God c. Lo the holiest man may not be exempted from the dread but from the slavish fear of the great Judge We know his infinite justice we are conscious to our selves of our manifold failings how can we lay these two together and not fear But this fear works not in us a malignant kinde of repining at the severe Tribunal of the Almighty as commonly whom we fear we hate but rather a careful endeavour so to approve our selves that we may be acquitted by him and appear blameless in his presence How justly may we tremble when we look upon our own actions our own deserts but how confidently may we appear at that Bar where we are beforehand assured of a discharge Being justified by faith â—we have peace with God through Jesus Christ our Lord. When we think of anâ— universal conflagration of the world how can we but fear but when we think of an happie restitution of all things in this day how can we but rejoyce in trembling § 4. In that great and terrible Day our Advocate is our Judge Thou quakest at the expectation of the last Judgement Surely the very Majestie of that great Assize must needs be formidable And if the very delivery of the Law on Mount Sinai were with so dreadful a pomp of Thunder and Lightning of Fire Smoke Earthquakes that the Israelites were half dead with fear in receiving it with what terrible magnificence shall God come to require an account of that Law at the hands of the whole sinful generation of mankinde Represent unto thy thoughts that which was shewed of old to the Prophet Daniel in Vision Imagine that thou sawest the Ancient of days sitting upon a Throne like the fiery flame 〈◊〉 a fiery stream issuing and coming forth from before him thousand thousands ministring unto him and ten thousand times ten thousand standing before him the judgement set and the Books opened Or as John the Daniel of the New Testament saw a great white Throne and him that sate on it from whose face the earth and the heavens fled away and the dead both small and great standing before God and the Books opened and the dead judged out of those things which were written in those Books according to their works Let the eyes of thy minde see before-hand that which these bodily eyes shall once see and tell me how thou feelest thy self affected with the sight of such a Judge such an appearance such a process And if thou findest thy self in a trembling condition cheer up thy self with this That thy Judge is thine Advocate That upon that Throne there sits not greater Majestie then Mercie It is thy Saviour that shall sentence thee How safe art thou then under such hands Canst thou fear that he will doom thee to death who died to give thee life Canst thou fear he will condemn thee for those sins which he hath given his blood to expiate Canst thou fear the rigour of that Justice which he hath so fully satisfied Canst thou misdoubt the miscarriage of that soul which he hath so dearly bought No my son all this divine state and magnificence makes for thee Let those guilty and impenitent souls who have heaped unto themselves wrath against the day of wrath quake at the glorious Majestie of the Son of God for whom nothing remains but a fearful expectation of judgement and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries But for thee who art not onely reconciled unto God by the mediation of the Son of his love but art also incorporated into Christ and made a true limb of his mystical Body thou art bidden together with all the faithful to look up and lift up thy head for now the day of thy reâ—emption is come And indeed how canst thou do other since by vertue of this blessed union with thy Saviour this glory is thine every member hath an interest in the honour of the Head Rejoyce therefore in the day of the Lord Jesus and when all the Tribes of the earth shall wail do thou sing and rejoyce and call to the heavens and the earth to bear thee company Let the heavens rejoyce and let the earth be glad let the sea make a noise aud all that is therein let the field be joyful and all that is in it Then shall all the trees of the wood rejoyce before the Lord for he cometh for he cometh to judge the earth and with righteousness to judge the world and the people with his truth §. 5. Frequent meditation and due prepaâ—ation the remedies of our â—ear Thou art affrighted with the thought of that Great Day Think of it oftner and thou shalt less fear it It will come both surely and suddenly let thy frequent thoughts prevent it It will come as a thief in the night without warning without noise let thy careful vigilance always expect it and thy soul shall be sure not to be surprised not to be confounded Thine Audit is both sure and uncertain sure that it will be uncertain when it will be If thou wilt approve thy self a good Steward have thine account always ready set thy reckoning still even betwixt God and thy soul Blessed is the servant whom his Master shall finde so doing Look upon these heavens and this earth as dissolving and think with Jerome that thou hearest the last Trump and the voice of the Archangel shrilling in thine ears as once thou shalt Arise ye dead and come to judgement Shortly let it be thy main care to live soberly righteously and godly in this present world looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity Who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like to his glorious body according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself Comforts against the fears of our spiritual enemies § 1. The great power of evil spirits and their restraint THou art affrighted at the thought of thy spiritual enemies No marvel Neither earth nor hell hath any thing equally formidable Those three things which are wont to make enmity dreadful and dangerous Power Malice Subtilty are met in them neither is it easie to say in which of these they are most eminent Certainly were we to be matcht with them on even hand there were just cause not of Fear onely but Despair I could tremble thou sayst to think what Satan hath done what he can do what contestation he enabled the Egyptian Sorcerers to hold with Moses how they turned every man his rod into a Serpent so as they seemed to have the advantage for the time of many Serpents crawling and hissing in Phoraoh's pavement for one How they turned the waters into blood How they brought Froggs upon the Land of Egypt 〈◊〉 as if thus far the power of hell would
counsel of the Wise man My son in thy sickness be not negligent but pray unto the Lord and he will make thee whole Art thou soul-sick pray So did holy David The sorrows of hell compassed me about and the snares of death prevented me In my distress I called upon the Lord and cried unto my God Art thou infested with importunate temptations Pray So did S. Paul when the messenger of Satan was sent to buffet him Thrice I besought the Lord that it might depart from me So did David Whiles I suffer thy terrours I am distracted thy fierce wrath goeth over me But unto thee have I cried O Lord and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee Art thou disheartned with the weakness of grace Pray so did David I am feeble and sore broken I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart Lord all my desire is before thee Art thou afflicted with the slanders of evil tongues Pray So did David The mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful are opened against me they have spoken against me with a lying tongue Hold not thy peace O God of my praise Art thou grieved or affrighted with the Publike Calamities of War Famine Pestilence Pray So good Jehosaphat presseth God with his gracious promise made to Solomen If when evil cometh upon us as the sword judgement or pestilence or famine we stand before this house and in thy presence and cry unto thee in our affliction then thou wilt hear and help and shuts up his zealous supplication with Neither know we what to do but our eyes are upon thee Art thou afflicted with the loss of friends Pray and have recâ—urse to thy God as Ezekiel when Peletiah the son of Benaiah died Then fell I down