death are equally as vncertayne to man as is the Houre the Day the Weeke the Moneth the Yeere of Christs comming to Iudgement which that he will come is as certaine as death but as touching the time of the cōsummation of al things Christ as hee was man confessed he knew not the time yet was no earthly thing hid from him no not the thoughts of men But that Day is concealed in the generall as the houre of mans death in particular only to make vs and to keepe vs in such a continuall obedience as if death should suddenly steale vpon vs we may be readie to imbrace him in what manner soeuer hee should execute his seuerity vpon vs. Whereby I learne that as I tender mine own safetie So I should prepare me for that and to that which come it sooner or later cannot be auoyded It is then the principall point of diuine Wisdome to learne and to practize to liue well for without a godly life I cannot willingly and comfortably imbrace death which can neuer bee euill if a good life haue gone before As I shall dye so shall I rise If I dye iustified I shall rise to be glorified To liue well as some account it wealthily is not well And to dye rich is not to dye righteous for so should the rich Glutton haue beene carryed into Abrahams bosome with or before poore Lazarus The cōdition of worldlings no doubt is glorious were it good pleasant were it truly profitable It is high in conceit but not as it is taken true happinesse It is no higher then the Eye can see It consisteth but of the Earth and earthly things The Swine thinkes his condition happie yet only noozels in the Earth for Apples and Acornes neuer looking to the Tree from whence they fall So doe Worldlings wallow in all carnall care how to become great and glorious in this life seldome or neuer looking vp with the Eye of Faith to him from whom and from none else commeth the riches that maketh a man blessedly happie Contrarie is the condition of the Childe of God who loues God in feare and feares him in loue accepting euery smal gift as a great measure of his bountie resting content with whatsoeuer God will vouchsafe to bestow on him liuing in the world but dead to the World following with diligence and truth his Vocation be it neuer so base and contemptible receiuing with thankefulnesse to GOD whatsoeuer he enioyeth in this life not setting his affection vpon that which the World loueth but affecteth whatsoeuer hee hath for his sake that giues it hauing the Eye of his sanctified Soule alwayes and in all things in prosperity in aduersity in health in sicknesse in peace and persecution in fulnesse and in want and is alwayes conuersant as it were in Heauen desiring to bee dissolued to bee with Christ. These are the pleasures of that life that precedes a happie death My desire therefore and continuall indeuour shall be to learne and my care to practize the life and conuersation of a liuely Christian in continuall filiall obedience not after the flesh in shew only but after the Spirit in Truth not for the bodie only as doth the beast that perisheth but for the Soule which being safe the bodie cannot finally perish and safe I cannot bee in soule or bodie vnlesse I liue in Christ and Christ in me for I now find that as long as I liued without Christ I did but liue in shew as the Angell of Sardis who had the name to liue but yet was dead so I though I liued and breathed and had a naturall being yet was I dead spiritually without him as the wanton Widdow that was dead while she liued But by the Spirit of Christ I am now againe made aliue desiring to liue in him hee is life in deed to walke in him hee is the true way indeed and to beleeue in him he is truth in deed My former learning to liue was in carnall libertie which I now finde to bee but foolishnesse falshood and deceit I now seeke to learne to liue according vnto Christ though late though it bee the very euening of my day being called vnto and if I doe perseuere in my labour according vnto my dutie I doubt not but to receiue my penny as well as if I had carryed the burden of the whole day of my life for he that calleth me into his Vineyard is truly bountifull and respecteth not the quantitie but the qualitie of my worke not how much I doe but how well and willingly I doe it for he rewards none for merit but in mercie And now finding my selfe to be not only in the way but neere vnto the end of my day I desire so to finish it as I may liue in him vnto the end that is life eternall that as he is eternall I beginning here to liue in him I may liue eternally with him in Heauen after this death And therefore I doe heartily abhorre the life that I haue led with-out him desiring now a right preparation so to lay downe this mortall bodie as it may bee taken vp and raysed by the vertue of Christs Resurrection at the comming of him in the Cloudes and in the meane season I desire so to walke in my spirituall part as in his time also hee may againe receiue it that gaue it for I know that if my earthly house be destroyed I haue a building of God an house not made with hands but eternall in the Heauens And through the mercy of God in Christ I shall then remayne for euer in Abrahams bosome the Paradise of God a new and spirituall Ierusalem I confesse I ground not mine assurance of my future blessednesse vpon any worthinesse or merite of mine owne whose merits I acknowledge Gods mercies Therefore being dissolued I beleeue not that the Prayers of friends or mediation of Saints or Angels or any Missall Sacrifice after my soule hath left my bodie can auayle me any thing But doe contrarily beleeue Post-Prayers to bee meerely fruitlesse if not sinfull the intercessions of Saints or Angels to be needlesse if not fabulous I only relye vpon the Al-sufficient Sacrifice of the bloud of Iesus Christ shed vpon the Crosse for me and his merit and mediation to bee mine onely atonement with God for my sinnes being liuing and through his power my soule to bee transported to glorie my bodie being dead from whence neither sinne nor Satan principalities nor powers shall be able to remoue mee nor to take mee out of my Redeemers hands Glory therefore bee vnto God in Iesus Christ who hath deliuered mee from the power of Satan Death and Hell This mine assurance giueth mee peace in Christ yet doe I withall feele another law within mee stirring mee vp or rather casting mee downe into sundry corrupt motions tending to sinne and did not God assist me with
