much as thou canst every part must serve to Gods love that wee may love God not only giving us but also severely correcting us and denying us that which we aske and thinke best for us in assurance that he is most just wise and mercifull to dispose all for the best as may be seene in Christ and the Martyres whom nor life nor death nor any pressure could separate from the love of God 4. Though the love of God in mans state of innocency was lost by sinne yet that which is infused in our regeneration shall never fall away because it dependeth on Gods immutable love to us who not only giveth grace but also perseverance there in it was never true love of God which ever faileth if it be true it knoweth no end being ever invincible for the gifts and graces of God are without repentance Rom. 11. 29. faith operative by love cannot be lost neither can true love it may be remitted not lost clouded not extinguished that which in the reprobate seemeth the love of God shal be lost the true which is in the elect can never because though men may be deceived concerning their election God cannot 5. This love of God is never perfect in the best in this life here it may stil receive encreases doth as the Apostle Phil. 1. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet more and more in knowledge We love according to our knowledge which being but in part no more is this our whole regeneration is yet imperfect in degrees and so is our love to God 6. Love of God shall remaine and be perfect in the life to come when riches honours pleasures deare friends nay whē those excellent gifts of learning and prophesie shall leave us when faith shall end in enjoying this one treasure shall be secure and encrease to eternity 7. As he that hateth God is herein more excusable then all other sinners because hate of God is more apparently impious then failing in attaining it or falling from it by infirmity for here may be a will to doe good but there cannot so also herein that having but one extreame to fall into the malitious will fall there all other sinnes may be in excesse and in defect because every other vertue this love excepted hath two bastard sisters as valour hath in excesse temerity and in defect timidity justice hath on the right hand too much severity on the left too much mildnesse and indulgence to sinne so is it in the rest only this most amiable vertue hath nothing but defect to oppose it no creature can love God too much because none can love him enough or infinitely This also aggravateth the sinne that there can be no cause in God of any hatred toward him because the only chiefe and true good cannot bee the proper object of hatred nor could the most wicked hate him but that they have sins which his justice must punish because he is good and they have set up their impious desires lusts after pleasures and reveuge in his place and therefore hate all that oppose them so is the wisdome of the flesh enmity with God because it is not subject to the law of God which the signes and effects thereof declare such as are despaire servile feare of God's presence fleeing from him as Adam would have done audacious liberty of sinning c yet are there degrees herein the formall hypocrite doth not professedly and out of destinate malice hate God nor truely love him he professeth love but preferreth the world before God and if any man so love the world the love of God is not in him 1 Joh 2. 15. Now whereas all pretend love as obedience to God yea when they doe no lesse then rebell against him and would if it were possible unthrone him it is necessary to consider some markes and signes of this love which are these and the like we love God 1. If in our hearts desire wee choose him for our chiefe good and preferre him before all loves as the spouse saith thy love is beter then wine if we fix our hearts and affections on God we love him if we delight in him and his law and desire to know more of him for as one saith of Magdalens looking againe into Christs sepulchre the power of love multiplieth the intention of inquisition if we rejoyce at the gaine of his favour above all gaines requirable in heaven or earth if we delight in his presence ordinances and the places where his honour dwelleth in his publike worship as that man after Gods heart whose very name signified love my soule thirsteth after the living God when shall I come and appeare before God Psal 42. 2. If wee desire and delight to heare those who bring his messages to us as Psal 119. 162. if wee often think of him where our love is our thoughts will be if we love to speake of him and to him in fervent and frequent prayers if we have a secret joy of heart at the apprehension of his presence and gratious assistance of us in any thing which may please him at attentive hearing his word zealous prayer secret giving for his sake or for the inward testimony of his spirit assuring us that we are his children because we hold him most deare 2. if we be heartly sorry when God is dishonoured so David mourned because men kept not his word certainly no man can without greife of heart remember or behold his owne or others sinnes whereby God is displeased if he love God they are but hollow freinds that can be pleased and make themselves merry with that which they know hurteth or greiveth those to whom they professe love therefore David Peter and all those that truely love God weep and mourne for their sinnes 't is griefe of soule to them that they cannot serve him as they ought without all sinne therefore David frequent and Peter abundant in teares for their sinnes professed that they loved the Lord this with better confidence then before when hee professed hee would lay downe his life for Christ said Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee 3. If we keep his commandements which signe his selfe giveth Joh 14. 15. 23. as also the◠beloved Disciple 1 Joh. 2. 5. this is indeed to walke with him it is an impudent falshood to say we love God while we contemne his lawes as 't is to affirme we love him and hate our brother 4. If we love those that love him and are beloved of him as David did Psal 16. 3. Sec 1. Ioh 5. 1. if we love God whose spirit regenerateth we shall love the regenerate for his sake whose image they beare 5. If we hate that which is evill and delight in that onely which is pleasing to God Among lovers there must bee idem velle idem nolle he that saith he abideth in him ought himselfe also to
walke even as he walked and the Psalmists precept is yee that love the Lord hate evill See Psal 101. 3. Psal. 119. 104. 128. 163. Psal 139. 22. we all sinne but hee that doth not truely hate sinne cannot love God 6. If our love to the world pleasures and all desirable secular things as also our cares concerning them decline and lessen in us devided streames â—unne shallower the more wee love with God the lesse we love him the more wee love him the lesse we love all things else except in subordination to him when Mary had chosen the better part the love of God she sate at Jesus feet carelesse of the other entertainment look how those glowormes shining in the dark and the starres themselves vanish at the appearance of the Sunne so doth the love of things secular at the arising of the love of God on our hearts 7. If we set not deare by any thing else riches pleasures liberty life it selfe for â—ods sake as Paul speaketh for his fellow souldier he for the worke of Christ regardeth not his life and of himselfe who for the same counted it not deare Act 20. 24. it was a great love to God which Abraham shewed when for his sake hee would bee content to sacrifice his beloved only son Isaak God who would honour him with the high title of his friend and father of the faithfull and would have heaven it selfe take a livery from him and be called Abrahams bosome would in that example of himselfe teach him as much as man could apprehend of Gods infinite love what it was to give his only son Jesus to death to save us 8. If in no difficultie of affaire spirituall or secular we attempt any thing inconsulti but goe to the Oracles of his worâ—d for advise beg his assistance and blessing in and upon all our workes how canst thou say I love thee when thy heart is not with mee Said Delilah how much more may God say so wheÌ„ we will not trust him It is a chiefe advantage of love that we have a prudent heart and a faithfull eare wherein to unload our cares and doubts and that we are sure we shall carry away none but infallible counsaile friends that may erre as men are yet deservedly trusted if they would not 9. If we beleeve in him and put our confidence in him for life and death love is the fairest issue of faith which so uniteth us to God that we can securely cast our selves and all our cares on him and his good providence beleeving and being fully perswaded that what he hath promised he is able also to performe and that whatsoever he doth with us or for us is best even when in faithfulnesse he afflicteth us Every one seemeth to love God prospering and giving but the triall is whether we love God afflicting us shewing us no countenance when he seemeth to forsake us and not to heare or regard our prayers when we are ready to perish in such case to resolve with Job though he kill me I will trust in him this is indeed a certaine argument of that love which shall assure our hearts before him if we could but thus prove the Lord with confidence in him and holy subjection of our selves to him hee would open us the windowes of heaven and powre us out blessings he would rebuke the destroyer for our sakes The common obstructions and lets to the love of God are 1. Ignorance of God we cannot love that whose excellency we know not Pharoah asked who was the Lord that hee should obey him So say the spiritually blinde who is he that we should love him They are haters of God because their foolish hearts were full of darknesse 2. Unbeliefe if wee could indeed beleeve Gods word describing his wisedome mercie verity benificence power and Providence and that there is true and eternall happinesse only in our union with him we should easily be perswaded to set our hearts on him as it is written whom having not seene yee love in whom though now yee see him not yet beleeving yee rejoyce with joy unspeakable 3. Love of this world and the present distracting cares thereof wherein catching at deluding shadowes we loose the substance if any man love it the love of the father is not in him as I noted We cannot with one eye see heaven and earth together nor love God and Mammon with one unchanged heart whose dangerous perversenesse and corruption herein appeareth God is only good but the whole world lyeth in wickednesse it loveth nothing good it is bitter and troublesome unto us yet we unhappily dote on it to our destruction and suffer it to steale away our hearts from Gods love wherein we should otherwise be happy what would wee doe if the world were neither bitter nor troublesome We are loath to part with the vaine amenity of this world as Lots wife was from the pleasant fields of Sodom no not when the Angels pull us by the hands would we goe out from ruine and destruction when the Reubenites and Gadites saw the fruitfull Jazer and the pleasant Gilead they petioned Moses that they might have the lot of their possession there and goe no further they desired not the promised rest it is so with many a worldly man he would faine sit downe here and have his heaven on earth 4. Guilt of conscience cannot be without feare of Gods severity now love and servile feare are incompatible hee that feareth Gods justice because he loveth his own liberty of sinning ease and indemnity cannot love God as this feare excludeth perfect love so this casteth out feare there is no feare in love nor love in base feare 5. Pleasures of sinne which only are contrary to Gods love no man can love unreconcilable contraries he that loveth and delighteth in any sinne thereby looseth all capacity of Gods love who cannot but punish the same The meanes on our part to be used for the enflaming our love to God are that we 1. Study to know God to acquaint our selves with him in Christ his holy word which reveileth him unto us He is the most amiable of all that is in heaven or earth therefore the most desirable as it is written he is altogether lovely It is our spirituall blindnes and ignorance of God which causeth our not loving him as we ought if we knew him we could not but love him so as that the love and care of all creatures however dear would decline in us when Peter on the mount had but a tast of his goodnes glimps of his majesty as forgetfull of all below he cryed it is good for us to be here let us make 3 tabernacles Satan oftimes setteth such a mischievous distance between man and man that mistaking or not rightly knowing one another he easily fomenteth jealousies and contentions betweene them thereby
parity of manners conciliateth love but Gods love createth our likenesse to him hence is it that the most excellent creatures love him most whereby they are made such some think that ardency of love denominateth those Angells which stand in Gods presence Seraphim certaine it is such are we as is our love our manners are not estimable by that which we knowe but by that we love good or evill love maketh us such if we love God we are godly if the world worldly if sinne sinfulf all men the best of all doe sinne but the wicked only love sinne looke how the glasses species are as is the posture thereof if you turne it to heaven you see only heaven in it if to the earth only earth so is it in our love the soules looking-glasse wherein we may see and judge of our selves 6. Without this love there can be no true happinesse for the wrath of God the severity of his justice remaineth for those who hate him give him all that a sinfull soule can desire make him times minion the worlds favorite you can make him nothing better then a devill But with the love of God though a man may possibly seeme or be said unhappy he cannot be so for all things worke together for good to them that love God prosperity adversity life death all things shall finally advantage them he that seeketh the love of God must looke for many enemies but contrary to their intentions they shall doe him good the love of the world is sweet at first but bitternesse in the end and the love of God hath many sharpe trialls at first but in the end shall be most comfortable This love is that divine Elixer which maketh the vile pretious an indeficient treasure which whosoever hath can never lack that which is good he that hath it not can never be the better for all hee hath what good or salvation can he expect who is so unhappy as not to love the fountaine of all blessednesse what can hee reasonably feare who loveth an omniscient and righteous God who is a pleanteous rewarder of those that love him Though we cannot be saved for any desert of Love to God for it is his mercy not our merit wee cannot be saved without it if any man love not the Lord Jesus let him be anathema maranatha 1. Cor 16. 22. 7. So excellent is this one possession that Paul counted all but meere losse for it dying Joshua left this as the chiefe legacie to his friends and family concerning whom hee resolved as for me and my house we will serve the Lord take good heed therefore unto your selves that yee love the Lord your God he need no more it is better to love God then to be heire of the world if thou canst not know this living thou shalt when thou art dying let my children faithfully love God I wish them no greater blessing who with my soule pray they may be truly blessed A Prayer for love to God O Lord God Almightie great and glorious who art cloathed with Majestie the beauty of holinesse perfection of beauty who hath filled heaven earth with the gratious effects of love and goodnesse I thy poore creature prostrating my selfe before thy mercy seat humbly acknowledge the many sinnes which render me utterly unworthy ever to appeare before thee specially that great ingratitude which maketh me ashamed to speake unto thee who art the searcher of all hearts yet in assurance of my acceptance in the son of thy love who now sitting at thy right hand maketh requests for me I am bold to pray thee to fill my heart with thy love which is better then all things that with my soule I may desire thee in the night with my spirit within me seeke thee early O Lord though the remainder of sinne in me create me many distractions though fraile flesh and blood starteth at the apprehension and feare of thy just judgments or murmur at the bitternes of thy present corrections yet thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee though with a fraile yet with a sincere heart and love with thine owne spirit infused into me O Lord my soule thirsteth after thee and thy holy presence in my sanctification and full assurance of thy mercy Therefore according to thine owne promise who caâ—st not deceive sanctifie me herein that I may love thee more and more cleanse me from all my sinnes create that purity of heart in me which may assure me of a capacity to behold thy goodnesse in the land of the living fill my lips with grace diffusive of it selfe to thy glory and the ministration of grace to the hearers guide me in the whole course of my life in that holinesse which may please thee disburden my conscience of all that guilt which leaveth me in any feare of that way by which thou hast appointed me to come unto thee and thy kingdome of glory that no afflictions paines feaâ—es or terrours of life or death may be able to separate me from thy love in Christ Jesus Blessed Lord only assure me of thy love and let thy holy will bee done with me I am thine thou madest me to thine owne image thou redeemedst and repairedst the same by thy free spirit when I was dead in trespasses and sinnes thou neither madest redeemâ—dst nor sanctifiedst me for my selfe therefore when thou doest that with me which shall best please thee in the advancement of thy glory in my salvation thou makest me happy in the end of my creation redemption and sanctification Lord it was thine owne free love which by revealing thy selfe and the inestimable riches of thy mercy to mee made me knowe what I had to love in thee neither didst thou finde in me any thing worthy of thee but the effects of thine owne love which in my election before I was determined to make me an object of thy mercy therefore thou who art Love didst set thine own image on me thou best knowest that I am of my selfe but worthlesse dust and earth and by my sinnes a masse of corruption such as onely can displease thee and deserve thine anger but O Lord God of mercy who foundest me a child of wrath and madest me a sonne an enemy and reconciledst me by the death of thy holy sonne Jesus accomplish the worke of thine owne mercy in me and love me still give mee an heart to love thee so above all with all my soule minde and might love that which thou hast wrought in my heart cherish thine owne graces in me though my love be full of imperfections yet thy worke is perfect in thee is no shadow of change Lord for thine owne loves sake now make me such as thou maist love me to eternitie through the merits of thy sonne Jesus Christ my Lord and blessed Saviour AMEN CHAP. XVII § 1. Of love to our selves of the kindes thereof § 2. Of Love to our
Whom we are therein to avoid 1. The Centre of true freindship and all the offices thereof is the glory of God our maker subordinate to which is our comfort and salvation for therein only can be an happy and eternall union and communion whatsoever is excentric hereto is unhappy no wicked man is blessed 't is impossible to be happy in any thing which is not good because there is but one and the same fountaine of happinesse and goodnesse that is God if any dreame of impious pleasure delude men with some appearance of solid happinesse therein waking they must knowe that 't is not true because transitorie and unhappy in the end Happinesse cannot be in any thing lesse then eternall they that knewe not God would have no man called happy before his end and though some of them called Sylla as Craesus thought himselfe happy in prosperity yet their end pronounced them apparently unhappy and what freindship shall we call that which must end or what happinesse therein taken which must change for bitter torments society in damnation and eternall cursing each other as the mutuall causes of each others misery The freindshippe I speake of is in the communion of Saints which death shall refine not at all dissolve time shall not end it but eternity perfect it in our resurrection from the dead sleepe deaths elder brother endeth not temporall love nor shall deaths sleepe the eternall it is but begunne here to be compleated in heaven Love never falleth away wee knowe that when hee shall appeare Wee shall bee like him 1. Joh 3. 2. Who is love 1. Joh 4 8. There is now some imperfection in and some oblique ends of mens love which shall then absolutely bee taken away in our perfection wherein the love of God in his own essence incomprehensible shall shine and be seene in the creature bearing his own image as the light of the sunne on the other stars where we shall not be confined as now under many limitations of time place knowledge and necessities to the communion with one or few friends but enjoy a most comfortable and perfect societie with all the saints Certainely all knowledge and joy of that which is good in this life shall be so farre from ceasing in the future that it shall be their full which is here but imperfect there compleat which is here but inchoate of this kinde we must reckon friendship God concluding it good in saying it is not good that the man should be alone more perfect knowledge shall we have in our future glory then wee have in our present state of grace or had in the state of innocency in that Peter knew Moses and Elias whom he never saw before as also they who saw divers of the deceased Saints which came out of their graves into the holy city after the resurrection of Christ all which doubtlesse were of a most amiable and desirable presence in the other Adam said when God presented him his new created helper the youngest bride which neither he nor the worlds great eye had ever seene before that day this is now bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh much more must we knowe and rejoyce in our friends in the state of glorious perfection to come wherein we cannot reasonably imagine that there shall either remaine any imperfection in loves object or subject to embitter it as sometimes it doth here or want any capacity of compleat and eternall blessednesse as there must if either we should not know our dearest friends with whom we have served God and walked with him in this life or knowing not enjoy their glorious and more lovely society in the life to come 2. The lawes of true friendship are 1. That we neither aske nor grant any thing unjust or evill neither of which can be consistent with the friendship I spake of which cannot be in evill Pericles would not lye for his friend's sake contrary to that which some thinke who count that friendship which denieth nothing and that he is no true freind who will not like Achates or Theseus in the fables goe to hell with them for company but consent in sin is conspiracy not friendship he is a good friend who requireth no evill office and he is a wise man who will consent to none true friendship is only betweene the good and wise 2. That we hold nothing too deare for our freinds sake which may be justly desired and granted hee can be no true friend who in self-selfe-love holds a secret distance and hath his reservations against this law of friendship as not onely in case of this worlds goods which if we communicate not with them that want we love not God and therefore can be no true friends to men but even in life it selfe which we must if need be lay downe for the brethren this is to be understood where it is justly desired in either that is where thou maist part with life or goods for a greater good such as is the glory of God or the salvation of soules there are sundry cases wherein neither of these are justly desired or granted a friend requireth thee to venture thy life in a duell for the maintenance of that which he falsely calleth his honour that is not better then thy life therefore not justly required An acquaintance desireth thee to engage thy selfe and thy liberty for his except some other circumstance conclude it the law of frendship bindeth thee not where thou canst not more advantage thy friend then hurt thy selfe Againe it may be thou art not absolutely thine own but thy wife children or parents have in their necessary depâ—ndance on thee a just share in thee so that their interest cannot admit of the engagement or giving to their dammage there thou canst not justly give or engage for no bonds of friendship by thy selfe contracted may hold against that which the law of God and nature have imposed on thee in loving and relieving thy parents children and wife who is thine owne flesh whose rights must ever respectively be saved in all that which the lawes of friendship require 3. Be thou to thy friend such as thou wouldst have him be to thee that is without all fraud faithfull in every trust be thou good and seeke a freind like thy selfe thou wouldst have thy friend faithfull to thee be thou such to him 4. Thinke all accidents of thy friend thine owne so that thou maiest rejoyce with them that rejoyce and weep with them that weepe and endeavour in either state as for thy selfe This sympathy must needs be where there is brotherly affection the prosperity of thy friend shall be thy joy of heart and his affliction as deep a greife 5. Beare no ignomy of thy absent friend without just defence or otherwise then thou would'st or ought'st thine owne I will not be ashamed to defend a friend neither