upon my face and cried with a loud voice and said Ah Lord God! wilt thou make a full end of the remnant of Israel Art thou distressed with Poverty Pray So did David I am poor and needy and my heart is wounded within me I became also a reproach to them when they that looked upon me shaked their heads Help me O Lord my God Oh save me according to thy mercy Art thou imprisoned Pray So did Jonah when he was shut up within the living wals of the Whale I cried by reason of my affliction unto the Lord so did Asaph Let the sighing of the Prisoner come before thee according to the greatnesse of thy power preserve thou them that are appointed to die Art thou driven from thy Country pray This is the remedy prescribed by Solomon in his supplication to God If thy people be carried away into a Land far off or near yet if they bethink themselves in the Land whither they are carried and turn and pray to thee in the Land of their Captivity If they return to thee with all their hearts and pray towards the Land which thou gavest to their Fore-fathers c. then hear thou from heaven their prayer and their supplication Art thou bereaved of thy bodily senses Make thy addresse to him that said Who hath made mans mouth or who maketh the dumb and the deaf or the seeing or the blind have not I the Lord Cry aloud to him with Bartimeus Lord that I may receive my sight And if thou be hopelesse of thine outward sight yet pray with the Psalmist O Lord open thou mine eyes that I may see the wondrous things of thy Law Art thou afflicted with sterility pray so did Isaac so did Hannah she was in bitternesse of soul and prayed unto the Lord and wept sore and received a gracious answer Art thou troubled and weakned with want of rest pray so did Asaph I complained and my spirit was overwhelmed Thou holdest mine eyes waking I am so troubled that I cannot speak I cryed to God with my voice unto God with my voice and he gave ear unto me Dost thou droop under the grievances of old age pray so did David Oh cast me not off in the time of old age forsake me not when my strength faileth O God thou hast taught me from my youth Now also when I am old and gray-headed O God forsake me not Art thou troubled and dismayed with the feares of death pray so did David My soul is full of troubles and my life draweth nigh unto the grave I am counted with them that goe down into the pit I am as a man that hath no strength Free among the dead thou hast laid me in the lowest pit in darknese in the deeps But unto thee have I cried O Lord and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee Dost thou tremble at the thought of judgement So did the man after Gods own heart My flesh trembleth for fear of thee and I am afraid of thy judgements Look up with Jeremiah and say to thy Saviour O Lord thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul thou hast redeemed my life O Lord judge thou my cause Lastly art thou afraid of the power malice subtilty of thy spirituall enemies pray so did David Deliver me from mine enemies O my God defend me from them that rise up against me Oh hide me from the secret counsell of the wicked Consider mine enemies for they are many and they hate me with cruell hatred O keep my soul and deliver me So did S. Paul pray that he might be freed from the messenger of Satan whose buffets he felt and was answered with My Grace is sufficient for thee so he sues for all Gods Saints May the God of peace tread down Satan under your feet shortly Shortly what ever evill it be that presseth thy soul have speedy recourse to the throne of Grace pour out thy heart into the eares of the Father of all mercies and God of all comfort and be sure if not of redresse yet of ease We have his word for it that cannot not fail us Call upon me in the day of trouble I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie mee Fashionable suppliants may talk to God but be confident he that can truly pray can never be truly miserable Of our selves we lie open to all evils our rescue is from above aud what entercourse have we with heaven but by our prayers Our prayers are they that can deliver us from dangers avert judgements prevent mischiefs procure blessings that can obtain pardon for our sins furnish us with strength against temptations mitigate the extremity of our sufferings sustain our infirmities raise up our dejectednesse increase our graces abate our corruptions sanctifie all good things to us sweeten the bitternesse of our afflictions open the windows of heaven shut up the bars of death vanquish the powers of hell Pray and be both safe and happy FINIS Gen. 48. 16. a Ps. 32 3 Job 10 1. Job 7. 11
Didst thou conceive my son that grace would put thee into a constant and pepetually-invariable condition of soul whiles thou art in this earthly warfare Didst thou ever hear or read of any of Gods prime Saints upon earth that were unchangeable in their holy dispositions whiles they continued in this region of mutability Look upon the man after Gods own heart thou shalt finde him sometimes so courageous as if the spirits of all his Worthies were met in his one bosom How resolutely doth he blow off all dangers trample on all enemies triumph over all cross events Another while thou shalt finde him so dejected as if he were not the man One while The Lord is my Shepherd I shall lack nothing Another while Why art thâ—â— so sad my soul and why art thou so disquieted within me One while I will not be afraid for ten thousands of the people that have set themselves against me round about Another while Hide me under the shadow of thy wings from the wicked that oppress me from my deadly enemies who compass me about One while Thy loving kindness is before mine eyes and I have walked in thy truth Another while Lord where are thy loving kindnesses Yea dost thou not hear him with one breath professing his confidence and lamenting his desertion Lord by thy favour thou hast made my mountain to stand strong Thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled Look upon the chosen vessel the great Apostle of the Gentiles one while thou shalt see him erecting trophies in himself of victory to his God In all these things we are more then conquerours through him that loved us Another while thou shalt finde him bewailing his own sinful condition Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death One while thou shalt finde him caught up into the third heaven and there in the Paradise of God another while thou shalt finde him buffeted by the messenger of Satan and sadly complaining to God of the violence of that assault Hear the Spouse of Christ whether the Church in common or the faithful soul bemoaning her self I opened to my Beloved but my Beloved had withdrawn himself and was gone my soul failed when he spake I sought him but I could not finde him I called him but he gave me no answer Thus it will be with thee my Son whiles thou art in this frail flesh the temper of thy soul will be like her partner subject to vicissitudes Shouldst thou continue always in the same state I should more then suspect thee This is the difference betwixt Nature and Grace That Nature is still uniform and like it self Grace varies according to the pleasure of the giver The Spirit breathes when and where it listeth When therefore thou findest the gracious spirations of the holy Ghost within thee be thankful to the infinite munificence of that blessed Spirit and still pray Arise O North and come thou South winde â—blowe upon my garden that the spices thereof may slow out But when thou shalt finde thy soul becalmed and not a leaf stirring in this garden of thine be not too much dejected with an ungrounded opinion of being destituted of thy God neither do thou repine at the seasons or measures of his bounty that most free and infinitely-beneficent agent will not be tied to our terms but will give what and how and when he pleaseth Onely do thou humbly wait upon his goodness and be confident that he who hath begun his good work in thee will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. § 10. Complaint of unregeneration