gaue me no solide peace till I tooke on mee both the yocke of Christ in mine effectuall calling to grace and of the Ministerie of the Word By this doing thou drew all my thoughts to practick Diuinitie as to the best sort holding mee euer about the end and the use the fruite of the best meanes to it for keeping of a good Conscience Thou hast joyned foure things in me that furnisheth daylie exercise to my Spirit 1. A naturall disposition inclining to pensiuenesse so that my greatest rest is in the multitude and throng of enquiring thoughts 2. The worke of Grace in the sanctified exercise of Conscience 3. And thy prouidence without euerie day furnishing a new crosse as mine ordinary dyet a matter both to my naturall disposition Conscience 4. And with all these the assiduous labour of a painefull Ministerie changing the nature of rest and labour in mee So that my greatest rest is in greatest labour and a short relaxation doeth wearie mee more than long bending of my Spirit As thou didst separate me to the Gospel of thy Son and counted mee faithfull and put mee in the Ministerie thou possest me with a care to bee faithfull in it and to approue my selfe to thee in preaching thy word as thy word and in partaking of that Grace which in thy Name I offer to other Thou made mee thinke it a fearefull judgement to feede others and sterue my selfe To builde the Arke of Noe to saue others and perish in the waters my selfe but to striue to this compleat fruite of the Ministerie by faithfull discharge of my duetie to saue my selfe and them that heare mee 1. Timoth 16. I caÌ„not but count this among thy greatest mercies to mee that in the midst of my trouble thou fillest my Soule with thy peace that in the multitude of the thoughts of mine heart thy comfortes delight mee Psal. 94. 19. While I am thy prisoner in this bed of disease cannot declare thy mercies in publicke to thy people Thou giuest mee libertie to speake of thy wondrous workes to them that visite mee to exhort them to liue the life of the righteous and in as great confidence in thy Name to assure them that in that case they shall die the death of the righteous And to say with thy Prophet Come and heare all yee that feare the Lord and I will declare what hee hath done to my Soule I cryed vnto him with my mouth and hee was exalted with my tongue If I regarded iniquitie in mine heart the Lord will not heare mee But truelie God hath heard me and hath hearkened to the voyce of my prayer Ps 66. 16 17 18 19. For hee seeth no sinne in Iaacob nor transgression in Israel Numb 23 21. But as manie as walke according to this rule his peace is on them and his mercie and vpon the Israel of God Galat. 6. 16. This I take as a seale of thy loue that thou hast both accepted mee and my former endeâ—ours and pardoned all my sinnes in the Sonne of thy loue What would be my case if in those paines my wonted terrours had possessed mee But thou who comforteth the abject knowest my weaknesse layest no more on mee than I can beare Thou makest thy Grace sufficient for mee to giâ—e mee the out gate with the temptation that thy power may bee manifested in my weakenesse 1. Cor. 12. 7. 9. Blessed bee God who hath not turned away my prayers nor his mercies from mee Psal. 66. 20. How precious are thy thoughts to mee O God how great is the summe of them If I should count them they are moe in number than the sand Psal. 139. 17. 18. Many O Lord my God are thy wonderous vvorkes which thou hast done and thy thoughts vvhich are towards vs they cannot hee reckoned vp in order to thee If I would declare and speake of them they are moe than can bee numbred Psal. 40. 5. But this is a small summe of a greater roll that I may both testifie to the world my thankfulnesse to thee who hast ladened mee daylie with thy blessings And stirre vp others to marke thy mercifull dealing with them in their youth That finding thy goodnesse in good occasions and education and the blessing of both in learning and godlinesse they may bee thankefull to thee O what a mercie is it in so dangerous a time as Youth to bee brought by thy Spirit to true Wisedome and godlines Then Witte is weakest and corruption is strongest and we readie euery houre to cast our selfe in sinnes which may cost vs eternall murning But thou preuentest Sathan and ingageth vs in thy Grace and obedience before either hee can abuse vs in iniquitie or wee doe know what good thou art working in vs. Thou knowest how forcible the sense and conscience of thy mercie is both to make vs thankefull for it and desirous and confident of more None can feele thy loue in thy Fatherlie care ouer him in his Youth but his heart must dissolue in loue to thee and powring out it selfe on thee waite vpon the due accomplishment of such good beginnings When I remember these thy mercies I finde them mine obligements to thee How thou didst beare more with mee than all the world or I could beare with my selfe I both wonder at thy vnspeakable loue pursuing with kindnesse so vile a worme And am confident that thou who hath begunne thy good worke in mee will also finish it till the day of the Lord Iesus WhoÌ„ thou louest thou louest to the end Thy calling and gifts are vvithout Repentance VVho shall separate vs from the loue of Christ For I am perswaded that neither Death nor Life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things preseÌ„t nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall bee able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Rom. 8. 38. 39. Vnder this acquaintance with Death and certaintie of these glorious thinges after it the bitternesse of Death is disgested As the godlie and wicked haue contrare respects of Death and contrare grounds and contrare desires so also contrare disposition and practice when it commeth I leaue the horrors of it to them that are vnder sinne Their death is like a Malefactors execution when hee is pannaled and justlie convicted one pulleth the Hatte doggedlie from him another his bond a third bindeth his hands behind his backe and the poore man ouercome with griefe and feare is dead before hee die But I looke for the Death of the Righteous and a peaceable ende that it shall bee as a going to bed of an honest man His seruants with respect take off his cloathes and lay them downe in order A good Conscience then playing the Page ordereth all so that it confirmeth and increaseth his peace It biddeth good-night to Faith Hope and such other attending graces and giftes in the way When wee are come home to Heauen there is no vse of them But it directeth Loue Peace
all our businesse on worldly thinges But Gods Spirit teacheth the godly a better forme of barganning The kingdome of Heauen is a precious Iewell It endureth when all these worldlie trifles will evanish and wee finde it without a price The Mercat of it is cryed free without money Ho euery one that thirsteth come yee to the waters and hee that hath no money come buy and eate yea come without price Isa. 55. 1. These wise Merchants shall rejoyce for euer before God who vnder termes of buying and selling hath freely giuen them eternall Life where the foolish seekers of the world shall euer lament their neglect of this free Mercat and the losse of their labour their fruite and of themselues It is good to leaue the worlds folie to it selfe since we cannot cure it let it not spoile Grace in vs The wicked losing their soule for their bodie lose body and all together The godly losing all for God their Soules saue themselues fullie Hee is no loser who hath God for his portion and him selfe in Soule and body unite to God in Christ. Thinges worldlie come not in this compt before wee were wee had them not and in the Heauen wee shall not haue them Their vanitie not use are as a not beeing to vs. Where God filleth the heart there is no roome to desire or receiue them on so miserable conditions Let them fall to these who are like to them dust and dust doe well agree whē we shall enjoy God for euer 54. The loue of good and hatred of euill SOme things there be which I cannot loue and some thinges which I cannot hate I cannot loue Sathan for he is Gods enemie Nor Hell for it is his House Nor Sinne for it is his worke And the more neere that Sinne is to mee the more I hate it In the godlie more than in the wicked And in my selfe more than in any These againe I cānot hate God because he is Goodnes it selfe Nor the Heauen because it is his dwelling and reward Nor his Grace because it is his Image both the causes of that loue and the work of it is from himselfe I loue them because I loue him and it is his will and worke in mee to loue them I thanke God I cannot hate them who haue true Grace I mislike their faults and shall disgest their injuries but my Soule cannot hate them who loue God and are beloued of him His Image and Grace where euer I see it though in my professed enemie commandeth my dearest affection all their injuries cannot so grieue mee as the conscience of my sincere loue to them comforteth mee By this I know that I am translated from death to life because I loue the Brethren 1. Iohn 3. 14. But there can bee none assurance of his Loue and Grace where the Sainctes are hated His loue is shed abroad in our heart not to remaine there but to run out to embrace them whom hee loueth neither am I beloued of him nor haue parte of that in shed loue if I hate them who so are beloued of him are inclosed in his heart agree in Iesus Christ as they are such cannot hate one another This is our victorie ouer their corruptiō our own that notwithstanding of their injuries we loue them deerelie God loued and choosed vs when he saw vs his enemies in the masse of lost mankynde And now loueth vs when wee offend him daylie How then can the heart sensible of this loue hate anie that is so loued of God If wee doe so wee hate Gods Image and loue in the Sainctes in our selfe and in God may justly doubt if we be the Lords beloued 55. The best Lotte hath some want EVerie mans Lot is mixed with some want And GOD hath so wiselie temperated all estates that no man hath all blessings and no man lacketh all crosses If we haue some blessings we lacke other Yea our miscontentment can make wants where none is and augmenteth these which possiblie are Wee take on vs a creating power and that in euill How oft doe wee compleane of that Lotte which is good in it selfe and better than wee are either worthie to receiue or wise to use aright Many haue so large a Lotte that if it were diuided in an hundreth partes it would content some hundreth persons and euerie one of them possiblie is more worthie and would bee more thankfull than he who hath it all alone with miscontentment The smallest Lot with God if there can be any small with him is a large Lotte And the greatest Lot without him if there can bee any great without him is extreame lacke Hee lacketh nothing who hath God for his portion and he hath nothing who lacketh him God carueth not sparingly to that Soule to whom hee giueth himselfe and in that case it lacketh nothing but to know that Lotte and enjoye it God hath indeede wisely tempered our Lottes but the error of our desires and miscontentment is our owne and yet hee bringeth good out of that error His care is to keepe vs euer loose from the earth If wee found all our desires contented heere wee would forget to seeke a better Lotte in heauen Let euery lacke chase vs to seeke a supplie It is a daylie and hourely earand to God by prayer Wee cannot finde it in this life let vs seeke it where it is Our Lot on earth satisfieth vs not but our Lot in heauen shall fill vs with contentment It is perfect in it selfe and craueth that wee bee perfect for it If in the midst of so manie lackes wee seeke perfection in the earth wee proue the lacke of wit more than of a sufficient Lot all lackes tell vs and command vs to seek supply in God who onely is All-sufficient 56. Danger of corruption daylie THere is none houre wherein we can say that wee are free of danger and yet not so much of outward accidents as of inward surprysing of our Corruption The more aduanced in Grace the more is that danger both in it selfe and to our feeling Other see our infirmities and they are more grieuous to our selfe than of before This is a bitter Experience that when wee haue lamented our slippes renewed our vowes and chastened our selfe in an holy griefe for them they breake out vnder our hand Scarcelie is our heart calmed from a former griefe when it is conceiuing either the same or a greater infirmitie These Canaanites liue still in vs they are left as a mater of our Exercise the whetstone of grace and a Spurre of Prayer Wee cannot cast thē out but we should put them vnder tribute It is best to hold our eye cōtinually on our corruption that it break not out or bee grieued for that out-breaking Daylie danger is a lesson of the necessitie of a daylie guarde And since that danger is most from within our best Guarde must bee from without Nature in vs that worketh our woe cannot prouid our