obtained mercy for as much as he did it ignorantly and in unbeleefe in his conversion these sinnes were taken off as his Melita viper without more danger to his life so God pronounceth of the convert all his transgressions that he hath committed they shall not be mentioned unto him 3. Great and grievous sins of the regenerate through violent perturbations of minde or tentations overtaking them are not to be reckoned among symptomes of reprobation or apostasie such was Peter's denial and David's adultery and murder therefore the Apostle saith If any man be overtaken in any fault yee that are spiritual restore such a one with the spirit of meeknesse considering thy self lest thou also be tempted and Christ teacheth us without distinction of great and little sinnes to say daily Forgive us our trespasses this life is a spiritual combate a trucelesse warre against the powers of darknesse wherein the strongest may be and often are carried away captive and yet be healed and recovered their captivity concludeth not their not being true Israëlites who would fain return 4. Every sinne against knowledge doth not presently conclude a reprobate minde the best and most knowing are sometimes taken in Satan's snares Peter though forewarned denied Christ through sudden apprehension of fear not out of malice but infirmity we nay the best of men are but partly flesh and partly spirit so that we can neither do the good we would nor avoid the evil which wee see and hate Paul and all the regenerate knowing and allowing the law of God yet sometimes feele another lawlesse law carrying them away captive to sin 5. Though every sin against conscience be very dangerous and every perseverance therein the very suburbs of hell yet every such failing concludeth not against repentance and remission because sinne not onely allureth but sometimes exerciseth the rage of a tyrant and captivateth us against our will there may also be a lethargie or epilepse of the soul there is such mischievous subtilty in Satan that his snares though seene are not alwaies avoided whose messengers though felt with grief of soul are not alwaies overcome yet heâ— that gave waters to the Horeb rock can smite our harder heartr and make the waters of life slow plentifully to repentance never to be repented of 6. Though every relapse into sin be very dangerous yet if a man be not entangled and overcome therein it concludeth not against repaire by repentance the most holy fall seven times a day Satan doth not alwaies present new scenes but sometimes dresseth up his old artifices therewith to beguile 7. Though our infirmities be many Gods power is made manifest therein sustaining us that though we fall wee shall not fall away though Satan's power subtilty and restlesse malice be very great yet hee and his messengers cannot go beyond their chain wherewith they are limited no not so much as into an herd of swine without God's leave who will not try us above that hee will make us able so that we may resolve that neither life nor death nor any creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus The rules of practice hereto belonging are 1. Do thy utmost endeavour to keep the testimony of a good conscience which thou canst by no means doe but by watching over thy soul and with unyeelding constancy resisting temptations every sin the least woundeth the soule afresh be not secure of little sinnes let a good conscience be most precious unto thee part not from it for any pleasures honours or riches of this world rather part from thy life have a tender conscience a seared one like callous flesh is hardly sensible of that which toucheth it to this custome bringeth a man taking away the sense of sin 2. Approve thy selfe in every action to God setting thy selfe ever in his presence who seest all thou doest oâ— thinkest and care not who ever else blame thee when hee approveth thee walke not according to the wisedom of the flesh but by God's grace which shall at last be thy rejoicing 3. Be sure sin reign not in thee which cannot be except thou sell thy self thereto by consenting to thine own captivity as the eare-bored servants who professed love to their masters and so would not be manu-missed and freed from them hate sin and none shall hurt thee no sin is so pernicious as that which pleaseth most specially take heed of presumptuous sins that they get not dominion over thee Psalm 19. 13. Numb 15. ver 30 31. Deuteron 17. vers 12. 4. Looke on Gods justice and mercy together part them not in thy thoughts if thou look on his justice onely thou must needs despair in the sight of thy sins if thou look on his mercy onely thou wilt easily presume when thou shalt see the admirable immensity thereof so ready to pardon sinnes the old sea-men noted the ignis lambens sitting sometimes on the yards of their ships for a good or a mischievous presage if they saw but one flame they called it an unlucky Helena if two they tooke it for Castor and Pollux good abodements of faire and prosperous weather it is much like here to consider either mercy to presumption or justice to despair is destructive it is happy to finde them thus together that thou neither in thy security presume to sinne nor despair for the greatnesse of any sinne in thy repentance 5. Labour for true faith in Christ who is the propitiation for our sinnes whose blood cleanseth us from all holding faith and a good conscience that wee may not be wrackt There was no cure for a wounded Israelite against the venome of fiery serpents but to looke up to the brazen Serpent which prefigured Christ apprehensible by faith the only cure of sinne-wounded consciences 6. Let but this very sense and apprehension of God's wrath which now terrifieth thee cause thee the more heartily to loath all sinne and thou shalt thereby be assured that God hath wounded thee only to heale the. 7. Remember that what the law saith it saith it only to them who are under the law not under grace they are under the law who plead not guilty and stand upon their justification by works of the law wee are under grace who seeing our sinne and misery by the law flee wholly to him for mercy who freely justifieth the sinner the curses and threatnings of the law are not to breake the bruised reed nor quench the smoking flax the penitent soule trembling at God's word grieving for his sinnes the man of a wounded spirit Christ came to call and save such but to beat down the heart lifted up with opinion of self-merit safety in and presuming to sin 8. Repent thee quickly let not sinne get râ—ot in thy heart let not the wound grow blew before thou apply the medicine high thee
the faults of manners not of age which being seperated by beter counsaile and habit may leave that age a cleere and evident capacity of being most happy as neerest to our state of blessednesse the life to come doth avarice or morosity then make age evill a prudent mastering thy selfe and resolved patience will amend this and true repentance that this take away that evill into which thine own will beareth a principall part and thou shalt finde that as thou canst not be evill except thou consentest so not unhappy in age and if thou wilt not forbeare the evill which afflicteth thee thou makest thine age evill not thy age thee 2. Bodily infirmities and decayes are but the Angells sent to pull thee out of Sodom not as Lot by the hands only by warning thee of approaching death that thou maist prepare to entertaine it and not be destroyed with a perishing world 3. Prepare for death that which leadeth age with irksome sorrow is vaine love of the World and unwillingnesse to dye there is not an old man but thinkes he may live one yeare more if thy life were entire it is so short a summe that it cannot beare any long hopes and it is great folly ever to be beginning to live to lay new foundations and hopes neere our exit what is more incongruous then for an old man in vaine hope and desire to beginne to live when indeed he is neere death he only shall easily beare the inconveniences of age who is ever resolved and willing to dye and be with Christ. 4. Learne to make a prudent use of the time which admitteth no returne the conscience of a well spent life and remembrance of many good workes is very comfortable the foole loveth nothing but that which is past and vainely troubleth his soule with desire of much more time nothing solicitous to accompt to God for that he hath already given him at thy last day it shall not much concerne thee how long thou hast lived but how well it is not long life but good which shall render a man eternally happy neither is there any true profit of living here but in gaining that by which we shall live to eternity The evills of Age may be cheerfully borne if we can truly weigh the conveniences with the inconveniences thereof For 1. It is true that Age bringeth with it many good things as it doth many evills it is good that it freeth from pleasures those impudent masters of misrule giveth wisdome and maturer counsailes as the Egyptian Ibis feeding in her youth on Serpents when age hath consumed those venemous humours hath an aromaticall and sweeter breath so hath it been observed of some that after an ill dieted and mispent youth time having digested and evaporated that venome their age hath breathed divine things and more sweet then usuall to the secular man life like Wine how ever pleasing it was young in age it groweth sharpe and dull to the Saints it is not so age is their Suburbs of heaven praeludium of eternity the gate of glory where aged Simeon sang his requiem Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seen thy salvation Luke 2. 29. 2. The old man dyeth more easily then the young a great advantage seeing all must dye none dye more gently then they that dye insensibly like a Lampe the oyle consumed quietly going out young men dye more painefully as Lamps overflowed with Water violence killeth the young maturity the old there 's a wrack here a quiet departing from the Inne so pleasing to the good that it seemeth to them as the sight of the port they are to make after a wearisome voyage that aged Barzillai could not so exactly tast or heare the voices of singers 2. Sam. 19. 35. was not so much a losse as security against temptations which oftentimes ensnare youth 3. It is the age of wisdome the spring hath pleasures but the Autumne profits the fruits of age are much better then the flowers of youth a little time is long enough to live well but if thou art gone much farther thou hast no more cause to sorrow then the Husbandman that the pleasant spring is past and the profitable autumne come except thou art of Themistocles minde who said it grieved him to dye when he began to be wise 4. It is not so much esteemed the end of this life as the beginning of eternity and the haven after a curst sea now as the traveller endureth the rough and bad wayes neere home for rest's sake and for the comfort which he expecteth there so must we the troubles of age which we shall easily doe if we gaine a certaine assurance of eternall blessednesse in the life to come 5. We have here comfort and confidence in temporall calamities they cannot now be long it was Solon's answer to the tyrant Pisistratus when he demanded on what ground of hope he durst resist him I am confident because old When Jacob saw the chariots which Joseph sent to bring him into Egypt his drooping spirit revived and certainly they who desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ are so farre from being grieved at their age that their soules are comforted to think they are going to him In the last place we are to know what rules of practice are observable to the improvement of old age to our good and comfort for it is certaine that happy is he whom old age seizeth in the service of Christ. 1. Be sure to attemperate and proportion thy minde to thy age that it be not said of thee as of Vespastans covetousnesse the fox hath changed his haire but not his manners lay downe thy youthfull minde with youth be grave not bitter it is an impious incongruity to beare the authority and port of an old man and the vices of the young to be youthfull in age is great folly and greater to wish to be young againe like some brainesick traveller who after a dangerous and wearisome journey would goe back againe for a little pleasant way sake though it be very hard to put off that which we are borne yet the happy way to be renewed is as much as we can attaine to to put off the old man corrupt with his affections and to put on the new man Ephes. 4. 22 23 24. this is the way to passe à ruga ad juventutem from old age to youth while man like the heavenly orbs inferior to the first mover goeth in body to the West of age but in his soule toward the east and rising sunne of righteousnesse the inward man renewing in the outward mans decay so becoming part of that lovely spouse which in her perfection shall be without spot or sinne in her innocency or wrinkle of age in her eternity in the meane if thou art wise thou wilt rejoyce that thou hast past over a tempestuous sea
God into its own bitter relish and humility not to bee prowd of beauty youth strength subject to so many diseases as pose art it selfe and overcome the old remedies with accession of new sicknesses so that it is true Bodily infirmities stir up the vigor of the minde and transmit the strength of body into it so that it is a kinde of health sometimes to be unhealthy diseases overcomming the body the soule overcommeth sinne sicknesse is an harbinger or quartermaster to death the monitor of our ends approaching and that which taketh off the bewitching love of this world the historians tell us of a kinde of fire which rageth the more by how much more water thou castest on it is quenched only by casting on of dust it may bee true in the morall for such a kind of heat is there in the love of the world the more thou givest it the more thou inâ—lamest it it is quenched only with the dust of the grave and that which bringeth thereto The life of man is like a lovely rivers streame neere the rising set with flowrie bancks plants houses pleasant walkes gardens sweet meddowes and delightfull seats but if you follow it toward the end you shall â—inde it more and more troublesome stormy deepe dangerous and so engulâ—ing into bitternesse as the Lord permitted Israël to bitter pressures in Egypt that they might more willingly depart thence toward the promised rest so is it here the healthy and prosperous say in their hearts as the Reubenites and Gadites Numb 32. 5. when they saw the pleasant Jazer and the fruitfull Gilead if we have found grace in thy sight let this land be given unto thy servants for a possession they would not goe hence now God though he give us sweet comforts in the first fruits of his spirit like clusters from Escol Deut. 1. 24. 25. yet he embittereth our worldly delights our places of pleasure are toucht with some griefe our beds of rest become places of sicknesse and death Eden was the theatre for mans first tragoedie Christ began his passion in a garden the easterne people made their sepulchres in gardens to teach them what may and must come of their pleasures Sicknesse maketh the prudent loath sinne in the sense of the bitter effects thereof the victories of sinne are destructive if they are againe intangled therein and overcome the latter end is worse with them then the beginning as it was said in the name of those white sacrifices which Marcus Caesar used to offer in his triumphs if thou overcommest we perish we truely may say of sin happy affliction therefore which maketh us out of love with that which cannot destroy except it overcome nor overcome except we love it Sicknesse awaketh us from security except we are like those sleepy beares which cannot be awaked no not with wounds and stirreth them up to seek the Lord as hee saith in their affliction they will seeke me early Though wicked Asa in his great sicknesse sought not to the Lord Yet to the Saints sicknesse is a sweet enditer of prayers as it is written in the day of my trouble I will call upon thee for thou wilt heare me How many men for bodily sicknesse were brought to Christ and had their soules cured who being in health lived in unbeleefe before Terrour of conscience oppression poverty and sicknesse are profitable for the elect in that they serve like those foure bearers of the paralyticall man to bring them to Christ. That thou maist therefore make a right use of thy sicknesse observe these rules 1. Search thy heart and turne unto the Lord in serious repentance make thy peace with him quickly considering the cause of thy sicknesse thy sinnes judge and condemne thy selfe for them that God may acquit thee and render unto the Lord that for which he delivereth thee if thou recover 2 Set thy house in order and dispose of thy estate which God hath given thee if thou have not before done it 3 Use the help of the learned Physitian but rely on God for the blessing on the meanes there are divers pernitious errours in this case to be avoided some to their losse neglect all meanes these betray their own lives undervallew Gods favours and despise his ordinance in the good creatures made for the reliefe and recovery of the sick and the Physitian who is to be honoured some trust too much to second causes neglecting the first so did Asa some seeke to evill and unlawfull meanes Witches Charmers c. so Ahaziah sent to Baal-zebub the idol of Ekron some as fâ—olish if not so wicked seeke to the unskilfull and ignorant trusting a pretious life into the hands of those who without learning or calling are many times venterous murderers as if God were not the God of wisdome and what wonder seeing upon the like hazard they venture their immortall soule 4 Watch and pray as in all estates so specially in this that as God hath given thee this warning to prepare thee to meet him so that he would sit thee for himselfe and so sanctifie thy trialls that they may better thee and make thee ready for his kingdome that he would restore thy health and give thee an heart to make a more thankfull prudent and holy use thereof then thou hast formerly dore to give thee patience masure thy trials in mercy proportion thy strength to the affliction and to keep thee in life and death as one of his 5 Endeavour what humane infirmitie will permit to beare patiently not stupidly but in confidence of Gods mercy For 1. Impatience is but an accession to thy griefe so much worse then the disease as the soule is better then the body and the distempers thereof more dangerous then the bodily 2. All that we now can suffer commeth inâ—initely short of that we shall enjoy in Christ. 3. God can if he see it best deliver us from the greatest dangers 4. He will lay no more upon us then he will make us able to beare and give and issue out of every triall 5. Our sufferings if with patience are to his glory as Christ said of some 6. We must through many trials enter into glory 7. Christ is toucht with a feeling of our misery 8. These afflictions are but trialls and exercises of our faith and patience 9. Christ suffered inâ—initely more for thee 10. Many of the Saints have suffered long infirmities 11. As this earthly house of this tabernacle must by little and little be destroyed so must our afflictions therein have an end so that they cannot last long it is of excellent use to patience or moderation to consider well in all temporall interest how long we can suffer or enjoy 12. Sicknesse is the soules physick nothing will amend him whom sicknesse cannot we endure hard things patiently for the cure of the body and what is the health
that is bitten with hels fiery serpents all other wayes uncurable by looking upon Christ with the eye of faith shall be saved therefore in case thou find any stupid impenitencie in thy stony heart be thou the more attentive in hearing the word and more serious in applying it to thy conscience more fervent in prayer and more frequent in receiving this holy Sacrament thou shalt at last find an happy effect hereof 5. Examine whether thou be in charity with all men as he that presumed to offer with any other fire then that which came from heaven was cut off from Israâ—l so shall it be with those who offer this spirituall sacrifice in malice if hee that touched the Arke with unconsecrated hands was smitten dead what shall become of them who dare come to the Lords table with bloody hands and malicious hearts if thou be not in charity leave thy gift before the altar go first and be recenciled neither maist thou thinke thy selfe excused from communicating by thy malice God biddeth thee be reconciled and then come and offer neither maist thou thinke to lay downe thy malice as they speake of the serpent while she drinketh for a time only to resume it againe in a wilfull abstinence there is a contempt of the Sacrament which shall condemne a man and in comming to Christ our Passeover with the leven of maliciousnesse is the same danger there is no safe way but in reconciliation that thou maist receive worthily 2. The second point is how we must receive we must do it with hearts lifted up to God in holy meditations of Christ's passion frequent ejaculations imploring Gods gracious assistance obsignation and sealing up of our salvation with hallowed thoughts minds sequestred from all worldly things and the most attentive and holy reverence of soule and body for so ought wee to appeare before God in his worship Psal. 95. 6 7. Secondly the riches of Gods grace all the merits of Christ are here offered and held out to us by the hand and ordinance of Christ Thirdly 't is administred and received with a prayer for which no gesture can be too humble lastly when Moses rehearsed the mercie of God to Israël in the institution of the Passeover then the people bowed downe and prostraited themselve the same reason have wee to expresse a reverend and humble thankfulnesse for Christ our Passeover 3. After receiving 1. Give thanks to God for these seales of thy redemption in Christ. 2. Be carefull to performe all thy promises vowes holy resolutions conceived and made in thy preparation to receive and live every day of this life as if thou didst therein communicate 3. Keepe a carefull watch over thy body and thy soule least the evill one repossesse himselfe of the swept garnished roome and bring with him seaven worse spirits then himselfe Lest thou relapsing to the filthy vomit of thy old sinnes thy end proove worse then the beginning I have washed my feet said the Spouse of Christ how shall I defile them 4. Pray the Lord to make good his own ordinance unto thee effectually sealing thee up unto the day of redemptioÌ„ 5 Examine thy selfe whether thy soule be nourished and strengthned by receiving which will appeare if after it thou art more cheerefull in greater assurance of thy salvation remission of sinnes peace of conscience and joy in the holy Ghost if thou art more quick active and able to all holy duties if receiving breed in thee a spirituall appetite to receive againe that thou maist more be confirmed in Christ if it beget a fervent love to God and thy neighbours amendment of life and more hearty loathing thy sinnes inward sense of the life of Jesus dwelling in thee an holy contempt of this world with a longing desire and constant hope of a better life to come causing thee to set thy affections on things celestiall to walke with God in holinesse and to have thy conversation in heaven if these things are in thee blessed art thou hee hath sealed thee with his holy spirit who will knowe thee for his owne and so protect thee with his providence that the destroying Angell shall not touch thee To conclude when the diseased woeman of whom spake but touched the hemme of Christ's garment shee presently felt the powerfull effect thereof in her healing though Christ had made her no such promise and if we have received his body and blood according to his command his promise must be fulfilled and wee shall be strengthned and healed we shall feele the same power nourishing us to eternall life A private Prayer before the receiving of the Lords Supper MOst gratious Lord God Father of mercy and truth Who dwellest in that light which none can attaine unto yet vouchsafest to prepare the hearts of thy servants here on earth to help their infirmities and to heare their petitions prepare my heart teach mee to pray encline thine eare unto mee and have mercy upon mee O Lord thou art a just and a severe Judge how shall I then vile and unworthy wretch appeare this day before thee in the courts of thyne house I came into this world a child of wrath disobedience naked and destitute of all goodnesse but thou O Lord my Redeemer hast bestowed the seale of thy righteousnesse upon mee in my Baptisme thou hast called mee to the knowledge of thy gospel thou hast given me the earnest of my redemption by the spirit of regeneration Lord establish now the thing which thou hast freely wrought in mee and as thou hast this day invited mee to thy table and the communion of the body and blood of thy holy Sonne Jesus Christ so Lord bestow the wedding garment on mee that I may appeare before thee cloathed in his righteousnesse whom thou madest an offering for sinne that in him wee might become righteous before thee Lord what is man that thou so regardest him and who among the sonnes of men hath more cause to praise thy mercies then wretched I thy mercy hath long spared me thou hast taken me out of the power of darknesse kingdome of Satan thou hast given me the glorious freedome of the children of light what shall I rendër the Lord for all his benefitts towards me I will call upon the name of the Lord I will declare his mercies I will take the cup of salvation and pay my vowes all is to little which I have to give thee O Lord thou hast in my creation given me my selfe in my redemption thou hast restored me to my selfe therfore now accept againe thyne owne gift Lord let me be wholy thyne And beeing now to appeare before thee whith a sacrifice of praise I pray thee for Iesus Christ his sake prepare the alter purge me with Hysope create a cleane heart within me renue a right spirit sprinkle the doore of my soule with the blood of the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world that
