that section 9 blessed life then what there is There is no feare no sickenesse no death no heauinesse no infirmitie no hunger no thirst no heate no cold no warre no contention no want no woe no paine no pouerty no corruption no temtation c. I haue now partly told you what there is not there will you know what is there I can say nothing but with the Apostle No eye hath seene no eare hath heard neyther hath it entred into the heart of man what vnspeakable ioyes God hath prepared for them that loue him If it be so what can I doe else but lift vp mine eyes to heauen mine eares to God and my heart to Paradise to see and vnderstand what I can comprehend vpon earth and therefore my soule longeth after thee O God and sigheth till it see the brightnesse of thy face O Kingdome of euerlasting blisse where thou O Lord the hope of all Saints art reioycing them on euery side with thy blessed sight If the wise men of the East came so farre off and reioyced to see Christ in the manger what will it be in the sight of his Elect to see him in his glory If Iohn Baptist a babe sprang in his mothers wombe for ioy of Christ so newly conceiued and not yet seene what shall his reall presence doe in his royall Kingdome but euen rauish with ioy our very hearts and soules when we shall continually enioy his most glorious sight For it passeth all other glory that the Saints haue in heauen to be admitted to the inestimable sight of Christ his face in heauen and to receiue the beames of glory from the brightnesse of his Maiestie If Solomons seruants were accounted happy of Sheba the Southerne Queene for their daily liuing and residencie in his Court and hearing of his exquisite wisedome so admirable to all the world how happy then and thrice blessed shall the Saints and seruants of God be accounted that liue continually in the Court of heauen the very Paradise and Pallace of God himselfe Blessed indeed are they that enioy the pleasures of his house in whose sight is the fulnesse of ioy and at whose right hand there are pleasures for euermore section 10 It was Moses honour to see Gods hinder parts though possibly he could not see his face and liue and shall it not be then in incomparable ioy and felicitie to the faithfull to see his glorious face in heauen If the presence of God saith one were vpon hell it would become the port of Paradise So on the contrary if the presence of our sins miseries and woes should pester heauen and reach vnto the Saints then should heauen be turned into hell rest into toyle peace into warre life into death c. To conclude as beautie seemes more excellent when it is paraleld with deformitie so will heauen shew more glorious when it is compared with hell Oh how happy and blessed is hee which with the onely desire and loue of eternitie pyneth away Such a one is neither proud with prosperitie nor cast downe with aduersitie for as hee hath nothing in this world that he loueth so is there no losse of any thing in this life that he feareth Sweete is the fountaine to the weary traueller and rest to the tyred seruant Comfortable is the coole euening after a hot sunny day yet much more sweet will it be to the Saints of this heauenly citie to haue peace after warre pleasure after paine ioy after trouble and constant securitie after their so long indured sorrowes That Citie saith Augustine is scituate aboue all the elements where no flouds can arise no stormie windes can blow no tempestuous waues can beate c. CHAP. X. The assurance and certaintie which Gods Children haue of their saluation and heauenly blisse HItherto wee haue heard of our comfortable section 1 redemption by Iesus Christ from Sin and Death and of the heauenly fruits and effects that accompany the same euen ioy and happines heauen it selfe and vnspeakable blessednesse It now remaineth that nothing may be wanting to our harts desire to set downe in few words the ground and assurance that the godly haue for the vndoubted fruition of the former blessed estate For it is not the bare knowledge of these things which the very Diuels and damned may haue but the sound euidence and the demonstratiue and infallible conclusions that the faithfull finde and feele in their soules to conuince the certaintie hereof to themselues that supporteth their Faith and Hope till they inioy their expected happinesse hereafter It might be sufficient in this respect to perswade vs if our faith were not so weake that God hath promised the performance of these things that the ground of his promise is his written Word which cannot deceiue vs no more then God can deny himselfe which word the faithfull beleeuing haue enioyed the promise and had the end of their faith euen the saluation of their soules yet for our further resolution herein I will dwell a little longer on this poynt One demanding the proofe of another life was asked section 2 for his answere whether hee beleeued there was a God which being granted it sufficeth said the answerer for if there be a God hee is righteous if hee be righteous hee must in iustice reward the good and punish the wicked Now wee know that many naughty men liue here in pompe and pleasure and seeme to dye in peace and likewise many good men in continuall anguish and affliction consuming away with sorrow and griefe to death it selfe If therefore there be a righteous God it cannot be chosen but there is another life when these good men shall rest in blisse and wicked men in woe For it is a righteous thing with God to recompence their tribulation which trouble his children and to giue rest to his that are troubled which though many times it be not executed in this life yet the Apostle concludeth it to be certainly accomplished at the comming of Christ the righteous Iudge section 3 It cannot be wee should know the grace and loue of God which is our Faith but wee must know the fruit of his loue that is his glory and eternall life which is our Hope If therefore wee be sure that God doth loue vs in Iesus Christ wee are also as sure that God will glorifie vs through Iesus Christ And as our Faith reioyceth in Gods fauour so our Hope reioyceth in Gods glory And as our Faith is sure that nothing shall separate the loue of God from vs so our Hope longeth after the incorruptible inheritance which wee feele and know to be laid vp for vs in heauen So that this constancie and boldnesse of our hope without wauering laid vp in our hearts cryeth still within vs come quickly Lord Iesus and this hope is our warrant that we are the sons of God which confuteth all such as conceiue no other thing of hope then
a very burden vnto it selfe loathing that at last which intermission of trouble would haue made full sweet Giue a free horse the full reynes and hee will soone be tyred Summer would be no summer if winter did not lead it in and follow it out Paine pleasure griefe sicknesse health with death it section 6 selfe be Gods Souldiers which Christ our Captaine hath vnder his gouernment if he bid them goe they goe if he bid them come againe they come if hee bid them doe this or that they performe it All euill and consequently death it selfe are profitable and medicinable to the children of God whither they be sicknesse of body pouerty worldly losses depriuation of friends c. which if they be vndergone as the fatherly chastisements of our good God for our reformation then are they wholesome remedies for our soules for with such easie and short receipts God doth heale the sores of sinne to spare our soules in the world to come He sends afflictions as preuentions of sinne as many be let blood before they be sicke for feare of sicknesse The superfluous sprigs of the Vine are pruned to make it more fruitfull God doth diet his children lest by riches they should grow proud by sinne become insolent by libertie waxe wanton c. All wicked instruments of our trials are but as Apothecaries to make drugs to heale our infirmities they are as Masons to smooth vs being as rough Stones for the building as furbushers to varnish vs from the rust and canker of our corruption as Scullions in the Kitchin to scoure vs and make vs bright vessels for the Lords owne Table Yea all the crosses of the faithfull are but as vnsauorie Physicke yet wholsome for the recouery of their sicke and sinfull soules A sound body saith one many times carrieth within it a sicke soule Some labour of the plurisie of pride some of the dropsie of couetousnesse some of the staggers of inconstancie some of the feuer of luxurie some of the lethergie of idlenes others of the phrensie of anger c. And it is a rare soule that hath not some sicknesse Now crosses and afflictions are ordained of God as his medicinable remedies What though they be vnpleasant they are Physick it is enough if they be wholesome not pleasant taste but secret vertue and operation commends the medicine If they cure thee they shall please in displeasing or else thou louest thy taste aboue thy soule section 7 Surely we men are very fooles in the estimation of our owne good Like children our choise is led altogether by shew no whit by substance Though thou knowest what dish is pleasant to the eye and taste yet thy Physitian knowes best what is wholesome Thou wouldest follow thy appetite too much and wouldest dig thine owne graue as it were with thy teeth but God ouer-sees thee and ouer-rules thee Wouldest thou then willingly goe to heauen what better guide canst thou haue then him that dwelleth there If he lead thee through the deepe sloughes and marish grounds brakes brambles or thornie thickets know thou that hee knoweth this to be the nearer way though more cumbersom Can there be in him any want of wisedome not to foresee the best can there be any want of power not to effect the best since what his power can doe and what his wisdome seeth should be done his loue no doubt hath done because all are infinite He willeth not things because they are good but they are good because he willeth them yea if ought had beene better this that befalleth thee had neuer beene God willeth that he doth and if thy will accord not with his whether wilt thou blame of imperfection If our affections might alwayes feed vpon Mannah we section 8 would loath it if our inheritance did stretch it selfe to the plaines of Iordane we would inlarge it and if our preheminence might reach to heauen yet would wee raise vp our hearts higher These were the itching humours of Euah who thought not Paradise spacious enough for her habitation nor the dainties of Eden sweet enough for her taste nor the presence of God good enough for her company But where the superscription of holinesse to the Lord is ingrauen on the head and the perswasion of godlinesse to be gaine is ingrafted in the heart there saith a learned man the lust of the world and the dust of the earth shall be shuffled together as payres and pearles of equall price accompt and continuance Therefore the Lord hath here choaked our fields with thistles and wrapped vp all the treasure of the world in rust that seeing the ground whereon we stand to be out of Paradise and the staffe whereon we leane to be but rotten wood wee might pray to God to haue the sword put vp that stoppeth vs from the tree of life and those boughes cut off that shadow vs from beholding our sinnes borne and sustayned in the body of Christ Therefore the waters of troubles and afflictions are but section 9 as a bath to the faithfull to cleanse and purge them from those corruptions they gather by walking in this dirty world The chaffe and wheate both feele the flayle yet the chaffe is free from the Milstone from the Fanne and from the furnace of these onely doth the wheat taste and so happy is he that is ground and baked as it were in an ouen and so made fit manchet for the Lords owne dyet For though the chaffe feele not the hardnesse of the Mill in grinding nor the heate of the Ouen in baking yet being good for nothing it is cast forth scattered with the winde and trodden vnder foote Such is the state of the wicked they are separate as tares from the corne eyther to be burnt in his displeasure or blowne from his presence God in this life knowing the dangerous temptations of his Children doth sift and boult them with afflictions the mother of humilitie and true nurse of repentance lest in time they should loose the experience of their knowledge and faith in Christ and so seeke some easier kinde of life for flesh and bloud Neyther can we truely repent vntill by some crosse we know this world to be a place of sorrow for so long as we make our prosperitie a bulwarke to beat downe all harmes we are to looke for aduersitie to beate downe the high sayle of our proud hearts whereby we gad after our owne lusts and leaue the anchor of peace which is our trust in God section 10 Neyther must wee thinke that we shall euer be shut vp as it were in a mewe to see and sustaine no euill at all Let vs looke to fall but on our knees because Gods hand doth hold vs. Let vs looke to be humbled but yet in mercy because the Lord sustayneth vs for if this were not what tryall and examination should there be of our faith If our way lay alwayes as in a fayre medow that wee might
which were lost by sinne returne againe vnto vs as soone as we leaue this world section 12 Now where coelestiall things succeede terrestriall great and inestimable things those that are small and base eternall and euerlasting such as are transitorie and fraile is there any occasion so to waile and weepe It belongeth to him to feare death that would not goe to Christ which beleeueth not that then hee begins to reigne in heauen when hee leaues the earth wherefore wee must iudge of death not as it seemeth in it selfe but as it is in Christ Naturally we desire to be and consequently wee shunne death which depriues vs of our being heere Death I confesse is fearefull to the dearest children of God for a while because it is repugnant to their nature yet notwithstanding we see our estate being holden as prisoners in this body of sinne so long as wee liue and therefore we ought to long for the euerlasting life which is promised vs after death For when wee draw nigh towards death then come we neere to it and death is the very gate of life assuring our selues that since Iesus Christ himselfe hath passed that way we neede not be dismayed that death shall conquer vs for it is now through him but as a rebated sword and blunted knife whose edges and points are bowed and broken which albeit they draw some bloud yet serueth it but to purge vs. Neyther doth God euer suffer his Elect to depart this section 13 life without great comfort vntill they haue seene their Sauiour with old Simeon eyther in soule or Spirit The life of this perswasion is the death of sinne and such hope of eternitie is the reuenge of iniquitie Fye vpon sinne whilest I behold my Sauiour fie vpon shame whilest I behold my glory Heauen is my hope the spirituall visions of my heart are the impressions of my ioy Therefore let vs shake off feare and arme our selues to runne this race not seeking any by-way but keeping on the high-way to heauen whither Christ our captaine hath already conducted vs in his flesh CHAP. IX The blessed and vnspeakable happinesse ioy and immortalitie of the faithfull after this life ended NOw that our desires may be further inlarged section 1 towards heauen and our affections the better with-drawne from the loue of this deceitfull life and world of vanities it will not be amisse at the least to meditate on those compleat ioyes which no tongue indeede is able to expresse or heart of man conceiue which Christ by his bitter death and sufferings hath full dearely purchased for vs. Saint Paul counteth all the afflictions of this life that men can suffer not to be worthy of the glory which shall be shewed which he calleth an eternall waight of glory Our afflictions here are but momentany and temporall but the ioyes of heauen are eternall not possible to be expressed It is a shew beautifull in sense wonderfull in waight excessiue in measure without bounds in dignitie without comparison and in continuance without end yea it is such and so great that as one torment in hell shall make a reprobate to forget all his worldly pleasures so the least taste of this glory shall make the heyres of God to forget all their former miseries This glory is like God the giuer of it that must be imbraced for the excellencie of it and thirsted after for the eternitie of it The ioyes of heauen as farre exceed these prison-ioyes section 2 on earth as Mannah in the Wildernesse did the flesh-pots of Egypt and the bread that the lost sonne ate in his fathers house the huskes he ate abroad with Swine They are so great saith one that they cannot be measured so long that they cannot be limited so many that they cannot be numbred so precious that they cannot be valued yet wee shall see them without wearinesse loue them without measure and praise them without end God in creating this transitory world which yet is but a poore cottage to his eternall habitation what power what magnificence what maiestie hath he shewed therein what glorious heauens and how wonderfull hath hee created what infinite Starres and other Lights hath he deuised what Elements hath he framed and how strangely hath hee compact them together The Seas tossing and tumbling without rest so well replenished with all sorts of fish the Riuers running incessantly through the earth like veynes in the body and yet neuer to be empty or ouer-flow the same The Earth it selfe so furnished with all varietie of creatures as that the hundred part thereof are not imployed by man but remaine to shew to man the full hand and strong arme of his Creator And all this was done in an instant with one word and that for a small time in respect of the eternitie to come What then shall wee conceiue of the house of God that glorious heauen it selfe If the cottage of his meanest seruant and that made for a time to beare off as it were a showre of raine be so princely so glorious so gorgeous so full of maiestie as wee see this world is what must we think that the Kings Pallace it selfe is appoynted for all eternitie for himselfe and his friends to liue and raigne in for euer O Lord saith Augustine if thou in this vile body of ours giuest vs so great and innumerable benefits from the firmament section 3 from the ayre from the earth from the sea by light by darkenesse by heate by shadow by dewes by showres by windes by raines by birds by fishes by beasts by trees by hearbs by plants and by such varietie and ministery of all thy creatures Oh sweet Lord what manner of things how great how good and how infinite are those which thou hast prepared in our heauenly Countrey where we shall see thee face to face If thou doe so great things for vs in our prison what wilt thou giue vnto vs in our Pallace If thy enemies and thy friends be so well prouided for together in this life what shall thy onely friends receiue in the life to come If our Iayle containe so great matters what shall our Countrey and Kingdome doe O my Lord and God thou art a great God and as there is no end of thy greatnesse nor measure of thy wisedome nor number of thy mercies so is there neyther end number nor measure of thy rewards towards them that loue thee But these ioyes alas can we not comprehend whilest we liue in loue with this world no more then a prisoner shut vp in a dungeon can know what is done in a Princes pallace or a banished man in a forraine land can learne what is done in his Country from which he is exiled If the very remembrance of the ioyes of heauen so affect section 4 Gods Children what will the fruition doe Wee are somewhat moued when wee call to minde that all the Saints in heauen doe know God all see God all loue