CHRISTIAN OBSERVATIONS AND RESOLUTIONS OR The daylie practise of the renewed man turning all occurrents to spirituall uses and these uses to his vnion with GOD. I. CENTVRIE VVith a Resolution for Death c. Newlie published by Mr WILLIAM STRVTHER Preacher of the Gospel at EDINBVRGH Ecclesiastes 2. 14. The wise mans eyes are in his head but the foole walketh in darknesse EDINBVRGH Printed by the Heires of Andro Hart. ANNO DOM. 1628. TO GOD ALMIGHTIE GRATIOVS MERCIFVLL c. FATHER SONNE AND HOLIE GHOST His most vnworthie Seruant thristing his glory in the Saluation of the Saints Mr. W. STRVTHER THESE first fruits of Thine owne Grace in mee I offer to Thee O Fountaine of Grace Thy thoughts are pretious to mee and thy Meditations sweete All the desires of mine heart is to Thee and to bring thy Saiuctes to thy fellowship that in that vnion they may enjoy Thy selfe and partake true Happinesse Blesse all meanes vsed to that good end that they may proue meanes of thine owne choyse and worke But aboue all shedde abroad Thy loue in the hearts of Thy people then our preaching and writting will bee either lesse needefull or more fruitfull Thou hast wonâ— to Thy selfe for euer the heart that is deepelie affected with the sense of Thy loue Thou knowest that it can no more byde or rest off Thee than a stone of it selfe can hing in the aire While I thinke of Thee my thoughts increase themselues and while I preasse to expresse them I can not satisfie my selfe in that expression Thou art in the heart that loueth Thee truelie and that heauenlie affection ouercommeth it twise once in vnspeakeable softning sweetnesse nixt in an vnsufficiencie to vtter it But this is some remeede that it can poure it selfe immediatelie vpon Thee Words writes come shorter than thoughts and thoughts shorter than the affection the onelie just and equall expressing of the affection is to thrust it selfe on Thee and to adhere and inhere in Thee continuallie It sufficeth mee that Thou knowest mine heart and thine owne worke in it Let the Meditations of mine heart and the words of my mouth bee acceptable to Thee O GOD my Strength and my Redeemer and direct Thou the workes of mine hands that all may serue to the magnifying of Thy glorious Grace and edifying of thy people AMEN TO THE CHRISTIAN Reader THE present time Christian Reader both offereth these obseruations to me and throweth their publication from mee None walketh with opened eyes but these and the like shall occurre vnto him This time of the Gospel aboundeth in the meanes of sauing knowledge but few partake it The most part brutishlie neglect it other in their search are carried on the by Seeking affecting and resting on trifling knowledge as on happinesse and many who in some sort find it out doe separate from it both affection action so preuailing Athesme giueth thee effront to sauing Knowledge Grace in the Gospel But the Sun sendeth a quickening heate as well as a shining â—ight and man is borne with heart and hands as well as with eyes The worke of light is to discouer but affection separateth vs from the discouered euill and ioyneth vs to the knowne Good and to walke in the direction of that Light and the discerning of Affection is to know sauinglie It is the best knowledge which is about the best things and needeth least change at Death To know GOD and our happinesse in Him hath no change at Death but in the degree aduancing to perfection As other thinges so other knowledge will then vanish This is the affectuous and actuous Knowledge according to godlinesse wherevnto I labour in the Lord to stirre Thee vp That knowing GOD in Christ thou may liue in Him and walke in Him The sense of a God-head is the marrow and kernell of Christianitie Without this all our knowledge is but a carcase of knowledge wee our selues the carions of Christians The Lord worke these good things in thee and thee to his Image to fill Thee heere with Grace and heereafter with glorie Amen Thine in the Lord Mr. William Struther CHRISTIAN OBSERVATIONS AND RESOLVTIONS OR The daylie practise of the renewed man turning all occurrents to spirituall uses and all these uses to his union with GOD. 1. The Christian Furniture THREE thinges are necessar for our Christian walking the right end the straight way and a good Guide And all these are to bee found in God alone his glorie is the right end and the high way to this ende is his Word and himselfe the onelie Guide yea hee himselfe is all these three Hee is the Way and the Trueth and the Life for wee are led by his Spirit in his will to himselfe His presence in mercie giueth vs all this furniture and without it euerie man goeth astray some seeke the right end but choose not the straight way some find the straight way but seeke not the right end in place of God they seeke and follow themselues in all their businesse they aduance not one foote from their first and naturall condition but are more drowned in miserie than at their birth The truelie godlie come to this threefold blessing The more sincerelie they intend his glorie the more sure are they of his direction and guiding This is Abrahams walking before God and Enochs walking with him and Paul his walking in him The present fruite is answerable to such grounds a certaintie to obtaine such an end because of the way and Guide a securitie in that way and a joy in the conscience of rhem all The conscience of the sinceritie of our intention of our endeuouring to find and walke in the way is a great degree of his presence in grace a presage of his presence in glorie The Soule that laboureth for this sort of walking in this life shall bee with him for euer after this life The most part of men proclaime to the world that they haue neuer thought earnestlie of this Iourney Their furniture is rather for Hell if such a Iourney needed furniture then for Heauen They take this worlde for their home themselues for their end their Guide and Guarde loosing their heartes to all vngodlinesse and vnrighteousnesse But the godlie know they haue no byding citie heere therefore they seeke for one to come and deale with God for this prouision in so dangerous a way Hee may bee sure of that end who is guided and guarded by God in the way to it Hee who is now alwayes in God must bee with God for euer So hee guideth his owne with his Counsell and afterward bringeth them to his glorie 2. Operations of Gods Spirit are powerfull THe working of Gods Spirit is neither at our desire nor our direction Hee bloweth where hee listeth and GODS Kingdome commeth not by obseruation Our euill deseruing hath more power to stay him than our desires to set him on worke omissions grieue him greatlie but commission of grosse sinnes grieue him
more they can procure both the intermission of his worke a temporall desertion though hee neuer depart simplie from the Elect. Wee can not fore-see his comming but wee may feele his working The worke it selfe telleth vs that hee is in the worke When hee lurketh what confusions in the minde and disorder in the heart In great businesse we make but slow speed all is in a manner forced and nothing doeth promise the desired successe But when hee showeth himselfe O what a change in the Soule Illumination is great in the varietie and the clearnesse of light and euerie power hath the owne seale stamping the heart all goeth then so easelie as the Soule sufficeth not to take vp particularlie his working In that diuine worke it findeth the power of a diuine Nature no creature can either worke so mightily in vs or affect vs in that kinde or degree It hath more increase of light affection sense and sweetnesse in one houre than in some other moneths As the Soule moueth the bodie so hee moueth his giftes and graces in vs which are as a carcase without him Hee is both the worker teacher of his own operations moueth vs to mak due use of them his desertions are grieuous but his felt operations doe largely recoÌ„pence that grief It is good both to feare eschew his desertioÌ„ but when we find it to comfort our selfe in the remembrance of his bygone and assurance of his future working to our former joys His work is euer powerful but not euer seÌ„sible We know that the hand of the Horolodge hath moued when it commeth to the houre but our sight discerneth not the mouing of it His worke is oft-ten secret to vs and yet forcible Thereby our condition is changed to the better though we obserue not aye the progresse of that bettering When hee both worketh in vs sauing Graces and a feeling of his worke so that his worke and our sense of it doe meete together that is our vnspeakable Ioye 3. The fruitfull worke of our thoughts AS our thoughts are called light so is our accompt of their worke They are restlesse and wee are carelesse what and how they worke no man can hold them within both outward things draw them out and themselues are giuen to wandring euen while wee are musing to hold them in order as water they slide away In their going out they carrie the soule with them and at their returne report some fruite of the matter which they considered But many doe neither obserue their going out nor their returne they let them out on euerie thing mak use of nothing some are worse in a profaine libertie they send them out on impious and naughty matters and take them home fraughted with pernicious and sinfull reports God hath giuen vs our Soule for a better use as he hath set it in the bodie to quicken and moue it so also to keepe a fruitefull intercourse with outward things If it went simplie out of the bodie death would follow If it remained inclosed in it there could bee no intercourse with outward things God hath appointed a midde way that the substance of it shall abide in the bodie but it sendeth out the thoughts as fearchers and intercommers Our best in this kinde is to follow Gods appointment not to let our thoughts wander rackelessie but to send them in order not on euerie trifle but on good things and at their returne to receiue their worke in order A wise Soule in this Thought-work is as a Bee-hyue all the powers are in labour a continuall going out and returning no power idle and none returne emptie and all their obseruations as Honie laid vp for use It gathereth and disgesteth in it selfe a substance masse of purified knowledge and that for affection and action and all of them for the obedience of God and union with him Fixed endes make an well ordered and fruitfull course It is good to intend the good of our callings and then to set our Thoughts to worke about the way Painters draw first the lines theÌ„ fill vp the spaces compleat the portrate And Frost turneth first the face of water in hard lines and then equalleth all with yce And the bodie of a childe in the wombe hath first the noble partes framed then all is filled vp to the comelie proportion of a bodie So the bodie of profitable knowledge hath first the noble partes framed in our fixed designes then the enterjected spaces are filled vp by the Minds daylie labour A ball striken in the open fielde goeth straight out from vs but in a Tinnice the wall maketh it returne to our hand So if our thoughts goe out rackleslie they â—uanish But if wee hem them within the compasse of fixed intentions of our calling and particular taske therein they come home with pertinent obseruations In the first case they are as the Rauen fleeing about the Arke of Noe but not entring in it In the next they are as the Doue returning wearie at Euening with the fatnesse and peaceablnesse of the Oliue 4. Gods peace a sweete Vade-mecum HEalth of Bodie and peace of Conscience are two substantiall blessings Without them other blessinges are not pleasant to vs and this Peace is better than Health as the Soule is better than the bodie The ground of it is Gods free loue the price of it Christs satisfaction the worker of it Gods owne Spirit the mettell vpon which he stampeth it is a good Conscience the fruite of it the joye of the holie Ghost It cannot bee keeped but by great circumspectnesse Sathan cannot endure such a Iewell in the midst of his kingdome It is vineger to his teeth and smoak to his eyes to see Gods children full of this peace in the midst of all his snares wee haue it in the world but not of it neither can the world know it nor giue it nor take it from vs. It sweetneth the bitternesse of our afflictions and doubleth the sweetnesse of prosperitie Goe with it whither wee will we haue a better jewell in our heatrs than all the treasures on earth O what comfort is it when wee lift vp our heartes to GOD and hee meeteth vs with softnesse of heart and joye in Spirit when hee maketh the beames of his face in Christ to strike on our Soule to warme and quicken them and doubleth his grace in vs in the conscience of these things It is Gods seale in the godlie but the wicked neither haue it nor care for it A wonder it is howe men can liue in the world without this Peace Non can well liue in a Kings Court or Countrie without his Peace And how shall they liue in the world his great familie and not care for his fauour And yet men vnder their Kinges wrath may lurke in their Dominions but no place can hide them from God There is small appearance that they who care not for this Peace doe know God strangers taste