heart a sanctified spirit that I may walke here before thée and here doe thy will as thy Saints and heauenly Companies doe thy will in Heauen that in this earthly Pilgrimage I may bee numbred among thy Saints Militant that I may not feare to bee translated from this place of banishment vnto that Inheritance purchased by Christ my Redéemer where I shall partake of his glory with thy Saints now Triumphant in that most glorious new Ierusalem While I liue here let thy Word bée deare vnto me let the Crosse of my Lord and Sauiour Christ be euer before the eyes of my mind euer assuring my selfe that his death is my life make mee therefore holy as he is holy And as hee layd downe his most sacred bodie in the Earth for a time and rose againe to glorie and as hee resigned his afflicted yet innocent Soule into thy hands euen for me to follow him so grant that whensoeuer or howsoeuer my soule shall leaue this mortall bodie it may follow my Loue Iesus to the place to which hee is gone before While I liue here leaue me not Father vnto my selfe for I am weake and mine enemies are strong but thou art Truth the strongest kéepe mée vnder thy feathers and bind mée vp in the bundle of thine Elect neuer to be deuided or set apart from them that shall bee saued make my life perfect to euery good worke and worke in mee that which is pleasant in thy sight through Jesus Christ Amen Lord increase and euer confirme my faith MEDIT. III. THough death now be the end of my fleshly part it is sufficient that I am assured of the continuing life of my soule after the temporall death of my body which yet shall not so perish but it shall haue a future being and bee re-vnited to my soule and so bee made one glorified body by the glory of Christ my Redeemer The present consideration of death can therefore but put mee in minde of and giue mee desire to bee dissolued to enioy a better life And thereby so much the more mooue me to frame my life in my health as if I were presently dying Death is certaine common to all the time vncertaine to all yet all liue not as if their death were neer or that they did think that death would come at all But let no man deceiue himselfe by his long life that death is farre off or that it hath forgotten him it will come as a Thiefe suddenly to some sooner to some later to all when they least suspect it In the first Age of the World men liued long many hundred yeeres Methusalah almost one thousand yeeres Adam Noah and many others to an extraordinarie age In their dayes it might haue beene conceiued by the number of their yeeres that they might haue liued many thousand yeeres But being all seene in their times and turnes to dye the opinion of a perpetuall life in earth was found erronious As the World grew in age so decreased the ages of men In Dauids time the age of man was seldome aboue threescore and ten if hee liued to fourescore it was reputed a great age rare yet nothing pleasant to the partie for weaknesse and infirmities of so many kinds commonly possesse the bodies and mindes of that age as these dayes are but a burden vnto them yeelding only sorrow heauinesse griefes and miseries And yet many of that decrepit age are loth to dye which may argue no godly preceding life Moses before Dauids time liued one hundred twenty yeeres and was then in that state of strength and agilitie of bodie and perfection of his sences as in his best age and strongest yeeres yet he dyed Mine own naturall father liued one hundred and three yeeres lusty and strong much admired for his agilitie euen to that age yet I doe not by these precedents collect any probabilitie or hope that I shall liue much more then halfe his yeeres though I presently feele no apparant tokens but desire of my dissolution And therefore I account my life but a meere watch for the time of death If I had seene the man that had liued many thousand yeeres and were yet in health and strength I should bee farre from flattering my selfe that I might liue the longer for his long life yet I see that one man couets to attaine vnto the yeeres of the most aged The man of sixtie or seuentie yeeres desires to liue to eightie he of eightie to one hundred yet doe we scarcely see one man of ten thousand to see one hundred nor one of one hundred seuentie yeeres nor one of fiftie fortie yeeres If I should liue one hundred yeeres when death comes it is but as if I were in my Cradle Twentie yeeres in expectation seemeth farre more then one hundred yeeres past I thinke it therefore wisedome not to allow vnto my selfe the assurance of many yeeres not of many dayes nay not of one houre for I see some suddenly stricken dead yea in a moment a fearefull spectacle yet little moouing some beholders But this vse Wisedome teacheth me to make of other mens lots namely to keepe continuall watch ouer my desires wordes and wayes that I may so liue as if I saw Death with his Dart at my brest Death then being certaine and his comming vncertayne by the rule of right reason I should