to all mens senses that are not bruitishly senslesse or at the least to make it cleare and out of question to the spirituall eye and vnderstanding of all beleeuers to whom onely it is giuen of God to be perswaded of this truth section 2 First therefore the resurrection of our bodies is most sure and certaine because the Scriptures euen the whole word of God contained both in the old and new Testament doe teach and conuince the same But because the places are so many I will but onely alledge some few very plaine and pregnant to this purpose First then I wil begin with that famous testimony of holy Iob who wisheth his words to be written in a Booke yea to be ingrauen with an iron penne in Lead or Brasse but more deseruedly in Gold I know saith he that my Redeemer liueth and though wormes destroy my body yet I shall see God in my flesh whom I myselfe shall see and mine eyes shall behold and none other for mee Thy dead men saith the Prophet Esay shall liue euen with my body shall they rise Awake and sing yee that dwell in the dust the earth shall cast out her dead Many that sleepe saith Daniel in the dust of the earth shall awake some to euerlasting life and some to shame and perpetuall contempt The houre shall come saith Christ in which all that are in their graues shall heare his voyce The Trumpet shall blow saith Saint Paul and the dead shall rise I saw the dead saith Saint Iohn both great and small stand before God Now the Scriptures are not of man but of God who is true and cannot lye Besides there be many reasons deriued from the word of God to conuince the truth hereof If the dead be not section 3 raised then Christ is not risen who is the pledge and assurance that Christians shall rise againe and the Head of his Body the Church of which wee are members And as the body cannot dye nor the members of it if the head doe liue no more can wee dye if Christ liue Because I liue saith hee you also shall liue Secondly because the Spirit of Christ dwelleth in our body for our body is the temple of the holy Ghost therefore they shall rise againe For that same spirit which raised vp Christ from the dead shall also quicken our mortall bodies because it dwelleth in vs. If Gods loue be so great towards our bodies to haue his Spirit dwell in them he will not suffer them to perish Againe because the faithfull beleeue in God who also loueth them who loue and serue him therefore hee will raise vp their bodies For wee that haue giuen and committed our selues vnto God as the Apostle speaketh cannot perish because hee is able to keepe that which is committed vnto him and will because he loueth vs beleeuing in him If the dead should not be raised to life God should not be iust which cannot be For in this world it hapneth to him that serueth God as to him that serueth him not Then also the body wherein God was glorified as well as in the spirit should haue no reward Then did Christ take our nature vpon him in vaine and in it ascended into heauen in vaine for it had beene sufficient onely to take our spirit If the body must perish then the whole man cannot be saued which is contrary to the Scripture Then the most excellentest creature vnder the Sunne for whose sake all vnder the Sunne was created should with all the creatures be made for nought which is absurd section 4 Furthermore to helpe our naturall incredulitie and distrust in this point for the most sure resolution of our resurrection indeede is it not as easie for God who is almighty to command the sea and earth to giue vp their dead as it was to make the sea and earth and all that is therein of nothing and that only with a word It is a lesse matter saith one to bring againe vnto life that which is dead then it was to giue life vnto it before it was made When thou wast not thou wast made and when thou shalt not be thou shalt againe be made and liue Here is nothing strange or vnlikely Consider how thou earnest into this life before thou wert borne and thou needest not doubt how to be restored to life after thou art dead I omit here to speake of so many apt similitudes and fit resemblances of the vndoubted truth of this point which the best and greatest Diuines haue fetched and deriued from our meats and drinks from trees and plants from corne and grasse which in the winter seeme to haue neither sap nor shew of life yet when the winter is past and the spring-time comes doe liue againe and are most gloriously arayed section 5 How many things are and come to passe which ere they are and come to passe we would haue thought they could not be for that the workes of God are all wonderfull The Mustard-seede saith Christ when it is sowne is the least of all seeds and when it is growne it is a tree the greatest among all hearbs In one so little a graine doth consist the whole greatnesse of that tree which afterward commeth forth Now if that which we see to be true in the grasse of the field in the corne that is swone yea in the seede of the trees and wood which grow albeit they wither to nought they rot and dye yet liue againe why should wee not thinke it as true of men that albeit they dye and are turned to dust that yet they shall be raised to life againe For he that is Lord of the spirit and hath life in himselfe and in his owne power and will can as certainly giue life to the body which is vtterly without life as hee is able to giue life to a stone and so to a peece of earth to ashes or any other thing And as it is no harme for the seede to be harrowed and hidden in the ground for that it shall spring and flourish againe and bring forth fruit in due season no more is it any hurt to our bodies to be cast into our graues in weakenesse for they shall rise againe in power being sowne naturall bodies they shall rise againe spirituall being sowne in dishonour they shall rise againe in glory Thoufoole saith Saint Paul that which thou sowest is not quickned except it first die A little corne or wheate or other graine cannot haue vertue to become so fruitfull in bringing forth thirty or forty times better then it was being multiplyed to so many all as good as it selfe and bringing forth besides such fruitfull increase of straw and chaffe except it first be cast into the ground and die And therefore how shouldest thou enioy so good an exchange except thou first corrupt and die And how
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
a venemous sting 8. Comforts of riches flye from vs in our crosses as vermine from a house on fire 9. When men forsake their owne wils and submit themselues to Gods what can be hard 10. Worldly fauours honours c. as snowbals against the beames of the sunne dissolue and come quickly to nothing 11. He that is great with God shall haue quietnesse in earth and blessednesse in heauen 12. The pompe of the world is like a blazing starre presaging ruine ibid. He is vnworthy of Gods fauour that thinketh it not happinesse inough without the world 13. The Trinitie which the wicked worship is the diuell the world and the flesh ibid. CHAP. IIII. THis wicked world is Sathans kingdome a very Edome and Egypt to the Israel of God Sect. 1. It is a sea of sorrowes and our liues as new sayling ships vnacquainted with the water 2. It is Sathan forge and stythie wherein he frameth a thousand chaines of impieties ibid. A discription of couetousnesse the worlds factour and the couetous 3. God maketh this world loathsome to his children that they should not loue it 4. This barren land wherein we liue after all our drudgerie yeeldeth nothing else but a crop of cares troubles feares c. 5. Our Christian loue must be as a iust ballance our worldly lusts are vnequall in valuing earthly things 6. If our life be no more then the dreame of a shadow what must we thinke of the glory of this world which is of shorter continuance then mans life 7. All worldly glory is no more certaine then calmenesse in the sea still subiect to a storme 8. Worldly men are better sighted then the children of the light but Ieremie wondreth how he should be a wise man that is not a godly man ibid. We must put our trust in God not in our goods on whose pleasure they depend 9. He is the richest that coueteth the least and is content with the least 10. Contentment consisteth not in much yet he hath much which hath it ibid. CHAP. V. GOd made all things and gaue them vnto man who sinning forfeited all againe into his hands and so sent him out of the world with as much as he brought at first Sect. 1. We haue our goods to liue the end ceasing the meanes also cease 2. All worldly goods are ebbing and flowing neither possesse we them as we should vnlesse at all times wee be ready to forgoe them when God pleaseth 3. We must not make a rent-charge of these outward blessings which God giueth of his free liberalitie they are but lent and borrowed 4. Vaine confidence in wealth be-commeth not onely poison to humilitie modestie and faith but transformeth them into pride arrogancie and infidelitie 5. We must vse our riches as our raiment such as are fit for couetousnesse groweth with riches as the Iuye with the Oake 6. God is to be loued aboue all things and all things for him ibid. Good men vse the world and the things thereof that they may inioy God and wicked men so vse God as that they may inioy the world 7. If we loue our friends too much and not God aboue all things then hath our sorrow no measure as it ought 8. Carnall parents and friends are to be loued but the creatour of all is to be imbraced and preferred 9. Loue him that thou canst not loose euen Christ thy redeemer ibid. CHAP. VI. IT is naturall to all men to feare death and how it may lawfully be feared of the faithfull Sect. 1. Faith and a religious feare are alwaies friends in a Christian man 2. Affections of nature are not simply euill but lawfull and tollerable when they are rightly ordered by Gods spirit 3. Christians haue greater cause to imbrace Death then to feare it 4. None are simply to be censured for their manner of Death 6. Gods dearest children are subiect to most fearefull deaths yet an euill Death can neuer follow a constant good life 7. Death cannot properly be called sudden which euery day manifesteth it selfe to all our sences ibid. We must not be curious either to know the time or to choose the manner of our death 8. It is madnesse to desire to know our end of such as are ignorant of their owne 9. We must seeke to mortifie the flesh in vs and to cast the world out of vs but to cast ourselues out of the world is in no sort permitted vs. 10. Gods children alwaies waite in their tryals vntill Death open the doore for their deliuerance 11. We must neither hate our life for the toyles nor loue it for the delights 12. CHAP. VII THe dearest children of God are subiect to the agonie of death by meanes of the weakenesse of nature and guiltinesse sinne Sect. 1 2. Christian meanes to mittigate the horrour of death 3 4. We run away by committing euill and we must returne againe by suffering euill 5. It is God that knoweth the perils of our death and can onely deliuer vs by his power ibid. The sweet spices of Christs buriall expell the strong scent of our rotten graues 6. It is the remainder of life not of death that tormenteth a man 7. Such a death is neuer to be deplored which is seconded with immortalitie and a blessed life 8. Death and the graue are a fould to the faithfull and a shambles to the wicked 9. Death doth prune as it were the feathers of the soule to flye more swiftly to heauen ibid. By death and the graue the faithfull are fitted and by Gods spirit renewed for his kingdome and glory ibid. CHAP. VIII IT is most conuenient for Christians to dispose of their goods and make their testament in time of their health Sect. 1. and 2. The best furniture against death are faith hope and a conscience vndefiled 3. Men without hope are as a ship without a sayle and anchor tossed with euery tempest and in danger of ship-wracke 4. A sauing faith and an vnmoueable hope are alwaies accompanied with a Christian life and conscience vndefiled 5. As there is no saluation without faith so there is no true faith without repentance 6. Faith is euer alone in iustifying but neuer alone in the person iustified 7. God iustifieth none whom he doth not also sanctifie ibid. The conscience of Christians is bathed and rinsed in the bloud of Christ from the guiltinesse and corruption of sinne 8. The comforts and commodities of a good conscience 9. Thou canst not be friends with thy selfe till thou be with God if thy conscience accuse thee it will kill thee 10. He that hath a hope to liue when he is dead must dye while he is a liue to sinne and wickednesse 11. If the day of our death finde vs a sleepe in sinne we shall hardly awake 12. Many by deferring their amendment shut themselues out of all time and send themselues to paine eternall without time 13. He that will liue without repentance must looke to die without repentance 14. The world