to the eternall rest in thy kingdome of glory through the merits and mediation of thy only sonne our Saviour Jesus Christ AMEN CHAP. XVI § 1. Of Love and Charity what they are and how they differ in their objects § 2. Of love to God considerable in its object end measure severall states degrees perpetuity and opposition § 3. Signes of our love to God § 4. common obstructions and lets thereto § 5. Meanes on our part to be used for the enslaming our love to God § 6. Motives to incite us thereto 1. Love is the Qveene of vertueâ— mother of sanctity Gods lively image in man a reflex of his goodnesse who is love the life of faith without which it is neither active nor lively the comfort of this life security in death proeludium of heavenly life wherein it shal be compleated in the vision of God and the full communion of Saincts united to their head Christ Jesus what were life without love better then an hell inchoate such must that be where God is not who not only hath love but is the same Love is a voluntary affection and desire to enjoy that which is good it is a dilection because we doe in a free choice discerne what to love loves limits are ample when it hath a fiinite object when 't is towards God it hath no bounds save only in the subject which can but finitely love an infinite though with all the soule and all the might Love is subjectively in some desire objectively in some good or that which seemeth such so that their varieties cause as many varieties of love love of God the supreame good is incomparably the best love of that which God loveth is next and next that which beareth his image so love we our selves and men and Angells we love men either as we receive good from them or doe good to them the first our language calleth Love the second Charity that hath something amiable and desirable for it object this something miserable and to be pittied or releived 2. Love to God is a vertue wherein the reasonable creature adhereth and is united to delighteth and resteth in God as his cheife good And it is considerable 1. As naturall such as was in Adam in his innocency for without it he could not have had Gods image on him 2. As infused in our regeneration which is a repaire of Gods image decayed in us by sinne this is the meere gift of God 1. Joh 4. 7. Love commeth of God and the fruit of the spirit is love Gal 5. 22. we love him because he first loved us 1. Joh 4. 19. 3. The supreame end of our love to God is God for though we love any creature for some other end then is terminative in that creature so beloved yet we must love God onely for his own sake though we may not therefore only love God that he may doe us good for that were to make our love meâ—cenary not â—iliall not truely to love God above all but him for the rewards sake that were a contract rather then a free love selfe love not love of God for his own sake and as a sufficient reward to those that love him yet may we be assured that we cannot love him truely without a sufficient and certain reward and we may expect the same seeing he is not unrighteous that he should forget our worke and labour of love which wee have shewed toward his name In whatsoever creature wee instance men or Angells or any thing subordinate to their love there is still some better object of our love as if wee love riches for charity sake we love charity for our indigent brothers sake and him for Gods sake But in God only all our desires and affections rest and let downe the wings like those creatures in Ezekiâ—ls vision when they heard the voice of God above their heads and we love God only for his own sake as the most excellent most amiable and desirable the sole fountaine of true good and blessednesse out of whom there can be nothing good or happy and indeed hee that seeketh any thing above or beyond God seeketh nothing because there is nothing better then he nothing in heaven or earth so good The subordinate end of loving God is that we may love others in and for him as 't is written wee have this commandement from him that he that loveth God should love his brother also nor can any man wisely and truely love himselfe any otherwise then for God's sake not wisely for 't were folly for a man to set his affections at any lower levell then true happinesse which can never be in any thing humane or temporall but it is to be found and attained onely in God and our union with him to love our selves for beauty strength honour riches plesures or present life is to beguile our soules with vaine dreams happinesse can be in nothing which can change for worse or must unavoidably end nor can we truely love our selves for any thing lesse then the image of God in us he loveth not himselfe in truth but hateth his own soule who loveth himselfe a sinner for thereby he maketh himselfe unhappy or in respect of any temporall pleasure or gaine therein or thence taken the sinner hateth and destroyeth his own soule doing himselfe more harme therein then the devill and all the powers of hell could otherwaies doe him for as they cannot make him sinne against his will so neither can they make him truely unhappy without his consent to sinne Neither is it truly to love our selves to prouide momentany pleasures and beguiling shewes of happinesse with the losse of the eternall and true the gaine of a world cannot compensate the losse of a soule nor doth he truly love himselfe who betrayeth himselfe herein loving short and evill pleasures more then the chiefe good eternall happinesse and salvation of his own soule 3. The measure of our loving God is to love him without measure things finite have measure and therefore must be loved in measure and subordination Thou must love thy Parents wife children freinds but as thy selfe not in the place of God to honour them before him as Eli did 1. Sam 2. 29. but in subordination to his love and as may be consistent there with otherwise he that hateth not father mother wife children and his owne life 〈◊〉 Christ cannot be his disciple Lâ—k 14. 26. that is where the love of these or any of them is not subordinate to the love of God or where a man loveth any of these more then God Math 10. 37. Thou must love God with all thy heart according to thy capacity with all thy soule thy will affections and desires thy mynde and intellectuall faculties for love of God cannot be without knowledge of him there is no desire of that we know not with â—ll thy might as
Angels pitch round about his to deliver them and when we seem most overmatcht they are more with us then can be against us as that fearfull servant saw at last It made David so confident In the Lord put I my trust how say yee then to my soul Flee as a bird to your mountaine all confidence in men their counsels or an arme of flesh is unhappy and must faile beeing under the curse God cannot si fractus illabatur orbis therefore will we not fear though the earth be removed and though the mountaines be carried into the midst of the sea 4. Hearken unto the Word of God whoso hearkneth unto mee shall dwell safely and shall be quiet from fear of evil thou shalt walke in the way safely when thou liest down thou shalt not be afraid herein thou shalt know God's power trueth providence mercy and justice and so trust in him as it is written They that know thy name will put their trust in thee for thou Lord hast not forsaken them that seek thee 5. Love the Lord sincerely the more thou lovest him the more thou wilt rest assured of his love and protection the more perfect thy love is the more it casteth out fear 6. Depart from evill as the Princes of the Philistines said of David Let him not go down with us to the battle leâ—t in the battle he be an adversary to us Set thy selfe to seek the Lord as Jehoshaphat did when many enemies were upon the march against him and atcheived a glorious victory against them Keep a good conscience it shall be a wall of brasse unto thee when that is safe a man is bold as a lion but if we see the smoke of hell ascend there wee must needs faint like the men of Ai when they saw their City on fire Sinne in the conscience maketh men cowardly they may possibly speak glorious words who have timerous consciences but as one said of the fearfull dogg vehementiùs latrat quà m mordet hee must needs feare who hath no peace in himselfe 7. Consider the end of the â—aints sufferings which hath ever been happy in that they are the more partakers of Christ's glory by how much more of his sufferings consider how long they have suffered or thou canst fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer Behold the Devil shall cast sâ—me of you into prison that yee may be tryed be thou faithfull unto the death and I will give thee the crown of life It is true flesh and blood must have it allowance for its infirmity but the more wee can lay to heart the end of the saints so happy that even the wicked affect it and the quiet fruits of righteousness to them that are exercised the lesse we must needs feare the malice of any creature 8. Labour for peace with God give him no rest till he speak it to thy conscience resolve not to let him go untill he blesse thee and assure thee of thy remission in Christ. What hath he to feare whose sins are forgiven the sting of death pâ—lled out who would not dare it therefore the Apostle did because he could say Thanks be unto God who giveth us victory through Jesus Christ this is Faith's victory over the world 9. In thy greatest feares pray more fervently so did our Saviour being in an agony he prayed more earnestly so did Jacob in fear of his brothers long-studied revenge pray that God would open thine eies to see his saving health God many times terrifieth to awaken our drouzie souls and open our mouths to earnest prayer which in prosperity are too prone to the spirit of slumber and coldnesse feare hath many tongues and can open the mouth of the dumb Even Jonah's mariners in their feare will pray and instigate others thereto that one example of Croesus sonne Athis before dumb crying out O Cyrus spare my father and by our misfortunes learne that thou also art but a man sheweth what the violence of feare can do A Prayer against Feare O Lord God almighty dreadfull in thy wrath and indignation against sinners I humbly acknowledge that there is not one of thy judgements which I may not reasonably fear who have deserved them all the miseries of this life terrors of death and future condemnation But O Lord God of consolation assure mee of my sinnes remission and my peace with thee for Christ Jesus sake fill my heart and affections with that measure of thy love which may exclude all servile feare give mee the testimony of a good conscience to comfort me against all vain fears of the wicked lift up the light of thy countenance upon me and assure me that thou who rulest in heaven and earth from the Angel to the worm art my defence and help at hand Thou art omnipotent and canst doe what thou wilt Lord let it be thy will to deliver me from the affliction which I fear that I may live to praise the and declare thy goodnesse toward mee if it be possible let this cup passe from mee if otherwise thy holy will be done Lord suffer mee not for any tryals to fail from thee consider my weaknesse remember whereof thou hast made me that I am but dust and earth soon passing away give me patience to endure thy fatherly hand and full assurance that all things shall work together for the best give me fervency of spirit to pray more earnestly give me that â—aith to which thou who canst not deceive hast made the promise of audience and granting our petitions Give mee an invincible resolution not to let thee goe untill thou blessest me with some happy issue through Jesus Christ my Lord and only Saviour Amen Of Cares CAre is the childe of Providence some say the souls apparitor to summon all it's faculties to it's Senate or Committee it is rather counsels president determining what to pursue and what to decline the weight which moveth all it's wheels that taken off or quite run down all the nerves of providence are loosed and the soules faculties become inactive and resty so as we neither affect the good nor feare the evill Care is the centinel which gives the alarme to awaken wisedom to it's offices the steward of the inward house the Palinurus and pilot which sitteth at the helm to steere and direct the course lest industry be wanting to prudent decrees and resolutions or successe to industry so necessary is this vigilancy of the soule that without it we can neither be profitable to our selves or others in things divine or humane though salvation shall neither be in his care who willeth nor his that runneth but in him that sheweth mercy yet if thou care not to lay hold on his promises and to beleeve and obey thou shalt finde that he that made thee without thy care will not save thee without it because
that we may know him and feel in our souls and consciences the comfortable power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death in the mortification of all those corrupt and sinful affections which continually resist the working of thy regenerating spirit in us O Lord our God being deeply sensible of our own disability to save or helpe our selves wee â—ast all our care and confidence of present protection preservation and future salvation on the merits of thy son Christ Jesus in assurance that thou art faithful who hast promised as by him to save us so through him to hear and help us in all our wants and distresses O Lord God of trueth and mercy who hast commanded us to aske and promised to grant accept our obedience and confidence in asking and according to thy trueth grant our requests in forgiving all our sinnes and giving us all those blessings which thou knowest needful for us that wee may serve thee cheerfully sanctifie our bodies and soules to thy service that in them both wee may cleave to thee please thee and rest assured by the testimony of thy holy spirit and the powerful working thereof in us that thou hast sanctified called and elected us to life everlasting Lord give us experience of thy trueth which never failed give us lively and justifying faith to apprehend Christ Jesus and all his merits give us perseverance therein that no trials of life or death may ever separate us from thy love nor any powers of hell be able to overthrow our confidence therein And now O Lord our God who makest the out-goings of the morning and evening to praise thee wee humbly thank thee as for all thy mercies and favors spiritual and temporal continually poured out upon us in our election creation redemption calling from the kingdom of darknesse our sanctification preservation from daiely imminent dangers of body and soule our liberty peace health and all those temporal necessaries for the comfort sustenance of us and ours which thy fatherly providence hath bestowed upon us so also for that it hath pleased thee to preserve us this night past from the powers of darknesse terrors of night and all the ovils thereof Lord continue thy mercy to us safely brought to the begining of this day the day is thine the night also is thine thou hast prepared the light and the sunnâ— O Lord our refuge let no evil befal us this day let not any plague come neer our dwelling give thine Angels charge over us to keep us in all our waies that wee may in nothing displease thee as thou hast put away the late darknesse which covered the face of the earth and waters by the comfortable appearance of this great light which thou madest to govern the day that men may follow their several labours therein so blessed Father of lights cause the sunne of righteousnesse Christ Jesus to arise on every one of our hearts thence to chase away the remainders of ignorance darknesse of minde and unbeliefe to open our eies that wee sleep not in death to enlighten us with a sound knowledge of all the mysteries of eternal life and salvation that we may arise and shake off the dangerous security in sinne and conscionably walk with thee who hast called us to thy kingdome that we may please thee being fruitful in every good worke encreasing in the knowledgâ— of thee strengthned to all patience and long suffering with joyfulnesse and thankfulnesse for that thou hast made us partakers of the inheritance of thy saints in light that wee may walke worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called with all holinesse and meeknesse love and charity toward all men endeavouring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bâ—nd of peace so labouring in our several callings as being ever careful first to seek thy kingdome and the righteousnesse thereof in assurance that so all temporal necessaries shall be administred unto us in all our endeavours expecting the blessing from thee without which it is but lost labour to rise early late take rest eat the bread of carefulnesse and deprive our souls of ease Blesse all the creatures to us this day make them good and prosperous unto us direct us so in all our thoughts words and actions that wee may glorifie thee preserve a good conscience and give an example of holinesse to those with whom we converse that in nothing the trueth of religion with which thou hast blessed us be evil spoken of through our failings but that we may by our integrity stop the mouths of all adversaries and adorn the Gospel by walking unblameably toward all men and sincerely before thee ever remembring that of all our thoughts words and actions we must give a strict inevitable account at the dreadful day of judgment now kept from the knowledg of all men that they may every day live as if it were their last keeping a constant and careful watch in exspectation of that houre which shall come like a theefe in the night wherein thou wilt assuredly bring to light things hid in darknesse and make the counsels of all hearts manifest judging every man according to his workes Neither pray wee for our selves only but wee also beseech thee for thy whole Church and all thy distressed servants whether their afflictions be in body minde or estate comfort now and in thy good time enlarge all prisoners and captives which suffer for or with the testimony of a good conscience Lord God of all consolation assure them that when thy will and work is done in them thou wilt shew thy self their gracious deliverer and comforter Lastly we pray thee O Father of mercy blesse this family wherein by thy providence we are blesse us all from the first to the last with all those whom thou hast made neer unto us prosper us O Lord and our endeavours upon us feed us with bread of our stature that which thou knowest necessary and convenient for us give us a faithful dependance upon thy fatherly hand which never leaueth them destitute who trust in thee give us a prudent holy and thankefull use of all those good things which thou hast bestowed upon us that thou maist be pleased to continue thy mercy and providence over us give us contented mindes free from covetousnesse and distracting cares in assurance that thou wilt never forsake us and good Lord as thou art pleased to adde this day to our transitory lives so adde that grace to this day which may direct and guid every one of us in our bodies and souls that we may spend it and the remainder of our daies to thy glory and the comfortable assurance of our consciences before thee so that having our present conversation in heaven and walking with thee in sincerity of heart when these fleeting daies are ended we may live with thee in thy kingdome of glory through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Short Evening Praier O