bee alwayes readily prepared for Death imports feare and Feare presupposeth danger Danger requireth watchfulnesse Watchfulnesse patience Patience Faith and Hope As touching the first namely feare it is both filial and son-like and seruile or slauish which last I exempt as not the feare required of mee in this expectation and watchfulnes for death But the feare which becomes a most dutifull sonne to a most louing father is it wherewith I desire alwaies to be truly qualified hauing an eye euer vnto God as the eye of a Mayden to the hand of her Mistris fearing in loue not louing for feare When Baruch read the booke of the curses against Iudah and Israel vnto the people both the good and the bad feared Some fearing as children desiring to be reformed according to the Law of the Lord some as slaues feared the horror of punishment threatned without eyther the loue of God or their owne reformation This is not the feare that Salomon prescribes where he saies Feare ye the Lord all his Saints and depart from euil He that sayes he feareth God and walketh not in his wayes feareth not at all as he ought to feare and that for want of Wisedome for as wisedome is giuen to them that feare God so doth the feare of God shew it selfe by wisedome namely by gouerning his life according to the Word of God Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord and walketh in his waies So that it is not in mee nor of my selfe to feare God I must be first blessed of God before I can truly
yet remaynes in our corrupt hearts that we being thus washed in the Lauer of perfect regeneration the precious bloud of that slayne Lamb by faith we may not feare the assaults of Satan nor any malicious instrument of his this night but may be safely kept and preserued by thy prouidence and receiue such rest and sléep as may onely refresh vs let thy Angels guard vs and our soules and bodies and all that we haue that we it may bee kept and preserued safe vntill the morning and for euer Amen O Lord increase our faith A Confession of sinne a Prayer for pardon and for a godly and sanctified life O God and Father of all Goodnesse and Fountaine of Mercie the Guide of the Righteous the Giuer of all perfect gifts and the Sanctifier of the heartes of all that shall be saued shew thy selfe vnto me who am a defiled and deformed wretch whom originall corruption and actuall sinnes haue so polluted as I am not worthy to stand in thy sight or that thou shouldest dwell in mée by thy holy Spirit And therefore I cannot without feare and astonishment without trembling and shame approch into thy presence séeing mine owne filthinesse and considering thy great Maiestie Integritie and Puritie yet am I embeldened to come vnto thée coÌ„passed with many infirmities especially with 〈◊〉 and corruption which if I would endeuour to conceale I cannot they are so open and manifest to thine All-séeing eye that the more I labour to hide them so much the more they breake forth and shew themselues vnto thée O looke not vpon them as a Judge to condemne me for them but as a louing and mercifull Father and Phisician to cure mée of them so shall I not onely willingly discouer vnto thée all the sores and pollutions of my corrupt heart and pro phane life which by search I shall bée able to finde in my selfe but intreate thée also with the Lancet of thy Loue to cut searifie rip vp and find out all the hidden filthinesse that lurketh in my soule in my minde in my will and in mine affections and apply the Playster of the sauing Bloud of Jesus Christ to heale mee throughout that there remaine no more grosse corruption in mée and learne mée so to search and know the wickednesse of my heart that I may not spare my dearest and most familiar sinne but may â—ast it out as the chiefest worker of my miserie Lord let it become bitter lothsome and méerely hatefull vnto my soule as a most deadly infection howsoeuer it hath béene heretofore séeming swéet pleasing and delightfull vnto my carnall part Let mée abhorre all iniquitie and truely abstaine from all occasions to sinne againe Giue mée strength O Lord to ouercome my sinfull lusts and what wanteth in my power supply by thy grace that I may at least still striue against euery sin through the power of thy Spirit that I may bée approoued a member of thy Militant Church here where yet I am a stranger and where I continually féele the wearisome warfare betwéene the flesh and the Spirit wherein I haue neuer the victorie but by thine only power but the fâ—yle euer by mine owne weaknesse O subdue my flesh and fleshly minde to thine obedience that I neuer make ship wracke of a good conscience by yéelding vnto the motions of my corrupt heart which I daily féele in my selfe to rebell against thy reueiled will and make mée lightly to estéeme of the vaine and deceiuing things of this World that I may truly shew my selfe to take no thought for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof but by a constant deniall of mine owne will approoue my selfe to liue by Faith after thy will And giue mée grace that in nothing I may offend thy Maiesty and let mée neuer giue way to mine owne corrupt will and affections to commit the least sinne whereby I may quench that sparke of that Spirit and Grace thou hast begun in mée Enlighten my heart that I may know thy will aright and rightly behaue my selfe according vnto the same not for a day and then fall to the workes of mine owne peruerse will againe but that my Righteousnesse may shine more and more through a constant perseuerance vntill it come to that perfection as may truly testifie vnto my conscience that I am the same that I desire to séeme to be not according to the opinion that others haue of mee