have no eye to look after him no heart to embrace him no foot to follow him no tongue to glorifie him but lye wofully plunged in the dregs of their pollutions Oh the unspeakable goodnes of our God who hath so graciously invited those sheep who are so unhappily strayed from him nay who doth with a * Omnipo tentissima facilitate homines ad seipsum convertit Deus volentes exnolentibus facit Aug. ad vita loving violence irresistably call those who have trampled on his graces and rejected his love But what should move the Creator of all things who hath been thus infinitely provoked who is armed both with power to strike and means to be avenged to compassionate his enemies Certainly there is there can be no other reason alleadged but that which David so often iterates because he is gracious and his mercy endureth for ever But me thinks I hear the afflicted soul bewail it self here is a fountain of mercy indeed had I heart to draw out of it Can his goodnesse extend to me who am nothing but worms and dust and wounds and sores and corruptions Who can give him no oblation but my sinnes no sacrifice but my sorrow What confidence now can I have in this love What strength in this mercy Who ever thou art that art thus and no better disposed to receive the grace of thy God bring forth this small provision offer this sacrifice upon the Altar Since thou hast nothing else to part with surrender up thy sinnes yeeld him thy lusts renounce thy whole interest in thy sinfull delights in thy immoderate affections * Nullius rei tantum in inferno est quantum propriae voluntatis Alsted and then thy sorrowfull spirit shall be a sacrifice to God thy wounded and broken heart he will not despise I am with him saith the Lord who is of an humbled spirit that trembleth at my words We have his own word for his mercy we have his promise for it we have his oath for it He is faithfull saith the Apostle who hath promised he is faithfull he cannot deny himself * Supe rate seipsum potest desertos miserando negare seipsum non potest miscricordiam deserendo He may overcome himself by pittying the forsaken ones but he cannot deny himself by forsaking his pitty For how can he deny himself to us who hath given himself for us How can he deny us his mercy who hath given us his life The end of the first book THE SECOND BOOK OF ETERNITY CHAP. I. Containing an exhortation to holinesse grounded upon the consideration of Eternity THe very soule and life of Christianity consists in the life of a Christianâ— as for outward formalities they plausibly serve to shew forth a good man to the eye of the world but cannot make him such it 's true externall actions adorn our professions but it is where grace and goodnesse seasons them otherwise where the sap and juyce and vigour of religion is not setled in the soul a man is but like a goodly heart-shaken Oak whose beauty will turne into rottenesse and his end will be the fire It was the saying of Machiavell that the appearance of vertue was more to be desired then vertue in self But Socrates â—meer naturalist advised better who said the good man is only wise Certainly our glorious shews and high applauses and exaltations amongst the sonnes of men will prove but miserable comforters in the close of our age when the days of darknesse come O then as we respect the eternall welfare of our poor souls let us be what we would seem Letus tume our words into actions Qâ—alis videri vis talis esse debes Gerh Med. our knowledge into affection and our speculation into practise Let us not onely in a generall and confused manner acknowledge God but rather labour to know him * Let us not think it enough to beleeve that Christ came as a Saviour into the world but endeavour rather by a peculiar personall and applicative faith to make him our own Alas what avails it my soul that Christ shed forth his blood for the sinnes of many iâ— he died not for me What joy to my heart that Christ is risen for the justification of sinners if he be not my portion what comfort to my distressed conscience that Christ is come a light into the world if I sit in darknesse and in the shadow of death What confidence of protection can I have from hence Non prodest Christi resurrectio nisi in te quoque Christus resurgat Gerh. Med. Sitscopus vitae Christus quem s quaris in via ut assequaris in parria that Christ is a carefull shepherds over his flock if I am none of that sheep fold Other let it be the chief desire of our souls and the utmost extent of our endeavours not onely to confesse Christ but to bring him home to our hearts to feel him to affect him to live in him to depend on him to be conformable to him let us willingly heare and cheerfully follow the voice of that sweet guide who is both the way and the journies end that loving Physitian who comes to our wounded consciences with healing in his wings that meek and tender Lamb who powred forth for us tears of anguish and tears of love tears of anguish to redeem our souls and tears of love to compassionate our miseries Now what a pressing perswasion have we here to live unto him who thus died for us to make him our joy who hath borne our sorrows to fix him in our hearts who for our sakes was fixed to the Crosse * â—otus tibi figatur in corde qui totu sprote figebâ—tur in câ—uce How should we mourn in our souls and weep in secret for him quem totus mundus tota elementâ— lugebant at whose sufferings the graves opened the Sunne shut in his light the earth trembled and the whole frame of Heaven in his nature and kinde expressed its sorrow One of the Rabins when he read what bitter torments the Messias should suffer when he came into the world cryed out veniat Messias at egâ— non videam Let the Messias come but let me not see him Did his torments seem so dismall to the spectator what were they then in the sufferer If so ghastly to the sight what were they in the sustaining But what should we doe now Shall we raile on Judas that betrayed him or on Peter that denyed him or the Jews that pierced him or the Apostles that forsook him No no let us look into our own hearts examine our own ways Do we not make his wounds bleed afresh with our sinnes doe we not nayl him to the Crosse again with our pollutions doe we not grinde him in our oppressions and as it were massacre him in our murders What sinne have we ever forsaken for his sake what inordinate affection have we abandoned for his love Can we say and
