue the happinesse of Gods children being thus in glorie They enioy a kingdome Mat. 25. yea and that a glorious kingdome for it is the house of God the kingdome of heauen Tit. 1.2 they obtaine a life and that a blessed life for it can neuer see death they haue the hidden Manna Reu. 2.17 the white stone and the new name written in it They are clothed in the long white robes of honour and dignitie Reu. 7.9 and adorned with the palmes of triumph and victorie They sit vpon the glorious thrones of maiestie Reu. 3.21 and haue set vppon their heads the crownes of eternall glorie 2. Tim. 4.8 When Naomi returned from her peregrination shee said to her old acquaintance Ruth 1.20 Call me not Naomi but call mee Marah for the Almightie hath giuen mee much bitternesse but contrarily may the child of God say when hee returns from the pilgrimage of this world Call mee not Marah but call me Naomi for the Almightie hath giuen me much beautie and blessednesse The honour that Pharo did to Ioseph was very great but yet it was with this exception Gen. 41.40 In the kings throne will I be aboue thee Pharo will sit alone vpon his throne but behold the honour that Christ will do to his seruants when he will also vouchsafe them this dignitie that they shall sit with him vpon his throne for they are heires Rom. 8. yea coheires annexed with Christ who hath promised thus Reu. 3.21 To him that ouercommeth will I graunt to sit with me in my throne euen as I ouercame and do sit with my Father in his throne But here it may peraduenture be demanded whether there be an equalitie or difference of the degrees of blisse and glorie to all the elect in the kingdome of heauen For answer whereunto we must consider that there is a double equalitie to wit Proportionâ— quantitatis of proportion quantitie which ariseth not from the obiect Almighty God who is alwaies the same but from man the subiect who is not in euery particular alike capable of glorie For as the same meate is more delectable to the tast of some then of others the same obiect is better seene by some then by others the same matter better vnderstood of some then of others so the same glorie shineth more brightly into the soules of some then of others Two vessels of a diuerse content may be filled with the same wine yet by reason of their bignesse differ in quantitie of that they containe two mettals of a diuerse kind may be cast into the same fire yet receiue a different heate according to their different nature two men of sundrie statures may be fitted with the same cloth of gold each of them hauing that which is sufficient in proportion though in quantitie they differ so the soules of the godly may be all filled with the same wine of gladnesse be made feruent with the same heate of comfort and clothed with the same robes of glorie yet differ much in respect of their capacitie And according to the measure of grace shall be the measure of glorie 2. Cor. 9.6 for they that sow sparingly shall reape sparingly but they that sow liberally shall reape liberally so that whilest some shine like the brightnesse of the firmament Dan. 12.3 other some shall shine as the starres for euer and euer Yet happie and thrise happie shall that man be who shall be partaker euen of the least degree of heauenly glorie for it infinitly surmounteth all the glorie and dignitie of the world This being the blessed condition of the elect in heauen the meditation thereof should affect vs accordingly First it may make vs despise the vaine and base felicitie of this transitorie life and to count all doung and drosse in respect of those admirable ioyes that are prepared for the godly in the kingdome of heauen It was a hard thing for Abraham to leaue his owne countrie and to trauell as a pilgrime he knew not whither yet the expectation of the heauenly citie wonne his affection from his natiue habitation Heb. 11. so should the sweet consideration of heauenly happinesse weine our harts from the loue of earthly vanities Cic. Tuscu quaest lib. 1. Lactant. instit lib. 3. Cap. 18. It is written of one CleoÌ„brotus that reading Platoes booke of the Immortalitie of the Soule hee was so rauished with the conceipt thereof that hee cast himselfe headlong into the sea It was his sinful error to depriue himselfe of life but his desire of immortalitie may make many Christians ashamed whom neither the expectation of immortalitie glorie or felicitie can estrange from the loue of this vaine world Psal â—4 11 One day in the Lords house is better then a thousand yea surâ—ly one hower in the kingdome of heauen is better then a thousand yeares in the greatest blisse this vaine and wretched world can yeeld Let vs learne therefore to tune our affections to Dauids dittie that we may be able to say of the celestiall tabernacle as he speaketh of the terrestriall Ibid. I had rather be a doore keeper in the house of the Lord then to dwell in the tents of the vngodly 2 It may yeeld comfort to all those that haue liued godly because they shall enioy the comfort of a glorious vision a blessed habitation and the crowne of eternall glorie and
that tree of life which hath twelue kinds of fruites and beareth fruite euerie moneth and so shall liue for euer to enioy those ioyes that are infinite and permanent and they shall drinke of the Christall water that springs in Paradise being an Ocean without brimme or bottome which can neuer be dryed but floweth with her siluer streames to euerlasting life Ioh. 4 Therefore as Saint Paule saith that the ioyes of heauen are so great that no tongue is able to expresse or vtter them so may I say they are so permanent that no time can consume or end them This Meditation hath three principall vses 1 It may cause vs to beare patiently and take thankefully the crosses and calamities of this life considering that they being short and momentanie 2. Cor. 4.17 do procure vnto vs an euerlasting weight of glorie For who would not indure much miserie to enioy eternall felicitie If we be killed all the day long Psa 44.22 yea if we were tortured all our life long what were that to the endlesse ioy and blisse of the kingdome of heauen God forbid therefore that tribulation or anguish or persecution or famine or nakednesse or perill or sword or any or all the distresses and calamities in the world should cause vs to neglect our euerlasting inheritance Saint Paul hauing shewed that we shall be taken vp by Christ at his second comming 1. Thes 4.17 18. and be with him for euer concludeth thereupon Comfort your selues with these words A coÌ„fort indeed fit to counterpoise a greater miserie then death can yeeld But if the Apostles exhortation perswade not yet should Christs example preuaile with vs Heb. 12.2 Who for the ioy that was set before him endured the crosse despised the sham and is set at the right hand of the throne of God If then either sicknesse or pouertie persecution or any such affliction befall thee doe but thinke with Christ Iesus vpon the eternall glorie that is prepared in the kingdome of heauen and the meditation thereof will be as sugar to sweeten thy calamities 2 Seeing the ioyes of heauen are eternall it is our part with paines and perseuerance to labour for them Balaam was rauished with the ioyes of heauen Num. 23. yet did he not enioy them The Ruler that kneeled to our Sauiour Mar. 10.17 and said Good maister what shall I do to possesse eternall life had a good conceit of this blessednesse but this was his fault that he would not do what hee was commaunded to obtaine it And is not that the fault and folly of most people who though they seeme to be much affected with the ioyes of heauen will not yet take paines to attaine vnto them In them is our Sauiours saying verified Luk. 13.24 Many shall seeke to enter into heauen but shall not be able And why Doubtlesse because they take not paines with perseuerance in well doing And therefore hee bids Striue to enter into it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vsing a Metaphor drawne from Champions who bend all their forces and employ their best indeuors to attaine the price and the trophies of triumph When the spies which Iosua sent to view the land of Canaan returned they said Num. 13.28 Surely the land floweth with milke and honie and here is of the fruite of it neuerthelesse the people be strong that dwell in the land and the cities are walled and exceeding great and moreouer we saw the sons of Anak there Nu. 14.1.2 Thus were the children of Israel discouraged And so fareth it with many in the consideration of the kingdome of heauen They will confesse that it is a place which floweth with the milke and honie of vnspeakable ioy and yeeldeth the excellent fruite of eternall glorie yet because they must contend with many daungers and difficulties they must subdue their corrupt affections Rom. 7.5.23 which are like strong men and conquer the spirituall wickednesses which are in the high places Eph. 6.12 who resemble the Anakims they are dismayed and so do lose the blessed land euen the land of the liuing To such I may say with the children of Dan Iud. 18.9.10 Seeing the land is good and a place that lacketh nothing in the world let vs not sit still and be slouthfull to go and enter to possesse the land yea seeing the kingdome of heauen is a blessed place and lacketh no good thing that the tongue can expresse or heart imagine let vs not be carelesse and negligent in seeking to possâ—sse it which if we be our desire thereunto shall be fruitlesse for excellent things are difficult No paines seeme too great for the attaining of temporall pleasures and dignities which are very short and temporarie yea diuerse of the Philosophers haue exposed themselues not onely to daungers but euen to death it selfe for the attaining of a little vaine transitorie glorie how much more then should wee bâ— willing to spend our paines wit wealth strength yea and life it selfe for the obtaining of those pleasures and that glorie which are without measure and shall neuer haue an end 3 To conclude are the ioyes of heauen so exquisite is the felicitie permanent and the glorie eternall Where then is that audacious man liuing that dares say he hath merited them Ambros in Serm. 16 in Psal 119. yea or the least of them Who is able to match such excellent benefits of saluation with correspondent seruice If any thing were meritorious then were persecutions and afflictions But the Apostle iudgeth Rom. 8.18 that the afflictions of this present time are not worthie of the glorie that shalâ— be reuealed vnto vs and elsewhere he giueth this reason of his iudgement 2. Cor. 4.17 Our afflictions are light the glorie is weightie our afflictions are but for a moment the glorie is eternall In so great a disproportion of value and estimation though there be a most certaine reward of mercie yet where is the recompence that should rise vpon merit Let vs learne therefore to confesse with Iacob I am vnworthie Lord Gen. 32.10 the least of all thy mercies much more of this eternall weight of glorie Let vs cast downe our crownes of glorie at the feet of Christ with the Elders in the ReuelatioÌ„ Reu. 4.10 and say with the blessed Apostle Vnto the God of all grace 1. Pet. 5.10 11. who hath called vs vnto his eternall glorie by Christ Iesus be glorie and dominion for euer and euer Amen FINIS