time is but short they weepe as they wept not and so likewise they square out their mirth that nothing may long stay them in their trauell or much either allure or disturbe them As Trauellers therefore that haue a long iourney to goe prepare for the speedy and happy expedition thereof so must Christians saith one make ready the chariots of good consciences the horses of feruent prayer the oyle of holinesse for their Lampes the sword of the spirit which is the word of God and the shield of faith that so they may resist and ouercome all their enemies and constantly proceede to their iournyes end Inquire and you shall scarse finde out one faithfull man section 3 to haue had sound ioy or contentment in this world All his promises saith a Father are lyings like the false Prophets of Ahab his oathes manifest periuries of Iesabels false witnesses The loue of the world is like Dalilahs to Sampson his friendship a Iudas kisse his imbracing the deceiptfull murdering of Ioab his wine is gall his meate venemous poyson He that doubteth let him stand a farre off and view the world for they that approach neare can neither see God nor know themselues and hee shall see with Abraham a filthy smoake ascending from the world as it were from Sodome ready to strangle him if he flie not from it This deceitfull world saith one is like to wretched Laban which promised poore Iacob faire Rahel for his seauen yeeres seruice and in the end deceiued him with bleare-eyed Leah Like vnto Saul that promised Merab to Dauid yet must he be pleased with Micoll or goe without And what false and faire promises doth it daily make of long life health wealth and promotion and yet cuts some off in the midst of their daies and bringeth others to beggerie and disgrace Goe ye if it were possible ouer the whole world behold Countries and view Prouinces looke into Cities and harken at the doores and windowes of priuate houses of Princes Pallaces secret chambers c. and you shall heare and see nothing but lamentable complaints one for that he hath lost another for that he hath not wonne a third for that he is not satisfied ten thousands for that they are deceiued of the world Can there be a greater deceit then to promise renowne and memoriall as the world doth to her followers and yet to forget them as soone as they are dead Who doth remember now one of many thousands that haue beene famous Captaines Souldiers Counsellours Dukes Earles Lords Ladies Kings Queenes and mighty monarches in the world hath not their memory perished with their sound and is not their remembrance as ashes vnder foote section 4 The shewes of the world are glorious in appearance but when they come to the proofe they are in effect as light as feathers when they come to waight they are but smoake when they come to opening they are but rags The propertie of the world is to blinde those that come to her that they cannot know their owne estate euen as a Rauen that first picketh out the eyes of a sheepe to dassell her from seeing what way to escape her tyrannie To be short it hath all the deceits all the dissimulations all the flatteries all the treasons that possibly can be deuised It hateth them that loue it it deceiueth them that trust it it afflicteth them that serue it it forgetteth them most that trauell for it damneth them that follow it It will requite vs as Nabal did Dauid Who is the Sonne of Ishai that I should know him c. This whole world is nothing else but a maine Ocean Sea of infinite troubles and calamities and scarsely cansts thou finde any house in all this land of Egypt free from sighing mourning griefe and sorrowes Wherefore seeing this world is such a thing as it is so vaine so deceitfull so troublesome and so dangerous seeing section 5 it is a professed enemie to Christ and Christians and therefore excommunicate and damned to the pit of Hell since it is an Arke of trauell a Schoole of vanities a seate of deceit a laberinth of horrour since it is nothing else but a barren wildernesse a stonie field a dyrtie swines-sty a tempestuous Sea a groue of thornes a medow full of Scorpions a flourishing garden without fruit a dungeon of Serpents and poysonable Basiliskes Seeing it is a foundation of miseries a vaile of teares a fained fable a delectable fancie Seeing as S. Augustine speaketh the ioy of this world hath nothing else but false delights true asperitie certaine sorrow vncertaine pleasure trauelsome labour fearefull rest grieuous miserie vaine hope of felicitie Since it hath nothing in it saith Chrisostome but teares shame repentance reproach sadnesse negligence labours terrours sicknesse sin and death it selfe Since the worlds repose is full of anguish his securitie without foundation his feares without cause his trauels without fruit his sorrowes without profit his desires without successe his hope without reward his mirth without continuāce his miseries without remedies Seeing these a thousād thousand euils more are in it no one good thing can be had from it who would be deceiued with this vizard or allured with this vanitie hereafter who would be staied from the noble seruice of God by the loue of so fond a trifle as this world is If the world were our proper Element as the water for section 6 Fish we had more reason to be so worldly minded but seeing Christ hath said ye are not of the world for the loue of Christ we must forsake the world as Mathew his gainefull receipt of custome when he was called away It is commodious to the life of the Fish to liue wholly in the water but it is hurtfull to the soule of man to be giuen wholly to the world For to get worldly gaine the body would faine liue but the desire of heauenly glory must make it glad to die Worldly cares make a man very vnresty with himselfe but the comforts of Gods spirit are a Supersede as to them all and giue him his absolute quietus est So that as the holy Ghost filleth the house so grace peace and ioy in the holy Ghost fulfilleth the heart And as he that walketh in the warme Sun neuer desireth the light of the Moone so he that walketh in the way to heauen will neuer so much respect his affaires vpon earth The world rather feedeth then slacketh our appetites as Oyle doth the fire Man laboureth to labour and careth to take care plowing vpon the rockes and rowling euery stone for his gaine and is neuer at rest likened by one to a people in Africa that are at warres with the winde section 7 But all creatures haue their rest from God He is God of all saith Bernard not that all things are of his nature but because of him by him and in him all
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
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
and sell our birth-right and blessing for Esaus broath Men looke vnto pleasures as they are comming to them not as they are going from them when they are wont to leaue trouble and vexation behinde for the sting of the Scorpion is in his tayle Wee sell our hearts to the world for very chaffe and God offers vs millions for them nay to haue our custome hee giues vs an assay of merchandise peace of conscience and ioy of the holy Ghost Who would not traffique with so good a Chapman that meanes no other but to doe vs good indeed and will giue vs heauen when we haue giuen him our hearts who is in heauen As all the waters of the Riuer runne into the Sea so all worldly delights finish their course in the salt brine sea of sorrowes The peaceable dayes of the wicked their immunitie from the rod their dancing to the Instruments of Musicke haue their present period and in a moment they goe downe to hell Such lusty-guts in the prime of their pride and raging madnesse are sure of a Iudgement The gurmandizing Epicure holloweth not so loud whilst hee walloweth in his sensuall life as the Swine in their styes but hee shall howle as much when hee is in hell It was but a dumpish delight that Saul tasted in his mad melancholy moode in the sweet notes of Dauid sung vpon the harpe We must mistrust worldly benefits and baits couering section 8 the hooke for the fish we must not feede so hungerly on then their pleasings are leasings and their friendships fallacies they are as false witnesses against thy soule such as Iezabell suborned to kil innocent Naboth After the manner of Egyptian theeues they imbrace vs that they may slay vs They are as goblets of gold sugered with poyson This deceiptful Dalilah of delights speaketh thee faire but in the end she will bereaue thee of thy strength of thy sight yea of thy selfe These waspes flye about thy eares and make thee musicke but euermore they sting ere they part Sorrow and repentance is the best end of pleasure paine is yet worse but the worst of all is despaire How much better is it for thee to want a little hony then to be swolne vp with a venemous sting Wee must vse them without trust and want them without griefe still thinking while we haue them that we possesse a benefit with a charge If crosses once befall vs the comfort of riches flie from vs like vermine from a house on fire leauing vs to our ruine But he that hath placed his refuge aboue is sure that the ground of his comfort cannot be matched with any earthly sorrow cannot be moued with any worldly thought but is infinitely aboue all hazards Let the world tosse and tumble how it list as euer it doth the rest of Gods children is pitched aloft aboue the spheare of changable mortalitie O the broken reede of humane confidence who euer trusted in friends that euer could trust to himselfe who was euer more discontented then the wealthy Friends may be false wealth cannot but be deceitfull trust thou therefore to that which if thou wouldest cannot faile thee The Elephant being coursed casteth her precious tooth section 9 and so escapeth so must we forsake the flesh and dearest friends the world greatest pleasures to be with Christ If men forsake their own will submit themselues to Gods what can be hard But if we follow our owne appetites and delicate nicenesse reiecting Gods pleasure what can be easie Therefore not ours but thy will be done God hath a care ouer vs our life is in his hand yet scarce the hundreth man hath this fastned in his heart for euery one searcheth a way and meanes to saue his life as though there were no power and care in God And yet in his hands are the issues of death Death seemeth to consume all things but God deliuereth out of that deuouring gulfe whom he pleaseth therefore let vs leaue it at his pleasure either to deliuer vs from present danger or to take vs to a better life A wise man ought alwaies to keepe himselfe from sorrow section 11 and inordinate care for this worldly and transitory life and the things thereof Not to doe as the Doue which breeding her Pidgeons about the house maketh them familiar with the same And albeit they are monthly taken from her and killed yet she returneth to her old nest and breedeth young againe Worldly fauours honours temporall goods c. are but as bals of snow which by the beames of the Sunne dissolue and come to nothing What cost doe wee bestow vpon the haires of our head and beard which when the Barber once clippeth off are despised and swept away A man should neuer trust this foolish life it is but as a fire kindled on the coales which consuming it selfe giueth heate to others God hath made the beasts with their faces towards the earth thither they looke for from thence they haue their life and reliefe but man is erected with two standards with his head face and breast to looke to heauen Let not our hearts therefore differ from our faces haue not thy face aboue and thy heart below but lift vp thy heart as thou professest lest thou lie to the Church before God and his Angels section 12 The pouertie of a Christian doth forerunne the riches which he hath in heauen The loue of the world is an exemption from the life of God the allurements thereof are like the crying of a Lapwing that traineth vs the furthest from that we seeke The pompe of the world is like a blazing Starre that dreadeth the minde by presaging ruine and the temptations to pleasure are like canded worm-wood that coosen the taste and kill the stomacke To be vnknowne in the world we neede not care so be it we be in credit with God for hee that is great with God shall haue quietnesse in earth and blessednesse in heauen When it ceased to be with Sara saith one after the manner of the world she conceiued Isaac the Sonne of promise her exceeding ioy so when our worldly desires once wither heauenly will ensue Let vs therefore care little for the world that careth so little for vs. Let vs crosse saile and turne another way vnto our long home and looked-for abode from a life subiect vnto death to a deathlesse life euen as neare as wee can with a still and peaceable passage Am I contemned of the world it is inough for me that section 13 I am honoured of God of both I cannot the world would loue me more if I were lesse friends with God He is vnworthy of Gods fauour that cannot thinke it happinesse enough without the worlds The diuell playeth the Host in this world and will serue our turne with any delights that flesh desireth but he noteth all in a booke and at the day of reckoning which is our death it will be to our cost if