* Coelum venale est nec multum exaestues propter pretij magnitudine 〈◊〉 te ipsum da habebis illud Aug. let sorrows oppresse my minde Bone Jesu qui par cendo sae prus nos à te abijcis feriendo effice ut ad te redeamus Ger. med let pains consume my flesh let watchings dry me or heat scorch me or cold freeze and contract me let all these and what can come more happen unto me to I may enjoy my Saviour For how excellent shall the glory of the just be how great their joy when every face shall shine as the sun when our Saviour shall martiall the Saints in their distinct orders and shall render to every one according to his works O were thy affections rightly setled on these heavenly mansions how abject and underneath thee wouldest thou esteem those things which before thou setst an high price upon As he which ascends an high mountain when he cometh to the top thereof findes the middle steps low and beneath him which seemed to be high to him while he stood in the bottom so he which sends his thoughts to heaven however he esteemed of the vanishing pleasures of the world when his heart lay groveling on the earth below now in this his transcendency he sees them under him and vilisies them all in regard of heavenly treasures Let us therefore chearfully follow that advice of a reverend Father * Quod aliquando per necessitatem amittenduÌ„ est pro aeterna remuneratione sponte est distribuendum Let us here willingly part with that for heaven which we must first or last necessarily leave upon earth and let all the strength of our studies and the very height of our endeavours be dispended for the attainment of Eternitie For certaine it is howsoever we live here like secure people of a secure age and however we waste out the strength and flower of our dayes as if we should never account for it yet our judgement is most sure and shall not be avoided The sentence of the Judge will be one day most assuredly published and shall not be revoked We must all appear saith Saint Paul before the judgement seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in his body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad Then shall our wickednesse be brought to light which now lies hid in darknes I saw the dead saith Saint Iohn Revel 20.12 both great and small stand before God and the books were opened and another book was opened which is the book of life and the dead were judged of those things which were written in the books according to their works and whosoever was not found witten in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire Thus it is evident every man shall give up his account every soul shall first or last come to his reckoning Multorum vocatio paucorum electio omnium retributio Many are called few chosen but all rewarded according to their deeds Oh then let us prepare our selves to meet our God let us come before him with fear and tremble at his judgements Fear not him saith our Saviour who when he hath killed the body can do no more but fear him who can cast both soul and body to hell I say him fear Oh hovv many of the Saints of God trembled and quaked when they have meditated upon the last judgement Hierom saith as oft as I think of that day how doth my whole body quake and my heart vvithin me tremble Cyril saith I am afraid of hell because the worme there dies not and the fire never goeth out I horribly tremble saith Bernard at the teeth * A dentibus bestiae infernalis contremisâ— quis dabit oculis meis fontem lachrymarum ut prç eniam fletibus fletuÌ„ stridorem dentium of that infernall beast Who will give to mine eyes saith he a fountain of tears that by my weeping here I may prevent vveping and gnashing of teeth hereafter And have the Saints of God thus shrunk at the thoughts of hell hovv should then the loyns of the vvicked quake and tremble Come novv thou prophane vvretch of a prophane age vvho at every vvord almost that drops from thy irreligious mouth speakest damnation to thy soul bealching out ever and anon these or the like execrable speeches Would I were damned if I knew this or that God damne me body and soul if I doe it not Alas alas seemeth it a light thing in thine eyes to play with flames to sport thy self with everlasting burnings Tell mee dost thou know or diddest thou ever cast it in thy thoughts what a condition it is to be damned Hear a little and tremble Thou shalt there to thy greater horrour and amazement see much joy but never feel it for thou shalt see Abraham Isaac and Jacob and all the Prophets in the Kingdome of God thou thy self thrust out Luke 6.13.28 As touching thy company Though here on earth thou wouldest not perchance be hired to lodge one night in a house haunted with spirits yet there thou must inhabite with unclean divels for evermore Matth. 