beholding vanitie and practise with Iob Iob. 31.1 I haue made a couenant with mine eyes Binde both thine eyes and thy heart to the good a bearing and suffer not thine eyes to behold it in others nor thy heart to affect it in thy selfe But if thy heart beginne a little to be seduced do but thinke with thy selfe what filth lyeth hid in that bodie which bewitcheth thee and the same may be a medicine to preuent a dangerous maladie Gen. 18. I am but dust and ashes saith Abraham the ashes were once a faire greene tree before the beautie of it vanished in the fire What folly is it to be so nice and curious in trimming of dust and ashes which though like the greene tree it make a faire shew for a time yet hath a hundred fires kindled to consume it sorrow sicknesse age and death yea which cannot enioy the comfortable heate and light of the Sunne but it fadeth Deck thy soule with vertues and adorne thy heart with grace this internall beautie is eternall To meete a beautifull bodie hath bene counted ominous but now I am sure it is dangerous yet if thou darest giue thine eyes libertie to behold any beautifull obiect let that be a hand to direct and leade thee to a better meditation Magnifie the wisedome of God in his workmanship and thinke vpon the beautie of heauen what a sweet thing it will be to behold Christ Iesus and all the celestiall companie in most resplendent glorie and let thy meditation ponder the future glorious change of thy vile bodie Phil. 3. that although the fame be turned into dust and ashes yet at the last day it may be beautifull as the brightnesse of the firmament Dan. 12.3 and may shine like the starres for euer and euer Now the same that hath bene said of beautie may be said of strength and agilitie which albeit they do not alwayes grow on the same stalke yet they fade with the same windes and are withered with the same Sunne of sorrow sicknesse age and death We haue heard of few that could say with Caleb I am this day fourescore and fiue yeares old Ios 14.10.11 yet am I as strong at this time as I was when Moses sent me meaning when he was fortie yeares old Vers 7. Abishai and Benaiah were goodly men 2. Sam. 23.18.20 and of admirable strength able to kill hundreds and to conquer mighty giants yet they with Dauids three worthies more gallāt men then they are many hūdred years since turned into dust Beautie sometime turnes to the bane of the possessor And did not Sampsons strength pluck the house downe vpon his owne head Iudg. 16. If any one therefore be lustie and strong let him remember the Prophets exhortation Ier. 9.23 Let not the strong man glorie in his strength because it is folly to glorie in a vanity but let him reioyce and glorie in the Lord and be able to say Psal 27 c The Lord is my strength and as the Apostle exhorteth Eph 6. Be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might To resist the diuell and to withstand his temptations is a thing that requireth strength and courage to this purpose labor to vnite all thy forces this is true strength and valour and this onely obtaineth the crowns of true felicitie SECTION 3. Of Health OF all the temporall benefites that Almightie God bestoweth vpon vs in this life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is none more excellent then health as Menander truly saith seeing it is that which permits a being to the goods of the bodie and admits an acceptable being to the goods of fortune as they are called For when the Lord with rebukes doth chasten man for sinne Psal 39.11 he maketh whatsoeuer is desirable in him to consume away like a moath fretting a garment When the Lord layeth the hand of visitation vpon men then health strength beautie and whatsoeuer seemes gracious in them consumeth and vanisheth like the moath-eaten garment When the Lord said to Abraham Gen. 15.2 I am thy exceeding great reward Abraham answered O Lord what wilt thou giue me seeing I go childlesse So may a sicke man say What wilt thou giue me seeing I am healthlesse Abraham cared not for all the wealth in the world when he wanted an heire and what are all the temporall blessings in the world to a man that wants his health Yet is health which seasoneth all the blessings of this life but vaine For euerie man in his best estate is altogether vanitie Man that is borne of a woman Iob. 14.1 is but of short continuance and full of trouble he shooteth vp like a flower and is cut downe he vanisheth as a shadow and continueth not Lo this is the condition of mankind that he neuer continueth in the same condition But as the flower to day flourisheth and to morrow withereth so health is quickly changed into sicknesse The Moone is not more variable in her changing the sea in her ebbing and flowing the heauens in their ouercasting then man is in the change of his estate now well and presently sicke to day triumphing on the Theater to morrow groning on the couch or happely groueling in the graue The sea is not more subiect to tossing and raging with her foure contrarie windes then the bodie of man is with his foure contrarie humours which being disordered do ingender infinite diseases How manie hundred infirmities haue the skilfull Physitians discerned mans bodie subiect to yea how many are there whereof no true cause can be assigned no cure can be obtained A clocke is a thing hardly kept in tune because it hath so many wheeles and gimbols to be tempered so the bodie of man is hardly preserued long in health it hath so many variable and tender parts to be preserued Hence it commeth to passe that as the Israelites expecting libertie were more inthralled so when men promise to themselues health and soundnesse they are oft-times assayled by sodaine sicknes A fearfull trembling the messenger of death shakes the ioynts of Baltasar at his banket Dan 5. the rich man is arrested by deaths sergeant in his bed Luke 12. and a deadly headach meeteth the Shunamites child in the field 2. Kin. 4. Thus no state or condition is exempted from sicknesse or hath securitie of health neither the young child the old man nor the mightie king Iesus loued Lazarus Iohn 11. yet behold he was sicke Dauid a holy man and an honorable king Passim in Psalmis yet was often brought low with sundrie infirmities so that Christs loue is no preuenting priuiledge godlinesse is no supersedeas for sickenesse 2 Besides that health is thus variable it is also dangerous being the nurse of securitie and the mother of impenitencie Psal 73.4.9 For whilest the wicked haue no bands in their death but are lustie and strong pride and crueltie licentiousnesse
and dying godly that yeelds true Nobilitie according to that of Seneca Philosophie found not Plato a Noble man Sen. Epi. 44. but made him one Chrysostom What disparagement was it to Abraham that his father was an idolater in Vrre of the Chaldees Iosua 24.2 or what disgrace to Timothy Acts 16.1 that his father was a Gentile surely none at all seeing they both became truly noble by their vertues and as little honour was it to Cham that he was the sonne of iust and noble Noah seeing he himselfe was leud and vicious When the Lord chose a King ouer Israel 1. Sam. 9.21 it was out of the smallest tribe when Christ called his disciples Mat. 4. they were of the meanest sort of people and at the promulgation of the Gospell 1. Cor. 1.26 not many wise men after the flesh not many mightie not many noble are called but the simplest the meanest and most despised that no man should glorie in his birth or boast of his nobilitie and man was made out of Paradise the woman in Paradise S. Ambrose that it may appeare nobilitie not to depend vpon place or posteritie Now to the vanitie of Nobilitie this may be added which experience daily verifieth That to some nobilitie of birth begets ignobilitie of minde Greg dial lib. 1 c. 16. Plutar. in vita coâ—iol and vntimely honour doth hinder many from honorable attempts so that whilest the eyes of all men are vpon such tasking them with their expectation and taxing their defects and defaults with their censures they staine their stocke and disgrace themselues by degenerating from their vertuous auncestors But what is Nobilitie of no more reputation Truely that may be fitly sayd of Nobilitie which Salomon speaketh of old age Age is a crowne of glorie Pro. 16.31 when it is found in the wayes of righteousnesse A double honour belongs to those that ioyne vertue of life to their Nobilitie of birth and noble descents make grace more gracious in the eyes of men and Angels but contrarily he that hath onely the honourable ensignes of his auncestors may be a man of note Notus magis quam nobilis Sen. but he is not truely noble The Iewes bragged of their birth and boasted that they were the children of Abraham but being vngracious our Sauiour tels them they are the children of the Diuell Ioh. 8.44 and giue sinne and iniquity for their badge as their father did before them And Iohn the Baptist can teach vs that although a man be a slippe or stemme of what tree soeuer if he bring not forth good fruite he shall be hewne downe and cast into the fire Math. 3.10 Let all those therefore whom their birth hath thus blessed that they are borne the sonnes or daughters of Nobles and Gentles consider that the same should not make them ambitious but industrious and if the vaine-glorious cogitation of any ones auncestors honour begin too much to affect him let him looke into their graues and there shall hee see his hereditarie ensignâ—s of honour and be compelled to acknowledge with Iob I said to corruption Iob 17.14 Thou art my father to the worm Thou art my mother and my sister In a word whosoeuer thou art noble or ignoble in the eyes of the world yet if thou embrace the mercies of God and the merites of Christ with a liuely faith Ioh. 1.12 and haue the new birth of the immortâ—ll seede of Gods word 1. Pet. 1.23 with an vnfained desire and a fruitfull endeuour to serue him then art thou truly noble in the sight of God because thou art the sonne of God 1. Ioh. 3.1 The consideration whereof may be ten thousand times more comfortable to thee then if thou hadst lineally descended from the greatest Monarchs in the world SECTION 2. Of Prosperitie SAlomons obseruation of the course of worldly occurrents is very right All things come alike to all Eccles 9.1 the same condition is to the iust the wicked For the Lord suffereth and sendeth the raine to fall aswell vpon the wicked as the godly Mat. 5.45 so that profane Esau hath the fatnes of the earth for his dwelling place Gen. 27.39 and is watered with the dew of heauen aswell as godly Iacob and therefore his inference vpon his obseruation is very good No man knoweth by these temporals either loue or hatred of all that is before him Eccles 9.1 When Ahab would go vp to Ramoth Gilead to battell his foure hundred false Prophets gaue him incouragement to it 1. King 2â— but Iehosophat the king of Iuda said wisely Is there here neuer a Prophet of the Lord more that we might inquire of him Such is the folly of many whose eyes the God of this world hath blinded with the goods of the world that they rest in the testimonie of flattering prosperitie as the king of Israell did in his false Prophets imagining themsâ—lues to be highly in Gods fauor because they abound in temporal blessings but those that are wise in heart will inquire thus with