wil grow worse and are commanded to forsake it But the latter Ages loue it more than the former did Doubtlesse this is because man in his tyme groweth worse than the world It was neuer good to loue it no not at the best but now in the end of it when it is worse than euer it was to dote vpon it is extreame madnesse Such a dotage may end in a perpetuall union with it or rather in destructioÌ„ If we be the excellent ones of God and Sainctes on Earth wee are better than the world because wee are hiâ— choyse out of it and it is certaine that hee chooseth the best what euer wee be by nature we are vnspeakablie bettered by his electioÌ„ which maketh vs that which he choyseth and calleth vs to It is therefore a frensie to prostitute the excellencie of Gods Image in vs vnto so base an idoll as the world 10 Discouerie of mans closed heart O What a discouerie would it bee if mens heartes were as well seene as their body Small moats goe not thicker in the Sunne beames than mans intentions and ends And the threed of Spiders in a wood doe no more crosse and woft through other than mens wayes to their endes It is a wonder how man one in kinde can be so contrare in their ends and wayes And it is a strong argument that the most part misse the right end and runne the wrong way The chiefe good is one and the right way to it is onely one but man missing the right falleth in innumerable errors And it is yet more wonderfull that euerie man resteth on a double perswasion both that his end is good and that his wayes will bring him to it Neither is this all but euery man setteth himselfe as a pettie god both for worth to obtaine and for wisedome to compasse them As it is Gods priuiledge to know the heart immediately so is it his wisedome to hide it from men If all the thoughts of it were seene of other there could be nothing but a perpetuall striuing in mankynd and euerie one abhorred of other for their monstruous thoughtes neither the Seas nor Africke can bring foorth such monsters as mans heart in one houre It is best to cast off all wrong ends and eschew all by-wayes to set true Happinesse before vs as our end and walke toward it in Faith and Obedience Other ends will proue no more fixed than fleeing moates in the aire And other wayes haue no more force to fitch these ends thaÌ„ Speeders threeds haue to draw a great weight Our heart is euer opeÌ„ to God let vs opeÌ„ it to maÌ„ also the words deeds of a single heart make it visible to man Except they be possessed of Satan they cannot but loue that heart that is ful of the loue of God The wicked labour to hyde his thoughts but the godly affect to haue them knowne Hee is as the man who craued not his house to bee so built that he might see all meÌ„ none see him But rather that all men might see him in the most retired corners of his house Hee assureth himselfe to bee acceptable to man if the honestie of his heart were seene Why may he not byde the tryall of man who hath already sustained the sight findeth the approbation of God to the honesty of his heart Both the vprightnes of the hart testimony of that vprightnes are knowne of God alone and the vpright heart that hath them The world will not see that vprightnesse and they cannot heare the testimonie of it but God approueth that vprightnesse and confirmeth that testimonie and the Soule that is sensible of all these resteth in securitie 11. Youth and old Age. YOuth in many may bee called a foolish seede time to a mourning Age and old Age a bitter haruist to a foolish Youth Though in Youth wee escape grieuous and slandrous sinnes yet none lacketh his slips and infirmities thogh speciall prouidence keepe vs from grosse Commissions yet none is free of sinfull Omissions None seemeth to bee more free of the folies of Youth thaÌ„ they who are soone called effectually to Grace yet haue they their owne neglects While they are keeped by GODS Spirit from fleshly pollutions they are caried often by fleshly presumption Sathan is so craftie that when hee cannot set our corruption to worke on the owne taske of sinne he can abuse the beginnings of Grace And so many vpon the coÌ„science of Grace soone receiued fall either to neglect of their particular Calling or conceating of a perfection are carelesse of Grace it selfe their strong and short beginnings are followed with slow and weake proceedings These are indeede two Blessings in themselues to be soone called to Grace and before our calling to bee free of grosse sinnes Againe these are contrare euils to bee long of calling and monstruous in sinne before our calling but Sathan abuseth the first two Blessings in making vs carelesse after our calling as though wee needed not to bee zealous because our former life was not slandrous And God turneth the other two to good in making them more zealous who were long of calling and grieuous sinners before it S. Paul did more euill before his conuersion than all the Apostles and answerablie more good after it In euerie one there is matter eneugh for mourning to old age It is great cruelty in Youth to make â—o noysome prouision for Age That the tyme wherein wee looke for joy and rest should bee turned in sorrow Age at the best hath sufficient griefes It is of it selfe a sicknesse and a neighbour to Death and needeth not so bad prouision of Youthlie folies But since the first cannot bee auoyded it is better to mourne in olde Age than in Hell fire for euer If the Experience of Age cannot be found in Youth let not the rashnesse of Youth rule in olde Age also It is better so to diuide our life that there bee some mourning for euill than to turne it all both Youth and Age in a seede time to Hell But it is best of all to haue a seede time of Grace in our Youth for a joyfull olde Age and to turne both Youth and Age in a seede time for Glory in Heauen The godly in the midst of their corruptions sow this seed a care to please God in a faithfull discharge of their Calling is a matter of joy for their olde Age. Foolish Youth shareth vnequally with old Age It taketh libertie to it selfe and reserueth nothing but bitter pennance to the other If they fell not both in one person it were hard that Age should smart for Youths follies It is lamentable that our first and strongest time hath least wit our wisest age hath least strength Wee haue wounded our selues deadlie before wee know our estate and all our after-time is to cure these wounds O how happie is hee whom Gods effectuall Grace saluteth at the Cradle And with his first discerning indueth him with
all our businesse on worldly thinges But Gods Spirit teacheth the godly a better forme of barganning The kingdome of Heauen is a precious Iewell It endureth when all these worldlie trifles will evanish and wee finde it without a price The Mercat of it is cryed free without money Ho euery one that thirsteth come yee to the waters and hee that hath no money come buy and eate yea come without price Isa. 55. 1. These wise Merchants shall rejoyce for euer before God who vnder termes of buying and selling hath freely giuen them eternall Life where the foolish seekers of the world shall euer lament their neglect of this free Mercat and the losse of their labour their fruite and of themselues It is good to leaue the worlds folie to it selfe since we cannot cure it let it not spoile Grace in vs The wicked losing their soule for their bodie lose body and all together The godly losing all for God their Soules saue themselues fullie Hee is no loser who hath God for his portion and him selfe in Soule and body unite to God in Christ. Thinges worldlie come not in this compt before wee were wee had them not and in the Heauen wee shall not haue them Their vanitie not use are as a not beeing to vs. Where God filleth the heart there is no roome to desire or receiue them on so miserable conditions Let them fall to these who are like to them dust and dust doe well agree whē we shall enjoy God for euer 54. The loue of good and hatred of euill SOme things there be which I cannot loue and some thinges which I cannot hate I cannot loue Sathan for he is Gods enemie Nor Hell for it is his House Nor Sinne for it is his worke And the more neere that Sinne is to mee the more I hate it In the godlie more than in the wicked And in my selfe more than in any These againe I cānot hate God because he is Goodnes it selfe Nor the Heauen because it is his dwelling and reward Nor his Grace because it is his Image both the causes of that loue and the work of it is from himselfe I loue them because I loue him and it is his will and worke in mee to loue them I thanke God I cannot hate them who haue true Grace I mislike their faults and shall disgest their injuries but my Soule cannot hate them who loue God and are beloued of him His Image and Grace where euer I see it though in my professed enemie commandeth my dearest affection all their injuries cannot so grieue mee as the conscience of my sincere loue to them comforteth mee By this I know that I am translated from death to life because I loue the Brethren 1. Iohn 3. 14. But there can bee none assurance of his Loue and Grace where the Sainctes are hated His loue is shed abroad in our heart not to remaine there but to run out to embrace them whom hee loueth neither am I beloued of him nor haue parte of that in shed loue if I hate them who so are beloued of him are inclosed in his heart agree in Iesus Christ as they are such cannot hate one another This is our victorie ouer their corruptiō our own that notwithstanding of their injuries we loue them deerelie God loued and choosed vs when he saw vs his enemies in the masse of lost mankynde And now loueth vs when wee offend him daylie How then can the heart sensible of this loue hate anie that is so loued of God If wee doe so wee hate Gods Image and loue in the Sainctes in our selfe and in God may justly doubt if we be the Lords beloued 55. The best Lotte hath some want EVerie mans Lot is mixed with some want And GOD hath so wiselie temperated all estates that no man hath all blessings and no man lacketh all crosses If we haue some blessings we lacke other Yea our miscontentment can make wants where none is and augmenteth these which possiblie are Wee take on vs a creating power and that in euill How oft doe wee compleane of that Lotte which is good in it selfe and better than wee are either worthie to receiue or wise to use aright Many haue so large a Lotte that if it were diuided in an hundreth partes it would content some hundreth persons and euerie one of them possiblie is more worthie and would bee more thankfull than he who hath it all alone with miscontentment The smallest Lot with God if there can be any small with him is a large Lotte And the greatest Lot without him if there can bee any great without him is extreame lacke Hee lacketh nothing who hath God for his portion and he hath nothing who lacketh him God carueth not sparingly to that Soule to whom hee giueth himselfe and in that case it lacketh nothing but to know that Lotte and enjoye it God hath indeede wisely tempered our Lottes but the error of our desires and miscontentment is our owne and yet hee bringeth good out of that error His care is to keepe vs euer loose from the earth If wee found all our desires contented heere wee would forget to seeke a better Lotte in heauen Let euery lacke chase vs to seeke a supplie It is a daylie and hourely earand to God by prayer Wee cannot finde it in this life let vs seeke it where it is Our Lot on earth satisfieth vs not but our Lot in heauen shall fill vs with contentment It is perfect in it selfe and craueth that wee bee perfect for it If in the midst of so manie lackes wee seeke perfection in the earth wee proue the lacke of wit more than of a sufficient Lot all lackes tell vs and command vs to seek supply in God who onely is All-sufficient 56. Danger of corruption daylie THere is none houre wherein we can say that wee are free of danger and yet not so much of outward accidents as of inward surprysing of our Corruption The more aduanced in Grace the more is that danger both in it selfe and to our feeling Other see our infirmities and they are more grieuous to our selfe than of before This is a bitter Experience that when wee haue lamented our slippes renewed our vowes and chastened our selfe in an holy griefe for them they breake out vnder our hand Scarcelie is our heart calmed from a former griefe when it is conceiuing either the same or a greater infirmitie These Canaanites liue still in vs they are left as a mater of our Exercise the whetstone of grace and a Spurre of Prayer Wee cannot cast thē out but we should put them vnder tribute It is best to hold our eye cōtinually on our corruption that it break not out or bee grieued for that out-breaking Daylie danger is a lesson of the necessitie of a daylie guarde And since that danger is most from within our best Guarde must bee from without Nature in vs that worketh our woe cannot prouid our