but according to that measure oâ— holinesse thou requirest to be in me let my outward integritie bee in all holy simplicitie and godly purenesse among men as in thy sight And the more that Satan by his meanes and ministers endeuoureth to withdraw mine obedience from thée so much the more let mée striue to maintaine that dutie and obedience which I owe vnto thée And let thy loue towardes mée draw mée to loue thée aswell when thou touchest mée with aduersttie as when thou giuest me prosperitie and fayle mée not in my greatest néed Teach mée O Father to séeke and obtaine all things at thy hands by the meanes and merits of Jesus Christ in whose name I humbly offer vnto thée this my weake and imperfect Sacrifice Accept it yet in him he is thine only Sonne in whom thou art euer well pleased hée is my Redéemer and hath paid the ransome for me which for my sinnes was laid vpon me and hee sitteth now a Mediator at thy right hand euen for me Scatter therefore O Lord my sinnes as a mist and mine iniquities as a Cloud and let my Righteousnesse appeare as the Sunne and mine Integritie before men as the noone day that my heart may alwayes behold thée And let thy face of fauour and loue spread its beams so ouer mee that I being inlightened by thée may walke as in the cléere Light of sauing Truth and be euer led by the hand of thy Grace that neither sinne Satan the World nor mine owne corruptions cause me to stumble and fall Giue me good Father the Spirit of perfect Prayer And although through the coldnesse of my Zeale and weaknesse of Faith I cannot cry vocally vnto thée alwayes alike yet accept the will and the sighes and grones of my heart which cannot bee expressed yet knowne to thée Thou knowest the meaning of the heart and hee that inwardly mourneth for his sinnes though hee outwardly cry not for Mercie thou hearest him it is thy Grace that worketh sighes in the sorrowfull heart and which inkindleth the fire of Zeale whereby the tongue is mooued from the beléeuing heart euen in often inforced silence to pierce at length euen the Heauens with the loudnesse of its cry And thou againe graciously grantest the faithfull hearts desire by outward reliefe or inward comfort so that nothing wanteth to him that séeketh thée but hee is filled with all ioy and spirituall consolation In this ioy let all worldly ioyes bee swallowed vp in mee and let mee preferre the peace of a good conscience before all carnall peace and
much more are heauenly Mat. 24. 29 Luk. 21. 25. Great difference betweene the beautie of the soule and body Eternall ioy cannot be had but by death The word Glorie what it imports Ion. 4. 6 7. The glory of the World what it is Future glorie Act. 12. 23. Luk. 14. 11. Gods wonderful fauours towards vs. The glory to come vnspeakeable Not to pāper the bodie The sum of a Christians care God will raise the body totally at the last Day Hard for naturall men to beleeue the Resurrection Rom. 10 9. 1. Pet. 1. 3. Iob 19. 26 27 and 14. 14. Esai 26. 19 20. Iohn 3. 25. The godly and the wicked shall rise but to contrarie ends The Resurrection of the iust vniust Psal. 14. 1. Psal. 119. 165. An obiection Answere Heb. 12. 6 7 8. Iob 5. 17. Rom. 8. Iob. 5. 18. Sinne the cause of affliction Hag. 2. Gods children haue inward comforts in outward crosses Spirituall wealth will not pay carnall debts A carnall opinion Carnall securitie of the rich and assurance and content of the poore Dan. 1. 8. Luk. 16. 19. Debt a heauy burden Al haue a corporall and aspirituall being The godly haue their conuersation in heauen Phil. 3 20. Though locall heauen be far aboue vs heauenly comforts are neere the earnest of our inheritāce Act. 6. 15. The glory of the godly is within Luk. 16. 20 Iob 2. 8. to 13. The miseries of Gods childrē great eased through hope Som grow somestand at a stay or wither Psal. 37. Psal. 37. In our dependance on Gods prouidēce wee must labour in our callings Nothing prospers without Gods blessing Feare of future want causeth mourning most Debt of a man dying is grieuous to him and his The effects of pouertie riches left to posteritie The benefit of pouertie the incōmoditie of riches left to children Vertue a great patrimonie Vertue riches of the mind not by propagation Pouertie in it selfe no fault Widdowhood a sorrowfull portion A taxation for pouertie in a seeming aduantagious calling Pro. 12. 11. Ecclus. 33. 26. Ecclus. 40. 14. Good and bad are blessed but to seuerall ends 2. Cor. 8. 21. Rom. 12. 17 The meaning of prouiding for families The care of brute creatures ouer their young The contrarie of the true meaning of prouiding for families Intayling possessions A kind of infidelitie in prouiding Riches without the feare of God quickly spent Honour maintayned by possessions but better by vertue A kind of preposterous dignifying Vertue not obserued in poore men The word Chance excludes diuine prouidence Worldly wisdome spirituall folly and contrarie 1. Cor. 3. 19. 1. Kin. 17. 8. Act. 8. 27. 1 King 21. 1. King 20. 23. All things are vnder Gods disposing Mat. 10. 30 Luk. 12. 7. He that hath done all that he can may be excused No doubt but many rich men may bee good Iosh. 7. 1. 2. Kin. 5. 22. A foolish proposition 2. Kin. 5. 15. He that gaue the spirit to Elisha knowes all things Offices colour Briberies God not ignorant of Briberies 2. Kin. 5. 27 Vnlawfull execution of a lawful calling dangerous and vnhappie 1. Tim. 6. 6. Phil. 4. 11. Mat. 6 25. 34. Gen. 28. 20. A godly care not forbidden so we shew no distrust in God Mat. 6. 11. Dan. 1. 8. Meane fare by Gods blessing nourisheth sufficiently Eccles. 1. 2. The rich are neuer satisfied yet euer poore As gaine so desire increaseth A true meane hard to finde God the World cannot dwell in one heart Luk. 16. 