him the more wee loue his goodnesse flee his offence and burne in greatest desire of his union in Christ It setteth all the powers of the Soule on all the reuealed properties of GOD and powring out it selfe on him by all these receiueth the influence of his goodnes most fullie and sensiblie Faith Hope Loue Delight and all other Graces are herein busied on their sweetest worke and God in Christ comming downe to our weaknesse draweth vs so neare to him that wee may taste how good and gratious hee is It is the most immediate worship of God wherein wee draw neere to the Throne of Grace and adore an incomprehensible God-head in Christ wee are thereby not onelie for the present filled with Loue Reuerence and feare of a divine Majestie but at other times holden vnder that same disposition We know wee are euer in his sight and remaine in some measure affected to him as wee are in the time of prayer Beside the great blessinges that wee obtaine in it this is a great one that by daylie standing before God wee know him more and more to our union with him No Soule can seeke his face and see him daylie but must affect him and render it selfe absolutelie to him The disposition to it the worke of it and the fruite of it are three great blessings Poperie is mercenarie and doeth no seruice to God but vnder name of hyre So is it in prayer they haue proclamed to the world that they know neither the delight nor fruite of it while they call it a laborious worke put it among penall satisfactions If they had the Spirit of adoption crying Abba Father they could not haue such pleasure as in that exercise no there is no greater torture to a deuoute Soule than to bee stayed from it The heart-scald doeth not so vex the stomacke as these impediments doe the Soule The impressions of God are so strong in that heauenlie conference that nothing can counterfit them and our contentment so sweete by that sense of his loue that no humane delight can equall it When our heart is taken with a delight to pray we haue found a compendeous way to know God sauinglie and to bee taught of him Next to his holy word the impressions and affeâ—â—ions obtained in Prayer are two cleare Commentaries of his divine properties 8. Fruitfull labours in our callings OUr Soule hath the owne measure which it can not well exceed within that compasse it worketh easily profitablie Without it and aboue there is great toyle but no fruite In our calling and gift wee may doe something because of Gods ordinance promise But without them wee are out of our theets and haue neither a promise of his presence or blessing Yet in our calling and gift wee may exceede if wee reach vs further than the measure of our gift promiseth As God hath distinguished men by callings so by giftes in a calling and men of that same gift by sindrie degrees of the gift The lacke of this consideration maketh so many crosse themselues and others and forceth God to mis-know his owne ordinance while they walke not as hee appointeth While euerie man will doe euery thing no man almost doeth any thing as hee should Our gift and measure of it is our Talent and the labour of our calling is ouâ— exchange According thereto our place is reckoned both in mankinde and the Church so our reckoning wil be at the last day It is wisedome to consider our Calling Gift and measure of the Gift The Calling giueth authoritie and power The Gift sufficiencie The measure of the Gift dexteritie And all of them in this harmonie promise a blessing The Calling presenteth the taske to vs The Gift the parte of it And the Measure the degree of the taske To labour without a Calling is curiositie Without a Gift is presumption And without a Measure is a foolish ouerweening and ouer-reaching it is an abusing of the worke our Gift and our selfe Hee shall not bee ashamed of his reckoning whose labours haue beene all within the bounds of his Calling and their Measure within his Gift degree As God hath first blessed him with the honourable imployment of a Calling and next with some sufficiencie for to doe it And thirdlie with some answerable successe So in end he shall crowne all these Blessings with acception both of himselfe and his labours Well done faithfull seruant thou hast beene faithfull in little I will make thee Ruler ouer much enter into thy Masters Ioy. 9 The world is worse and worse MAnie doe wonder wherefore the world is worse and worse and that justlie how so bad a thing can grow in euill It lyeth all in euill euen in Sathans armes and that is euil enough It would appeare that long instructions Letters Diuine and humane Lawes and Discipline exercise of Religion examples of Gods judgements for sinne might haue some force to mend it These would indeede proue forcible to a curable nature but the world is vncurable The heart of man which is the heart of the world is desparatelie and incurablie wicked Though some men be renewed yet they beget not renewed men but naturall Euerie Age commeth in with the owne guise to adde euill to the former Their corruption letteth them not see the good of former or present times they take hold of euill and thinke it a proofe of their succession both to follow that and augment it As a kinde Burgesse in a Citie loueth the increase of common good so euerie man the increase of the common euill of the world how can it bee good since it hath no good of it selfe but resisteth the goodnesse that God offereth to it all the sins of former Ages remaine in it by reason of mans great corruption and Gods just desertion increaseth wonderfullie And the Prince of it watchfull at all occasions multiplieth wickednesse that God may multiplie wrath It is kindlie to euery thing to growe in its owne gift good thinges by reason claimeth that groweth but euill by violence obtaine it Wee must seeke a new world in this olde one for this will neuer amend Hee shall finde his life for a prey who keepeth himselfe from the contagion of his time Though wee bee some part of it yet let vs not be like to it The new man with new grace shal mak good plenishing for a new Heauen when like draweth to like in the justice of God we shall bee gathered to Heauen while the incurable world goeth to their owne place Hee must bee secured by sauing Grace who would not bee lossed in the worlds wickednesse This preseruatiue commeth onely of God who hath chosen vs out of the world as hee can prouide vs peace in the midst of it so can hee preserue vs in despyte of it hee is ouertaken in the worldes sinne and shall bee involued in their damnation who seeth not this common euill and keepeth not himselfe from it We are foretold that the world
none other than a cutting off from that experienced but forsaken good and to be compassed by that prouen but not forsaken euill Experience is an oft repeating of sense and euery such repetition reneweth and augmenteth the affections Not to bee moued by Experience is either to proue wee are senslesse that feele not or wiâ—â—lesse that make not use of our feeling 15. Companie is usuallie hurtfull SCarcelie can wee enter in a societie and come off it without offence Our humours doe either breake out to offend other or taketh offence of them many affect a quicknes of wit in breaking jests on their neighbour but are thin skinned when they are touched themselues They take not the law of friendlie comporting which they giue to others It is Sathans policie to turne Companies the meane of concord in an occasion of discord Hee bloweth at the coale of euery mans corruption a part and finding them in a societie preaseth to kindle them altogether and turne our Tables into snares Men on the other part turne their Christian libertie in a fleshly licence not sparing to refresh their owne myndes with the griefe of others The usuall matter of speech in such meeting is detracting of the absents and scoffing at the faultes of these who are present Or if Grace Wisedome make them beare off these seene blemishes their speech runnes vpon some indirect taxing Societies are Gods blessing to mankynde to sweeten the griefes of this life and mutually to sharpen our wittes for our Callings but that meanes of mutuall good is turned in mutuall hurt and the common benefite of all is ouerthrowne by the passions and indiscretion of some particular ones in a companie Wee canâ—ot eschew all societies but we should make wyse choyse of theÌ„ with whom wee conuerse Some are so dangerous that they cannot bee haunted without certaine inconuenient It is a just thing with God to make men offend other who make it their merriment to offend him When wee are going or byding euen in the best societies secret ejaculations to God for an holy disposition is a good meanes to eschew that euill Happie is hee who commeth better from them than when he went to them Who keepeth him from the offence of God and his neighbour And if their corruption doeth injure him giueth them not a fleshly meeting If we grieue not the holy Spirit by loosing our minds and tongues to the abuse of our ChristiaÌ„ libertie he will secure vs from these mutuall offences They are not as the strife betwixt flesh and Spirit but betwixt flesh flesh If the holy Spirit did ouerrule all in these companies they would not either contest idlie or offend in contesting The domage of societies made some to turne Eremites It were good to haue the Heremites reteerdnes in the noyse of societies 16. The godly Traueller is euer at home EVery one seeketh some delight in trauel that according to their disposition The curious man seeketh rare conceats The proude man respects of honour The bellie-god for odde meates and their following pleasures The Polititian for intelligence as the matter of his plotting and negotiating The Tippler and complementer for purposes of discourse But the good Christian seeketh for heauenly delights His choyse commeth neither through the hands of Cookes nor Venteners nor Merchants nor from the mouthes of Stats-men he can take all these thinges as hee findeth them and use them by the way But his maine care is for God and all his Obseruation runne vpon Gods fauourable presence with him What a pleasure is it to finde all the places of our Trauell and Rest marked with the tokens of his loue our bed with his secret instructions and in the day when wee with-drawe our selues from our Companie and powreth out our heart to him hee answereth vs to our heart that his presence in an vncouth land is as neare and sweete to vs as at home To finde him euery where marking the places of our abode as Bethell the house of God and Peniel the face of God This is GODS calling of vs to the wildernesse to speake to our heartes Hee will tell vs that neither hee nor his working is tyed to one place at home But that all places are for the presence of God to them who are at peace with him The Altar is soone erected and the sacrifice offred on it in the heart that hath a constant Deuotion The Couâ—taines of our Tabernacle are no lesse thaÌ„ the vaile of heauen No man yet sought God truelie but hee knoweth that God is more easie to hec found than his owne heart If wee finde it in an holy disposition then both hee and the furniture for his worshippe are at hand in euerie place Surelie that man may bee from his house but hee is not from God hee carieth his home abroad with him and God whom hee serueth in his house trysteth him in the fieldes This Soule is ordained for heauen that at home and abroad is euer with God Heauen attendeth him on earth and while hee is abroad on earth hee is at home in heauen by that heauenly disposition Other men prouyde bodilie necessars for their journey and the godlie aboue that prouyde for the fauour of God This sacred prouision goeth with vs it carieth vs it keepeteh vs and bringeth vs backe lodened with fruites of it self Heereby in a short journey wee make more true gaine than Solomons Navie did from Ophir 17. The combat betwixt the Earth the Wretch THe Earth groaneth vnder all grosse sinners but hath a particular combat with the Wretch Other sinners burthen it with their vanitie but hee would swallow it vp hee wearieth it in furnishing his desires and hopes And yet is not content His desires augment his hopes and his equalled hopes increase his desires they are the two daughters of the Horse leach which cry Giue giue and mis-contentment comming after saith neuer It is enough To ryse vp from a good Table as hungrie as one sitteth downe is of a doggish appetite so is the Wretch in all his riches Sufficiencie and aboundance doe but inflame and not quench his desire Hee gapeth on the Earth to take it all in his possession though hee joyne Land to Land and house to house yet hee is poore in his owne accompt so long as hee lacketh his neighbours lotte Hee entreth in strife with the earth an vnnaturall Sonne with his Mother and it is hard to knowe which of them is more earthly He desieâ—th all and disgesteth nothing no not the crudities of his owne desire but in end is disgested of his owne aduersarie With what triumph doeth the Earth embrace the dust of her foolish competiture All her superfice and fruits and treasures of her bowels could not satisfie him beeing aliue but seuen foote length of her bosome closeth in his carcase While hee breathed hee would take Iorden in his mouth but beeing dead a small box holdeth his worthlesse ashes O what oddes betwixt the