safetie God by his Spirit is our best Guarde When he keepeth our heartes in his hand then wee are secured from all dangers It is not good to sleepe securely wheÌ„ a Serpent is in the house or to be carelesse wheÌ„ a mad dog is tyed with a loose roppe Such carelesnesse is an infalible precedent of some grosse fall Dauid at rest in his owne place fell worse than when hee was chased as a Patridge in the Wildernesse If we cannot escape Sathans supprysings we should turne them against himselfe God maketh these out-breakings in his Saintes as a staffe to breake the heade of Sathan in their corruption They are as the borrowing of a Baire hee houndeth out our corruption to foyle vs but God sendeth it home as a carcase to him againe Beside the former exercises it entertaineth Humilitie and the sense of Gods mercie who beareth with our faults Pride as a Page attendeth excellent Spirit But the slippes and buffets of our corruption layeth these feathers Pride goeth before a fall and an hautie heart before destruction 57. Gods best Gifts THere is no maÌ„ who receiueth not of Gods Liberalitie but not all of that same kinde and that measure Some as Keturahs sonnes get common gifts and goe away from him Other as his Isaac get the Inheritance and abide with him Some haue the giftes of body and minde and Fortune as they call them gifts in themselues but no sure pledge of his sauing loue But to the godly with his gifts he giueth himselfe a spirituall beeing by Renouation a spirituall life by his Sonne a spirituall mouing by his Spirit Our disposition will tell vs his affection If wee take his gifts runne away with them and use them without and against him then wee haue gotten his gift but not himselfe But if they lead vs to him and make vs seeke him aboue them all then wee haue himselfe with his gifts These are best giftes which are most excellent in their kinde Greatest in measure and most profitable for use What is better than GOD Himselfe And amongst his gifts none is better thaÌ„ sauing Graces They bring with theÌ„ the Image and warming power of a speciall loue and stamppe the heart of the receiuer with a re-louing of him For measure they are sufficient to our greatest necessitie of Saluation For use they leade vs through the Valley of this life through the foorde of Death And exalt vs aboue all use euen to the fruitioÌ„ of God And so in this life are the immediate matter of our contentment Common gifts come out naked but sauing Graces are guarded that same choosing loue of God where from they flow sendeth out a secrete vertue with them to pull that heart to God that receiueth them Though they come out from him yet they are not separate from him neither suffer they vs to stand abacke from him That his loue in Christ that giueth them quickneth vs with the sense of it selfe that as by him wee liue so wee cannot liue but in him This is a sweet intercourse botweene God vs in his sauing blessings in Christ I count more of his smallest grace with himselfe than of all the world without him 58. Discerning of Flesh and Spirit HOw profitable were it for vs to discerne betweene the flesh and Spirite But this discerning hath a great difficultie and that because both parties are within vs And both of them in euery parte and power of vs Their likenes also one to another and the readinesse of our mistaking and most of all because wee incline more to the flesh which is natiue to vs than to Grace which is a stranger Flesh is first in vs by Nature and soonest at worke And so forestalling our mindes purchaseth our allowence to it selfe Confusion of our minde maketh them as Rebekahs twinnes wee finde them stirring within vs but cannot discerne them Passions and Selfe-loue make vs judge wrong wee take that for Spirit which is Flesh and cherish it And that for Flesh which is Spirit and neglect it That coueting one against another is sensible but we know them not particularlie And more easilie can we discerne them in another than in our selfe The worke is then manifest and wee are not prejudged by our selfe-loue It is a great part of the worke of conscience to marke this difference The Apostle excelleth in this who said I finde another Law in my members The best way to try them is not to leaue them to the event but to bring them to the rule The true knowledge of Gods Law will tell vs That is Spirit which agreeth with it and that is Flesh which agreeth not with it At diuerse times wee haue contrarie thoughts of one thing the one must bee flesh and the other Spirit what sauoureth of pride and vanitie is flesh What sauoureth of Humilitie and feare is Spirit As the descerning of them argueth a great degree of Grace so to doe according to that discerning proueth a greater degree of it When the motions of the flesh are broken as a Cockatrice egges before they bee hatched and the motions of that Spirit are intertained Both these workes are noysome to the flesh but they are more profitable in that they grieue it He hath a painefull task who pondereth all his thoughtes in the ballance of the Sanctuarie but the fruite of that labour in puritie and holinesse is greater than all the paines Iustice is painted with a ballance in her hand and the practice of a good Conscience in this discerning is a continuall pondering Where this discerning is exact particular it is a singular preseruatiue to keepe vs from yeelding to temptation a spurre to Repentance when we are fallen He who is so exercised shall either not fall in sinne or come soone out of it 59. Gods mercifull presence GODS Presence in mercie is aboue all things in this life to bee sought and keeped But euery one knoweth not what it is or how to keepe it As Creator hee is with euery one sustaining maintaining and directing them in their wayes The greatest A thiest cannot shift himselfe of that sort of presence But wee seeke his presence as Redeemer in Christ. In this hee seeth vs and maketh vs see him Hee sheddeth abroad his loue in our heart and maketh vs to loue him and by his working in loue maketh vs both sensible and conscious of him and carefull to walk worthie of that his presence His couÌ„tenance both humbleth vs in our peace and comforteth vs in aduersitie Our well and woe are judged by his smyling and frowning If hee lift vp the light of it aboue vs nothing can gâ—ieue vs If hee hide it from vs wee are swallowed vp It hath both a changing and augmenting power Thereby aduersitie is changed in prosperitie and prosperitie is doubled by that Blessing of blessings euen as the lacke of it changeth prosperitie in aduersitie and doubleth aduersitie by that crosse of crosses His eye is more to vs than all
the strictnesse of veritie and secureth them from rigorous censure for that slippe And their hyperbolees doe passe for good coyne But the Complementer doe lie without either libertie or licence And their hyperbolees are none other thing in broad tearmes than lyes in folio Their speaches run vsuallie on three thinges 1. large praises of some excellent worth in them whom they idole 2. Officious offers of seruice as due to it 3. And large wishes of all happinesse to them In the first their idoles know they are speaking false except they be as sensles of flatteries as there flatterers are shamelesse In the second their owne heart giueth them the lie For they think themselues more worthie of seruice than hee to whom they offer it In the third their Conscience checketh them for mocking of God For they pray for that which they desire not to bee granted Yea they would bee grieued if it were granted They are equivocaters minding one thing and speaking another Many doe practise the Iesuits mentall Reseruation who know not their doctrine It must bee a cousening Religion that teacheth practiseth alloweth such cousening I neuer suspect them more than when they double their complements Hee is short and shallow witted who is glosed with these flowrishes Let them paint out their speach and gesture I wil giue lesse credite to so onerous and insidious speach I shall trow the heart and the person so affected as it deserueth An honest meaning simplie expressed hath more weight than all these buskinges and fairdings The heart that God made but they abuse hath the owne meaning I trust that but not the person which they assume and laye downe as soone as they haue spent their borrowed breath The next momeÌ„t and the first man they meete with findeth them in another if not in a contrare minde it cannot byde in their heart which bred not in it nor was neuer in it Their wordes are but carcases of language and let the credulous beleeuer looke for no more than carcase of offices Belike they thinke their words either not to bee idle or that they shall not giue an accompt of them at the last day The Soule indeede must bee filled with something but wee may soone choose better substance to fill it withall â—han that wind of frothie complementing While they are feeding themselues with their fancies let the children of Trueth speake the Trueth from their heart Let complementing haue the owne due without a complement It is the birth of an emptie braine the maske of hatred enuy Refined hypocrisie with simulation and dissimulation her twins ingraned the breathing of an euill mind vnder hope of good deede Hee who knoweth it can neither bee moued to offer it nor patientlie admitte it 83. Consciencious Knowledge If our hearts were narrowlie searched Atheisme would bee found in them wee know better then wee doe and we worshippe not God as wee know him Wee can say That God is good and yet neither loue nor seeke him that he is just and powerfull yet wee feare not to offend him That hee is wise yet wee submit not our selues to his Wisedome that hee seeth our heart and thoughts afarre of and yet wee breede and feed wicked thoughts in our hearts which wee would bee ashamed to shew to our neighbour Wee beleeue there is an Hell for euill deedes and yet goe on in the way of sin And that there is laid vp a Crown of glorie in Heauen for well doing yet we are not moued to doe good What is then in our heart for all our knowledge but Athiesme and Infidelitie Our actions giuing our wordes the lye and proclaming to the Worlde that wee beleeue not the thing that wee speake The want of the worke of Conscience is a speciall cause of this fleshly disposition Without that worke Christianitie is nothing but a speculation Wee consider all things in abstract but take them not in our persons and to our heart Wee can abhorre sin in it selfe and in our neighbours but excuse it in our selfe wee magnifie Vertue and Grace in it selfe but yet thirst not for it Papists talke mightilie of the worth of Faith but doe scorne the sense Conscience of it And many Christians will heare and read their owne sinnes convicted by the word of God and yet not thinke themselues particularlie taxed nor byde at the conviction Happie is that man whose Conscience pulleth all to his heart his heart to God who turneth his knowledge to Faith his Faith to feeling and all to walke worthie of God and to liue in Christ as hee learneth him daylie He hath not rest but in walking according to the light of a well informed Conscience when theorie is turned to practise and speculatioÌ„ to a consciencious sensing doing then wee are Christians indeed Gods word is his stamppe hee hath deeplie sunke his Image in it but it doth not instamp our heart except some power thrust it vpon vs When the holy Spirit maketh our conscience to set that word to our heart then wee are stamped and take deeplie the impression of his holinesse in the inward habits and expresse it euidentlie in our life and conuersation God hath blessed vs with many meanes of knowledge but they doe no more than propone and open matters to vs They inlighten the minde and goe no further But the Conscience worketh mightily on the heart It letteth nothing abide in generalities but turneth all to our particular and personall respect and that not in the minde alone but most in the heart As it reduceth all dueties promises and threatninges to our persons so it joyneth affection to light and moueth the heart according to thinges knowne And out of all draweth actions that serue to expresse that knowledge and doeth all as in the presence of God When Conscience bringeth Religion to the heart and from the heart to the life then wee are truely religious 84. The wise mixture of mankinde HOw wiselie hath God tempered humane societies All are not of one disposition some hotte and some coâ—de some harsh and headie in their judgement and violent in their actions other ryper wits calmer in their affections posed in their doings Some againe as grossely senslesse some craue the bridle and some the spurre If a man cast his eyes on a multitude he shall obserue as much diuersitie in their disposition voyces opinions as in their faces If all were of a firie humour the world would fire at once If all were sluggish it would fall downe in the pot Stirring wittes as quickning barme put the douâ—nesse of the simple to working and the slownesse of the other tempereth their fordwardnesse and so both these extreamities are brought to mids If either extreame preuaile matters goe wrong but our wise God maketh that counterposing bring the ballance to an equall standing and so tumultuous meetinges bring oft-ten foorth just conclusions There can bee no standing of matters if either witlesnesse or wilfulnesse predomine
CHRISTIAN OBSERVATIONS AND RESOLUTIONS OR The daylie practise of the renewed man turning all occurrents to spirituall uses and these uses to his vnion with GOD. I. CENTVRIE VVith a Resolution for Death c. Newlie published by Mr WILLIAM STRVTHER Preacher of the Gospel at EDINBVRGH Ecclesiastes 2. 14. The wise mans eyes are in his head but the foole walketh in darknesse EDINBVRGH Printed by the Heires of Andro Hart. ANNO DOM. 1628. TO GOD ALMIGHTIE GRATIOVS MERCIFVLL c. FATHER SONNE AND HOLIE GHOST His most vnworthie Seruant thristing his glory in the Saluation of the Saints Mr. W. STRVTHER THESE first fruits of Thine owne Grace in mee I offer to Thee O Fountaine of Grace Thy thoughts are pretious to mee and thy Meditations sweete All the desires of mine heart is to Thee and to bring thy Saiuctes to thy fellowship that in that vnion they may enjoy Thy selfe and partake true Happinesse Blesse all meanes vsed to that good end that they may proue meanes of thine owne choyse and worke But aboue all shedde abroad Thy loue in the hearts of Thy people then our preaching and writting will bee either lesse needefull or more fruitfull Thou hast wonâ— to Thy selfe for euer the heart that is deepelie affected with the sense of Thy loue Thou knowest that it can no more byde or rest off Thee than a stone of it selfe can hing in the aire While I thinke of Thee my thoughts increase themselues and while I preasse to expresse them I can not satisfie my selfe in that expression Thou art in the heart that loueth Thee truelie and that heauenlie affection ouercommeth it twise once in vnspeakeable softning sweetnesse nixt in an vnsufficiencie to vtter it But this is some remeede that it can poure it selfe immediatelie vpon Thee Words writes come shorter than thoughts and thoughts shorter than the affection the onelie just and equall expressing of the affection is to thrust it selfe on Thee and to adhere and inhere in Thee continuallie It sufficeth mee that Thou knowest mine heart and thine owne worke in it Let the Meditations of mine heart and the words of my mouth bee acceptable to Thee O GOD my Strength and my Redeemer and direct Thou the workes of mine hands that all may serue to the magnifying of Thy glorious Grace and edifying of thy people AMEN TO THE CHRISTIAN Reader THE present time Christian Reader both offereth these obseruations to me and throweth their publication from mee None walketh with opened eyes but these and the like shall occurre vnto him This time of the Gospel aboundeth in the meanes of sauing knowledge but few partake it The most part brutishlie neglect it other in their search are carried on the by Seeking affecting and resting on trifling knowledge as on happinesse and many who in some sort find it