theÌ„selues Is there no better testimony of my adoption then these temporall benefites and this deceiueable prosperitie and that very iustly because the same are nothing but meere vanities Prosperitie is commonly vaine in two respects as sententious Seneca noteth Vel premit vel praeterit for either it presseth or passeth either it stayeth by a man to his hurt or flyeth from him to his griefe It is either like the golden bracelets that Tarpeia had for betraying the Romaine castell to the Sabines Plutarch in vita Romu wherewith she was pressed to death or like to the hawke which soaring very high without the hearing of the call or lure flyeth cleane away from the Falconer so doth prosperitie glisten like gold but oppresseth the possessor Penè priusquà m teneretur auolabat August Confes lib. 6. Prou. 1.32 it soareth like the hawke but flyeth away from the owner Experience verifieth the Prouerbe of Salomon Ease slayeth the foolish and the prosperitie of fooles is their destruction Pharaoh being afflicted was humbled but enioying prosperitie he was hardened Yea prosperitie hath bene dangerous to the godly and when aduersitie could not fasten a temptation vpon them it hath foy-them exceedingly Gâ—n 9. Noah in the arke embraced sobriety but being in his vineyard was ouertaken with drunkennesse Lot being vexed in Sodome Gen. 19. abhorred their vncleane conuersation but being safe in the mountaines he fell into grosse iniquitie 2. Sam. 11. Dauid being persecuted gaue himselfe to meditation and prayer but being aduaunced he committed a bloodie sinne Thus aduersitie is like the rough windes causing a man to keepe close vnto him the robes of righteousnesse but prosperitie is like the faire Sunne winning them from him The Moone is not eclipsed but when she is in the full so the godly are seldome subiect to those obscurities of
As riches are vncertain so are they insatiable Eccles 5.9 For he that loueth siluer shall not be satisfied therewith and he that loueth riches shall be without the fruite thereof this also is vanitie Te esurire cogunt Qu. Curt. lib. 7. Riches make men hungrie as the Scythians sayd to Alexander so that the rich are like the dropsie man which the more he drinketh the more he thirsteth Hence it commeth to passe that contrary to all sense the more that men haue the more they desire and the older men waxe the more couetous they grow as if a traueller being nere his iournies end Cic. de Sen. shold encrease his luggage or as though the Citizen should bee building when the enemie is battering Thus it happeneth to the rich man as it doth to the waspe which being greedie of the hony at last fals into the barrell so that she cannot get out for wealthy men falling into a vaine of couetousnesse do at last sticke so fast in their insatiable desire that they can neuer deliuer themselues so long as they liue If this were not so how could that possibly come to passe which Salomon speaketh and experience verifieth Eccles 4.8 There is one alone and there is not a second which hath neither sonne nor brother yet is there no end of all his trauell neither can his eye be satisfied with riches neither doth he thinke For whom do I trauel and defraud my soule of pleasure this also is vanitie A man may sweare it is but vanitie that a man should vexe and turmoile himselfe yea defraud himselfe of pleasure and which is more of saluation also for wealth when hee hath no vse of it When thou seest a man euer thirstie thou doest not thinke him to be well though he haue aboundance of all sorts of drinke so when thou beholdest a man alwayes thirsting greedily after the pelfe of this world though hee possesse aboundance thou mayest well account him a miserable man Hom. Odys lib. 11. Hor. Serm. lib. 1. sat 1. like Tantalus in the Stygean lake and like the drudging Indians which toyle in the golden mynes but enioy none of the ore Hydropem conscientiaÌ„ Aug· de verbo Dom. ser 5. initio Eccles 5. 3 It is no small dispraise of riches that they make a dropsie conscience but behold a worse fruite of them then so There is an euill sicknesse that I haue seene vnder the Sunne to wit Riches reserued to the owners thereof for their euill the other sicknesse of parting with them is grieuous but this of being plagued with them is exceeding dangerous Our blessed Sauiour compareth the cares of this life and deceiueable riches to thornes Mat. 13.22 a most fit comparison and no maruell being his who is best able to censure and set foorth the nature of all things both in heauen and earth for as thornes doe pierce and pricke those things which touch them so do riches pierce the hearts of the owners thereof being got with paines kept with care and lost with griefe yea sometimes causing the possessors throate to be cut How many dangers doe riches expose men vnto stirring vp theeues to lye in waite souldiers to râ—se vp in armes yea sometimes the children to long for and hasten the parents death Are not rich men oft made spunges to gather much that it may be wrung from them againe and doth it not cause them to be hunted after and angled for like fishes In Psal 64. passim as Augustine saith In regard whereof the Poet spake not vnwisely when he called gold a more hurtfull mettall then iron Ferroque no centius auruÌ„ Ouid. Met. lib. 1. 2. As thornes are shilter for serpents to lurke and hide theÌ„selues vnder so are riches the harbourers of many sins For they that will be rich 1. Tim. 6.9 fall into temptations and snares and into many noysome and foolish lusts which drowne men in perdition and destruction They are the mother of pride and presumption and therefore S. Paule bids Timothie charge them that are rich in this world 1. Tim. 6.17 that they be not high minded and that they trust not in vncertaine riches but in the liuing Lord yea he accounts them the water that yeelds moisture to couetousnesse the roote of all euill The examples are innumerable that might be brought for the proofe of this point It was the wages of vnrighteousnes that seduced Balaam 2. Pet. 2.15 yea the foulest fact that euer was committed in the world was through the loue of money I meane the selling of our blessed Sauiour by that accursed traitor Iudas 3 As thornes do stop vp wayes hinder the growth of corne and the path of passengers so do riches hinder the growth of grace stop vp the way to the kingdome of heauen and that makes our Sauiour say Mat. 19.23 24. A rich man can hardly enter into the kingdome of heauen yea to adde this vehement speech It is easier for a Camell to go thorough the eye of a needle then for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of God The Euangelist saith that the disciples were exceedingly amazed at this speech how much more should it amaze those that are great possessors and louers of riches What are riches so vncertaine that they will be gone like the Eagle are they so insufficient that they make the soule insatiable are they so hurtfull in piercing the heart with anguish shrouding the serpent of sin and stopping the way to heauen Let the meditation thereof then be a motiue to embrace the Prophets exhortation If riches increase Psal 62.10 set not thy heart vpon them For why shouldest thou set thy heart vpon nothing yea that which is worse then nothing But this is an euill sicknesse and will hardly be cured as experience teacheth Was there euer such gaping after gaine and such deluing in the bowels of the earth for the bewitching ore yea such damning of soules to the pit of hell for that which should be counted trash and be troden vnder foote Alasse what do men meane to take such paines in hoarding vp that gold and siluer Iam. 5.3 the rust wherof shall be a witnesse against them at the day of iudgement A man that were going some great iourney or swimming ouer an arme of the Sea would not loade himselfe but go as light as may be consider then deare brother that thou art going to heauen which is a long a daungerous and a difficult iourney wilt thou loade thy selfe with this ponderous pelfe which will tire thee exceedingly thou art passing ouer the daungerous ocean of this surging world wilt thou carie that which will serue to drowne thee in the gulfe of eternall destruction Nay rather if thou haue any sense of a maÌ„ Hieron ad Pamach alias ex aliis imitate Crates the Thebane and cast away thy goods rather then they shall cast away thee For what
vale of miserie neuer longing or looking after the heauenly mansions prepared by our Sauiour Ioh. 14.2.3 let â—hem know that one day they must leaue all and not haue so much as the benefite of one of the walkes of their gardens or galleries but in stead thereof shall bee shut vp in that lothsome place of darknesse which yeeldeth nothing but wailing weeping and gnashing of teeth SECT 7. Of a great familie and many attendants IF sumptuous buildings remaine like a cottage in a vineyard Esa 1.8 and like a lodge in a garden of cucumbers as the Prophet speakes of Ierusalem they become the passengers wonderment and display the owners vanitie but when they are fraught and furnished with great families then doe men as well commend them as admire them yet is all this but vanitie Vide. Sect. 12. 13. For if those Oeconomicall leagues and linkes which are most neare and naturall be vaine as it is euident they are then can it not be otherwise in that which is more remote and seruile Many there are who are exceeding proud of their great traines and their many seruants but as iustly as a ruinous house may be proud of many proppes or a prisoner of his many keepers The blessed Angels go about the world neither hauing nor needing any seruants what shall we repute them inferiour to vs silly men that both haue and need them nay rather in their power let vs view our owne weaknesse and be humbled Seruants should indeed be props and pillars to their maisters but they oftimes become chinks and pillers being neither silent in their secrets nor faithfull in their affaires fulfilling our Sauiours saying A mans enemies shall be they of his owne houshold Mat. 10.3 Mich. 7.6 Psal 101. Dauid was as industrious as might be to free his house from badde seruants yet had he a leude Achitophel who gaue vngracious counsell to his rebellious sonne 2. Sam. 6. Our blessed Sauiour had but twelue disciples that were continually conuersant with him yet one of them yea he whom he trusted with his treasure proued a traitour And doe not our owne stories make mention of diuers great meÌ„ The Dukes of Buâ—kingham and Suffolke and others Hollinsh which haue bene vtterly vndone by the treacherie of their vntrustie seruants Is it not an ordinarie thing for men to haue such seruants as will kindle and nourish the coales of contention and incense and stir vp their maisters to vnlawfull actions and attempts Such were the seruants of Abraham and Lot Gen. 13. who iangled among themselues eueÌ„ to the separation of their maisters though kinsmen and deare friends such were the seruants of Abimelech Gen. 21. who vnknowne to the king their maister offered Abraham iniurie in his welles of water yea the seruants of another Abimelech wronged Isaac likewise Gen. 26. euen contrary to the expresse commaundement of the king It is no maruell that Saul had a Doeg to feed his malitious humour 1. Sam. 22. in accusing Dauid and Abim lech when as Dauid had followers