vse God as that they may inioy the world If we loue God lesse then we ought when we loue many section 8 things besides him which we loue yet for his sake how much then a greater sinne is it when wee shall loue our goods and friends not for Gods sake but euen in spight of God in that we loue them more then God that calleth vs from them such Christ pronounceth not worthy of his glory Therefore happy is hee O Lord which loueth thee and his friends in thee and his enemies for thee for he can neuer be destitute of friends who inioyeth God which is neuer lost and esteemes all as friends Gods children and chosen can neuer be poore that are ioyned to so rich and glorious a head euen Iesus Christ the Lord Treasurer of heauen in whom all the riches of Gods wisedome mercy goodnesse c. are hid and god-head it selfe doth corporally dwell But alas thou wilt say it is hard to forgoe our sweet children and deare wiues our trusty and best beloued friends our pastures and tillage our grounds and sumptuous buildings our mannor-houses rents and reuenewes our great treasures and Iewels and other worldly wealth And what of all this to him to whom all things are counted losse and esteemed as dung in regard of Christ And haue not the true souldiers of Christ learned long agoe to despise all these assaults whose soules still watch in the ward and tower of this body expecting euery moment to heare the sound of the trumpet to follow their Captaine Christ Therefore they vse this body not as a home or strong hold but as a Tabernacle and pitched tent for a time to serue their turne in this field of their warfare They hoord not their treasures here but are content with their daily pay alwayes watching in the campe harnessed for the fight The souldiers of the world lie sleeping and snorting Christs souldiers are alwayes watching and waiting for his comming If we loue our friends too much and not God aboue all things then hath our sorrow no measure as it ought section 9 He cannot be said to flit that neuer changeth his host God alone is as a thousand companions hee alone is a world of friends and though we depart from our friends here we goe to more better and more louing As Iacob said when hee should die I shall be gathered to my people hereby declaring that death is a passage to many more folkes and greater friends then we leaue behinde There is God our Father his Sonne our brother his heauen our inheritance and all his Angels and Saints as our brethren sisters and kinsfolkes with whom we shall inioy eternall blisse That man neuer throughly knew what it was to be familiar with God that complaines of the want of his home and friends while God is with him If the Sonne naturally loue his Father of whom he hath his body how much more should the children of God loue him of whom they haue both bodies and soules Carnall Parents and friends are to be loued but the Creator to be preferd and double imbraced Loue him therefore most of all which thou canst not loose euen thy Redeemer who to draw thee vnto his loue and to deliuer thee from the loue of the world stretched out his armes vpon the crosse and suffered a most vile and cursed death to purchase for thee not an earthly but a heauenly and an euerlasting life CHAP. VI. Now Death is and may be feared of the faithfull and how of wicked Infidels No man is to be censured simply for the manner or suddennesse of Death We may not couet to know our death or for any thing to shorten our life THere is no one greater hinderance to the section 1 cheerefull resolution of our death and departure then the fore-conceiued feare of flesh and blood against the same And this is common to all men without exception of any in a measure and degree for so long as wee remaine in this body of sinne wee cannot choose but feare death the wages thereof which followeth and pursueth the sinner to his graue as the shadow doth the body till the Sunne be set And indeede it is both naturall in all to desire their being and so to hate Death depriuing them thereof in this world as also lawfull in Gods children for their true humiliation before they be exalted in the highest heauens It may be feared in regard it is the destruction of nature in a mans owne selfe and others and in this respect Christ feared it himselfe without any sinne But wee must not feare it otherwise then sicknesse pouertie famine with other calamities of body and minde which God will not haue vs to despise or lightly regard but to feele the paine thereof because they are sent as punishments for sinne and he doth therefore lay paines and torments vpon vs that they may be feared and eschewed and that by eschewing them wee may further learne to hate the causes of them which are our sinnes and by our experience in feeling paine to acknowledge that God is a iust Iudge and an enemie to sinne And albeit I grant that the most faithfull men haue their fits of feare yet are they euer free from the bondage section 2 and state of those that haue no hope For although they die in body yet are they free from eternall death And this is their blessing indeede not that they shall not die but that the snares of death cannot hold them not that they shall not feare but that feare shall not conquer them and he is a true christian man that neither refuseth to die nor yet fainteth for any feare of death Before iudgement it is good to be afraide that thou maist finde fauour at the tribunall of the Iudge Faith and a religious feare are alwaies friends in a Christian man The feare of Gods iudgement is as a needle the loue of God as a thread first the needle entreth and then followeth the thread Faith striketh Gods children with feare and terrour and anone vanquisheth and ouercommeth the same it feareth vs with the greatnesse of him whom we offend and yet ouercommeth the same by leading vs to Christ our attonement to God section 3 And as it is sometime no fortitude or man-hood to be afraide to die but a stupor and stoicall obstinacie So to feare death approaching is not alwaies a note of infidelitie and mistrust of Gods loue seeing feare many times proceedes from the infirmitie of nature or sexe Ezechiah was an vpright man yet feared he the sentence of Death his very bones did shiuer and all his ioynts did quake yea his tongue did chatter like a Swallow and Christ himselfe had his agonies and wrestlings The affections of nature are not simply euill in themselues but lawfull and tollerable when they are ordered by Gods spirit But if we feare death let vs seeke out the cause of this feare
it But on the contrary such as want this good testimonie section 9 of the conscience purified by faith in the blood of Christ their case is very dangerous lying still in their sinnes which in the time of Gods visiting hand will sting them deadly and in this world if they be not awakened by repentance but lye snorting in the same till their dying day their conscience that hath furfeited of sinne in this life will vomit all in their faces when they come once to their reckoning For as a good conscience is a continuall feast and paradise to him that hath it so an euill one is a perpetuall plague and prison to the soule and like the raging sea that casts vp mire and durt A pure conscience saith one is as the sweetest sugar to delay the bitternesse of all afflictions it is as marrow in the bones and good blood in the veynes as sound health to the body fitting and inabling it to sustaine all blustering stormes and winter blasts It is as a watch-tower and Beacon on a hill to giue vs warning and word of all danger imminent to our life As a Trumpet to awaken vs from our sinnes It is as the match and tinder to kindle the fire and zeale of all holy deuotion faith and obedience still pricking vs forward to all vertue and godlinesse till wee end our daies in peace We may say of the conscience as Zeno the Philosopher of a Wife that shee is a continuall comfort or a perpetuall crosse A good conscience is an inuincible Tower it may be besieged but neuer battered and raced to the ground It will neither be borrowed nor bought nor sould yet if it should be set a sale few would buy it The bed of a good Conscience flourisheth alwayes as the greene borders in a Garden If our hearts be setled in loue and obedience to the section 10 Lord all the world besides cannot defile vs. Our heart is the safest Tower of defence that wee haue in all our life take heede therefore of thy heart for if it accuse thee it will kill thee If it be on thy side let the heauens fall yet the ruines thereof shall not affright thee let thy foes be what they will let their counsell be what it can and destruction that is conspired neuer so cruell yet if thy heart be faithfull to God thy enemies shall feare more then thou for Innocencie assisteth thee which is strengthened with the arme of God and cannot be conquered by any meanes of Man Death or Diuell Though nature be weake to raise vp it selfe and aduersities and temptations strong to cast it downe yet both troubles and temptations flye fast away before the face of our trust in God O Lord take from mee saith one if thou wilt my goods and riches my pleasures c. yea my life to so thou leaue mee my heart which way neuer cease to loue thee trust in thee and call vpon thy name Thou canst not be friends with thy selfe till thou be with God for thy Conscience like an honest seruant taketh his masters part against thee when thou hast sinned and will not countenance thee till thou be reconciled to God neyther dare it be kinde to thee and vnfaithfull to her Maker God doth commit men to their Conscience as vnto a Tutor which vigilantly attends vpon them and a man may better flye from any thing then from his owne heart And therefore this hath alwayes beene the ioy and reioycing of the faithfull to haue the witnesse of a good conscience that they haue simply and honestly walked with men in this world This is their Crowne and comfort to thinke how holily and vnblameably they haue behaued themselues that they haue fought a good fight and finished their course and kept the faith that they haue kept the profession of their hope without fainting still with a good Conscience making their request to God This oyle of gladnesse hath cheared their countenance and this pure wine of a good Conscience hath gladed their heart amidst all their griefe it hath sweetned their sorrowes hauing the loue of God shed in their hearts through the holy Ghost And therefore our greatest care must be to haue alwayes a cleare Conscience towards God and man which will greatly cheare vs against our death section 11 Christians must be daily practicioners of Faith and Repentance they must not onely by mortification of the flesh dye to sinne but being renewed in the spirit rise againe vnto righteousnesse and amendment of life They must hate euill and doe good pursue after peace and holinesse without the which no man can see God For as hee that hath a hope to liue againe when he is dead must dye while hee is aliue to sinne and wickednesse So hee that will escape the second death must be made pertaker of the first resurrection to newnesse of life And those that are deliuered from darknesse must be translated into the Kingdome of Christ and being dead in themselues must liue the life of Christ And this is the end why they are freed from their deadly foes to serue God in holinesse and righteousnesse all their dayes So shall they come to peace of Conscience and ioy in the holy Ghost section 12 Repentance and amendment of life serue vs as the Cannon shot to scatter the cruell bands of Death and Diuell and ioyning Faith with Repentance wee shall be sure to winne the field by the safe conduct of Christ our Captaine vnconquerable who as wee haue heard hath satisfied for our sinnes fulfilled the Law and foyled all our foes If the day of our death finde vs a sleepe in our sinne woe be vnto vs for then wee shall hardly awake The end of all things saith Saint Peter is at hand therefore be sober and watch in prayer Euery one in his death shall finde this end of all things when men are once dead and carryed out of dores all is at an end with them neyther hath their body any more then their length of ground One being demanded when it was time to repent answered section 13 One day before our death but when it was replyed that no man knew that day hee said Beginne then to day for feare of fayling and boast not of to morrow for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth It is a folly to dissemble our sores whilst they are cureable and after make them knowne when there is no remedie Many pretend to amend all in time and this time is so deferred from day to day vntill God in whose hands onely all times consist doth shut them out of all time and send them to paines eternall without time for that they abuse the speciall benefit of time in this world For custome groweth to another nature and old diseases are hardly cured Wilt thou goe to heauen liuing in sinne as thou dost It is impossible As soone thou maist driue God