out doe separate from it both affection action so preuailing Athesme giueth thee effront to sauing Knowledge Grace in the Gospel But the Sun sendeth a quickening heate as well as a shining â—ight and man is borne with heart and hands as well as with eyes The worke of light is to discouer but affection separateth vs from the discouered euill and ioyneth vs to the knowne Good and to walke in the direction of that Light and the discerning of Affection is to know sauinglie It is the best knowledge which is about the best things and needeth least change at Death To know GOD and our happinesse in Him hath no change at Death but in the degree aduancing to perfection As other thinges so other knowledge will then vanish This is the affectuous and actuous Knowledge according to godlinesse wherevnto I labour in the Lord to stirre Thee vp That knowing GOD in Christ thou may liue in Him and walke in Him The sense of a God-head is the marrow and kernell of Christianitie Without this all our knowledge is but a carcase of knowledge wee our selues the carions of Christians The Lord worke these good things in thee and thee to his Image to fill Thee heere with Grace and heereafter with glorie Amen Thine in the Lord Mr. William Struther CHRISTIAN OBSERVATIONS AND RESOLVTIONS OR The daylie practise of the renewed man turning all occurrents to spirituall uses and all these uses to his union with GOD. 1. The Christian Furniture THREE thinges are necessar for our Christian walking the right end the straight way and a good Guide And all these are to bee found in God alone his glorie is the right end and the high way to this ende is his Word and himselfe the onelie Guide yea hee himselfe is all these three Hee is the Way and the Trueth and the Life for wee are led by his Spirit in his will to himselfe His presence in mercie giueth vs all this furniture and without it euerie man goeth astray some seeke the right end but choose not the straight way some find the straight way but seeke not the right end in place of God they seeke and follow themselues in all their businesse they aduance not one foote from their first and naturall condition but are more drowned in miserie than at their birth The truelie godlie come to this threefold blessing The more sincerelie they intend his glorie the more sure are they of his direction and guiding This is Abrahams walking before God and Enochs walking with him and Paul his walking in him The present fruite is answerable to such grounds a certaintie to obtaine such an end because of the way and Guide a securitie in that way and a joy in the conscience of rhem all The conscience of the sinceritie of our intention of our endeuouring to find and walke in the way is a great degree of his presence in grace a presage of his presence in glorie The Soule that laboureth for this sort of walking in this life shall bee with him for euer after this life The most part of men proclaime to the world that they haue neuer thought earnestlie of this Iourney Their furniture is rather for Hell if such a Iourney needed furniture then for Heauen They take this worlde for their home themselues for their end their Guide and Guarde loosing their heartes to all vngodlinesse and vnrighteousnesse But the godlie know they haue no byding citie heere therefore they seeke for one to come and deale with God for this prouision in so dangerous a way Hee may bee sure of that end who is guided and guarded by God in the way to it Hee who is now alwayes in God must bee with God for euer So hee guideth his owne with his Counsell and afterward bringeth them to his glorie 2. Operations of Gods Spirit are powerfull THe working of Gods Spirit is neither at our desire nor our direction Hee bloweth where hee listeth and GODS Kingdome commeth not by obseruation Our euill deseruing hath more power to stay him than our desires to set him on worke omissions grieue him greatlie but commission of grosse sinnes grieue him
the loue of God his word and worshippe and by the exercise of his mind soweth such a seed of Grace that old Age hath not a beedrole of folies to repent If wee learne the wayes of God in our Youth when wee are olde wee will not depart from them If hee fill vs with mercie in the morning of our time wee shall bee glad and rejoyce all our dayes That is a commendable Youth which is olde in Grace and sauoureth of the wisedome and holinesse of the Antient of dayes And that is a glorious olde Age which waxeth new in Grace and in the newnesse of a glorious eternitie As that gracious Youth endeth in a more gracious olde Age so that olde Age shall end into and bee succeeded with an endlesse Glorie 12. Deuotion Obedience are pleasant twinnes DEuotion and Obedience are pleasant twinnes Deuotion begetteth Obedience and is increased by it when the Spirit is bent on God all the Graces in it are at their highest extent It cannot containe it selfe but in affecting him and delighteth it selfe most sweetely both in powring out it selfe tenderly on him in a large receiuing his influences At that tyme all impediments of Obedience are remoued and the greatest spurres added to set vs fordward Then we answere him with a ready heart Speake Lord for thy Seruant heareth Soft wax is easilie stamped and hot yron easilie forged so the softnesse of a deuotious heart is plyable able to God As it droppeth out tender affections so it will yeelde obsequious actions to him Disobedience commeth of hardnesse but the heauenly warming of GODS loue turneth that hardnesse in a willingnes and affectuousâ—nesse to him As hee powreth in it the senâ—e of his loue so it powreth out it selfe in all powers on him againe So long as it is in this temper God can command no vnpleasant thing to vs though otherwise it were impossible yet it is welcome because of his will This disposition in it selfe is a great degree of inward Obedience in so great a forsaking and going out of our selfe to bee one with him What a gladnesse is it to haue the occasion to testifie our loue to God by Obedience And this daughter of DeuotioÌ„ doth nourish her mother The conscience of Obedience doubleth Deuotion We cannot satisfie our selfe in wondring at Gods goodnesse who hath blessed vs with the grace of sincere Obedience that his Grace is not common in commanding onelie but a speciall and returning Grace turning vs home to him in doing that which his commanding goodnesse exacted Deuotion tyeth vs to God and that for his infinite goodnesse in himselfe his sauing goodnesse communicate to vs And beeing in so sweete bands how can wee better discharge our selfe of them than by honouring him in holy Obedience And the more wee discharge our selues the more are wee bound Euery degree of sufficiencie to obey and euery act of Obedience increaseth Deuotion The more Grace that God giue vs for Obedience the more we loue him cleaue to him as the fountaine from whom all good floweth and the end to which it returneth These twinnes both liue and die together A dry and a withered heart voyd of Deuotion is also barren of Obedience and lacke of Obedience lacketh the testimonie of strong obeying Grace and the matter of new and greater Deuotion Hee that would haue them both let him begin at Deuotion and the other will follow A constant and tender Affection to God meeteth not his commaÌ„ds with disobedience These twins are feete to goe to God wings to flee to Perfection The first is a bond of our union and the second a proofe that wee stand firme in that union with him 13. Holy necessities are no distractions ALl distractions are not of alike nature some directlie marre our proceeding as businesse without our Calling other are seeming distractions a â—â—â—â—nesse in some other part of our Calâ—â—â—â—g then wee haue presently in hand These last are not properly distractions but rather preparations When a Pastour is going to the Pulpit it is not distraction to visite a sicke person but rather a sanctification for the publicke work Our task is to bring soules to God and sicknesse is a conuenient tyme for it Reaping in the haruest is as pleasant to the labourer as his sowing and to deliuer people in the hand of God on their death-bed is a closing of our labours about them Wee sow the seed of the Word out of the Pulpit and finde the fruite of it in their affliction I haue often found in conference with the afflicted and in the way going and comming from them moe points of Meditation than possibly in moe hours of reteerdnesse Gods ordinances doe further one another and Obedience to them hath euer a blessing following it It is no distraction that separateth vs not from the end nor turneth vs out of the way Grosse distractions are more dangerous yet if true Grace bee 〈◊〉 we shall aduance our selues more 〈◊〉 after them and rouse vp our strength and double our care for redeming our losses A well set Soule is sharpened by distractions turneth that impediment in a spurre Some steppes backward make vs aduance further in our leaping The Soule that toucheth good but occasionally is soone loosed from it but being tyed to it then incident distractions cannot separate but augment our earnestnesse of that union If wee wedde our selfe to good for eternall enjoying no temporall distraction can diuorce vs from it Hee who is alwayes about his Fathers busines shall neuer bee distracted 14. Fruitfull Experience EXperience findeth vs fooles and maketh vs wise if our folie bee curable wee can neither thinke euill to bee so euill as it is neither good so good till Exâ—â—â—ience teach vs The craft of SathaÌ„ the euill of sinne the strength of our owne corruption are best knowne by proofe to assay them is to eate the forbidden fruite and a newe degree of knowledge of good and euill The sweetnesse of Gods Grace the sauing power of the Gospel the tendernesse of Gods mercy and the worke of his holy Spirit are best knowne by Experience This is a sort of eating of the Tree of Life Our best is to eschew Experience of euill I care not how oft I haue proofe of good but it is madnesse to cast vs in the Experimenting of euill but if our foolishnes bring vs on new assayes the next is to take in a new affectioÌ„ to that euil new care to eschew it In what measure wee flee the proofe of euill let vs seeke the Experience of good though euery houre giue vs a new taste of Grace wee shall euer finde a new sweetnesse in it and when perfection commeth it shall exceede all our bygone knowledge and proofe Euery Experience with a new degree of light bringeth a new affection and stampeth the heart with a new hatred of euill and desire of good Experience is an ordinar remeede of folie but if wee amend not thereby there is
in a blind man Light and life are best together The first is the sweete eating of the Booke Ezech. 3. 3. The second is the bitter disgesting of it The one giueth Grace contentment in secret the other proueth the sinceritie of that Grace to man For our owne joye the first hath a sufficiencie but for the edification of others and our confirmation in our calling and election The second is necessar If naked knowing bee sufficient Sathan is a most perfect creature Hee excelleth all men in the knowledge of good euill but is behind all men in affecting them He knoweth not good to loue seeke it nor euill to hate and flee from it but his affections actions are set crosse to his knowledge Hee is in that same degree of wickednesse that hee is in excellencie of vnderstanding His searching and pearcing wit hath purchased him the name of an vnderstanding Spirit but his wickednesse calleth him Sathan an enemie to God The union and worke of both craueth some solide and inward ground Outward meanes may occasion them and inward motions set them on worke but they cannot haue a constant byding in vs without a byding ground and principle The life of God is this ground What supernaturall thing we doe without it is but hypocriticall or occasionall and easilie intermitted The Fountaine of this life is God himselfe and where this Fountaine is there is sufficiencie for Theorie practise Without him our professing is hypocrisie our minting vanitie and our actions will die and end in their beginning Wee can doe nothing that is good without him and with him wee shall bee able to approue our selfe in a liuely Theorie and a well grounded practise As without Christ wee can doe nothing Ioh. 15. 5. So I am able to doe all things through the helpe of Christ who strengtheneth me Philip. 4 13 Yet not I but the grace of God which is with me 2. Cor. 15. 10. 