13. Matt. 6. 33 What are things necessarie Differēce betweene humane policie diuine wisedome Gen. 41. 47 48. Gen. 28. 20. A competent estate to the contented God in all things hath been my Schole master Gen. 4. 21. vers 22. A thankelesse profession A calling subiect to censure To be subiect to a double censure requires care of a mans carriage Not to relinquish our calling for false suggestions A cleere consciēce makes bold Pro. 28. 1. All men are subiect to euil toungs Is none so iust but conscience or wicked men will taxe for iniustice Obiection A slanderer woūds himselfe Best not to regard what the wicked say Esa. 51. 7 8 Pro. 12. 11. The idle are least at leisure to doe good Handie trade lawfully vsed can hardly purchase much Land Officers may Act. 18. 3. Mat. 4. 18. Mar. 2. 14. Col. 4. 14. All haue need to pray The cause of household troubles Some to auoide worldly miserie fall into mischief Luk. 16. 20. Two extremes of pouertie andriches He is happiest that seekes to be filled with heauenly things The loue of God in pouertie is greatest portion Death giues equall portions to poore and rich Mat. 16. 21 God keeps them low whom hee loues 1. Pet. 5. 7 Luk. 12. 22. Mat. 6. 26. Mat. 6. 26. The very brute beasts and fowles must trauaile for their food how much more man Mās beautie farre short of the flowres Matt. 6. 28. Mans estate like a flower here Esa. 40. 6. 1. Pet. 1. 24 Psal. 78. 39. The fragilitie of man Why we should not be too carefull of worldly things As no man cā put off death so can he not prolong life Death cureth all diseases How farre to couet long life Exo. 23. 26. First point to liue godly All duties performed by holy obedience 1. Sam. 15. 22 23. Hos. 6. 6. All good is of God euill of ourselues Outward vertues gaine but a bare name of holinesse We must haue God before our eyes both in doing and suffering We must striue to do better things then the Philosophers did Second point to prepare vs for death No continuing Citie here Needlesse to dissuade the poore from couetousnes To depēd on God The safest course to cast our care vpon God Rom. 6. 13. Vers. 12. Iam. 1. 15. Gal. 5. 16. Iob. 12. 35. We ought to walke from euill to good Psal. 1. 1. Vers. 2. The most godly haue most troubles Dan. 14. 33 Dan. 6. 16. Exod. 24. 18 1. Kin. 19. 8 Gen. 21. 19. God helpeth when most need is Ismael Iudg. 15. 18 19. Nothing so dry out of which God cannot bring water 1. Kin. 17. 9 Ioh. 1. 7 8. God feedeth his faithfull children as long as they haue neede God can feed many with a little Matth. 15. 33 34. Mar. 6. 38. to 45. Ioh. 6. 9. Exo. 17. 5 6 1. King 17. 46. Examples of Gods prouidēce numberlesse Gen. 15. Iudgements against the vniust Psal. 76. 7. Vers. 12. Act. 5. Ephe. 2. 1 2 Rom. 3. 19. We cannot suffer what we haue deserued 1. Cor. 15. 58. An vnwarrantable opinion against Gods working miraculously at this day answered Exod. 17. 6. and 4. 3. 2. King 1. 10 11 12. 2. Kin. 2. 14 Act. 16. 16. Act. 3. 4. Miracles to bee wrought by men are ceased but the same power of God remaynes Luk. 1. 46. If God were not powerfull and proui dent as in time past wee may pray in vaine All know why God afflicteth
should I fulfill the desires and vaine delights of my corrupt heart Why should I sweeten and perfume my out-part to make it odoriferous to others mine inward part resting yet odious to God This superfluous care of my bodies vanities would not only make mee the more sweet and pleasing but farre the more hatefull to God and godly men therefore shall my desire and practice bee by the grace of God during the short remaining part of this my miserable life to couer my nakednesse with apparell meerely needfull and seeke to maintaine it with food such as it shall please my God to blesse vnto mee and through the same grace my hearts delight shall bee in the continuall true seruice of my heauenly Father hauing euer an eye vnto and desiring that time when and that place wherein I shall need neither rayment nor food and where I shall be onely delighted with the glorie wherewith I shall bee filled after this bodies death which although it perish for a time my soule resteth euer immortall God being the God not onely of mine immortall soule but of my mortall bodie also And I beleeue that hee will not lose one haire of mine head nor the smallest dust that shall come of my putrified carcasse nor one bone of my rotten and consumed bodie and that hee will rayse my mortall part in all fulnesse of all the parts and make them all ioynt-partakers of eternall glorie in Heauen in the Day of Christs second appearing in what manner soeuer it bee dissolued burnt in the fire drowned in the Sea deuoured by wilde Beasts or by any other meane whatsoeuer I heare naturall reason say It is an easie matter to beleeue that I shall dye experience makes it so common But to beleeue that this my bodie when it shall bee rotten and consumed to dust eaten with fishes deuoured and digested by wilde beasts or burnt to ashes or bee vtterly otherwise consumed that it shall rise againe to glorie is not so easily apprehended no experience teaching it but the resurrection of Christ which I haue not seene I disclaime in this point all naturall reason and doe faithfully beleeue that as my Redeemer Iesus Christ dyed and rose againe So after my death I shall by the vertue of his Resurrection rise againe to eternal life Iob prophesied of the Resurrection of humane dead bodies and affirmeth that hee knew that his Redeemer liued and that though after his death the wormes should deuoure his flesh yet in the same flesh he should see God looke vpon him and behold him and that with his owne namely with the eyes that then hee had