A MAPPE OF MANS MORTALITIE Clearely manifesting the originall of DEATH with the Nature Fruits and Effects thereof both to the Vnregenerate and Elect Children of GOD. Diuided into three Bookes and published for the furtherance of the wise in practise the humbling of the strong in conceit and for the comfort and confirmation of weake Christians against the combat of DEATH that they may wisely and seasonably be prepared against the same Whereunto are annexed two Consolatory SERMONS for afflicted Christians in their greatest Conflicts BY IOHN MOORE Minister of the Word of God at Shearsbie in LEICESTER-SHIRE HEBR. 9.27 Booke 1. It is appoynted vnto men that they shall once dye and after that commeth the Iudgement REVEL 4.13 2. Then I heard a voyce from heauen saying vnto mee Write the dead which dye in the Lord are fully blessed euen so saith the Spirit for they rest from their labours and their workes follow them ECCLES 9.10 3 All that thy hand shall finde to doe doe it with all thy power for there is neyther worke nor inuention nor knowledge nor wisedome in the graue whither thou goest LONDON Printed by T.S. for GEORGE EDVVARDS and are to be sold at the signe of the Greyhound in Paules Church-yard 1617. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE Sr. FOVLKE GREVILL Knight Chancelor of his Highnesse Court of Exchequer and one of his Maiesties most Honourable Priuie Councell the assurance of Gods loue in all outward blesings of this life with the vndoubted euidence of Gods Spirit for the fruition of Heauen and happinesse in the life to come be daily more and more increased and confirmed through Iesus Christ c. Right Honourable SVch is the force of Vertue and of the very shadow of Godlinesse that as it were naturally it draweth mens loue and affection and after a speciall manner vniteth mindes together farre distant and different in calling and condition The very Heathen hauing experience hereof both by their writing confessed and also practised the same one towards another who for the loue of morall vertues embraced those whom they neuer saw How much more then should Gods Children rightly informed by Gods Word and reformed by his Spirit most highly value the incomparable worth of sincere Religion and the holy profession thereof by the meanes and ministery whereof men are as it were newly created and restored to the Image of the eternall God which maketh them most amiable in the sight of God and honourable in the account of his children who doe know that they are translated from death to life by louing the brethren For as God in himselfe the very fountaine of all goodnesse is loue and properly to be loued of all being the very obiect and subiect of all Christian affection as hauing in himselfe all the causes both motiue and attractiue to draw them vnto him So they whosoeuer of Gods elect which most resemble him in grace and goodnesse doe next deserue our loue not that we should diuide the same from God the very Ocean of goodnesse but rather to make it knowne that we truly loue the Lord our God in them who cannot possibly loue God whom wee haue not seene except wee loue his Children which represent his person and in whom hee will proue our loue towards himselfe Hence arise so many good occasions to make Gods children acquainted which otherwise would be strangers many poore Christians and despised Ministers in the world to write and speake seeke and sue for the countenance and acquaintance of eminent personages sincerely professing and patronizing Gods truth and with Luke to looke for some noble Theophilus and with S. Iohn some honourable and Elect Lady vnto whom they may consecrate their labours The consideration of which premises Honourable Sir may somewhat qualifie my present boldnesse in this my seeming rash attempt Neyther is it strange indeede that poore men in the valley looke to the Beacon on the hill and that such spreading fruitfull trees should be in view and knowne for shelter and reliefe against a storme Hee which seeketh fonsuch friends seeketh to God his assignes for are they not his Deputies to doe good to his Church and Children Are they not eyes to the blinde and feet to the lame Are they not fathers to the poore and in so being procure their blessing I minde not here to blaze out your iustly deserued praises but rather in dutie be earnest in my prayers to God for the increase and continuance of Gods graces bestowed vpon your Honour for the good of our Church and Common-wealth And I hope you haue learned that continuance in well-doing getteth the greatest praise and prize with God and all good men And my particular prayer shall be that still you may exceede your selfe in the performance of all Christian duties to God our Prince and Countrey euer tending to that perfection which leadeth to eternall life Moreouer let your Honour be throughly perswaded that God will haue all his children humbled here before they can aspire to the top of the highest glory which they hope for hereafter and that the way hereunto is rightly to know our selues by our fraile condition and mortall estate May it please you therefore with other sorts and rancks of Gods people to take some view thereof in this Discourse Feare not Honourable Sir to read some lines thereof at your leasure the receipt whereof I doubt not will proue more wholsome then toothsome to the flesh which still would make vs play the Gyants against our God yet mortified it must be in some measure For as raw flesh is not fit for the stomacke no more are vnmortified men for God Euen Nichodemus himselfe must be borne againe if he will come to an assured hope of that heauenly inheritance I prescribe here no Lawes nor Rules to be obserued with the Franciscans Dominicks and other Fryers to this or that sect or sort of men I say with the Apostle There is one Law for all men enacted in heauen without repeale that they must dye And for as much as God hath sanctified this Physicke for the saluation of our soules let the wholesomnesse thereof qualifie the bitternesse And since the death of the faithfull hath lost her sting in Christ his death let vs neuer feare the humbing of this Bee nor being able to hurt vs. But for these Cordials of Comfort with many moe soueraigne Antidotes against Deaths poyson and dangerous Symptomes I leaue your Honour to a larger discourse thereof in the proper place Now for offering to your Honour such mournfull matter of humiliation and as it may seeme distastfull to Courtly senses let these few words suffice That as there is a communitie of flesh and bloud and a generall infection of sin in all Adams heires that so likewise Death which is the wages thereof is and must needes be common vnto all without exception of any And so long as the godly and wicked liue together in this
world euen so long there is betweene them a certaine equalitie in the flesh though alwayes an euident distinction in the spirit So that vntill this mortall body hath put on immortalitie and the spirit of Christ which dwelleth in Gods children hath brought them to God in heauen all discommodities and casualties with Death it selfe must needs be incident to all men alike Besides that our earthly prosperitie so dulleth our spirituall senses and our great imployments in the world so carry away our affections and so hinder the remembrance of our latter end that the greatest men many times both for place and gifts doe mightily forget themselues herein and knowing it to be so haue had their speciall Memorandums I omit to speake of the preparing of their Sepulchres in their life time and the purposed placing of them in their common walkes with their set salutations of some seruant to that purpose Thus most humbly supplicating your Honour to be well pleased with this my honest purpose and christian indeuour in the fauourable acceptance thereof I commend your Honour to the gracious protection and direction of the eternall and euer liuing God who euer guide you with his spirit in all your weighty imployments to his glory and the good of his Church c. From my poore Study at Shearsbie in Leicestershire February 21. 1616. Your Honours in all Christian duties wholy deuoted in the Lord Iesus IOHN MOORE AN ABRIDGEMENT OF THE WHOLE Bookes substance OR A GENERALL TABLE of the principall poynts thereof according to the CHAPTERS and SECTIONS The first BOOKE CHAP. I. GOD in his incomprehensible Wisedome Goodnesse and Loue created man at the first as a Chrystall glasse of his glory and a liuely resemblance in a sort of his Maiestie Section 1. Mans body a briefe map and abridgement of the whole worlds perfection 2. Mans excellency and maiestie in his first Creation ibid. Man in his body resembled his Maker and in his seuerall members expressed the varietie of his perfections 4. The very Pagans admired the portraiture of mans body and preferred it before the worlds curious creation ibid. Man especially in his soule resembled God with the manner how 5. Gods Image in man appeared especially in the regiment of the creatures 6. It consisteth principally in righteousnesse holinesse and knowledge ibid. The Image of God in man is to haue the same Will Knowledge Iudgement and Reason with God in humane and heauenly things in a measure with the reason thereof 7. The difference betwixt the Image and Similitude of a thing 8. Christ is the very ingrauen forme of God and the true patterne and type of our first created image ibid. Reason and Will as two wings to the Soule did at the first guide it aright to God that so it might soare aloft with her affections to heauen and heauenly things 9. The excellent harmony in all the faculties of the Soule before Adams fall with the exquisite reason and knowledge thereof 10. CHAP. II. GOD alone is vnchangeable and all creatures haue their being standing and vpholding by him who onely is Sect. 1. Gods name and nature ibid. Adam was mortall by creation yet had he not sinned he neuer had dyed 2. Man was made of a mutable nature in power of standing and possibilitie of falling 3. The reason why God alone is vnchangeably good and all other creatures subiect to decline ibid. Three things requisite for Adam and the Angels to perseuere in goodnesse 4. Why the good Angels fell not but keepe still their standing ibid. Adam if hee would had grace sufficient to haue kept himselfe from sinne and death illustrated by examples 5 6. Adam could fall of himselfe but hee could not stand or rise againe with the vse thereof 7. Why man was made of a changeable nature 8. Man was subiect to death by nature but not of necessitie with the reason 9. CHAP. III. SAthan enuying at mans glorious estate laboured by temptations to supplant him and so preuailed Sect. 1. The manner and degrees of Sathans proceeding 2. Adam by yeelding procured his fall and so sold himselfe to Sinne and Sathan to the iust destruction of himselfe and all his seede ibid. The greatnesse of Adams sinne and the equitie of Gods Iustice in the manner of punishment 3. See the further inlargement of Adams rebellion by the degrees thereof 5. God not onely commanded his obedience but threatned his rebellion 6. Adam by his fall lost Gods Image and contemning life hee found out death ibid. The cursed fruits and effects of his fall 7. Adam procured the practise of euill before he could attaine to the knowledge thereof 8. In searching for knowledge he met with error and blindnesse both of soule and body ibid. Originall sinne as a pestilent poyson infected euery part of man 9. It is deriued from Adam by propagation and by imitation confirmed and multiplyed in all mankinde ibid. The fruits and effects of originall sinne ibid. It maketh man more degenerate then all the rest of the creatures 10. Mighty is the power and raging is the strength of originall sinne ibid. Though sinne be the greatest bondage yet wee are willingly led to the practise and obedience thereof 11. Sinne breedeth in our hearts as wormes in the wood ibid. Concupiscence the fruit of Adams transgression is the Tyrant of the flesh the Law of the members the nourishment of Sinne the feeblenesse of Nature and food of Death 12. Before wee can sinne we are lincked to sinne and before wee offend we are bound with offence ibid. CHAP. IIII. THough the cause of death be iust yet the originall thereof seemeth doubtfull Sect. 1. God is not the author of Death with the reasons why 2. The Diuell is the author of Death proued at large 3. Sathan was created an Angelicall Spirit by sinne hee made himselfe a Diuell and falling from God hee fell from goodnesse 4. Causa causae est causa causali Sathan being the cause of Sinne caused Death ibid. Man and Diuell are partners in Sinne and so in Death 5. Sathan tempted and man consented ibid. The Diuell is not the absolute cause of Sinne and Death with the reasons why 6. Sollicite he may to sinne but force he cannot ibid. Man by nature might haue declined and should in himselfe haue had the cause of sinne and so of death 7. Death hath no proper efficient cause but rather deficient 8. It is a priuation of life onely hauing a name and no nature and substance with the vse thereof ibid. Sect 9. Adams sinne was hereditary to his posteritie and so the punishment proued at large from 10. to 13. The naturall condition of mans soule by originall sinne 13. Though in the iust iudgement of God mens soules be defiled with sinne being ioyned to their bodies yet it is not of compulsion 14. God doth incline the wils of men eyther to good or euill according to his mercy and their iust deserts 16. The children of the regenerate