and deadness in sin answered It is true thou saist if God had begun his good work in me he would at the last for his own glories sake make it up But for me I am a man dead in sins and trespasses neither ever had I any true life of grace in me some shew indeed I have made of a Christian profession but I have onely beguiled the eyes of the world with a meer pretence and have not found in my self the truth and solidity of those heavenly vertues whereof I have made a formal ostentation It were pity my son thou shouldst be so bad as thou makest thy self I have no comfort in store for hypocrisie no disposition can be more odious to the God of truth in so much as when he would express his utmost vengeance against sinners he hath no more fearful terms to set it forth then I will appoint him his portion with the hypocrites Were it thus with thee it were more then high time for thee to resolve thy self into dust and ashes and to put thy self into the hands of thine Almighty Creatour to be moulded anew by his powerful Spirit and never to give thy self peace till thou findest thy selfâ— renewed in the spirit of thy minde But in the mean while take heed lest thou be found guilty of mis-judging thine own soul and mis-prising the work of Gods Spirit in thee God hath been better to thee then thou wilt be acknown of Thou hast true life of grace in thee and for the time perceivest it not It is no heed to take of the doom thou passest upon thy self in the hour of temptation When thy heart was free thou wert in another minde and shalt upon better advice return to thy former thoughts It is with thee as it was with Euâ—ychus that fell down from the third loft and was taken up for dead yet for all that his life was in him We have known those who have lien long in trances withovt any perception of life yea some as that subtil Joannes Duns Scotus have been put into their graves for fully dead when as yet their soul hath been in them though unable to exert those faculties which might evince her hidden presence Such thou mayest be at the worst yea wert thou but in charity with thy self thou wouldst be found in a much better condition There is the same reason of the natural life and the spiritual Life where it is is discerned by breathing sense motion Where there is the breath of life there must be a life that sends it forth If then the soul breathes forth holy desires doubtless there is a life whence they proceed Now deny if thou canst that thou hast these spiritual breathings of holy desires within thee Dost thou not many a time sigh for thine own insensateness Is not thine heart troubled with the thoughts of thy want of grace Dost thou not truly desire that God would renew a right spirit within thee Take comfort to thy self this is the work of the inward principle of Gods Spirit within thee as well may a man breathe without life as thou couldst be thus affected without grace Sense is a quick discrier of life pinch or wound a dead man he feels nothing but the living perceiveth the easiest touch When thou hast heard the fearful
whereby we have communion with Christ and an assured testimony of and from him For he that believeth in the Son of God hath the witness in himself And what witness is that This is the record that God hath given us eternal life and this life is in his Son He that hath the Son hath life O happie and sure connexion Eternal life first This life eternal is in and by Christ Jesus This Jesus is ours by faith This faith witnesseth to our souls our assurance of life eternal Chariâ—y is the last which comprehends our love both to God and man for from the reflection of Gods love to us there ariseth a love from us to God again The beloved Disciple can say We love him because he loved us first and from both these resulteth our love to our brethren Behold so full an evidence that the Apostle tells us expresly That we know we are passed from death to life because we love the brethren For the love of the Father is inseparable from the love of the Son He that loveth him that begets loves him that is begotten of him Now then my son deal unpartially with thine own heart ask of it seriously as in the presence of the searcher of all hearts Whether thou dost not finde in thy self these unfailing evidences of thine election Art thou not effectually though not perfectly called out of the world and corrupt nature Dost thou not inwardly abhor thy former sinfull ways Dost thou not think oâ— what thou wert with detestation Dost thou not heartily desire and endeavour to be in all things approved to God and conformed to thy Saviour Dost thou not gladly cast thy self upon the Lord Jesus and depend upon his free all-sufficiency for pardon and salvation Dost thou not love that infinite goodâ—ness who hath been so rich in mercies to thee Dost thou not love and bless those gleams of goodness which he hath cast upon his Saints on earth In plain terms Dost thou noâ— love a good man because he is good Comfort thy self in the Lord my son let no fainting qualms of fear and distrust possess thy soul Faithful is he that hath called thee who will also preserve thy whole spirit and soul and body blameless unto the coming of oer Lord Jesus Christ. Comfort against Temptations § 1. Christ himself assaulted our trial is for our good THou art haunted with Temptations that which the Enemy sees he cannot do by force or fraud he seeks to effect by importunity Can this seem strange to thee when thou seest the Son of God in the Wilderness fourty days and fourty nights under the hand of the Tempter He that durst thus set upon the Captain of our salvation God blessed for ever how shall he spare frail flesh and blood Why should that Saviour of thine thinkst thou suffer himself to be tempted if not to bear thee out in all thy temptations The keys of the bottomless pit are in his hands he could have shut up that presumptuous spirit under chains of darkness so as he could have come no nearer to him then hell but he would let him loose and permit him to do his worst purposely that we might not think much to be tempted and that he might foyl that great enemy for us Canst thou think that he who now sits at the right hand of Majestie commanding all the powers of heaven earth hell could not easily keep off that malignant spirit from assailing thee Canst thou think him lesse merciful then mighty Would he die to save thee and will he turn that bandog of hell loose upon thee to worry thee Dost thou not pray daily to thy Father in heaven that hee would not lead thee into temptation If thou knowest thou hast to doe with a God that heareth prayers oh thou of little faith why fearest thou Loe he that was led by his own divine Spirit into the Wildernesse to bee tempted of that evill Spirit bids thee pray to the Father that he would not lead thee into temptation as implying that thou couldst not goe into temptation unlesse he led thee and whiles he that is thy Father leads thee how canst thou miscarry Let no man when he is tempted say I am tempted of God for God cannot be tempted with evill neither tempteth hee any man God tempteth thee not my sonne yet know that being his thou couldst not be tempted without him both permitting and ordering that temptation to his owne glory and thy good That grace which thy God hath given thee he will have thus exercised thus manifested So wee have known some indulgent Father who being assured of the skill and valour of his deare son puts him upon Tiltings and Barriers and publique Duels and lookes on with contentment as well knowing that hee will come off with honour How had wee known the admirable continency of good Joseph if hee had not been strongly solicited by a wanton Mistresse How had wee known Davids valour if the Philistims had not had a Giantly Challenger to encounter him How had wee knowne the invincible piety of the three Children if there had not beene a Furnace to try them or of Daniel if there had been no Lions to accompany him Be confident thy glory shall be according to the proportion of thy triall neither couldst thou ever bee so happy if thou hadst not been beholden to temptations §. 