25.41 And to conclude in this thy cursed estate thy heart and tongue shall be full of cursings and blasphemies Thou shalt blaspheme the God of heaven for thy pains and sores thou shalt curse those that were the means to bring thee thither curse the time that ever thou lost so many goldeÌ„ opportunities of getting grace that thou hast heard so many sermons and no whit bettered by them Curse thy self that slightest so many wholsom reproofs which might have happily been improved to the saving of thy soul Say now desperate fearles sinner canst thou be content in the apprehension of these miseries to curse thy self again to the nethermost of hell or on the contrary dost thou now begin to be ashamed and confounded in thy self and is thy conscience affrighted with the ugly face of thy sins and of those bitter torments that abide them Know then thou hast to deal with a God who when thou art truly moved for thy sins an mourn for thy sufferings Jer. 31.20 Thou hast to deal with a God who will meet thee when thou approachest to him if thou worke righteousnes and remember him in his way Isa 64.5 Thou hast to deal with a God who doth account it his strange work to punish Isa 28.21 And he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men Lam. 3.33 Yea thou hast to deal with a God who hath graciously proclaimed to the whole world that he delights to shew mercy yea with his whole heart and with his whole soul Jer. 32.41 Oh then be wise now for thy soul in time and think it a mercy that thou art yet on this side hell And whatever thou judgest thy self worthy to be condemned for at that terrible barre condemn thy self for it before hand that the Lord may say I will not judge this man because he hath judged himself already And be assured where mans conversion begins there Gods displeasure makes its period Excellent is that advice of Saint Gregory weigh saith he and consider the errours of thy life while thy time serves Tremble at that strict judgement to come while thou hast health lest thou hear that bitter sentence Goe ye cursed goe forth against thee when it is too late Did man know what time he should leave the world carnall wisdom would prompt him to proportion his time some to pleasure and some to repentance But he that hath promised pardon to the penitent hath not assured the sinner of an houres life Culpam tuâ—m duÌ„ vacat peÌ„sa districtioneÌ„ su uâ— judicij duÌ„ vâ—les exhorresce ne tunc amaram sententianâ—â—â—udias cum nul lis fletibâ— evadas Since therefore we can neither prevent nor foresee death let us alwaies expect it and provide for it Let us dye to our sinnes here that we may live to Christ hereafter and let us suffer with Christ in this world that we may rejoyce and raign with him in the world to come When we depart this life we goe to an eternity to an eternity I say which shall never end never never me thinks this word never hath a mountanious weight in it to an eternity which maketh every good action infinitely better and every evill action infinitely worse Oh the unhappines everlasting woe of those men who preferre the small and trifling things of this life before the eternall weight of glory hereafter who to enjoy the short comfort of a miserable life here are content to lose the presence of God and society of Angels for ever hereafter FINIS
of them but in things that belong to the eternall salvation of our souls how deep is our silence how flow our speech how unskilfull our expressions Thus we forsake Heaven for these things which at last will forsake us and trifle out our time in things that will not profit us Hovv farre are men novv adaies from that sweet resolutioÌ„ of Saint Hierome Let others saith he live in their statues in their costly monuments I had rather have St Pauls Coat with his Heavenly graces then the purple of Kings with their Kingdomes O that we would look thus lowly upon our selves we are Christians in profession O let us be such in practice seeing that God hath made us stewards of his treasures let us improve them to the benefit of our brethren Hath God given us abundance of his blessings Let us not hide our talents in a napkin let us send our good works before us into Heaven these slender gifts which thou doest cheerfully distribute in this world will procure thee an eternall compensation in the world to come That sweet speech of Saint John is worth observation blessed are those that dye in the Lord they rest from their labours and their works follow them When our dearest friends our sweetest pleasures our most glorious titles of honour the world it self yea even our life it self shall glide away like a river and turn to dust then shall our good works follow us non transeunt opera nostra saith one sicut transire videntur sed velut aeternitatis semina jaciuntur our good deeds die not with us but they are sowne in earth and spring in Heaven they are an inexhaustible fountain that shall never be dried up a durable spring that shall never fail They are acts of time short in their performance yet eternall in their recompence they build up for us through the mercies of our God an everlasting foundation for the time to come Loe then here we have set before us viam ad regnum the way to our eternity let us goe on herein without intermission presse forward with violence strive to attain the crown * Opulentia nimis multa est aeternitas sed nisi perseveranter quaesita nunquam inver itur Bâ—rnard Eternall joy is an abundant treasure an everlasting wealth but it is not given save to them that seek it yea that seek it with their whole hearts Certainly did we as truly know as we shall one day undoubtedly feel the bitter fruit that our luke-warm profession our grosse stupidity and utter neglect of our everlasting state will produce and procure us in the end all our thoughts and language all our affections and inclinations would be more eagerly imployed and more faithfully exercised in our preparations for that building given of God a house not made with hands but eternall in the Heavens Oh how senselesse are we how stupid in our selves Illud propter quod peccamus amittimus peccaâ—um ipsum retinemus and wickedly injurious to our own welfare who for a small gain a sading pleasure a fugitive honour wound our consciences and hazard our souls to stand as it were on the brink of hell The whole world promised for a reward cannot perswade us to endure one momentary torment in fire And yet in the accustomed course of our lives we