had not perished with the floud if the flouds of teares for sinne had flowed from mens eyes 15. Hope is the piller sustaining the building of our faith which fainting our faith falleth into the gulfe of dispaire 16. All things are possible to him which beleeueth ibid. Hope to a Christian is as a staffe to a traueller who resteth vpon it shall hardly fall 17. Despaire is a bottomelesse gulfe out of which none returneth that fall into it ibid. CHAP. IX WIthout the vndoubted hope of the resurrection Christ died in vaine our faith hope and all religion is in vaine Sect. 1. Infallible proofes of the resurrection by scriptures which are of God and cannot lie 2. Reasons drawne from the Scripture to confirme the same 3. Naturall reason and experience of the creatures conuince the truth hereof 4. Why should not our bodies rise againe from the dust as well as the seede sowne harrowed and hidden in the ground 5. Excellent resemblances and allusions of the resurrection of our bodies 6. Christ hath caried our flesh into heauen to put vs in possession and giuen vs his spirit as an earnest to seale his promises that we shall raigne with him in glory 7. Our bodies in the graue shall againe be quickned in Christ and rise againe to life carrying with them the warmenesse of Gods spirit which cannot die 8. Though our flesh doe rot yet shall the spirit of God deliuer it from corruption by the vertue of him that raised vp Christ from the dead 9. CHAP. X. THe godly groane that this mortalitie may be swallowed vp of life Sect. 2. They loath this wretched life to be vnloden of their sins 3. Our life is like a stage on which men play their parts and passe away ibid. A Christian needeth not feare the violence of death whose force is broken in Christ 4. Death as a Tailor putteth off our ouer-worne rags to apparell vs with the royall roabes of immortalitie incorruption and endlesse glory 5. A description of this sinfull wretched and miserable life 6. 7. Euery mans life is like a rocke in the Sea beaten vpon with waues on euery side and like vnto a Butt or marke at which sorrow c. shootes and at last Death that most sure Archer shootes and strikes it dead 8. The state and condition of all flesh is to be miserable and mortall 9. All kinde of miseries hunt after sinfull man and Death at length doth greedily deuoure him 10. Very fit resemblances of this wretched life 11. While we reside in the world death euery where lyeth in ambush for vs but when wee are in heauen it shall haue no place ibid. The comfortable death of Christians through Christ 12. 13. It is better to dye alwayes to liue then to liue to dye euer 14. If wee looke for our felicitie here wee are deceiued Eliah must goe to heauen in a whirle-winde 15. When we are borne we are mortall but when wee are once dead we become immortall 16. Death is as it were the birth of a blessed soule after a great trauell 17. Death and life are two twinnes inseparable vntill the diuision of soule and body ibid. It is a deliuerance from all sinne and the accomplishment of sanctification ibid. All the inhabitants of heauen weare crownes of glory sit in thrones of maiestie and possesse a Paradise of infinite pleasures 18. All glorified bodies shall shine as so many Sunnes and lamps in Gods kingdome 19. The incomparable ioyes of the kingdome of heauen shadowed out ibid. What heauenly societie and company of Saints are in Gods Kingdome 20. If we will make our death ioyfull and easie we must thinke of the glorious life that followeth it 21. If we would despise this world we must thinke of heauen ibid. Christ himselfe dyed that we might dye with more patience and pleasure ibid. It is a token of little loue to God to be so loath to goe vnto him 22. God reacheth out his hand to conduct vs but we draw backe our owne and runne away ibid. If God be our guide we must follow him to arriue in his house 23. FINIS THE FIRST BOOKE What DEATH is in it selfe CHAP. I. Of mans Creation and excellent estate before his Fall OVr most gracious God infinite in section 1 wisedome and incomprehensible in loue towards mankinde hauing before all worlds decreed to make himselfe most glorious in his Creation did in his appointed time effect the same For hauing made the world in wonderfull manner and furnished it with all varietie of creatures both for profit and pleasure deuising in his wisedome and vnspeakable loue a perfection of happinesse for man vpon the earth at last after a most exquisite manner consulted with himselfe for the shape of man and finding no creature fit enough for a patterne of his portraiture concluded with himselfe to make mankinde as a Chrystall glasse of his glory and a most liuely resemblance after a sort of his Maiestie section 2 And that not onely in the frame of his body to be as it were a briefe Map and abridgement of the whole worlds perfection which hee made as a most glorious Theatre fully replenished with most admirable sights of all sorts but which is more both in body and soule to represent his Creator as his Vicegerent and petty Monarch on the earth and seating him here as it were in his Throne and putting his owne Scepter into his hand and his Crowne of glory vpon his head gaue him dominion and rule ouer all the workes of his hands so that well may the Prophet with wonder exclaime and cry out Lord what is man that thou art so mindefull of him c. section 3 Now that this Image of God was liuely expressed in whole man resembling his Maker both in his body and in his soule doth plainly appeare by the renuing of man in Christ who is not onely sanctified in the one alone but in the other section 4 And first for mans Body it did resemble God in that immortalitie wherein it was first created as also in the seuerall members thereof expressed the varietie of his perfections and therefore in respect of Gods diuers employments in a borrowed speech are ascribed to him as the hands and armes to shew Gods omnipotencie and power his eyes and eares his piercing prouidence and sight c. I omit mans face and comely countenance in which principally doth shine a certaine imperious maiestie and grace most conspicuous causing all liuing creatures to stoupe vnto him and besides the goodly order of all his outward parts set and disposed in admirable sort a glorious beauty spreading it selfe throughout with wonderfull strength agillitie and nimblenesse of all his members made him most famous that very Naturalists and Pagans anatomizing his very body not onely preferred the frame thereof before the worlds whole curious creation but rauished in their senses with the consideration of the same deified and preferred it aboue all measure
the Iewels and ornaments of her husband Christ because as Augustine saith he is a spunge which wipeth and clenseth vs from all our filthinesse which he taketh in exchange for his beautie and righteousnesse Christ is said to keepe the key of life and Death the one to make fast and shut to the gates of Hell which alwaies stood open to swallow vs vp and the other to vnlocke the kingdome of heauen which alwayes was shut and barred against vs By meanes whereof at the time of his death the vaile rent asunder that kept the entrance into the most holy place What is more filthy then a man conceiued and borne in sinne and what is more cleane and beautifull then our Sauiour Christ conceiued by the holy Ghost My welbeloued is white and ruddy the choysest of tenne thousand This sweet and louing Lord that was so fayre and cleane was content to beare the blemishes of our sinnes and filthinesse of our soules to make vs beautifull in Gods sight It was a worke of great patience and humilitie saith Cyprian that so high and excellent a Maiestie would vouchsafe to come downe from heauen to earth and all to cloath himselfe with this our house of clay and dirt and that hee would so hide the glory of his immortalitie to become mortall for sinfull man that being himselfe innocent and faultlesse yet should be so punished for vs that are guilty that hee that came to pardon sinnes would be content to be washed with the water of sinners that hee that feedeth all creatures should fast himselfe and be hungry that hee might fill sinners with his grace and satisfie hungry soules with his righteousnesse c. How was hee spoyled of his earthly garments that apparelleth the Saints with the royall roabes of immortalitie and glory How was hee proffered most bitter gall that offereth to vs the heauenly Manna and food of our soules How did his enemies giue him vinegar to drinke that reacheth out vnto vs the wine and Nectar of life and saluation Hee that was iust and innocent or rather Iustice and Innocencie it selfe was iudged and executed among theeues and murtherers the euerlasting Truth was accused of falshood the righteous Iudge of the world was condemned himselfe and that Word of God the very fountaine of eternall life receiued the sentence and doome of death with silence c. Innocencie was tyed with bands Vertue apprehended Wisdome flouted Honour contemned Glory defaced the well-spring of all vertue troubled Christ as the true Isaack and sonne of promise bare the wood vpon his owne shoulder to the place of sacrifice this carriage was diuided betweene two the sonne carryed the wood and the body that should be sacrificed and the father carryed the fire and the knife wherewith the sacrifice should be accomplished It was the fire of Loue which God bare to mankinde and the sharpe knife of diuine Iustice that put the Sonne of God to death These two vertues in God our heauenly Father contended together Loue requested him to pardon mankinde and his Iustice required that sinners might be punished Wherefore that man might be pardoned and sinne punished a meanes was found that Christ an innocent man might dye and by his death redeeme all sinfull men that doe beleeue Christ is our true Sampson that for the loue of his Spouse the Church suffered himselfe to be bound hand and foote to be shaued of his lockes and spoyled of his force and so to be mocked and scorned of all his enemies for our sakes Christ in his death is the golden propitiatorie the Rainebow of diuers colours placed among the clouds of heauen with the sight whereof Almighty God is pacified with this were his eyes fed his iustice satisfied and his fauour restored Yee that be a thirst come yee to the waters Christ is the mysticall Rocke that Moses stroke with the rod whence springeth the abundance of water to satisfie the thirst of poore afflicted soules Hee is that cluster of grapes brought out of the Land of Promise out of the which was pressed that ioyfull wine to fill the cup of our saluation Hee is the oyle of grace wherewith wee must repay our debts Wee must not looke so much to the quantitie as to the vertue thereof which is so great and good that so long as there be faithfull soules as vessels to be filled therewith so long will the veyne of this sacred liquour runne and neuer cease The bloud of Christ cryeth better things then that of Abel for his bloud cryed for vengeance against the murtherer but this his precious bloud cryeth and craueth for pardon of our sinnes O Lord saith Augustine thou wilt not the death of a sinner nor reioycest in the destruction of the damned but that the dead might liue thou dyedst and thy death hath killed the death of sinners And if they through thy death were againe brought to life Oh grant I beseech thee that I may not dye now thou art aliue CHAP. II. That Christ by his death and merits alone without any meanes of man or other creature redeemeth vs from death and damnation NO Creature but Iesus Christ alone as hath beene declared could possibly rescue vs from death and restore vs to euerlasting life Now followeth in order the manner and meanes of our redemption for as our deliuerance proceeded onely from Christ himselfe so all the meanes and compleate worke thereof was performed by himselfe alone without supply He tooke our nature vpon him to take our part that so hee might destroy through death him that had the power of death that is to say the Diuill and that hee might deliuer all them which for feare of death were all their life time subiect to bondage Hee suffered for our sinnes the iust for the vniust that he might bring vs to God and was put to death concerning the flesh but was quickned in the spirit that hee might be our ransome God is iust and we hauing smitten his Maiestie by our sinne must be smitten againe by his punishment for hee is so to be mercifull as that hee disanull not his Iustice and so to be iust as that hee forget not his Mercy Now to make a way to both to appease his wrath that his Iustice may be satisfied and yet so to appease it as his Mercy may be magnified in forgiuing sinne it was necessary that there should be a mediation For if all the world should be offered vnto God for satisfaction it is nothing for it is his owne euen the worke of his hands for infinite sinnes there must be infinite sufferings and infinite satisfaction and therefore he that must redeeme vs must be an infinite Sauiour euen God himselfe as wee haue heard yet man also he must be euen a true Immanuel God with man For how can there be satisfaction for our apostacie but by our humilitie or