2. The powerfull assistance of Gods Spirit and the example of S. Paul How often thou saist have I beaten off these wicked suggestions yet still they turn upon me again as if denials invited them as if they meant to tire me with their continuall solicitations as if I must yeeld be over-laid though not with their force yet with their frequence Know my sonne that thou hast to doe with spirituall wickednesses whose nature is therefore as unweariable as their malice unsatisfiable Thou hast a spirit of thine owne and besides God hath given thee of his so as hee lookes thou shouldst through the power of his gracious assistance match the importunity of that evill spirit with an indefatigable resistance Be strong therefore in the Lord and in the power of his might and put in the whole armour of God that thou maist be able to withstand â—n the evill day and having done all to stand Look upon a stronger Champion then thy selfe the blessed Apostle thou shalt finde him in thine owne condition see the missenger of Satan sent to buffet him and he did it to purpose how soundly was that chosen vessell buffeted on both sides and how often Thrice hee besought the Lord that it might depart from him but even yet it would not be the temptation holds onely a comfort shall countervaile it My grace is sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect in weaknesse It is not so much to be considered how hard thou art laid at as how strongly thou art upheld How many with the
blessed Martyr Theodorus have upon racks and gibbets found their consolations stronger then their pains Whiles therefore the goodnesse of thy God sustaines and supplies thee with abundance of spirituall vigour and refreshment answerable to the worst of thine assaults what cause hast thou to complain of suffering The advice is high and heroicall which the Apostle James gives to his Compatriots My brethren count it all joy when ye fâ—ll into divers temptations Let those temptations be rather trials by afflictions then suggestions of sin yet even those overcome yeeld no small cause of triumph for by them is our faith no lesse tried and the trying of our saith worketh patience and the perfect work of patience is a blessed entirenesse of grace The number of enemies addes to the praise of the victory To overcome single temptations is commendable but to subdue Troopes of temptations is glorious § 3. The restraint of our spirituall enemies and their over-matching by the power of God Alas thou saist I am overlaid not with multitudes onely but with power In all challenges of Duels there is wont to be respect had to the equality both of the Combatants and weapons But woe is me how am I overmatched For me I am a weak wretch and we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against Principalities and powers against the rulers of the darknesse of this world against spirituall wickednesse in heavenly places Behold the Amorite whose height is like the height of the Cedars and their strength as the strength of oaks What are we but poor pismires in the valley to these men of measures Who can stand before these sonnes of Anak I did not advise thee my son to be strong in thy self alas we are all made up of weaknesse One of those powers of darknesse were able to subdue a whole world of men but to bee strong in the Lord whose lowest Angel is able to vanquish a whole hell of Devils and in the power of his might who commandeth the most furious of those infernal spirits to their chains Wo were us if we were left in our own hands there were no way with us but foiling and death But our help is in the Name of the Lord who hath made heaven and earth The Lord is our strength and our shield he is our rock and our salvation he is our defence so as we shall not be moved It is he that hath girded us with strength unto battel and that subdueth those that rise up against us Take courage therefore to thy self man there cannot be so much difference betwixt thee and those hellish powers as there is betwixt them and the Almighty their force is finite and limited by his omnipotence How fain dost thou think Jannes and Jambres the great Magicians of Egypt by the conjoyned powers of hell would have made but a Louse in an affront to Moses yet they could not How earnestly was that legion of Devils fain to beg but for leave to prevail over a few Gaderene-swine How strong therefore soever they 〈◊〉 to thee yet to him they are so meer weakness that they cannot so much as move without him Who can fear a Bear or a Lion when he sees them chained to their stake Even children can behold them baited when they see their restraint Look not upon thy self therefore look not upon them but look up to that over-ruling hand of the Almighty who ordinates all their motions to his own holy purposes and even out of their malice raises glory to himself and advantage to his servants §. 4. The advantage that is made to 〈◊〉 by our temptations and foils It is a woful advantage thou sayst that I have made of temptations for alas I have been shamefully foiled by them and what by their subtilty and what by their violence have been miscarried into a grievous sin against my God and lie down in a just confusion of face to have been so miserably vanquished Hadst thou wanted tears my son for thine offence I should willingly have lent thee some It is indeed a heavie case that thou hast given thy deadly enemy this cause to triumph over thee and hast thus provoked thy God Be thou thorowly humbled under the consciâ—ence of thy sin and be not too sudden in snatching a pardon out of the hand which thou hast offended be humbled but after thou hast made thy peace with God by a serious repentance be not disheartned with thy faâ—lings neither do I fear to tell thee of an advantage to be made not of thy temptations onely but even of thy sin What art thou other then a gainer if having been beaten down to thy knees thou hast in an holy indignation risen up and fought so much the more valiantly A wound received doth but whet the edge of true fortitude Many a one had never been victorious if he had not seen himself bleed first Look where thou wilt upon all the Saints of God mark if thou canst see any one of them without his scars Oh the fearful gashes that we have seen in the noblest of Gods Champions upon earth whose courage had never been raised so high if it had not been out of the sense of some former discomfitures As some well-spirited wrestler therefore be not so much troubled with thy fall as zealous to repay it with a more successful grapling We know saith the blessed Apostle that all things work together for good to them that love God All things yea even those that are worse then nothing their very sins The Corinthians offended in their silent connivence at the incestuous person the Apostles reproof produceth their sorrow what was the issue For behold this self-same thing that ye sorrowed after a godly sort what carefulness it wrought in you yea what clearing of your selves yea what indignation yea what fear yea what vehement desire yea what zeal yea what revenge Lo what a marvellous advantage is here made of one offence What hath Satan now gotten by this match One poor Corinthian is mis-led to an incestuous copulation The evil spirit rejoyceth to have got such a prey but how long shall he enjoy it Soon after the offending soul upon the Apostles holy censure is reclaimed he is delivered over to Satan that Satan should never possess him The Corinthians are raised to a greater height of godly zeal then ever Corinth had never been so rich in grace if it had not been defiled with so foul a crime Say now whether this be not in effect thy case Shouldst thou ever have so much hated thy sin if thou hadst not been drawn in to commit it Shouldst thou have found in thy self so fervent love to thy God if it had not been out of the sense of his great mercy in remitting it Wouldst thou have been so wary of thy steps as now thou art if thou hadst never slipped Give glory to God my son whiles thou givest shame to thy self and bless him