48. The ambitious man dieth of his disease DOubtlesse Ambition is foolish and God in Iustice doeth crosse it in the greatest designes But the humble man is truely wise and God casteth more humane respect on him than hee desireth The Ambitious man hunteth after honour but it flyeth from him What euer bee his worth in this hee is vnworthie that hee thirsteth honour It is not guided by blind Fortune but by a seeing prouidence and flyeth from them who proudlie affect it and waiteth on them who modestlie decline it He fetcheth and sucketh wind out of euery Airth but when he seekth it most there is greatest calme both in respect of his desire and indeed What is lacking that way hee supplyeth it by his owne breath of vntymous selfe praise but that auaileth not all mens breathing in a shippe will not fill the sailes hee is the more vile in the eyes of the wise the lowder hee proclaime his owne supposed vertues The humble man neither intendeth nor affecteth honour yet it followeth him As the shaddow followeth the bodie so doth true honour to true worth Hee hath more of that gale of winde than hee craueth and the more it blow hee is the more dejected his care is to keepe him from schelues and rockes before so faire a winde God is witnesse to his Soule that heerein hee hath a secrete dejection and still compting himselfe the vilest sinner in the earth Hee wonders at that mercie that hath so vndeseruedlie blessed him and knoweth not how to beginne to bee thankfull Hee is more pensiue how to pay the debt of gratitude to God than puft vp in taking it on And saith with Dauid Who am I Lord God and who is my Fathers house that thou hast brought mee hitherto And finding himselfe vnable to thanke God as hee ought and would hee calleth God to witnesse his earnestnesse to honour God What can Dauid say more to thee For thou Lord knowest the heart of thy seruant And the more hee is swallowed vp in that sweet drowning sense of Gods loue hee is the nearer to true exaltation Hee feeleth then the trueth of that Martyrs word who said HEE THAT PRAISETH MEE SCOVRGETH MEE of the word of God That hee resisteth the proude and giueth grace to the humble 49. Good Spirits are most free of passions GReat Spirits haue least passions but base Spirites are most passionate The first is aboue their businesse and not soone moued the other is vnder all accidents and perplexed in euery thing The one as a large vessell containeth easilie water cast in it and the other as a small vessell runneth ouer If the power of Princes were in the hands of priuate men or the passions of priuate men in the hands of Princes the world could not stand But God hath wisely separate them that power without passion may bee profitable and passions without power may bee harmelesse The highest Mountaines haue least storme and wind on their tops but the raines and tempest ouer-run the low hilles valleyes There are few worldly Princes but in Grace wee are called to this heauenly principalitie to command our passions The holy Spirit maketh the Soules of the truelie sanctified as the fleece of Gideon They are free of passions and perturbations while others are drowned in them Broken water is in the shallow Seas But the deepe Seas haue a soft swelling and not these violent breakings If wee bee translated from Nature to Grace wee are aboue the surprysing of accidents and bitternesse of injuries and so are secured from the violence of our owne passions Our heart is in the secret of God and our head aboue the Heauens while our state or body is buffeted on earth our Soules enjoye a pleasant serenitie in the face of GOD. 50. God alone better than all HEe shifteth much needlesse labour and prouideth great contentment who closeth himselfe with God alone To deale with man alone beside God is both an endlesse fruitlesse labour If we haue coūsel to aske helpe or benefite to obtaine or approbation to seek there is none end with man For euery man we must haue sūdrie reasons motiues and what pleaseth one will offend twentie as many heads as many wits and fansies No man can giue contentment to all or change himselfe in so many fashions as he shall encounter humours And yet it is more easie to take sundrie fashions than to bee actiue in them Hee preasseth to lift water in a sife and sand in open fingers who thinketh so to carrie himselfe as to please all He is prodigall of the peace of his soule and carelesse of good successe who maketh man either his rule or his rewarder That Spirit must bee rent asunder that applyeth it selfe to the contrarietie of mens opinions Mans bodilie senses both ruleth and ouerruleth his reason therefore as hee seeth men and not God so he preferreth seene man to an unseene GOD But when hee shall see God in the clouds at the last day all mankynd present they shall all bee
nothing in respect of God The godly now see him more than maÌ„ and therefore preferre him to all men and runne that course to offend and lose all men rather than him This is a course whereof hee shall neuer neede to repent It is grieuous indeede to loose our friendes or familiars And he is foolish who loseth any that hee may brooke with God But it is a great triumph of Grace when for conscientious and faithfull seruice to GOD wee lose them They are not worth the keeping who cannot be brooked with him And hee is not worthie of God who will not forsake Father and Mother for him All the hurt that these selfe-pleasing men bring to the God-pleasing Sainctes is the greater increase of the fruites the scales and sense of Gods loue in them Since I cannot please all I will take mee to please One and that one who is better than all for Counsell Approbation and Reward So long as God draweth all my thoughts to him and calmeth them in him by sweete contentment I will not buy a torture from foolish man While hee answereth my desires communicateth himselfe more to me than I can conceiue I will not vex my selfe in courting of man VVhom haue I in Heauen but thee and there is none on the Earth that I desire beside thee Psal. 73. 25. 51. Rare accidents make many Prophets STrange Accidents breed vs many Prophets Before they fall foorth all men are silent but when they are seene many clame a propheticall fore-sight of them It is sure speaking of them when they are come to passe but to boast then of their fore-sight argueth lack of judgment how shal he be a good fore-seer who seeth not his owne present folie in boasting idlely of that which he hath not maketh none use of that which is done or doeth not see that that his vaine boasting maketh him ridiculous Hee is as loude a proclamer of his owne folie as hee clameth commendation from that foresight This is a sure note of such Spirites to make none other use of Accidents than astonishment and broad talking Euery one they meete with euery dinner supper must patientlie heare the arguments of their fore-sight at euery occasion they haue a new edition and a new discourse of it and by long and oft pratling they giue some life to that which hath none other beeing than of their owne humour and breath When such things fall out as cannot bee particularlie foreseene of man it is better to ponder them seriouslie and to see the worke of God in them And for our selfe to draw neare to him in Faith and Repentance and to draw other to him also in a religious reuerence of him who ruleth all to the good of the Saints To spend our owne Spirit and wearie the eares of others in idle babling is the worke of an emptie braine 52. Damnable selvishnesse SElfe is both a neare and a deare word to man It draweth all our thoughts to it setting all to worke that is in vs turneth them home againe to it selfe It is both the Idole and idolater the exacter caruer and receiuer the doer and sufferer in all dueties A fountaine sending out all and a Center sucking backe all that it sent out And so selvish in this Selfe that it accompteth euen God to be a stranger And is yet more foolish parteing it selfe against it selfe and is the owne greatest enemie So a mans greatest enemie is not onely they of his owne house but of his owne heart Blind loue in the Ape maketh it thrust oâ—t the enterals of the own brood while it embraceth them too straitly The blindnesse of Selfe-loue maketh it in preposterous safetie to destroy it selfe What more friend-like masters in vs than Selfe-love Selfe wit Selfe-will yet what greater foes The hatred craft power of our open enemies doe not so hurt vs as these I feare and suspect no Creature more than my selfe and that euen when I most respect my selfe I will professe and practise hostilitie against Seluishnesse and render my selfe to bee guyded by a forraine Witte-and Will euen the New-man created and directed of God This is a better Selfe than that naturall Seluish One there is no saftie for mee but in hateing and destroying that euill One By that sauing ouerthrow of my selfe I shall saue my selfe This is the fruite of mine ingraffing in the natiue Oliue The juice of that stocke changeth mee to that Selfe-destroying and Selfe-sauing worke the more I seeke mine owne Saluation the more I abhore my seluish corruption I abhorre my selfe as I am of the first Adam but loue and seeke my well as I am in the second Adam Iesus Christ. The holie Apostle maketh this perfect Anatomie of himselfe Not I but sinne that dwelleth in mee Rom. 7. 17. There is the olde and corrupt Selfe like the first Adam in him By the grace of God I am that I am yeâ— not I but the grace of God which is with me 1. Cor. 15. 10. There is the new Selfe of Grace by the second Adam in him in both places himselfe as hee is Gods creature is the common Subject of both these Selfes Hee is a stranger in himselfe who doeth not marke this distinction of himselfe And hee is his owne greatest foe who destroyeth not the olde Selfe in Adam that hee may saue himselfe in the new Adam Iesus Christ. 53. The wise and foolish Merchant EVerie man playeth the Merchant in his greatest businesse Wee change lose something for gaining another The godly with God haue most care to saue their Soule They care not to losse their goods their name their bodie for that end If labours waste their body and afflictions bruife their Spirit all is well bestowed in their count if so bee their Soule bee safe The wicked mak their own conquesh with witte like themselues they care not to losse their Soule for keeping of their body and estate their course is justifiable in their owne judgement no man can build better vpoÌ„ their grounds or see better with their eyes They see not their Soule and as little care they for it as they know it They see their body and state and doe thinke that their soule is giuen for their body True godlinesse ouerthoweth these grounds and giueth better light It teacheth that all is for man and the body for the soule and himselfe for God This maketh vs to secke our safety more than our state our Conscience more than our fame our Soule more than our bodie And GOD more than all Nature in worldlie thinges condemneth our brutishnesse in spirituall It teacheth men to buy the best thinges of best use of most gaine and at the lowest pryce But in spirituall MerchaÌ„dice wee buy the worst thinges that are of no vse of lesse gaine and at the dearest rate VVee spend our money on that that is no bread and our labour on that which satisfieth not Isa. 55. 2. Such is
to vs. There was neuer such a meeting neuer a more indigent begger than man nor a more liberall giuer than God If as wee are great beggers in pouertie so also in importunitie of suting we shall finde his fulnesse running ouer to our superaboundance and his All-sufficiencie turne our necessitie in sufficiencie It is helpfull in the nature of it in that it is good contrare to our euill and for the disposition of it in that it is liberall to communicate it selfe to our helpe But hee commeth nearer to vs in that hee hath made the fulnesse of his goodnesse to dwell in Christ that is neare to vs that is come to our nature All Grace is treasured in Christ our Head Beside this approching of Grace in him it is neare to our possession when as hee hath it so hee hath procurred by his merits the right of it to vs by his intercession obtaineth it by his dispensation distributeth it daylie Heere are groundes sufficient both for suting and confidence of obtaining I find him neuer more readie to giue than when I haue new receiued neither is my Soule more desirous to craue of him than when it is yet warmed with the sense of his mercie in his new receiued blessing Hee will neuer cease to giue till wee cease to craue perfection is his last gift and our greatest measure Wee neede no more nor can containe no more when once his bountie hath perfected vs in glorie 73. Good motions are of God WEE are not sufficient of our selues to thinke any good 2. Cor. 3. 5. As euery good gift so euer good motion commeth of God Heereby wee vnderstand not fleeing motions of his common and tâ—mporarie giftes but the constant worke of his indwelling Spirit who after our sealing by him abideth in vs That sealing is not so much in any motion as in himselfe for wee aâ—e scaled by the Spirit of promise for the day of Redemption as the earnest of our Inheritance Infused habits of Grace are his great work gift but they wil remaine habits still or rather decay and neuer produce actions without his operation His Spirit is free and worketh where he listeth and in them whom hee possesseth hee worketh not aye to their feeling but when he will His working as his Kingdome come not by obseruation The waters of Bethesda had their tyme of wholesome troubling and so the holie Spirit hath his owne dyet of powerfull operation Occasion may bee offered outwardlie but the inward power can not stirre it selfe without his hand who gaue it It is a great blessing to haue that vertue and power of infused Grace and good occasions and holy necessities in our callings are great prouocations but aboue all the holy Spirite dwelling in the heart is to bee sought when hee kythes himselfe small gifes will vtter themselues excellently according to their Nature When hee lurketh great Graces are on a sleepe they can neither moue themselues nor the Soule that hath them The Soule is the life of the body and giftes and Graces are the life of the Soule But the holy Spirit is the life of them all Both they and wee are dead without him But in his mightie operation we are quickned and that to our feeling So long as I find God in mine heart I am sure of a timous and fruitfull stirring vp of his gifts his owne worke assureth mee of his Presence and his presence perswadeth mee of his worke His time I leaue to himselfe who is as wise to choose the opportunitie as he is able to work the work If I grieue not the Spirit of promise and bee not lacking to his working I will finde tymous and powerfull operation in my necessitie Euery life hath its own naturall actions whereby it is both manifested discerned and so hath the life of God and it is a speciall worke of it to keepe it selfe in vs but to bee carelesse of it is a worke of the flesh and not of the Spirit 74. The right use of obseruing of our neighbours infirmities OBseruation is a Commentarie of euerie occurrent but that Commentar is written in the heart of the obseruer It is wisedome to obserue at all times but there is no necessitie to vtter all our obseruations to other There is as great wisedome in some cases to suppresse as to marke them If wee see God offended wee ought not then to be silent when wee see him dishonoured it is our part as louing Children to pleade zealouslie his cause and to admonish the offender according to our calling But if we obserue our self injured by meÌ„ it is better to misken that wrong and suppresse our owne obseruation Hee who trauelleth through a rough Forrest should not rubbe on euerie thorne and brier that will both rent his garments and flesh and stoppe him in the way Hee is more wise who draweth his garments hard to his body and shifteth the touch of thornes And if they fasten on him softlie freeth himselfe off them It is a safe course through this thornie world to haue no medling but necessar And then not to prouoâ—ke mens infirmities Or if they will rubbe vpon vs wisely to decline or passe them ouer Hee who carpeth at euery thing breedeth much needlesse and endlesse labour But he who passeth by tollerable things without challenge prouyded great peace to himselfe Obseruation is the eye that seeth these thornes Patience and Prudence are the two hands the one to decline them the other to loose them when they fasten in vs. This is not a politicke Dissembling but a Christian disgesting of wrongs The first is a craftie smoothering of anger which will arise to reueng at the owne occasion the second is a buriall of it neuer to reviue or bee remembred The worke of obseruation in it selfe is a good degree of wisedome but the right vse of it is greater wisedome If wee shall euer communicat all our remarkes to men wee could not haue peace in the world men are not so sanctified as to suffer themselues to bee challenged of that whereof they are guiltie Passions in their hearts when they are touched by obseruation are as Lyons in the denne and Serpents in their holes To shew that wee see them prouocketh a greater irritâ—tion It is better to let a Dogge sleepe than to waken him It is sufficient to know hee is a Dogge and wiselie to decline his barking and byting The particular directions of this point would bee many but this is the summe of all to make such vse of obseruation that GOD bee not dishonoured Our Neighbour be not offended Our peace with God our Neighbour and our selues bee not broken 75. Hardnesse of Heart DOubtlesse the heart is naturally hard and accidentallie soft as yron holden in the fire is hotte and soft but out of it turneth cold hard wheÌ„ God warmeth it with a spirituall motion and sense of his loue then it is soft as wax but atonce it becommeth as a stone