things consist A Stone cast out of a sling neuer resteth vntill it come to his centre so God whose centre is euery where and circumference nowhere is our onely rest and without him who is onely infinite our desires are neuer replenished which are infinite and endlesse We must therefore passe through this world as the Israelites passed through Edome who onely desired to goe through and to make no stay at all what should we set our delights in this Edome of the world our passage through it is all we should require we spend our goulden daies of prosperitie as ill husbands waste their substance we know not how and are in a manner so carelesse as if God were bound to bring vs to section 8 heauen whether we will or no. God hath set the earth vnder our feete that it should not be too much esteemed The world it selfe is of a round figure saith one but the heart of man is triangular and so comprehends more then the world Our bodies walke on earth but our soules should be in heauen by heauenly desires and we should frame our affections in forme of a Ship that is closed downeward and open vpward in a hearty desire of happy state Let my minde saith Augustine muse of it let my tongue talke of it let my heart loue it and my whole soule neuer cease to hunger and thirst after it Gods children in this world with their tryals and troubles are tilled and manured as the ground to be made section 9 fruitfull and fertill and are here proued with Symon of Syrene euery one with his crosse and must thus be contented to accompanie Christ to his Kingdome Manifold troubles are incident to all who are departing from the myre durt of Egypt to doe sacrifice to God who yet will bring them into a good land that floweth with milke and hony Here we are a flying before many Iesabels here we sit in darkenesse and see not the true light which shineth in glory Here wee are poore captaines as in Babilon how should we sing and reioyce in this vale of teares in so low and marshie a soyle naturally so subiect vnto moysture This farre Country is full of penurie and sorrow no plenty no musicke vntill wee returne vnto our fathers house while wee are on this side Iordane wee are amidst many troubles and tryals we must looke for no other vntill we come into the heauenly land of rest and what is it to liue long but to be troubled long Noahs Doue at her first flight from the Arke fetched many retyres but could finde no resting place till Noah opened the window to take her in againe So may our poore soules soare a time by lifting vp many a sigh and supplication to God who at last will open the window of his heauenly Arke and then and not before they shall finde safe footing after these worldly flouds for sure repose and rest Here we doe but sowe with teares there we shall reape in ioy Here our earthly houses are like the Tabernacles that were moueable there they shall be like the glorious Temple sure fixed Blessed are they indeed that dwell in thy house O Lord of Hosts Those that at mid-day desire to see the superiour planets section 10 and lights must goe downe into a wonderous deepe pit from the light of the horizon wherein they liue This is an Astronomicall experiment so to behold the light inaccessible and ioyes of heauen wee must be farre remoued from the loue and delights of this inferiour world whilst we set our affections on earthly things wee seeke for no better for wee looke for no higher So long as Zacheus abode in the preasse among the other people hee was vpon to low a ground to looke on Christ till hee climbed higher Seafaring men that haue long beene weather beaten in the surging Seas are wont to showt for ioy when they discerne the shoare So should Christians reioyce after so manifold stormes of this raging world to draw so neere by death and by faith to see a farre off their heauenly harbour and place of endlesse rest Worldlings are like the Reubenites content to stay on this side Iorden because it was a place fit for their Droues and cattell and nothing regarded the promised land so many desire to stay here and goe no further esteeming the profits and pleasures of this temporall life more then of the incomprehensible ioyes of life eternall They are so satisfied with earthly things that they sauour not heauenly c. men led captiue into a forraine Country from their infancie doe not onely forget their naturall language but euen the desire of returning home but to the truer Israelites all is wearinesse vntill they come into the land of rest section 11 Augustine writeth of certaine beasts that are so patient of thirst that seeing many puddles and other waters will yet neuer drinke till they come to a fountaine that is very cleare and cleane so should the faithfull stay their desire till they come indeed to the true waters of comfort so fresh and cleare Here we must but recreate our selues retaining still our thirst vntill wee come to drinke our fill at the true fountaine of blisse and happinesse The worlds manner saith one is the Iewes manner who were wont to bring the best wine first but Christ obserues his old manner and keepes the best wine last The Israelites many and often times murmured in the wildernesse thinking that after their deliuerance out of Egypt they should presently haue all sweetnesse and abundance But they were deceiued God kept that vntill they came into the land of promise wee must not looke for our happinesse here God reserueth that till hereafter Here euery day we must be gathering Mannah but when the high Sabaoth commeth then wee shall cease Ioseph gaue his brethren prouision for the way but the full sackes were kept in store vntill they came home to their fathers house God giues vs here a taste and assay of his goodnesse but the maine sea of his bountie and store is horded vp in the kingdome of heauen In this life Adam shall eate his bread in the sweate of his browes in labour and sorrow shall he eate thereof vntill he returne vnto the earth out of which he came as if the daies of man by reason of sinne were nothing else but the daies of sorrow because euery day hath her griefe and euery night his terrour The Christian soule shall neuer sing her sweetest song vntill she come to beare her part with the Saints in the ioyfull quire of heauen Wherefore if our inheritance be that wee shall raigne as kings why put we our selues in such slauerie of creatures If our birth allow vs to feede of bread in our fathers house why delight we to eate huskes prouided for the swine If a golden prize be propounded to such as winne
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
both going out and comming in they might alwaies be mindefull of their death and latter end section 19 I cannot sufficiently wonder at the folly of our nature so abhorring the mention of Death yea euen the aged men whose spring is past whose summer is spent and are euen arriued at the fall of the leafe whose heads are dyed with snowie winter colours and whose ship begins to leake and grate vpon the grauell of their graues yet how fearefully are they amazed to heare the last sound of Deaths trumpet O foolish imbecilitie so fearing to be luld a sleepe in Deaths slumbering fits which is so ready to close vp this mortall day to bring their soules to an euerlasting morrow Mans life saith one is a small thing but the contempt of this wretched life is a great thing And why should Christians so loue this sinfull life and loath their death which is so gainefull First it killeth our familiar enemy the flesh which lusteth against the spirit and maketh vs that we cannot please God Now there is no enemie like vnto a domesticall and home-bred enemie that lieth in our bosome that rests and sleepes with vs and is alwayes a companion to the soule vrging and hailing it to sinne but Death openeth the doore of this filthy prison and stinking dungeon of this body of sinne in which we liue as slaues It freeth vs from this pannier and dungcart we carry about full of all corruption and vilenesse for this corruptible body is heauie vnto the soule and this earthly mansion keepeth downe the minde oppressing it with cares It putteth an end to this our painefull pilgrimage full of bitternesse and griefe For what is this life but a heauie mierie way clagging and tyring our feet and orher limbes Consider then how absurd it is for poore drudges so section 20 foyled and wearied to be yet vnwilling to haue such an irkesome life and way ended Our life is full of labour t' is led with sorrow and yet left with teares so that better is death then such a silly life We thinke not so much how neare Death we approach all of vs being reserued to die we complaine not so much of the thing it selfe as of the day of our death But would wee not thinke him a foole who amongst many other being condemned to die would craue it as a great benefit to be executed the last So foolish are many esteeming it such a matter to haue their death deferred and a little to prolong their dayes Malefactors hate nothing more then the giues and fetters barres and bolts of the prison doores wherewith they haue beene loaded and wherewith they haue beene inclosed and we foolish men feare nothing more then the opening of this prison doore for our egresse and deliuery we cannot abide it we cannot indure to haue the locks and shuts of this layle of our flesh to be broken and battered for our euerlasting manumission from this seruitude and slauerie of sinne section 21 Now then if our whole life be nothing else but a continuall trauell to death as wee haue heard if the houre of death be also the dreadfull houre of Iudgement what other thing is our whole life but a continuall walking towards the tribunall seate of God And what great madnesse is it for men going actually to be iudged thus in the way to prouoke their Iudge to anger by continuall sinne Let vs better open our eyes and consider the way wee take let vs fore-cast with our selues to what place wee are going and be ashamed of our euils or at the least to aduise with our selues how euill this that wee doe agreeth with that businesse wee haue in hand What a wonder is this that euery day we dye and yet perswade our selues to liue for euer wee are like the Megarenses of whom the Phylosopher speaketh in making proud and sumptuous buildings as though they should alwayes liue yet liuing as though they had but mortall soules section 22 But to hasten to an end Whereof commeth so great forgetfulnesse of almighty God such negligence of preparing our selues to die euen from hence that we presume our life shall last so long This false imagination perswadeth vs that we haue time inough for all things for the world for our pleasures for vanitie for vices for friuolous and curious exercises and that yet for all this we shall haue sufficient time to prouide our selues to die in so much as we dare dispose of our life as we will of a web of cloath for our family lying on a table appointing one piece for this purpose and another for that so we make account of our liues as though we had the signory and gouernment of times in our owne hands to order and our life at our owne will and pleasure to dispose of This fond conceit groweth and is grounded vpon selfe-loue which alwaies hateth and abhorreth Death to auoide the paine and griefe which otherwise it would conceiue Such a one is easily induced to beleeue that another shall die for as hee is not greatly in loue with others so is not the knowledge and beliefe of that truth so sowre and vnpleasant vnto him but as hee loueth himselfe exceedingly so is hee very loath to beleeue any thing that should increase his paine and griefe Yet see how such a one is deceiued hee first of all begins to lead the dance of death and others so censured long after doe follow him So that it fareth with these men as with yong sea-men and fresh-water-souldiers who when they come forth of the hauens mouth it seemeth vnto them that the land and houses depart away when they themselues indeede doe moue and passe away the land and houses standing still Of what impatiencie is it not to endure that euill section 23 which together with so many and mighty is common vnto all men Thou refusest to pay the debt with all Gods Saints which whether thou wilt or no must needs be discharged Hee which by nature could not die was for thy sake made mortall and subiect to death and thou being borne to dye and which so often for thy sinnes hast deserued death wouldest thou alone amongst all other be priuiledged from dying Remember therefore thy folly and pride and rather incourage thy selfe to die hauing so many fellowes and partners in this case For indeede wee haue no more cause to grieue that wee shall die then wee haue to be vexed that wee were borne or that wee were created mortall men and not Angels immortall Death bringeth an equall law and an ineuitable necessitie ouer all Now who can complaine for being of such a condition from which no man is excepted for the chiefest point of equitie is equalitie Let vs therefore pay our tribute chearefully since wee cannot be released and let vs second and follow the will of God without murmuring from whom all things are iustly deriued for Destinie leades him by the hand that goeth willingly and