him until fast bound to the gibbet to be put over the fire he cryed out O Solon Solon ◠Riches cannot deliver from death nor in the day of the day of the Lords wrath and how vainely doe wee call them goods in whose abundance the owner may perish with hunger 2. Set not thy soule at stake for any worldly price what shall it profit a man if hee shall gaine the whole world and loose his owne soule especially at so poor a one that usually hurteth the possessor I appeale herein to any thriving man doe but remember the change of thine owne minde so soon as thy estate encreased or descended to thee how quickly hadst thou learned an unstudied pride and elation of minde Estates and the owners mindes commonly rise together like those beasts and wheeles in the Prophets vision When the creatures were lifted up from the earth the wheels were lifted up this maketh it so hard for a rich man to be saved because it is very hard to be rich and not proud or not to trust in riches Adde hereto that unjust gaine maketh thee not a proprieter but an usurper and robber and hee that swallowed down riches shall vomit them up againe either hee must restore them or perish with them whether they were seized into his hands by violence or by wicked balances or the bag of deceitful weights treasures of wickednesse profit nothing moreover at the best thou canst have but a short use of any worldly thing wee brought nothing into the world and it is certain wee shall carry nothing away and is it not therefore an admirable madnesse to loose eternal happinesse for temporal riches the soule for the bodies supplies The time shall come and it is as sure and neere as death when the body shall have no use of riches the soule never had why do men tyre themselves for vaine shadowes too great possessions have commonly debauched the unhappy owners as may appeare in the Romane conquests of Asia Hannibal's of Alexander's of Persia and the like wherein it was doubtful whether they more conquered those nations or those nations them Their riches were to them but as Demetrius Lamià taken in the Egyptian spoiles aurea mala golden mischiefes and as Seneca said of prosperity viscata beneficia limed baits gifts to take men with and so desperately besotting their lovers that they passe not for any wickednesse to gaine them save that onely which may bring them into future danger of loosing them It was not said amisse Were Justice as free as once it shall be all our goales could not hold our rich men This mischiefe wealth addeth to the rest that it now freeth the wicked from punishment that they may recive it hereafter No wonder that our Saviour pronounced a woe to the rich who usually blesse themselves as the only wise and good men riches so seldom being good to the owners Why settest thou thine heart on that which is neither truely good nor truely thine if they are truely good let them make thee good and blessed if truely thine carry them with thee in death What can be more unworthy of a wise man then the love of false and transitory goods or of a Christian then to sell a soul whose redemption cost more then all the world was worth the precious blood of Christ for that which is neither truely good truely thine nor beyond necessity of safe use or possession If thou use them thou art neer luxury if thou spare them to a dangerous parsimony on the one side is the nures of idlenesse the mother of all mischiefe on the other the gulfe of insatiable avarice 3. Let thy riches serve thee there is no little necessity of the use of this rule for as the Philosopher said Most rich men doe not use their goods for extream covetousnesse others abuse them to pleasures so rich men become slaves all their life time some to pleasure others to profit but beyond all that the Philosophers could know the Scripture sheweth that if wee serve riches we cannot serve God hee that keepeth riches to himselfe is a servant to them and hee the worst of all servants a foole and a knave who grown rich with an ill conscience can be contented to live poore only that hee may die rich And hee that prodigally spendeth them is little better this may be sure his riches cannot serve him long the others doe never Yet thus parsimonious are some as they should live ever and others as lavish as if they should presently die 'T is vaine to deprive they soule of rest only to possesse and not to use riches in trueth such have not riches their riches have them buried in the foolish monument of their avarice It is no sinne to be rich if justly it is to be uncharitable to thy selfe or others How dwelleth the love of God in him God weigheth mens hearts not their chests and in his esteeme who cannot be deceived hee onely is master of his wealth not who keepeth it close but hee who bestoweth it well Ask thy conscience how thou possessest and usest riches and thou shalt know whether God hath given them for a blessing or a curse There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun saith Solomon riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt It is a blessing to know how to use them well every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth and hath given him power to eate thereof and to take his portion and to rejoice in his labour this is the gift of God 4. Let your conversation be without covetousness and be content with those things that you have Let our meat satisfie hunger our drinke thirst and our decent garments keepe our bodies warm let our houses be to defend us from wet and cold a wise and good man is so contented with himself not that he would not gladly have friends goods to entertain them but because he can patiently bear the want of either riches are more safely had them desired They that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and hurtfull lusts which drown men in destruction an inheritance may be gotten hastily but the end thereof shall not be blessed A man with a wicked eie hasteth to riches and knoweth not that poverty shall come upon him Hee that heapeth up treasure as the dust knoweth not who shall spend it in the mean time no man wanteth more then he that coveteth most he lacketh not only that which hee hath not but that also which he hath so that the covetous mans wealth leaveth him guiltiness and taketh away the comfortable use of that which hee hath it being a kinde of drunken thirst encreasing by having more Great Alexander was not contented with one world Death only confesseth
tabernacle thou art absent from the Lord thus resolved thou shalt bee willing to be dissolved that thou maist live with Christ when Peter saw onely a glimpse of the future glory in Christ's transfiguration on the mount he cryed out it is good for us to be here let us make here three tabernacles he shall easily contemne death whose love and desires are fixed on heaven so travellers regard not dangerous and rough waies that they may come home death is greivous to the lovers of the world 4 Consider the advantages that death shall bring thee it shall quit thee from all sicknesse sorrow feare of dying and all those temporall calamities which flesh and blood now groaneth under instead of earth and these transitory things which at best serve but to necessitie and perish in their use it shall invest thee in the heavenly which excell all present thoughts of man it shall set thee free from sinne and make thee a perfect servant of God The husbandman is content to cast his pretious graine into the earth where hee knoweth it must perish because hee is assured it shall rise againe with encrease and advantage to him Whereas if it dye not it abideth alone how much more should the gaine of heaven make us willing to part with this vaine and evill world therefore Lucius the martyr thanked Vrbicius because bydeath freeing him from wicked maisters he sent him to God the father 5 It is necessary that thou often thinke on death which will we nill we cannot be farre off Easily shall he contemne all secular things who alwaies thinketh he must dye Make death familiar to thee by often thinking of it the tempter once said yee shall not dye at all hee knoweth it were a folly to say so now experience teaching the contrary yet now he doth what he possibly can to put death out of the sinners memory now he perswadeth them they shall not dye these many yeares hereby he first leadeth into security of sinning and at last into despaire by sodain terrours of unexpected death But when God gave Israël Manna he had them gather only as much as would sufâ—ice for a day because hee would have them to expect death that they might not provide for the morrow So taught he us to pray for daily bread to take away care for the morrow Truely the whole life of a wise man should be a meditation of death 6 Because the houre is hidden from thee watch for it God hath not revealed it that wee might expect it every houre And he calleth men of all ages that none might bee secure it is uncertaine where death expecteth thee therefore looke for it every where it is as uncertaine when therefore live every day as if it were thy last When thou goest to sleep reckon as Paâ—uviâ—s woont that thou t hast lived thy time if God give more daies make good use of them he is the most secure and happy possessour of himselfe who without solicitousnesse expecteth the morrow He that saith he hath lived riseth every day to a new gaine It is a chiefe part of deaths bitternesse that it commeth sodainly upon him who promised himselfe a longer life the best way to make it tolerable is to render thy minde to a present expectation of it 7 Patiently subject to that which must be and use thy best skill that it may be well with thee The goodnesse of the Pilot is seene in the storme and the wisdome of a man in the greatest triall Meekly submit to that to which all the world is liable Zerxâ—s is reported to have wept when he saw his numerous army remembring that in a little time they must bee all dead if we could view all the world at once what calamities and destructions should we see Nation against nation kingdome clashing against kingdome some gasping under cruell tormenters hands some swallowing up of the deafe sea some in their birth some breathing their last all ere long peperishing as all the starres greater and lesser in larger and smaler orbs doe finish their courses and set in their appointed times so men of all conditions dye death equally knocketh at the cottage and palace doore sparing no estate it is so appointed appointed all must dye it pittieth not the poore nor spareth the rich it regardeth neither wisdome valour excellency it is folly to have for exemption from its rigid and inevitable law which hath past on all thy fathers before thee thy friends besides thee and shall take away all thou leavest behinde thee Toward death thou goest every moment and canst not stay till thou fall to the earth now too much feare of death depriveth not only of the comfort but also of the fruits of life and vaine struggling under the burden which thou canst neither cast off by any impatience nor comfortably beare without a cheerefull subjection to necessitie maketh it more heavy know thy condition and that thou hast not only many but all men partners therein When they told Anaxagoras of the sentence of death pronounced against him he replied it is the same which nature long since pronounced on them and me 8 Strive for sound â—aith the onely cure for an Israëlite stung with a fiery serpent was looking up to the brazen serpent the morall is that the onely remedy against the sting of death is to look up to Christ the resurrection of life who by dying hath conquered death and the tyrant that had the power of death so that they that naturally feare it believing in Christ looke on it as children use to gaze upon some fierce enemie vanquished and led in chaines to the believer death is but like the Melita viper more feare then danger like Moses serpent terrible but eating up the worlds enchanters serpent and becomming a key to let us into our rest certainly if there be any evill in death it is onely to the evill and unbeliever be thou good and faithfull and it cannot hurt thee it must benefit thee the faithfull thinke of their deaths as of their journeyes end 9 Looke for thy conforts agaist death in Gods Word which onely is infallible the Heathens had many false and unsound comforts against death as assiming it to be but a sleepe or refreshing an haven and refuge to which they desired to come a pleasant journey after which there shall be no more care and discoursing confidently of the â—oules immortality all which served possibly to appease a beguiled soule ready to be cast into hell fire not much unlike those African mothers lullabies who as we noted use to still their weeping babes which they offered to Molocke with songs and kisses that they might not cast à crying sacrifice into those flames no better was Plato his admired discourse of the soules eternity to Cleombrotus which when hee had
thee away in thy daily sinnes will like a tender father pitty thee when thou art not able to pray he will remember what thou hast prayed yea what Christ Jesus sitting at his right hand then speaketh for thee when thou hast most need of a mediator when stupified with paines of approaching death thou canst not utter one word for thy selfe then hee will open the heavens to thee and give thee a cleere sight of those joyes as he did S. Stephen then will he give his holy Angells charge over thee to receive thy soule breathed out of thy gasping body to convey it to his gratious and ever blessed presence This world is full of labour sorrow misery there 's no rest here heaven is the arke to which the tired dove the holy soule returneth for rest the morall men seemed to know it who placed their Temple of rest without the gate of Agony How much more must we who beleeve that we shall live eternally with Christ who shall come to save and give us life in death Even so come Lord Jesus AMEN A Prayer for him who hath recieved the sentence of death in himselfe O Lord God almighty preserver of man father of the spirits of the just God of all true consolation the hope of Israel and deliverer thereof in the day of trouble who givest a gratious eare to the afflicted faithfully calling on thee through him whom thou hast appointed to be the only mediator betweene thee and Wretched man Christ Jesus the righteous I humbly acknowledge that I have nothing of my selfe to present unto thy Majestie but confession of mine owne vilenesse nothing in my sinfull flesh but corruption matter of severe judgement to thee who art a God of pure eies and argument of terrour and despaire to my selfe most impure in sinne was I conceived and borne a child of wrath and disobedience my whole life hath abounded with that which bringeth forth fruit only unto death I have not done the good which thy sanctifying spirit made me willing to doe the evill that I would not I have done I have not rendred unto thee according to thy goodnesse when I would summe up my sins they so much exceed all numbers that my heart faileth mee my conscience telleth me of my wilfull neglects of thy service and disobedience to thy word concluding my whole life no better then sinfull but how many waies I have offended thee when I observed not thou only knowest how many are the failings which though I through spirituall blindnesse and carnall security have not observed that I might judge and condemne my selfe for them thereby to prevent thy severe judgement shall yet by no meanes escape thy strict examination and now O Lord what can I more doe then humbly beg thy pardon condemne my selfe renounce all confidence in the world and plead only thy mercy and the merits of thy sonne Jesus for my justification Lord looke upon me through him in whom thou art well pleased Nothing can be past or future to thy eternall wisdome look therefore on his bleeding wounds who did not in vaine dye for me let thy justice be satisfied in his obedience and suffering for all my sins And now O Lord seeing according to thy sentence on all mankind the time of my departure hence draweth high I humbly acknowledge this fraile condition to be the due wages of sinne which brought mortality into the world but thou who didst put thine owne image on me hast not made me for so short a life only as thou givest unto the beasts which perish thou hast no need of my miserie nor advantage in my destruction nor could so inestimable a price of my redemption as the blood of thy holy sonne Jesus be given for that which thou wouldst have perish eternally He must surely live for whom the resurrection and the life of Christ Jesus died Lord therefore seale up my redemption in my afflicted heart now that the Bride is neere send those holy comforters faith and assurance of thy mercy to adorne his own temple to lift up the everlasting doores of my soule that the king of glory and Lord of life may come in and change my vaine love of the world to love of heaven who will change my vile body that it may be like his own glorious body let me hence forth live his life no more mine own assured thereby of the repaire of mine inward man to a joyfull resurrection and life of glory that he may be to me in life and death advantage that in full confidence of my union with and interest in him I may be willing to bee dissolved that I may be with him O holy Saviour who hast through death abolished death and him that had the power thereof take from me all carnall feare by bringing life and immortality to light unto my conscience thou that hast in thy hands the keyes of death and hell restraine the tempters malice and mischievous charges of my sinne-wounded soule make me faithfull unto the death and assure mee of the crowne of righteousnesse laid up for all that love thy appearing Raise me now to the life of grace that the second death may not touch mee And though thou bring this fraile flesh to the dust of the earth yet let not death have dominion over me Though it must to the appointed time separate my soule from this decaying tabernacle of clay let neither life nor death things present nor future seperate my soule from thee and thy Christ. I acknowledge thy mercy who justly mightest have taken me away in my sins by some sodaine and untimely death or set me who am by sinne a sonne of death in the condition of those who in horrour of a restlesse conscience and bitternesse of spirit seeke death and cannot finde it but O good God whose eye is upon them that feare thee to deliver their soules from death in whose hands are the issues thereof seeing thou hast thus long spared me now accomplish thy mercy in me be thou my God for ever and my guide unto my end and comfort in my end now when my heart trembleth in me the terrours of death are fallne upon me give me the long expected fruits of my hopes proposed to me in thy word O blessed Jesus who art the death of death now shew thy selfe my Saviour take from my afflicted soule the sting of death assure me of victory loose the paines allay the feare and sorrowes and sweeten the bitternesse of death untill in my enjoying thy presence it be swallowed up in victory O holy Saviour who hast had experience of all our miseries for sin wiâ—hout sin and hast admitted us to be baptized into the similitude of thy death and resurrection let me now feele in my languishing soule the power thereof O Christ whose humane soule in thy passion for my redemption was heavy to the death now mercifully consider my infirmitie who am going the way of all flesh now give
to the people in scorne and diâ—ision the chiefe Priests and Officers lead the peoples suffrages ringing out their crucify him crucify him Pilat startled as by his dreaming wives admonition so more at their mentioning his being the sonne of God goeth againe into the Pretory reexamineth him seekâ—s to deliver him yet for feare of complaint to Caesar so powerfull an adversary to good conscience is the love of this world against his often acquitting him as innocent he once for all condemneth him us guilty and delivereth him to the popular rage to crucifie him 8 They lead him away bearing his Crosse to Golgatha the place of skulls called also Calvarie where some thinke Adam was buried but others are of a contrary judgement One thing is certaine it was the area damnatorum and place of execution and it is most likely that Gods providence so disposed that he should there be crucified as there to set up the Trophe of his victory on the Crosse in that where sinne and the punishment thereof had abounded in the execution of notorious malefactors grace should manifest it selfe in his suffering there and that most ignominious kinde of death so also that he might take away the curse from the elect so suffering and that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophet he made his grave with the wicked and was counted with transgressours Isai 53. 9 12. this place was without the city having a resemblance of that which was to come that is that the maine benefit of his passion was not to be shut up in Jerusalem but to be derived also to the Gentiles who were without so he suffered in the place of sinners that it might import his suffering for sinners other moralls the Apostle openeth as to teach us to goe out of our carnall affections and love of the world to Christ and so he shewed himselfe the only satisfactory sacrifice prefigured in all the legall sacrifices whose bodies were burnt without the gates of Jerusalem Here they crucified him betweene two theeves the one converting the other dying in his obstinacy having so done they parted his garments among them and cast lots for his seamelesse coat thus was fulfilled that of the Psal 22. 18. Jesus commended his mother to John thirsting they gave him vinegre to drinke as was also foretold Psal 69. 21. having received that he said it is finished that is all the types have their meaning accomplished and the justice of God is satisfied so bowing his head he gave up the ghost 9 The certainty of his death appeared when the â—ouldiers comming to breake the leggs of the other two finding him already dead they spared him that the Scripture might be fulfilled which saith a bone of him shall not be broken but pierced his side with a speare so that blood and water came out At this time the Sunne was darkned so fearefully that some are said to have concluded that either the Godhead suffered or sympathized with that which did so The vaile of the Temple rent to shew the way into the holiest made manifest and that the stop or middle wall of partition betweene Jewes and Gentiles is taken away The stones clave in sunder the graves opened the earth trembled And after his resurrection many of the dead Saints arose and were seene in the holy city to shew that in his death death was conquered and that the vertue of his resurrection should shortly after declare it selfe in the Saints rising from the death of sinne The Centurian seeing this acknowledged him the Sonne of God the multitude smote their breasts and returned home 10 Joseph of Arimathea begg's the body of Jesus takes it from the Crosse he and Nicodemus imbalme it put it into linnen cloaths with the spices and bury it in a new Sepulcher in a garden nigh the place the providence of God thus disposing to convince their malitious cavills who might pretend that either his resurrection was caused by the vertue of some other servant of God there formerly buried as one was at the touch of Elisha's bones or that it was some other rose againe not Jesus He was buried according to the Scriptures 1. Cor 15. 4. Psal 16. 10. thou wilt not leave my life in grave There were many witnesses thereof Joseph Nicodemus the women the Centurian with his band the Jewes sealing the tombe Thus he descended to the lowest step of his humiliation that he might follow death into the heart of his dominion and conquer him in his imperiall seat destroying as it were with his own sword the Goliah who had the power of death as it is written O death I will be thy plagues O grave I will be thy destruction that he might sanctifie our house of rest taking away the horrour of the grave the curse of death being abolished and the dead loosed from their bonds as shall appeare in the appointed houre We are next to beleeve the first degree of Christ's exaltation in that he rose againe from the dead the third day according to the Scriptures 1. Cor 15. 4 reckning the later part of the first day the second entire and the beginning of the third So Christ told his Disciples that he must goe to Jerusalem suffer many things of the Elders and be killed and raised againe the third day this was so publikely knowne before his death that his enemies remembred and spake of it so that this was the reason why they sealed up and set a guard upon the Sepulchre God so disposing that they should be made witnesses of the truth thereof who most opposed it which had they not beene they might with lesse impudency have said his Disciples came by night and stole him away The Angell testifying his resurrection referreth them to that he had told them before the type also agreeth as Jonas was three daies and three nights in the Whales belly so shall the Sonne of man be three daies and three nights in the heart of the earth so long he would lye in grave to manifest the truth of his death but no longer because he was not to see corruption and least the faith of his Disciples should by a longer delay have beene in hazard and lastly to fulfill his word concerning the same for the confirmation of our faith seeing his word concerning his own death and resurrection came truely to passe why should we doubt of the same word concerning our resurrection In this three daies the Deity was the middle band betweene the body and the humane soule that it might see corruption proper to sinners as before the humane soule was betweene the Deity and body in all he became a pledg of our incorruption and immortalitie in the life to come to consirme us herein he manifested himselfe to many after his resurrection by the space of forty daies See 1. Cor 15. 5.