yet vnder the Conscience or at least vnder a fresh remembrance of God Such a disposition is both a virtuall supplie of feeling bygone and a seale of our eternall fruition of him to come GOD hath promised a blessing to his worship the neglect of it is punished with profannesse and hardnesse of heart It is good to keepe acquaintance with God And there is none houre wherein wee haue not an businesse to him and hee neuer sent away an holy heart from him without some comfort hee needeth none exhortation to the woâ—ke who findeth the daylie fruite of it Seuen times a day doe I praise thee Lord because of thy righteous judgements Psal. 119. 164. 38. Mans securitie in GOD. TWo thinges greatly trouble vs in this life sudden Accidents and vncertaine Events The first shaketh vs because they are vncertaine When we looke to the present dint of trouble wee cannot gather our Spirites and when wee wander or sticke on second causes wee cannot light vpon the certaine end There is but one remeed for both to make the Lord our Habitation Ps. 91. 1. So loÌ„g as our Soules remaine beneath amoÌ„g the creatures wee are tossed with euerie thing but when wee rest on God wee find Peace The conscience of his Working the assurance of his Wisedome and sense of his Loue lifteth vs aboue these troubles and maketh vs partake that rest which is in him and is himselfe Though hee moue all yet hee is not moued and impartes this rest in some measure to them who rest in him What wonder is it that his prouidence shake vs finding vs downe among the creatures but if wee abide in him wee shall bee free of stormes Hee shall giue vs rest while these calamities passe ouer Psal. 57. 1. Who so dwelleth in his secret looketh downe securelie on all the toyles of the worlde The Doue abiding in the cliftes of the Rocke Cant. 2. 14. And the Chicken vnder the winges of the Henne that hatcheth it doe neither feare the stormes nor the Eagle So the Soule that by the woundes of Christ creepeth to his bowels and is warmed with Gods electing loue is sure of his protecting power His absolute power is able to doe more than hee will And his limited power is set to worke to doe his will And that both in producing of thinges and sustaineing them This is a maine decreete of his will committed to the executing of his power to bring his Elect through all difficulties to their appointed happinesse 39. Holy Meditations Difficultie and Profite HOlie Meditation is pleasant to God and profitable to vs and that Sathan knoweth and preasseth to stay wee may close our selfe in secret from men but no doore nor locke can hold him out Wee can shift our dearest Friendes but not him and the more wee thrust him out the more he throngeth in It is a well fenced minde wherein hee will not breake by fansies and suggestions and while wee are thinking of his debarring by that same thought hee either enters in turning our barre in his key or maketh vs to evanâ—sh and what difference is there betweene his inbreaking or our evanishing and out-running None can for a few moments urge a deepe and a sensible Meditation of God but either the minde is to call home or the heart to seeke It is good when wee goe to Meditation to pull in all our Spirites to God and thrust out all distractions to fixe our minde on him and holde it at that stay without diuerting to set our conscience on worke to checke that watch and aduertise vs both of Sathans suggestions the wandering of our mind And most of all to pray in the entrie for such a diuine vertue as may draw our minde to God and unite it to him till hee communicate himselfe to vs in that measure he thinketh meete for the time It is a fruitefull Meditation when the heart receiueth such stampe of God as maketh it to taste how good hee is and so thirst for more Grace that wee earnestly seeke vp these sweete streames to the fountaine euen God himselfe where that perfection dwelleth Such Meditation bringeth out some point of liuelie and affectuous knowledge and with these holy conceptions worketh a greater puritie and holinesse of the mind that conceiueth it The soule in that case it is not simple actiue but passiue also and is changed to the nature of these heaueÌ„ly things that it conceiueth 40. Spiritualitie of the bodie OUr bodies are earthly and yet haue a promise of Spiritualitie It is as easie to God to make them so as is to cleanse them from sinne this is alreadie practised in our kinde in Christ Iesus Our nature in his Body is spiritualized to tell vs that for possibilitie it may be and for certaintie it shall be so in vs Hee is our Brother therefore we may be like him he is our Head therefore wee must bee like him in a conformitie with his glorious Bodie Philip. 3. So soone as the Soule liueth by the faith of these promises it beginneth to feele this spritualitie Wee loue our body by Nature and oft-ten idoll it But Grace maketh vs loue it lesse as it is naturall and more as it shall be fullie spirituall in Heauen This is a seale and token of that spiritualitie that the body is disabled for sinfull actions The worke of the Soule and the satietie of spirituall influence bringeth for the tyme a deadnesse to sinne on it Scarcelie can the minde strengthen it selfe in any spirituall delight but the bodie is thereby weakned The Soule marking that disposition is confirmed by it and the bodie it selfe though the first and onely loser is content of that weakning because it is assured of the owne spiritualitie When our Soule shall bee full of glorie in Heauen it shall turne the body to the like estate I care not how weake my body bee for the workes of sinne I haue then most delight in it when it is beaten downe and brought in subjection 1. Cor. 9. 27. not to hinder but to helpe the workes of the Spirit 41. Credulitie and Confidence are weake attendants of a weake Spirit CRedulitie and Confidence are usuallie found together the one for taking in of reports is an euill porter the other a lavish out-giuer The first admitteth both others reportes and the owne imbrede suspitions The second giueth them out boldly as vndoubted truthes In one instant their heart is both at the roote of the eare hearing greedilie and in the toppe of the tongue talking looslie the one tryeth nothing and the other spareth nothing Credulitie putteth no difference betweene mans report Gods word their owne apprehension and diuine reuelation Confidence resteth on them all alike and venteth all with the like assurance It knoweth no degrees of perswasion but layeth the same degree of trust vpon humane rumours as vpon the Articles of the Creede They are the two wings of Calumnie without which it cannot flee abroad When Sathan
hath layde in the vncharitable heart the egges or seedes of Ignorance Malice Prejudice Suspition preposterous Zeale and such like Then hee worketh mightilie on them and hatcheth the monstrous bird of Calumnie But it is winglesse till it be vented For this end hee putteth Confidence and Credulitie to it that it may flee abroad which was brought foorth in secret This is a match of Sathans joyning A babling tongue to speake and a bibulous eare to drinke in greedilie bad reportes It is a weake Soule that hath two such assistants who so would perswad them of any thing haue lesse to doe than hee who must heare their raw and vnconsiderate reportes Hee needeth no more but vent his tales he is trusted at once by them but their hearers must either beleeue them that in their own degree of perswasion or else suffer for it It is easier to bee their informers than their hearers or reformers and that rather in lies and trifles than in trueth They are as hard to take contrare information to their former errors as they were ready at the first to drinke them in It is our best to try reportes and then giue euery thing its owne due of trust and euery trust the owne degree of asseveration It is folie to embrace humane reports with that same degree of perswasion as wee doe diuine trueth or to speake them with the same confidence A speciall worke of Gods Spirit is to direct vs in the trueth and that not onely in the matters of Saluation but also in our common conuersation where hee reigneth hee placeth holy Discretion at the roote of our eares to keepe vs from racklesse Credulitie And hee guydeth the heart with wise Charitie to stay vndiscreet Confidence inventing of our owne apprehension or other mens reports The foolish man will beleeue euery thing but the prudent will consider his steppes Prov. 14. 15. 42. The sight of a present God-head IT is a great worke to direct our life aâ—ight and many haue giuen good precepts for it but the Scripture is a most full and pertinent rule And God who knoweth best our duetie hath summed all vp in one word VValke before mee and bee thou vpright Genâ—s 17. 1. The sight and sense of a reuealed reconcealed and present God-head is the marrow and substance of all wholesome directions Who can see him but hee must loue and seeke an union with him and keepe that union by a constant walking with him Hee cannot bee seene but by his owne light nor felt but by his owne life and the raritie of these blessinges make the Christian conuersation so rare This is a compleate Furniture for our duetie first to know it next to will it and thirdlie to haue a power to doe it All these are obtained by setting God before vs. Neither is hee a beholder of his gifts but an effectuall mouer of them setting vs and his Grace in vs to worke by a powerfull working If his pure light fill the minde his effectuall power will fill the heart and that light and power can lead vs no wher-else but to himself They put vs to a restlesnesse but when wee are pleasing him and that restlesnes is a most sweete rest The goodnes of promised blessings the weight of threatned curses and the equitie of dueties commanded are all in their vigour when we see God so that faith and obedience doe follow Other considerations haue their owne force but this is so immediate and strong that there is neither place for delay nor hypocrisie He who seeth God alway dare neither neglect his duetie nor doe it deceitfully Where this care is Sinne findeth a bridle and Grace a spurre There can no tentation ouercome vs so long as wee see God clearely before vs Sathans suggestions evanish as mist before that face And our corruption dare not shew it selfe before the clearenes of that light Our walking in Christianity is but a roving till wee come to this sight of God in some measure This maintaineth light in the minde sensiblenesse in the heart and setteth to worke our Conscience to direct and hold vs in a conuersation worthie of him whom we see alwayes looking on vs. Men are diuersly affected with this sight Some know not the nature of it other condemne it as a phanaticke imagination because they comprise all the worke of Grace within their owne personall experience But VVisedome is justified of her children They who are conscious and sensible of it enjoye the vnspeakable fruites thereof While other are as voyde of them as they are voyde of the sight it selfe 43. Patrons of Grace and Nature are condignelie payed for their pleading OPinions in Religion are discoueries of our condition he who counteth highlie of the Grace of God hath his part thereof It commeth freely of God and leadeth to him in thankfulnesse It is his gift and the proper worke of it is to bring vs to him againe It is his stryne in vs and pulleth our Soules to him The holy Spirit is not as a reporting messeÌ„ger but one inbiding seale hee worketh at once both the sense of Gods loue in our heart and the meeting we giue to it No childe of Grace can satisfie himselfe in magnifying of Grace the worke of it is to powre out it selfe on God the Fountaine as it filleth the hart with joy so doth it the mouth with VVhat shall I reÌ„der to the Lord Ps. 116. 12. The Patrons of Nature seeme yet to abyde in Nature at the least that patrocinie is a work of Nature and flesh in them If a Captiue commend his Prison is a token hee is not wearie of it and which is worse desireth not to bee deliuered of it Sauing Grace in Christ is the Arke of Gods building to saue those that goe in it But Pelagius brittle and rent shalloppe of naturall power and selfe-sufficiencie drowneth men in damnation In things naturall and for this life Nature can doe something but in matters supernaturall and for Saluation it is blind as the mould-warp dead as a carcase and vyld as a carion If we ascryue to it either deseruing or disposition for Grace we denye both the Nature and necessitie of Grace Errors in other pointes of Religion discouer indeed weakenesse in the mind but in these practick poynts concerning Gods worke in our Calling and conuersation they discouer the state of our persons They who are translated from Nature to Grace cannot but abhorre Nature and praise Grace O! how dangerous a thing is it to count Nature Grace or to magnifie it against Grace If their opinion bee well examined they will bee found to lay two strange grounds to themselues One that they are sprung of another beginning than fallen Adam The other that they court another God than the Redeemer of mankynde As for vs who are come of lost Adam and depend on Christ our Redeemer wee dare neither speake so proudly of Nature nor so basely of Grace The poore speaketh with prayers but