By day euen vnder spirituall exercise it stealeth it selfe away from sensiblenesse And in the night though wee close our eyes vnder a strong spiritual sense and softnesse yet in the morning wee shall finde it hard in our breast It can bee hardened not by Commission of euill onely but also by omission of good and that while wee are labouring to soften it Next to the pleasing of God I neuer found an harder taske than to keepe the heart in tendernesse There is no pleasure to the softnesse of it and no griefe to the felâ— hardnesse of it and yet when I grieue for that hardnesse I shal rejoyce if it were incurable it would bee vnfelt The Conscience of my endeuouring to flie sin giueth some comfort the vnspeakable griefe for the hardnesse of it mitigateth that griefe An heart fullie deserted of God and judiciallie hardened can neither feele that hardnesse nor grieue for it If I feare it and feele it I haue it not griefe for it is a softning and loosing of hardnesse Hee hath neede to dwell in his heart and in these thoughts continuallie who would keepe his heart in a tendernesse and affectuousnesse to God The best way to keepe hardnesse out of our heart is to intertaine an heauenly heat of Deuotion in it The Altar of God had alwayes the fire that came downe from heauen If wee keepe our heart vnder the sense of Gods loue to vs and the worke of our loue to him that warmnesse shall preserue our heart in that temper that God at no tyme shall want a sacrifice nor wee a comfort 76. Gods worship done as his worship MAny exercise themselues in the worke of Gods worshippe but not as his worship The Hypocrite doeth it to be seene of men and to purchase a name of pietie the Politicke to bee counted a professor and eschew the suspition of Atheisme And the Atheist himselfe to feede his curiositie It is a good worke in it selfe but to them who doe it with by respects it is sinne Their life doe proue how profanelie they act it they are neuer one whit better but goe on in their profannesse they obtaine the end that they intend and can sute no further Their ende is not edification in the Grace of God but other base respects the desire whereof cerieth them to the worke and in it they find their satisfaction further they looke not and finde not The end of Gods worshippe is our union with him to partake his forgiuing goodnesse in the pardon of sinne and his giuing goodnesse in all sauing Grace The forme of it is in giuing diuine homage honour to him But they minde none of these If they can purchase the name of zealous professors suters of Sermons though indeede they bee but naturallie or ciuillie disposed in all the worke and seekers of nouelties they haue all their desire But to doe the worke of Gods worshippe as his worship hath vnspeakable profite wee doe it so when the loue of God and his Grace allureth vs and the griefe of our miserie forceth vs to him when we preasse not to please men but God seeke not any base respect but his Glorie the rest comfort of our Soules in Christ Wee take time occasion place Texts all as Gods prouidence doth offer them to vs in all we seeke him find him rest on him We may both please men and our selfe and deceiue vs both therein in such by-respects Yet God will not bee deceiued what euer his secrete goodnesse worke in man yet no spirituall fruite is due to so fleshly a disposition 77. Gods stamppe in the Soule and Bodie GOD hath reserued the immediate search and knowledge of the heart to himselfe But so as hee hath left some indices for others to obserue it GODS Image is principally seated in the Soule yet it is not inclosed there but the body hath the owne part in it Election Iustification Sanctifiation pertaineth to both Soule Bâ—die though the soule be both more capable seÌ„sible of them Gods treasure of Grace in his owne is so laide vp in the Soule that it may bee seene in some measure in the body and that not onely as the Soules Instrument but as a Companion That fellowship in partaking Grace with the Soule doeth more affect the bodie than a naked Instrument The countenance conuoy of businesse gesture and wordes giue some notice how the heart is sette Though man by Education Letters Religion and Grace be subject to a change from his naturall disposition yet there is euer some Characteristicke thing in Nature to bee seene in euery one Hypocrisie the fittest visorne for deceat cannot hyde that from the discerning eye As the colour of people testifieth the soyle their language the Nation their accent of speach their Prouence as a Galilean from an Iew So euerie mans Character telleth his disposition hee must cast off himselfe before hee cast it off It is the Soules lineaments in the body words and deeds if wee find it wee haue found out the predominant both in its â—eate and chiefe instrument It is matter for our circumspectnesse to eschew mens euill and of our hope to look for their good What either good or euill can bee remarkable in them is marked by and tasteth of that stamppe It is good when the naturall Character is stamped with Grace when God reneweth me to his Image in righteousnesse and holinesse sure I am hee will make mee a signet on his arme and his heart when hee filleth all the heart with his Grace his Name will bee written in the forehead so that they who can may read Holinesse to the LORD Courtlie attendance giueth men a courtlie countenance And Sathans slaues by their deuilish consulting with him drawe on their face a sterne rasednesse the horrour of that vncleane Spirit deformeth his familiars And shall not the heauenlie familiaritie with God giue an holy impression to his daylie attendants Familiar conuersing with God made Moses face to shine The Soule is naturallie both affected with and affecteth the body with the things that it most loueth And what is more excellent or giueth stronger impression in it than God If wee come seldome to him we are but lightlie touched of him but if our Soules by continuall mynding of him bee sub-acted by these thoughtes and kned in them doubtlesse as our Spirit within so our body without shall giue some testimonies of a diuine disposition 78. Of great naturall Spirits I Saw neuer greater folie than in these named greatest naturall Spirits odde wits haue as odde gaddes no great ingyne without some mixture of madnes and their vyce oft-ten doeth equall or rather exceede their vertues No moderate thing can coÌ„tent them but al their worke is in excesse and that in the worst sense their end in intending their practise in plotting and they choose rather to hunt an vncertaine and imaginate contentment than to enjoye a certaine and present estate I doe
of his Children The testimonie of my justification Son bee of good comfort thy sinnes are forgiuen thee The Seales of mine Election and calling in the â—ruites of the Spirit These and the like are excellent newes their matter is good and glorious Their delight is great and constant Though they were heard euerie houre yet they are euer fresh and new to the New man They fall neither vnder stalenes in themselues nor loathing to mee but their last hearing delighteth mee as much as the first hearing As for other matters I rest not on them as Newes but obserue in them the prouidence of God how he ruleth the world by ouer-ruling the malice of Sathan and madnesse of man to his owne glorie and good of his Saintes to make them new and to put in their mouth a new song To bee grieued with Nebemiah when wee heare of Ierusalems desolation and rejoyce when wee heare of her prosperitie is a marke of Grace in the New man When all trifling Newes shall bee ended God shall put a new Song in his mouth to praise him eternallie The Soule enstamped with Newes of Grace turneth all occurrent Newes to that better and biding substance 87. The comfort of Calumnies ACalumnie is the Deuils minde in the mouth of Man and his arrow shot by mans bow Hee lendeth him his lyes and malice borroweth his tongue to vtter them He hath this name from traducing and thrusting through the fame of the godlie His first and maine care is by temptation to destroy their Conscience and if hee preuaile not in this hee turneth him to their name that hee may rent it by Calumnies whose Conscience hee could not defile by temptation This is his policie against Gods dearest Children they are most hated of him who are most beloued of GOD Hee careth not to make euill reports of his owne and counteth no great gaine to defile the face of a Moore but all his care is to blamish the face and stenzie the name in whom Gods Grace shineth cleerelie Hee knoweth that treasure in them is giuen for his hurt Hee cannot stay God from giuing it to his beloued but hee turneth him to the next to make it fruitlesse to other Hee cannot stay a daylie and fresh increasing of that Grace but hee prâ—asseth to make it distastfull to man that so it may bee fruitlesse Surelie hee loseth not all his labour though hee be ouercome by the Saints whom hee calumniateth yet hee ouercommeth them who doe calumniate them It is a fearefull thing to lend to Sathan the Heart for deuising the Eare for hearing and the Tongue for vttering of Calumnies and in all to disgrace the Grace of GOD in his Children and make it fruitelesse to themselues Where Sathan hath set his porter of prejudice though Christ himselfe were on Earth that Soule would take no good of him It is a deuilish worke to enuy the Grace of GOD but more to deny it and most of all to disgrace it Wee finde heerein a great proofe of that particular worke of Conscience in justifying vs At other times wee can content vs with common and slender examining of our selues but being so falslie misconstrued wee are put to a second and a stricter tryall which vpon the cace of our tryed innocencie endeth in a notable seale of the holy Spirit Hee both approueth our first innocencie as good seruice to God and our suffring for it as a just matter of our gloriation Hee who offereth vp his Soule and bodie in a Sacrifice to God must resolue to bee crucified in his Name daylie by Calumnies and these daylie blowes are an argument that his sacrifice is acceptable to GOD because Sathan rageth at him who serueth God vprightlie hee knoweth that Conscience within is repleate with God and his peace therefore hee laboureth to rent their Fame without whose inward peace hee cannot trouble It is better to haue him molesting vs without than possessing vs within The godlie Soule so afflected goeth to God in the bitternesse of Spirit appealing him as a Iudge of their cause in the Conscience of their innocencie They commit their cause to him and prayeth for pardon to their injurers Their innocencie is both the occasion cause of calumnies with the Deuill and the soueraigne remeede of them with God and their own Consciences Herein they haue a triple conformitie with Christ Hee was innocent and yet hee was calumniate and prayed for his injurers Better it is to endure the scourge of the tongue than want this triple conformitie Why should we not glory in so cleare an Euidence of Gods speciall loue Sathan taketh both the cause of his hatred the measure of it from the loue of God Hee hateth them most whom God loueth most Hee had moe calumnies and euill tales against Iob than against many thousands in his time Hee was a thorne in his eye because hee was dearelie beloued of God and acceptable to him It is then the glorie of the Sainctes to bee calumniat Rejoyce and bee glad when men revile you and speake all manner of euill against you for my sake falslie Mat. 5 11. It is a token Sathan hath not preuailed against our Conscience but is now in his flight when hee renteth our Name As strength of Gods grace keepeth the Soule in temptation so the Conscience of innocencie will comfort the heart vnder Calumnies The haile showre of Calumnies proueth on Gods part a speciall loue to vs and on our part true happinesse in that his loue and vigour of his Grace in vs ouer-commingâ— Sathan And on Sathans part a double malice for that our double happinesse And in the calumniator a double miserie one in beeing the Deuils instrument in calumniating the Saincts the other in defrauding themselues of the fruite of Gods Grace in them whom they traduce The best refutation of Calumnies is not by word but by deede GOD and our Conscience seeth our innocencie let men see it in our life When Gods Grace shineth in vs as a light before men then we refute realy our traducers and proclaime them lyers to the world 88. Men are blind and quicke sighted in their owne cause EVery man is both blinde seeth best in his owne cause Hee knoweth the circumstances of his deedes but is blind in the question of his right Selfâ—-loue maketh him ingrosse his person in his deede and transchange his deede in his right And so confounding right and deede in his owne person to take all as good The Lawes of God and man must giue place to his opinion and humour they are either close forgotten or beeing applyed to him hee is made the rule and they must suffer such construction as his selfe-loue appointeth It is kyndlie to an erring minde to nurish the owne birth As it erreth in directing a couâ—se so in approuing of it when it is done It is no more fordward to deuise it than pertinacious to defend it herewith is joyned a more fearefull sinne that