to the wicked Princes and Priests is treason against the City Pauls madnesse to Festus moving of sedition and heresie to Tertullus and blasphemie to the Jewes 5. Pride as 't is written they dealt proudly and heâ—rkned not unto thy commandements they who in the height of a carnall heart resolve not to change their resolutions cannot abide to heare any thing dissenting the proud heart cannot endure any contradiction 6. Love of the world the tares thereof choke up the good seed so that it cannot finde roome in the heart to fructify this makes the negotiators excuse their not comming to the spirituall feast they must prove their Oxen and survey their new purchases the married thinke they owe no excuse this makes Felix put off hearing the Gospell to some convenient time when Satan and the world will this makes the formall hypocrite who will seeme a great servant and lover of the word goe away heavy if it bid him sell and give to the poore or secretly murmur if it touch his fraud of fals weights resolving to follow the word no further then it will comply with his gains the Prophet describeth such they heare thy words but they will not doe them with their mouth they shew much love but their heart goeth after their covetousnesse c. 7. Satans subtilty distracting their thoughts so that they attend not and catching away that which is sowed in their heart perverting the sense embittering wholsome doctrine with some dislike distast irksomenesse of the hearer or suggesting some impertinent thoughts so to sill and busie the mind that it cannot attend to nor receive the word the mind of a good hearer must be like the arke of the testimony in which was onely the tables of the Law The conditions necessary to profitable hearing are that we take heed 1 Whom 2. What. 3. and how we heare 1. Christs sheep will not hearken to a stranger Joh. 10. 5. and God saith of seducers Thou shalt not hearken to the voyce of that Prophet 2. We must take heed what we heare Mark 4. 24. Evill Words corrupt good manners 3. We must he cautious how we heare Luk 8. 18. The gate of life and death had need be guarded with all diligence while Eve left it open to the Serpent shee quickly perished The conditions of hearing are that we must heare 1. Faithfully without which the word profiteth not the learner must beleeve specially in Gods schoole wee must not perversely affect to bring Gods assertions to the touchstone of our sense or carnall â—eason to make the Lawes of our owne faith with Thomas I will not beleeve except I see or to require demonstration and proofe of Gods truth whose part it is to pronounce not to proove because he is the onely competent witnesse to himselfe all the creatures can adde no credit to his assertions it is enough to conclude a thing true if we can prove that God said it because he is essentially truth whatsoever is not true is neither God nor of God It is impossible for him to lye as 't is impossible for him not to be or to change his being true now because wee are not capable of the infinite counsell and truth of God he complieth with our capacity and speaketh after the manner of men by litle litle destilling that dew of heaven on our understandings which may not overwhelme and drowne them but make them fruitfull not powring out his depths of knowledge on us as he can speake but as we can apprehend Therefore we must adore those mysteries which we cannot examine and beleeve every syllable of Gods word to be infallibly true though our reason come infinitely short of sounding the depth thereof 2. Attentively we must come to a sermon not for feare or fashion but with an hearty desire to be edified and therein shake off all oscitancie carelesse drouzinesse and wandering thoughts which will else render all our worke fruitlesse the Auditors thirst to heare is the speakers supply when they attend the spirit powreth out abundantly as the widowes oyle encreased while there were vessels to receive it bee thou present in minde indeed to receive the word or else a bodily presence will no more profit thee then did Satans appearance among the Saints advantage him bring me an heart free from all worldly distractions said Chrysostome hearing is the port of wisdome the sense of descipline admirable is the power of the tongue which the good God gave to be the soules interpreter that the spirits of men otherwise close prisoners in those houâ—es of clay might convay a mutuall intelligence and communicate their secret senses to each other through the eare the heathens intimated 〈◊〉 their legends of Amphion building the walls of Thebes and Orpheus charming the eare with notes so sweet that he made brutes attentive brought some from the dead we better knowe the morall in the admirable power of speaking able to unite men in civill societies and an holy communion to edifie and by the power of Gods spirit working therein to raise the dead in sinne to newnesse of life but all this must be done with an attentive eare the hearing eare so the Hebrewes put 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cor audiens for an understanding heart 1 King 3. 9. without whose attention it cannot be 3. Prudently which is 1. By resolving to obey Gods word in every part this is the end of our hearing not the hearers but the doers of the Law shall be justified be yee doers of the word and not hearers only deceiving your own selves Happy are they who heare and do thereafter too many are all for hearing and nothing for practice like those monstrous Fanetii who had eares disproportionably great for the body if the whole were hearing where were the smelling 't is the symtome of a queazie stomacke to desire to tast many things and to be able to digest nothing The word of God is quicke and active like the snow and raine it doth not in vaine descend but doth his will who sent it making the good grow up to the blessing and the evill like fowle weedes more ranke for the fire 't is as the Arke at Obed Edoms house a blessing at Ashâ—od a curse we must not thinke 't will lye dead it maketh the disobedient like the first sinner slie and strive to hide from God it leaves him excuselesse to the more stripes by how much more he knew his masters will and would not doe it read Deut â—9 19 20 21. wee many times wonder why the Lord afflicteth us we may easily know 't is for the contempt and neglect of his word we heare but obay not except where we please which is indeed to idoll our own affections not to serve God we at our pleasure make free choice which of Gods
and change of the Leviticall Law and Priesthood he ordained for this new covenant of grace a new Sacrament and seale thereof that it succeeding the Passeover might declare him to be the only Lamb of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world to shew and represent his death untill his comming againe to leave his Church a badge of distinction from insidells and a parting token and pledge of his love assuring the faithfull of his continuall love toward them 4. The visible signes herein are Bread and Wine the thing signified is the participation of the body and blood of Christ the benefits of whose death and passion being apprehended by faith accrew to us as our mysticall union with Christ our incorporation into him our reconciliation with God and the nourishment of our soules to eternall life 5. These signes doe not barely represent the body blood of Christ unto us but doe also truly exhibit the same so that Christ is truly there and we doe by faith truly eate his flesh drinke his blood but spiritually and mystically not carnally and bodily for neither is the bread converted into the body of Christ nor is that with or under the species thereof for if there be not visible signes distinct from that which is thereby signified it can be no Sacrament we do indeed eate his body and drink his blood as we who are many are yet indeed truly one body in and with Christ that is mystically and spiritually 1. Cor 6. 17. To eate the body and drinke the blood of Christ is by a true faith in these outward signes bread and wine in the Sacrament inwardly to apprehend all the benefits of his passion and thereby to become partakers of his body so as that we are made flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone he dwelling in us and we in him The faithfull now eate drinke the same in this sacrament which the faithfull did before the incarnation of Christ in the Pascall Lambe and out of the rock that followed them that was Christ but they did not in the Passeover or out of the rock eate and drinke the body blood of Christ carnally but spiritually and sacramentally for how could they otherwise eat his body whâ—Ì„ as yet he had not taken any humane body on him so that whereas Christ said take eate this is my body we must remember that it was a sacrament he then instituted and therefore used a sacramentall phrase and manner of speaking wherein sometimes the signe is put for the thing signified as 1. Cor 11. 25. this cup is the new Testament sometimes the thing signified is put for the sign thereof Exod 12. 11. it is the Lords Passeover so they used to say eate the Passeover meaning the lambe the signe thereof so here this is my body that is a sacrament or signe thereof 1. The reprobate and elect communicate sometimes together in the elements and outward signes but the reprobate hath no part nor fellowship in the inward grace which was signified in that no part of the Pascall lambe might be carried out of the house nor any uncircumcised person eate of it 2. The elect here receiveth that spirituall refection which nourisheth his soule to eternall life but the reprobate eateth and drinketh his own damnation not discerning the Lords body but taking it as a thing of common use not sacred if the elect come unworthily he shall be punished with some temporall punishment for this cause many are weake sick among you and many sleep so the red sea was a defence to Israâ—l and destruction to the Egyptians 3. They receive unworthily who not understanding the end and institution or duty in this holy and dreadfull mystery required will yet presume for feare of humane censure fashion or company to venture on it without due reverence or preparation also unbelievers hypocrites malicious people and they who purpose to continue in any knowne sinne 4. They may be said to be fit or worthy ghests for the Lords table which understanding and well considering the institution end and due reverence herein required have the eye of faith fixed on Christ and on his merits for their redemption who out of a deep and inward sense of their owne unworthinesse judge and condemne themselves to prevent God's judgements who rest on the sole merits of Christ for their salvation who with all their hearts desire to forsake all their sinnes that they may serve God sincerely who are in charity with all men who with humble and reverend hearts receive this sacrament with all thankfulnesse shewing their dependance on Christs sacred ordinance obedience to his holy will and their expectation of his making good all his promises therein Seeing this is a matter of so high concernment it importeth every Christian. 1. to consider how he ought to prepare for his receiving it 2. how to receive it 3. what to doe after receiving 1. For thy preparation 1. Examine thy self before thou presume to come whether thou do understand the institution meaning and end of this Sacrament and if not learne of them that are able to instruct thee herein 2. Examine whether thou hast true faith assuring thee that Christ dyed for thee and with his eye of mercy and omniscience in his passion as well looked on thee as those believers who stood by his crosse then though thy faith be weake if thou hunger and thirst for righteousnesse come to this table that thou maist be strengthened The woman was cured who said in her heart If I may but touch the hem of his garment if thou beleeve in touching and tasting these signes and seales which he hath appointed to derive vertue to thy soule thou shalt be healed 3. Examine whether Christ dwell in thee by his holy spirit daily mortifying thy corrupt affections and quickning thee to the life of grace which will shew it selfe in sanctified desires thoughts words and actions at lest in sincere intention of the heart and some ability to keep Gods holy lawes without any the least purpose to yeeld indulgence to the breach of any of them The soule cannot be in the body but it shall be discovered by some acts of life and motion the being of the Arke at Obed Edoms house appeared in his thriving how much more shall the presence of Christ. 4. Examine whether thou do heartily repent thee of every sinne which thou hast committed if so then though remorse of conscience create thee feares and doubtings come to the Lords table who inviteth the heavy laden to comfort them the brazen serpent was a type of Christ that had the forme of a serpent without venome and Christ the forme and nature of man without sinne he that was stung with fiery serpents by looking up to the brazen serpent was presently cured and he
making void all other excellent vertues in them for want of love which is the life of true religion and the infallible marke of Christ's disciples much more doth he labour to keepe us ignorant of God that wee may be so unhappy as not to love him his first assault of man was by his suggesting jealousie betweene man and his creatour by that pestilent cloud to vaile the goodnesse of God toward man in a due consideration whereof he could not but have loved and adheared to him and to make man suspect and disbeleeve the truth of God yea said he hath God said yee shall not eate yee shall not die for God doth know that in the day yee eate thereof your eyes shall be opened and yee shall be as Gods knowing good and evill 2. Remember what he hath done and continually doth for us love followeth love if we can but be throughly perswaded that he loveth us we cannot but love him Consider what great love he hath shewed us electing creating redeeming and preserving us when Christ but shed some teares at Lazarus grave the Jewes said Behold how he loved him what would they have said if they had knowne that he came to shed his heart blood for them consider what he doth in our preservation who blesseth us with increase who makes the earth bring forth who makes the clouds drop fatnesse and crowneth the yeares with plenty who keepeth us when we sleepe from the powers of darknesse never wanting power nor will but onely commission to destroy us who can and will keepe us when we are breathing out our soules we love our deare friends who then cannot keepe us because they would consider I say not if there be not reason but necessity that wee love him that onely can and certainly will preserve us then 3. Learne a due estimate of secular things and to alienate thy affections from them that they may be taken up with things â— on high the more thou emptiest thy soule of those the more capable it will be of these vaine loves cares delights and desires bewitch the greatest part of the world transporting men in a fantisticke dreame of happinesse and prosperity when here 's nothing constant but inconstancie nothing permanent and perpetuall but perpetuall and suddaine changes in Gods love onely there is constancie every thing else yea this world and the fashion thereof changeth mens loves are fickle as the wind they admire and presently loath the same they curse and blesse like Michaes mother at a breath in the sense of their losse or gaine a little seeming injury blasteth their love yea the change of the externall estate changeth their affections who by the mercenary ballance of present profit weith amity with God and men these wethercocks turne with every shift of the winde these shadowes appeare onely in prosperity wherein they follow and will not be beaten off with Ruths importunity that nere so litle clouded they vanish But Gods love is constant and unchangeable he will knowe thy soule in adversity if any unkindnesse reall injuries dishonours and rebellions could change him who had not long since perished 'T was said of that Turkish Emperour in his favour was no constancy and in his least disfavour death but God is of infinite patience mercy though he be every day provoked and in his favour is eternall life 4. Pray him to give thee an heart to know and love him to draw thee that thou maist follow him to shew thee his marvellous loving kindnesse to acquaint thee with his goodnesse Moses desired to see Gods face not to satisfie his curiosity but to fill his affection with Gods love As the Spouse cryed Cant 1. 7. Tell me O thou whom my soule loveth where thou feedest where thou makest thy flockes to rest at noone The motives to incite us to love God are infinite as is his goodnesse the more obvious to us are 1. The great and admirable promises according to which he sheweth mercy unto them that love and obey him See Ex. 20. 6. Luk 10. 27. 28. 1 Cor 2. 9. Jam 1. 12. 2. Love of God is that same ballance of the sanctuary by which all duties must be weighed it is that same salt of the covenant without which no sacrifice can be savory and acceptable it is that holy fire which came from heaven wee may offer no sacrifice without it the devill is obedient but not for love but feare and compulsion it is the summe of the first table of the law it is the maine which God requireth of us for our good because he hath a delight in us Epictetus summe of philosophie was in two words susteine and absteine the summe of Gods law is in this one love and thou hast fullfilled the law no woonder that he saith my yoke is easy and my burden light what burden more light and easie then that love which maketh men happy then that which parity maketh such by his free mercy who saith yee are my freinds What lesse would we doe if we were left to our owne disposing then love so good a God 3. It is a certaine demonstration of Gods love to us none can love him but those whom he loveth first we love him because he loved us first therefore he sheddeth abroad his love in our hearts and it is a certaine token of our adoption and remission of sinnes as our Saviour said many sinnes are forgiven her for she loved much where 〈◊〉 for importeth not a cause but a consequence and certaine signe of her sinnes remission love covereth the multitude of sinnes whether wee instance in Gods love to us or ours to him it proceedeth wholly from him as the waters come through the subterraneous unseene passages from the sea which seeme first to contribute their constant streames to the filling up of her vast channels so it is with our loves which are none other but a meere restuâ—nce of Gods love iufused into our hearts by his holy spirit for love is of God and God is love 4. Not to love God is the heigth of the most wretched ingratitude all unthankfulnesse concludeth a man inhumane and wicked but this maketh him most impious and unhappy he loveth us first before we were so elected us to eternall salvation he gave us all that we have and are hee gave us his own image in our creation his own Son in our redemption he feedeth protecteth preserveth heareth us forgiveth our sinnes giveth us all good things to make us happy if we did not make an ill use of all seeing then he being so great and excellent loved us first so much freely wee being such and so unconsiderable we ought and canâ—ot without greatest ingratitude but love him he is too hard-hearted who though hee cannot first love will not requite 5. Love uniteth and likneth lovers with men
will I hide my selfe from him 6. Suspect not thy friend unjust suspition overthroweth freindships fundamentall lawes if thou count thy freind faithfull thou shalt thereby make him such Nor is this against the rule of wisedome which bids thee keepe the power of that which may nourish freindship in thine own hand Give not saith the wise man thy sonne and wife thy brother and friend power over thee while thou livest give not thy selfe over unto any Yet no man loveth those whom hee cannot beleeve nor beleeve those he cannot love as hatred and suspect so love and confidence are indivisibly united 7. Be constant to thy freind in every estate prosperous and adverse in presence and absence Thine own friend and thy fathers freind forsake not levity and inconstancy of mind is inconsistent with friendship That the prosperous man may reckon many freinds the afflicted but few sheweth that among many acquaintance there are but very few freinds that many love thy fortune not thee freindship which can change with externall estate was never true a freind loveth at all times and a brother is borne for adversity in prosperity 't is hard to judge whether the person or estate be loved prosperity findeth friends but adversity tryeth them a true friend therefore is neither knowne in prosperity nor hid in adversity Like the starre of a cleare heaven neither seen in the day nor concealed in the darkest shades of night as the wise man saith there is a freind that sticketh closer then a brother a false freind like Jobs brooke in the winter when wee have no need of him overfloweth with tenders of his service and shews of kindnesse but when it is hot they are consumed out of their place the troupes of Tema looked the companies of Sheba waited for them and were ashamed as are they who finde contempt neglect where they looked for the love of a constant freind there are shadowes of freinds which will goe with you in all your actions you cannot shake them off which yet vanish so soone as your prosperitie commeth under the clowd there are some vaine â—iphers whom place only brings to some accompt whose honours so much change their manners that they cannot looke so low as an old freind which concludeth levity weaknesse of minde selfe-love foolish pride and ignorance of the rules of wisdome piety and true honour which knoweth a faithfull compliance in every estate and like the sun to shine with the same unchanged though more perfect light in his exaltation or heigth and in his rising on the mole-banke and on the mountaine on the smooth and on the troubled waters it was a rare piety in Ruth to resolve concerning the afflicted Naomi entreat me not to leave thee for whether thou goest I will goe where thou dyest I will dye and there will I bee buried the Lord doe so to me and more also if ought but death depart thee and mee and it was a patterne of the most noble freindship which was betweene Jonathan and David there was a nexus animarum more then the love of women the soule of Jonathan was knit with the soule of David he loved him as his owne soule which he demonstrated in his constant fidelity to him on all occasions 8. Beare with the seeming injuries which proceed from thy freinds weaknesse considering that we yet converse not with Angells of heaven but imperfect men and that our selves must have the same favour of candid interpretations in many of our actions wherein we may bee misunderstood or possibly besides our intentions hurt our freind 't is wisdome to passe by offences love to cover faults and piety to beare each others burden where all are infirme without this we can hold no amity with men but shal be foolish freinds overcaptioâ—s querulous or like Jobs miserable comforters injuriously bitterly censorious ever finding fault displeased withall of bitter spirits like contentious Ismaël our hand against every man and every mans against us or rugged Nabal living to none but himselfe this vanity of impatience drave that humane monster the times prodigie nature's paradox man-hating man the dogged Timon from the society of men 9. Reveale no secret of thy freind he that is of a faithfull spirit concealeth the matter rehearse not unto another that which is told unto thee if thou hast heard a word let it dy with thee and be told it will not hurt thee a foole travaileth with a word his minde who useth to tell newes is like the breaches in water banks you shall hardly make it hold but who sodiscovereth a secret looseth his credit and shall never finde a freind to his minde love thy freind and be faithfull unto him but if thou bewraiest his secrets follow no more after him a wound may be bound up and after reviling there may bee reconcilement but he that bewraieth secrets is without hope 10. Conceale not thy frends vertues if by speaking thou maist encourage him therein or wherein thou maist laudando praecipere teach him by praising him neither his faults if thou maist by detection amend or better him least thy silence make them thine Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart thou shalt rebuke him and not suffer sinne upon him or that thou beare not sinne for him hee loveth not who had rather venture his freinds soule then his favour in case he should distast a reproofe every one that spareth is not a freind nor every one that smiteth an enemie it is better to love with severitie then to deceive with lenity the wounds of a lover are faithfull but flattery in evill is treason against the soule of thy freind by so much worse then any other but how much greater heaven is then earth eternity then time a wise man will be glad to be reprooved and amended by any and take him to be a freind by whose tongue hee may cleanse the spots of his soule before the appearance of the strict judge A faithfull freind like a true glasse will shew thee to thy selfe as thou art how many men are unhappy only in the want hereof who having in them many excellent parts imitable qualities mixed as 't is with men with some apparent blemishes taking much off from the opinion of their worth were easily mended because wise had they but a prudent frend to discover their failings to them I beleeve hence was the complaint of the Philosopher so frequent in his mouth O freinds there 's none to freind we easily discover others faults but our owne hardly with inconvenience we owe to our native selfe-love herein we ought to helpe one another not fearing how that will be taken which is our freinds advantage and our duty Certainly if thou rebuke a wise man hee will love thee for it seeing thy sincerity which if he be not hee is better lost then