in grace It is thine own fault if thou gettest not more strength Wherefore serves that heavenly food of the Word and Sacraments but to nourish thy soul to eternal life Do but eat and digest and thou canst not but grow stronger God will not be wanting to thee in an increase of grace if thou be not wanting to thy self He offers his Spirit to thee with the means it is thy sinful neglect if thou separate them Thou knowest in whose hands is the staff of bread pray that he who gives thee the food and the mouth would also give thee appetite digestion nourishment § 8. An incitement to more caution anâ— faster adherence tâ— God Thy grace is weak It concerns thee so much the more to be cautious in avoiding occasions of temptation He that carries brittle glasses is chary of them that they take not a knock whereas strong metal fears no danger He that hath but a small Rush-candle walks softly and keeps off every air Thou art weak thy God is strong Dost thou not see the feeble childe that findes hee cannot goe alone how fast he clings to the hand of his mother more trusting to her helpe then his owne strength Doe thou so to thy God and say with the blessed Psalmist Hold up my goings in thy pathes that my footsteps slip not Hold thou mee up and I shall bee safe Vphold me according to thy Word that I may live and let me not bee ashamed of my hopâ—â— Peter was a bold man that durst step forth and set his foot upon the liquid face of the waters but he that ventured to walk there upon the strength of his faith when hee felt the stiffe winde and saw the great billow began to sinke in his weaknesse but no sooner had Jesus stretched forth his hand and caught him then he takes courage and walks now with the same confidence upon the Sea that hee wont to walk on the Lâ—nd Together with a check hee receives more supportation from Christ then his owne legges could afford him Feare no miscarriage through thine own weaknesse whiles thou art held up by thatâ— strong helper Comforts against Infamy and Disgrace § 1. Comforts from like sufferingsâ— of the holiest yea of Christ himself NExt to our body and soul is the care of our reputation which whoso hath lost is no better then civilly dead Thou sufferest under a publike infamy I do not ask how justly He was a wise man that said It was fit for every good man to fear even a false reproach A good name is no less wounded for the time with that then with a just crimination This is a sore evil my son and such as against which there is no preservative and for which there is hardly any remedy Innocence it self is no antidote against evil tongues Neither greatness nor sanctity can secure any man from unjust calumny Might that be any ease to thy heart I could tell thee of the greatest of Kings and holiest of Saints that have grievously complained of this mischief and yet were not able to help themâ— selves Thou hast the company of the best that ever the earth bore if that may be any mitigation of thy misery Yea what do I speak of sinful men whose greatest purity might be blurred with some imperfections Look upon the Lord of life the eternal Son of the ever-living God God cloathed in flesh and see whether any other were his lot whiles he sojourned in this Region of mortality Dost thou not heare him for his gracious sociablenesse branded as a man gluttonous a Wine-bibber a friend of Publicanes and Sinners Dost thou not heare him for his powerfull and mercifull cure of Demoniacks blazoned for a fellow that casts out Devils through Beelzebub the Prince of the Devils Dost thou not heare him sclandred to death for treason against Caesar and blasphemy against God Dost thou not heare the multitude say Hee is madd and hath a Devil Dost thou not heare him after his death charged with Imposture And can there bee any worse names then Glutton Dtunkard Conjurer Traytor Blasphemer Mad man Demoniack Impostor Who now can henceforth thinke much to bee sclandered with meaner crimes when hee heares the most holy Sonne of God in whose mouth was no guile in whom the Prince of this world could finde nothing laden with so hainous calumniations § 1. Comfort of our recourse to God Thou art smitten with a foule tongue I marvell not if it goe deep into thy soule That man gave an high praise to his sword that said it was sharper then sclander And if a rasour bee yet sharper such did David finde the Edomites tongue And if these weaâ—pons reach not yet farre enough he found both spears and arrows in the mouthes of his traducers Lo thou art but in the same case with the man after Gods own heart What shouldst thou do but for Davids complaint make use of Davids remedy I will cry unto God most high unto God that performeth all things for me He shall send from heaven and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up God shall send forth his mercy and his truth Do by thy slander as Hezekiah did by the railing lines of Rabshakâ—h spread them before the Lord and leave thy quarrel in the just hands of that great arbiter of heaven and earth who will be sure in his good time to revenge thy wrong and to clear thine innocence and will requite thee good for these causless curses § 3. Comfort from the clearness of our conscience In the mean while thou sayst I stand blemished with an odious aspersion my name passes thorow many a foul mouth Thou hearest my son what some others say but what dost thou hear from the bird in thy bosom If thy conscience acquit thee and pronounce thee guiltless obdure thy fore-head against all the spight of malice What is ill fame but a little corrupted unsavoury breath Do but turn away thine ear that thou receive it not and what art thou the worse Oh thy weakness if thou suffer thy self to be blown over by the meer air of some putrified lungs which if thou doe but a little decline by shifting thy foot will soon vanish § 4. Comfort from the improvement of our reason Thou art under ill tongues This is an evill proper onely to man Other creatures are no lesse subject to disease to death to outward violence then hee but none else can bee obnoxious to a detraction sith none other is capable of speech whereout a sclander can bee formed they have their severall sounds and notes of expression whereby they can signifie their dislike and anger but onely man can cloathe his angry thoughts with words of offence so as that faculty which was given him for an advanâ—tage is depraved to a further mischiefe But the same liberall hand of his Creatour hath also indued him with a property of reason which
alone shall free-denizen thee in the best of forain States and shall entertain thee in the wildest desarts § 4. The advantage that hath been made of removing Thou art cast upon a forraign Nation Be of good chear we know that flowers removed grow greater and some plants which were but unthriving and unwholsome in their own soyl have grown both safe and flou rishing in other Climates Had Joseph been ever so great if he had not been transplanted into Egypt Had Daniel and his three companions of the Captivity eveâ— attained to that Honour in their native Land How many have we known that have found that health in a change of air which they could not meet with at home In Africk the South-winde clears up and the North is rainy Look thou up still to that hand which hath translated thee await his good pleasure Be thou no stranger to thy God it matters not who are strangers unto thee § 5. The rigâ—â— that we have in any country and iâ— God Thou art a banished man How canst thou be so when thou treadest upon thy Fathers ground The earth is the Lords and the fulness of it In his right where ever thou art thou mayst challenge a spiritual interest All things saith the Apostle are yours and you are Christs and Christ is Gods No man can challenge thee for a stranger that is not thy Fathers childe Thine exile separates thee from thy friends This were no small affliction if it might not be abundantly remedied That was a true word of Laurentius That where two faithful friends are met God makes up a third But it is no less true That where