And the Prophet Esay affirmeth that the dead bodies in the graue shall rise againe some to glorie some to torment The dead men saith hee shall liue euen with their bodies shall they rise Christ saith maruell not at this The houre shall come when all that are in the Graues shall heare his voyce and shall come forth they that haue done good vnto the Resurrection of life but they that haue done euill vnto the Resurrection of condemnation Christ also affirmeth that it is his Fathers will that sent him that hee shall lose nothing of that he hath giuen him but that hee shall raise it vp at the last Day They that sleepe in the dust shall awake Infinite are the proofes of the Resurrection of humane bodies in the Scriptures both of the iust and of the vniust of the godly and the wicked but to two contrarie final effects The godly shall rise to euerlasting life euer to remayne with the Lord the vngodly shall rise to euerlasting punishment to bee tormented for euer with the Deuill and his Angels in continuall horrour weeping and gnashing of teeth Here is matter of Meditation hence ariseth hope and horrour comfort and calamitie There are but two ends of the Resurrection life and death and both perpetuall And these succeed the death of the bodie Shuld I then be so iniurious vnto my silly soule that dwelleth in my mortall bodie as to forget that it shall come into iudgement in a time comming and at hand and that this bodie this fleshly and corrupted part shall againe bee raised to glorie or shame to partake of eyther with the soule were it not as if I should say in my heart there were no God no Heauen to glorifie or Hell to torment perswading my selfe that either after death there remaineth neither euill nor good but that I should goe into vtter obliuion to an eternall sleepe neuer to returne into any second existence or that GOD were a God onely of the immortall soule and not of the mortall bodie or a God of Mercie and not of Iustice Should I thus foolishly for lesse then a messe of Pottage sell my Birth-right in Heauen for a graine of temporarie vanitie sell a Crowne of perpetuall glorie Farre bee it from me for a Kingdome I know is prepared for me and a Kingdome I seeke waiting for it vntill it fall vnto mee as mine Inheritance through Christ who hath purchased the same by his bloud In the meane time I must taste and vndergoe many troubles afflictions pouertie want enemies and the scorne of the World Doth GOD suffer his owne Children to be afflicted in this life how can hee then bee said a louing Father vnto them Doth not that worthy Prophet King Dauid affirme that they that loue his Law shall haue great prosperitie and no hurt befall them How then comes the cōtrary to passe The Answere The Spirit of God that spake thus by the mouth and pen of Dauid lyeth not for the afflictions that I feele and the crosses that I haue proceede from the loue of God and hinder not but rather doe much further my spirituall prosperitie For whom the Lord loueth hee chasteneth and scourgeth euery sonne that he receiueth If therefore I patiently endure chastening God offereth himselfe vnto mee as to a sonne If I were without correction whereof all Gods Children are partakers I were a bastard and no sonne Blessed is the man saith Iob whom God correcteth therefore will not I refuse the chastening of the Almightie let him therefore deale with mee according to his owne will in giuing me what he will health or sicknesse wealth or want prosperitie or aduersitie for I know that all things worke together for the best to them that loue God he may make a wound but he will bind it vp againe he may smite but his hands make whole againe hee giueth alwaies the issue with the temptation GOD forbid therefore that I should entertaine the least thought in my heart that whatsoeuer crosse or affliction befals me were in GODS indignatiō but onely in loue I doe acknowledge that sinne is the cause of all the crosses calamities afflictions miseries that I endure if God should deale with me answerable to what I haue done I could not beare his
vnlesse they prouide and lay vp for many yeeres A godly respect no doubt is not hereby forbidden as namely to labour to day the better to liue to morrow this yeere to sow and reape to nourish vs the next yeere and so to prouide for future times as we shew not any distrust in God though we haue not to day but only for the day he hath willed vs to aske of him Bread which comprehendeth all necessaries which he hath promised to giue vs euery day By that Petition which hee hath taught vs Giue vs this day our daily bread And though hee giue me not dainties to eate I know that by his blessing the meanest fare shall satisfie my continent appetite and temperate Dyet Daniel and his fellowes were as well filled and fed waxed as fat and faire with Water and Pulse as were any that fed on the full furnished and varietie of the Kings daintie Dishes Therefore it is not the meate that I eate bee it neuer so rare that feedes and preserues my bodie but the meanest and least blessed to my vse by God worketh the same and through faith a better effect The like 〈◊〉 conceiue of Riches and Possessions what could I account mee the better were I owner of a whole Countie were I not still the same and onely one man And had I the fayrest and most spacious House in the World I could be but in one roome at one time were my calling neuer so great What neede I then hazard my soule for this bodies vaine delights and superfluous vanities I doe consider the varietie of the wished contentments that wise Salomon made proofe of in his most absolute experimeÌ„ts wherein I obserue his finall discontents who cried out against all his delights that they were