as his humour is put in place of Gods Law so himselfe is put in Gods steede If many courses that seeme good were tryed to this touchstone their appearing equitie would be found iniquitie and their seeming obedience to God would proue contemptuous rebellion Selfe-loue is such an enemie to trueth and righteousnesse as they can neuer preuaile at her barre She setteth vs as a center to al her supposed good pleadeth greatest iniquity in the termes of our wealth In just reason sight should master that blindnesse but the tyrannie of Selfe-loue blindeth our verie light The speciall remeede of this voluntar and wilfull erring is to transferre both our deeds and rights to the person of some other We would judge more vnpartiallie in that case If wee censure them in other and apply that our censure to our selfe we shall be convicted of many infirmities which wee take for perfections If wee could drawe our cause deedes and persons in the light of Gods countenance such selfe-deceiuing would not haue place in us Mans judgement and our owne may faile vs but there is no place for deceite if we can sincerely processe our selues before God in the person of another The strength of Selfe-deceit is in confusion and assuming an other person than our owne but the remeede of it is in discerning that confusion and transferring our person to another 89. Particulars are mixed with common causes I Saw neuer a common cause without some particulars all may seeme to concurre to choose and vse good meanes to a common end But if all heartes were disclosed the ends might bee found almost as many and particular as the persons By-ends are euer sette vp beside the maine and good end and for these either meanes diuerse or contrare to the wholesome meanes are inuented If God did not ouer-rule so diuerse coÌ„trare projects there culd neuer a common course bee happilie prosecute As day and night make vp time and heate and moystnesse the life and health of man so hee turneth mans contâ—are particulars to his good end Hee can suffer them to intend their owne ends and plotte their owne meanes but yet wiselie in his owne time he wosteth all their particular and curious spinning in the great webbe of his prouidence As little Brookes falling from sundrie Hilles in a great Riuer keepe no longer their course or channell but are carried with the Riuer to the Sea So mens particular ends and wayes are carried within the source of Gods prouidence to his owne end They may fight one against another but cannot all resist him His ouer-ruling power and wisedome maketh good matter for his end out of them all It is a wonder to see euery man draw the publicke to his owne particular But more how God sustaineth the publicke in so manifold and manifest direptions of it And most of all how he turneth them to the preseruation of the integritie of it It is a griefe indeed to see men spoile the common with their owne particulars yet shall it bee no prejudice to God Man may propone but God will dispone the moe impediments the greater discouerie of mans folie and the more matter for proofe of Gods wisedome There bee some particulars which agree with the publicke and are rather partes of it than particulars They intend a common good and quite themselues for sustaining of it and suffer their owne small streame to fall in the greater Riuer and so come vnder Gods blessing to the common But destroying particulars fall vnder his curse who is the ranuerser of al crooked wayes They are the ivie or woodbeane that draweth out the juce of the tree which it strictlie embraceth turneth the waters of the riuer to their own ditch Though they sucke the marrow of the publicke to themselues yet God maketh it to drie their bones and not to feede them Such interuerters like Pharaohs leane kyne are as leane after the deuouring of the fatte kyne as before It is a safe proceeding to haue our end one with God and our mids these same which he hath commanded If we see men vntimouslie broyle with their particulars let vs not dispare of Gods end Whither man prosper or faile of his purpose yet the counsell of God shall stand Prov. 19. 21. Hee hath prouided great furtherance for his adoes who refuseth particular ends GOD who watcheth ouer all thinges for his owne purpose shall bring it to passe Wee may bee sure that hee will accomplish our desires when they are closed in his We should not stay on this only consideration but ascend more high to conceiue that Gods mercie from eternall purposed to determine our will to a conformitie with his that in time hee might blesse vs in the accomplishment of our will in his 90. The Remeede of our Corruption â—Ho can looke in his owne heart with the light of God without astonishment All our naturall powers giuen at the first for our good are armed for our destruction These who should sute and rest on good as our Desires Loue Hope and Ioye c. are sette on euill And they which should fence vs from euill as Feare Hatred Dispare and Griefe c. are either idâ—e from their worke or adhere to euill And some monstruous passion seasing it selfe in euerie facultie of our Soule playeth the tyrrant by course And all these to bee directed by an ignorant and erring minde and sweyed by a will free indeed but all its freedome inclining and captiuate to sin The den of lyons was no more terrible to Daniel or the fyre to the three Children than these tyrrannous passions in the heart are to him that seeth and feeleth them What pleasure can wee haue to dwell among such Vipers and to be daylie stunge by them This is our state so long as we sojourne in Meshech and dwell in the tents of Kedar Psal. 120. 5. What joy can our heartes possesse so long as they boyle in these corruptions Ambition in one corner Auarice in another Lust in a third miscontment distempering all Wee can neither cast them out of vs nor separate our selues from them except we prouide some remeede wee must bee burnt by that fire and rent by these beasts If God dwell in our heart hee will quench that fire and stop the mouthes of these Lyons Hee turneth these powers on their abused passions in a godly griefe to bee sorrowfull for them and a godly feare to eschew them and by their renouatioÌ„ destroyeth their corruption and that not for their slaughter onlie but for their buriall A watchfull Conscience ouer their sturring that they draw vs not to sinne an in-calling on GOD for pardon and assistance against their furie a striuing to defraude their desires and crosse them by their contrares are good remeedes for our corruption When that worke of restraining and renewing Grace is constant sensible in vs then the jawes of these Lyons are broken and the just cause of our griefe is turned in as
good of mankinde To bee thankfull to God who hath so many wayes blessed vs and so wee shall bee most respectiue to our selfe and others in all these respects As this third is more excellent than the other two so is it the right disposer of them God craueth of these lower respects that all returne to him but the most part sticke on themselues and forget God But this is the blessing of Christianitie that it maketh vs worthily to carie our selfe both in our naturall and ciuill place in mankind 67. Mans threefold Perfection GOD hath disgested mankinde in three seuerall rankes but therewith hee giueth three sorts of Perfection indifferentlie to all rankes And what euer bee our place in nature in ciuilitie and Christianitie yet these attend them The first is naturall and that is Reason which perfecteth man as man The second acquired and is Learning a perfection to Reason and a lifting vp of man aboue himselfe The third is diuine and that is the Grace of Christ and true sanctification the perfection of both these Perfections Reason is a sort of ground to the other two a solide wit is a good substance both for Learning and Grace Reason enableth the Soule fundamentallie making it capable of good Learning enableth it accessorielie and artificiallie what euer bee our naturall gifts or ciuill calling wee are the more enabled for them by Learning so a King gouerneth more wisely the Pastour teacheth the word of God more skilfullie the Lawer pleadeth more pertinently And the meanest Callings are done more dexterouslie by Learning But Grace enableth vs in both the other with a transcendent perfection the former two may bee in Reprobates and though good in themselues yet hurtfull to the possessour his neighbour Great wit without Learning is a good knife without a whetstone learning without solide judgement is as the edge of glasse it is sharpe but in brittle mettell wit and Learning without Grace are a bodie without a Soule a carcase of perfection and a sharpe sword in the hand of a mad maÌ„ They serue to deuise defend euil so to destroy the possessors Grace is merelie transcendent among the blessings of God it translateth from Nature and maketh vs partakers of the Diuine Nature 2. Pet. 1. Reason doth not so farre exalt man aboue beasts or letters the learned aboue the vnlearned as Grace doeth the sanctified man aboue them both These other differences may bee counted but this of Grace is as farre aboue them as heauen aboue the earth Happie is the man whom God hath blessed with sound Vnderstanding light of Learning and life of Grace All these three Perfections doe meete together and rest in him to his compleete perfection All these deserue great respect but not all alike And there is a great mistaking of many heerein Grace is incomparablie the most excellent and most to bee sought yet least respected of many It is counted a common and base thing but the other are admired for their supposed excellencie yea riches honour and the baggage of the world are counted more excellent and sought more than they all The world euer loueth that which is like it selfe and misliketh true Grace But hee who hath the Grace of GOD surpasseth the Wretch the Ambitious and the accomplished man in Nature and Arte And is exalted to a degree of Angelike perfection The first two may bee in olde Adams corruption but the third is our partaking of the second Adam 98. Prouidence is particular to the Saincts ALl things are subject to Prouidence this is the godly mans priueledge that hee is both sensible and conscious of it Grace in him maketh these fruitfull Obseruations and then disposeth him with Loue and dependance on God who sweyeth it so sweetly to his good Many blessings it bringeth to vs we know not how Many are our seene dangers and our dangers vnseene by manie millions exceede them but God by his mercifull Prouidence deliuereth vs out of them all Though wee see not Sathan yet at euery moment hee would swallow vs vp if God defended vs not He either with-holdeth occasions of euil that they come not or if they come hee restraineth their worke that they hurt vs not It is impossible to see all the goodnes of his Prouidence to vs but hee acquainteth vs with some of them that wee may see his goodnesse in the rest The particular respect of Prouidence to the godlie may bee seene in two speciall thinges In the furthering of our designes and in the crossing of them for the furtherance how doeth God tell vs that hee watcheth for vs Wee haue possiblie some businesse in hand and haue necessitie of some persons and occasions and circumstances and with all wee are perplexed how these thinges shall bee brought together God bringeth them to our hand wee goe out full of desires and as full of solicitude how to satisfie them And hee maketh men tyme and occasion to tryst so together that our desires are satisfieth and our expectation ouercome Oft-times at the going out of our doores wee encounter with men and occasion longed for and desired that our verie imaginations could not deuise better opportunitie for our adoes This commeth neither of our desert nor our disposing but of Gods mercie wyâ—ding and turning all about to their good who depend on him It is his will who ruleth the world and hath the wayes of all creatures in his hand to dispose times wayes and all so as may best fitte their desires who are at peace with him The crossing of our designes haue no lesse proofe of his Fatherlie care how oft doe wee fret in our selfe and chyde men for their neglects that bring disappointment to our designes and yet if wee can haue patience for a time wee shall finde that disappointment to our greater contentment Hee blesseth vs in a meanes and way knowne to himselfe seuenfold more than if our first desire had beene accomplished No hee turneth our chyding off men vpon our selfe and our miscontentment for the first disappointment in a thankesgiuing that wee were disappointed If wee could at such crossings rest on God and perswade vs it is for a better in that same point wherein wee are crossed wee should finde in end our expectation were the worke of his owne Grace Scarcelie shall a day goe ouer without some occasion of this Obseruation If wee marke it not wee are vngrate to so particular and gratious Prouidence If we marke it aright as furtherences shall giue vs contentment so these disappointments shall giue vs patience till a double contentment come 99. The sight of a new and a better World in this olde bad one â—EE are called vnto and doe professe a Pilgramage in this world but how few doe either vnderstand or practise it Some professe a contempt of it and yet oft-times are courting its applause by that contempt He is as well a slaue of the world who thirsteth her applause as he who courteth her