dread not we quake not at everlasting burnings But ô thou delicious and dainty soul who cherishest thy self in the joy of thy heart and the delight of thine eyes whose belly is thy God and the world thy Paradise O bethink thy self betimes before that gloomy day that day of clouds and thick darknesse that day of desolation and confusion approach when all the inhabitants of the earth shall mourn and lament and all faces as the Prophet Joel speaks shall gather blacknesse because the time of their judgement is come Alas with what a dolefull heart and weeping eye and drooping countenance and trembling loyns wilt thou at the last and great Assize look upon Christ Jesus when he shall most gloriously appear with innumerable Angels in flaming fire to render vengeance on them that know him not What a cold damp will seize upon thy soul when thou shalt behold him whom thou hast all thy life long neglected in his ordinance despised in his members rejected in his love when thou shalt see the judgement seat the †books opened Fiet apertio librorum scilicet conscientiarum quibus merita demerita univâ—rsorum sibi ipsis caeteris innotescent thy sinnes discovered yea all the secret counsells of thy heart after a wonderfull manner manifested and laid open to the eye of the whole world What horrour and perplexity of spirit will possesse thee to view and behold but the ry solemnities and circumstances which accompany this Judgement vvhen thou shalt see the Heavens burn the Elements melt the earth tremble the sea roar the sun turne into darknesse and the moon into blood And novv vvhat shall be thy refuge vvhere shall be thy succour shalt thou raign because thou cloathest thy self in Cedar shalt thou be safe because vvith the Eagle thou hast set thy neast on high O no it is not now the greatnesse of thy state nor the abundance of thy wealth nor the priviledge of thy place nor the eminency of thy worth or wit or learning that caÌ„ avail thee ought either to avoid thy doom or prorogue thy judgement All states and conditions of men are alike when they appear at this barre There the Prince must lay down his crown and the Pear his robes and the Judge his purple and the Captain his banner All must promiscuously attend to give in their accounts and to receive according to that they have done whether it be good or whether it be evil Here on earth great men and glorious in the eye of the world so long as they can hold their habitations in the earth have both countenance to defend and power to protect them from the injuries of the times but when the dismall face of that terrible day shall shew it self then shall they finde no eye to pity nor arm to help nor palace to defend nor rocks to shelter nor mountains to cover them from the presence of him that sits upon the throne and from the wrath of the lamb Give me the most insolent spirit the most undaunted soul that now breaths under the cope of Heaven who now fears not any created nature no not God himself yet when he shall heare that terrible sound Arise ye dead and come to judgement how will his heart even melt and his bowels quiver within him when he shall have his severe judge above him and hell beneath him and his worm within him and fire round about him O then whosoever thou art die unto thy sins and unto thy pleasures here that thou mayest live to God hereafter * Sic tibi cave ut caveas teipsum goe out of thy self judge and condemn thine own
keep innocency and doe the thing that is right for that shall bring a man peace at the last peace with God peace with men and peace with our own conscience In the world saith our Saviour shall ye have trouble but in me ye shall have peace The world is our sea but Christ is our haven the world is our warfare but Christ is our rest the world is full of storms but Christ is our peace in me you shall have peace Hence it was that the Saints of God alwayes have taken exceeding joy in their tribulation because Christ was their comfort and peace he sweetned all their sorrows Solus is charum non amittit cui ille charus est qui non amittitur Hence it was that Saint Augustine so resolutely brake forth Hic ure hic seca modo in aeternum parcas he regarded not what pressures God laid upon him So he vouchsafed patience here and heaven hereafter What ever we doe or can suffer in this life the abundance of our eternall joy shall infinitely recompense the vveight of our sorrovves Our light afflictions vvhich are but foramoment doe cause unto us a farre more excellent and exceeding weight of glory Our combat here is short but our triumph eternall And who would not endure a few crosses and windings in his way when he knowes they will bring him to his journeys end Who would not for a little season expose himself to the mercy of the waves Impossibile est ut in utroque seculo beatus sis ut in caelo in terra appareas gloriosus Hier. to be tossed on the Sea when he is assured with S. Paul to come safely to the shore Besides we must not expect to establish our happinesse here and to enjoy our heaven hereafter It is impossible a man should flow in his delights in this world and then drink at the fountain of everlasting blisse in the world to come O then let us embrace the conflict that we may obtain the Crown Melior est modica amaritudo in faucibus quà m aeternum tormentum in visceribus i. e. a little gall in the mouth is not so painfull as continuall torments in the bowels Farre better it is to summe up our reckonings here then to have our debts upon the score hereafter * Vna hora erit gravior in paena quam centum anni in amarissima paenitentia Thomas de Kemp. farre better to unloose our souls from the immoderate embracements of the comforts of this world and to endure the straits pinchings of a more reserved course for sixty or seventy years in this life then be eternally tormented for ever more Saint Chrysostome hath an excellent expression