that perswaded him to a wicked reuenge 1. Sam. 24. euen to lay hands vpon the Lords annointed But what are all seruants such God forbid yea I know there are some that doe feare God vnfainedly serue their maisters faithfully yet I feare that summe is small We reade not of one seruant that went with Noah into the arke not one that departed with Lot out of Sodome yet is it not lâ—ke that either of theÌ„ was without seruants Besides this if a man do seriously consider his dutie as well as his dignitie he shall finde that his superioritie and attendance is rather a matter of burthen then of honour Oneris quaÌ„ honoris for behold how many seruants hee hath so many soules hee hath to answer for The maister is charged with the seruants sanctifying of the sabboth Exo. 20 10. and Abraham is commaunded to circumcise euery man-child Gen. 17.12 both him that is borne in his house and him that is bought with money yea the commaundement is doubled and vehemently vrged Ver. 13. He that is borne in the house and he that is bought with money must needes be circumcised And this is Abrahams praise pronounced by the Lords owne mouth that he will teach not onely his sonnes but his houshold also to keepe the way of the Lord Gen. 18 19 to doe righteousnesse and iudgement The strictnesse of this dutie hath caused the Spirite of God in the sacred Scriptures 1. Kin 5.15 to coÌ„found the names of father and maister Mat. 8.6 sonne and seruant to teach vs that as the obedience of seruants to their maisters should be filiall so the care of maisters ouer their seruants should be parentall Here then those that haue great families euen troupes of seruants and followers may rather learn to be humbled then exalted vpon the conceit of their great trains A maister is not seene in the possession Arist Pol. lib. 1 cap. 4. but in the vse of his seruants To possesse many seruants is a meere vanitie but not to vse them is a dangerous iniquitie To prescribe Oeconomicall precepts it is not my purpose in this place onely one rule I would perswade euery maister of a familie to learne of ingenious Seneca Sen. Ep. 47. Not to esteeme of a seruant by his mysteries but by his manners and of vertuous Dauid Psal 15. To make much of such as feare the Lord for there is little hope that he shall be a good seruant to his maister that hath no care to serue the Lord. SECT 8. Of Honour fame and glorie IT is a straunge thing and worthie of admiration that men should be proud in the schoole of humilitie and vaineglorious in the place of shame and reproch where all the creatures of God betweene heauen and earth being subiect to vanitie for mans fall and fault are badges and ensignes of his dishonour Againe what madnesse is this when men haue a theater in heauen to desire earthly spectators to seeke to conquer in one place Chrys hom 17. in Rom. and to be crowned in another Yet behold this folly and madnesse possesseth the minds of most men who being employed in the heauenly warfare of Christianitie doe seeke to be crowned with the vanishing shadow of earthly honour and estimation What is the â—onour glorie and credite of the world but a certaine vulgar applause not the reward of resplendent vertue but the popular guerdon of vanitie and many times the recompence of apparant iniquitie He is a foole that will commit his glorie to the chest of another mans lips Bern. super Cant. Serm. 13. medio it is a wiser course to keepe it thy selfe but the safest of all to commit it to the custodie of him 2. Tim. 1.12 Cautus in â—ustodiendo fidelis in re â—ituendo Bâ—rn ibid. who is able to keepe that which thou hast
then the great kings of Tyrus and BabyloÌ„ that conquering Lord of Bezeck or that mightie Monarch of Greece Behold they are all gone and haue lost left their pompe behind them yea their honourable memoriall is perished with them Almost euery one saith with Saul honour me amongst the people 1. Sam. 15. and that is the limit of their base conceipt Many stand gloriously vpon their honor and reputation but fewe haue due regard of honestie and religion But our blessed Sauiour when he came into the world taught vs to despise worldy pompe and credite both by his birth life and death In his birth he disrobed himselfe of diuine honour Phil. 2.7 and tooke vpon him the shape of a seruant In his life he refused the dignitie of a king and sought not his owne glorie Ioh. 8.18 And in his death he suffered himselfe to be stript of all externall reputation when he was buffetted by the rascall souldiers Mat. 27.30 35.39 crucified on the reprochfull crosse and derided by the base passengers Christians therefore should learne his precept and imitate his practise according to that Learne of me Mat. 11.32 for I am meeke and lowlie of heart If we suffer with him we shall be glorified with him Rom. 8.17 and if we be humbled with him we shall bee exalted with him Let your light so shine before men Mat. 5. that they may see your good workes and glorifie your father which is in heauen saith our Sauiour Let your conscience be vpright and your conuersation holy so shall you glorifie God and haue praise with God tenne thousand times more woorth then all the vaine and momentanie applauses of men yea if thou desire to be truly honorable in the eyes of men do this Worldly honour and estimation is not vnfitly compared to the Crocodile which flyeth being pursued but pursueth a man when he flieth For those that contemne this transitorie honor and seeke the aduancement of Gods glorie shall vndoubtedly haue true honour pursuing them though they lose it in their fathers house with Ioseph yet shall they find it in Egypt though they leaue it in Pharoos Court with Moses they shall meete with it in the wildernesse and forsaking it in their owne countrey with Abraham shall finde it in Canaan For those that honour the Lord he will honour them 1. Sam. 2.30 The womans cost and kindnesse in honouring our blessed Sauior with the box of oyntment shall neuer be forgotten Mat. 26.13 But wheresoeuer the Gospell shall be preached throughout the world there shall also this that shee hath done be spoken of for a memoriall of her And when as the vnworthie honor of the wicked shal be buried in obliuion or be turned into reproch Psal 112.6 the righteous euen in this life shall be had in euerlasting remembrance and in the life to come shall enioy a glorious kingdome thrones of maiestie and the neuer-fading crownes of eternall glorie Lo thus shall be done to the man whome the Lord will honour SECT 9. Of Pleasures VVE are now entring into the garden of Adonis as it is in the Prouerbe which the world makes her garden of Eden The flowers that grow therin are the vaine plants of pleasure which albeit they make a glorious shew to the eye yet is their root bitternesse their glosse vanitie and their fruite deadly poyson What is pleasure but a delightfull motion seated in the senses Cic. defiâ— bon lib. 2. so that the fiue senses are as so many rootes foorth of the which pleasures doe spring and grow Beautifull obiects delight the eye sweete sounds doe please the eares fragrant aires affect the nose delicate substances content the branched nerues daintie viands satisfie the tongue and what hath man in all this which is not common to him with the bruite beasts 2. Pet. 2.12 In regard whereof Saint Peter calleth those that are led with sensualitie bruite beasts And are not these senses so many faire windowes by the which pleasures giue sinne passage and entrance into the heart and soule of men The serpent was more subtile then any beast of the field Gen. 3.1 and so was a daungerous snare vnto Eue but alas when she gaue entertainement to pleasure she was assaulted by a more dangerous beast For pleasure directed her eye and guided her hand to the forbidden fruite brought it to her mouth and perswaded her to take and tast it Now as pleasures are brutish so are they exceeding momentanie like the fierie Comets which last no longer then their exhaled matter indureth and that cannot be long So that euen now you may see Baltasar quaffing in great iolitie Dan. 5. and by and by behold his countenance chaunged his knees beat together and his pleasure turned into horrour To day you may see the Israelites stretch themselues vpon their beds of Iuorie Amos. 6.4 eate the lambes of the flocke drinke wine in bowles and sing to the sound of the Violl and to morrowe behold them in great misery and thraldome by the Assyrians and Babylonians If a man will not leaue his pleasures when he is young they will assuredly leaue him when he is old and theâ—fore Salomon I sought in my heart to dâ—aw foorth c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eccles 2.3.11 when he had drawne out the threede of delight and stretched the webbe of pleasures on the largest tenter of varietie saith he found nothing in it but vanitie and vexation of spirit The learned both heathen and Christians haue compared pleasures to the anglers baite Plato Cice. Ambr. de bon mort cap. 6. which hath a hooke hid vnder it wherewith those that are inconsiderate are caught and killed The golden cuppe in the spiritual whores hands is a goodly cup Reu. 17.4 but it is full of abhominations so is pleasures cup a very faire one but it is full of deadly poyson The Bee hath honie and waxe but she hath a sting withall so hath pleasure the honie to intice and the waxe to enflame but take heed of the deadly sting wherewith shee strikes The best fruite that can grow from pleasures is Repentance and remorse of conscience For sweet meate must haue sower sauce and the soule that tooke pleasure in sinning must needes suffer paine in sorrowing So shall it befall the soule giuen to pleasures Esa 13.22 as Esay threateneth to Babylon Iim shall cry in their pallaces and dragons in their pleasant places those soules and bodies that should haue bene the temples of the holy Ghost 1. Cor. 6.19 but haue bene made the pallaces of worldly pleasures shall haue the Fairies Furies of anguish and horror lodging and liuing there 2 Are not pleasures the occasions of sicknesse and weaknesse Chrys ad pop Antio hom 55. in ipso initio for as the course of waters doe weare weaken the banke and at last carie it cleane away so doe pleasures diminish