nolle let no man be thy freind who is not God's least thou heare Jehoshaphats reproofe from Jehu the Seer shouldst thou helpe the ungodly and love them that hate the Lord Therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord. 4. Lastly we are to consider whom to avoid as not accommodate to true frendship 1. The Parasite or flatterer hee must bee a very wise and good man who can safely heare his own praises they beat me said Ignatius the Martyr who praise me what praises doe to the foolish I observe not how they affect the prudent may appeare in Demosthenes taken with the whisper of a silly woman saying as he passed by this is that Demosthenes if they said Augustine with whom thou livest well commend thee not they are in fault but if they doe thou art in danger Betweene Pride and selfe-love too vaine credulity of a mans owne worth on the one part and inactive and fruitlesse dejection of mynde on the other the soule is in danger of the rocke in one extreame the safest use of praises is a serious calculation of that summe of merit which we owe to opinion if false or to God if true that we may strive to be such as we are reported though perhaps falsely The Philosopher said of all wild beasts the railer is most dangerous of tame the flatterer that can be no true friendship where there is deceitfull flattery when he speaketh faire beleeve him not for there are seven abominations in his heart Prov 26. 25. 2. The Backbiter he that will secretly raile at others absent is of an ill kinde and if thou displease him will not spare thee 't is their nature to bite beware of such trust them not with any interests of freindship when thou art present he will speake sweetly and will admire thy words but at last he will alter his speech and slander thy sayings I have hated many things but nothing like him for the Lord will hate him To this classis may be referred they who be of bitter spirits and so by reason of that gall overflowing the tongue distastfull acrimony of censuring all men and rugged morosity are rather company for beares then men such was churlish Nabal so wicked that a man could not speake to him David sent a civill message to him and he railed on the messengers 3. The Proud man can never bee a true freind who overvalueth himselfe and despiseth others he is apt to conceive indignity quarrell or some secret bitternesse on every occasion 4. The Talkative man can be no good freind because he cannot keep counsell there bee some men of such unguarded lips then rather then not tell some secrets they will reveile their owne never thinke they will conceale thine 5. Neither the man of a treacherous nature if thou wouldest ingratiate with a serpent feed him warme him in thy bosome thou shalt never make him better then a serpent hee will sometimes make use of his venome 't is so wtih a treacherous freind 6. Neither the contentious froward factious or seditious man make no freindship with the angry with a furious man thou shalt not goe meddle not with them that are seditious or given to change 7. Neither the wicked my sonne walke not thou in the way with them refraine thy foot from their path they are blessed who walke not in their counsell as Jacob said of Simeon and Levi O my soule come not thou into their secret unto their assembly mine honour be not thou united Take heed of any familiarity with those who must render thee suspected of that which any waies may whatsoever may bee probably feigned of thee prevent it that it may not be which rule of his owne if Jerom had practised he had avoided that malitious censure and calumny of some concerning his familiarity with Eustachium and others 8. Lastly take heed of him that loveth no man but for his owne ends 't was noted of Alexander's two freinds Craterus and Hephestion he loved the King but this Alexander there are table-freinds which like those domestick vermine daily on thee will be sure to leave thee when thy house is falling the wise man noted it Ecclus. 6. 10. c. So come we to speake of love towards men considerable in the last branch therof how it ought to be even to our enemies There is no good man liveth without some enemies who liveth by men which of the Prophets have they not persecuted There 's nothing so sacred with that sad Erynnis malice will not â—ly at no wonder that kings the greatest of men Solomon the wisest of kings and David the best of wise men had enemies Christ Jesus the king of kings had no fault but yet many enemies and to shew us the bitternesse of the enmity he suffered for us those the seeming holiest of that age the austere Scribes and Pharisees the reason is because there is a malitious devill who being truly hatefull by the enmity set betweene man and him ceaseth not to infuse the bitternesse of his own cursed spirit into men that they may be like him hating one another The maine businesse therefore is not so much to strive that we may have enemies as to make a right use of them which may be if we can 1. Beare no malice 2. Love them 3. Better our selves by their wickednesse 1. Malice is inveterate anger unadvised anger is murder of the heart but if deliberate wilfull Let not the sunne goe downe on thy wrath What shall they doe at the day of judgement on whose anger many yeares sonnes go down witnesses The parents of anger are opinion of injurie and vaine elation and pride of minde making men thinke none so good as themselves God forbiddeth this bitternesse of soule Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart Levit 19. 17. it maketh men homicides and like Cain murderers of their brethren subject to eternall death it is that which separateth a man from the love and knowledge of God it is the mother of contention a devillish influence on the soules of men and Satan's lively image in the wicked as love is of God in the regenerate whom hee laboureth to destroy by each others hands at whose contentions and actions of hostility he stands and secretly rejoyceth while hee who hateth all can set them one upon another to their mutuall destruction so he engaged Paul with unreasonable men not only with beasts at Ephesus but sundry other places The heathens seemed to knowe this venome of society in the fable of the Serpents teeth sowed by Cadmas of which sprang up those earth-borne brethren who with intestine discord and warre presently destroyed each other The Apostle warned hereof If yee bite and devouer one another take heâ—d yee bee not consumed one of another Serpents live quietly with Serpents what a shame is it for
pretenders ot Christianity to be worse then serpents A man that hateth his brother sometimes carrieth in his breast a vaine anger impotent to revenge with desiring though without effect he maketh his soule guiltie thereof But suppose thou hadst received a true injury and hadst power to retaliate first thou makest God a party against thee who declareth that vengeance is his peculiar and prohibiteth thee from attempting or desiring it so that in the execution of thy malice thou dost but wound thy selfe through thine enemies garment againe in reason when thou feelest the sting of injury I demand is it good Why dost thou blame thyne enemie Is it evill why would'st thou imitate him If one must be evill of the two the doer or the receaver of injury let mine enemie be evill if he will needs let me be good what ever I suffer let me beare no malice what ever I beare no enemy can hurt me so much as that 2. We must love our enemies for Gods sake who without exception so commandeth who reconciled us when wee were enemies by the death of his only sonne Christ died for us when we were wicked he went about doing good healing their infirmities who sought his life he healed Malchus eare who came to apprehend him he prayed for his persecutors so Joseph forgave his brethren so Stephen interceeded for his murderers this is a signe of the sonnes of God this he apeth coales of fire on the enemies head if when he hunger thou feed him either to kindle a love of reconciliation with thee or Gods anger and revenge against him and herein the excellency of Gods children beyond any of the children of this world appeareth these love their freinds only they both freinds and enemies patient of injuries and ready to forgive how should they else say in their dayly prayer forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespasse against us with a minde disagreeing with their words and a prayer dissenting from their deeds by that covenant making themselves uncapable of pardon if they forgive not 3. Lastly that we may make a right use of enemies which is to better our selves by their exercising our patience and obedience to God we must observe these rules following 1. If thou love thy selfe entertaine no malice in thy heart under any pretence a loathsome toad-cage is incomparably better then a malitious heart where likely not Magdalens seven devills but whole legions quarter the most ougly serpents whom all hate and wish destroyed are in their kinde good and so better then a malitious hater of his own flesh 2. Love thine enemies nature and person whose faults thou must hate our anger and censure must go between these so David hated the haters of God 't is the precept hate the evill and love the good 3. Be just toward thine enemie charge no more upon him then that of which he is truely and certainly guilty and be thou modest not saying the worst least thy censure reâ—lect upon thy selfe who art guilty of many sinnes if not the same thou blamest in another consider whether that which were but just for thine enemy to heare will become thee to speake and beware least for thy uncharitable and rigid severity thou be permitted to the same or some more greivous temptation from which if thou hast beene kept I know t was not thy merit but Gods free mercy who put the difference between the judge and the convented malefactor for malice or revenge or without a lawfull calling before a Judge or Magistrate to divulge the faults of thine enemie though certainly knowne to thee is a breach of the same law which saith there shalâ— not beare false witnesse 4. Looke equally on thine enemies vertues as on his vices be not like the troublesome flies which are commonly setling on the soares passing over the sound parts malice hath false eyes ever lessening other mens merits and multiplying their faults which is the reason why the malitious ever judge them evill whom they hate as impious Ahab confessed in his opinion â—f good Michaiah it is thine honour and sincerity to give thine enemie his due commendation 5. Let not thy heart rejoyce in thyne enemies evill it is but a vaine pretence to charity if thou canst bee glad for any evill befalling thine enemie 't is certaine thou canst not be hid from God 6. Be thou neither foolish nor ignoble in thy desire of revenge as they are who hurt themselves rather then spare their enemie as indeed all doe who affect revenge hereby taking their cause out of Gods hand who would justly execute it for them so doe they who disclose secrets entrusted to them with in the verge of former freindship and they who by any other base office serve their own malice 7. Make no man thine enemie whom thou canst justly keepe to friend to loose a friend rather then a fancie of mirth or anger is a symptome of great levity to contend with an equall is dangerous with a superiour madnesse and with an inferiour sordid therefore as much as in thee is provoke no man but have peace with all The old courtier being demanded how hee attained to that rarest thing in Courts old age replied by receiving injuries and giving thankes 'T is great wisedome to passe offences hee that taketh notice of every injury shall finde no quiet in this world 8. Strive to overcome thine enemie with goodnesse I will fight and contend with thee said Alexander to king Taxiles in honesty and courtesy because thou shalt not exceed me in bounty and liberality It is an happy use of enmity to emulate the vertues of a noble enemy and nobly to entertaine the charges of the base which may best be done by putting the whole contention on this issue who shall be more holy and vertuous It is the most divine victory to overcome malice with love and mercy The beast may overcome with strength the serpent with subtiltie the devill with revenge and malice but vertue is the Saints victory malice is the mother of witchcrafts and nurse of maleâ—ices but clemency and vertue is the shame and confusion of an ignoble enemie the envy or emulation of the truly noble more foiling him then policy or violence could doe the holy may be over-matcht and dy Yet are they not properly overcome who by dying become more honourable and happy then those by whom they suffer He that is excelled in vertue as was noted of some of Caesars enemies must yeeld faist thou he is wicked hath offended me I shall not only invite new injuries by bearing the old but suffer in my reputation as if I durst not revenge when I might Yet first consider thy selfe in how many things and how often hast thou offended God what doth Christ daily forgive thee or thou must perish not to say how vaine and worthlesse that reputation is which is built upon
the opinion of the unwise wicked doe but consider that wise men looke most to the end that they have rightly proposed to themselves which if they attaine their worke is done whether by force or counsell they passe not they looke to the end through just meanes Suppose thine end is to overcome thine enemie if thou mightest make free choice of the meanes tell me wouldst thou overcome him by good or evill by vertue or violence by excelling him in goodnesse or equalling him in evill 'T is an epidemick madnesse to thinke there is no victory but in violence and requiting evill with evill becomming as damnable as their enemies 9. Lastly resolve that every injurie shall better thee doth thine enemie hurt thee Let it occasion thee to pray for him aud to enter into a serious examination of thine owne heart whether thou hast not injured him or some other upon discovery of injury done by thee repent and give satisfaction that God may give thee thy quietus est so will hee in his good time judge for thee ever looke to the hand that smiteth thee Assyria is but the rod of Gods anger God raised up enemies to Solomon It may be that God bad Sheimei curse be not like the foolish dog to bite the stone cast at him but looke to the cause which being removed the effect shall cease There are who bend their tongues to shoot out bitter words which God permitteth to admonish his servants of some unrepented sinnes which being discovered and repented of they proove ike Jonathans arrowes shott to warne not to wound Thy friends may possibly not see or seeing dissemble thy faults marke well what thine enemies say of thee let their vigilant malice apt to accuse thee make thee more carefully watch over thy waies least thy failings advantage them or give them just occasions of reviling thee and as Theseus is said to have cut off his comely lockes least his enemies should finde advantage by catching hold of them so doe thou all occasions of calumny how many men haâ—â— perished in their sinnes unseene had not the malice of enemies awaked admonished them And like Jason Phereus enemy cured them by wounding them Selfe-love is ever blinde and true friendship sometimes but malice hath a thousand eyes this Serpent is quick sighted to find out others faults seeing I cannot but be faulty and would not be so I had rather want many acquaintance then some enemies who may amend mee though for ill will I owe much to many good friends for other offices but most to mine enimies for this who yet through Gods mercy never hurt me but to the greater advantage of my soule I hope they who never could never shall A Prayer for Love and Charity O Lord God of mercy and compassion we humbly acknowledge that so many continuall have our rebellions been against thee that we deserve thine anger and that thoâ—â— shouldst arme all the hoste of heaven and the creatures under heaven against us but we humbly pray thee to pardon us for Jesus Christ his sake give us hearts to repent before the consummation of thy feirce wrath the day of thine anger come upon us to agree with our adversary quickly while we are yet in the way to seeke righteousnesse that we may be hid in the day of thine anger Lord our hope is in thee make us not a reproach to them that hate us withold not thy tender mercy from us let thy loving kindnesse and thy truth preserve us Thou who art the God of love and unity set thine own image again upon us and as thou hast loved redeemed us in the son of thy love Christ Jesus so give us hearts to love one another that thereby all men may knowe that we are his Disciples Lord deliver us not to the will of our enemies and oppressours but forgive us all that wherein we have any waies injured or justly offended our brethren make our waies so pleasing in thy sight that thou maist bee pleased to make our enemies at peace with us Turne their hearts and mischievous intentions as thou didst revengefull Esau's give them a true sight and sorrow for their sinnes that they may repent and bee saved Prevent and divert their malice that it may not proceed further to hurt themselves or us restraine the tempter that he may no more be able to set variance and his owne bitter influence malice and enmity between those whom thoâ— hast united by their adoption in Christ Thou hast promised the blessing on brethren who live together in unity give us that spirit that we may hold the sacred band thereof in peace that we may not bring a scandall on thy truth that our prayers be not hindred that our soules may be delivered from the snares of death in which the malitious are holden that we may all meet cheerefully before thy tribunall in the holy communion of Saints and blessed unity of the body of Christ to whom with thee O Father of love God of peace and the holy Ghost the comforter be rendred all honour glory praise and dominion in heaven and earth for ever and ever AMEN CHAP. XVIII § 1. Of the soule faculties thereof affections minde and thoughts in generall § 2. Of the corruptions of the heart the danger and difficultie of the cure § 3. Of the necessitie of right ordering our thoughts § 4. Rules of practice 1 THere are many things of whose being we know whose quality we knowe not all confesse wee have a soule which commandeth and restraineth in us what a one it is none can tell hence are those many disputes about its essence seat and subject with the subordinate faculties of it no man hath throughly beene acquainted with this secret governour in man some have defined it an harmonie some a divine vertue a particle of the deity some the most exile slender aire some a blood some heat or fire some number so innate is errour that we most erre concerning our owne selves more rightly doe they say who call it an immortall spirit an incorporeall substance created by infusion and infused in its creation made to the image of the Creatour capable of the light of understanding wisdome holinesse blessednesse and eternity so that in its conjunction with the body it ammateth giveth life action and motion wherein it differeth from an Angell and in its separation from the body for a time untill it shall be reunited in the resurrection it subsisteth as doe the Angells and then hath its proper acts and apprehensions as they Now as the eye seeth the eye in a glasâ—e so the soule knoweth it selfe by a kinde of â—reflex The soule is a divine ghest sent from heaven into these earthly Tabernacles to give them life and governe them yet is it neither seene comming nor departing it is an immortall forme of moâ—tall man the body decayeth the soule doth not being
not over thy minde to heavinesse and afflict not thy selfe in thine own counsell the gladnesse of the heart is the life of a man and prolongeth his daies Some mindes are like the sea which instantly turneth sweet showers into it own bitternesse because they indulge to impaâ—â—ence pleasing themselves with that which tormenteth them but the wise in every affliction lift up their soules to God seeking comfort in him and to the consideration of the life to come where shall be no more curse 3 no more discontent but every heart shall be filled with joy A Prayer against Impatience and discontent O Lord God gracious and mercifull I humbly acknowledge thy fatherly goodnesse in measuring to me those corrections which my sinnes daily provoking thy justice most justly deserve and thy abundant mercy in sparing mee whom in thy severity thou mightest not only have made the most miserable of all men living but also of those afflicted souls which now suffer in the flames of hell Lord as thou hast in Christ shewed me this mercy so for his sake forgive me all my sinnes and lay no more upon me then thou wilt make me able to beare cheerfully neither suffer me fraile dust and earth for any trials to fall from thee but give a blessed issue out of every triall Good Father correct me not in thine anger neither chasten me in thy heavy displeasure lest I perish in thy fierce wrath let thy corrections breed in mee a true sight and loathing of all my sinnes a filiall feare to offend thee a fixed resolution to love and serve thee more carefully to this end I humbly pray thee give mee assurance of my justification by Christ's righteousnesse my atonement with thee and such peace of conscience as the world can neither give nor take from mee that I may love thee above all and be truely thankeful to thee for all thy mercies temporal and eternal proposing to my selfe and having ever in my heart the example of my Saviour assuring me that he that suffered such things for me will not suffer mee to faile in any trial Lord sanctifie mee by his good Spirit and all my afflictions to mee by him cast out of my soule all those sinnes and corruptions for which thou fillest me with bitterness let the summe and height of all my ambition be only to be thine give mee a prudent and contented heart in every estate and condition a faithful dependance on thy good providence in assurance that thou who hast promised wilt never faile me nor forsake me that in every affliction I may expect thy gracious deliverance give me patience and meeknesse of spirit that I may in the midst of all my troubles finde rest to my soule in thee let not my heart be fixed on any worldly desires but on things which are above where Christ my peace sitteth at thy right hand take from mee all impatience bitternesse of spirit diffidence and the secret murmuring of flesh and blood let thy good spirit the comforter dwell in mee to keep and counsel me in the greatest and in the least affairs and interests spiritual and secular with his joyful presence so to sweeten all those Marahs of afflictions which thy providence shall set in my way to the promised rest as that I may ever rejoice in thee and in every estate live cheerfully before thee until thou please to bring mee unto the fulnesse of eternal joies in thy blessed presence where thou wilt wipe all teares out of mine eyes make mee glad with the light of thy countenance and unite me to that triumphant society of Saints and Angels which sing their Halleluiahs to thee eternally through Jesus Christ my Lord and blessed Saviour Amen CHAP. XX. § 1. Of Hope § 2. Of Feare § 3. Of Cares § 4. Of Iealousie 1. HEe liveth not who hath no hope the childe hopeth to be a man the old man to live one yeare more the poore man hopes for wealth the sicke man for health the imprisoned for liberty the afflicted that it may be better to morrow Hope makes the husbandman sow the weary Palmer endure his tedious waies the swimmer to spread his tyred armes upon the death-threatning waves thus hoping and suffering takes up the whole life of man 2. But there 's great difference in hopes there is an humane vaine hope then which there is none more dangerous delusion in this world such hope is but the name of an uncerâ—aine good 't is a treacherous guide leading to desperate precipices the minde 's ignis fatuus dreame of waking men it was the tempters artifice first to assaile man's innocency with vaine hope grounded on a lying promise without this he could do nothing against us First he sheweth the forbidden fruit then saiâ—h in the day yee eate thereof yee shall be as Gods the vaine hope tooke unhappy man so he assailed the second Adam when he shewed him the Kingdomes and Glory of the world so still hee sheweth us false heavens to precipitate us into a true hell suggesting vaine hopes that he might bereave us of the true Who sinneth without some vaine hope whetheâ— the instance be in Cain's murder Amnon's lust Juda's treason or Achitophel's despaire the sinner hoped for some other proceed of his resolutions then he found in his acted sin The worst hope for some good but all in vaine the hope of the wicked must faile because God's Justice cannot Wee must expect because reason is provident and till Time's glasse be runne there must be something future all which seemeth good save what wee see through feare and doubting so flattering a liberty of hoping for himselfe hath every man specially yong men who having least acquaintance with the falshood and constant inconstancy of the world relying much on hope and little on memory promise themselves great things but when the wicked sing requiems to their soules sudden destruction is upon them by so much more terrible by how much lesse suspected The hypocriteâ— hope shall perish their hope shall be sorrow of minde Job 11. ver 20. Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth and a sliding foot And truely such is confidence in an evill conscience however it may seeme to have made thee a covenant with death and an agreement with hell it will deceive thee However it promise long life and strength in an arme of flesh and the vain counsells of men raising thy hopes to high â—lights they are but dreames of deluded men breaking in the midst of their course giving thy minde dangerous strapadoes by carrying it up to cast it down from such heigth to make the fall more desperate How often do despairing wretches wish they had never hoped when the vaine shewes thereof like Pharoahs chariot wheels there fall off where they are most deeply engaged between floods of returning miseries 3. There is an hope of the righteous which faileth not