God then what will it be one day to be ioyned with that celestiall societie to know with them to see with them to loue with them Now what a ioy is it to consider the ioy of this most ioyfull day to all faithfull beleeuers in Iesus Christ who shall be quit by proclamation Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen How shall their hearts exult when those that were not worthy to be seruants shall be made as Gods sonnes and coheyres with Iesus Christ of euerlasting glory True happinesse saith one is to haue present all good things that the heart loueth and to haue absent and banished whatsoeuer the soule loatheth when a man both loueth that which is best and enioyeth it when a man enioyeth all that hee willeth and willeth nothing but that which is best section 5 Hee which cleaueth to the Lord is one spirit with him for true loue is the vnion of louers Such is euery one as his loue is So great then shall be our loue to God and heauen as that wee shall desire to loue nothing else For with him in his Kingdome wee shall haue perfect health without infirmitie health and saluation shall be the wals of Gods elect they shall alwayes flourish as in youth without any danger of withering old age yea they shall be of the measure of age and fulnesse of Christ wee shall haue saturitie without loathsomnesse Here the eye is neuer satisfied with seeing nor the eare with hearing but then our desire shall be replenished with all good things I shall be full with thy image saith the Prophet They shall not hunger nor thirst any more yet being full they shall still affect and in affecting shall be satisfied that their fulnesse cloy them not and that they feele no want in their desires Wee shall haue beauty without any blemish or deformitie the iust shall be as the Sunne in Gods Kingdome they shall be like Christs glorious body Our image shall be heauenly as now it is earthly We shall haue all abundance without any want for God will giue his people a place where there is no penury There shall be nothing without them which they shall neede to desire nor any thing within them which they neede to abhorre Mortalitie shall be abandoned Death shall be destroyed for euer Gods Children shall liue in safety without feare haue perfect knowledge without ignorance for now we doe but see in a glasse and then shall wee shee with open face and know as wee are knowne Wee shall haue glory without reproach ioy without sadnesse for God will then wipe away all our teares griefe and sorrow shall flye away when we shall enter into our masters ioy They that come to the maine Ocean Sea finde water section 6 enough if they come by millions to take handfuls of it So be there a multitude which no tongue can number God yet hath Crownes for their heads and Palmes for their hands when they shall follow the Lambe whither soeuer he goeth If there were so great Faith in the earth as there is most sure reward in heauen what loue should wee haue to the life to come Seeing Christ therefore hath prepared heauen for vs let vs prepare our selues for heauen What pleasure then shall wee haue when we shall be in the company of Angels when we shall see our blessed Redeemer with our eyes and the infinite brightnesse of Gods diuine light What a glory shall it be to behold that vniuersall Goodnesse in whom are all good things that greater world in whom all worlds are contained What a ioy shall it be to see him who being one is all things and yet being one and most simple in himselfe comprehendeth the perfection of all things This is the essentiall glory of the Saints this is the centre of their desires Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God This is a vision that maketh vs happy a vision that passeth the beauty of all earthly things of Gold Siluer Pearles and precious Stones of woods of fields of Sea of ayre of Sunne of Moone of Starres of Angels and all creatures for all these things haue their beauty from hence This sight of God is the full beatitude and totall glory of man to see him that made both heauen and earth to see him that made thee that redeemed thee that glorified thee For in seeing him thou shalt possesse him in possessing him thou shalt loue him thou shalt praise him for hee is the inheritance of his people he is the possession of their felicitie and the reward of their expectation section 7 Mans soule was made according to Gods image therefore it may be imployed with other things but satisfied and filled it cannot be for it being made capable of God whatsoeuer is lesse then God cannot suffice it and when it hath God it hath her hearts desire neither is there any outward thing besides that it would wish But while it desireth any outward thing it is a manifest argument that God is not within for if God be possessed it can desire no more For in as much as God is the soueraigne good yea all that good is the soule hath nothing it may wish for more but inioyeth him who is all that good is As long as the soule desireth any creature it is alwaies hungry for although it haue what it can desire of creatures yet remaineth it emptie for there is nothing that can fill it but him alone after whose Image it was created And those O Lord saith Augustine thou onely fittest who desire nothing besides thee which iudge al earthly things as dung in regard of thee and heauenly things section 8 Oh that is a happy and glorious day lasting euer and neuer at an end wherein I shall heare the voyce of ioy and thankesgiuing when I shall heare it said enter into thy Masters ioy which is perfect ioy without all sorrow There shall be the liuing life the sweet life the louely life There shall be no enemie to assault no inticement of the flesh to alure but soueraigne and sure securitie and quiet ioyfulnesse and ioyfull and blessed euerlastingnesse and euerlasting happinesse The happy Trinitie and vnitie of Trinitie and deitie of vnitie and blessed sight of deitie this is the Masters ioy O ioy aboue ioy besides which there is no ioy when shall I enter into thee that I may see my God who dwelleth in thee Blessed are they that haue escaped from sea to shoare from exile to their Countrie from the prison of this wretched life to that surpassing Pallace enioying this wished-for rest Their comfort is endlesse their mirth without mourning health without sicknesse way without wearisomnesse light without darknesse where we shall be rich without couetousnesse aduanced without pride and shal possesse all things without desire and shall liue eternally without dying any more I can sooner tell saith one what there is not in
will set vs all at rest in his due time section 12 Wee must therefore neyther hate this life for the toyles therein for that is sloath and cowardlinesse nor loue it for the delights for that is folly and vanitie but serue our selues of it to serue God in it who afterward shall place vs in ioyfull rest and replenish vs with pleasures which shall neuer more perish Againe to flye it is childish and in flying from it wee meete it Much lesse ought wee to seeke it for that is temerâ—tie nor euery one that would dye can dye It is enough that constantly wee waite for deaths comming that shee neuer finde vs vnprouided Wee must not fall sodainely vpon death but march valiantly towards the same by little and little wee must not rashly or vnaduisedly leaue our life like one that takes his runne to fetch the better rise CHAP. VII Consolations against the agony of Death and horrour of the Graue and Corruption THE very remembrance of Death is bitter section 1 enough to frayle and mortall man but the agonies and bickerings wee haue in the flesh are farre beyond the conceit of men For such is the weaknesse of our nature and the guiltinesse of sinne making warre in our flesh that without especiall aide and helpe from heauen wee shall be swallowed vp of griefe And what man is hee so strong in Faith that can contayne himselfe in this pittifull tryall of deaths combat It made Christ himselfe to sweat and cry and pray before he got the victory Although I confesse the burden of our sinnes and Gods wrath were importable to any but himselfe yet was hee fitted with grace and power without measure and for all that felt this horrour and therefore the best and strongest regenerate men cannot goe free but are made conformable to the sufferings of Christ in a measure Besides the corruption of sinne remayning in vs which finally must be purged by the bitter pill of death Ezechiah after the sentence of death pronounced section 2 against him by the Prophet complayneth how his dayes were cut off that he should goe to the gates of the graue to the pit of corruption where hee could not see the Lord any more in the Land of the liuing nor the inhabitants of the world to confesse and prayse God as the liuing doe and hope for his truth He cryes out that his habitation is remoued like a Shepheards Tent and his life cut off as the weauers webbe that God brake all his bones like a Lyon and so made an end of him This made him in his prayer to chatter like a Swallow and mourne like a Doue Hee saith hee was oppressed and walked to his graue in the bitternesse of his soule c. What should I speake of many other of the faithfull which cry out aliue as men free among the dead drawing neere to the graue and going downe to the pit who are remembred no more but cut off by Gods hand lying in a place of darknesse and in the deepe feeling Gods wrath lying vpon them being vexed with all his waues and stormes How doe they stretch out their hands with lamentable complaints saying Shall thy louing kindnesse be declared in the graue or thy faithfulnesse in destruction Shall thy wondrous workes be knowne in the darke and thy righteousnesse in the land of obliuion I omit to speake of Iob of Ionah and many of Gods children who haue rufully complained in this case section 3 If the parting company of one way-faring man with another when they haue trauelled but for a time together doe cause such sorrow and solitarinesse what a griefe then will it be to thinke that two such friends as the Soule and Body haue beene shall be separated and singled one from another which so long haue trauelled together euen from the mothers vvombe vntill the instant moment of death Betweene whom there hath beene so many knots and bands of mutuall loue O Death how imperious art thou to carnall mindes aggrauating their other miseries not onely by expectation of future payne but by the remembrance of wonted ioyes not suffering them to see ought but what may torment them Great no doubt are the horrours of death when the sicke man shall see the world his friends and all earthly things forsaking him but farre greater is the horrour of iudgement to consider hee is now going to answere for all that hee hath done in his body whether it be good or ill If the countenance of an earthly Iudge be fearefull to a guilty prisoner how much more shall the beholding of an eternall Iudge amaze all such who finde a thousand witnesses in themselues to giue in euidence against them But as hee that is to passe ouer some great and deepe Riuer vpon a narrow plancke and straite passage must not looke downeward to the streame of the water but for preuenting of feare must set his foote sure and cast his eyes to the bancke on the further side So must hee that draweth neare to death as it were looke ouer the waues thereof and fixe the eye of Faith vpon eternall life If in the time of temptation wee looke to sayle a right course neyther sincking nor slipping into the gulfe of desperation neyther battering our Barke against the rocke of presumption let vs in a contrite spirit cry to the Lord our God and say Heale my soule for I haue sinned against thee for thou healest those that are broken in heart and bindest vp their soares I see and that with ioy how my flesh must decay for looke what freshnesse soeuer was in it at the first diminisheth day by day And I neede not goe farre to seeke for death for I feele not so small an infirmitie in my body but the same is vnto mee a messenger of dissolution Yet for all this I shall see my God and when I am couered in the belly of the graue I am assured hee will reach mee his hand to raise me vp againe to immortalitie and life so that this base cottage and shade of leaues being brought to dust shall yet in the end be conuayed vnto my incorruptible house in heauen That dissolution is well bestowed that parts the soule section 4 from the body to vnite them both to God All our life here is but a vitall death How gainefull therefore is that death that determines this false and dying life and beginnes a true and happy life Hee that hath Stephens eyes to looke into heauen cannot but haue the tongue of the Saints to say Come quickly Lord Iesus Such a man seeing the glory of the end cannot but contemne the hardnesse of the way but who so wants these eyes though hee say and sweares hee feares not death beleeue him not But is thy soule sorrowfull vnto death Remember Christs prayer in his Agonie Father not my will but thine be fulfilled Teaching vs what to doe in the time of distresse what wee should thinke