to this purpose Suppose a man saith he much desiring sleep and in his perfect minde had an offer made him of one nights sweet rest upon condition to be punished a hundred years for it would he accept think you of his sleep upon such termes Now look what one night is to an hundred years the same is the life present compared with that to come Nay look what a drop of water is to the sea the same and no more is a thousand years to Eternity Who then of sound judgement for the short fruition of a transitory contentment in this life would expose himself to the horror of eternall flames in the life to come And therefore whiles we have our abode in this vale of misery we should alwaies pray with Saint Bernard grant us Lord that we may so partake of temporall felicities that we may not lose eternall All things under the Sunne have their alterations and changings but things above are permanent and of an induring substance He that can be secure and sure of the happinesse to come builds up his house upon a firm foundation How small a modell of time how short a period is the longest life when once it is finished Recollect with thy self saith Saint Augustine the years that are passed from Adams time untill now turne over the whole Scripture and the time since the fall will seem but as yesterday For what are the times past If thou hadst lived from Adams day till this hour * Da Domine ut sic possideamus temporalia ut non perdamus aeterna Omnia ei salva sunt cui salva est beara aâ—ternitas thou wouldst easily have judged that this life hath no perpetuity in it which flees away so swiftly For what is the life of any man suppose the longest age It is but like the morning dew like the twinkling of an eye in a trice it is gon I have seen an end of all perfection saith David But here ô Christian let me deal more plainly with thee thou wilt readily acknowledge all things under the frame of Heaven are perishing and Heaven is thy thought Eternity is thine aym Now if it be so why art thou then so dul in thy course of holinesse so frozen in thy zeal so inclinable to every motion of sin so easily overcome by every incitement to wantonnesse never more calm and unseasonably patient then when thy affections should be enflamed and thy heart kindled with a just indignation in Gods cause and on the other side never more fretting whining and unquiet then when thou shouldest be meek patient cheerfully disposed under the burden of afflictions How can it be that we should have eternity in our mindes yet live no better in our manners Now that we may the easier discern the deceitfulnes of our hearts herein let us examine our selves by the example of Iacob This Patriarch Iacob served his uncle Laban seaven years for Rachel his daughter and the greatnes of his affection towards her made that time seem but as a few dayes To apply this Thou art a Servant as Iacob was but thou serves not such a Master as Iacob did thou serves not man but God thy maker and a faithfull rewarder thou serves not for a wife but for a kingdom not for an earthly contentation but for an heavenly habitation And yet behold the short affliction of one day can enervate thy love and unlock thy affections from God and heaven Every crosse accident stops thee in thy course every little sorrow disquiets thy soul and lessens thy contentment Behold here measure by the example of Iacob the strength of thy love Iacob could serve seaven years with chearfulnes for a wife but thou canst hardly serve thy God so many dayes with a true affection for Heaven For reckon up all the nights thou hast spent in prayer summe up all the dayes that thou hast worne out in religious exercises and canst thou then truly say to God as Iacob did to his uncle In thy service night and day have I macerated my body with heat and cold and my sleep departed from mine eyes twenty years have I laboured in thy service couldst thou say thus and say it truly ô then what would be the end of thy labour what
thinks the serious considera son hereof should even cut the â—eart and damp the mirth and wound the very soul of the most glorious and selfe pleasing worldling whose life is nothing but a change of recreations to think upon his fading state his flowing condition his declining joy his dying life and endlesse eternitie to see how all things in him and about him goe speedily forward in a most sensible declination to behold with his eyes how his goods and his greatnesse his livings and his life and all the most precious delights which his sensuall heart enjoyes are already winged as it were for their flight and must shortly bid him an everlasting farewell And then what shall be his stay where shall be his shelter what will remain to be done but with that sad and disconsolate Heathen to shut up all in that hopelesse and helplesse lamentation Anxius vixi dubius morior heu quo vado I have squandered out my life in an unfruitfull way I have lived unresolvedly and die doubtfully and now whither away O my soul woe is the and alas for evermore And such is the bitter close and uncomfortable end of all those who goe desperately on in the waies of their hearts and in the sight of their eyes and make not God their strength though their excellency mount up to the Heavens saith Job and their heads reach unto the cloudes yet shall they perish for ever as their dung and the eye which hath seen them shall doe so no more Job 20.6 O then how deeply doth it concerne us to raise up our desires to things above to six our hearts upon the true rock â—o drawe our waters of comfort from the everliving fountain to trust so much more on God by how much we have lesse on earth to trust to Now for our better incouragement to this duty and to the end we may the more easily unloose our affections from the imbracements of this world it will not be unworthy our labour to meditate a while upon the nature of that Eternitie