taketh not away faiths confidence but the security of the flesh 3. Lay up the promises of God therefore were they written that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope 4. Set not up thy rest in this world neither trust in any thing thereof it is but like a staffe of reed a loose rope at Sea a false friend forsaking in adversity the quick-sands on which foolish builders lay their foundation as Moses told Israel yee are not come to your rest all Worldly things change continually here can be no constancy among the sonnes of Men prosperity is but like a faire morning quickly overcast with hideous stormes like the morning dew soon vanishing like a faire flower a Jonah's gourd such is all Worldly joy there is no sure hope but in the living God who changeth not neither deceiveth trust 5. Take heed of vaine hopes specially those which are against right reason lest thou tempt God they deceive men such is their trust who contemne the ordinary means in expectation of miracles and they who doe things against the expresse word of God in vaine hope of pardon 6. Propose not too great things to thy selfe we are often the evident authors of our own sorrowes when we promise peace health and prosperity to our selves this high-flying ambition sometimes looseth it feathers and we fall into bitterness when we come short of that which we vainly promised our selves 'T were better never climb then rise to fall 7. Pray to the God of hope and consolation to infuse a sure hope and confidence into thy soule A Prayer for Hope O Lord God my earnest expectation and my hope my fortresse helper and deliverer though my numberlesse sinnes have deserved thy wrath so that thou maist justly cast me off into hopelesse despaire and finall destruction yet look upon me in mercy through thy Christ in whom thou hast commanded me to beleeve and promised remission of my sinnes and eternall life for his sake assure me thereof that there may be hope in my end Though thou now fill my wounded spirit with bitternesse removing me from peace and comfort so that forgetting prosperity I goe mourning all the day long though thou humblest my dejected soule with grievous weights of sorrowes and makest my eyes fountains of teares driving me to solitude and silence with them that mourne in Zion yet art thou good to them that waite for thee and to the soule that seeketh thee thy mercies are renewed every morning thy compassions â—aile not thou hast opened unto me the riches of thy mercies in Christ 〈◊〉 caused me to trust in thee thou hast according to thine abundant 〈◊〉 begotten me againe to a lively hope by the resurrection of Christâ—om â—om the dead of an inheritance incorruptible therefore my soule hath â—id thou art my portion therefore will I trust in thee Truth it is ô Lord that the hopes of the hills are vaine so is all confidence in man unhappy is that hope which is not in thee but in spight of Satans malice blessed must he be whose hope thou art he shall be like a tree planted by the waters of life which cannot faile because thou canst not deceive trust ô God of all consolation therefore now at last speake peace to my afflicted soule let me not be disappointed of my hope though thou please to weane me from the love of an unkind and trustlesse World by permitting me to such griefe and sorrow yet seeing thou art my trust from my youth let me not be ashamed of my confidence let thy mercy be still my hope and thy grace my strength amidst all the stormes and surges of afflictions fasten my soules Anchor on the land of the living my rock who is entred within the vaile to make requests for me give me patience to beare untill the time of comfort and refreshing shall come from thy gracious presence give me the helmet of salvation assurance of all that which thou hast promised in thy word and layed up for me in heaven let the experience of thy former goodnesse in many deliverances give me a doore of hope for the future that I may more and more trust in thee Thou who art the God of hope fill me with joy and peace in beleeving that I may abound in hope through the power of thy holy spirit Give me strong consolation and full assurance of thy mercy that continuing grounded and established in a stedfast hope of my resurrection to a life of glory at the appointed houre my flesh may rest in hope and my soule be cheerfully rendred into thy gracious hands to rest with thee through Jesus Christ my ever-blessed Lord and Saviour Amen 1. Feare is a pensive and sorrowfull expectation of some evill to come imminent or so supposed wee feare any thing which is evil reall or apparent many times that which is not feare is opposite to fortitude as one extream of participation and as it allayeth too much daring limits it and so is good but as it exceedeth in it extream pernicious There can be no vertue where there is no fortitude hee can never be holy toward God or honest toward men who dareth not to be so because Satan will be sure to work upoâ— the timerous putting before him continual though 〈◊〉 and vaine feares like hunters Suells to put the fearfull 〈◊〉 from the safe wayes so driving through pusillanimity 〈◊〉 timidity that he maketh them evill for feare of men whom the true feare of God cannot make good 2. To omit many acceptations of the word 1. There is a natural feare and that of two sorts in respect of the object first concerning the avoidance of sinne for the love of God so Adam in his innocency having heard the threatning feared to sin because he would not offend God whom he loved above all for however Adam in the temptation lost this feare and so sinned yet in the rectitude of his minde he had it before the temptation prevailed upon him and secondly concerning the avoidance of sorrow in apprehension of God's anger against sinne committed so Christ feared Matth. 26. 38. Heb. 5. 7. both without sinne neerest to this cometh the filial fear of the regenerate who though through infirmity they often sinne and feare to displease God by any offence as it is said The â—ear of the Lord is to hate evil This is the beginning of wisedome and it is principally in foure things 1. That wee set God ever before our eies living as in his sight and presence 2. That we know and acknowledg him as the omniscient witnesse and just Judge of all our thoughts words and actions 3. That wee feare not creatures in respect of him 4. That wee ever do that which is just and acceptable to him though none other can witnesse against us so did good Joseph and who ever is offended with us for the same so did Daniel and those other servants of God 2. There
is a feare of unbeleefe in them that love the sin but feare the punishment thereof this is that servile fear which affecteth the wicked which though it sometimes restraine them from the externall acts of sinne yet is it not master of any constant duety so soone as their feare is over they are as bad or worse then ever as wee see in Pharoah This feare becometh not the children of God because it is ever with a guilty conscience unbeleefe and expectation of God's just judgment on their sinnes without hope in Christ wherefore should I feare in the daies of evil said the Psalmist for God is with them I will feare none evill for thou art with mee The Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I feare the Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I be afraid the wicked feare where no feare is they feare not God for love of God but for self-love and feare of punishment as the Grecians worshiped their false gods and poor men the great Lords which is a symptom of a base and impious minde prohibited to the children of God to whom it is said Be not afraid of sudden fear for the Lord shall be thy confidence and shall keep thee from being taken Feare thou not saith the Lord for I am with thee be not dismayed for I am thy God I will strengthen thee and I will helpe thee Feare not for I have redeemed thee All which Precepts are to be understood of servile feare which is to despaire of God's mercy rendring men desperate not provident to avoid danger neither more earnest to flie to God for helpe The first may appeare in Jehoram's message Behold said that wreeth this evill cometh of the Lord should I any longer wait on the Lord and in that precipitate counsell Job 2. 9. Curse God and die The second effect we read in Jacob in danger of his life instantly praying and sending presents to appease his revengefull brother not to be afraid of God's judgements on sinne is carnal security and stupid carelesnesse of feared consciences not to feare imminent dangers is improvident torpor of minde not to feare the dreadfull presence of God must needs be in sinfull man ignorance of God and a mans own selfe Moses and Danielâ—eared â—eared this On the other part to be a timerous Antemon for feare keeping home continually with his two servants ever guarding his head with a brasse shield held over it is not only an impious but a ridiculous fear To feare men more then God as Saul did 1 Sam. 15. 24. is the feare of Hypocrites to feare without confidence in God for the diversion of evill as Belshazzar when seeing the hand writing upon the wall his knees trembled and the joints of his loines were loosed or as Saul at Endor is the fear of those who feare not God aright This fear is the perpetual torment of the wicked conscience an imperious mischief an anticipation of evill not yet come making a man unhappy not onely with present evills but with future which but for â—ear could no way reach him as that feare of inevitable death which maketh men continually die for feare of dying once But to feare God with a filiall feare proceeding of love to him is as the fountain of wisedome so of true happinesse God regardeth such he will deliver them and fulfill their desire hee will teach them the way of righteousnesse they shall want nothing that is good when they seeme most to lack they shall have supply of that or something better it shall be health and strength to them Understanding temporal blessings and eternal and a minde to doe good and deale uprightly with men as appeared in Obadiah 1 King 18. 3 12 13. and Joseph Gen. 42. 10. This feare maketh every little more then great riches to the wicked it is the souls Angel-guardian Innocencies keeper Securities antidote the mindes centinel to awaken it and give the alarme against the assaults of the subtile enemie This giveth a man â—â—ue and unâ—ailing confidence 't is the summe of that which God requireth of us Deut. 10. 12. the whole duety of a man 〈◊〉 12. 14. of this only is that saying true the mother oâ— the fearfull useth not to cry because such are truely blessed 3. Now because we are men not yet perfect in love and so subject to many fears and subject to many sinnes failings and hazzards and therein to some dangerous groavings of servile feare by God's mercy turned in the issue to our good for if we are so prone to sinne under so much feare what would wee be if wee were secure from all these like rules are necessary to the ordering of our thoughts in feares 1. For God's glory and thy salvation contemne any danger It was Christ's precept Feare them not who are able to destroy the body only for they cannot make thee unhappy they may adde to thy blessednesse if thou bearest injuries well These objects are only terrible like that Cumane asse in the Lions skinne to those that know them not or the Crocodile fierce against the fearfull fearfull of the daring or to the impatient who cannot stoop to take up the crosse which like Moses rod thrown down became a dreadfull serpent but at God's command resumed an harmless rod to divide the bitter floods and open a way into the promised rest many men great â—n their owne feares deluding fancy making that monstrous which right reason would discover hurtlesse in a constant and prudent resolution to meet with difficulties 2. Fear God and be not â—aint-hearted endeavour to set thy minde upon such a stay of moderation that thy resolution neither rise to temerity nor fall to timidity neither to dare nor to be afraid of all things nor of nothing but between both beare such a temper as that wisedom may have place to sit at the helme withoâ—t the interruption of either extream Sanctifie the Lord of hosts and let him be your feare and your dread and hee shall be your Sanctuary but feare not their feare who say a confederacy The present feare of God createth us an eternall security fear him and thou shalt not be afraid of man though I walke in the valley of the shadow of death I will fear none evil for thou art with mee Psalm 23. 4. The Lord is on my side I will not feare c. Psal. 71. 1. The feare of the Lord like Moses serpent devoureth all the inchanters serpents swalloweth up all other fears 3. In every danger lay to heart the omnipotency of God and learne to trust in him hee that so doth shall be safe when the fiery fornace was threatned Shadrah Meshach and Abednego they answered the incensed King Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us his
the precious blood of Christ and canst thou think that for want of a little meat drinke and cloaths hee will loose thee It is not a small thing that hee so valueth thy present life that hee giveth thee the lives of thy fellow creatures good for meat to preserve it Lord what is man cryed the Psalmist all is nothing to this hee gave thee the life of his sonne Jesus to save thy life eternally and canst thou be affected with such a feverish dream as to feare that hee will let thee perish for want of a little food and raiment 8. Consider how the lilies grow how hee feedeth the ravens shall hee not much more feed and cloath you upon whom hee hath put his own image the life is better â—hen meat or the body then raiment hee that gave the one will not faile to supply the other his providence descendeth to the preservation of the poorest and meanest creature will hee neglect thee hee knoweth before you aske what yee have need of adde not evil to the day by distracting cares which cannot adde one cubit to thy stature but cast thy care on him who careth for thee 9. Consider well what thy fear or impatience can bring thee certainly it can only make thy burden heavier indeed hee only is truely poore who would faine be rich an holy meeknesse and contentednesse is not only the best worldly riches but such as that without them no estate can be enough 10. Consider from how many evils poverty delivereth thee pride security intemperance and envy not the least of those black shadowes which attend riches and greatnesse with many noisome desires which drown men in sin and destruction Pittacus the wise when the Mitylens offered him many thousand acres of land for a gratuity said Give mee not that which many envy and more desire and saith my author hee accepted only an hundred hee that giveth thee riches giveth thee cares wretched is the custody of great wealth For rules of practice herein it is necessary that 1. Wee first seeke the kingdom of God and his righteousnesse and then all these things which wee want shall be administred unto us a little with righteousnesse is better then the riches of the wicked they that seeke the Lord shall not want any good thing better is a little with the feâ—re of the Lord then great treasure and trouble therewith many a man laboreth and careth enough to be rich yet cannot thrive as 't is said there is that with-holdeth more then is meet but it tendeth to poverty because they seek not the Lord nor his will but some sinister ends of their own If wee neglect Gods part hee will blast all our labours If there be some hidden sacriledge our poverty may be comfortlesse untill wee prove the Lord with new obedience then will he open the windows of heaven and poure out an abundant blessing then he will rebuke the destroyer or if hee see it best for us still to exercise the outward man with wants yet hee will abundantly recompence that with inward comfort in Christ with which the saint is happily rich 2. Endeavour in some lawful calling and be industrious Love not sleep lest thou come to poverty open thine cies and thou shalt be satisfied with bread Be frugal the drunkard and glutton shall come to poverty and drousinesse shall cloath a man with raggs but hee that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread hee that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough Here is no patronage for them that incurre a voluntary poverty following ambition in a perverse way God requireth that we should live a better life then the vulgar worldly man not in all things a contrary 3. Doe thy uttermost endeavour to suppresse that turbulent Philistiâ— covetous love of the world which will still be casting earth into thy fountain of living water disturbing an holy content with vain desire of having more then necessaries It is an hard but most fruitful lesson which Paul had learned in every estate to be content If thou wilt live to necessity a little is enough if to opinion nothing when the Cynick saw men drinking water in their hands hee said With how few utencils is nature content Opinion maketh many a man poor content rich hee is so who can well agree with poverty What skils it whether a man have much or little in the chest barne fields and pastures if he reckon not on that he hath but that which hee would have It was a prudent resolution If my estate will not be enough for mee I will be for it If thou canst not justly greaten thy estate prudently lessen thy minde the poore man wanteth something the covetous all things hee least wanteth who desireth least hee wanteth who hath not enough he most to whom nothing can be enough fulnesse costeth much but temperance little and poverty is not so heavy a burden to them that cheerfully submit to Gods providence as to them who would not or have not learned how to bear it wisely so that though there be two measures of wealth first to have necessaries secondly to have enough or more then simply necessary and though there be much difference between a small estate and a strait or incompetent one yet in all the minde beareth a great part making a poore estate more light or heavy and indeed he is not so much poore who hath little as hee that desires more what ere hee hath How happy must it therefore be to learn an holy moderation submitting to Gods good providence in all conditions assured that it is best which hee doth for thee in giving or taking away as having nothing and possessing all things how happy were our first parents when they had no use of any housholdstuffe no not so much as cloaths how fully did they after live before Cain built a city Adah invented tents Jubal musical instruments or Tubal-Kain wrought in brasse and iron It is opinion and curiosity which hath invented varieties and other mens superfluities make the envious and emulous seem poore if they have not as much whereas that which natural necessity requireth is obtained without much difficulty the first external want I finde man sensible of was of clothing wherein if thou wilt not live to others opinion but thy necessity a small charge will supply thee if thou fashion not to the fickle world possibly it will despise thee what losse is that if God love and like thee if hee put on thee that best robe Christ's right cousnesse which all the riches in the world cannot purchase and for food either a little labour of thine or others charity will supply thee or thou shalt in a very little time have no need of it Once I am resolved it is more happy to be the poorest Lazarus then not only the