resurrection And shall we so lament our death which is so gainefull The very Pagans in some places as it is recorded did celebrate the day of their death with mirth melodie and minstrelcie and shall wee that are Christians be so dismaid and cast downe should such a friend as it is be vnwelcome shall the foulenesse of his face feare vs from his good conditions shall the hardnesse of the huske hinder vs from the sweetnesse of the kirnell shall the roughnesse of the tide feare vs from the banke and shoare and so hazard our drowning rather then the desire of our home driue vs to the land with all expedition shall the hardnesse of the saddle set vs on foote to slacken our voyage rather then wee will leape vp and endure the same a little and so come swiftly to the place wee doe desire section 18 Lastly touching the heauenly life prepared for the faithfull after death if I should goe about to expresse it the more I should so doe the further I should be from it so farre exceeding the sight thought or conceit of man or any creature Behold saith Saint Iohn the tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and he their God and he shall wipe away all teares from their eyes and there shall be no more death nor sorrow nor crying nor paine for the former things are past O most blessed tabernacle O most safe refuge O region most resplendant and glorious All thy inhabitants weare crownes of glory sit in thrones of maiestie liue in life eternall and possesse a paradise of infinite pleasures Which as Saint Bernard saith are so many that they cannot be numbred of such eternitie that they are endlesse so precious as they cannot be estimated and so great as they cannot be measured This Citie is made of pure gold the very wals of precious stones hauing twelue foundations made of twelue distinct precious stones hauing twelue gates set with pearles the very streetes paued with gold interlaied with precious stones The light of this citie is Christ in his shining brightnesse sitting in the midst thereof from whose seate proceedeth the water of life and there growes the tree of life bearing continuall fruit for the continuall refection of the Saints There is no night in that citie nor any defiled thing but they which are within shall raigne for euer in vnspeakeable glory who shine as the Sunne in the Kingdome of their Father If one Sunne can lighten and fill the whole world with section 19 his brightnes if the Maiestie glory of his beames be such and so great that some Ethnicks haue worshipt him for a God and haue called him the father of gladnes the eye of the world and the fountaine of light What shall so many glorified bodies of the blessed appeare that shall be as so many Sunnes so many Lampes and so many shining lights in heauen Then shall we be blessed indeede when we shall be like vnto God which by nature is blessed and we shall be like vnto God when we shall see him as hee is For this onely sight of God is our whole happinesse O what a ioy shall it be when at one view we shall behold the most high and hidden misterie of the inseparable trinitie and of the loue of God therein For what shall not he see who seeth him that seeth all things Then shall mans minde haue perpetuall rest and peace neither shall it desire any further vnderstanding when hee hath all before his eyes that may be vnderstood Then shall mans will be quiet when he enioyeth that felicitie wherein all other good things as in the fountaine of all happinesse are contained Then shall Faith haue her perfect worke Hope shall inioy that which she long desired but Charitie shall indure for euer Then shall be sung continuall praises vnto the Lambe the song although it be alwaies sung yet it shall be euer new The ioy mirth melodie pleasure power wealth riches honour beautie fellowship dainties odors glory wisedome knowledge treasures securities peace quietnesse and eternall felicitie is beyond all vnderstanding and comprehension of man which the faithfull shall haue and inioy world without end with God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost with Angels and Arkangels Patriarks and Prophets with the Apostles and Euangelists with the Martyrs and Confessors and with the Saints of God in the pallace of the Lord in heauen the kingdome of God the glory of the Father Where there shall be an euerlasting Saboath which no euening shall end section 20 There we shall rest and we shall see we shall see and we shall loue wee shall loue and wee shall praise Behold saith Augustine that which is in the end is without end for what other end is there ordained for the godly but to attaine to that kingdome which hath no end Wee call Paradise our Country and the Patriarks our Fathers and the Saints our brethren and friends Why runne we not then with all speede to enioy our Country and to salute our Parents A great number of our friends and kinsfolkes brethren and children already assured of their immortalitie and desirous of our good doe there attend wishing and expecting our comming What ioy will it be both to them and vs there to renew our acquaintance and meete one another What pleasures are there amongst the inhabitants of heauen which now feare death no more and are sure to liue for euer Woe to the blindnesse of our eyes that see not this woe to the hardnesse of our hearts that feele not this woe to the deafenesse of our eares that heare not this in such wise as we should do where through we might be so farre from fearing death that rather wee should wish it with old Simeon Now let thy seruant depart in peace and with Dauid when shall I come and appeare before thee section 21 If true knowledge and faith possest our hearts as they should feare and doubtfulnesse would vanish quite away For assurance of heauenly things maketh vs willing to part with earthly Hee cannot contemne this life that knoweth not the other If wee would dispise this world we must thinke of heauen If wee will make death easie we must thinke of the glorious life that followeth it And if we can endure paine for health much more should wee abide a few pangs for glory How foolish are wee to feare a vanquished enemie Christ hath triumphed ouer death it bleedeth as it were and gaspeth vnder vs and yet doe we tremble It is enough that Christ died neither would he haue died but that we might die with safetie and pleasure How truely may wee say of this our Dauid thou art worth ten thousand of vs yea worth a world of Angels yet he died and died for vs. Who would therefore liue that knowes his Sauiour died Who can be a Christian and would not
are but dead and damned vse 2 This word considered in the properties power and wonderfull effects thereof sheweth vs also the difference betweene it and the lawes of mortall men their doctrines and traditions their commandements and inuentions This word alone is the rule of faith and the resoluer of the conscience All other humane deuises are but as straw and slubble yea drosse it selfe to the purest gold This hath beene tryed to the vtmost in the furnace and is still more glorious The turning of mens deuises are but as clay Should not a people enquire at their God To the law and the testimony for shame if they speake not according to his word it is because there is no light in them And Ieremie reproacheth those that say they are wise Ye haue cast away the word of the Lord and what wisedome is in you Therefore the Prophet that hath a dreame let him tell a dreame and he that hath my word let him speake my word faithfully What is the chaffe to the Wheate Is not my word euen like a fire saith the Lord and like a hammer that breaketh stones c. See more in the vses of the first doctrine The end of the first Sermon The second SERMON LAMENT 3.55.56.57 I called vpon thy name O Lord out of the low dungeon thou hast heard my voyce stop not thy eare from my sight and from my crie Thou drewest neare in the day that I called vpon thee Thou saidst feare not O Lord thou hast maintained the cause of my soule and hast redeemed my life THe Prophets meaning is that hee prayed heartily to God the ruler of the whole world from the place condition of greatest extremity when no meanes of deliuerance appeared resting still in the experience of Gods loue who heretofore had heard his petitions and now hopeth will not refuse them being earnest and hearty And though he seeme to be farre off will yet take notice of them in the manifestation of his loue in the meanes according to his gracious promise still encouraging his seruants in their greatest dangers Neither doubteth hee but God will defend both his life and good cause that procured the danger and will send deliuerance from the lands of all those that would destroy him and his Church The words containe first a description of the Prophets misery in times past Secondly the meanes hee vsed for his deliuerance Thirdly the fruits and effects thereof His misery is enlarged 1. In regard of the place being a low dungeon 2. In regard of his condition hee sighed and sorrowed he was full of feare and in danger of his life The meanes which he vsed was Prayer which is commended 1. For the faithfulnes 2. For the feruency thereof For the faithfulnes he called vpon God alone and grounded his prayer onely vpon his name and power For the feruency of his prayer he saith hee called cryed sighed and sorrowed 3. The fruits and effects of his prayer are noted by these circumstances 1. God heard him 2. Hee drew neare manifesting his care and prouidence towards him in the meanes 3. He freed him from feare maintained his cause and redeemed his life from the danger of death The summe is that as God heretofore had heard and deliuered him in and from such great dangers and distresse so he would still heare helpe and deliuer him and his afflicted Church in sauing him and redeeming him and it from their so great present dangers and afflictions Being in the low dungeon destitute of all worldly helpe hee called vpon the name of the Lord Teaching vs. That true faithfull prayer and inuocation of Gods name doctrine 1 is a most soueraigne means remedy for comfort and deliuerance in and from our greatest distresses when all other helpes doe faile vs this will serue our turne and is the onely refuge of all Gods children I looked vpon my right hand but there was none that would know me all refuge failed wee then cryed I to the Lord and sayd thou art my hope When the snares of death compassed me and the griefes of the graue caught me when I found trouble and sorrow then I called vpon the name of the Lord saying I beseech thee O Lord deliuer my soule reason 1 The reason hereof is that God hath commanded and ordained it so to be Call vpon me in the time of thy trouble so will I deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me Come to me saith Christ all that trauaile and are laden and I will ease you Hee shall call vpon mee and I will heare him I will be with him in trouble I will deliuer him and glorifie him reason 2 Secondly God is the iudge reuenger and defender of all his that suffer wrong he heareth all causes and controuersies defendeth the cause of the widdow and fatherles he sitteth in the throne and iudgeth right O Lord God the auenger exalt thy selfe clerely exalt thy selfe thou iudge of the world How long shall the wicked triumph and so he concludeth that God is his refuge and rocke of his hope The vse hereof is to make vs feruent and forward in prayer Is any man afflicted let him pray for the prayer of a vse 1 righteous man preuaileth much if it be feruent heauen and the eare of God is open to him When Moses held vp his hand Israell preuailed That the Israelites might see that his hand had a greater stroake in the fight then all theirs the successe must rise and fall with it Therefore we must wrestle with Iacob who by his strength had power with God and striue with Paul and stand in the gap with Moses Secondly it condemneth all such as contemne this ordinance vse 2 and doe not preferre this meanes before all other without which indeed all other actions and instruments are vnholy and vnprofitable as Chariots Horsemen Money Bread Physicke which most excellent ordinance of God is yet least and last thought vpon by many For if men or diuells can sted them they will not be beholden vnto God when it is too late then will they send for the Priest as their Prouerbe is yet so will infidells doe Yea Pharoh himselfe with Ahab and the greatest Athiests vse 3 Thirdly it maketh for the consolation of Gods children that their case cannot be desperate or themselues destitute of helpe If they can but call and cry vnto God if they can but sigh and groane though they can but chatter like a Swallow with Ezekiah make a noyse in their prayers with Dauid and but euen mooue their lips with Hannah it is sufficient if thy soule bee powred out with hers for God knoweth the meaning of the spirit which likewise helpeth our infirmities So that when Gods children are in any danger faith doth accompany them and mooueth them to prayer and in praying they are still more feruent they can neuer be
are as corrupt by nature as the rest vntill they be reformed by the santified meanes ordained of God 15. Mans sinne maketh his life a due debt to death 17. The Diuell is the father of Sinne and Sinne the mother of Death ibid. The corruption of our flesh did not make our soules sinfull but the sinne of our soule did make the flesh corruptible ibid. CHAP. V. DEath is threefold corporall spirituall and that which is common both to body and soule Sect. 2. The description of Death according to the seuerall parts 3. The soule cannot properly dye being life it selfe illustrated by examples 4. How the soule is said to dye 5. The seperation from God is the death of the soule as the departing of the soule is the death of the body ibid. The nature of Death 6. Gods Spirit is the soule of our soules ibid. Man by sinne lost his life and found out death 7. It is agreeable to Gods iustice that a spirituall death should beget a corporall ibid. So soone as man had sinned so soone did the armies of death besiege his life 8. The very life of sinners is a death 9. Gods spirit must quicken and reuiue the soule or else it must needes dye and be damned 10. The degrees of the spirit in Gods elect 11. The wicked in this life doe liue in death and conuersing in earth they are bondslaues of hell 12. An effectuall faith in Christ is the life of the soule 13. What it is to be dead in sinne 14. Death is diuersly deriued with the reasons thereof 15. CHAP. VI. IT is enacted in heauen that all men must dye Sect. 1. The Registers of the death and buriall of men from the beginning witnesse the execution of Gods decree herein 2. Death is the way of all the world and the house of all men liuing ibid. Death is the Lady and Empresse of all the world 3. Balthasers Embleme is written vpon euery mans wall 4. Death respecteth no mans person place or qualities 3. Dayes and yeares and times no plea against the graue but a fitter prey for Death ibid. Death as Dan the gathering hoast sweepes all away 4. Mercilesse Death doth exercise her cruelty vpon all alike 5. Nothing can preuaile against Death or ransome our life 6. Gods hand a man may escape but Deaths dart no man can shunne 7. No force can resist it nor meanes preuent it ibid. Death is the common road-way of all the world 8. We must needes yeeld our selues to the law of Death ibid. Men may be distinguished by times but all are equall in the issue 9. As we grow our life decreaseth This whole life is but a death ibid. Man cannot be ignorant of his death since all creatures and actions proclaime his mortalitie 10. Experiments of death on euery side most apparant 11. The law of Nature conuinceth it amongst all nations 12. Our liues as our garments weare of themselues they are eaten with the Moaths we with the Time ibid. The course of our life runneth without pause to the period and end 13. An exclamation against Death most hideous and pittifull 14. 15. The Christian vse of our mortalitie with a reproofe of the carelesse Christian 16. 17. Death to the faithfull is as an hackney to carry and hasten them from earth to heauen ibid. CHAP. VII SInne brought in a sea of miseries Sect. 1. Life and misery are two twinnes which were borne together and must dye together 2. A description of infancy and old age with their miseries 3. The miserie of all estates Here death is liuing and life dying 4. There is no contentment in this wretched life 5. A description of mans sinfull mortall body 6. The frailty and brittlenesse of mans body with the reason thereof 7. See the manifold dangers of our life and how easily it is lost 8. The mutabilitie and inconstancie of mans life 9. This life is little better then hell were it not for the hope of heauen 10. This world is an Ocean sea of troubles See how fitly it resembleth it hauing a mercilesse maw to swallow vp all 11. It is a dungeon of ill sauours and a puddle of vices 12. Mans life is short and swift like a poste a ship and a shadow ibid. Our dayes passe swiftly as the Eagle to her prey and all mortall men are a prey to death 14. We are as flowers and grasse and Death in the hand of God as a sythe to cut vs downe ibid. All things dye but our sinnes which reuiue and grow young againe in despight of nature ibid. The cares of this life are like the Flyes of Egypt which giue men no rest neither day nor night 15. They are like mercilesse Tyrants which take away our peace ibid. Man and his labour are fitly resembled to the Spider and her web 16. All things are as snares to sinners to draw them to destruction 17. The meanes for Christians to auoid the snares of this life 18. It is as naturall for corrupt man to sinne as for water to run downe the channell or a Coach downe a hill 19. The best men liuing amongst the wicked are aptly resembled to Colliers and Millers ibid. The manifold engins of Sathan to enthrall vs. 20. No man can liue peaceably in this world among so many enemies of peace ibid. The warfare of Christians both outward and intestine with the occasions thereof 21. 22. Our life is as a tempestuos sea and death the onely port of tranquilitie and rest 23. CHAP. VIII MEN by dying proue they had sinned and sinne conuinceth there is a Law Sect. 1. The Law conuinceth man of sinne who without it knew not sinne 2. Sinne by the Law grew out of measure sinful with the reason thereof 3. The Law detecteth sinne as a hidden sicknesse that so we may seeke to Christ the Physitian 4. It is holy and righteous in it selfe though an occasion of euill to those that are corrupt ibid. How sinne is said to be dead without the Law 5. The Law anatomiseth sinfull man and setteth him out in his colours 6. The Law slayeth the sinner before Gods Spirit quicken him 7. Sinne and the Law are the strength and sting of Death 8. The Law not onely conuinceth man of sinne but iustifieth God in the punishment thereof 9. The horror of death with the reason thereof 10. CHAP. IX GReat and heauy was the tribute which God imposed vpon man for sinne Sect. 1. The death of the body is nothing to the damnation of body and soule in hell 2. As diseases are the maladies of the body so death is the maladie of diseases ibid. The death of the reprobate is a liuing death and a dying life 3. The life of the damned is an immortalitie of torments and euill 4. The torments of hell are vnspeakable 5. They are euerlasting and endlesse 6. Death to the vnregenerate is the very gate of hell 7. Death cannot be so feared as it ought of wicked men 8. CHAP. X.