which doth unavoidably abide for us either in horror or happinesse in the life to come CHAP. II. Containing a description of Eternitie with a brief declaration of the nature and condition of it ETernitie is an infinite endlesse bottomelesse gulfe which no line can faddome no time can reach no age can extend to no tongue can expresse It is a duration alwaies present a being alwaies in being it is one perpetuall day which shall never see an Evening Infinite are the descriptions of the Ancients and divers their expressions touching this Eternitie The Egyptians conceiving that God was eternall and his duration and being to be properly termed Eternitie represented the divine power by a Circle which had neither beginning nor end And hence it was that the Ancient Romans erected Temples which they dedicated to their Gods in a circular figure Thus Numa Pompilius devoted a round Temple to the Majestie of Vesta And Augustus Caesar the like in honour of all the Gods Pythagor as the better to expresse that God was eternall commanded his Scholars that so oft as they accommodated themselves to the worship of God they should turne themselves round The Turkes every morning ascend into an high Tower built in the fashion of the Egyptian Pyramides where they devoutly salute their God and Mahomet crying with a lowd and roaring voice Deus semper fuit semperque erit God alwaies hath been and ever will be Mercurius Trismegistus the most famous among the Philosophers represented God the true Eternity by an intellectuall sphear whose Center was every where but without any circumference because he was the beginning and end of all things not bounded within any compasse nor terminated in any limits It was an usuall custome among the Nasomons an ancient people in Africa that they coveted to dye sitting and would alway be buried in the same posture sitting in Cells underneath the earth and this they did to signify by that unmoveable gesture that they should now sing a requiem from the businesse of this troublesome world and had now arrived at the haven of eternall quietnesse Thus we see how these miserable heathen who had no other light but nature no other guide but those lame and corrupted principles which were left in them after the fall did notwithstanding according to their broken and weak apprehensions tire out themselves in the expression of Eternity and how ever they were unhappily ignorant in the wayes of God in this life yet they earnestly laboured to know what should become of themselves hereafter and to finde out the state of the life to come Oh how justly might I were it not a digression take up a lameÌ„tation and deplore the wretched condition of our times how short doe we fall even of the perfection of Heathens how few are there in comparison of the generallity of people that cast forth so much as a thought upon Eternity we live here as if there were no life hereafter Our Earth is our Heaven and our pleasures our Paradise we crown our heads with rose buds we eat of the fat and drinke of the sweet and say in our hearts no evil shall happen to us and yet when we have done all Omnes humanae consolationes sunt desolationes Hearts ease will not growe in this earthly garden the true rest will not be found but in the true place the eternall Hierusalem sound and entire contentment hath no rooting in this world For as one hath it excellently * Dispone ordina omnia secundum tuum velle videre non invenies nisi semper aliquid pati debere aut sponte aut invite ita crucem sem per invenies Dispose and marshall all things to thine own hearts desire yet shalt thou doe what thou canst still meet with some crosse or pressure in the way Since it is so let us not then determinate our affections in these earthly things which are of no continuance but let us send our hearts before us to those heavenly mansions where they shall be crowned with fulnesse of happinesse and shall swimme in streams of pleasures for evermore Certainely there is no true rest but that which is eternall and the sweetest refreshment our souls can finde in this world consists in the serious meditation of the joyes to come in devoting our selves and all we have to his service from whom we have them in trusting to him and relying on him For out of God the soul findes no resting place to set her foot on but every where storms and waves death and hell abide her when we have improved our contentments to the very height of our desires when we have attained as much happinesse as the world can give us yet then may we be cut off perchance in the midst of our dayes when our breasts are full of milk and our bones full of marrow or suppose we spinne the threed of our life to a longer day and
our severall places and callings indeavour the extirpation of Heresy Scisme and whatsoever should be found contrary to sound Doctrine and the power of Godlines Yet notwithstanding this deep ingagement on our souls How many fearfull errors what unheard of fancies do uncontrollably abound in every corner of the land Doth not every man act what seems good in his own eyes Is not every wanton we impunitively suffered to make an idoll of his own way and to draw Disciples after him Me thinks its worthy our most serious thoughts how sadly how compassionately the reformed Churches do resent our home distractions See what the Walachrian Churches have writ to our Reverend Assembly of Divines upon this occasion Judicent conscientientiae vestrae quomodo omnium Heresium genus inultum permitti multiplicia schismatum sem ina impunè spargi prophana errorum dogmata passim in vulgus proferri possint in illa civitate quae tam expresso sancto severo juramento sese coram Deo devinxit ad omnes errores heresesschismata de domo Dei ejicienda * Let your own consciences judge say they hâ—â— Heresies of all kindes can passe unpunished manifold seeds of Schisme be spread without controll