safetie God by his Spirit is our best Guarde When he keepeth our heartes in his hand then wee are secured from all dangers It is not good to sleepe securely wheÌ„ a Serpent is in the house or to be carelesse wheÌ„ a mad dog is tyed with a loose roppe Such carelesnesse is an infalible precedent of some grosse fall Dauid at rest in his owne place fell worse than when hee was chased as a Patridge in the Wildernesse If we cannot escape Sathans supprysings we should turne them against himselfe God maketh these out-breakings in his Saintes as a staffe to breake the heade of Sathan in their corruption They are as the borrowing of a Baire hee houndeth out our corruption to foyle vs but God sendeth it home as a carcase to him againe Beside the former exercises it entertaineth Humilitie and the sense of Gods mercie who beareth with our faults Pride as a Page attendeth excellent Spirit But the slippes and buffets of our corruption layeth these feathers Pride goeth before a fall and an hautie heart before destruction 57. Gods best Gifts THere is no maÌ„ who receiueth not of Gods Liberalitie but not all of that same kinde and that measure Some as Keturahs sonnes get common gifts and goe away from him Other as his Isaac get the Inheritance and abide with him Some haue the giftes of body and minde and Fortune as they call them gifts in themselues but no sure pledge of his sauing loue But to the godly with his gifts he giueth himselfe a spirituall beeing by Renouation a spirituall life by his Sonne a spirituall mouing by his Spirit Our disposition will tell vs his affection If wee take his gifts runne away with them and use them without and against him then wee haue gotten his gift but not himselfe But if they lead vs to him and make vs seeke him aboue them all then wee haue himselfe with his gifts These are best giftes which are most excellent in their kinde Greatest in measure and most profitable for use What is better than GOD Himselfe And amongst his gifts none is better thaÌ„ sauing Graces They bring with theÌ„ the Image and warming power of a speciall loue and stamppe the heart of the receiuer with a re-louing of him For measure they are sufficient to our greatest necessitie of Saluation For use they leade vs through the Valley of this life through the foorde of Death And exalt vs aboue all use euen to the fruitioÌ„ of God And so in this life are the immediate matter of our contentment Common gifts come out naked but sauing Graces are guarded that same choosing loue of God where from they flow sendeth out a secrete vertue with them to pull that heart to God that receiueth them Though they come out from him yet they are not separate from him neither suffer they vs to stand abacke from him That his loue in Christ that giueth them quickneth vs with the sense of it selfe that as by him wee liue so wee cannot liue but in him This is a sweet intercourse botweene God vs in his sauing blessings in Christ I count more of his smallest grace with himselfe than of all the world without him 58. Discerning of Flesh and Spirit HOw profitable were it for vs to discerne betweene the flesh and Spirite But this discerning hath a great difficultie and that because both parties are within vs And both of them in euery parte and power of vs Their likenes also one to another and the readinesse of our mistaking and most of all because wee incline more to the flesh which is natiue to vs than to Grace which is a stranger Flesh is first in vs by Nature and soonest at worke And so forestalling our mindes purchaseth our allowence to it selfe Confusion of our minde maketh them as Rebekahs twinnes wee finde them stirring within vs but cannot discerne them Passions and Selfe-loue make vs judge wrong wee take that for Spirit which is Flesh and cherish it And that for Flesh which is Spirit and neglect it That coueting one against another is sensible but we know them not particularlie And more easilie can we discerne them in another than in our selfe The worke is then manifest and wee are not prejudged by our selfe-loue It is a great part of the worke of conscience to marke this difference The Apostle excelleth in this who said I finde another Law in my members The best way to try them is not to leaue them to the event but to bring them to the rule The true knowledge of Gods Law will tell vs That is Spirit which agreeth with it and that is Flesh which agreeth not with it At diuerse times wee haue contrarie thoughts of one thing the one must bee flesh and the other Spirit what sauoureth of pride and vanitie is flesh What sauoureth of Humilitie and feare is Spirit As the descerning of them argueth a great degree of Grace so to doe according to that discerning proueth a greater degree of it When the motions of the flesh are broken as a Cockatrice egges before they bee hatched and the motions of that Spirit are intertained Both these workes are noysome to the flesh but they are more profitable in that they grieue it He hath a painefull task who pondereth all his thoughtes in the ballance of the Sanctuarie but the fruite of that labour in puritie and holinesse is greater than all the paines Iustice is painted with a ballance in her hand and the practice of a good Conscience in this discerning is a continuall pondering Where this discerning is exact particular it is a singular preseruatiue to keepe vs from yeelding to temptation a spurre to Repentance when we are fallen He who is so exercised shall either not fall in sinne or come soone out of it 59. Gods mercifull presence GODS Presence in mercie is aboue all things in this life to bee sought and keeped But euery one knoweth not what it is or how to keepe it As Creator hee is with euery one sustaining maintaining and directing them in their wayes The greatest A thiest cannot shift himselfe of that sort of presence But wee seeke his presence as Redeemer in Christ. In this hee seeth vs and maketh vs see him Hee sheddeth abroad his loue in our heart and maketh vs to loue him and by his working in loue maketh vs both sensible and conscious of him and carefull to walk worthie of that his presence His couÌ„tenance both humbleth vs in our peace and comforteth vs in aduersitie Our well and woe are judged by his smyling and frowning If hee lift vp the light of it aboue vs nothing can gâ—ieue vs If hee hide it from vs wee are swallowed vp It hath both a changing and augmenting power Thereby aduersitie is changed in prosperitie and prosperitie is doubled by that Blessing of blessings euen as the lacke of it changeth prosperitie in aduersitie and doubleth aduersitie by that crosse of crosses His eye is more to vs than all
it with man The first is both a corrupted and corrupting mind the next a senslesse heart the third a shamelesse face Such Furniture is neither to bee enuyed nor coueted It is a witlesse Witte that is wittie to warppe a mischiefe to it selfe Achitopheâ—s policie put his house in order and himselfe out of order Hee gained by it nothing but a roppe to his necke and confusion to himselfe and his estate This is true Wisedome to feare God and to depart from sinne is good vnderstanding 63. The life of the Soule THe Soule is the life of the bodie but it selfe must liue by some other life and that not from within but from without Euery one seeketh not that same thing for the life of it It is a second life in time but should bee better than the first because it is the life of the first euen of the Soule it selfe and should as farre excell the Soule as the Soule doeth the body But the multitude chooseth a worse and a baser life to their Soule Some liue by their riches some by their fame others by their pleasures and others by their conceates This is not an exalting but a debasing of their Soule not a quickening but a killing of it It is Gods worke to quicken our earthlie lumppe by an heauenlie substance but to destroy that Soule by a lumppe of earth and vanitie is Sathans destroying worke It were extreame senslesnesse to liue a day or an houre and not know if our Soule were in vs and yet many put off long time and neuer try if they haue this spirituall life They lacke it who know it not a speciall worke of it is to reueale it selfe to them who haue it It is a vigorous life all in action and cannot lurke Holie Motions Operations and assiduous Care to keepe it are euidencies that wee haue it I will seeke nothing for the life of my Soule but that which is infinitelie better than it and that is God himselfe When hee dwelleth in the Soule hee maketh both Soule body liue in him and exciteth them to an higher degree than they had before There is no food so sweete to the mouth as the sense of Gods loue to the heart when it is warmed by that heauenly sweetnesse then the body is refreshed by a wondefull presence The life that is of God and is himselfe liuing in mee both giueth mee life and telleth mee what that life is and by the sense and conscience of it selfe redoubleth that life in the aboundance of peace and joye Hencefoorth I liue not but Christ liueth in mee and the life that I liue I liue by the Faith of the Sonne of God who hath loued mee and giuen himselfe for me yea hath giuen himselfe to mee and taken mee to himselfe Galat. 2. 20. 64. Sense of weaknesse IT is absolutely necessar to bee keeped vnder the sense of our weaknesse but all meanes for it are not alike Some learne it by falling in great temptations as Dauid in his sin other find it in smaller and trifling ouersights as rashnesse in words or out-breaking in passions Both grieuous falls and small ouer-sights discouereth our weakenesse but this last hath neither such guiltines before God nor such slander before man nor such a wound to our conscience as the first It is a great mercie of God to bee schooled by lesser infirmities and it is the blessing of that mercie to make use of it This is a point of heauenly wisedome to bee made as conscious of our weakenesse by small slippes as by grieuous sinnes if it worke in vs a distrust of our selues a constant adherence to God wee are brought to a guarde for our weaknesse It is extreame weakenesse or rather death to bee ignorant of our weaknes And it is both strength restored increased to feele it Death feeleth no disease but life the integritie of it maketh vs sensible of any thing that hurteth vs. The tryall of it is to enterpryse nothing without earnest incalling of God for wisedome and direction Neuer to proceede in any thing without imploring his assistance and blessing and that not in greater businesse onely but in our smallest adoes The watch-man of Israel will then preserue our going out and comming in When we absolutelie relye on him in euery thing Hee is most secure and safe from his weaknes who by many proofes is made conscious of it and by that conscience doeth euer depend on GOD he shall ouercome great difficulties to his owne others admiration But he who presumeth in his owne strength is ouerthrowne of smaller businesse Humilitie in the one grippeth God to be led of him But Presumption in the other is Sathans snare to entrappe him Humilitie is both a degree of Gods present assistance and a presage of his accomplishing presence But Presumption in the other is both a just desertion of God and a surrendring of the presumptuous man to fearefull inconuenients Conscience of weaknesse findeth want within and seeketh supplie in God But Conceate of strength holdeth them within The first is blessed with helpe of God the other is coÌ„vinced by grieuous losses 65. The Scriptures vnspeakable profite IT is impossible to liue either Christianlie or comfortablie without the daylie vse of Scripture It is absolutelie necessar for our direction in all our wayes before wee beginne them and for the tryall of our wayes when we haue done For the warrand of our approbation of them for resoluâ—ng of our doubts and comforting vs in our griefes Without it our conscience is a blinde guide and leadeth vs in mist of ignorance error and confusion Therein wee heare God speaking to vs declaring his will to vs concerning our Saluation and the way of our obedience to meete him in that his good will What Booke can wee read with such profite and comfort For matter it is Wisedome For authoritie it is diuine and absolute For Majestie GOD himselfe vnder common wordes and Letters expressing an vnspeakable power to stamp our heart And where shall wee find our mindes so enlightned our heartes so deepelie affected our Conscience so moued both for casting vs downe and raising vs vp I cannot finde in all the Bookes of the worlde such an one speak to me as in Scripture with so absolute a conquesh of all the powers of my soule Contemners of Scriptures want food for their soule a light for their life and the sword of their spirituall warre-fare But the louers of Scripture haue all that Furniture Therein wee heare the voyce of our Beloued wee smell the sauour of his Oyntments and haue daylie accesse vnto the Arke of propitiation If in our knowledge wee desire Diuinitie Excellencie Antiquitie and Efficacie wee cannot finde it but in Gods Worde alone It is the extract of heauenly Wisedome which Christ the eternall Word of God brought out of the bosome of his Father Oft-times on this Meditation I doe both pittie the Pagans who haue not this sacred Booke and were without