but vanitie yea Vanitie of vanities all vanity Many superfluous things men couet and the couetous are neuer full the eye is neuer satisfied with seeing nor the heart in desiring crying More more their Chests are full their commings in are great and greatest of all is their desire of more and hauing too much they still plead pouertie and so truly I do beleeue many of them may for in their greatest outward abundance their wants are great within If therefore I should striue to get much my desire to get would alwayes be greater then the gaine and of lesse true value then my trauaile that I might spend vpon better things I will therefore content mee with my poore portion and giue GOD the prayse if hee bee pleased by his blessing to increase it by the lawfull execution of that imployment whereunto I am called fearing by experience that if once the desire of riches possesse my heart it will bee hard for mee to bridle it for the obtayning of that I couetously desire would bee but the increase of the desire of hauing and so I should at length want aswell that which I should attaine vnto and not vse as that which I had not A true meane in desiring a lawfull manner of gathering and a right vse of keeping and disposing of riches are as hard to find as a couetuous man to bee a good man for no man that sets his affections on the things of this world can haue true peace with God nor haue a good conscience If I settle the loue of this world in my heart the loue of God cannot dwell there I cannot loue God Mamman and where the creature is entertayned before and preferred vnto the Creator I exclude Christ my Sauior in whom by whom for whom I enioy all good things here should I not then set him before all yea as All in all things in my heart if I haue Christ I haue all things euen in my corporall pouertie and without him I haue nothing in my greatest seeming something I may and I am commanded to vse all lawfull meanes according to my calling to liue competently in the world but that I ought first to seeke the kingdomâ— of heauen the righteousnesse thereof so all things necessary by diuine promise shall be administred vnto 〈◊〉 And I hold things only necessarie sufficient being obtayned But what are the things that in this life may be reputed oâ—ely necessarie Thaâ— which may be truly held sufficiâ—â—â—â— that a man finde himselfe neither to wâ—â—t noâ— to haue more then he hath iust occasion to vse necessarily according to his calling high or low he hath most I thinke that couets least and he hath enough that owes nought that neither needes to flatter nor to borrow Here is the difference betweene humane policie and diuine wisedome and hereupon they are at odâ— Policie prouides and layeâ— vp in banke increasing it more and more vntill too much bee not sufficient grounding the care vpon the prouidence of the Pâ—ssemire and Bee such small creatures who through the instinct of nature are taught to prouide in Summer for the consequent Winter Ioseph prouided in seuen yeeres plentie for seuen yeeres scarcetie this diuine wisedome and nature it selfe teacheth but neither of them especially diuine wisedome to prouide but according to necessitie and whatsoeuer God sends by blessing a mans lawfull labours and honest endeuors is a Christian mans greatest portion Foode and rayment was Iacobs desire and the same request I daily make vnto God namely that he will afford meate drinke and rayment competent for my selfe and family and to free me and euer to keepe me from debt and danger of other men If I can attaine vnto this meane estate I shall hold me happy amoÌ„g men and blessed of GOD and this is the marke vnto which I only ayme all my desires of earthly preferment for that I labour for that I pray and rest in hope which hope I know shall not finally make mee ashamed though for the time a kinde of shamefull imputation seemeth to be laid vpon me for not raysing my meanes to a higher proportion as if Gods purpose and worke were my fault who knoweth what lot in this life is best and fittest for mee and therefore I rest and relye vpon his prouideÌ„ce wherin I stedfastly beleeue hee will neuer failâ— me nor forsake me to the end of my life short and euill MEDIT. XVIII All men in this life haue vse of their owne labours MY time at the first was reputed but a spanne long and now I cannot account it a fingers brâ—adth yet while I haue my being in this life I shall stand in neede of the continuall vse of mine owne labours hauing no other reuenues no not the bredth of a foote wherein I craue Gods diuine aide direction and blessing who hath been mine original Scholemaster in all the good things that euer I haue learned or haue been able to practise for of my selfe I am a foole ignorant not only of diuine but of humane profitable knowledge yea of mine owne worldly profession and finding mine owne insufficiencie