one faithful spirit is there God makes up a second One God can more then supply a thou sand friends § 6. â—he praâ—tice of voluntary travel Thy banishment bereaves thee of the comfort of thy wonted companions Would not a voluntary travel do as much Dost thou not see thousands thaâ— do willingly for many yeers change their Country for forraign Regions taking long farewells of their dear friends and comerades some out of curiosity some out of a thirst after knowledge some out of covetous desire of gain What difference is there betwixt thee and them but that their exile is voluntary thy travel constrained And who are these whom thou art so sorry to forgo Dost thou not remember what Crates the Philosopher said to a young man that was beset with parasitical friends Young man said he I pity thy solitude Perhaps thou mayst be more alone in such society then in the Wilderness such conversation is better lost then continued if thou canst but get to be well acquainted with thy self thou shalt be sorry that thou wert no sooner solitary § 7. All arâ— pilgrims Thou art out of thy Country Who is not so We are all pilgrims together with thee Whiles we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord Miserable are we if our true home be not above that is the better Country which we seek even an heavenly And thither thou mayst equally direct thy course in whatsoever Region This center of earth is equidistant from the glorious circumference of heaven if we may once meet there what need we make such difference in the way Comforts against the loss of the Senses of Sight and Hearing § 1. Comfort from the â—â—o inâ—ard â—ghts of â—ason â—nd faith THou hast lost thine eyes A loss which all the world is uncapable to repair Thou art hereby condemned to a perpetual darkness For the light of the body is the eye and if the light that is in thee be darkness how great is that darkness Couldst thou have foreseen this evil thou hadst anticipated this loss by weeping out those eyes for grief which thou must forgo There are but two ways by which any outward comfort can have access to thy soul The Eye and the Ear one of them is now fore-closed for ever Yet know my son thou hast two other inward eyes that can abundantly supply the want of these of thy body The eye of Reason and the eye of Faith the one as a Man the other as a Christian Answerable whereunto there is a double light apprehended by them Rational and Divine Solomon tells thee of the one The spirit of man is the Candle of the Lord searching all the inward parts of the belly The beloved Disciple tells thee of the other God is light and we walk in the light as he is in the light Now these two lights are no less above that outward and visible light whereof thou art bereaved then that light is above darkness If therefore by the eye of Reason thou shalt attain to the clear sight of intelligible things and by the eye of Faith to the sight of things supernatural and Divine the improvement of these better eyes shall make a large amends for the lack of thy bodily sight § 2. The supply of better eyes Thy sight is lost Let me tell thee what Antony the Hermite whom Ruffinus doubts not to style blessed said to learned though blinde Didymus of Alexandria Let it not trouble thee O Didymus that thou art bereft of carnal eyes for thou lackest onely those eyes which Mice and Flyes and Lyzards have but rejoyce that thou hast those eyes which the Angels have whereby they see God and by which thou art enlightned with a great measure of knowledge Make this good of thy self and thou shalt not be too much discomforted with the absence of thy bodily eyes § 3. The better object of our inward sight Thine eyes are lost The chief comfort of thy life is gone with them The light is sweet saith Solomon and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun Hath not God done this purposely that he might set thee off from all earthly objects that thou mightst so much the more intentively fix thy self upon him and seek after those spiritual comforts which are to be found in a better light Behold the Sun is the most glorious thing that thy bodily eyes can possibly see thy spiritual eyes may see him that made that goodly and glorious creature and therefore must needs be infinitely more glorious then what he made If thou canst now see him the more how hast thou but gained by thy loss § 4. The ill officer done by the eyes Thou art become blinde Certainly it is a sore affliction The men of Jabesh-gilead offered to comply with the Tyran of the Ammonites so far as to serve him but when he required the loss of their right eyes as a condition of their peace they will rather hazard their lives in an unequal War as if servitude and death were a less mischief then one eyes loss how much more of both For though one eye be but testis singularis yet the evidence of that is as true as that of both yea in some cases more for when we would take a perfect
upon hard and unâ—â—uth voyages Perhaps it is so with thee wherein I cannot but much pity thy mistaking in placing thy contentment there where a greater and wiser man could finde nothing but vanity and vexation Alas what can be our exile if this be our home What woful entertainment is this to be enamoured on What canst thou meet with here but distempered humours hard usages violent passions bodily sicknesses sad complaints hopes disappointed frequent miscarriages wicked plots cruel menaces deadly executions momentany pleasures sauced with lasting sorrows lastly shadows of joy and real miseries Are these the things that so bewitch thee that when death calls at thy door thou art ready to say to it as the Devil said to our Saviour Art thou come to torment me before the time Are these those winning contentments that cause thee to say of the world as Peter said of Mount Tabor Master It is good for us to be here If thou have any faith in thee and what dost thou profess to be a Christian without it look up to the things of that other world whither thou art going and see whether that true life pure joy perfect felicity and thâ— eternity of all these may not be worthy to draw up thy heart to a loâ—ging desire of the fruition of them and a contemptuous disvaluation of all that earth can promise in comparison of this infinite blessedness It was one of the defects which our late Noble and learned Philosopher the Lord Virulam found in our Physitians that they do not studie those remedies that might procure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the easie passage of their Patients since they must needs die thorow the gates of death Such helps I must leave to the care of the skilful Sages of Nature the use whereof I suppose must be with much caution lest whiles they endeavour to sweeten death they shorten life But 〈◊〉 me prescribe and commend to thee my son this true spiritual means of thine happie Euthanasia which can be no other then this faithful disposition of the labouring soul that can truely say I know whom I have believed I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kâ—pt the faith Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that day § 13. Examples of courageous resolutions in others Thou startest back at the mention of death How canst thou but blush to read of that Heathen Martyr Socrates who when the message as death was brought to him could applaud the news of most joyful Or of a Cardinal of Rome who yet expected a tormenting Purgatory that received the intimation of his approaching death with Buâ—na nuova buona nuova O che buona nuova è questa Is not their confidence thy shame who believing that when our earthly house of this Tabernacle is dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the heavens yet shrinkest at the motion of taking the possession of it Canst thou with dying Mithridates when he took his unwilling farewel of the world cry out oh light when thou art going to a light more glorious then this thou leavest then the Sun is more weak then a Rush-Candle It is our infidelity my son it is our meer inâ— idelity that makes us unwilling to die Did we