world must be brought to iudgement before him There are two principall things in our Sauiours appearing that shall abash and terrifie the wicked first his exceeding great maiestie secondly the strictnesse of his iudgement 1 The Scriptures in setting foorth the Maiestie of his comming are very copious He shall come in the cloudes of the heauen with power and great glorie Mat. 24.30 that men may behold him in his maiestie whom they would not before vouchsafe to looke vpon in his humilitie Esa 53.3 And this Maiestie shall be conspicuous and glorious in diuerse respects 1 In respect of the admirable signes that go before him which shall be correspondent to his admirable Maiestie Saint Matthew describeth them thus Mat. 24.29 And immediatly after the tribulation of those dayes shall the Sunne be darkened and the Moone shall not giue her light the Starres shall fall from heauen and the powers of heauen shall be shaken An eclipse being great hath bene very fearefull to some and the darkenesse at our Sauiours passion made the world to wonder how fearefull then and how wonderfull shall the comming of Christ to iudgement bee when the Sunne and Moone and Starres shall all lose their light and the heauens with their powerfull influences be vtterly obscured as inferiour lights are wont at the bright shining and glorious appearing of Christ Iesus When the Maister of the family dieth Chrysost in Mat. hom 49. the house is troubled the seruants lament and put on mourning apparell so when man the inhabitant of the world is neare his end and comming to his triall his old friends and seruants both in heauen and earth do thus clothe themselues in mourning weedes being also abashed to behold the glorie of the Sauiour of the world Saint Luke likewise saith Luk. 21.25 There shall be signes in the Sunne and in the Moone and in the Starres and vpon the earth trouble among the nations with perplexitie the sea and the waters shall roare and mens hearts shall faile them for feare and for looking after these things that shall come vpon the world Onely an earthquake if it be vehement is verie fearefull and the inundation of waters terrible but now when the whole massie globe of the earth shall totter and shake the mightie seas roare and rage and the glorious heauens become blacke and duskie how shall the hearts of men bee appalled with dread and terror to behold the same 2 Christs appearing shall be glorious in respect of his attendants not silly Fisher men as in the dayes of his infirmitie but holy Saints and blessed Angels as consorting with this day of Maiestie Jud. ver 14 Behold he cometh with thousands of his Saints to giue iudgement against all men and to rebuke all the vngodly c. And as Christ shall come with his many Saints so shall he appeare with his infinite troupe and traine of Angels Dan. 7.10 For thousand thousands shall minister to him and ten thousand thousands shall stand before him Yea he shall come with all his holy Angels and these being his fierie messengers Mat. 24.31 he shall send with a great sound of a trumpet to gather together the elect c. Thus glorious seruants shall attend a glorious maister If Saint Iohn a holy Euangelist fell at the feete of Christ as dead when he beheld him Reu. 1.17 and Esay a heauenly Prophet cryed out Wo be to me for I am of polluted lippes Esa 6.5 because he saw the King and Lord of hostes compassed with the glorious Seraphims shall not the maiestie of this great God Tit. 2.13 euen our Sauiour Iesus Christ daunt the hearts of the wicked at his appearing euen more then can bee expressed 3 Christs comming shall be glorious in regard of the complements of honour which he shall haue at his appearing 2. Thes 1.7 He shall come in flaming fire with the sound of an Archangell he shall come in the cloudes and ride vpon the wings of the winde Act. 1. It was straunge to see mount Sin a on fire at the deliuerie of the Law Eod. 19. but how straunge will it be when the heauens shall passe away 2. Pet. 3.10 and the elements shall melt with heate and the earth with the workes therein shall be burnt vp then shall he sit vpon a throne of glorie Mat. 25.31 and before him shall be gathered all nations The day was when he poore man stood before the iudgement seate of Pontius Pilate to receiue his sentence but now Pontius Pilate with all the potentates of the earth must stand before his throne to receiue their dolefull doom The gloriousnesse of which throne Daniell describeth Dan. 7.6 saying His throne was like a fierie flame and the wheeles like burning fire yea so full of dreadfull maiestie it is that when the earth and the sea do come to be arraigned before it they flye away Reu. 20.11 not able to behold the glorie thereof and the Iudge that sitteth thereupon And therfore whereas at his birth onely Ierusalem was troubled and at his passion Mat. 2. Luk. 22. the tender hearted women of Ierusalem wept now at his comming to iudgement Mat. 24.30 Reu. 1.7 All the kindreds of the earth shall mourne and waile before him Euen so Amen 2 Secondly as his appearing is glorious so shall the strictnesse of his iudgement be no lesse maruellous If a man might be called to an account for his grosse sinnes onely there were some hope of safetie but Christ will call for an account of euerie idle word Mat. 12. yea he will bring to iudgmēt euery secret thought Rom. 2.16 and who alas shall be able to answer him one of a thousand Job 9.3 When the Lord casteth his infinite discerning eye vpon the most excellent of his creatures Job 4.17.15.15 he findeth no stedfastnesse in them no not in his Saints and Angels yea the heauens are not clean in his sight This caused Dauid to say Heare my prayer ô Lord Psal 143.2 and hearken to my supplication but enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for in thy sight shall no flesh liuing be iustified If Dauid a man after Gods owne heart put vp his petition appealing from the iustice of God vnto his mercie how vnable shall the wicked be to stand foorth with boldnesse Psal 1. or to lift vp their heads with confidence in the day of iudgement What shall the shrubbe of the desert do Gregor when the Cedar of Paradise shall be shaken what shall the lambe doe where the Lyon doth tremble and if the righteous scarcely be saued 1. Pet. 4.18 where shall the vngodly and the sinner appeare The warie Auditor will consider the seuerall reckonings that hee is to make so should the wise Christian thinke vpon the particular accompts that Christ will exact at the generall day of iudgement Consider then that hee will call thee to
an account for thy bodie with the parts and members thereof whether thy handes haue bene readie to distribute to the poore whether thy feete haue troden the good path thine eyes haue beheld the thing that is right thy toung hath vttered wordes which might minister grace to the hearer thine eares haue bene open to heare the cries of the needie He will call thee to an accompt for thy soule and the faculties thereof whether thine vnderstanding hath bene furnished with sanctified knowledge thy affections knit to heauenly delights and thy memorie retained holy instructions He will call thee to accompt of those temporall benefits thou hast obtained thy health strength wealth wit beautie and the rest and how thou hast put foorth euerie talent of his bountie to the aduancement of Gods glorie and the good of thy brethren He will call thee to an accompt for the spirituall graces and mercies which hee had offered or imparted to thee what fruite thou hast had by the preaching of the word what entertainement thou hast giuen to his spirit when hee knocked at the doore of thy heart and what thy growth hath bene in grace and godlinesse He will call thee to an accompt of thy carriage in thy calling if thou be a Magistrate how thou hast behaued thy selfe in the administration of iustice in maintaining the iust cause of the widow supporting the poore and defending the fatherlesse without bribes feare fauour or any other partiall respect If thou be a Minister how thou hast laboured in preaching the word instantly in season and out of season and how thou hast fed the flocke of Christ committed to thy charge with vertuous discipline wholesome doctrine and holy conuersation If thou be a father how thou hast bred and brought vp thy children if a maister how thou hast gouerned thy seruants He will call thee to an accompt for thy sinnes of omission and commission not onely cruell Ahab for taking away Naboths vineyard 1. King 21. but also mercilesse Diues Luk. 16. because he releeued not poore Lazarus In a word euery man from the richest Craesus to the poorest Codrus and euery transgression from the highest blasphemy to the least infirmitie must come to a strict triall in iudgement There are sixe principall remedies and refuges of the guiltie before the iudgment seates of mortall men either the Iudge may be deceiued through ignorance forestalled with fauour ouercome with power bowed with pittie corrupted with money or moued with arguments Ille Iudex nec gratÃa praeuenitur c. Aug. de synch lib. 3. but when the sinfull soule comes before the tribunall seate of the immortall God all these forts of confidence shal faile him 1 This Iudge cannot erre through ignorance Reu. 2.23 for he searcheth the hearts and the reynes Heb. 4.13 yea all things are naked and open to his eyes before whom wee must appeare Ioh. 1.48 He that saw Nathanael vnder the Figge-tree knoweth our goings out our commings in and is able to set before vs euen our most secret sinnes to repeate those we do not remember to reueale those we would hide and to conuict vs of those we would deny 2. He cannot be forestalled with fauour Reu. 2.23 for he is no respecter of persons but will giue to euery man according to his workes The poorest beggar shall find as good audience in this court of iustice as the mightiest Prince in the world Though amongst men Eccles 3.16 wickednesse be in the place of iudgement yet will Christ iudge most iustly euen all those who haue iudged most vniustly 3. He cannot be ouerswayed with power Mat. 28.18 for to him all power is giuen both in heauen earth Therefore may I say with the Prophet The high lookes of man shall be humbled and the loftinesse of men shall bee abased in that day Esa 2.11 Those that say in the pride and stubburnenesse of their hearts Let vs breake their bonds asunder Psal 2. and cast their cordes from vs shall then be dashed in peeces with the stone of mount Sion Dan. 2.45 and all their power and puissance shall not bee sufficient to deliuer them 4. As he cannot be ouercome with power so can he not be mooued with pitie There was a time wheÌ„ the wicked might haue repented when Christ offered pardon and powred foorth his precious bloud to cleanse them Heb. 10. but now there remaines no more sacrifice for sinne There was a time wheÌ„ he wept ouer Ierusalem but now alas there is no place for pardon or repentance though Ierusalem should seeke it with teares All the teares in the world though they distilled like the waters of a fountaine cannot now mooue Christ to compassioÌ„ for his meekenesse shall bee turned into wrath and hee that before wept for the miserie of the vngodly Reu. 6.16 will now laugh at their destruction Pro. 1.26 5. He will not be corrupted with gifts which blinde the eyes of worldly wise men the wealthiest in the world must come poore naked and emptie handed before Christ and then shall they find that Riches auaile not in the day of wrath Prou. 11.4 but righteousnesse deliuereth from death If the iealous man will not beare the sight of any ransome Prou. 6. nor bee pacified though thou multiplie the giftes will our Sauiours wrath by any rewards be mitigated towards those that being espoused to him in Baptisme haue prostituted themselues to euery abhomination Heb. 6. and crucified him daily with their grosse iniquities 6. Lastly all the Rhetoricall reasons and Logicall arguments of men that are most acute shal nothing mooue him in this behalfe Hieron ad Heliodor in fiâ—e foolish Plato with his scholers nor Aristotle with his arguments shall preuaile but a litle The conscience shall bee permitted to accuse and Sathan suffered to vrge but no aduocate allowed to pleade the cause of the wicked The Angels shall not plead for them being witnesses to their wilfull wickednesse the Saints shall not for it is their office to iudge the world 1. Cor. 6. Christ will not because they embraced not his mercie and mediation when they might haue had it themselues may not for they shall obtaine no audience And being thus destitute of all hope and coÌ„fort what can possesse their hearts but dread and horror what can they expect but the dreadfull sentence of coÌ„demnation to be pronounced vpon them When the Lord had appeared to the Israelites in most glorious manner on mount Sina Moses speaketh thus vnto them Feare not Exod. 20. for God is come to prooue you and that his feare may be before you that you sinne not Marke Feare not yet feare as if he should say Indeede this glorious appearing is very dreadfull yet feare not this so much but rather let this bring to your cogitations his future fearefull appearing when the Lord shall come and call for an accompt of this his