and prophane Doctrines of errors be commonly vented in publike in that City which by so expresse so sacred so severe an Oath hath bound it self in the presence of God to cast out all Heresies Errors Schismes out of the house of God Hence ye may observe how loud a peal our Church divisions ring thorow out the world Our friends pity us our foes deride us and neuters stand amazed at our doings and certainly God is not pleased with our wayes For God is the God of order and not of confusion the God of peace not of division In vain it is to expect any happy or peacefull dayes or that we shall see a well grounded settlement in Church and state so long as turbulent spirits have so much line and latitude to their fancies And surely it is now high time it is high time for us all in our severall places since we stand every day hovering between time and eternity to minde our sacred vowes and to lay our solemn Covenants closely to our hearts and ask our consciences how faithfully we have performed them especially in the particular wherein we now insist Errors in opinion are of as dangerous consequence as errors in practice and therefore happy would it be for the kingdome if they that move in the highest Sphears would all come in as with one shoulder and make it the chiefest businesse of their souls that the Lord may be one and his name one through the Kingdome Now if you tell me I here digresse from the point in hand I readily grant it for these distracted times have amazed me and obstructed me in my way But now I return You see the dismall fruits of sinne what destruction it hath wrought in all the earth what havock in our State what confusion in the Church what rentings of affections in the hearts of men Oh that we did seriously consider of and soundly digest the meditation of these things For had we but hearts to understand and eyes to see the deformity of our sinnes and did unpartially compare the stain and pollution of them with the purenesse of Gods nature and the brightnes of his Majesty how should we be confounded in our souls with the sight of our own filthinesse How ready should we be rather to admire Gods patience then question his severity How should we tremble at his glorious Majesty and dread his power and justly fear what we have worthily deserved his everlasting judgement but if now on the other side we advisedly look into Gods gracious proceedings towards us and his loving indulgence in restraining his incensed displeasure notwithstanding our infinite provocations and in shewing us a way to escape his fury I know not whether we shall finde greater cause to vindicate his justice or admire his mercy For true it is as saith Saint Augustine Deus adeo bonus est ut malum nunquam sincret nisi adeo potens suiflet ut ex malo bonum eliceret Aug. So good is our God that he would never have suffer'd us to fal had not his power been such that he could extract matter out of our sinfulnes to advance his own glory Oh how unsearchable how bottomlesse how surpassing the apprehension of men and Angels is the love of God towards us whither can we goe which way can we cast our eyes where we shall not behold the admirable foot-steps of his mercy If we look upward his mercy reacheth unto the Heavens saith David If downward they that goe down into the deep see the wonders of God saith the same Prophet and his mercies in the great waters If round about us those that put their trust in the Lord mercy embraceth them on every side And hence it is that the Apostle Saint Paul to the Ephesians so diversly amplifies the love of God in severall places of that Epistle by sundry appellations or epithetes as his love his great love his abundant love his love passing knowledge again the riches of his glory the riches of his grace the riches of his mercy God who is mercifull saith the Apostle who is rich in mercy through his love his great love even when we were dead by sinnes hath quickned us together in Christ Ephes 2.4 The Apostle also in the same Epistle and first chapter expresseth the Lord great in his power abundant in his wisdom but rich exceeding rich in his mercy And why rich in mercy only Is not the Lord rich in Angels rich in the Saints rich in the Heavens Hath he not created the Clouds founded the Seas wisely composed the whole frame of nature And is he yet rich only in mercy True it is the earth is the Lords and the fulnesse thereof all that we have all that we are is his but his mercy hath an excellency in it above all his creatures yea If I may so speak obove all his attributes above his Justice Mercy saith the Apostle rejoyceth against condemnation Above his power Jacob wrestled with God and overcame him above his greatnes for such was the unexpressible condiscention of the Almighty that although he were high and excellent and inhabited eternity yet did he humble himself to behold things done in Heaven earth for there is nothing doth more illustrate Gods omnipotency then his mercy It was no marvail that God should make the Heavens because he is power it self or that he should frame the earth because he is strength it self or that he should govern the times because he is wisdom it self or that he should give breath to all creatures because he is life it self But herein chiefly is God to be magnified that he who is infinitely just should yet be mercifull to sinners yea to sinners while they wallow in their blood while they rest in sinnes while they