think according to the cursed opinion of some fanatick persons that the soul sleeps as well as the body from the moment of the dissolution till the day of Resurrection Or did we doubt lest we should wander to unknown places where we cannot be certain of the entertainment or did we fear a scorching trial upon the emigration in flames little inferiour for the time to those of hell there were some cause for us to tremble at the approach of death But now that we can boldly say with the Wise man ` The souls of the righteous are in the hand of God and there shall no torment touch them In the sight of the unwise they seemed to die and their departure is taken for misery and their going from us to be utter destruction but they are in peace Oh thou of little faith why fearest thou Why dost thou not chide thy self as that dying Saint did of old Go forth my soul go boldly forth what art thou afraid of Lo the Angels of God are ready to receive thee and to carry thee up to thy glory neither shalt thou sooner have left this wretched body then thou shalt be possessed of thy God after a momentany darkness cast upon nature thou shalt enjoy the beatifical vision of the glorious God Be not afraid to be happie but say out of faith that which Jonah said in anger It is better for me to die then to live § 14. The happy advantages of death I am afraid to die This is the voice of Nature but wilt thou hear what Grace saith To me to live is Christ and to die is gain If therefore meer Nature raign in thee thou canst not but be affrighted with death But if true grace be prevalent in thy soul that guest shall not be unwelcome Was ever any man afraid of profit and advantage Such is death to the faithful Whosoever he be that findes Christ to be his life shall be sure to finde Death his gain for that he is thereby brought to a more full and neer communion with Christ whereas before he enjoyed his Saviour onely by the dim apprehension of his Faith now he doth clearly and immediately enjoy that glorious presence which onely makes blessedness This is it which causeth death to change his Copie and renders him who is of himselfe formidable pleasing and beneficiall I desire to depart and to be with Christ saith the man who was rapt up to the third heaven Had it been onely departing surely he had had no such great edge to it but to depart and be with Christ is that which ravisheth his soule When the Heathen Socrates was to die for his Religion he comforted himselfe with this That hee should goe to the place where he should see Orphaeus Homer Musaeus and the other Worthies of the former ages Poor man could he have come to have knowne God manifested in the flesh and received up into glory and therein that glorified flesh sitting at the right hand of Majesty could he have attained to know the blessed order of the Cherubim and Seraphim Angels Archangels Principalities and Powers and the rest of the most glorious Hierarchy of heaven could he have been acquainted with that celestiall Chore of the Spirits of just men made perfect could he have reached to know the God and Father of Spirits the infinitely and incomprehensibly glorious Deity whose presence transfuses everlasting blessednesse into all those Citizens of glory and could he have known that he should have an undoubted Interest instantly upon his dissolution in that
infinite blisse how much more gladly would he have taken off his Hemlock and how much more merrily would he have passed into that happier world All this wee know and are no lesse assured of it then of our present beeing with what comfort therefore should we think of changing our present condition with a blessed immortality How sweet a song was that of old Simeon Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy word for mineties have seen thy salvation Loe that which hee saw by the eye of his sense thou seest by the eye of thy faith even the Lords Christ he saw him in weaknesse thou seest him in glory why shouldst thou not depart not in peace onely but in joy and comfort How did the holy Protomartyr Stephen triumph over all the rage of his enemies and the violent fury of death when he had once seen the heavens opened and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God Loe God offers the same blessed prospect to the 〈◊〉 of thy soul Faith is the key that can open the heaven of heavens Fixe thy eies upon that glorious and saving object thou canst not but lay down thy body in peace and send up thy soul into the hands of him that bought it with the sweet and cheerfull recommendation of Lord Jesus receive my spirit Comforts against the terrours of Judgement §. 1. Aggravation of the fearfulness of the last judgement THOU apprehendest it aright Death is terrible but Judgement more Both these succeed upon the same decree It is appointed unto man once to die but after this the judgement Neither is it moâ—e terrible then lesse thought on Death because he strikes on all hands and laies before us so many sad examples of mortality cannot but sometimes take up our hearts but the last judgement having no visible proofs to force it self upon our thoughts too seldome affrights us Yet who can conceive the terrour of that day before which the Sun stall bee turned into darknesse and the Moon into blood That day which shall burne as an Oven when all the proud and all that doe wickedly shall bee as the stubble That day in which the heavens shall passe away with a great noise and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat the Earth also â—â—d the works that are therein shall be burnt â—p That day wherein the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Iesus Christ That day wherein the Lord will come with fire and with his Chariots like a Whirlewinde to render his anger with fury and his rebuke with flames of fire For by Fire and by his Sword will the Lord plead with all flesh That day wherein the Son of man shall come in his glory and all the holy Angels with him and shall sit upon the Throne of his glory and all Nations shall bee gathered before him That day wherein all the kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him Sâ—ortly that great and terrible day of the Lord wherein if the Powers of Heaven shall bee shaken how can the heart of man remain unmoved wherein if the world be dissolved who can bear up Alas we are ready to tremble at but a Thunder-crack in a poor cloud and at a small flash of lightning that glances through our eyes what shall wee doe when the whole frame of the heavens shall break in peeces and when all shall be on a flame about our eares Oh who may abide the day of his comming and who shall stand when hee appeareth §. 2. Comfort from the condition of the elect Yet bee of good chear mâ— sonne Amids all this horrour there is comfort Whether thoube one of those whom it shall please God to reserve alive upon earth to the sight of this dreadfull day he only knowes in whose hands our times are This we are sure of that we are upon the last houres of the last daies Justly doe we spit in the faces of S. Peters scoffers that say Where is the promise of his coming Well knowing that the Lord is not slack as some account slackness but that he that shall come will come and not tarry Well mayst thou live to see the Son of man come in the clouds of heaven and to be an Actor in this last Scene of the world If so let not thy heart be dismayed with the expectation of these fearful things Thy change shall be sudden and quick one moment shall put off thy mortality and clothe thee with that incorruption which shall not be capable of fear and pain The majestie of this appearance shall adde to thy joy and glory Thou shalt then see the Lord himself descend from heaven with a shout with the voice of the Archangel and with the Trump of God Thou shalt see thy self and those other which are alive and remain to be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so shalt thou be ever with the Lord. Upon this assurance how justly may the Apostle subjoyn Wherefore comfort one another with these words Certainly if ever there were comfort