draw neare to death wee approach to the very gate of life 12. The faithfull departing see their Sauiour with Simeon eyther in soule or spirit 13. The hope of eternitie is the reuenge of iniquitie ibid. CHAP. IX THe ioyes of heauen are vnspeakable and farre beyond our thoughts Sect. 1. They farre exceede our prison-ioyes on earth 2. There is neyther end number nor measure of them being infinite and endlesse 3. The glorious estate of Gods Saints with their happinesse what it is 4. Gods Saints shall haue fulnesse of ioy which they shall still affect and in affecting shall be satisfied and yet neuer be cloyed with fulnesse or feeling of want 5. The sight of God is the full beatitude and totall glory of the Saints 6. The soule is made capable of God and therefore whatsoeuer is lesse then God cannot suffice it 7. The ioyes of heauen are ioyes aboue all ioyes besides which there is no ioy 8. Wee may sooner tell what there is not in that blessed life then what there is 9. If the ioyes of heauen be so great let vs lift vp our eyes to heauen our eares to God and our hearts to Paradise ibid. Hee which is in loue with heauen is neyther proud with prosperitie nor cast downe with aduersitie for as hee hath nothing in this world that hee loueth so is there no losse of any thing in this life that he feareth 10. CHAP. X. IT is not the bare knowledge of heauen and happy estate but the assured euidence thereof that bringeth comfort to the conscience Sect. 1. So sure as there is a God so sure there is another life in which he will reward the good and punish the wicked 2. As our Faith reioyceth in Gods fauour so our Hope reioyceth in Gods glory 3. God giueth his children the plaister of Patience to support their Hope for he is sure that hath promised 4. The ground of Faith and Hope is Gods word and promise 5. A faithfull heart is furnished like a shippe of warre against all hellish Pirots and worldly force ibid. We can haue no certaine knowledge of heauenly things but by Faith 6. God alone is to be beleeued touching himselfe as wee credit a mortall man with his owne secrets ibid. We can desire nothing which we know not and this knowledge of heauenly things is onely by faith grounded vpon the word of God 7. Our saluation in Christ is alwayes fresh and new sure and certaine 8. Our Faith is not extinguished our Loue cannot be quenched nor our Hope faile vs nor the holy Spirit taken from vs which sealeth our saluation ibid. The wicked shall be as well able to saue themselues without God as to hurt vs hauing God and the worst they can doe is but to send vs to God 9. God doth not choose the worthy but in choosing them maketh them worthy 10. The head will haue his members God his elect and Christ his redeemed and where will hee haue them but in heauen where he is ibid. The third BOOKE CHAP. I. THE crowne of glory will not be got without conquest Sect. 1. Wee must striue to enter in at the narrow gate we must so run that we may obtaine 2. Wee ought to liue in such sort as at the day of death wee wish we had for looke how death leaueth a man so shall the last day finde him 3. It is too late then to beginne to liue well when we must leaue the world 4. With this penalty a sinner is punished that when he dyeth he forgetteth himselfe who in his life time neuer thought vpon God 5 Many men are ready to take their farewell of the world before they know of their condition in the world 6. As our whole life is a passage to death so should we make it a preparation to death 7. Wee ought still to be prepared and watchfull not knowing the time of death 8. Sathan laboureth by his subtilty to make vs to forget our latter end 9. Some count it death to meditate of death ibid. Wicked men cannot abide to heare of death because they liue a sinfull life 10. Remembrance of death to Christians must serue as a sounding bell to awaken them from the sleepe of sinne 11. Christians must take the time and good opportunitie to prouide against death 12. Wee then best know our selues when we haue throughly learned our mortall estate 13. There is nothing so glorious as to order aright the vpshot of our time 14. Who feares God feares not death for what can he feare whose death is his hope 15. Since death watcheth for vs on euery side let vs watch for him that he take vs not tardy 16. Death to Christians should serue as a key to open the day and shut the night ibid. Christians must be as birds on a bough to remoue at Gods pleasure 17. It is absurd to feare that which we cannot shun 18. Christians must haue temporall things in vse but eternall in desire ibid. Mans life is a small thing but the contempt of life is a great thing 19. The manifold commodities of death to the faithfull ibid. See the folly and absurditie of men so to hate death and to loue this sinfull life 20 21. The presumption of long life causeth the greater negligence of our death 22. Selfe-loue causeth men to hate and abhorre Death ibid. Death bringeth an equall law ouer all for the chiefest point of equitie is equalitie 23. CHAP. II. CHristians knowing Death with his forces ought throughly to be prepared against it Sect. 1. Death is so farre from the destruction of a Christian that it brings him to perfection 2. No man knoweth in what place Death attendeth therefore in all places we must be prouided 3. If we prouide not before death there is no prouision after 4. When we seeme to stand in greatest securitie we then doe dwell in greatest danger and when we least feare we soonest fall 5. It is a dangerous course neuer to begin to liue well till we be a dying 6. He that repenteth when he can sinne no longer leaueth not sinne till his sinne leaue him 7. Many neuer thinke of death nor their sinnes till they cannot liue Sicke they are but their repentance is sicker 8. CHAP. III. SAthan hath an host and armie of enemies to hinder vs in our Christian voyage towards Death Sect. 1. Through Christ alone we get the conquest ouer him and his forces 2. The felicitie of the world is fained his loue counterfeit and his promises deceitfull to Gods children 3. There are no worldly comforts but may be kept and desired so that God being aboue all things be not lost 4. Comforts against losse of friends and kinsfolkes 5. Our life is very short for all good things but too long we may thinke in regard of our miseries 6. All worldly delights finish their course in the salt brine sea of sorrowes 7. How much better is it to want a little hony then to be swolne vp with
not cast our accompt that we must die There is no action without pause no warre without truce the weary workeman hath his day of rest Musicke hath her stops the Scriuen or his points we do not alwayes eate and drinke we doe not alwaies walke nor sleepe yea we doe not alwaies breath although we cannot liue without breathing but concerning our life there is no truce no pause no rest no delay but hourely yea euery moment in all places and actions we hasten to our end Whether we eate or drinke or sleepe or wake or goe or stand still the course of our life runnes out as the houre-glasse and neuer rests till it hath finished his course They which come hereafter shall march vpon our graues as we doe now vpon the sepulchers of our fathers they shall remaine in our houses as we doe now in theirs that were before vs they shall possesse our goods our lands our gold and siluer our Iewels and treasuries as we at this day enioy theirs whom we haue succeeded But I will hasten to an end though the experience be endlesse which confirmeth this point One rufully thus exclaimeth of Death How quickly and sodainely stealest thou vpon vs how secret are thy paths and waies how doubtfull is thy houre how vniuersall is thy kingdome The mighty cannot escape thy hands the wise cannot hide themselues from thee and the strong are weakened before thy face Thou accountest no man rich for that no man is able to pay the ransome for his life Thou goest euery where thou searchest euery where and thou art euery where Thou witherest the hearbes thou wastest the windes thou corruptest the aire thou dryest the waters thou changest the ages thou alterest the water and suppest vp the sea All things doe decrease and diminish but thou still remainest and raignest in the world Thou art the hammer that alwaies striketh the sword that neuer blunteth the snare that alwayes catcheth Thou art the prison whereinto euery man entreth thou art the sea wherein euery one drowneth thou art the paine that euery one suffereth O cruell Death thou snatchest vs away in our ripest age thou many times interruptest our best affaires thou robbest vs in one houre of all the gaines we euer got Thou cuttest off succession of kinreds and families thou bereauest kingdomes of their naturall heires thou fillest the world with widowes and orphanes thou breakest off the studies of the learnedst Clearks thou ouerthrowest the finest wits and best conceits in the ripest age thou ioynest the end with the beginning without giuing place to the middle thou art such a meanes as God neuer created but thy comming was by the Diuels enuie and malice Now that wee may profit by this experience of our mortall estate and not forget our selues so grosely vpon euery occasion as we doe it is necessary to haue this holy Meditation still fixed in our mindes that since we liue moue and haue our being of God that therefore our liues are not our owne but lent vs for a time we must remember that we are borne to die and must liue to die for the forgetfulnesse of Death and hope of long life makes vs so secure and carelesse as that we desire no other heauen but earth Many make a couenant with Death and clap hands with the graue hoping thereby to escape or for a time to solace themselues in the forgetfulnesse of their latter end and so bathe themselues in their fleshly pleasures and wallow like fatted Swine in the filthy stie of all vncleanenesse still following things apparant to their eyes and neuer regarding the time to come till death preuent them on a sodaine and summon them to appeare before their Iudge So it commeth to passe that as they liued wickedly they die most fearefully their hope is as the winde and their confidence like the cobwebbe Death is a terrour and a torment both to their soule and body and this is the reason they haue not learned to die Death is strange vnto them he seemes an vgly monster they dare not once behold him True it is that Death in it owne nature as partly wee haue heard is most terrible to behold that the horror thereof amazeth all our senses yet he that is armed with faith is well assured that it is sent for his profit to be as his hackney to carry and conuey him from earth to heauen from paine to pleasure from misery vexation griefe and woe to endlesse mirth melody and ioyes vnspeakeable with God for euer And seeing the sentence of death is gone forth against vs and that our soules remaine in our bodies attending the day of execution let vs detest to heare of our former wicked life as prisoners condemned to die and humble our selues in prayer vnto God reprouing the vanities of this wicked world and aduertising our friends and familiars to doe the like c. CHAP. VII Of the miserable life and wretched state of man by the meanes of Sinne and Death INfinite are the miseries of mortall men their sinne brought in a sea of euils and iust is Iobs complaint that man borne of a woman is full of wretchednesse from the day of his birth till the day of his death a whole armie of euils besiege him Tormented he is in his soule and afflicted in his body in euery part from the crowne of the head to the sole of the foote he is full of infirmities sores and maladies no place is free The first day of the life of man is a beginning of conflicts Our ingresse and egresse and whole progresse of life is set about with seuerall signes of sorrow The tender babe new borne and not yet able to speake saith Augustine doth by his teares prophesie and foretell the manifold sorrowes that are incident to this miserable life of man We enter this life with teares we passe it in toyle and end it in sorrow and torment Great and little rich and poore not one in the whole world that can pleade immunitie from this condition Life and misery saith one are as two twinnes which were borne together and must die together From the wombe to our winding-sheete our life is a warfare vpon earth no age no condition of life no day no night but brings his enemy with him as well against the man of an hundred yeares olde as against the babe new borne How full of ignorance is the time of our infancie how light and wanton are wee growing to be striplings how rash and headlong in the time of our youth how heauy and vnweildy when we come to olde age What is an infant but a bruit beast in the shape of a man and what is a young youth but as it were a wilde vntamed Asse-colt vnbridled and what is an aged heauy and crooked old man but euen a sacke and fardell stuffed with griefes and diseases He is forsaken of the world his kinsfolk friends and acquaintance his owne members and
rageth and is as restlesse as the troubled sea If hee be poore hee liueth in trauell if rich hee is proud and licentions c. The Sea changeth not but when the windes turne contrary vnto it but mans life whatsoeuer the weather and seasons are eyther calme or windy is continually troubled with alterations and stormes No man is contented with his owne estate but desireth to exchange it with another The King feeleth the weight of the Crowne and desireth to be a subiect for his safety the Subiect not content to be ruled would be a King c. Thus men vexe themselues and like vnto sicke men doe nothing else but tosse and tumble vpon their beds thinking to finde the better ease and rest and yet are deceiued seeing the cause of disquietnesse is within themselues which is their griefe and disease Great and heauy is the yoake of the Sonnes of men from the day of their birth till the day of their death the mother of all Therefore Bernard was not afraid to say that he thought this life little better then the life of hell were it not for the hope to attaine and come to the Kingdome of heauen Wee liue here as in an Ocean Sea of troubles wherein wee can see no firme land one waue falling vpon another ere the former haue wrought all his malice and spight Mischiefes striue for places as if they feared to loose their roomes if they hasted not So many good things as wee haue so many euill threaten their losse and depriuation besides many reall and positiue euils that afflict vs. Our life is lent vs as a ship to transport vs to the hauen of rest From the Cradle to the Graue we liue as it were vpon the stormy Sea neuer long quiet and at rest but troubled and tossed with the troublesome waues of this world which is a sea of hurtfull bitternesse it hath many waues of tribulations and tempests of temptations Men are here floating like fishes following and swallowing many hurtfull baites to their bane and destruction nay deuouring one another as the greater fishes doe the small It is a Sea swelling with pride blewish with enuy deepe and profound in couetousnesse no Plummet being able to sound the bottome of it casting out all that commeth in the way through excessiue miscarriage hauing a mercilesse man to swallow vp all it can get with insatiable oppression very dangerous to saile in by reason of the pernitious rockes of Desperation and Presumption lofty through the reciprocall waues of mens passions ebbing and flowing in inconstancie terrible salt through sinne very brynish are the waters thereof not to be brooked of Gods Children As in the sea are all sorts of fishes and that great Leuiathan that hath his pastime therein so there be in this world men of all natures and affections Wee can name no creatures of inclination neuer so cruell filthy and abhominable but here will be a copesmate of like qualitie and condition amongst the crowd and company of men This transitory world is a dungeon of ill sauours where vertue is poysoned with the puddle-water of vice where ranckor and despight chiefely raigne and all goodnesse is ouerwhelmed with malice where Heresie is an handmaide to sugred Hypocrisie where smooth hatred hidden ambition smiling enuy and wicked tyranny shrowd themselues Our life is encountred with capitall enemies Paine Care and Sorrow Paine bids the body battell Care continueth the skirmish and Sorrow giueth the victory This life is but a borrowed dreame of pleasure a vision of ioy a pageant of transitory delights What should I speake of the shortnesse and swiftnesse of the same It is like a Post saith Iob swiftly galloping away yet sometime hee that rideth so fast resteth and breatheth but our dayes passe away still without ceasing till wee come to our graues Our dayes passe away as the Barke of hasty messengers A ship is not made to rest but continually to sayle thorow the tempestuous sea and to set forward to the long desired hauen So are we not created to rest but to labour as the