would thy reward be not flocks of cattell not the daughters of Laban but God himself would be thy exceeding great reward thy life and happines He would be unto thee every thing that thy heart can desire or long for Thy soul should flowe and even melt in abundance of spirituall delights But now take a little view of thine own vilenes thy own nakednes thy utter disability to any thing that may be truly called good Thy hands are feeble to Gods work thy feet are slow to Gods temple thine eyes are seared or shut up towards heaven But for the works of flesh and Satan thy heart is hot to envy thy minde prone to revenge thy tongue voluble to blaspheme thy affections even glued and incorporated as it were into sensuall embracements And is this to serve God for Heaven shall the blessednesse of the Saints and the glory of Angels and the joy and fruition of God himself be powred out upon such works as these Dost thou thus requite thy maker O consider consider I say thy waies in time labour to serve God as Iacob did labour to approve thy self as faithfull to God as Iacob was to his uncle Laban And if the weight of the labour discourage thee or adversity oppresse thee or prosperity seduce thee then lift up thine eyes to heaven as Iacob did to his Rachel Let heaven be thy love thy spouse the delight of thine eyes the joy of thy heart Behold thy Rachel is fair and lovely Heaven is both beautifull and glorious Let thy desires goe before whither thou meanest to hasten after suffer for a season thy light affliction having an eye to the recompence of reward yet and but a little while and thou shalt approach the haven where thou shalt enjoy so much the more happines Eo dirigendus est spiritus quo aliquando est iturus by how much the deeper thou hast drunk in sorrow and by how much the more ardent thy affections have been towards God in this life the more abundant shall thy reward be in the life to come then shall thy crosses prove thy gains and that well-spring of joy which shall ever rise in thy heart shall swallow up all thy sorrows CHAP. II. Shewing that there is no other way nor possible means to attain to the true eternity but by a confident affiance upon the merey of God in Christ SUch and so deplorable is the condition of every man considered in his corrupted and degenerated state that albeit he be able by that small spark of naturall illumination which is left in his minde to see as in a glasse darkly and obscurely an eternity to come yet is he utterly ignorant of the true way thereunto neither hath he any possibility in nature to finde it out He is in no better state then the poor creeple at the pool of Bethesda who saw the waters that could heal him before his eyes but found no means to help him into them For that sound and perfect knowledge of the true way which man was adorned with in his first creation is wholly lost and extinguished in him he is now a meer stranger from the life of God Ephes 4.18 dead in trespasses and sinnes Ephes 1.2 reprobate to every good work Tit. 1.16 his very minde is defiled Tit. 1.15 his wisdom is death Rom. 8.6 * Nemo aliunde Deo placet nisi ex eo quod ipse dona verit He is no more able of himself to leade a holy life acceptable to God then a dead man is to perform the actions of one that is alive Being thus disrobed of all spirituall endowments and saving grace how shall he attain to that joyfull Eternity which his soul as I have said may long for but can no way reach Certainly there is no light to lead him but that * Si Christum habes aeternitatem per Christum in te habes Alst light of the world no way for him to take to but that new and living way even him who hath stiled himself the way the truth and the life no rock to cleave to but this strong foundation no name under Heaven to be saved by but this even this alone Iesus Christ yesterday and to day and the same for ever He and he alone is the onely sure effectuall infallible means of our salvation He alone is the true High Priest who was once offered to take away sinnes and after that entered into the true sanctuary the very Heaven to appear in the fight of God for us where he is able perfectly to save them which come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them Heb. 7.26 He alone is the ground of our hope the crown of our glory and the strength of our confidence * Oculum tuum Domine non excludit cor clausum nec manum tuam repellit duritia homi num Aug. It 's he alone who by the sweet influence of his grace and by the secret working of his spirit can when he will and doth when he please subdue and bring under the most obdurate gainsaying and rebellious heart to a cheerfull willing and ready obedience to his heavenly will O the infinite and inexpressible tendernesse of our loving Saviour to wards us When we like sheep had gon astray his mercy reduced us When we lay wallowing in our blood his pity refresht us When we were dead in our sins his death did revive us and here we may truly say with David his mercy reacheth to the Heavens From the Heavens came the price of our redemption We were not neither could we be redeemed by the blood of bulls and goats by thousands of rivers of oyl by the cattle that are upon a thousand mountains It was not the treasures of the world the power of men or Angels could purchase this freedom nothing could cleanse us but the blood of the Lamb He was that fountain opened for sin and for uncleannesse He was that Sonne of righteousnes that came with healing in his wings His were the wounds that healed our sores his was the back that bare our sorrows his was the price that quit our scores he assumed our flesh to redeem us here and he reigns as a king to crown us hereafter Now what remains after all this to be done on our parts Let us rest on this Anchor let us flee to this hold and build on this foundation For no other foundation can any man lay then that which is laid Iesus Christ Let us cast our souls into the arms of our Saviour In brachijs Salvatoris mei vivere vole mori eupio saith S. Bernard O let this be our desire Now the gate is open let us not deferre the time of entrance Now is the acceptable time let us not procrastinate the season Now he offers his mercy he shews his long sufferance let us not turn his grace into wantonnesse let us follow the counsell of the sonne of Sirach Eccles the 5.