may the better moderate their desires section 10 Learne not so much saith Plato to increase thy possessions as to diminish thy lusts for the high-way to be rich is to be poore in coueting and hee is the richest that coueteth the least and is content with a little Now the way to cure this Feuer which causeth such a thirst of the world and worldly things is not to giue vs drinke and fill of our desires which increaseth the disease but by diminishing the immoderate loue and liking of the same Now one speciall meanes hereunto is to trust in God since the roote of this sinne is distrust in God Before the creation of man the world was made and replenisht with all things requisite for his vse and before the soule the body was created to receiue it Sith then God prouided for man before his creation and nourished the body in the wombe before it was borne and giueth care to the mother of sustayning and cloathing it before the birth shall wee call into question his fatherly care ouer vs Let not these things therefore hinder vs in the high-way to heauen but casting all our care vpon God let vs be packing on our iourney Let the messengers of death be welcome vnto vs and Death himselfe be imbraced when God doth send it For though they depriue vs of the world with his wealth and pleasures yet they put vs in possession of heauen itselfe and happy treasures And for these transitory things which are but as vapours and exhalations of the world A godly man saith Augustine neuer so fully enioyeth his desire as when hee is willing nothing at all to desire them Contentment saith one consisteth not in much yet he hath much that hath it and this is soone obtayned of God in a low estate Nature wee say is content with a little and onely contentation ministreth rest and peace vnto our mindes The Sea of this world saith a holy Father freezing vnto vs it hardeneth that wee may safely walke vpon it as Peter on the water CHAP. V. Of the great griefe of forsaking our wealth and worldly estate and leauing of our manifold friends and acquaintance in the world with the remedies thereof FEarefull is the consideration to flesh and bloud section 1 not indued with the comforts of Gods holy Spirit to thinke of our poore and naked estate at our latter end Death waiting vpon vs not onely to depriue vs of our life and beeing but of all such comfortable meanes and helpes which formerly wee enioyed taking from vs our houses goods and friends which Iob beganne to feele and confesse in his tryals with lowd exclamation Naked I came into the world and naked shall I returne God indeede made all these things for man yea the whole world it selfe of which hee tooke possession yet forgetting his homage to God and chiefe-rent of obedience hee forfaited all againe into his hands and from whence hee came thither sent he him againe giuing him iust as much with him as hee brought at first Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt dissolue And indeede this prouision is sufficient enough for the place whither hee goeth For what great matters should we looke for in the graue where rottennesse is our father and wormes are our mother When our breath once vanisheth and we shall be turned out of the house-roomes of this world repayring to our doomes-day house where the wormes the dead mens Lawyers shall take their fees out of vs their graue-clyents and our bodies with our bowels shall be their bread to satiate their hunger Then happy I say are those that by the wings of a liuely faith haue their soules flying vp to the heauenly habitations section 2 Hither we came as Iacob to Laban onely by Gods prouidence wee are that wee are If God will giue vs food to eate and cloathes to put on God shall be our God These heards and droues about vs they are from the mercy of God not plants growing in our owne soyle not vapours that did arise from vs but of the nature of influences from heauen are come vpon vs. Euery one sueth to God in forma pauperis for things necessary wee are poore Publicanes receiuers onely God is the giuer of all Wee cannot call any thing ours but Time While we haue time let vs doe good Nay this time it selfe is not in our hands but in the Lords All these temporall things come from the great store-house of heauen We may not say as the Tempter did All these are mine no all is Gods who is the best Land-lord Hee requires no more but our acknowledgement of his blessings with thankefulnesse in our obedience Wee may haue them wee must not be had of them wee haue had them to liue the end ceasing the meanes also cease concurring to the end Wee must not make Idols of them as the Egyptians did of their treasure section 3 Is it possible to forget whither wee are going Where should the members be but where the head raigneth where should the heart be but where our heauenly treasure is placed Christ who is our treasure is in heauen whither first our affections must ascend and then we follow after Riches saith the Wise-man helpe not in the time of neede they take them to their wings and flye away they are but straw and stabble no sure foundation to build on For all worldly goods are ebbing and flowing like the Sea and wee doe not possesse them as wee ought vnlesse at all times we be ready and willing when God seeth it good to forgoe and leaue them Let vs consider that when we dye wee depart from the world and therefore worldly affections should now depart from vs. Let vs betake our selues wholy to a better habitation better societies to better ioyes and so desire chearefully to be dissolued and to be with Christ God many times punisheth our ouer-louing of earthly things with their losse or great hinderance because he thinkes them vnworthy riuals to himselfe who challengeth all height of loue as his onely right So that the way to loose them is to loue them much and the largenesse of affection maketh an open way to dissipation The fayrer and higher in the world our estate shall be the fayrer marke hath mischiefe giuen vnto it and which is worse that which maketh vs so easie to hit maketh our wound more deepe and grieuous Neyther must wee thinke that wee hold any thing of section 4 right which wee enioy of Gods free mercy and grace neyther in our conceit to binde the Lord at his owne cost and charges as it were by Obligation to finde vs. And notwithstanding wee be but beggars as at whose gate of mercy wee receiue all our maintenance yet to make a rent-charge of all that which he giueth of his free liberalitie Thus proud men many times make a breach into the Lords possession and prouoke him to proue
to their faces that all that they haue is but lent them and borrowed Let vs therefore vpon euery blow when the Lord shall strike vs be ready to receiue it and to yeeld vp our bands vnto him the condition whereof is that wee be ready to remoue when hee will haue vs knowing that Gods prouidence alwayes forceth vs to the best and as the most may make for the hastning of our soules to our euerlasting inheritance Let vs learne then not to reckon with our host and that wee hold our liues and all wee haue not in Fee-simple but as Tenants at will that so from day to day wee may resigne to God the soueraigntie of reuoking vs at his pleasure Thus when wee see our selues shut vp and finde that wee be entertayned in this life as Iourney-men for the present day not knowing what will become of vs to morrow wee shall better desire to take our rest in the bosome of Gods prouidence and to strike our sayles the lower when the Lord proclaymeth warre with our secure estate and learne to cut our prosperitie by the patterne of humilitie that when wee are well to looke for worse that so in abounding we may see our wants in health our sicknesse and still to stand in doubt that these outward things may be holden with one hand and lost with another section 5 A worldly mans body shall dye but once but his heart shall dye as often as he shall remember those things whereon hee sets his affections and loue for as much as death shall put the knife betweene him and all things hee loued The deeper roote the tooth hath in the iaw the greater paine there is in plucking it out So the more the heart is set vpon the things of this life the greater griefe will it be to depart from them all The Diuell had spoyled that holy man Iob of all manner of things saue onely of his life and it seemed to him that all the rest were of small account in comparison of the losse thereof So that the thing that naturally is loued is let goe lost with greatest griefe of heart Earthly things in themselues without Gods blessing in the vse are like alluring strumpets catching many in their snares of beauty to lust after them yet depriuing such as inioy them of all vertue and happinesse They are like vnto sweet wines of artificiall Nectar alluring a man to excessiue drinking yet withall taking man from himselfe in making him senslesse They trouble the minde and replenish the heart with passions When wicked men will vse their riches they pollute themselues with pleasures and pride when they keepe them care consumeth them and eateth out their hearts when they labour to get them they grow more wretched and miserable They are like to wilde beasts which a man can hardly take and when he hath taken them must take great heede they doe no hurt Vaine confidence in wealth becomes not onely a poyson to Humilitie Modestie and Faith but quite and cleane transformes them into Pride Arrogancie and Infidelitie Such goods are as plenty of Sugar fruit in the liberty of children as pleasant wine to a drunkard and as a sword in a mad naked mans hand more ready to hurt them then to doe them good All immoderations are enemies to health so said skilfull Hipocrates Hee that desires wants as much as hee that hath nothing The drunken man is as thirstie as the sweating traueller It is true of riches and all outward blessings that we say of Fire and Water They are good seruants but ill masters Make them therefore thy slaues and they shall be good in vse good to thy selfe and good to others by thee But if they be thy masters thou hast condemned thy selfe to thy owne Gally-slaues Now if a seruant rule he proues a Tyrant If thou seruest God for goods and greedinesse of worldly section 6 gaine as Iudas did his Master thou maist soone proue a looser of a happy estate and strangle thy Soule Wherefore let vs vse our riches as our rayment such as are fit are better then those that are too long For couetousnesse groweth with riches as the Iuy with the Oake Our hutches may be filled but not our hearts and though wee here loose all our goods yet are wee scarce depriued of a farthing And in another life we haue not onely Kingdomes and Empires but God himselfe and euerlasting goods in comparison whereof all the pomp mirth cheare honour dignities and preferments of the world are not to be esteemed as casting Compters towards the finest Coyne and vilest drosse to the purest plates of gold and precious stone Wee may lend our selues to the things of the world but not giue our selues vnto them Neyther is any thing possessed as it ought except wee be ready at all times to loose it Wee must remember alwayes that they are transitory things which may be lost and forgone when time requireth These earthly things are good but woe be to thee if for the loue of the creature thou forsakest thy creator If we loue not any thing that seemeth not good vnto vs then let vs be ashamed so to sticke to them and not to the loue of him that hath made them good O Lord saith Augustine hee loueth thee too little that loueth any thing with thee and loueth it not for thee God therefore is to be loued aboue all things and all things for him He requires all thy loue that made thee wholy and maruell not that hee will haue thy whole heart being sufficient to fill thy heart O Lord thou hast made all things to serue man that man alone might serue thee and that man might be wholy thine thou hast made all the creatures his God hath created all outward things for the body and section 7 the body for the soule and both body and soule for himselfe that man might onely obay him and onely loue him enioying God for his onely solace and all inferiour things for his seruice That was neuer throughly good that maybe lost My true riches will not leese mee though I forgoe all to my skinne For if hee be rich that hath some thing how rich is hee that is the maker and owner of all things whom I enioy So long as God fauours mee I shall haue liberty in prison home in banishment honour in contempt in losse wealth health in infirmitie life in death heauen in hell and in all these happinesse and rest If the fire commonly flame according to the quantitie of fuell heaped vpon the same great then is the fire of Gods loue to the faithfull who in stead of fire to inflame it hath as many benefits for man as hee hath Creatures All things loue him that loueth God for to those that loue God all things worke for their good Good men therefore so vse the world and the things thereof that they may enioy God And the wicked so