By day euen vnder spirituall exercise it stealeth it selfe away from sensiblenesse And in the night though wee close our eyes vnder a strong spiritual sense and softnesse yet in the morning wee shall finde it hard in our breast It can bee hardened not by Commission of euill onely but also by omission of good and that while wee are labouring to soften it Next to the pleasing of God I neuer found an harder taske than to keepe the heart in tendernesse There is no pleasure to the softnesse of it and no griefe to the felâ— hardnesse of it and yet when I grieue for that hardnesse I shal rejoyce if it were incurable it would bee vnfelt The Conscience of my endeuouring to flie sin giueth some comfort the vnspeakable griefe for the hardnesse of it mitigateth that griefe An heart fullie deserted of God and judiciallie hardened can neither feele that hardnesse nor grieue for it If I feare it and feele it I haue it not griefe for it is a softning and loosing of hardnesse Hee hath neede to dwell in his heart and in these thoughts continuallie who would keepe his heart in a tendernesse and affectuousnesse to God The best way to keepe hardnesse out of our heart is to intertaine an heauenly heat of Deuotion in it The Altar of God had alwayes the fire that came downe from heauen If wee keepe our heart vnder the sense of Gods loue to vs and the worke of our loue to him that warmnesse shall preserue our heart in that temper that God at no tyme shall want a sacrifice nor wee a comfort 76. Gods worship done as his worship MAny exercise themselues in the worke of Gods worshippe but not as his worship The Hypocrite doeth it to be seene of men and to purchase a name of pietie the Politicke to bee counted a professor and eschew the suspition of Atheisme And the Atheist himselfe to feede his curiositie It is a good worke in it selfe but to them who doe it with by respects it is sinne Their life doe proue how profanelie they act it they are neuer one whit better but goe on in their profannesse they obtaine the end that they intend and can sute no further Their ende is not edification in the Grace of God but other base respects the desire whereof cerieth them to the worke and in it they find their satisfaction further they looke not and finde not The end of Gods worshippe is our union with him to partake his forgiuing goodnesse in the pardon of sinne and his giuing goodnesse in all sauing Grace The forme of it is in giuing diuine homage honour to him But they minde none of these If they can purchase the name of zealous professors suters of Sermons though indeede they bee but naturallie or ciuillie disposed in all the worke and seekers of nouelties they haue all their desire But to doe the worke of Gods worshippe as his worship hath vnspeakable profite wee doe it so when the loue of God and his Grace allureth vs and the griefe of our miserie forceth vs to him when we preasse not to please men but God seeke not any base respect but his Glorie the rest comfort of our Soules in Christ Wee take time occasion place Texts all as Gods prouidence doth offer them to vs in all we seeke him find him rest on him We may both please men and our selfe and deceiue vs both therein in such by-respects Yet God will not bee deceiued what euer his secrete goodnesse worke in man yet no spirituall fruite is due to so fleshly a disposition 77. Gods stamppe in the Soule and Bodie GOD hath reserued the immediate search and knowledge of the heart to himselfe But so as hee hath left some indices for others to obserue it GODS Image is principally seated in the Soule yet it is not inclosed there but the body hath the owne part in it Election Iustification Sanctifiation pertaineth to both Soule Bâ—die though the soule be both more capable seÌ„sible of them Gods treasure of Grace in his owne is so laide vp in the Soule that it may bee seene in some measure in the body and that not onely as the Soules Instrument but as a Companion That fellowship in partaking Grace with the Soule doeth more affect the bodie than a naked Instrument The countenance conuoy of businesse gesture and wordes giue some notice how the heart is sette Though man by Education Letters Religion and Grace be subject to a change from his naturall disposition yet there is euer some Characteristicke thing in Nature to bee seene in euery one Hypocrisie the fittest visorne for deceat cannot hyde that from the discerning eye As the colour of people testifieth the soyle their language the Nation their accent of speach their Prouence as a Galilean from an Iew So euerie mans Character telleth his disposition hee must cast off himselfe before hee cast it off It is the Soules lineaments in the body words and deeds if wee find it wee haue found out the predominant both in its â—eate and chiefe instrument It is matter for our circumspectnesse to eschew mens euill and of our hope to look for their good What either good or euill can bee remarkable in them is marked by and tasteth of that stamppe It is good when the naturall Character is stamped with Grace when God reneweth me to his Image in righteousnesse and holinesse sure I am hee will make mee a signet on his arme and his heart when hee filleth all the heart with his Grace his Name will bee written in the forehead so that they who can may read Holinesse to the LORD Courtlie attendance giueth men a courtlie countenance And Sathans slaues by their deuilish consulting with him drawe on their face a sterne rasednesse the horrour of that vncleane Spirit deformeth his familiars And shall not the heauenlie familiaritie with God giue an holy impression to his daylie attendants Familiar conuersing with God made Moses face to shine The Soule is naturallie both affected with and affecteth the body with the things that it most loueth And what is more excellent or giueth stronger impression in it than God If wee come seldome to him we are but lightlie touched of him but if our Soules by continuall mynding of him bee sub-acted by these thoughtes and kned in them doubtlesse as our Spirit within so our body without shall giue some testimonies of a diuine disposition 78. Of great naturall Spirits I Saw neuer greater folie than in these named greatest naturall Spirits odde wits haue as odde gaddes no great ingyne without some mixture of madnes and their vyce oft-ten doeth equall or rather exceede their vertues No moderate thing can coÌ„tent them but al their worke is in excesse and that in the worst sense their end in intending their practise in plotting and they choose rather to hunt an vncertaine and imaginate contentment than to enjoye a certaine and present estate I doe
the strictnesse of veritie and secureth them from rigorous censure for that slippe And their hyperbolees doe passe for good coyne But the Complementer doe lie without either libertie or licence And their hyperbolees are none other thing in broad tearmes than lyes in folio Their speaches run vsuallie on three thinges 1. large praises of some excellent worth in them whom they idole 2. Officious offers of seruice as due to it 3. And large wishes of all happinesse to them In the first their idoles know they are speaking false except they be as sensles of flatteries as there flatterers are shamelesse In the second their owne heart giueth them the lie For they think themselues more worthie of seruice than hee to whom they offer it In the third their Conscience checketh them for mocking of God For they pray for that which they desire not to bee granted Yea they would bee grieued if it were granted They are equivocaters minding one thing and speaking another Many doe practise the Iesuits mentall Reseruation who know not their doctrine It must bee a cousening Religion that teacheth practiseth alloweth such cousening I neuer suspect them more than when they double their complements Hee is short and shallow witted who is glosed with these flowrishes Let them paint out their speach and gesture I wil giue lesse credite to so onerous and insidious speach I shall trow the heart and the person so affected as it deserueth An honest meaning simplie expressed hath more weight than all these buskinges and fairdings The heart that God made but they abuse hath the owne meaning I trust that but not the person which they assume and laye downe as soone as they haue spent their borrowed breath The next momeÌ„t and the first man they meete with findeth them in another if not in a contrare minde it cannot byde in their heart which bred not in it nor was neuer in it Their wordes are but carcases of language and let the credulous beleeuer looke for no more than carcase of offices Belike they thinke their words either not to bee idle or that they shall not giue an accompt of them at the last day The Soule indeede must bee filled with something but wee may soone choose better substance to fill it withall â—han that wind of frothie complementing While they are feeding themselues with their fancies let the children of Trueth speake the Trueth from their heart Let complementing haue the owne due without a complement It is the birth of an emptie braine the maske of hatred enuy Refined hypocrisie with simulation and dissimulation her twins ingraned the breathing of an euill mind vnder hope of good deede Hee who knoweth it can neither bee moued to offer it nor patientlie admitte it 83. Consciencious Knowledge If our hearts were narrowlie searched Atheisme would bee found in them wee know better then wee doe and we worshippe not God as wee know him Wee can say That God is good and yet neither loue nor seeke him that he is just and powerfull yet wee feare not to offend him That hee is wise yet wee submit not our selues to his Wisedome that hee seeth our heart and thoughts afarre of and yet wee breede and feed wicked thoughts in our hearts which wee would bee ashamed to shew to our neighbour Wee beleeue there is an Hell for euill deedes and yet goe on in the way of sin And that there is laid vp a Crown of glorie in Heauen for well doing yet we are not moued to doe good What is then in our heart for all our knowledge but Athiesme and Infidelitie Our actions giuing our wordes the lye and proclaming to the Worlde that wee beleeue not the thing that wee speake The want of the worke of Conscience is a speciall cause of this fleshly disposition Without that worke Christianitie is nothing but a speculation Wee consider all things in abstract but take them not in our persons and to our heart Wee can abhorre sin in it selfe and in our neighbours but excuse it in our selfe wee magnifie Vertue and Grace in it selfe but yet thirst not for it Papists talke mightilie of the worth of Faith but doe scorne the sense Conscience of it And many Christians will heare and read their owne sinnes convicted by the word of God and yet not thinke themselues particularlie taxed nor byde at the conviction Happie is that man whose Conscience pulleth all to his heart his heart to God who turneth his knowledge to Faith his Faith to feeling and all to walke worthie of God and to liue in Christ as hee learneth him daylie He hath not rest but in walking according to the light of a well informed Conscience when theorie is turned to practise and speculatioÌ„ to a consciencious sensing doing then wee are Christians indeed Gods word is his stamppe hee hath deeplie sunke his Image in it but it doth not instamp our heart except some power thrust it vpon vs When the holy Spirit maketh our conscience to set that word to our heart then wee are stamped and take deeplie the impression of his holinesse in the inward habits and expresse it euidentlie in our life and conuersation God hath blessed vs with many meanes of knowledge but they doe no more than propone and open matters to vs They inlighten the minde and goe no further But the Conscience worketh mightily on the heart It letteth nothing abide in generalities but turneth all to our particular and personall respect and that not in the minde alone but most in the heart As it reduceth all dueties promises and threatninges to our persons so it joyneth affection to light and moueth the heart according to thinges knowne And out of all draweth actions that serue to expresse that knowledge and doeth all as in the presence of God When Conscience bringeth Religion to the heart and from the heart to the life then wee are truely religious 84. The wise mixture of mankinde HOw wiselie hath God tempered humane societies All are not of one disposition some hotte and some coâ—de some harsh and headie in their judgement and violent in their actions other ryper wits calmer in their affections posed in their doings Some againe as grossely senslesse some craue the bridle and some the spurre If a man cast his eyes on a multitude he shall obserue as much diuersitie in their disposition voyces opinions as in their faces If all were of a firie humour the world would fire at once If all were sluggish it would fall downe in the pot Stirring wittes as quickning barme put the douâ—nesse of the simple to working and the slownesse of the other tempereth their fordwardnesse and so both these extreamities are brought to mids If either extreame preuaile matters goe wrong but our wise God maketh that counterposing bring the ballance to an equall standing and so tumultuous meetinges bring oft-ten foorth just conclusions There can bee no standing of matters if either witlesnesse or wilfulnesse predomine