vanities and that far more because her applause is her vainest vanities And others possiblie shift themselues both of her vanitie and loue and yet are not fastned on a better Hee is foolish who loseth one thing findeth not another But the truelie godly man seeth and followeth a better world in this wicked one wee haue in this visible world an Heauen and Starres Earth Aire and Creatures for our temporall vse But the spirituall eye taketh vp an higher one Hee seeth GOD for his Sunne and from his Face taketh his Light from his Loue his Warmenesse from his Presence his Seasons It is light and Day when he shyneth on our Soule in the Face of Christ It is Night horrible darknesse when he hydeth his Face The course of his times run not as in the world The heauenly Day may fall at the midst of the naturall night heauenly Summer and Haruest in the midst of the naturall winter Euen at mid-night it is mid-day in that Soule where God maketh our reines to teach vs knowledge All Seasons are numbered by his Fâ—ce allcaneâ—lie The earth of this world is the Rocke of Syon Iesus Christ. No stabilitie or rest to the Soule but in him The Aire is the sense of his Fauour and the comfortable Creatures are his Saintes who walke with him in righteousnesse and holinesse This heauenlie world is better than that visible one and will remaine when the other is destroyed It is a strange conceate in them who by an odde Prospect seeth an earth and cities and men in the Moone That fiction and fansie is verified in this Trueth The spirituall man seeth this heauenly world in the temporall one And with that same light hee seeth an hellish world in this visible one For what is Sathan abusing the world and leading it in euill but erecting of a world of his owne in the defacing of this created world These are solide groundes to make vs strangers on earth and Burgesses in Heauen when wee take vp these worlds distinctlie And the more cleerelie wee see them there will bee lesse difficultie to forsake the euill and â—eeke the good one Let the men of this world reckon their Seasons Tymes and Occasions by this world that they see Our reckoning is better and surer by that supernaturall one They change their Almanackes from time to times But our Sun of Righteousnesse shall distinguish our Seasons and shine vpon vs both in this life and in Heauen This sight is the worke of a new light and is to be found only in the new man whom God hath ordained for the new Heauen and for the new Earth His Calender is neither directed by Starres in heauen nor Tydes in the Sea nor Horologes on the Earth His Sunne and starres is Gods Face his Tydes are the ebbing and flowing of the influences of Grace And his Horologe the secret yet the strong motions of Gods Spirit showing the increase of Grace in the owne periods though the promouing of it bee oft-ten hid from vs. This Earth is a sort of mids betweene Heauen and Hell and yet both of them haue their image beginning in it We are called to forsake the euill and seeke the good and what worse than Satan and sinâ—e and the wicked And what better than GOD his Grace and his Sainctes If wee see these distinctlie we shal be the more enabled to moue our selfe from the euill to the good This sight is the worke of Grace but the naturall man taketh all confusedly he neither seeth nor seeketh better than the world And if he make any distinction it is false hee forsaketh good as an euill and cleeueth to euill as his happinesse 100 God is the dwelling place of the godly Soule EVerie Creature hath the owne element and rest for dwelling securitie and delight therein they are both frequentlie and pleasantlie It is a meanes to try our state by our resort and rest The Worldling is euer in the world there is no difference betweene him and the Earth but that the one liueth and the other doth not and this that liueth is worse than the other because hee liueth in sinne The godlie Soule resteth on God in all businesse it looketh to him and all the thoughts of it end in him to him aboue all it returneth resteth pleasantlie in him and from him it can not bee rent All beeing and businesse out of him is a vexation and our greatest labour is sweete by this onelie that it goeth to him and is acceptable to him God dwelleth in that Soule that cannot rest but in him hee hath loued it from eternall and called it in time to himselfe that is so taken with him and his delights No rendeuous is so known to any Creature and vsed of it as God is to that Soule that resteth in him A proofe of this rest is God resting in vs In all the world he found not rest but in man When he created the Heauen and the Earth all Beasts and Fowles he rested not til he created man his Benjamin his last Creature in worke but his first in affection there hee rested as in the end of his Creation His delight is to dwell with men and among men with the godlie for them onely of all mankinde hath hee assumed to union in Christ. If we find him dwell in vs then surely we dwell in him we may easilie know if Christ dwell in vs except we bee Reprobats 2. Cor. 5. There is great wisdome in choosing the best Lodging We lodge now conuenientlie in our Bodie but at Death it will cast vs out and the worlde our pleasant House will decay Wee rest now in our contentmentes but must flitte from them But God can neither decay nor cast vs out and at Death wee shall still abide in him We neede not then flitte from him but ascend and bee more joyned to him Wee cannot haue Tabernacles heere nor abide no not in the beginnings and growth of Grace which is now our contentment but shall bee receiued and bide in euerlasting Mansions that are in him Man naturallie inclineth to two things his beginning and end His beginning recalleth him by right of his Originall The fishes will visite the place of their spawning yeerelie And men of an hurte health returne to their natiue soyle as the aire which they took in at their birth gaue them the first outward matter of their naturall Spirits so the vse of it may bring them backe againe to their first integritie The end calleth vs to it by right of perfection the pryse of the runner the house of the Traueller are earnestlie desired So is it to the godly Our beginning in Grace is in God The Riuer of liuing waters flowe out from the Sanctuarie from vnder the Throne of GOD and the Lambe The Grace of election hath no latter beginning than eternitie nor lower discent than heauen and turneth vs vp to it againe The waters of life which Christ giueth vs
shall bee a fountaine in our bellie springing vp to life eternall How can it in our bellie spring vp to life eternall but because it lifteth our heartes to GOD in Heauen The Soule which so adhereth to God is more in him than in the body which it quickneth both because it goeth gladlie out of it selfe to bee all in him and next because it cannot dwell in it selfe but because of him it can better dwell among Monsters in the desert that in it selfe without him And thirdlie because when it is lost in sinne and securitie it seeketh and findeth it selfe more in him than in it selfe When we may say to him O thou whom my Soule loueth All these sorts and degrees of union with him are found The bosome of the mother is a kindlie rest to the Babe both for sleepe in health recouerie in sweruing that naturall heate wherein it was formed doth kindlie cherish that life that proceedeth of it WheÌ„ we lye alwayes in the bosome of God and are warmed by the sense of that sauing loue in Christ wee are both sensible of the vertue of our beginning and of the first fruites of our end The Needle of the Dyall standeth not but towards the Pole so doeth the godlie Soule to God If the secret vertue of a small stone can so moue yron shall not the Rocke of Syon Christ Iesus the Miracle of loue drawe our tender louing hearts vnto him How securlie shall wee contemne all other things and rest sweetlie content in him vnder the sense of this his drawing and vniting vertue expecting that happines which his sauing Loue procureth to his Beloued Returne now O my Soule to thy Rest and abyde in it for GOD hath beene and will bee for euer beneficiall vnto thee Psal. 116. 7. AMEN FINIS A RESOLVTION FOR DEATH written vnder the sentence of Death in the time of a painfull Disease And now published for their comfort who studie to approue themselues to God And to assure all that liue the life of the Righteous that they shall die the death of the Righteous By the same Author M. W. S. I desire to bee dissolued and to bee with CHRIST Philipp 1. 23. EDINBVRGH Printed by the Heires of Andro Hart. Anno Domini 1628. Philipp 1. 21. Christ is to mee both in Death and in Life aduantage Luke 2. 29. 30. Lord now lettest thou thy Seruant depart in Peace according to thy Word For mine eyes hath seene thy Saluation 1. Cor. 15. 55. 56. 57. O Death where is thy Sting O Graue where is thy Victorie The sting of Death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the Law But thankes bee to God which giueth vs the victorie through our Lord Iesus Christ. A Table of the following Treatise THe proposition of the Resolution Num. 1. The first ground from present misery 2. The miserie of our Bodie 3. The miserie of the Soule 4. The miserie of our Lott 5. The second ground from our Happinesse 6. The happinesse of our Soule 7. The happinesse of our Body 8. The happinesse of our Lotte 9. The third ground from Gods worke in vs concerning our miserie and happinesse 10. Sense of miserie in the Bodie 11. Sense of miserie in the Soule 12. Sense of miserie in our Lotte 13. Sense of Glorie in Heauen 14. Resolution it selfe 15. The godlie man dyeth not 16. But ouercometh Death in Christ. 17. Hee preuenteth Death in his Life 18. Hee preueneth his Buriall in Life 19. Foure ioyfull solemnities 20. Ioy at Birth 21. Ioy at Mariage 22. Ioy at Triumph 23. Ioy at Coronation 24. They are all at the death of the Godly 25. IncouragemeÌ„ts against Death from them 26. The noyse at Death 27. Fearefull cryes to the wicked 28. Comfortable cryes to the godly 29. A glorious change at Death 30. Manie unions with the Bodie 31 Necessitie of separation 32 Documents of the sentence of Death 33. 1. Mortalitie of the Body 34. 2. Immortalitie of the Soule 35. 3. Gods loue sauing vs from Hell 36. 4. That his loue standeth with affliction 37. Experience of Death 38. Eight comforâ—able contraries in Death 39 The VVicked tremble at it 40. But the godlie reioyce 41. Incertaintie at Death is fearefull 42. Certaintie is comfortable 43. It is obtained by Faith 44. By Prayer 45. And conuersing daylie with God 46. Our light clearer in Death than in Life 47. Acquaintance with Death 48. Sentence of Death 49. Lawfull desires of Life 50. Hope of glorious Resurrection 51. Hope of eternall Glorie 52 Hope of the Lords Rest. 53. Our Rights to that Rest. 54 A Catalogue of GODS speciall blessings to strengthen these our hopes 55. The fearefull Death of the Wicked 56. The ioyfull Death of the Godlie 57. The remainders of feare in the best men 58. But they are soone ouercome 59. The godlie mans Testament 60. A Prayer for an happie Death 61. And for the sight of Christ at Death 62. Confidence to obtaine them both 63. And glorie thereafter 64. The last and greatest desire 65. And last an eternall delight of the godly Soule 66. Reuel 14. 13. Blessed are the Dead which die in the LORD for they rest from their labours and their workes followeth them A RESOLVTION FOR DEATH written vnder the sentence of Death in the time of a painfull Disease Decemb. 1627. And now published for their comfort who studie to approue themselues to God WHY should I feare Death when it approacheth It is the way that I desire to goe I passe Natures necessitie in Adam that hath subjected me to mortalitie come to the priuiledge of Grace in Christ which hath deliuered mee from the curse of it I say not I make mee for Death because I must die but because I would die Long haue I thought on it and earnestlie longed for it if I stagger and feare at his reproach my desire hath either beene foolish or my Spirit is faint The grounds of my desire are 1. Present miserie 2. Next future Glorie 3. And the worke of God in mee concerning them both My Miseries are great in the weaknes of a mortall body a lumppe of earth busying it selfe and mee about it selfe For Eating Drinking and Clothing and Resting it spendeth the Tyme and it selfe and wearieth the Spirit Fraile is this lump that hath an hourelie necessitie of so fraile things and the necessitie so great that the paine of it is intolerable the easing of it by meanes conuenient is wearisome and that ease beginning with ending and ending in the beginning Scarcelie is it refreshed when it hungreth and wearieth againe One necessitie sendeth it to another and the satisfying of one bringeth on another and that same that was now eased returneth shortlie If I satisfie Hunger and Thirst. Drowsinesse calleth for Sleepe if I refresh it by Sleepe Nakednesse must bee couered and scarce haue I couered Nakednesse when new Hunger calleth for Refreshment and Refreshment sendeth me to Sleepe againe Weake is that Life that needeth so
from the Earth But for all these miseries in this life God hath prepared a remeede Our life in Heauen shall relieue vs of them all There shall bee no tempter nor temptation without nor corruption within No passion nor perturbation for any occurrent There shall bee none ignorance nor errour to leade vs wrong No perplexitie or feare or sorrow neither any thing that may trouble the peace or joy of the heart The Soule shall see God immediatelie and perfectlie and bee filled with loue and heauenly affection with that sight it shall enjoy God and rejoyce in that perfect enjoying and rest as in the desired end in a a glorious Peace This is the happinesse of a glorified Spirit This fraile bodie shall bee no more mortall but cloathed with immortalitie It shall bee no more grosse and earthlie but spirituall and pure No more lumpish and heauie but light and nimble as the Eagle in her flight No more darke and obscure but shining in glorie as the Heauen and Starres No sicknesse death but a continuall and constant health There shall be no need of meate to sustaine it or of Physick to restore our hurt health but all necessities remoued As they shall bee cleare as the Heauen so more enduring than the Heauē according to the Body of Christ who shall change our vile bodies and make them conforme to his glorious Bodie Phillipp 3. 21. This is the happinesse of a glorious Bodie Our Lotte shall bee then secured because it is all in God and is God himselfe There shall neither be lack of any conuenient good no sorrow for losses no feare of change and decay of our estate No Theefe shall be there to steale no Cousner to deceiue no tyrrant to oppresse God who hath blessed vs with it shall maintaine our Lotte and that in a place most secure from violence or changes Vanitie and changes are only vnder the Heauen but aboue it there is no change at all This is the happines of an vnchangeable Lot Then all things shall agree well A glorious person invested in a glorious estate a glorious place and that eternallie Thy worke in me about these things is wonderfull O LORD thou hast not suffered mee to bee a stranger either in the miseries of this life or in the joyes of Heauen Thou knowest that feeling is more forcible than speculation and Experience more strong than consideration and therefore hast acquainted mee with them Oft-ten haue I found the frailtie of my bodie but now more than euer for now my reines are full of burning there is nothing sound in my flesh I am weakned and sore broken I roare for the verie griefe of mine heart Lord I powre my whole desire before thee and my sighing is not hid from thee Mine heart panteth and my strength faileth mee and the light of mine eyes euen they are not mine owne Psal. 38. 