bird is made to flye vntill by Death wee be brought home to our happy Port of rest As the ship passeth thorow the Sea not leauing so much as any tracke in the waues so our life goes away swiftly and scarce leaues any signe thereof A ship is subiect to many dangers for it may be suncke by the least leake it may be ouerwhelmed with the waues it may be shiuered against the rockes it may perish by tempests it may be spoyled by Pirats so is our life subiect to many perils and may be taken from vs by a thousand dangers Our dayes flye away like an arrow and wee are kept vnder as a fogge chased by the Sunne beames and beaten downe by the heate thereof When the Sunne is at the highest the shadowes are the shortest but when it beginnes to decline and set then the shadowes well-neare change euery moment vntill they slip away with the darknesse that ensues So the dayes of all men passe away as a shadow at night which appeares the longest when it is nearest to an end Our dayes goe as an Eagle to her prey and what are men but the prey of Death which soareth after vs with an open mouth to deuoure vs Wee are as flowers and grasse and why doe wee not thinke when wee walke in the fields that Death in the hand of God is like vnto a Sythe in the hand of a labourer attending to cut vs downe euery houre Wee gather flowers in our garden and they fade presently and though wee leaue them there they wither before the euening and doe wee thinke to flourish alwayes and to haue our Spring-time continuall in this world Our dayes slide away like the winde and fayle without hope our bodies ebbe and turne backe like the course of waters all the time which thou seest flyes away with the time it selfe Nothing remaines of all that wee see Euen I while I am now writing that all things are changed am changed my selfe See therefore our folly that wee should so dearely loue a thing that so quickely leaues vs for euery moment of this life is the death of the other There is nothing in vs that will not by and by be dead onely our sinnes liue yea reuiue and grow young againe in despight of Nature Our Spring is fading our Lampe is wasting and the tyde of our life is drawing by degrees to a very low ebbe Whatsoeuer we doe our wheele whirles about apace and we must learne to know that euery one of vs hath a poore soule to saue And not to forget the cares of this life How doe they swarme about vs like the Flyes of Egypt Of all the plagues this was most loathsome for they neuer suffered men to rest but the more they were beaten off the more they came vpon them so of all miseries and vexations of mortall men this is
heauenly Canaan wee shall haue a spirituall Pharaoh with his Captaines like Grassehoppers to feed vpon vs yea the libertie which wee haue in Christ the corruption of our heart will labour to inuert to voluptuousnesse the sweetnesse which wee taste in his word the vanity of our mindes will endeuour to ouer-cast with drowsinesse the Faith which we ground on his promises the subtiltie of the Serpent will seeke to vndermine with doubtfulnesse the conscience wee make to offend the lusts of our flesh will contend for to couer with hypocrisie the detestation wee haue of sinne the concupiscence of our eyes will striue to ouer-reach with prophanenesse and the interest wee haue to heauen the pride of our liues will perswade vs to change for trifles Being freed from outward warre ciuill and intestine ariseth vp against vs our Affections against Reason and Will Earth troubleth Heauen and the World in our selues although wee greatly shunne it doe what wee can will haue a pauilion and tent in our hearts Yea those oftentimes who with tragicall and vehement words seem most to detest it are yet made so blinde with the glory thereof that the very shadow of ambition affecteth them Many I dare boldly say seeme to defie the World which meet and welcome the same with the kindest embracings This masking World in her strange disguised vizour not seldome flourisheth among such as seeme most to ahhorre her For alas wee are resident in the World and the World in vs so that wee cannot be free from the World except wee depart from our selues and what is this departure but death Some in flying the contagion of others are corrupted of themselues and in with-drawing from the societie of men yet deny not the olde man possessing them In the great deluge of this life Gods Children are tossed with raging stormes on euery side where no good footing or high place can be found for the Doue of Christ to rest her selfe Here is no sure peace nor secure quietnesse but warres on euery side and in all places contention and deadly foes The tempestuous sea torments vs wee are grieued at the heart and desirous to vomit and to be discharged thereof we remoue out of one ship to another from a greater to a lesse wee promise vnto our selues rest in vaine they being alwayes the same windes that blow the same waues that swell the same humours that are stirred to all there is no other port no other meanes of tranquilitie but onely death See the foolishnesse of the world and the infirmity of our flesh When God saith trouble shall come they say wee would haue ease when God saith be merry and reioyce in trouble wee lament and mourne as though wee were cast-awayes But this flesh which is neuer merry with vertue nor sorry with vice which neuer laugheth with grace nor weepeth with sinne holdeth fast with the world and giueth God the slip Thus wee may see our wretched estate in the flesh still crossing God and the saluation of our soules All our affections and wils with the whole force of Nature helpeth forward our destruction fightings without and terrours within World Flesh and Diuell ioyne together with Death for our damnation CHAP. VIII Of the power strength and sting of Death by meanes of the Law whose nature is here vnfoulded THe originall of Death we haue heard as also what it is who be subiect to it with the fearefull estate wherein they stand Now let vs further obserue that as the Diuell and man together brought in Death by sinne so it now being entred is become the very kingdome of the Diuell wherein hee raigneth By Death he triumphed ouer man whom hee seduced holding him fast in his owne fetters and shackles of sin which himselfe first found out and so leadeth him as his slaue and ruleth ouer him as his head for God did renounce man although hee created him and cast him off by meanes of sinne whom first he had made like vnto himselfe In that men die it proues they had sinned and sinne proues there is a law which law being broken bringeth Death for the wages of sinne is Death Now to conuince sinfull man the better of this his cursed estate God renewed his law first ingrafted in his nature but blotted out by his fall in Tables of Stone to shew the hardnesse of his heart that so as in a glasse hee might see his fearfull fall For amiddest the heapes of all other sins pride so possessed his heart that although he was nothing else but sin yet stil he deemed himselfe as innocent and righteous He was so blinded in his corruption that he knew not sinne in his colours vntill the law descried it And this is the common error of all his lynage that without the publishing of the law wee had not knowne our sinne I knew not sinne saith Paul but by the Law I had not knowne lust except the law had said thou shalt not lust but sinne tooke occasion by the Law and wrought in me all manner of lust so sinne by the Law grew out of measure sinnefull Such is the corruption of mans nature that it most eagerly desireth things that are most straightly denied which if they had not beene mentioned should not so much as haue beene dreamed of For though the flame of concupiscence be restrained by the damme and wall of Gods law yet is it not dryed vp in our mortall nature When the law was giuen to man in whom there is no grace sinne abounded three waies first seeing the law of God giuen vnto him as an helpe sinne laboureth to turne it to his hurt whom it securely before possessing lesse assaulted secondly Man naturally desireth liberty and freedome and flyeth seruitude and bondage by nature mans minde is crosse and peeuish and is swayed to contraries Stolne waters are the sweetest hid bread is pleasant So that by the prohibitions of the law charity in man being decayed the desire of euil increased which once increased made the things forbidden by the law more sweet and pleasant Thirdly for that the inhibition of euill things puts them more in remembrance of the things forbidden which very remembrance to nature corrupted is a prouoker and stirrer vp of filthy lust and desire Againe in that sinne abounded when the law entred it is to be vnderstood by an accidentall consequent for God sent not his law in cruelty and rigour but vpon good aduise and sound iudgement Sometime man seemeth to be whole and is sicke and because he feeleth not the sicknesse hee seeketh not for the Physition but the disease increasing with the griefe the Physition is sought by whose meanes the sicke and sore body may be cured So the law was giuen to such as were infirme and sicke in sinne that so they may seeke to the Physitian Iesus Christ to be healed Againe it entred the better to discouer sinne which without the light thereof
earth with as great violence as Ioab from the hornes of the altar whither he fled for a refuge to saue his life What will the wicked doe in the extremity of Gods iudgement whither will they turne them whose helpe will they craue when all things shall cause them to feare and proclaime open vengeance against them Aboue them shall be their Iudge offended with their sinnes beneath hell gaping to deuoure them on their right hand shall be their sinnes accusing them on the left hand the Diuels as tormentours ready to receiue them within them their conscience grieuing without them infinite damned soules wailing weeping and gnashing their teeth Good Lord what will wretched sinners doe inuironed with all these miseries how will their hearts sustaine these anguishes what way will they take to goe backe is impossible to goe forward is intollerable What then shall they doe but as Christ foretold desperately seeke for Death and shall not finde it cry to the Mountaines to couer them who yet shall not stirre to hide them they shall stand forlorne as miserable caitifes to their dreadfull and deadly doome Goe yee cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the Diuell and his Angels For in that man offendeth the Lord and creatour of all things he offendeth also all the creatures together in him whither therefore may he goe for as much as he hath made all things become enemies vnto him There is nothing now left to take his part euen so much as his owne conscience within him barketh out against him yea it is the duetie also of the faithfull to reioyce in the damnation of the wicked as well as to be glad for the saluation of Gods elect and howsoeuer to magnifie the righteousnesse of God The Rauens must haue Hogges garbages Partridges must be set vpon the board before Lords and great men A Murtherer must be laid vpon a Hurdle And it is as meete for Iudas to sit in Hell as for Saint Peter to sit in Heauen And vessels of dishonour are as necessarie for the glory of Gods house as precious vessels of gold for the honour of his seruice Yet this is the height of their horrour when the wicked had rather be tormented in hell then to see the face of Christ their fearefull Iudge wishing the very Mountaines to hide them and the Hils and Rockes to couer them from the glory of his presence Hitherto what Death is in it selfe Now it followeth to shew what it is through Christ to the faithfull The end of the first Booke THE SECOND BOOKE What DEATH is in Christ CHAP. I. Christ alone and none other can and doth redeeme vs from death and damnation WHat our fearefull estate is without Christ we haue heard before being holden in the shadow of death by the chaines of our sins the weight and burthen whereof is the law of God laid vpon vs Hell is our prison and Death is our Gaolor to hold vs. See how fast we are locked from God and his Saints in the dungeon of Death by the meanes of sinne which is a sword to the heart a serpent in the bosome poyson in the stomacke a thiefe in the house It woundeth Nature stingeth the conscience killeth charitie and depriueth vs of Gods fauour which is the worst of all Now in this distresse Christ came to visite vs in his due time euen God and man a right redeemer for vs he tooke our cause vpon him and wrestled with the Diuell that held vs by our sinnes in Death This mighty Sauiour tooke flesh and blood to take our part none could be our Mediatour but he alone none amongst the Angels for they are no men not any amongst the Saints for they were all sinners neither any amongst the other creatures for they were all corruptible so that we can neither giue gold nor siluer for the redemption of our soules neither can wee trust in the merits of Angels and Saints who all want vertue for this worke but onely in Christ the Sonne of God and man a meete redeemer for vs who is our Priest alone abiding for euer because he liueth for euer neither can his Priesthood be translated to another and as the sacrifice is his owne so hee is Priest alone to offer it to his Father which he did once for all vpon the Crosse for all belieuers All promise and hope of life is in Christ alone who hath alone the word of life who is alone the bread of life the water of life the author of life yea life it selfe he that beleeueth in him hath euerlasting life and hee that dwelleth not in him shall neuer see life but abideth still in death Take hold of Christ and take hold of life if thou reach out thy hand to any other thing thou catchest for the winde Looke not for life but where it dwelleth in the flesh of Christ alone there it resteth Death hath reigned in all the world beside and ledde euery creature into bondage If thou lookest to the heauens there is but clouds and darknes if to the earth there is but sorrow and sadnesse If thou callest to Abraham he knoweth thee not if thou cry to Angels they cannot comfort thee if thou looke into thy workes they are vncleane if thou trust in thy prayers the Lord hath no pleasure in them call for the helpe of all creatures they are subiect to vanitie there is no life nor rest but in Christ alone The elders and Angels the beasts and all creatures they giue this honour vnto Christ alone Saluation is to him that sitteth vpon the throne and of the Lambe and they all shoute together and say Amen He that would not wander and goe astray should know both whither and which way to goe Now both of those we haue in Christ alone very God and very man for in that he is God and consequently life to him wee must goe and in that he is man by him wee must come vnto God and be vnited with him that we may obtaine euerlasting life and be freed from death If he be the life then is he the place to whom we must goe if he be the way by him we must trauell to attaine eternall life and if he be the truth that is the accomplishment of the law and Prophets concerning both the shadowes and substance of Gods promises then also is he the onely meanes of our redemption God was so gracious and mercifull vnto mankinde that he bestowed not onely his goods but himselfe to redeeme vs and that not so much for his owne sake as for mans behoofe That man might be borne of God God was first borne of Man Who can hate man whose nature and likenesse hee beholdeth in the humanity of God Doubtlesse who so loueth not man hateth God and so abideth in death God became man for mans sake that he might be a redeemer as he was before a creatour that men not