perishing world so the more our afflictions are showred down upon us the more let our soules be lifted up unto thee and to those things which are above with thee that we being weaned from the vain love of this world may have our conversation in heaven and be willing to be dissolved that we may live with our Lord Jesus eternally And now being by thy appointment to take our bodily rest wee pray thee to assure us of our peace with thee through the merits of thy holy son Jesus let our beds put us in remembrance of our graves to which wee are descending that wee may keep a faithful watch to the coming of Christ Jesus for our deliverance out of these earthly tabernacles let thy providence keep us and all ours from the powers of darknesse and all dangers of body and soule sleeping waking living dying have us ever in thy keeping that our waking may also remember us of our resurrection from the dead unto the life of glory These and all other things necessary for our bodies or souls wee begge of thee for Jesus Christ his sake in his name and words concluding our petitions in that form of praier which hee hath taught us saying Our Father which art in heaven c. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ c. AMEN CHAP. XXXII § 1. Of Banishment several kindes general cause therâ—of § 2. What wee must do to be comforted herein 1. MAny are the afflictions of the righteous so that I may say of their sanctity as it was once of Agisilaus deformed and lame ignoti faciem ejus cùm inâ—uerentur contemnebant c. they who knew him not when they saw his face despised him but they who knew his vertue could not enough admire him Among the Saints impropriated evils may Banishment be numbred as also the consolation thereof among the fruits of Sanctity 2. There are three kindes of Banishment to which the Romanes were wont to condemne 1. Confinement to some one foreigne place 2. Inderdiction of the native soile onely 3. Limitation of mens approaches to some certaine Province or City 3. The general cause of Exile is sinne for which our first parents and we in them suffered an ejectionem firmi being cast out of the pleasant and commodious Eden to labor and sorrow in that attainder forfeiting our interest in all the good creatures until they are restored us againe by Christ in whom wee have a divine right to them all as it is written for all things are yours as also by the municipal lawes of that Republick whereof wee are a part we have a civil right to some of them now though depriving hereof by God is ever just because no man liveth and sinneth not and thereby often forfeiteth life liberty and all to his justice yet this punishment inflicted by men against a divine and civil right may make the Judges extreamly guilty though it can never make the proscribed Saint unhappy for the Lord will not leave them in their hand nor condemne them when they are judged For comfort then to those that suffeâ— any kinde of Banishment I advise 1. That thou be more careful for the heavenly inheritance whence no violence shall remove thee and the more thou art barred earthly comforts the more set thy affections on things which are above As the sea-men loosing sight of the land look up to fetch their directions from the starâ—es of heaven it was a great comfort to him who could say I have Christ a partner of my unjust banishment it were wretched indeed if mens enemies could confine them to some place where they could not finde their God but hee never deserteth his captives if hee know his owne so that if thou be driven from all humane society yet canst thou not be comfortlesse or alone if Christ be with thee if thou art justly banished let that affliction amend thee and it shall make thee happy if unjustly fear not that is thy enemies sinne not thy misery It is not banishment but guiltinesse that maketh a man unhappy nothing can make a man truely wretched but his own sinne if by any means hee can leave that though his place know him no more hee is happy enough who cannot be unhappy First then learne to walk with God living to him and with him ever setting thy self in his presence meditating on him praying to him and asking counsel of him and his oracles being so acquainted with spirituall company as that neither thy necessary society with man may hinder thy conversation in heaven nor this make thee neglectful of Gods ordinance in that who hath appointed thee both comfort in humane society and witnesses therein of thy conversation that in the sight of thy good works God may be glorifyed therefore cleave sted fastly to Christ let no condition pull away thy heart from him though thou be sequestred from all else Christ is incomparably better then all the creatures Secondly keepe a good conscience hee cannot be unhappy in any place who having the comfort of innocency is not so in himselfe miserable are they where erâ— they are who carry with them that portable hell a guilty conscience which in the midst af all secular prosperity maketh a man truely unhappy such a one like the wounded deere carrieth deaths messenger the killing arrow sinne sticking in the heart and cannot out-runne his misery a mans â—nemies are they of his own house among them his self is the worst no man can be hurt but by himselfe the powers of hell malicious as they are cannot hurt thee if thou have not an hand in it thy selfe there is no terror in the world like that of a guilty conscience only Gods anger maketh a man unhappy none other can if Christ be with thee every place shall be thy heaven 2. Know thy happinesse where ever God sheweth thee favour and leadeth thee so did Abraham when hee was a stranger in Canâ—an and Joseâ—h by his brothers envy sold into Egypt but God was with him and delivered him giving him wisedome and favor in the sight of Pharoah that minde is too much straitned in it selfe which confineth desire and content to one place as if the world had no more the heavens are as cheerful a covering abroad as at home the sunne shineth as comfortably on other nations as on that which wee call ours the same providence of God ruleth in all the world that place which thou countest forreigne and thy place of exile is a native soile to some who in thy house would have as much cause to think themselves banished as Philiscus urged for a comfort to the Orator All this world is as much our country as any part thereof if we reckon right within which if any man make himselfe an exile hee is straitned in minde rather then in place had such opinion limited all men how many great parts of the world had been
to this day unpeopled undiscovered our Ancesters who first inhabited this land were strangers here wise men think themselves citizens of the world and well resolved natural men take that to be home where ever they are well 〈◊〉 â—nd the Saints country is every where and no where on earth Wee have here no continuing city wee are here but pilgrims and while wee are here from home It is not then so much in the change of place as company which embittereth exile and certainly company is either a great good or a pernicious evil to be banished from ill company is an happinesse and from good company wee can be banished but for a short time maâ—ger the malice of the world and therein not so much as the world thinketh seeing in the communion of Saints however dispersed we are united by the Spirit of our Lord Jesus 3. Consider well how many have been advantaged by their banishment I might instance in Themistocles honored enriched in the Persian court where keeping an honorable table he said O children we should have been undone if we had not been undone in Zeno who in a forreign land could say Then I had faire winds when I was cast away because thereby hee was brought to the study of philosophy in some others so improved that they seemed sent out to the Schoole of Wisedome not to banishment but our Henry 7. is a neerer example whose exile gained him powerful friends and us a good King and deliverer from an usurping tyrant whereas then as I began to say nothing is more dangerous then evil company which disgracing vertue brings sinne into fashion such a tyrannical usurpation of right hath custome and company gotten that 't is sometimes judged madnesse not to be mad for company and the Saints sometimes share in temporal judgements for their ill company as it befell Lot Genes 14. 12. Genes 19. 15. sequestration from such is a blessing and meanes of safety and to all Gods children the worst of this kinde of affliction as any other is but as grinding to the jewel setting the fairer lustre on them and making their value better knowne as it was with Joseph 4. When it must be so goe willingly and beare it so then shall it be a peregrination not an exile a willing minde preventeth compulsion impatience onely can make it wretched patience conquereth violence whose owne weight breaketh it falling on the willing how many strangers for trade or gaine live among us how many of ours for the same cause are contented to live in forreign parts and therefore are not banished because they live willingly there how few live where they were borne how many willingly purchase experience and knowledge of other states with many years absence from their own how many have gone into a voluntary exile as Lycurgus that his lawes might be kept inviolable Chabrias Conion Iphicrates Chares Pythagoras Solon Scipio and others If thy minde be willing as a wise man 's ought to be to make the best of that thou canst not avoid it is a liberty not a restraint if thou wert confined to that one place whence thou art banished thou wert banished from a greater part of the world so that upon the matter the minde onely maketh the material difference between absence and banishment except you will conceive a difference between him that goeth free and him that goeth freely that being in the power of others this in our own To conclude that can be no absolute evil which our minde can remedy or ease and hee is of a weak understanding or an ungoverned affection who will make that heavier which hee must bear 5. Make a good and prudent use of thy travels so that it may appeare that thy country was rather unworthy of thee then thou of it that it hath lost thee not thou it Aristides being demanded why hee so much took his banishment to heart replyed because of my countries dishonor A nation can no waies more dishonor and make it selfe infamous to forreign parts and future ages then by banishment and imprisonment of good men for what ever popular rage drunken with its own fury dreameth however they idole their owne suffrages what sober man will not conclude them impious who cannot endure and comply with good men In fine some mens banishment hath made them wise and some good it had been unhappy for them not to have been banished while the most precious jewels lie concealed in their native place the sea or rocks they have neither beauty value nor use taking them out bringeth them to these so shall it be to thee if thou wilt make a right use of thy banishment 6. A man doth but perversly grieve at that which maketh him more happy not to say that exile is a singular master of â—rugality a profitable worme-wood layed to the breast to wean thee from the pernicious love of the world a School of humility temperance and patiâ—nce I say onely that in thy exile others doe that for thee by violence which thou shouldst have done for thy selfe in discretion that is they withdraw thee from the injurious and wicked thou wouldst not count it any loss to thee to be taken away from serpents or to be drawne out of a perishing Sodom as Lot was why shouldst thou think it any losse to be taken away from men worse then serpents they are good in their kinde men that have the poison of aspes under their lips But thou maist say the grief is to leave my goods livelyhood dear friends wife and children Truely this is the affliction of the parted and the curse of the parters the pleasant possessions made Lot's wife look back but yet consider 1. That hee that kept thee at home can provide for thee abroad and if thou trust in him will hee can restore thee to those dear jewels hee gave thee however thy praiers for them are as neere heaven in exile as at home count them not lost no not dying they but goe before thee wherein if thou canst satisfie thy afflicted minde what other great emolument canst thou loose by changing place If thou have the same judgement dexterity fortitude wisedome justice health strength means to get necessaries all which may there be found where thou thinkest thy selfe lost hereto adde that God by this means taketh men away from destruction rather then their country as he did Lot 2. Consider whether all those things whose losse thou lamentest be truely goods perhaps they hurt thee or are not thine it is certain thou couldst be but a tenant at will they only are thy goods which cannot be taken from thee in life or death reckon like a wise man and in the testimony of a good conscience thou maist also say all that is mine I carry with mee and so not have a dangerous eie backe againe 3. Consider well the difference between acquaintance and friends how many friends thou
the Woman was of the man without paine because innocent but now the man is of the woman with her sorrow because she hath sinned a sorrow so intense and embittered with feare and anguish that the Holy Ghost hereby expresseth the condition of the fainting afflicted and dejected spirit in sodaine feares of the affrighted conscience expecting an inevitable judgement The hower of birth and death the entrance and exit of this World being solely in Gods hand and secret counsaile none else knowing the time nor being able to dispose thereof reason more then apparent urgeth the necessity of addresse to him 2. Some are the sepulchers of their Children gone out of ere they came into this World exiled before they saw a native soile advanced from a short imprisonment in the wombe to the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God to the blessed Kingdome of Heaven before they touched this cursebearing earth some see their Benoni and thence have passage into eternall life where the sentence of death began some live to tast their sorrowes allay in â—he sweetest temper of divine mercy with justice becoming rejoycing mothers all is disposed by the all-guiding providence and unlessened power of Gods word who at the beginning but spake and it was done It hath much troubled some to think why if our sinnes be pardoned in Christ are not the punishments thereof also taken away as here why the elect and reprobate the chast matron and filthy adultresse should in this sentence share and suffer alike for satisfaction herein let the servant of God considerâ— 1. That whereas all sinne though not in the same kinde measure or degrees there remaining the same cause there must remaine the same effect in all that bring forth 2. This life is the stadium or race which we have through the variable distractions and tryalls of seducing pleasures and dejecting paines so to runne that we may obtaine here all are a like the Wheat and the tares must grow up togeather unto the harvest the difference shall appeare in the binding up which shall sufficiently crowne or punish 3. Gods finall sentence is adjourned to the Worlds great Assizes the day in which he hath appointed to judge in righteousnesse if he should by present rewards or punishments distinguish between good and evill the matter of Religion would seem acted by selfe-love feare awing and gaine alluring servile mindes to secure and serve themselves not God rather then the love of God which is the summe and ground of all true obedience nor should men according to the mercifull ordinance of God live by Faith but sense the lives of beasts rather then of men they are drawn to obsequie by rewards held out to them or compelled to duty by stripes but these by Faith in the promises of God even when there appeareth in things externall no difference between the wicked and the just nor indeed should God otherwise leave a due place for faiths reward which is not slitely tryed by our present sharing in secular evills with the wicked nor so just and great a punishment of sinne by permitting the disobedient to runne on in their own wayes storing up wrath against the day of wrath and greatning their own damnation 4. Though there is much difference in the issue between the temporall afflictions common to elect and reprobate they being the beginning of destruction to these and a fatherly correction to the other that they might not be condemned with the World yet he continueth them to his dearest children in this life that they may make them throughly sensible of the odiousnesse of sinne by the bitter effects thereof of Gods immutable and inviolable justice the same now which it was when this dolefull sentence was first pronounced of the corrupted state of mans depraved nature conceived in sinne and therefore comming into living in and going out of the World with sorrow and lastly of the necessity of our repaire by faith and continuall renewing our repentance 5. As all other afflictions are not only mitigated but made good to the Saints and coâ—perative for the best to them that love God so is this for through this temporall Childbearing they shall be saved if they continue in Faith and Charity with holinesse and sobriety and in the mean time they are not without their peculiar comforts 1. Our Saviour noted it So soon as she is delivered of the child she remembreth no more the anguish for joy that a man is borne into the World Doubtlesse as it was and is an affliction to be childlesse so it cannot but be a comfort to her that by an holy progeny encreaseth the Kingdome of God to be her Husbands blessing a fruitfull Vine upon the walls of his house God promising the fruit of the wombe and the sweet Olive branches round about the table for a blessing to them that feare him and walke in his waies 2. It must be a comfort to consider how God not only in Christ in whom male and female have equall interest hath taken off the curse from this sexe made coe-heires with us of the same grace but also the dishonour and bitternesse of their sentence by some peculiar favours and consolations as first that he sent forth his Sonne made of a Woman without man so that he made her mother of Christ according to the flesh that shee might by the power of the most high conceive her Saviour that as shee was the unhappy doore to let in sorrowes and paines deaths terrible harbingers and destruction on all her posterity so she might be to let in Christ the peace happinesse redeemer and life of all the elect Secondly that God made her seed to break the serpents head 3. That he made a Woman the first witnesse of the accomplishment thereof in his resurrection from the dead that the sexe that first heard and felt the sentence on sinne should first see and beleeve the ransome of our sinne there accomplished where death was absolutely vanquished 3. In the sweet object of their affection they most tenderly love who suffer the most bitter sorrow for Children God sometimes expresseth the constancy of his love by a mothers can a Mother forget could a greater among the children of men have been found his infinite love and compassion towards man should have been weighed by it 4. In their Husbands greater love as Leah said now therefore my Husband will love me none but the unnaturall but will have compassion and the more tender love to her by whose sorrowes God hath made him glad by the comfort of deare Children pledges of his posterity 5. In their Childrens love and duty who forsake not the law of their mother as fooles who are their living sorrowes onely the wicked forget their Mothers paines and care for them the ravens of the vallies are too milde executioners for them who despise their Mother when shee is old who looketh
strengthen our Faith give us assurance of thy favour and mercy toward us shed abroad thy love in our hearts that all things even our sorrowes may worke together for the best to us in mercy asswage the sorrowes of this thy servant with the comfortable assurance of an happy issue give her patience to beare and ability to overcome her tryalls it was the word of justice which appointed this affliction but Lord whose mercy is over all thy workes allay the rigor of that sentence mitigate her paines speake comfort to her soule give a powerfull assistance to her weaknesse O gracious father by the power of whose word man is thus brought into the World give her a speedy and safe deliverance now that the child is come to the birth give her strength to bring forth to the encrease of thy Kingdome through the new birth by water and the holy Ghost to the comfort of thy now afflicted servant the Fathers joy and the praise of thy holy name through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour Lord heare and grant these our Petitions and what ever else thou knowest more needfull for us through his merits in whom thou hast promised to heare us in whose mediation and words we present and conclude our petitions saying Our Father which art in heaven c. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ c. A thanksgiving for a Woman after her Deliverance O Lord God of our salvation who mercifully enclinedst thine eare unto us in our feare and distresse who appointedst in thy Law that she should bring a paire of mourning Turtles who had not a spotlesse Lamb for a sacrifice of thanks-giving it is the same thy clemency who wilt now accept their repentance who have not that unblemished innocency which can abide the tryall of thy severe justice and their hearty desire to be truely thankfull who have nothing worthy thy acceptance to render unto thee Lord therefore accept what thy selfe hast given us to bring before thee an humble and hearty desire to returne thee the fruits of our hearts and lipps the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving as for all thy fatherly mercies so particularly for that thou hast asswaged the sorrowes of this thy servant with a comfortable Issue that thou hast given her patience to beare ability to overcome her tryalls and strength to bring forth that by thy mercy mitigating her paines thou hast allayed the rigour of thy sentence which thy justice pronounced we acknowledge thee to be the only Lord in whose hands are the Issues of life and death the God of our health and salvation And now ô Lord perfect thine own worke as thou hast delivered thy servant from her feare and sorrow so give her an heart ever to trust and rejoyce in thee as thou hast given her this fruit of the wombe so make him an accession to the encrease of thy Kingdome by the spirit of regeneration sanctify him and keep him in his tender yeares from sinne and all the malitious assaults of the enemy give thy holy Angels charge over him to keep him in all his waies that he may grow up in thy faith feare and love so that in what ever condition thy good providence shall set him his interest and assurance may be of his election and salvation in Christ Jesus Lord accomplish thy worke of mercy to thy servant repaire her health and strength give her a faithfull heart carefully to imploy the same in thy service and the holy education of those thou hast given her assist her in the whole remainder of her life that she may pay all her vowes made to thee in her feare and trouble let the tast of these bitter fruits of sinne give her a more fervent love to thy mercy pardoning it and a greater hate to all that which offendeth thee lead her in thy waies teach her so to number her daies that she may apply her heart unto wisedome make her more and more fruitfull in all good workes and zealous of thy lawes so that her life may appeare not only restored but also improoved and made more happy to the glory of thy great name the good example of others who shall see as thy worke of mercy on her so the effects of that worke the fruits of sanctity in her to the further assurance of her conscience before thee confirmed by the experience of thy mercy in her deliverance and preservation and to the salvation of her body and soule to all eternity through Jesus Christ our Lord and onely Saviour AMEN Directions for the Sick CHAP. XXXV § 1. As all afflictions sanctified so sicknesse profitable for Gods children many waies § 2. How it may become so to us § 3. Duties of them that visit the sick 1 THere is nothing constant in this world but inconstancy and change of all things We are borne with a condition of dying mortality beginneth with life â—our sicknesse with our health we bring it from the wombe as derived to us from our first parents from the houre of whose transgression death tooke date and in the commencement of sicknesse he began to dye according to the sentence from which he became mortall and now all flesh is grasse and all the goodlinesse thereof as the flower of the feild the grasse withereth and the flower fadeth quickly and certainly though insensibly we perceive it soone withered though we cannot mark by what degrees it changeth so age and infirmity stealeth on 2 The good God as he is severe so is he mercifull neither loosing mercy in his justice nor his justice in his mercy There is nothing which befalleth the elect but it hath some good in it or by it to them accrewing Concerning afflictions David saith it is good for me that I have beene in trouble The very death of the Saints bitter as it is to flesh and blood is mercy to them blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord not only that they rest from their labours but also in that it is to them the death of sinne and passage to eternall life and so our sicknesse is profitable though it be the rod of an almighty Father it shall like Moses rod sometimes in the dreadfull shape of a serpent serve to divide the bitter waves and open us a passage to our eternall rest and so the decayes of these earthly tabernacles shall daily bring us neerer to the repaire of our eternall building in heaven therefore God sendeth sicknesse upon his dearest children whom he could as easily have rescued from death by a translation as he did Enoch and Eliah but hee maketh their sicknesse many waies proâ—itable unto them as by preparing them unto death by repentance and calling upon the Lord by weaning them from the love of this life by teaching them patience and subjection to the hand of God whereas impatience like the sea turneth all that which falleth into it even the otherwise sweet and comfortable blessings of