of his Children The testimonie of my justification Son bee of good comfort thy sinnes are forgiuen thee The Seales of mine Election and calling in the â—ruites of the Spirit These and the like are excellent newes their matter is good and glorious Their delight is great and constant Though they were heard euerie houre yet they are euer fresh and new to the New man They fall neither vnder stalenes in themselues nor loathing to mee but their last hearing delighteth mee as much as the first hearing As for other matters I rest not on them as Newes but obserue in them the prouidence of God how he ruleth the world by ouer-ruling the malice of Sathan and madnesse of man to his owne glorie and good of his Saintes to make them new and to put in their mouth a new song To bee grieued with Nebemiah when wee heare of Ierusalems desolation and rejoyce when wee heare of her prosperitie is a marke of Grace in the New man When all trifling Newes shall bee ended God shall put a new Song in his mouth to praise him eternallie The Soule enstamped with Newes of Grace turneth all occurrent Newes to that better and biding substance 87. The comfort of Calumnies ACalumnie is the Deuils minde in the mouth of Man and his arrow shot by mans bow Hee lendeth him his lyes and malice borroweth his tongue to vtter them He hath this name from traducing and thrusting through the fame of the godlie His first and maine care is by temptation to destroy their Conscience and if hee preuaile not in this hee turneth him to their name that hee may rent it by Calumnies whose Conscience hee could not defile by temptation This is his policie against Gods dearest Children they are most hated of him who are most beloued of GOD Hee careth not to make euill reports of his owne and counteth no great gaine to defile the face of a Moore but all his care is to blamish the face and stenzie the name in whom Gods Grace shineth cleerelie Hee knoweth that treasure in them is giuen for his hurt Hee cannot stay God from giuing it to his beloued but hee turneth him to the next to make it fruitlesse to other Hee cannot stay a daylie and fresh increasing of that Grace but hee prâ—asseth to make it distastfull to man that so it may bee fruitlesse Surelie hee loseth not all his labour though hee be ouercome by the Saints whom hee calumniateth yet hee ouercommeth them who doe calumniate them It is a fearefull thing to lend to Sathan the Heart for deuising the Eare for hearing and the Tongue for vttering of Calumnies and in all to disgrace the Grace of GOD in his Children and make it fruitelesse to themselues Where Sathan hath set his porter of prejudice though Christ himselfe were on Earth that Soule would take no good of him It is a deuilish worke to enuy the Grace of GOD but more to deny it and most of all to disgrace it Wee finde heerein a great proofe of that particular worke of Conscience in justifying vs At other times wee can content vs with common and slender examining of our selues but being so falslie misconstrued wee are put to a second and a stricter tryall which vpon the cace of our tryed innocencie endeth in a notable seale of the holy Spirit Hee both approueth our first innocencie as good seruice to God and our suffring for it as a just matter of our gloriation Hee who offereth vp his Soule and bodie in a Sacrifice to God must resolue to bee crucified in his Name daylie by Calumnies and these daylie blowes are an argument that his sacrifice is acceptable to GOD because Sathan rageth at him who serueth God vprightlie hee knoweth that Conscience within is repleate with God and his peace therefore hee laboureth to rent their Fame without whose inward peace hee cannot trouble It is better to haue him molesting vs without than possessing vs within The godlie Soule so afflected goeth to God in the bitternesse of Spirit appealing him as a Iudge of their cause in the Conscience of their innocencie They commit their cause to him and prayeth for pardon to their injurers Their innocencie is both the occasion cause of calumnies with the Deuill and the soueraigne remeede of them with God and their own Consciences Herein they haue a triple conformitie with Christ Hee was innocent and yet hee was calumniate and prayed for his injurers Better it is to endure the scourge of the tongue than want this triple conformitie Why should we not glory in so cleare an Euidence of Gods speciall loue Sathan taketh both the cause of his hatred the measure of it from the loue of God Hee hateth them most whom God loueth most Hee had moe calumnies and euill tales against Iob than against many thousands in his time Hee was a thorne in his eye because hee was dearelie beloued of God and acceptable to him It is then the glorie of the Sainctes to bee calumniat Rejoyce and bee glad when men revile you and speake all manner of euill against you for my sake falslie Mat. 5 11. It is a token Sathan hath not preuailed against our Conscience but is now in his flight when hee renteth our Name As strength of Gods grace keepeth the Soule in temptation so the Conscience of innocencie will comfort the heart vnder Calumnies The haile showre of Calumnies proueth on Gods part a speciall loue to vs and on our part true happinesse in that his loue and vigour of his Grace in vs ouer-commingâ— Sathan And on Sathans part a double malice for that our double happinesse And in the calumniator a double miserie one in beeing the Deuils instrument in calumniating the Saincts the other in defrauding themselues of the fruite of Gods Grace in them whom they traduce The best refutation of Calumnies is not by word but by deede GOD and our Conscience seeth our innocencie let men see it in our life When Gods Grace shineth in vs as a light before men then we refute realy our traducers and proclaime them lyers to the world 88. Men are blind and quicke sighted in their owne cause EVery man is both blinde seeth best in his owne cause Hee knoweth the circumstances of his deedes but is blind in the question of his right Selfâ—-loue maketh him ingrosse his person in his deede and transchange his deede in his right And so confounding right and deede in his owne person to take all as good The Lawes of God and man must giue place to his opinion and humour they are either close forgotten or beeing applyed to him hee is made the rule and they must suffer such construction as his selfe-loue appointeth It is kyndlie to an erring minde to nurish the owne birth As it erreth in directing a couâ—se so in approuing of it when it is done It is no more fordward to deuise it than pertinacious to defend it herewith is joyned a more fearefull sinne that
shall bee a fountaine in our bellie springing vp to life eternall How can it in our bellie spring vp to life eternall but because it lifteth our heartes to GOD in Heauen The Soule which so adhereth to God is more in him than in the body which it quickneth both because it goeth gladlie out of it selfe to bee all in him and next because it cannot dwell in it selfe but because of him it can better dwell among Monsters in the desert that in it selfe without him And thirdlie because when it is lost in sinne and securitie it seeketh and findeth it selfe more in him than in it selfe When we may say to him O thou whom my Soule loueth All these sorts and degrees of union with him are found The bosome of the mother is a kindlie rest to the Babe both for sleepe in health recouerie in sweruing that naturall heate wherein it was formed doth kindlie cherish that life that proceedeth of it WheÌ„ we lye alwayes in the bosome of God and are warmed by the sense of that sauing loue in Christ wee are both sensible of the vertue of our beginning and of the first fruites of our end The Needle of the Dyall standeth not but towards the Pole so doeth the godlie Soule to God If the secret vertue of a small stone can so moue yron shall not the Rocke of Syon Christ Iesus the Miracle of loue drawe our tender louing hearts vnto him How securlie shall wee contemne all other things and rest sweetlie content in him vnder the sense of this his drawing and vniting vertue expecting that happines which his sauing Loue procureth to his Beloued Returne now O my Soule to thy Rest and abyde in it for GOD hath beene and will bee for euer beneficiall vnto thee Psal. 116. 7. AMEN FINIS A RESOLVTION FOR DEATH written vnder the sentence of Death in the time of a painfull Disease And now published for their comfort who studie to approue themselues to God And to assure all that liue the life of the Righteous that they shall die the death of the Righteous By the same Author M. W. S. I desire to bee dissolued and to bee with CHRIST Philipp 1. 23. EDINBVRGH Printed by the Heires of Andro Hart. Anno Domini 1628. Philipp 1. 21. Christ is to mee both in Death and in Life aduantage Luke 2. 29. 30. Lord now lettest thou thy Seruant depart in Peace according to thy Word For mine eyes hath seene thy Saluation 1. Cor. 15. 55. 56. 57. O Death where is thy Sting O Graue where is thy Victorie The sting of Death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the Law But thankes bee to God which giueth vs the victorie through our Lord Iesus Christ. A Table of the following Treatise THe proposition of the Resolution Num. 1. The first ground from present misery 2. The miserie of our Bodie 3. The miserie of the Soule 4. The miserie of our Lott 5. The second ground from our Happinesse 6. The happinesse of our Soule 7. The happinesse of our Body 8. The happinesse of our Lotte 9. The third ground from Gods worke in vs concerning our miserie and happinesse 10. Sense of miserie in the Bodie 11. Sense of miserie in the Soule 12. Sense of miserie in our Lotte 13. Sense of Glorie in Heauen 14. Resolution it selfe 15. The godlie man dyeth not 16. But ouercometh Death in Christ. 17. Hee preuenteth Death in his Life 18. Hee preueneth his Buriall in Life 19. Foure ioyfull solemnities 20. Ioy at Birth 21. Ioy at Mariage 22. Ioy at Triumph 23. Ioy at Coronation 24. They are all at the death of the Godly 25. IncouragemeÌ„ts against Death from them 26. The noyse at Death 27. Fearefull cryes to the wicked 28. Comfortable cryes to the godly 29. A glorious change at Death 30. Manie unions with the Bodie 31 Necessitie of separation 32 Documents of the sentence of Death 33. 1. Mortalitie of the Body 34. 2. Immortalitie of the Soule 35. 3. Gods loue sauing vs from Hell 36. 4. That his loue standeth with affliction 37. Experience of Death 38. Eight comforâ—able contraries in Death 39 The VVicked tremble at it 40. But the godlie reioyce 41. Incertaintie at Death is fearefull 42. Certaintie is comfortable 43. It is obtained by Faith 44. By Prayer 45. And conuersing daylie with God 46. Our light clearer in Death than in Life 47. Acquaintance with Death 48. Sentence of Death 49. Lawfull desires of Life 50. Hope of glorious Resurrection 51. Hope of eternall Glorie 52 Hope of the Lords Rest. 53. Our Rights to that Rest. 54 A Catalogue of GODS speciall blessings to strengthen these our hopes 55. The fearefull Death of the Wicked 56. The ioyfull Death of the Godlie 57. The remainders of feare in the best men 58. But they are soone ouercome 59. The godlie mans Testament 60. A Prayer for an happie Death 61. And for the sight of Christ at Death 62. Confidence to obtaine them both 63. And glorie thereafter 64. The last and greatest desire 65. And last an eternall delight of the godly Soule 66. Reuel 14. 13. Blessed are the Dead which die in the LORD for they rest from their labours and their workes followeth them A RESOLVTION FOR DEATH written vnder the sentence of Death in the time of a painfull Disease Decemb. 1627. And now published for their comfort who studie to approue themselues to God WHY should I feare Death when it approacheth It is the way that I desire to goe I passe Natures necessitie in Adam that hath subjected me to mortalitie come to the priuiledge of Grace in Christ which hath deliuered mee from the curse of it I say not I make mee for Death because I must die but because I would die Long haue I thought on it and earnestlie longed for it if I stagger and feare at his reproach my desire hath either beene foolish or my Spirit is faint The grounds of my desire are 1. Present miserie 2. Next future Glorie 3. And the worke of God in mee concerning them both My Miseries are great in the weaknes of a mortall body a lumppe of earth busying it selfe and mee about it selfe For Eating Drinking and Clothing and Resting it spendeth the Tyme and it selfe and wearieth the Spirit Fraile is this lump that hath an hourelie necessitie of so fraile things and the necessitie so great that the paine of it is intolerable the easing of it by meanes conuenient is wearisome and that ease beginning with ending and ending in the beginning Scarcelie is it refreshed when it hungreth and wearieth againe One necessitie sendeth it to another and the satisfying of one bringeth on another and that same that was now eased returneth shortlie If I satisfie Hunger and Thirst. Drowsinesse calleth for Sleepe if I refresh it by Sleepe Nakednesse must bee couered and scarce haue I couered Nakednesse when new Hunger calleth for Refreshment and Refreshment sendeth me to Sleepe againe Weake is that Life that needeth so