heauen as he was there to enioy eternall consolation with the blessed Saints and Angels SECT 2. The second step of the wicked into hell after the last iudgement namely Societie with the Diuels the sense of hellish torments IS it a small matter that a man must be cast out of the presence of God and be depriued of the communion of Saints and Angels but he must be also subiect to the societie of Diuels and the paines of hell yet such is the condition of the wicked When Tully was banished Plu. in vitis Ciceron Demost though he were in Greece where many cities contended who should honour him most and the Soothsayers shewed that his exile should be short yet was he alwaies sad and could not be merrie casting his eyes often towards Italie Demosthenes likewise tooke his banishment so heauily that many times he would weep bitterly when he looked towards Athens though hee found much kindnesse euen at the handes of his enemies If the damned soules might meete with such comforts in their exile from heauen it would mitigate their griefe Scythie est quo mittitur inquam Roma relinqueÌ„ da est Ouid. de Trist lib 1. Eleg 3. and extenuate the extremitie of their losse but when their case is like his that must leaue Rome and liue in Scythia lose the ioyes of heauen and meete with the paines of hell and that without reuocation oh how lamentable shall their estate condition be how full of teares and sadnesse Now to the end we may for our warning and safetie take a suruey of the dangers and miserable condition of the damned in hell let vs consider first the Agents then the Patients and lastly the effects proceeding from them both and this according to sobrietie resting onely vpon such infallible certaintie as the word of God doth yeeld and leauing those curious conceits which the school-men haue obtruded to the Church of God without any sound warrant of his word 1 The damned are vnder the wrath of God Mat. 3.7 O generation of Vipers who hath warned you to flie from the wrath to come If the wrath of a mortall Prince be as the roaring of a Lyon Pro. 19.12 how terrible is the wrath of the immortall and omnipotent God The Scriptures do in sundry places compare the Lords wrath to fire because it is very fierce fearefull and mercilesse as that element is which causeth the king to pray Lord Psal 6.1 rebuke me not in thy wrath neither chasten me in thy heauie displeasure knowing that when the Lords wrath bursteth foorth like fire Ier. 4.4 it becomes vnquenchable 2 They haue an irksome habitation with the diuels M t. 25.41 and portion of torments with his Angels and therefore it is said Reu. 20.10 That the beast and the false Prophet were cast into the place of eternall torments with the Diuel And indeed this conclusion of the wicked doth agree well with their conuersation For as they haue in this world bene companions with the beast and the false Prophet in their slauerie to Sathan so they do iustly deserue to bee partakers with them of those torments in the world to come If Dauid cryed Psal 120 5 Wo is me that I remaine in Mesech and haue my habitation amongst the tents of Kedar how wofull shall their estate be who shall be constrained to dwell with Sathan and to haue their habitations for euer amongst the troupes of reprobates and the infernall spirits 3 They are subiect to the mercilesse fire of hell and this fire is a fornace of fire Mat. 13.42 Reu. 21.8 Heb. 10.27 Mat. 3.12 a lake of brimstone a deuouring fire an unquenchable fire The fornace wherein the three children were cast was exceeding fearefull being made seuen times hotter then it was wont to be Dan. 3. but how dreadfull shall this fornace of hell be whose fire is infinitely hotter then that was This fire doth differ as much as may bee from our fires in respect of the violence and durance of the operation and illumination In respect of the violence because it is vnspeakeable of the durance for it is vnquenchable of the operation for it coÌ„sumes not what it burnes of illumination for though it burne violently to the vexation of the wicked CremationeÌ„ habet lumen non habet Gre. mor. lib. 9. cap 46. Esa 33.14 yet shall it not shine to their comfort So that I may iustly say thereof in the Prophets words Who is able to dwell in this deuouring fire or who shall be able to dwell in these euerlasting burnings 4 The place where they are is not any stately pallace 1. Pet. 3.19 but a filthie prison and this prison is a lothsome dungeon worse then that wherein Ieremie stucke Ier. 38. it is worse then the prison wherin Michaiah was cast which yeelded nothing but the bread and waters of affliction For behold the prisoners therein are scourged and afflicted by the hellish tormenters whose furie and malice to man is infinit Are not those threates fearefull which are denounced Deu. 28 and do wee not admire those plagues threatened Reu. 18 Chrysostom saith They are but la dicra vrsus ad haec supplâ— cia vmbra ad haec tormenta Ad pop Aut. hom 49. Yet are those afflictions but flea-bitings to these torments but drops to these vials of wrath but sparks to these flames of indignation We reade of diuerse lamentable torments deuised by Tyrants agaiâ—â—â— Gods Saints in the primitiue Church with commiseration but alas these exquisit cruelties are comforts in respect of the torments of hel If Dauid being offered the choice of three chastisemeÌ„ts famine sword or pestilence said 2. Sam. 24.14 Let me not fall into the handes of men how much more should wee pray and beseech our God that wee may neuer fall into the hand and power of the diuell 5 It is a place of darkenesse and blacknesse and consequently of dread and horror Amos. Zeph. Joel Dauid in Psal For the Prophets when they are wont to describe any extreame dolour do call it darkenesse blackenesse and obscuritie So saith our Sauiour speaking of the paines and place of the damned Mat. 8.12.22.13 Take and cast them into the place of vtter darkenesse The darkenesse of Aegypt was wonderfull and fearfull wonderfull for it was so thicke that it might be felt Exod. 10.21 fearefull and therefore was reserued for the ninth of the tenne plagues inflicted vpon the Aegyptians as being most forceable to mollifie the heart of Pharaoh But this darkenesse of hell doth farre exceede that palpable darkenesse of Aegypt and therefore it is called the Blackenesse of darkenesse Iude. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Pet. 2 17. the Hebrew idiotisme tearmeth it a Darkenes of darknesse to vtter in it the vttermost extract of darkenesse And this punishment sorteth well with the merites of those who call darknes light Esa
thy soule with the diamond of a deepe meditation and let it not passe thence till it haue wrought and perfected the worke of true repentance in mortifying thy corrupt affections and rectifying thy profane conuersation Otherwise assure thy selfe that if thou wilt not breake off thine iniquities by repentance and make an end of sinning thou shalt surely meet with a correspondent recompence for there shall be no end of thy torments The third part Of the ioyes of Heauen in generall WHEN Cyrus sought to win the hearts of the Persians to him Iustin lib. 1. he caused them to be assembled and to toyle and take great paines in cutting downe a wood and the next day after he feasted them and then demaunded whether they had rather liue as they did that day or the day before and when they all chose as no maruell to liue in mirth and feasting he told them that if they would follow Astyages their life should be as the day of toyling but promised that if they would sticke to him and be his followers it should be like the day of feasting The like is here propounded to thee my Christian brother in these Meditations If thou wilt follow the world and Satan the god of the world behold thou seest there is nothing to be got thereby but infinite toyle in this life and eternall torments in the life to come but if thou wilt take vp our Sauiours crosse and follow him Mat. 19.28 thou shalt surely haue the reward of euerlasting happinesse So that I may say to thee as Moses said to the Israelites Deu. 30.15 Behold I haue set before thee this day Life and good death and euill Onely in this I differ Ioh. 2.10 that as our Sauiour aâ— Cana in Galile reserued the best wine last so haue I first set before thee death and euill and now am to offer thee life and good that if it may be through the view of hels torments the kingdome of heauen may suffer violence Mat. 11. The eye of man is not able to behold the brightnesse of the heauens in a foggie mist neither can the eyes of our vnderstanding pierce thorough the mists of earthly vanities to that exceeding glory which shineth in the heauens If thou belong to the kingdome of God thou shalt in the Treatise following meet with the riches of that inheritance which doth belong to thee so that thou mayest reade it to thy exceeding comfort being the mappe and modell of that heauenly possession and habitation which Christ Iesus hath purchased for thee And if the same affect thee with ioy know this for thy further comfort that all this is infinitely lesse then that celestiall blisse whereof thou shalt one day be partaker CHAP. 1. SECT 1. The first steppe of the godly into heauen before the day of iudgement namely Sanctimonie of life WHilest the children of Israel were yet trauelling in the wildernes the Lord appointed Moses the man of God Deut. 34.1 to goe to the toppe of mount Nebo from whence he shewed him the spacious region of the pleasant laÌ„d of Canaan which afterwards the Israelites shold possesse so deales Almightie God with his seruants euen whilest they are trauelling in the wildernesse of this troublesome world he doth from the high tower of a sanctified speculation shew them an excellent prospect of the celestiall Canaan the kingdome of heauen the fruition and fee-simple whereof he will afterwards bestow vpon them And therefore one saith well Bern. Serm. super Ver. 10. cap. â—0 Sap. The kingdome of heauen is graunted promised shewed and receiued it is graunted in Predestination promised in Vocation shewed in Iustification and receiued in Glorification When Adam was in his innocencie hee had his habitation in the terrestriall Paradise so when the sonnes of Adam are in some measure restored by regeneration to that holinesse which they lost by their fathers fal they do enter into the celestiall Paradise Whereby those visions are fulfilled Reu. 3.12 that New Ierusalem is come downe out of heauen The tabernacle