run along as it were by the water side into a shade and that there should be nothing to crosse our desires who could vaunt that hee had serued God with good affection But when our way shall sometime be rough and ragged when one while wee shall enter into a quagmire and another while martch on craggy rockes and stones of temptations then shall wee haue the vse of a well exercised minde in prayer in repentance and in contempt of this life Thus it is requisite that Gods graces should not be idle in his Children but set on worke by afflictions whereby they may be knowne in due time and place as also be taught that though sometime they haue much in possession yet that they hold but little in affection and when God doth most aduance them to feare their wants of humilitie For if the Lord by multiplying his mercy increaseth our account we are often to suspect our selues for the vsing of Gods blessings who often giueth that in iudgement which he might denye vs in mercy and often waineth vs from some things in his loue which hee might giue vnto vs in his anger It is best here to be pressed and harrowed with the rake section 11 of Gods iudgements and blessed are they that to their owne saluation feele sorrow and griefe in their body whiles sinne may be both punished and purged It is better for vs to runne to the Lord in this life lest wee tarry till the Lord haue locked vs vp with the heauy fetters of desperation when hee shall summon vs to the barre of his Iustice and Iudgement in the sight of his Angels and impanelling the great Inquest of his Saints against vs shall denounce our fearefull and finall sentence of endlesse condemnation As Moses Rod saith one striking the hard Rocke brought forth water so the Rod of affliction falling vpon our stony hearts by the working of Gods Spirit mollifieth them to contrition and oftentimes brings forth euen flouds of teares to repentance One compareth the crosses of Gods Children to a Fyle of Iron that taketh away the rust of the soule to a Purgation cleansing the body from ill humours to a Furnace consuming the drosse and purifying the Gold c. Though the winde blow cold yet doth it cleanse the section 12 good graine though the fire burne hot yet doth it purifie the best Gold Afflictions are both sufferings and instructions Though God be a chastising Father yet a Father though a launching Physitian yet a Physitian and therefore one that loues and cures wee neede no more but lay open our griefe and let him alone with the saluing who seeth chastisements sometimes as necessary for the soule as medicines for the body When the waters of the Floud came vpon the face of the earth downe went starely Turrets and Towers but as the waters rose so the Arke rose still higher and higher In like sort when the waters of afflictions rise downe goeth the pride of life and lust of the eyes with the vanities of the world but our soules as in an Arke by a true and a liuely Faith ascend higher and higher and draw nearer and nearer towards the heauen of heauens Neyther neede Gods children care what crosses they sustaine For as there is none more shamefull then the Crosse of Christ so all the afflictions of Christians are accounted his If wee be poore despised imprisoned or whatsoeuer is the fruit of sinne betide vs God is not as man to turne away his face but wee are the more deare in his sight and euery crosse sealeth the loue of Christ who suffereth with vs who likewise was made sinne for vs who knew no sinne that wee might be made the righteousnesse of God in him Who then can be discouraged with the afflictions of this life or enuy at the wicked to see their ease and peace No no these be but broken weapons and cannot possibly enter to the heart of our soules onely let vs take heede of sinne that it raigne not ouer vs for therein Christ hath taken no part and by it onely we are separated from him section 13 When Gods children thinke themselues furthest off from the Lord they are nearest to him when they thinke themselues to be fullest of confusion then the Image of Christ is most liueliest within them The Lord may hide his face for a while euen a moment as hee did from Christ but hee must needes returne vnto vs with euerlasting compassions for the Image of his Sonne is cleare within vs. A blessed sorrow and woe full of happinesse that fashioneth these dayes of our vanitie to the likenesse of the age of Christ that with him at last wee might raigne for euer A precious countenance it is in the sight of God that appeareth without beauty in the eyes of men and an vnspeakable treasure of ioy and gladnesse engrauen in these vessels that are but earth and ashes When Christ is the patterne whose similitude wee beare who can be discouraged vnder the Crosse Vnto this hee hath predestinated vs that wee should be like vnto his Sonne in all afflictions and so be honoured with him in the day of glory Chrisostome saith very well that then wee haue most section 14 neede of Gods prouidence when we are deliuered from aduersities and then wee haue most cause of feare when wee are freed from dangers For like as wee doe much more feare the Lyon or Leopard when they are let loose then when they are chained vp so our vntamed affections when by prosperitie they are vnbrideled are much more to be feared then when by troubles they are curbed and restrayned Hee that will be able to beare the crosse of all crosses namely Death it selfe must first of all learne to vndergoe smaller crosses as sicknesse in body troubles of minde losse of goods friends and good name which may fitly be called little deaths and the beginnings of Death it selfe For the afflictions and calamities of this life are as it were the harbingers and purueyers of Death First therefore wee must learne to entertayne these messengers that when Death the Lord and Master himselfe commeth we may in better manner welcome him Whom God most loues those hee most proues by afflictions Why is it that in a Campe the most perillous section 15 actions and attempts are committed to the most couragious and valiant Souldiers Why doe Captaines send out the most choyse and resolute men of warre to giue the enemie a canvisado to discouer a way to winne a passage or to driue them away that guard the same There is none will say my Captaine hath done me wrong but rather hee holds mee in great esteeme So Gods children reioyce in their tryals whereas cowards and effeminate men lament and weepe God deales with his elect as Masters doe with their Schollers who set them the greatest taske of whom most hope is conceiued To be in daily dangers maketh vs lightly to esteeme the
holy life heauenly conuersation chearefull death and blessed daparture of the faithfull redeemed by Christ section 1 GOds children now being redeemed from Sinne and Death and truely vnited to Christ by his spirit whom they apprehend by an vnfained faith cannot chuse but shew forth the fruits of this their high calling to the glory of him that hath chosen them And being partakers of the diuine nature they flye from the corruptions of the world and giue all diligence to ioyne vertue with their faith and with vertue knowledge and with knowledge temperance and with temperance patience and with patience godlinesse and with godlinesse brotherly kindenesse and with brotherly kindenesse loue and these things being among them and abounding will keepe them from being idle and vnfruitfull The grace of God to them appeareth not in vaine but teacheth them to denie all vngodlinesse and worldly lusts to liue soberly righteously godly in this present world c. and being risen with Christ from the graue of corruption they euery day more and more seeke those things which are aboue setting their affections where Christ sitteth and not on the things that are on the earth for they are dead to the world and their true life is hid with God in Christ therefore they labour to be holy as he that hath called them to his kingdome and glory is holy They daily imploy themselues in reading and meditating of the word of God in prayer and religious exercises of holy deuotion loathing still this world and sinfull life daily growing to be spirituall and heauenly hauing their affections and zeale inflamed with the loue of God They say with Augustine O Lord I delight to heare of thee to talke of thee to write of thee to deuise of thee and in my heart to print whatsoeuer I learne of thee So must wee walke in these holy paths with all Gods Saints Godly deuotion and holy meditations saith one are section 2 as brine and pickle to keepe and preserue this corruptible flesh of ours from the euill scent that breedeth in our nature by originall sinne They are as faggots and firebrands that enkindle and inflame the loue of God in our hearts And as the fish out of the water die forthwith and the drops of raine distilling from the clouds vpon the ground doe quickly dry and drench vp and the fire without fuell is soone extinguished So our faith and loue c. without these sanctified meanes doe suddenly decrease They are as precious perfumes burnt in a polluted house and sick-mans chamber The sweet incense of prayer and the sauory smell of that odorifferous balme of a liuely faith and effectuall knowledge of God purge and clense the corruption of our liues and vncleane desires God hath chosen vs to be his glorious temple in whom hee dwelleth by his spirit therefore wee must haue our hearts purified by faith and clense our selues from all filthinesse and vncleanenesse both of bodies and soules and so adorne the place of his presence and habitation with all vertue and holinesse Hee that destroyeth the Temple of God him will God destroy for the Temple of God is holy which you are Saint Peter willeth vs to gird vp the loynes of our mindes teaching vs that as they which weare long garments when they come in the foule wayes doe take and gird them vp lest they should tag in the way So we whose mindes and affections doe traile as it were vpon the earth trudging through this foule and filthy world must heaue them vp towards heauen lest they should touch the damnable filth of sinne and wickednesse It is in vaine to boast of iustification without the vnfained sanctification of Gods spirit For as there can be no fire section 3 without warmth and light so neither can God by his spirit be in vs of with any of vs but he will also purifie vs from vice and corruption therefore wee must follow peace and holinesse without the which no man can see the Lord. Christ hath crucified our old man and put to death our vice and corruption and shall wee reuiue the same Shall we maintaine our Sauiours enemies and giue life againe to these deadly poysons of our soules If wee will be Burgesses of heauen we must be strangers to the earth Where is the house of our Father but in heauen and there dwelleth our eldest brother Iesus Christ and all our christian friends and kindred Heauen then is our true Country and on earth we are but trauellers section 4 When Moses had conuersed with God but fortie daies vpon the Mount-Oliue at his comming downe his face shined and glistered with heauenly glory So must we beholding in a mirror the glory of our Lord Iesus Christ in his word and Gospell as it were with open face and not with a vaile as did Moses be changed into the same image from glory to glory as by the spirit of the Lord. If I say but this short time while we liue we be conuersant in heauen by our most holy faith and fruits thereof in all holy affections thoughts words and meditations we shall in the end become heauenly and spirituall both in word and deede As wee see by experience when a country-man hath beene trayned vp sometime in the Court he forgetteth his clownish kinde of life and becommeth a Courtier Let vs therefore leaue the speaches habit fashions and manners of this wicked world wherein we liue and inure our selues with the customes and course of the court of Heauen Let all our thoughts words and communication testifie that in spirit wee are already there section 5 Christ Iesus whom all true Christians haue put on by baptisme as a garment is a most royall robe of grace holinesse and sanctification and shall we be so sloathfull to traile and trample him in the dyrt of filthinesse and sinne or putting him off to put on the vile and spotted garment of the flesh by following the lusts thereof When winter is once ouer the nearer that the Sunne draweth vnto vs the more doth the earth being warmed with the heate thereof fructifie and increase and the longer the daies are the more worke we may doe euen so the nearer the kingdome of heauen doth approach vnto vs by the comming of Iesus Christ the sonne of righteousnesse or the nearer we draw to death the more we should be inflamed in the loue of God and all good workes As the Sunne beames doe come to the earth and yet are in the region from whence they are sent so the mindes and soules of Gods children though conuersant in the earth are truely seated and setled with God in heauen from whence they came Let vaine-glorious worldlings who with the Camaelion section 6 liue by the ayre and therefore are alwaies found gaping and who haue with the Moone but a borrowed light in the world and no true light of
to desire to haue a thing whereof we doubt for being demanded whither they be sure to be saued they answer they can haue no assurance for then how could they hope Thus they make hope a doubtfull desire of a thing they wish instead of a present feeling of the thing they long for But we are then indeede the children of God if we hold the reioycing of our hope stedfast and sure vnto the end section 4 Neither must Christians be discouraged though their hoped-for glory come not so soone as it is looked for for God giueth them the plastour of patience which shall suffice and support their hope for he is sure that hath promised but not to be prescribed a time by vs but he must take his own time our patience must preuent al distrust Faith is the foundation of our hope for what can we hope for except we beleeue it as the ground of faith is the word promise for why should we beleeue but in respect of Gods promise Faith telleth vs we beate not the ayre hope biddeth vs hold on our race finish the course fight the combat and then expect the crowne of glory yea Faith is fastened by hope that it doe not wander and is continued by hope that it doe not hasten but wait the time it is confirmed by hope that we may hold on the Faith Example we haue in the Cananitish woman who suffered three denials of Christ each of them doubled with seuerall reproaches yet her faith was relieued by her hope and she had her desire So Iacob wrestled with God by Faith and in an assured hope told him flatly to his face that he would not let him goe vntill he had blessed him Faith will not flye or yeeld a foot to her spirituall foes and hope will neuer be foyled It is the sure and certaine anchor of safety to keepe both ship and sailes from dangerous shipwracke The saile that maketh the Ship of our life to ride merily section 5 amidst the loftie surges of the Sea of this troublesome world is our apparant and stedfast profession of faith in Christ taking hold of the middle-mast of his promises and nestling it selfe in them as Doues in the holes of rocks hoysting vp rhe harts of the godly aboue al earthly things giuing them a safe thorow-fare and free passage through all the stormes and tempests of this wretched life The Apostle bringeth forth a cloud of examples of such who by the sailes of faith haue passed the pikes of this dangerous nauigation and haue happily arriued at the heauenly hauen of rest A faithfull heart is furnished like a Ship of warre with shot and powder and other strong munition which will surely make all hellish Pyrots and fleshly force either to pull in their heads or betake them to their heeles The Diuell and diuellish men can neuer sinke our Ship with all their subtilties so long as wee cast our faith and hope vpon Christ Iesus the corner-stone but if it dash vpon the rockes of sinne it is in danger Ionahs sin had welnigh sunke the Ship A Ship may more safely carry any Passenger then a fugitiue which is a vagrant and runaway from God so saith Epiphanius So long therefore as the rocke of sinne is in our way we can make no way towards heauen wherefore let vs cast away our sinnes into the Sea as Ionah was for with this sacrifice the Sea of Gods wrath was appeased section 6 Wee can haue no certaine knowledge of heauenly things but by faith for such is their nature that they can no otherwise be knowne for some of them are passed and some to come some in heauen some in hell Againe God whom our faith principally apprehendeth dwelleth in that light that none can attaine wee must therefore beleeue the Sonne speaking of his Father search to whom the Sonne hath reueiled him since wee cannot see him with our eyes God onely is to be beleeued touching himselfe who onely knoweth himselfe and he well beleeueth God who beleeueth his teachers in whom God speaketh Neither is it strange why wee should beleeue God alone concerning himselfe since we must credit a mortall man touching his owne secrets whose spirit next God knoweth best what is in him Humane vnderstanding in diuine things is as the sight of an Owle against the Sunne Such things are knowne by faith in Gods word Since God is the highest it is not possible to reach him by the ladder of our reason no more then a Dwarfe can reach so high as a huge and tall Gyant Now we cannot see Gods face but he is couered vnder something as with a vaile yea sometime in such things as are contrary to his nature As for vs to behold his mercy in his anger In bringing vs to hell Faith seeth him bringing vs to heauen in darkenesse it beholdeth his brightnesse in hyding his face it beholdeth his chearefull countenance section 7 And did not Iob see God as they say vnder Sathans cloake for who cast fire from heauen vpon his goods who ouerthrew his house and slew his children who stirred vp strangers to driue away his cattell but Sathan himselfe and yet Iob peirced with the sight of his faith through all these instruments and actions confessing plainely that as the Lord had giuen them so the Lord had taken them away and so praised his name And how often did holy Dauid amidst the shadowes of Death see life it selfe For Faith is of things absent of things hoped for of things desired and can wee desire any thing wee know not and is there of heauenly things any other true knowledge then by faith grounded vpon the word of God Let vs send then our faith in beleeuing and our hope in expecting as Iosuah sent messengers before to view that heauenly countrie that God hath promised to giue vs and these messengers will bring vs word that the eye hath not seene nor the eare heard nor heart of man conceiued the excellencie thereof which should moue all faithfull men to giue this world willing farewell He that is eternall hath promised these things and he is section 8 eternall through whom he hath promised them and the things that be promised are eternall bringing eternall felicitie to the beleeuers and euerlasting destruction to the infidels Againe the gifts and graces of God are not without delay no delay in the creation no delay in the redemption no delay in the comming of the holy Ghost for suddenly it fell and shall we surmise a delay after the desolution of our bodies by death when we haue fought a good fight finished our course and kept the faith No no Christ Iesus standeth ready with a crowne in his hand ouer the heads of all his Saints to put it on when they haue put off this flesh Our saluation in Christ is alwayes fresh and new If once I be within the