of the whole man God hath chosen the mid way to translate the Soule the best part to dissolue the bodie so Gods threatning is keeped thou shalt die and thou shalt returne to dust the example of Christ in death is followed our best part is translated for our happinesse and the assurance of the bodies reunion and a way to all Death in this respect is not penall but premiall in a sort not of Gods anger for our sinne to punish vs but of his mercie for our well to perfect vs. Oft-times God giueth vs plaine documents heereof if wee would obserue them euery twenty foure hours we haue cleare proofes of foure things 1. Our Life in the day time when we are busied in our Calling 2. Our Death at Euen when wee rest from our labours 3. Our Buriall when wee goe to bedde wee are not casten in them nor our garâ—ments pulled off but wee goe in quietnesse and lay our garments downe in order intending to take them vp againe 4. Our Resurrection when wee rise in the morning more vigorous to our Calling than when we lay downe then wee shall behold his face in righteousnesse and when wee awake shall bee satisfied with his Image Psal. 17. The sentence of Death in bodilie paines hath taught mee many thinges 1. The mortalitie of my body which must once bee ouercome and yeelde to them and so turne to dust this Cottage of clay so oft and so hardlie beaten must once fall Many haue a strong desire to liue long and turneth this naturall desire in a conceate that as they would and may so they shall liue longer Though there bee necessitie of Death in a decaying bodie and the spending of the life yet that desire and hope of life groweth euen with the decay of life But the holie desire of Immortalitie will eate out that fleshlie desire and the sense of daylie mortalitie will cut off that false hope 2. The immortalitie of my Soule in that vnder such paines it can haue the own free working on God If in a body so diseased it can seeke him and finde rest in him shall it not beeing separate from the bodie haue a more free working 3. The loue of God in deliuering mee from damnation How often haue I cryed in the midst of my paines O how farre am I bound to thee my Redeemer who hath deliuered mee from the fire of Hell If a short and light paine vnder thine hand in loue bee so heauie how intollerable is that paine of soule and bodie eternallie vnder thy wrath 4. That thy loue can stand well with affliction thou hast made light to arise to mee in darknesse and caused thy countenance to shine on mee in Christ and giuen me great peace in my Conscience in my greatest extremitie O what a Iewell is a good Conscience in affliction Though no man want his slips and infirmities yet he may eschew the grossest sinnes though none can attaine to a legall perfection yet hee may haue an Evangelicall perfection in Faith Repentance and begunne obedience When the Soule darre attest God as witnesse and appeale him as Iudge to its sinceritie In intending nothing but his Glorie In inquiring his will as the way to that Glorie And endeuouring to doe according to his knowledge for that good end Then in some measure wee may say with Ezechiah Remember O Lord how I haue walked before thee in trueth and with a perfect heart The conscience of these things haue so taken vp my Soule that my paines at the greatest are mitigate that holy and heauenly diuerting of my Spirit by so sweet and spirituall influence sometimes beguyleth my bodilie sense that it doeth but tolerablie affect mee The present sense of thy loue in mine acceptation in Christ and assurance of Glorie to come are strong ingredients to temper the greatest paines in this life And it is a profitable paine in the bodie that both occasioneth the seeking and bringeth out the feeling of the health of the Soule in thy sensible loue It hath also giuen mee a new Experience of Death surelie Death to the Sainctes is not as the most part take it 1 not a destruction but a deliuerie 2 It is both my last affliction and my last deliuerance from all miseries 3 It is both an end of this life and the beginning of my life of Glorie in Heauen 4 In it selfe it is a curse but to the Sainctes a blessing in him who hath ouercome it 5 I finde it both a dissolution from the world and of Soule and body and of euerie part of the bodie from other and my first great union with GOD the Sainctes and Angels 6 It is both my death and perfect birth day I haue now a seeming life but I liue not perfectlie till I die the New man shall then come foorth to a glorious libertie in the face of God 7 It is my last and greatest pollution my bodie is sometimes and by partes affected with weaknesse and Death turneth all in a lumppe of vyle and lifelesse clay and yet it is my first and greatest purgation Many purgations spirituall hast thou giuen mee in this life in Baptisme the Laver of Regeneration from sin in euerie act of Faith purifying the heart in euerie act of Repentance washing mee in the blood of Christ in euerie exercise of spirituall worship clensing mine handes in innocencie to compasse thine Altar But this is the great and last purgation when I am cleansed from all sinne In that same instant when my Soule and body doe separate all spiritual blemishes are separated from mee That is the worke of thy Spirit in mee hee knoweth no vncleane thing can enter in Heauen and therefore at my last breath he will giue me the last full cleansing and last degree of sanctification I tremble not at the fire of Purgatorie The enemies of the crosse of Christ are justlie so punished by that their errour when Christs Blood hath cleansed mee from all guiltinesse of all sinne and his sanctifying Spirit hath purged out the nature of it And his perfect obedience hath relieued mee from all punishment there is neither place nor use for that purging or rather tormenting fire after this life 8 Death is in it selfe the most terrible of all terrors but I find it in Christ most desireable The wicked doe tremble at the thoughts of it they see it onelie in the fearefull respects as a destructioÌ„ a curse an end a death a dissolution a pollution Therefore they abhorre it and the mention of it is to them as the hand-write on the wall was to Beltashar But thou shewest to mee these pleasant respects of death as a deliuerie a blessing a beginning a birth an union a purgation They haue none but fearefull grounds they are yet in Nature vnder the Law vnder sinne without Christ and vnder an euill conscience but thou hast layed better grounds in mee and put mee vnder Grace and vnder the Gospel vnder remission of
sinne in Christ and in a good Conscience What wonder that the godlie and wicked vpon so contrare grounds and respects haue so contrare thoughts and desires of Death Thou hast builded my Soule vpon these best grounds and filled it with consideration of the best respects of Death therefore it is that I loue it and desire it as thy Messenger in mercie for mine eternall good As Laban welcomed Abrahams seruant and said Come in thou blessed of the Lord so I sette mee not to flee but occure to it not to shune it but to welcome it Nothing affrayeth man more at the sight of Death than vncertaintie of his estate after it Euerie one at death is as a man on an edge of an high Hill all must leepe but euerie one knoweth not where he shall light To the wicked the valley is darke and mistie they know not what shall become of them after Death dulefull is the parting of that Soule and bodie that part vnder sinne and wrath At best they are in this confused vncertaintie not knowing their future estate and if they haue any knowledge it is all spent in mutuall accusing coÌ„demning at the last day and mutuall tormenting in Hell as authors and furtherers of sin Their Soule curseth their bodie because it was too readie an instrument to execute the wicked desires of it And the bodie shall curse the Soule because it was an euill guide to misleede it in sin They liue now in coÌ„cord mutuall flatterie of other which is nothing but their conspiracie against God But when both are sensible of their estate they shall curse other mutuallie As they part at Death so shall they bee joyned at the last day and curse other eternallie in the Hell vpon the same grounds But to the godlie all things are contrare They know whither they goe after Death and their Soules and Bodies at their parting blesse one another for their joynt happinesse in the state of Grace and in mutuall testifying of their seuerall labour in the Lord for attaining that happinesse They part full of the peace of God full of the desire of their reunion and full of the hope of it and eternall Glorie thereafter Thou hast blessed mee with this certainetie For my bygone condition thou perswadest me of my Calling and Election and hast made them sure in me by thy constant working since thou called mee to Grace For my present estate I finde my selfe vnder thy fauour in Christ reconcealed to thee in him as one of thy called and chosen Ones For my future estate I know that my Redeemer liueth and that hee shall stand at the latter day vpon the Earth And though after my skinne wormes consume this bodie yet in my flesh shall I see God whom I shall see for my selfe and not another for mee though my reines bee consumed within mee Iob. 19. 25. I know that if the earthlie house of this Tabernacle were dissolued I haue a building of God an house not made of hands in Heauen 2. Cor. 5. 1. Many seeke certaintie of vncertainties to secure their worldlie state on Earth and neglect their spirituall state in thee But all fastening in the world is loosnesse and a losing of a better But I seeke for a certaintie of that better substance By the Grace working Faith in mee thou hast made mee more certaine what shall become of my Soule and bodie after Death than I am of my goods in the world I haue no promise of their particular state thy Prouidence will secure it selfe of them and they may possiblie fall in the hand of mine enemies But as for my Bodie I know it shall rest in hope in the dust till the Resurrection and my Soule shall bee carried to Abrahams bosome Thou hast tolde mee whither I shall goe when I die euen to that Land of Light and Libertie to these Mansions which Christ in the Heauen hath prepared for mee And for thy loue and desire to bee with thee in them I visite them daylie When at euening morning and midday yea seuen times a day I call on thee my Father in Heauen then am I visiting these Mansions I cannot bow my knee religiouslie to thee but mine heart is then with thee adoring thee in the Heauen of heauens In the time of thy worshippe when I seeke thy face though my Bodie bee on the Earth yet my Soule is beholding thy face thereby acquainting my selfe with the light of thy countenance which I hope to enjoye for euer Thou knowest I counted not these for dayes of my life wherein I did not often draw neare to thee on the throne of Grace almost continuallie setting thee before mee and disposing my Soule and bodie as worthie of thy sight Shall I not then know that way after Death which I daylie haue troden in my life Or shall that light which now leadeth mee in the darknesse of this life be put out at Death I must die but it will not die to mee Thy face that now inlightneth mee shall send out a more glorious splendour in the houre of my Death than euer it sent in this life There is no feare of darknesse in the path of Death when the discouered face of God in mercie shineth on mee and perfectlie inlighteneth mee in that glorious light When bodilie senses doe faile the spirituall sense and sight succeed in their perfection I haue in this life but a small candle lighted at the meanes of Grace in reading hearing and meditation But when these meanes end and mine outward senses doe cease from their work I shall take light immediatelie from God himselfe hee worketh by his ordinance so long as their necessitie or vse remaineth but when these end he commeth in himselfe and worketh more fullie I neede not bee grieued nor my friends cry out in the bitternes of heart when my senses faile The light that I looke for in Death shall as farre exceed my present light as the Sunne in his full beautie at mid-day exceedeth the light of a small candle I shall finde no darknesse in the passage of Death since I am in Christ Hee who is in him shall not walke in darknesse but shall haue the light of Life The immediate â—ight of God needeth not the use of outward meanes It shall bee no losse to mee when perfection supplieth and succeedeth imperfection Thou hast also acquainted mee with Death and made mee feele in some beginnings and resemblance that same which I will finde at his dint that sentence of Death putteth mee to the hight of Resolution and I am vnder thine hand as Isaak vnder the hand of Abraham bound and layed on the Altar and know nothing but that the stroke will come I am readie for it and looke for none other than dissolution But thou knowest thy thoughts concerning mee If thou spare mee at this time this lesson is profitable that thou hast shewed mee the face of Death and yet brought mee backe againe As tender and louing