of God is with men and he is their God 21.3 and they are his people and God himselfe is their God with them This will be euident if we consider the heauenly priuiledges wherewith the Saints and seruants of God are indowed euen in this life To let passe the PatriciaÌ„ robes of the blessed Sacraments 1. They obtaine pardon and remission of their sinnes Psa 32.1 Blessed is the man whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose sinnes are couered saith the Prophet Dauid Lo this blessednesse do the children of God obtaine in the remission of their sinnes And to this forgiuing of sin being the foundation of felicitie there is added the giuing of grace for the reformation of their liues for where sinne is pardoned there it is purged so that they are no more strangers from the life of God Eph. 2. but it is their meate and drinke to do the will of their heauenly father their thoughts and meditations are lifted aboue earthly cogitations their words are gracious as becommeth the heauenly citizens and their conuersation holy while they are clothed with the white robes of righteousnesse like the companie of our Sauiours blessed attendants in the kingdome of heauen Reu. 7.9 Thus are they by grace vnited vnto Almightie God obtaine his gracious protection Ioh. 17.22 according to our Sauiours heauenly petition as the Psalmist saith Psal 5.12 For the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Crowne implyeth more then a simple protection as Psal 84.11 1. Pet. 4.14 For thou Lord wilt blesse the righteous and with fauour wilt crowne and compasse him as with a shield So that the Lord doth euen in this life crowne his childreÌ„ with grace and glorie they may boldly come in the presence of God and talke with him in their prayers and they haue the benefite of his Angels attendance Psal 91. 2 Againe as they are vnited vnto God by grace so are they ingrafted into Christ who is the fountain of all heauenly happinesse and can say with the Apostle Gal. 2.20 I liue not any more but Christ liueth in me And a man thus established by faith in Christ may truly bee said to be in heauen as Saint Iohn saith Iohn 5.24 He hath euerlasting life and is alreadie passed from death to life There are many wretches which scorn the godly count their pietie folly Psal 4.2 and turne their glory into shame esteeming â—hem for the most base abiects of the world whereas their condition is most happie for though they be vnder the persecution of wicked Esau yet are they euen then with Iacob in Bethel Gen. 28.17 the house of God and the gate of heauen 3 Hereunto wee may adde the communion of Saints and fellowship with the elect Angels whereof the Apostle speaketh when he saith Phil. 3.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We are free
comparison that Saint Iohn vseth in describing the ioyes of the kingdome of heauen calling them the Lambes supper Reu. 19 9. but indeed all the delicates in the world are not to be compared to the feasting of a good conscience This the Spouse sheweth in the second of the Canticles Can. 2.5 He brought me into his wineseller Loue was his banner ouer me Lo here the Ambrosian Nectar wherewith Christ Iesus maketh the heart of his spouse glad causing her to cry out Stay me with flagons Ver. 6. and comfort me with apples for I am sicke with loue where the sacred soule is cast into a holy swound being rauished with the vnspeakeable comfort that she enioyes vpon this peace of conscience Indeed these heauenly ioyes and comforts are not tasted of the wicked for how can they see that haue no eyes or those rellish the peace of coÌ„science which want their spirituall tast Yea who is able to expresse the excellencie of this peace nay who is able to conceiue it but those that enioy it Neither indeed are they able for it passeth all vnderstanding Phil. 4.7 In respect of which large excelleÌ„cie of the peace of conscience it may very wel be counted a part of the kingdome of heauen whose ioyes are endlesse and infinite If we consider the fountains also from whence this spirituall peace doth spring wee shall perceiue that our present comfort vpon earth and future consolation to be enioyed hereafter in heauen do both arise and flow from the same heads and fall into the same Ocean of felicitie 1 A iustifying faith yeelds this peace Rom. 5.2 for being iustified by faith wee haue peace towards God through our Lord Iesus Christ And this peace yeelds ioy as it followeth in the next verse and that no small ioy for they that doe truely beleeue in Christ Iesus 1. Pet. 1.8 doe reioyce with ioy vnspeakeable and glorious What could the Apostle haue said more of the ioy which the Saints shall enioy hereafter in the kingdome of heauen then to call it Vnspeakable glorious no maruell for as the first sight of the blind man wherby he saw men walke like trees Mar. 8.28 was the same whereby he saw them to be men a far off though it was at the first more confused so the inchoate ioy and peace of coÌ„science which wee obtaine in this life being vnspeakeable glorious and passing all vnderstanding hath more then a resemblance of that celestiall glorie which shall be imparted more abundantly and perfectly in the life to come 2 The children of God are endued with the spirit of God whereby they receiue the comfortable testimonie of their adoption Rom. 8. the same manumitting spirit doth also yeeld them most heauenly consolation Ioh. 14.16 3. This peace of conscience is the fruite of a holy conuersation as I said before and the Apostle can tell vs of his owne experience for his reioycing is this 2. Cor. 1.12 the testimonie of his conscience that in simplicitie and godly purenesse he hath had his conuersation in the world Besides this there is also an vndoubted Hope which being the first fruites of the spirit doth after a sort put the children of God in possession of the kingdome of heauen So that wheÌ„ they do from the watch tower of a good conscience lift vp this Iacobs staffe or rather this Iacobs ladder Gen. 28.12 of a stedfast hope vnto the heauens and there behold with holy Stephen the glory of God Act. 7. it rauisheth and reioyceth their hearts more then any tongue is able to expresse Thus do the godly in this life tast of the ioyes of heauen the sweetnesse whereof is such that it swalloweth vp all the waues of temporall distresses causing them with Paule and Silas to sing Psalmes in the prison and to say with Dauid Act. 16.25 Psa 94.19 In the middest of all my troubles thy comforts ô Lord haue refreshed my soule Which maruellous effect this peace of conscience could neuer haue in encountering and conquering these infinite earthly calamities were it not of a diuine and heauenly Nature But what haue all the children of God this peace and comfort alike Surely no but according to Zeba Zalmunnaes words As the man is Iud. 8.21 so is his strength it may be said in this case as the man is so is his comfort and ioy For where the life is qualified with a great measure of grace there the heart is replenished with a great measure of ioy Neither are these ioyes alwaies participated alike but as the heauens are sometime bright and sometime obscured so the Sunne of comfort shineth sometimes more brightly sometimes obscurely in the hearts of Gods children So that one while they complaine thus Psal 77. Will the Lord absent himselfe for euer and will hee shew no more fauour and other whiles Psal 35.9 their soule is ioyfull in the Lord and all their bones do say Who is like vnto thee ô Lord yet euen in their greatest distresse Dulciores sunt lachrymae orantâ—uÌ„ quà m gaudia Theatrorum Aug. super Psal 1â—7 the very teares of the godly are sweeter then all the showtes laughters at the Theaters This being the excellencie of the peace of conscience let it be thy care good Christian to obtaine and maintaine it A kinde and comfortable friend is much woorth but who can prize the peace of a quiet conscience Lo it was the best hymne the blessed Angels could sing Luk. 2.14 Glorie be to God in the highest heauens and peace on the earth The best Legacie our Sauiour could leaue to his seruants My peace I leaue with you Iohn 14.27 my peace I giue you The best prayer the Apostle could make for the Thessalonians Now the Lord of peace 2. Thes 3.16 giue you peace alwaies by all means Though there be many that say Psal 4. Who will shew vs any good and haue their minds wholy set vpon their corne their wine and oyle yet the godly haue more true gladnesse from the Lords countenance by a thousand degrees then the worldling hath in all these transitorie trifles Hast thou a good conscience then cherish it it is the greatest blessing vnder heauen Is this peace and comfort of conscience wanting or weake in thee then vse the meanes whereby the same is procured and preserued Labour to obtaine a sound faith a sanctified life Esa 32.17 for the worke of righteousnesse is peace Melchizedec being king of righteousnesse Heb. 7.2 was after that the king of peace get righteousnesse and peace will follow it Psal 85.11 For righteousnesse and peace will kisse each other yea the more thou art conuersant in holinesse of conuersation the more abundant shalt thou be in the comfortable peace of conscience For where righteousnesse flourisheth Psal 72.7 there shall be abundance of peace Behold it will be thy companion both
As bodies that haue fewest bad humors are least shaken with agues so those that are freest from sinne though death assault them bitterly are least annoyed by the pains and terror of death Our Sauiour saith Ioh. 16.33 Be of good cheare I haue ouercome the world and I may say Bee of good cheare 2 Cor. 15.16 for Christ hath ouercome death 2 This may be an occasion to mitigate that extreme sorrow which many take vppon the death of their godly friends seeing their death yeeldeth rather cause of coÌ„fort then of sorrow of mirth then of mourning and of reioycing rather then of weeping and lamenting If you loued me you would reioyce saith our Sauiour to his disciples because I said Ioh. 14.28 I goe to the Father so those that loue their friends indeed haue cause to reioyce rather then to mourne for their death because they go to be glorified with their heauenly Father The little child that sees the mother cutting and bruising the sweet and pleasant hearbes and flowers is sorie because hee thinkes they are spoiled but the mother hath a purpose to preserue theÌ„ whereby they are made much better A simple bodie that should see the Gold-smith melting the pure mettals would bee discontent imagining that all were marred whereas the skilfull workeman hath a purpose to cast some excellent peece of plate thereof So wee silly men when the Lord cuts off some of our friends by death like the flower and lets others wither like the greene hearbe and when he melteth them in the fornace of the graue are ouercome with sorrowfull conceipts as though some euill thing were befallen our friendes whereas we should remember that the Lord hath a purpose by this meanes to preserue them and to transforme them into that glorious estate which the Angels enioy in heauen And this reason is first intimated and after plainely expressed by Saint Paule in his dehortation to the Thessalonians I would not brethren haue you ignorant concerning them which are asleepe 1. Thes 4.13 that you sorrow not as others