dumbe some blind some dead in an instant Doe not our owne eyes besides our owne yea moderne Histories witnes the same Terrible is the Lord in his wrath and who shall stand in his sight when he is angry He is terrible euen to the Kings of the earth Nay vnto such as seeme to be and are not truely religious as Ananias and Sapphira his wife who lying vnto the holy Ghost were striken suddenly dead It is a fearfull thing to fal into the hands of the liuing God especially when he is angrie We are all by nature the children of wrath dead in trespasses and sinnes So is al the world subiect to the iudgement of God being found guiltie in his sight If GOD therefore should marke what is done amisse who could abide it or expect worldly cōforts from him Therefore whether yee shall in this life receiue pouertie or riches sicknesse or crosses or whatsoeuer calamities and afflictions and in what measure soeuer perswade your selues that it is far short of what yee haue deserued therefore take his chastisemēts with patience and endeuour stedfastly alwayes to abound in the workes of the Lord assuring your selues your labour shall not bee in vaine for God wil be euer readie to work for you beyond that yee are able to aske or thinke PART III. Obiection against Gods miraculous working at this day SOme yet wil say that the time of Gods working miracles namely miraculously and beyond the apprehension of naturall vnderstanding is past and ended and there is now no experience of such supply by Gods prouidence as when God sent Eliah to the widdow of Sarepthah and foode by a Rauen extraordinarie meanes indeede which nowe are neither visibly nor actually done Beware of this rash censure it is the voice of meer Infidelitie for God is God yester-day namely of old and to day and for euer his loue is not diminished his power is not weakned his prouidence preuented nor his command and absolute authoritie ouer his creatures any way or by any meanes encountred or the execution of his will opposed but is euen the first and the last neuer altering nor changing but as hee had subiects of mercy and iudgement to worke vpon and meanes by which to worke so hath hee at this day and vntill the finall dissolution of all things he will still work by meanes without meanes against meanes His promises are Yea Amen not to our Fathers only but to vs and all posterities for euer those he performeth at this day yet not so visibly and apparantly as in the dayes of our Fathers of old We haue not a Moses I confesse to bring water out of the Rocke by striking with his rod nor an Aaron to turne a Rod into a Serpent and to deuoure the counterfeit Serpents of the Inchanters Wee haue no Eliah to pray for fire to consume Gods enemies nor an Elisha to diuide a Riuer with his cloke No Paul that with his word can dispossesse a spirit of diuination nor a Peter that with his word can make a cripple to goe sound Many miracles in former times done are recorded both in the old new Testament through the power of GOD by the hands of men which kind of working miracles are ceased but the power of God continueth the same for euer euer working wonderfull things with-out the cōpasse of humane apprehension and sets before our eyes daily examples of his extraordinarie working in mercy for the comfort of his children and as before is said in iustice and iudgement against the wicked according to the song of the blessed Virgin The Lord sheweth strength with his arme he scattereth the proud in the imagination of their hearts he putteth downe the mightie from their seate and exalteth the humble and meeke he filleth the hungrie with good things and sendeth the rich emptie away Is not this a strong confirmation of the faith of Gods children plunged in perils visited with afflictions and tossed to and fro in the troublesome and tempestuous Sea of this world in which are they not cōmanded to pray for their deliuerie And to whom pray they not vnto the same GOD as our forefathers did If GOD therefore were not now in his Mercie Loue Power and Prouidence as hee was then as able and willing to helpe wee were taught both to pray and to feare in vaine neither his Mercie nor Iustice could appeare as with our owne eyes wee haue seene the wicked to perish and the innocent deliuered euen by the hand of God himselfe that his Glorie and Power might by the iust punishment of the one and maruellous deliuerance of the other be seene and celebrated of all them that feare him The Holy Ghost doth euery where in the Scripture make vs see and perceiue the great and manifold benefits which come by aduersitie he declareth them to all but all haue not the true apprehension that it is sēt for their good And vnlesse ye be inlightened in the spirit of your mindes and the cloudes of your carnal cogitations be driuen away by the wind of diuine vnderstanding yee cannot but mistake the good pleasure loue and fauour of God that causeth all things to worke together for the best to them that loue him and grudge at your heauenly Fathers Discipline Ye are poore murmure not nor grudge at the prosperitie of others Learne of Dauid the contrarie who in his haste and vnaduisedly fretted to see the prosperitie of the wicked that alwayes prospered and increased in riches And thought indeed that God made no difference betweene the good and the bad the righteous and the wicked and therefore thought it a vaine thing to bee curious to liue well considering that notwithstanding his continuall seruing of God yet was he punished and chastened euery morning namely daily the wicked still secure and in no danger this strange course of Gods working hee as it were admired and began to consider if hee could finde out the cause but it was too deepe for his naturall wisedome but when hee entred into the Sanctuarie of God when he had consulted with the holy Spirit of God and had learned his Word then he vnderstood what the end of these flourishing men would be he considered that God had set them in slipperie places how hee east them into sudden desolation wherein they perished and were fearefully confounded Put therefore your trust in God he will guide you in all your occasions by his counsell and after your godly life ended hee will receiue you to Glorie Seeke therefore neither helpe nor comfort but of GOD alone for there is none in Heauen but hee and desire none in the Earth but him If ye fall into troubles beware as neere as ye may it bee not for euill doing for the Magistrate beares the Sword for sinners If ye bee troubled for well-doing yee need not feare yee haue