new couenant it is an euerlasting couenant I was not taken vnder condition of time nor no time shall preuaile against mee Our Christian state and condition is not changeable as Adams was in Paradise but it is made sure in the body of Christ vnited with the person of the godhead so are the waies in which wee are led into it immutable Our faith is not extinguished our loue cannot be quenched our hope faileth not nor the holy spirit can euer be taken from vs but still they are new to vs to eternall life section 9 And as for the wicked they shall be as well able to saue themselues without God as to hurt vs hauing God and the worst they can doe is but to send vs to God And for Sathans darts cast out against vs they are turned aside in the armour of Christ his flouds can neuer drowne vs and his buffetings shall be as our preseruatiues against presumption Christ our head was wounded for our sins and is healed againe raigning and triumphing in heauen why then should we which beleeue in him haue our hearts heauie in earth as though the head had forgotten the body or any part thereof No let vs not doubt that he will suffer a haire thereof to perish which he so dearely purchased Michael I meane our captaine Christ hath conquered that dreadfull red dragon and subtill serpent with his leaders and liuetenants death and hell why should we be so much moued with any force of flesh and bloud or any mischiefe the world can worke vs section 10 Be of good cheare saith Christ I haue ouercome the world Seeing hee hath broken the head of our enemie what should his taile so much trouble vs Seeing hee hath taken away our sinnes what should any sorrow remaine amongst vs God doth not choose them worthy but in choosing them maketh them worthy He hath all in himselfe which hath himselfe and hee hath himselfe which hath God and he hath God who beleeueth and confesseth his creatour but he that hath lost his faith hath nothing else to loose Christ hath said it and it is a warrant to our wearied soules that those that his father hath giuen him may be where he is to behold his glory This is his will and who dare wrest it the head will haue his members the Bridegroome his spouse God his elect and Christ his redeemed and where will he haue them but where he is and that is in heauen So much what Death is in Christ Now followeth our preparation thereunto The end of the second Booke THE THIRD BOOKE Of preparation vnto DEATH CHAP. I. The necessitie of preparation with the motiues the remembrance of Death much auaileth thereunto to the godly and the carelesnesse of most men herein FOr as much as the best things are section 1 not easily attained vnto being so precious and excellent in themselues without the hardest labour and greatest attempt vile and easie things being vsually most common and these so rare Our most wise and prouident God to whet our affections and to sharpen our desires to heauen and heauenly things hath inioyned vs a taske to be performed before we can aspire to our happy perfection For hauing the sumptuous tower of our saluation to build we must first sit downe and reckon our costs it will stand vs in The crowne of glory being proposed wee must first fight the battaile of faith without being foyled And the garland of saluation being hung vp as it were before our eyes we must striue to run the race without tyring vntill we come to the goale where we must receiue the prize of our paines with endlesse profit section 2 The dominions of heauen I confesse are great and large but the way thither is narrow and straight and we must striue to enter in the wicket-doore is small and the throng great therefore we must vse a godly violence to thrust our selues in if we will be saued Now the way wee haue heard already and the doore of our entrance which is death hath sufficiently beene described It onely remaineth that we be christianly fitted and prepared for the entrance Constant therefore we must be in our course condition of life enioyned vs of God for what auaileth it the Sea-faring man to haue sailed safely through the surging Seas to haue escaped dangerous syrts and sands the craggie rockes and rough passages if yet he be sunke or sustaine Shipwrake in the hauen What profiteth it the Souldier or most corragious Captaine to haue giuen many on-sets in the battaile and foyles to his foes if yet he be killed before he ouercome It booteth not to run ourselues breathlesse in the race if we get not the goale and we shoote but at Rouers if wee misse the marke This world therefore being as a Sea a field a race and a marke to all Gods elect Let them so saile therein as they may come safely to the shoare so fight in this field that they may ouercome so runne that they may obtaine and so shoote that they misse not the marke that is that they may after this life come to the expectation of their hope end of their trauell euen the blessed immortalitie of euerlasting life section 3 We all with our lips confesse that we must die and that death is the gate either to heauen or hell and yet not one of vs amongst milions of men so religiously spend and passe their daies as hoping to goe to heauen or fearing the way to hell If we be once resolued that in extremitie of sicknesse we cannot escape with life there is none of vs that is not very sorry that euer he offended God liuing in drunkennesse adulterie deceit riot or in any such excesse or bad course of life without Gods feare then will euery one wish that he had better serued God c. Such are vaine mens complaints and late lamentations Yet now whiles God vouchsafeth meanes and time to liue why doe we not prepare our selues in time Why hasten wee not to liue in such sort as at the day of death wee wish we had For looke how Death leaueth a man so shall the last Iudgement finde him In this life there may be changes and conuersions from euill to good but after death there can be none at all for looke where the tree falleth there it lyeth whether towards the North or towards the South Neede wee haue ro gird vp our loynes and to get Oyle for our Lampes at all assayes for the sodaine and vncertaine comming of the Bridge-groome Our corrupt and cursed nature will still make vs carelesse section 4 of our end naturally wee are giuen to cocker our selues with fleshly dreames of continuall peace and securitie and there is none so olde but hee hopeth still to liue longer as though he were in league with Death and Graue But it is too late to beginne then to liue when wee must
violence of affliction though it soundly beat vs can separate vs from the loue of God nor the league with his creatures Into what fond vanities are we fallen if we would still be hedged in and enthralled in this vale of teares and not desire to ascend on that ladder which Iacob knew to be the gate of heauen the skirts whereof but seene and felt of the Apostles did so rauish all their sences with delight as that they onely vaunted in the crosses of Christ which was also their preseruatiue against the feare of death and their spurre and preparatiue to set the houses of their hearts in order before they descended to the graue We may learne by the very foode that nourisheth vs section 10 euen our meates and drinks to what loathsomnesse they come before they worke their perfection in vs. From life they are brought to death being dead to the fire so clean altered from that they were aliue from the fire they come to the trenchers and knife all to hackt and cut and from the trencher to the mouth and there be ground as small as the teeth can make them and so from the mouth to the stomacke there to be boyled and dressed before they be fit for our nourishment Is it then any maruell if Christians who are to be as Gods delicates and dainties in the life to come be now so defaced and deformed in this world as in a Kitchin and Mill to boyle and grinde them should by death and the graue be quite altered and changed for a time till they atchiue their happie perfection in the world to come And as we looke for no nutriment of our meate before it be digested So must we not expect for our happy state of heauenly blisse before the corruption of the world and flesh be first swallowed vp of immortalitie Raw flesh is not fit meate for the stomack nor vnmortified men meete for God and heauen till by death and graue they be altered and by Gods spirit renewed as fit Citizens for his kingdom Let vs therefore waite for sicknesse as the fore-runner of sleepe and welcome death as the sickle of the Lords haruest beholding our graue as the faithfull treasurie of our bodies and look vp to heauen as the vndoubted Paradise of our soules CHAP. VIII In what things our Christian preparation to Death doth chiefely consist section 1 HAuing indeauoured to remoue such impediments as hinder preparation and warned Gods children to auoide some dangerous rocks in this their narrow nauigation towards the hauen of death it seemeth now as necessarie for their better encouragement to set downe some safe directions to guide them in this perillous way that chearefully they may passe on without any stay till they ioyfully arriue at the land of heauenly rest Great prouision I confesse would be made for this long and waightie voyage but so many things being obserued by others I will briefely passe by them and come to the principall prouision it selfe And as for the disposing and well ordering of our goods section 2 and worldly state it is best to dispatch this businesse in the time of our strength and health before we be bound to our beds and haue to deale with sicknesse which troubleth all our senses with Physition with Death and Sathan himselfe which then will be most busie to molest vs neither will this so short a time suffice for so many waightie imployments Remember thy Creatour in the daies of thy youth saith the wise man Much more then ought we wholy to thinke on him in the time of sicknes when euery day is suspected to be the last day we haue to liue Many are affraide to make their Testaments betime as things infortunate and presaging euill but this is their ignorance and infidelitie For the disposing of our worldly goods and exempting our selues from earthly cares maketh none die more quickly but more quietly So had Ezechiah counsel from God to put his house in order Abraham deuided his goods to Isaac the rest of his Sons So Isaac dim sighted yet in good and perfect health tooke order for his children before his death So did Iacob for his Sonnes after his Fathers example Which duetie is very fit to be seasonably performed of euery Christian of any state or wealth for the cutting off of contention betweene brethren and kinsfolkes Besides that many diseases are so sharpe and sodaine they giue men small leasure to dispose of themselues much lesse so large a time as to order their goods and familie As he that dreamed of long life had suddenly his answere thou foole this night shall they take away thy soule Sodainely came the flood vpon the wicked world being eating and drinking and sodainely was Sodome consumed with fire amidst their fleshly pleasures Sodainly fell the Tower vpon the eighteene men in Syloah not expected and sodainely will Christ come in the cloudes as a theefe in the night But because all men for the most part are prouident inough for these worldly matters and meanes of state family friends Physicke c. I come to more necessarie matters concerning the soule against the time of neede section 3 The chiefest furniture and best prouision therefore for a Christian man against his death and departure out of life are faith hope and a conscience vndefiled Faith in Christ is as Noahs Arke to saue vs from drowning in the flood of our sinnes and from the deuouring of the dangerous gulfe of death amidst the proud waues and bottomelesse sea of our innumerable transgressions able to sinke and swallow vs vp with the wicked world And hope in God is as the vnmoueable anchor fastned to the almighty power of God as to the most strong and vntwineable cable ready prepared to keepe vs from Shipwrack of our soules in all the raging stormes fearefull tempest and rough passages of Death and Hell For albeit Death be a fray-bug to all faint-harted Souldiers and faithlesse men not built vpon Christ the corner stone by a liuely faith and vndoubted hope threatning and fearing them with the losse of life worldly wealth and all things else Yet the flocke of Christ doe scorne and despise her who account all the world with his wealth and pleasures but dung and drosse yea all things losse to win the loue of Christ Their riches and treasures are placed on high whither their affections and delights were sent before not basely groueling and crawling vpon this filthy earth below but aspyring and climing to the heauen of heauens whither long before they were ascended and setled All earthly things to them are but as toyes and trifles their inheritance is in heauen there is the true portion of their cuppe there be the Iemmes and Iewels that they affect euen such as are safe from rust and free from corruption And thither they are assured by death to be speedily conuayed section 4 He that hath not