which haue no hope Who would be sorrie to see his friend fall asleepe seeing that thereby he is made lightsome fresh and lustie Now death is to the godly nothing but a sleepe whereby they are refined and refreshed why should we then be offended therewith If thy friend which dieth bee wicked then hast thou iust cause of mourning but if thou knewest him to liue and die in the feare of God howsoeuer nature or affection may haue force to wring teares from thine eyes or sighes from thy heart yet hast thou reason to reioyce and be glad for his happie change as Augustine his example may teach Aug confe lib. 9. v. who bridled the infirmitie of Nature and suppressed his teares at his mothers death though he honoured and loued her dearely thinking it an vnfit thing to celebrate her funerals with weeping and wailing because she had liued religiously and died vertuously 3 To conclude this point me thinkes if there were no farther reason to perswade yet euen this meditation might mooue any one to the practise of godlinesse in that it yeeldeth this heauenly peace of conscience in the time of our life and eternall consolation at the day of our death Oh what a sweete comfort will it be to thee my Christian brother when friends honour wealth dignities and all other comfortes in the world become vaine and faile thee to haue the ioyfull peace of conscience to rest with thee When thou shalt bee able recounting thy sincere care in Gods seruice to pray with good Nehemiah Neh. 13.22 Remember me ô my God concerning this to say with godly Hezechiah vpon his death bed 2. King 20.3 I beseech thee ô Lord remember now how I haue walked before thee in truth and with a perfect hart and haue done that which is good in thy sight and with our blessed Sauiour before his passion Ioh. 17.4 Father I haue glorified thee on earth I haue finished the worke which thou gauest me to doe For then shall the vprght câ—nscience eccho a comfort to thy humble soule and either the Lord wil enlarge the lease of thy life with Hâ—zechiah or glorifie thee in the heauens with his beloued Sonne CHAP. 2. SECT 1. The first steppe into heauen at the day of iudgement namely A blessed Resurrection IF the godly in this life and at the day of their death haue a tast of those heauenly ioyes which cannot be expressed how much more shall they haue in the resurrection when body and soule shall both be reunited and indued with a blessed condition Therefore do the Scriptures describe the excellencie of the resurrection by sundry comfortable metaphors Ioh. 12. 1. Cor 15. Saint Paule compares it to the husbandmans haruest when reaping and receiuing the fruites of his labours his heart reioyceth and so shall it be to the godly for they which sowe in teares at the day of death shall reape in ioy at their resurrection Pro. 19.17 2. Salomon saith hee which hath pittie on the poore lendeth to the Lord and looke what he layeth out it shall bee payed him againe Now men that haue great debts desire earnestly the day of payment and behold our Sauiour calleth the day of resurrection Luk. 14.14 The day of payment because then hee hauing his reward with him Reu. 22.12 will come foorth of euerie ones debt and reward their goodâ—esse with glorie 3. Those that labor must needes haue a time to rest in that so they may be refreshed Our life is nothing but labour our death a sleepe and therefore the Apostle fitly calles the resurâ—ection Act. 3.19 Thâ— time of refreshing being as the gladsome morning to a siâ—ke man Psal 49.14 15. which hath tossed and turned vp and downe wearily all the night long The bird that hath bene kept a great while in a cage will chaunt it merrily when shee commeth foorth into the open aire the prisoner that hath lyen loÌ„g in the duÌ„geon reâ—oyceth exceedingly when he hath obtained libertie so shall the resurrection be ioyfull and comfortable to the godly when they are deliuered from the cage and prison of the graue and restored into the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God Rom. 8.21 There is nothing that doth better râ—semble set foorth the excellencie of the Resurrection then the spring time for as we flourish in our childhood bring foorth fruite in our youth waxe ripe in our old age and wither at our death so wee spring fresh againe at our resurrection The trees in winter being despoiled of their leaues the garden of the flowers and the fields of the grasse do seeme vtterly to perish but when the Spring time comes they all waxe as fresh and flourishing as euer they were so the body which during the winter of many ages is depriued of her beautie and turned to rottennesse doth at the Spring time of the resurrection
from hell and from the second death euen the eternall death both of bodie and soule tenne thousand times more dolefull and dreadfull then the temporall and corporall death Now this hell and death shall bee cast into the lake of Reu. 20.14 fire Whereby albeit the propheticall Euangelist vnderstand The infernall spirits yet he saith Hell it selfe because they are both confined within the same miserable immutable bounds neither of them both hauing power ouer the children of God This thing Abraham tels the rich man Betweene you and vs there is a great gulfe set Luk. 16 20. so that they which would go from hence to you cannot Doubtlesse it can neuer come into the heartes of the elect that they should bee willing to go into hell and it is as impossible they should be able as that they should be willing if they could they would not and if they would they cannot Thus whilest the Elect are deliuered from the disordered passions of the soule the externall calamities both of soule and bodie the prouocations of the world the power of Sathan the slauerie of sinne the feare of death and the dread of hell they may very well be accounted blessed and happie and the meditation thereof should make euery one desirous to bee partakers of that happinesse If a man had a true sense of these miseries oh what would hee giue to be freed from them how much wold the worldling giue to redeeme himselfe from temporall death But how many worlds wold Diues giue if he had them to be deliuered from the intolerable paines of eternall death If thou desire to bee freed from all these miseries and calamities then sticke to the truth Io. 8.32.36 and it shall make thee free He that will raigne must conquer and hee that would conquer must fight valiantly Labour then very earnestly to conquer and subdue thine owne corruptions the worlds allurements and the diuels temptations and then assure thy selfe though the miseries of the damned were as many as the Locusts of Aegypt yet they shal haue no power ouer thee but thou shalt escape them all Reu. 2.11 For hee that ouercometh shall not be hurt of the second death SECT 2. The second degree of happinesse after the last iudgement namely The fruition of celestiall felicity IF Noah hauing escaped the floud Gen. 8.20 builded an altar and offered burnt offerings thereupon if the children of Israel sung ioyfully for their deliuerance from Aegypt Exod. 15.1 if Dauid were so glad for escaping the hands of his cruell enemies Psa 34.3 that he praiseth God and exhorteth others to ioyne with him in magnifying the Lord how much more had they cause to reioyce the one when hee had obtained a quiet habitation in the restored earth the other that rich possession of the pleasant land and the third the expected fruition of the princely Crowne So may it bee said of the children of God If they haue cause to offer the sacrifices of praise vpon the altar of a thankfull soule for escaping the inundation of sinne to sing Alleluiah with chearefull voyces for their deliuerance from the Aegypt of hell and to magnifâ—â— the Lord for freeing them from the deadly assaults of al their infernal enemies how much more are they bound when they are seated in the heauens possessed of the celestiall Canaan and haue the crowne of eternall glorie set vpon their heades to magnifie the Lord for his mercie and to say with the blessed Angels Praise Reu. 7.12 and glorie and wisedome and thankes and honour and power and might be vnto our God for euermore For behold this is the highest pitch and perfection of their happinesse Whilest I am to take a view of the kingdome of heauen oh that I might with the holy Apostle bee taken vp into the third heauens 2. Cor. 12.2 And whilest I shall endeuour to blaze foorth the blisse of the celestiall Ierusalem oh that the light of that glorie might shine into my sinfull soule that my thoughts being winged with the contemplation of Angels Reu. 21.15 and the Angels golden reede being giuen mee to measure that citie withall I might be able to comprehend with the blessed Saints the excellencie of that glorious place which farre surmounteth euerie humane estimate that so my soule being rauished with the glorie thereof my pen might distill the Nectar of comfort to inflame the harts of those that shall ioyne with mee in this sweete meditation For how alas shall he that was euer in darknesse be able to describe this light how can he that is of the earth measure the heauens or he that hath alwaies liued in this vale of miserie know what belongs to the mountaine of true felicitie No more surely then hee which is a slaue by birth and base by his continuall habitation is able ingeniously to describe the thrones the state and maiestie of Princes How many workes of God euen in this life do surmount our reach Ioh 3. If Nicodemus vnderstand not the manner of our regeneration how shall hee be able to conceiue the excellencie of glorification The dearest seruants of God who had Eagles eyes and Angels meditations Esay S Paul 1 Cor 2.20 can tell vs that neither eye hath seene nor eare hath heard neither haue those ioyes come into mans heart which God hath prepared for those that loue him Though our eyes haue seene many glorious obiects and our eares haue heard report of greater matters yet our conceipt hath farre exceeded them both But behold the ioyes that God hath prepared for his elect do exceedingly surpasse the apprehensioÌ„ of all our senses both externall and internall Aug. de ciu Dei lib. 22. thâ—y may be obtained they cannot be valued Cott. in Cicer de nâ—t Deor. lib. 1. Hee in Tully said truly That it is an easier matter to know what God is not then to tell what hee is and so mâ—y I sâ—y in this case That it is much easier to tell what is not in heauen then what is there And therefore Saint Augustine in relating the blisse thereof taketh stand and demaundeth this of himselfe after a large discourse What shall I say surely I cannot tell Sed Deus habet quod exhibâ—at Aug. super â—oh hom 3. but I know that God hath such ioyes to bestow Yet forasmuch as the Lords pen-men haue according to our capacities described in sundry places diuerse particulars of this heauenly blessednes let vs briefly and according to the rules of sobrietie collect and consider the samâ— for our instruction and comfort And in the consideratioÌ„ thereof wee will obserue three principall points first the wonderfull beautie of that habitation secondly the glorious view and vision of Almightie God thirdly the blessed condition of the Saints in glorie 1 If any one looke for a curious discourse of the matter or forme of the heauens I intend to faile his expectation My desire in these