are our sinnes the cause let vs repent and amend Is it the loue of this world let vs hate it Is it for want of faith let vs pray Lord helpe our vnbeliefe section 4 But what speake I so much to true Christians concerning the feare of Death they hauing so many causes rather to imbrace the same First to shew their subiection and obedience to Gods will by the example of Christ Father not my will but thy will be done Secondly for as much as by death all sinne is abolished and wee for euer cease to offend our God any more Our bodies likewise are brought to a better condition then euer they were in our liues for by death they are made insensible and so freed from all the miseries of this life ceasing to be the instruments of sin any more Againe it giues the soule passage to rest life and heauenly glory in which we shall see our God as he is perfectly know him and praise his name keeping an eternall Saboath in the celestiall places And lastly it executeth Gods iudgement vpon the wicked and purgeth his Church from such filthy dung and drosse Let Pagans therefore saith Cyprian and Infidels feare Death who neuer feared God in their life but let Christians goe as trauellers vnto their natiue home and as children to their Father willingly gladly Balaam would faine haue comforted himselfe with riches honour which he esteemed so much yet was he not without feare which at last brake out and forced him to wish that his soule might die the death of the righteous and that his latter end might be like vnto theirs So I beleeue it is with all wicked reprobates they know it and euen as Iosuah saith withall their hearts and withall their soules they know it that the righteous mans life is better then theirs and tremble and quake at the remembrance of their owne death which is farre worse then theirs desiring to die the death of those who in their life and practise they vtterly detest True it is that wicked men in appearance die quietly section 5 in their beds hauing as Iob speaketh no bonds in their death But iudge such a one no more by his death then by his birth for many women may haue more easie trauell of a reprobate then some of an elect childe of God Hypocrisie it may be hath put the conscience to silence here that they may more suddenly and fearefully roare out in hell It may be a crust is growne vpon their hearts that they rot and fester within and feele it not whereas the elect haue the wound of their sinne kept alwaies open neither can they flye the least breach of the Lords displeasure but are anguished neither can they thinke that they euer feare inough which tender heart of a Christian is like the Adamant as it to draw the iron so this to draw the oyle of grace into his soule for his solace If a man die like a Lamb and passe out of the world like a bird in a shell the sottish sort say that certainly hee is saued although neither holinesse was in his life nor God in his mouth grace in his heart nor yet repentance faith or feeling at his death Such men saith one excepting their feather-beds and pillowes die liker beasts then Christians For they shall neuer haue their sinnes forgiuen which first or last doe not vndergoe a holy despaire for them acknowledging nothing to remaine in themselues but matter of iudgement and euerlasting death and comfort and eternall life to flow alone from Iesus Christ For thorow him we see our sinnes purged the diuell vanquished death and condemnation abolished our selues established and infranchised into the libertie and freedome of the Saints in heauen Are we ready to goe out of this world as the Israelites out of Egypt let vs sprinckle our hearts with the blood of the Lambe and the destroyer shall not enter nor haue power to hurt vs. Let vs call to minde Gods loue who spared not his Sonne but gaue him to death for vs and how shall he not giue vs all things with him section 6 The steps of Saints saith one and the state of sinners their liues I meane and deaths are here equally bound vp with the coards of corruption yet vnequally matched in the ioy of their seperation the one falling away like a flower transplanted to a better soyle the other rushing vpon the rocke of Gods wrath either shamefully deiected with the horrour of iudgement while they liue or else fearefully entangled with the feare of torment when they die Yet may we not in conscience censure any man simply for his manner of death or sudden departure for many sicknesses slay men suddenly euen while they haue meate in their mouthes and are full merry Many are sharpe and of long continuance as the Palsie Sciatica or Hipgoute as Physitions best doe know Some take away the vse of the tongue and other members as the Apoplexie and falling euill Some the wits as the Phrensie and burning feauer and other strange and vnknowne diseases as experience it selfe doth proue and therefore it is good to be prepared in our Christian estate But in all these strange assaults of our brethren we must iudge the best for there neuer can be an euill death where a constant good life hath gone before For as many amidst these torments doe suddenly passe to the Paradise of Gods Saints so many dying peaceably in their beds are swiftly translated from earth to hell yet still precious in Gods sight is the death of his Saints Elie was a Priest and a good man yet brake he his neck section 7 with falling backward from his seat Ionathan a godly man and a faithfull friend to Dauid yet was he slaine in battell by the vncircumcised Philistimes The Prophet that came from Iuda to Bethel to speake against Ieroboam and his Alter was a good man yet killed by a Lyon So was Iosiah slaine in the valley of Megiddoe Iobs children so well brought vp by their Godly Father were slaine by the ruine of a house in a violent winde Wee must not therefore iudge so much of men by their manner of death as by their life for though sometimes a good death may follow an euill life yet an euill death can neuer follow a constant good life Correct therefore thy euill life and feare not an euill death for he cannot die ill that liues well So that sudden death is onely euill to them which lead an euill life it finding them vnprepared carrieth them suddenly to hell But it cannot be euill to them which liue well for finding them prepared it freeth them from paine which others indure by long and lingring sicknesse and brings them forthwith to the place of happy rest Some pray against sodaine Death which yet can neuer come sodainely to Gods Saints whose whole life is a continuall meditation of Death We ought rather
holy assemblies I was glad when they said vnto me we will goe to the house of the Lord So was it prophecied of the Christian Church that many people should goe and say Come let vs goe vp to the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Iacob and he will teach vs his wayes and we will walke in his pathes Who are these that flie like a clowd and as Doues to their windowes Noting not onely the greatnesse of the number but diligence and zeale of such as should come to Christ and receiue his doctrine And Christ said That from the time of Iohn Baptist hitherto the Kingdome of Heauen suffereth violence and the violent take it by force Thus the zeale of Gods house should eate vs vp Which serueth also to confute and reproue all such as vse 2 are backward and carelesse in this necessary dutie being idle and vaine in their excuses or reasons to hinder their zeale and loue to the world any feare the least danger and worldly businesse doth put them off there is a Lyon in the way they shall be had in derision or called into question for their forwardnesse or at least be censured for hypocrites Some haue their Oxen to prooue their Farme to see their Wife to marry all these yet are inuited to come to the Feast though vnworthy of the same therefore God will fill his house with any others then with such euen those that sit in the high way and vnder hedges the most basest and vilest of men shall enter before them and be saued euen whores and Harlots shall sooner be receaued then those that seeme children of thy kingdome God will raise vp to Abraham sonnes of stones rather then these viperous serpents shall haue the name of his seed Againe many Atheists say It is in vaine to serue vse 3 God and what profit is it that wee haue kept his commaundements and that wee haue walked humbly before the Lord of hostes Therefore they count the proud blessed euen they that worke wickednesse are set vp and they that tempt God yea they are deliuered But the Lord hearkened and heard it and a booke of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and thought vpon his name They sayd also vnto God Depart from vs for we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes Who is the Almighty that wee should serue him And what profit should we haue if we should pray vnto him But let the counsell of the wicked be farre from me saith Iob who esteemed of the words of his mouth more then his appoynted foode And as for those and such like Atheists God will diuide their liues in his wrath They shall be as stubble before the winde and as the chaffe that the storme carryeth away So euery one derided Ieremie and daily scorned his ministery The word of the Lord was made a reproach daily they mocked him All his familiers watched for his halting saying It may be he is deceiued but his persecutors shall be ouerthrowne and not preuaile and their euerlasting shame shall neuer be forgotten So they talked of Ezekiell in derision by the wals in the dores of their houses Come I pray you heare what is the word that commeth from the Lord So they come and sit before him and heard his words but they will not doe them for with their mouths they make ieasts and thou art vnto them a ieasting song But then shall they know that I am the Lord when I haue layd the Land desolate and waste because of all their abhominations that they haue committed And when this commeth to passe for loe it will come then shall they know that a Prophet hath beene among them But Pearles are not to bee cast among Swine And such Gaderens are more worthy and meete to haue the company of diuels then the presence of Christ and preaching of his word I had perished in my afflictions except they law had beene doctrine 4 my delight We may learne also from hence that the best men and excellentest Creatures are not able of themselues to stand and continue vpright in their tryals and temptations without GODS speciall prouidence and prouision in the meanes Dauid a man after Gods owne heart possessed with his spirit and hauing a large portion of his grace was yet ready to perish in his afflictions had he not beene supported Nay Adam himselfe in his innocency created most excellently according to Gods owne image had no sooner entred into Eden that Garden of pleasures and Paradise of happinesse but sodainely forfeited his estate by Sathans temptations Who can but admire the fearefull fall of Salomon wanting neither wisedome nor wealth nor any meanes else as one would haue thought that God or the world could affoord him yet see whither he was falling euen to the gates and gulfe of hell from whence he had neuer returned had not the hand and powerfull arme of God retyred and reclaimed him by an extraordinary conuersion and repentance But come wee from Men to Angels when GOD had once left them to themselues though their condition with other Creatures was incomparable could not yet keepe their standing and estate but fell from Heauen to Hell and so of heauenly Angels became infernall Diuels But to come to the tryall of afflictions which is more proper to this place how soone are the best men crushed and broken with the burden thereof and who is able to beare off the blowes of Gods displeasure Iob was valiant in his sufferings and very patient for a time Yet marke how wonderfully he is distempered in his passions and taketh on Cursing the day and night of his conception and birth with the Mid-wife and Messengers yea all the Instruments helpes and meanes of his comming into the world Why dyed I not in the birth Why perished I not when I came out of the wombe Why did the knees preuent mee And why did I sucke the brests Why was I not hid as an vntimely birth either as infants that haue not seene the light For my sighing commeth before I eate and my roarings are powred out like water The arrowes of the Almightie are in me the venim whereof doth drinke vp my spirit and the terrours of god fight against me What power haue I that I should endure Is my strength the strength of stones or is my flesh of brasse Am I a sea or a Whale-fish that thou keepest mee in ward Remember I pray thee that thou hast made mee as the clay and wilt thou bring mee to dust againe Who can expresse Dauids distractions and fearefull convulsions as it were both in body and soule able to haue diuided both of them from God had not his grace preuented him and his powerfull spirit preserued him Euery where in the Psalmes we may see the