much better art thou then a graine of corne when thorow corruption thou shalt come to incorruption thy glory then shall be vnspeakeable and all things shall serue thee Thy hope now if thou couldest in large it a thousand section 6 fold yet it shall be greater then thou canst imagine and thy faith if it could apprehend more assurance of immortalitie then the clearest eye doth of the light of the Sunne yet thou shalt finde the fruit of it aboue all thy thoughts This thou seest if thou see Christ by faith and this thou knowest to be true if thou knowest thy selfe to be one with him The keeping greene of Noahs Oliue-tree vnder the flood the budding againe of Arons rod the deliuerance of Ionah from the depth of the Sea the voyce that calleth come againe ye children of men the hope that Iob hath to see God with the selfe-same eyes the dry bones that should come bone to bone and be knit together with sinewes c. may stirre vp in vs a ioyfull hope and cheere our pensiue soules against the feare of death and doubt of our resurrection but aboue all the rising againe of Christ The voyce of Christ is thorow Christ the voice of Christians saith Augustine Death where is thy sting Hell where is thy victory If the sinne of Adam who was a liuing soule was the cause that Death reigned ouer all men much more the resurrection of Christ who is a quickning spirit shall be of power to raise vp all beleeuers to the hope of a blessed and eternall life section 7 As Christ in dying shewed what we should suffer so by his rising from death he declared what wee should hope for For all the bones in Golgatha shall rise and those that sleepe in the dust shall awake Wherefore though Death doe swallow vs vp as the Whale did Ionah and binde vs hand and foot as the Philistims did Sampson yea seale the Sepulcher vpon vs as the Iewes did vpon our Lord Iesus yet wee shall come forth and breake the bands as the bird out of the snare the snare shall be broken and we shall be deliuered Christ our head and Captaine raigneth now most gloriously in heauen and as a most victorious conqueror hath led away captiue Death Sinne and Diuell in shew and open triumph Wherefore we may no lesse assure our selues that we shall rise againe and raigne with God for seeing he hath taken our flesh and suffered for our sins and hath borne the iudgement and curse of God in himselfe and died for our redemption so may we be as sure and certaine our flesh shall rise againe in him and be exalted vnto the glory of God aboue the highest heauens And therefore hee is called the first fruits of them that sleepe in him the first borne among the dead so called indeede because hee is the first and onely one which is risen againe by his owne diuine nature and power As the onely spring and originall fountaine of the resurrection of life to all the faithfull which die and rise againe in him and onely by him Hee hath giuen vs a pledge and taken one of vs to put vs out of doubt He hath taken our flesh which hee hath carried into heauen to put vs in possession and he hath giuen vs his holy spirit for an earnest to seale his promises in our hearts witnessing to our spirit that we are the Sonnes of God and co-heires with Iesus Christ to raigne with him in glory Seeing then that wee are the children of God and haue section 8 the seede of God remaining in vs wee must not doubt but that as Christ hath made vs partakers of his diuine nature euen as it hath pleased him to take part of ours to become true man to make vs Gods that is diuine and spirituall that euen as the corne that is sowne in the ground doth die in the same and after groweth and taketh roote springeth eareth and bringeth forth fruit for the haruest so should wee be well assured that when wee die and haue our bodies sowne as it were as seede in the earth yet that they shall againe be quickned in Christ and rise againe to immortall life for as much as we carry with vs the warmenesse of Gods spirit which cannot die And though our flesh doe rot yet shall the spirit of section 9 Christ deliuer our bodies from corruption which shall againe be raised vp by the vertue of him that raised vp Christ from the dead and so shall our dead members be made aliue againe He that neuer saw a haruest seeing the Plow-man taking so much paines to till the earth to spread it with dung and after to cast faire Wheate into the field he would thinke that this man were mad but seeing after the happy haruest that should come of it he would change his minde and say that the husband-man had done an excellent worke Now this life is the time to till to dung and to sow the soyle but the happy haruest shall follow hereafter Let vs not change the course of the seasons neither yet let vs seperate them the one from the other But let vs ioyne the time of death with the glorious day of our resurrection and so assuring our selues that hauing sowed with teares we shall reape with ioy CHAP. X. Very fruitfull and necessary considerations much auailing to our Christian preparation for death section 1 ANd to the end that we may be most chearfully resolued to finish our course with ioy let vs alienate our affections and thoughts from the earth and worldly cares hauing our whole soules and senses as much as in vs lieth rauished with heauen and heauenly things Let them be the matter of our speech the subiect of our thoughts and our alone meditations So shall we in time become diuine and loath this sinfull life Let vs seriously make vse of our knowledge and godly readings ioyning our experience with the same in our selues and Gods Saints on earth Let our skill herein not onely be contemplatiue but practique for the good of our selues section 2 Let vs not descant and discourse as carnall men can doe for a time which often can say and confesse that they are mortall and sinfull that they are but dust and clay and that their bodies are as tabernacles set vp for a time and quickly to be remoued being without foundation Let vs not onely say for fashion sake that we are strangers vpon the earth and soiourners as all our Fathers were c. but be willing indeede with good Abraham when the Lord shall call and command vs to leaue our owne country and remoue our tents to pitch them where hee pleaseth And so to follow him with all obedience where he will leade vs. He abode saith the Apostle in the land of promise as in a strange country as one that dwelt in tents for he looked for a
of all misery and the beginning of all blessednesse It is the very bed of Downe saith one and therefore well compared to a sleepe for the dolefull bodies of Gods seruants to rest on out of the which they shall arise and awake most fresh and lusty to euerlasting life It is a passage to the Father a chariot to heauen the Lords messenger a leader vnto Christ a going to our home a deliuerance from bondage and prison a dimission from warre a securitie from all sorrowes and a manumission from all miseries It is the fulfilling of our pilgrimage the laying downe of our burden being loaden the lighting from a wilde and furious horse a dispossessing of our selues from an old ruinous house it is the escaping of all dangers the wasting and diruption of all euils the payment of our naturall debt the end of our race and iourney and our entrance into glory Wherefore though Death in it selfe be as a fiery Dragon section 13 venemous Cockatrice and stinging Serpent for poore Christians to behold in outward shew and shape yet now through Christ who hath conquered it it can neuer preuaile against vs to ouercome vs. For as a Bee without a sting may be put into the bosome so need wee not to feare to meete with death Serpent still shee may seeme in sight to the outward man yet voyd of poyson shee is to the man of God Fight it may against vs but neuer be able to foyle vs nay rather it deliuereth vs from a thousand dangers The Souldier though hee be neuer so expert in his weapons yet still hee desireth the end of warre to inioy the triumph of his fight and alwayes preferreth the comfortable league of peace before the Pikes The Mariner though hee delight and loue to saile on the seas yet still hee perswadeth himselfe the shoare to be the safest and there is no Countrey so comfortable to the traueller as is his natiue soyle If a man were shut vp in a miserable darke prison with condition hee should not come forth till the wals of the tower were fallen downe would hee not reioyce to see them ruinous and ready to fall Now our soule is kept in the body as in a prison in captiuitie and bands and when by death it beginnes to be shaken and cannot choose but fall shall we be sorry For then indeede approacheth our deliuerance and freedome from all sinne and misery and presently wee are brought to the ioyfull fruition of God himselfe and all happinesse So that this day of death is better then the day of birth yea this day which thou fearest to be thy last shall be thy natiuitie to euerlasting life And indeede we cannot make the world to dye in vs section 14 except we dye our selues Sinne which is in vs liueth in vs and fighteth against vs vntill we dying it also dye with vs and by death alone the deadly assaults of Sathan our chiefe enemy dye forthwith Yet for all this the last day of our life is vnto vs alwayes the first day to life though we neuer account the first day to be the last The things that God will haue come to passe saith one are alwayes springing and things present doe alwayes decay and perish Those things that are past are cleane dead and consumed We then are dying while we liue and then doe we cease from dying when we doe cease to liue Therefore it is better to dye alwayes to liue then to liue to dye euer One saith well to this purpose that life and death haue deceiuable vizards but let vs cast them off and wee shall change our mindes when vnder the fayre forme of life there is nothing but matter of griefe and vnder the foule and hideous maske of death such beauty and felicitie as we shall presently be taken with her loue The way of this life is straite and narrow full of thornes section 15 and bryers that we cannot escape scratching The way to Canaan is cumbersome ouer hils and mountaines and lyeth through the wildernesse where we shall finde many wants yet may we not be discouraged but the rather be assured wee are going to the promised Land We must all arriue at the port of death and land at his stayres when wee passe from this life to our graues where the body abideth the time of the restauration of all things that with all the coheyres of Christ we may enter into the Land of promise And who being a traueller in forraine parts would not gladly hasten homewards who would not willingly sayle to his friends and desire a lusty gale of winde to speede him that he might sooner see the faces of his dearest kindred If wee looke for our felicitie here we are deceiued Elias must goe to heauen in a whirle-winde God will send Iacob an Angell of comfort in his iourney after all his troubles with Laban and God will bring him home with abundance of increase at the last When old Iacob saw the chariots of Egypt then he perceiued section 16 his sonne Ioseph was aliue then his fainting spirit reuiued I will goe see him said hee before I dye Our true Ioseph liueth euen Iesus our Sauiour and seeing wee can not see him liuing let vs willingly goe by the chariots of death Since man cannot see God and liue let me dye O Lord that I may see thee When we are borne saith one wee are mortall but when wee are once dead wee become immortall We are aliue in the wombe to die in the world but wee are dead in the graue to liue in heauen Here the soules of Gods children are pent and pind within the clayie wals of their corruptible bodies where they may looke as it were thorow the yron grates of their busie thoughts but can neuer quite be released till that God who gaue vs our Mittimus into this layle send vs our deliuery with a Returne yee sonnes of Adam To be short what other thing is this death but after a section 17 long conflict the day of victory the birth of a blessed soule after a great trauell as it were in childe-birth the healing of all wounds and sicknesses the deliuerance from all feare the accomplishing of our sanctification the day of our marriage with the Lambe and the enioying of our desires Who is it then among vs who feeling with S. Paul the bondage of sin would not also cry out with him Who shall deliuer mee from this body of death And feeling the good that death bringeth vnto vs will not also desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ Death and Life are as two twins vnited and knit together vntill the seperation of the soule and the body which seperation is called Death and is rather indeede the deadly stroake of death the body being then exempted from paine and the soule from corruption and sinne waiting vntill the remnants of death be swallowed vp in victorie at the day of
brought so lowe but they can cast their eyes to Heauen When they haue none other to deliuer them they can deliuer themselues by faithfull prayer So Ionah was heard out of the Whales belly Daniell out of the Lyons denne Moses at the red Sea Dauid out of the deepe all these wonderfully perplexed and ouerwhelmed with outward sorrowes yet heard and deliuered by faithfull prayer He onely called vpon Gods name in the dungeon True and faithfull prayer must be made and directed doctrine 2 to God alone Thou that hearest the prayer to thee shall all flesh come Whosoeuer calleth vpon the name of the Lord shall be saued For this is Gods commandement with his promise annexed that we call vpon him in our troubles and he will helpe vs. Aske and you shall haue saith Christ seeke and you shall finde knocke and it shall it be opened vnto you reason 1 It is a part of Gods worship and seruice Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue In the dayes of Enosh sonne of Seth men began to call on the name of the Lord that is they began to be religious and professed the same by calling on Gods name Therefore God vpbraideth Iacob for not calling vpon him and saith Israell had wearyed him in not performing this seruice and going reason 2 to other Againe to call vpon creatures is without any warrant and whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne and it crosseth the reason 3 practise of all Gods Saints doubtlesse thou art our father though Abraham be ignorant of vs and Israell know vs not yet thou O Lord art our father and our redeemer thy name is for euer Which doctrine serueth to direct vs to God alone in our prayer and supplications being according to his word vse 1 and will a worship which is proper vnto him and which he requireth at our hands a most safe warrantable course still practised in Gods church agreeable to the forme of Christs prayer a most perfect patterne for vs to follow and Christ himselfe doth assure vs that whatsoeuer we aske the father in his name he will giue it vs if as S. Iohn saith we aske it according to his will vse 2 It likewise confuteth all pagans and papists which cry to their Baal from morning to euening roaring like beasts that pray to angels and Saints and other creatures that offer so many sacrifices of praier and praise to the Queene of heauen deuising I know not how many Letanies and Dirges to He-Saints and Shee-Saints with the multitude whereof they haue stuffed their Kalenders till their be no roome and to fill vp their accompt haue cannonized and inuested a number of Traitours to God and their gouernours in time past who more iustly may be placed in hell then haue the meanest roome in heauen yet these be their goodly intercessours that must haue their prayers I called vpon thy name As one acquainted with Gods power he dependeth alone vpon his prouidence and protection Obserue againe from hence doctrine 3 That true and effectuall prayer is and must be grounded vpon the assured knowledge of gods name and power Therefore he that will come to God saith the Apostle must beleeue that God is and that he is a rewarder of them that seeke him They that know thy name hauing experience of thy grace and might will put their trust in thee for thou Lord hast not failed them that seeke thee The name of the Lord is a strong tower the righteous runne vnto it and are exalted being beaten from their standings as poore souldiers in the field yet the name of the Lord is their sure defence and onely refuge Dauid assuring himselfe of Gods protection and resting vpon his name and power secureth himselfe against all assaults as one that is in the strongest castle and surest hold be dare come forth into the field and challenge all his foes when once he hath got the Lord to be his shield and buckler then Abraham neede not to feare wheresoeuer he goeth Now as calling vpon Gods name is a most speciall meanes to deliuer vs from our greatest dangers so How I pray you shall they call vpon him in whom they haue not beleeued and how shall they beleeue on him of whom they haue not heard Such aske and haue not because they aske amisse All Gods promises are intailed to those alone that doe beleeue such are within his couenant which he hath indented and sealed yea deliuered with his hand for the vndoubted assurance of their deliuerance Such may but aske and haue if they doe but knock the dore shall be opened Be it vnto thee saith Christ according to thy faith O woman great is thy faith If Gods children haue faith in their hearts it beareth downe all before it and breaketh through all manner of lets and hinderances in the world it ouercomes the world and vanquisheth the diuell and he that truly hath it may challenge the force of all the creatures if they should lay siege against him For there is nothing impossible vnto faith which onely is grounded vpon God and his word So that we must know our faith in God by our knowledge of God If we haue no word we haue no warrant our faith is but infamy This made Paul to suffer with chearefulnesse for the gospell and was not ashamed for I know whom I haue beleeued and I am perswaded he is able to keepe that which I haue committed to him against that day so saith Peter let them that suffer according to the will of God commit their soules to him in well doing as to a faithfull creatour So sure and well knowne is God to the faithfull that they put both bodies and soules life and goods with all things else to his disposing For faith is the ground of things hoped for and an assured euidence of things that are not seene it maketh things absent as though they were present and maketh things promised so certaine as if they were performed The consideration whereof must make vs very industrious vse 1 in prayer and painefulnesse for the obtaining of true faith and attayning to the sound knowledge of God which in a Christian are alwaies inseperable and so to vse the meanes whereby they may bee come by and increased which are the Word and the Sacraments experience of gods loue examples of good men and their conference delighting in Gods Sabaoths and holy assemblies c. vse 2 Secondly it confuteth all ignorant sencelesse and carelesse Christians that are ready to content themselues with any formall faithlesse prayer which indeed is but lip-labour and full of distrustfulnes whereby they prouoke the Lord against them rather then obtaine any blessing making him a weary of their seruice and to hide his face The very prayers and sacrifice of such vngodly ignorant and faithlesse persons are