to be had in any words not of men or Angels onely but of the ever-living God the God of Truth these are they that can and will afford it to our trembling souls But if thou be one of the number of those whom God hath determined to call off before-hand and by a faithful death to prevent the great day of his appearance here is nothing for thee but matter of a joy unspeakable and full of glory For those that sleep in Jesus shall God bring with him they shall be part of that glorious train which shall attend the Majestie of the great Judge of the world yea they shall be coâ—â—seâ—â—ors to the Lord of heaven and earth in this awful Judica ture as sitting upon the Bench when guilty men and Angels shall be at the Bar To him that overcometh saith the Lord Christ will I grant to sit with me in my throne even as I also overcame and am set down with my Father in his throne What place then is here for any terrour since the more state and heavenly magnificence the more joy and glory § 3. Awe more fit for thoughts of judgement then Fear Thou art afraid to think of Judgement I had rather thou shouldst be awful then timorous When Saint Paul discoursed of the judgement to come it is no marvel that Fâ—â—ix trembled But the same Apostle when he had pressed to his Corinthians the certainty and generality of our appearance before the Judgement-seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in his body whether good or evil addeth Knowing therefore the terrour of the Lord we perswade men but we are made manifest to
presume to hold competition with heaven What furious tempests he raises in the air as that which from the Wilderness beat upon the four corners of the house of Job's eldest son and overthrew it Lo Job was the greatest man in the East his heir did not dwell in a cottage that strong Fabrick could not stand against this Hurricane of Satan What fearful apparitions he makes in the upper regions what great wonders he doth causing fire to come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men Lastly what grievous tyranny he exerciseth upon all the children of disobedience Couldst thou look for any less my son from those whom the Spirit of God himself styles Principalities and Powers and rulers of the darkness of this world and spiritual wickednesses in high places and the Prince of the power of the air Surely it were no Mastery to be a Christian if we had not powerfull opposites But dost thou not withall consider that all this power is by concession and the exercise of it but with permission with limitation What power can there be in any oreature which is not derived from the Almighty This measure the infinite Creator was pleased to communicate to them as Angels which they retain and exercise still as Devils their damnation hath stripped them of their glory but we know not of how much of their strength And seest thou not how their power is bounded Those that could in appearance turn their rods into Serpents could not keep all their Serpents from being devoured of that one Serpent of Moses Those that could bâ—ing Frogs upon Egypt cannot bring a baser creature Lice Those that were suffered to bring Frogs shall not have power to take them away Restrained powers must know their limits and we knowing them must set limits to our feares A Lion chained up can do lesse harme then a curre let loose What is it to thee how powerfull the evill Spirits are whiles they are by an over-ruling power tied up to their stake that they cannot hurt thee §. 2. The fear of the number of evil spirits and the remedy of it Thy feares are increased with their number they are as many as powerfull One Demoniack was possessed with a Legion How many Legions then shall we think there are to tempt those millions of men which live upon the face of the earth whereof no one is free from their continuall solicitations to evill That holy man whom our counterfeit Hermites would pretend to imitate in the vision of his retirednesse saw the air full of them and of their sâ—ares for mankinde and were our eyes as clear as his we might perhaps meet with the same prospect But bee not dismaid my son Couldst thou borrow the eyes of the servant of an holier Master thou shouldst see that there are moe with us then they that are against us thou shouldst see the blessed Angels of God pitching their Tents about thee as the more powerfull vigilant constant guardians of thy soule Loe these are those valiant ones which stand about thy Bed They all hold swords being expert in Warre every one hath his Sword upon his thigh because of fear in the night Feare not therefore but make the Lord even the most High thy Habitation Then there shall no evill befall thee neither shall any Plague come nigh thy dwelling For he shall give his Angels charge ever thee to keepe thee in all thy waies They shall bear thee up in their hands lest thou dash thy foot against a stone yea and besides this safe indempnity Thou shalt tread upon the Lyon and Adder the young Lion and the Dragon shalt thou trample under feet In secular enmity true valour may be oppressed will not easily bee dâ—unted with multitude I will not be afraid of ten thousand saith David They came about me like Bees but in the name of the Lord will I destroy them It was a brave resolution in that Generall who when one of his Souldiers could tell him that the cloud of Persian arrows shot at them darkned the Sun Bee of good chear said he wee shall sight in the shade Answerable whereunto was that Heroicall determination of Luther who after his engagements against all threats and disswasions would goe â—nto the City of Wormes though there were as many Devils in it as Tiles upon their houses and why should not we imitate this confidence What if there were as many Devils in the air as there are spires of grasse on the earth God is our refuge and strength a very present help in trouble therefore will we not fear though the earth be removed though the mountains be carried into the midst of the Sea Behold God is our salvation we will trust and not bee afraid for the Lord Jehovah is our strength and our song he also is become our salvation Let God arise and let his enemies be scattered let them also that hate him flee before him like as the smoak vanisheth so shalt thou drive them away §. 3. The malice of the evill spirits and our fears thereof remedied But oh the malice of those infernall spirits implacable and deadly whose trade is temptation and accusation whose delight is torment whose musick is shrieks and howlings and groanes and gnashing and whose main drift is no lesse then the eternall death and damnation of miserable mankind Why should we my son expect other from him who is professedly the manslayer from the beginning that carries nothing but destruction both in his name and nature that goes about continually like a roaring Lion seeking whom hee may devoure Surely this malignity is restlesse neither wil take up with any thing on this side hell But comfort thy selfe in this that in spight of all the malice of Hell thou art safe Doest thou not know that there stands by thee the victorious Lion of the Tribe of Iudah whom that Infernall Ravener dare not look in the face Dost thou not remember that when the Sentence was pronounced of eternall enmity between the seed of the Woman and the seed of the Serpent it was with this Doome It shall bruise thy Head and thou shalt bruise his Heel Loe a bruise of a mans heel is farre from the heart but a bruise of the Serpents head is mortall there his sting there his life lies Neither did the seed of the woman Christ Jesus this for himself who was infinitely above all the power and malice of the Devil but for us the impotent and sinful seed of man The God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet saith the blessed Apostle Under your feet not under his own onely of whom God the Father had long before said Sit thou on my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footstool Yea what do I speak of the future Already is this great work done already is this great work atchieved For the Lord of