7. 8. 9. 10. Painefull nights haue beene appointed vnto mee If I layed mee downe I saide VVhen shall I arise and measuring the Euening I am full of tossings till the dawning of the day VVhen I say My Couch shall relieue mee and my bed shall bring comfort in my meditation Then fearest thou mee with Dreames and astonishest mee with visions Iob. 7. v. 3. 4. 13 14. The sorrowes of the Graue doe compasse mee about and the snares of Death ouertake mee Psal. 18. 5. As for my Spirit I haue found therein great exercise all my life-time Satan euer lying in wait to enter by his allurements my corruption readie to yeelde to him My Conscience at her best watcheth ouer Sathan to marke his machinations and ouer my corruption that it yeelde not And when I fall checking mee till I repent Since I knew thee O Lord and the power of thy Grace I haue beene rent by a continuall striuing 1. My passions fighting against other 2. My passions against my reason 3. And my Conscience against them all I know all these discords may be in the naturall man yet are they stronger in the renewed man because of greater light discouering and Sathans more bitter persute And the tendernesse of Grace impatient of sin 4. And aboue them all the battell betweene the flesh and the Spirit euerie one of them lusting against another This hath beene mine exercise since I renounced the world Because these three Childrē Faith Hope Loue doe not worship the image of Popularitie Vanitie that is adored by the world Therefore Sathan held them in the furnace and heateth it seuen folde both in the worlds reuenging humour an◠in the rage of my curbed corruption breaking out in passions As for the Lot wherewith thou hast blessed mee I haue beene continuallie exercised in it Scarcelie can I find any of thy blessinges wherein thou hast not afflicted mee There bee few sorts or degrees of crosses wherein thou hast not schooled mee What Solomon preached of the vanities of the world thou hast in some measure taught mee by deare Experience So that I may justlie euen in thy presence vse the words of thy deare Prophet Ieremiah I am the man that hath seene affliction in the rodde of his indignation My flesh and skinne hath hee caused to waxe olde and hee hath broken my bones hee hath hedged about mee that I cannot get out Hee hath made my chaines heauie Also when I cryed hee stopped out my prayer Hee hath bent his bow and made mee a marke for his arrow Hee caused the Quiuer of his arrow to enter in my reines He hath filled me with drunkennes made mee drunken with wormwood Thus my Soule was farre from peace I forgot prosperitie remembring mine affliction and my murning the wormwoode and the gall my Soule hath them in remembrance and is humbled in me I haue borne the yoke from my youth and sitten alone and keeped silence because I haue borne it Lament 3. v. 1. 4 7. 8. 12. 13. 14. 15. 17. 19. 20. 27. 28. And now I am afflicted and at the point of death From my youth haue I suffered thy terrors Psal. 88. 15. I protest by our rejoycing which we haue in the Lord Iesus Christ I die daylie 1. Cor. 15. 30. Alwayes bearing about in the bodie the dying of the Lord Iesus that the life also of Iesus might bee made manifest in our bodie 2. Cor. 4. 10. So thou hast fedde me with the dyet of thy dearest Children both to fitte mee to a publicke Ministerie that I might speake of thee and thy wayes not from any humane teaching or abstract speculation but as being taught of thee by dearest Experience And to worke in me a loathing of this life wherin euerie day bringeth a newe griefe to the godlie Heerein thou hast giuen mee the just Commentar of that Text which all of vs can reade or rehearse but fewe doe practise Hee vvho will bee my Disciple let him renounce himselfe and take vp his crosse daylie and follow mee Luc. 9. 23. Is not this enough to
of vs in our tyme Hee fulfilled the Law tooke away Sinne satisfied Gods Iustice and so brak the jawes of Death Shall I then feare to follow such a Captaine Hee hath made Death but a carcase of an enemie I haue neither to feare in it Sinne which is pardoned nor Law which is fulfilled nor Iustice which is satisfied It is a Serpent without the Sting a Gyant without bones or armes though it swallow mee vp in a naturall dissolution it shall cast mee out as the Whale did Ionah in an immortall condition when this mortalitie shall bee swallowed vp of life When Dauid had killed Goliah the Israelites ranne as fast to see him as they fledde before from him beeing aliue Doubtlesse they contemned that sometimes terrible Gyant they trod vpon him with their feete and cut him with there swords They did that securelie because hee was dead Hee who was euen now the matter of their feare his lifeles carcase is turned a matter of their contempt and his death a cause of their joye Death may separate thee from this Bodie but neither from God nor his life in thee it shall the more vnite thee to him this Bodie that dyeth by thy departing shall liue in Death It dyeth as a creature the part of such a one but it liueth as a member of Christ and the Temple of the holie Spirit both because it is separate from all spirituall corruption of Sinne and quickened spirituallie by the holy Ghost who departeth not from it and in the Spirit of Iesus who remaineth our Head euen in Death And lastlie because thou my best part shall bee in libertie with God Death may destroy naturall life but not the Spirituall neither in Grace nor Glorie It can sease on no more than I had when I sinned in Adam I got nothing then but a sinfull body but now in Christ I haue a new bodie created to his Image who is Life it selfe so farre is it from either destroying mee or dissoluing my union with him that it both saueth mee setting mee at libertie from sinne and perfecteth mine union absolutelie with him It rusheth indeede furiouslie on mee but grippeth nothing but my shaddow I am in God in Christ as I am beloued and chosen called and sanctified As I am such Death cannot finde nor grippe mee While hee grippeth nothing but this bodie of dust as Potiphars wife laying hold on Ioseph I goe to God and leaue my garment in his hand I am dead to the world and sinne and my life is hid with Christ in God and when Christ my Life shall appeare then shall I in Soule and Bodie appeare with him in Glorie Resent thine owne estate and thou shalt finde what I say Hast thou not dyed to the world and left it before it left thee And hast thou not left the bodie before it leaue thee If thou had not come to God till the world had forsaken thee and the bodie chased thee out hee had found just cause to forsake thee and send thee backe in disdaine to these thy beloued false friends But now since in thy prosperitie thou renounced the worlde and in thine health and strength thou went daylie to God choosing rather to bee in him than in the bodie Surelie hee will welcome thee That is a token of thy liuing in him and his liuing in thee Marke how thou hast euen in this life preuented the buriall of thy bodie Hast thou not with Ioseph of Aramathea hewen thee a Sepulchre in the Rock And cropen in by the holes of that Rocke that was pearced for thee How oft hast thou gone in by these wounds of Christ to his heart by his suffering to his loue and the loue of God in him and washen thy selfe in the blood of his satisfaction Hast thou not also prepared the fine Linnen and wrapped thy selfe in the winding-sheete of his righteousnesse Thy sinnes are buried in the Seas of his mercie and thy selfe is hid in him before euer thy bodie be layed in the dust And hast thou not prouided Oyle for thy Lampe that when thou goest out of this bodie thou wander not in darknesse but enter streight way in Heauen All thy care in this life hath beene to get Oyle and to make it shine to find light and walke in that light The Rock thy Sepulchrie hath inclosed thee the Linnen of his Righteousnesse couered thee and that burning Oyle in thy Lampe shall not waste till thou enter in Heauen Since God euen thy God hath anointed thee with some measure of the Oyle of gladnesse hee hath prepared thee for his Heauenlie buriall and the smell of his Oyntments powred out on thee hath wrought a distaste of all worldlie pleasures Foure speciall thinges bring solemne joyes in this life and if we bee in Christ they all meete in vs at Death Birth Mariage Triumph and Coronation Death is my best Birth day If the childe in the wombe knew that hee were comming foorth to a free light hee would not weepe at his birth but Nature in him taketh his deliuerie for destruction so maketh him mourne at the just cause of his joye My first birth brought me out of the prison of the wombe My second brought mee out of Nature and Sinne This third and last shall bring mee perfectlie out of the world and all miserie It is my Mariage day with Christ mine Husband he hath loued mee with euerlasting loue and betrouthed mee to himselfe in righteousnesse and trueth And our Bandes are daylie proclaimed in his worshippe his Gospel preached is the signification of his loue on his part and our Prayers and desires are the signification on our part since I am glad of the Match and rejoyce at the proclaiming of these Bannes why should I fray at the solemnizing of the Mariage God sendeth out Pastors as Abraham did his seruant to choose a wife to Isaak These Messengers haue found me continuallie about the well of liuing waters The sight of Abrahams riches euen the chose Graces of God haue wone mine heart to Isaak and I haue gladlie condescended to forsake all and goe to him Though I finde him at the Euening and Sun-sette of my life I shall enjoy with him an euerlasting day of heauenlie contentment Esther was not sorrowfull but rejoyced to be takē by Ahashuerosh to wife and should not I rejoyce when the Lambe of God Christ Iesus sendeth for mee It is an glorious triumph Dauid was glad whē he heard the people sing of his victorie ouer Goliah shall I not rejoyce when God hath stramped all mine enemies vnder my feete when the deuils are howling for their defeate and the good Angels◠and Spirits doe welcome mee with joyfull Acclamations It is more seemelie that I put in my part with the glorious Spirits in the heauenly harmonie than with the euill ones in howling To bee dashed in Death is to let the present victorie goe out of mine hands Sathan shall then ouercome mee when
of the whole man God hath chosen the mid way to translate the Soule the best part to dissolue the bodie so Gods threatning is keeped thou shalt die and thou shalt returne to dust the example of Christ in death is followed our best part is translated for our happinesse and the assurance of the bodies reunion and a way to all Death in this respect is not penall but premiall in a sort not of Gods anger for our sinne to punish vs but of his mercie for our well to perfect vs. Oft-times God giueth vs plaine documents heereof if wee would obserue them euery twenty foure hours we haue cleare proofes of foure things 1. Our Life in the day time when we are busied in our Calling 2. Our Death at Euen when wee rest from our labours 3. Our Buriall when wee goe to bedde wee are not casten in them nor our garâ—ments pulled off but wee goe in quietnesse and lay our garments downe in order intending to take them vp againe 4. Our Resurrection when wee rise in the morning more vigorous to our Calling than when we lay downe then wee shall behold his face in righteousnesse and when wee awake shall bee satisfied with his Image Psal. 17. The sentence of Death in bodilie paines hath taught mee many thinges 1. The mortalitie of my body which must once bee ouercome and yeelde to them and so turne to dust this Cottage of clay so oft and so hardlie beaten must once fall Many haue a strong desire to liue long and turneth this naturall desire in a conceate that as they would and may so they shall liue longer Though there bee necessitie of Death in a decaying bodie and the spending of the life yet that desire and hope of life groweth euen with the decay of life But the holie desire of Immortalitie will eate out that fleshlie desire and the sense of daylie mortalitie will cut off that false hope 2. The immortalitie of my Soule in that vnder such paines it can haue the own free working on God If in a body so diseased it can seeke him and finde rest in him shall it not beeing separate from the bodie haue a more free working 3. The loue of God in deliuering mee from damnation How often haue I cryed in the midst of my paines O how farre am I bound to thee my Redeemer who hath deliuered mee from the fire of Hell If a short and light paine vnder thine hand in loue bee so heauie how intollerable is that paine of soule and bodie eternallie vnder thy wrath 4. That thy loue can stand well with affliction thou hast made light to arise to mee in darknesse and caused thy countenance to shine on mee in Christ and giuen me great peace in my Conscience in my greatest extremitie O what a Iewell is a good Conscience in affliction Though no man want his slips and infirmities yet he may eschew the grossest sinnes though none can attaine to a legall perfection yet hee may haue an Evangelicall perfection in Faith Repentance and begunne obedience When the Soule darre attest God as witnesse and appeale him as Iudge to its sinceritie In intending nothing but his Glorie In inquiring his will as the way to that Glorie And endeuouring to doe according to his knowledge for that good end Then in some measure wee may say with Ezechiah Remember O Lord how I haue walked before thee in trueth and with a perfect heart The conscience of these things haue so taken vp my Soule that my paines at the greatest are mitigate that holy and heauenly diuerting of my Spirit by so sweet and spirituall influence sometimes beguyleth my bodilie sense that it doeth but tolerablie affect mee The present sense of thy loue in mine acceptation in Christ and assurance of Glorie to come are strong ingredients to temper the greatest paines in this life And it is a profitable paine in the bodie that both occasioneth the seeking and bringeth out the feeling of the health of the Soule in thy sensible loue It hath also giuen mee a new Experience of Death surelie Death to the Sainctes is not as the most part take it 1 not a destruction but a deliuerie 2 It is both my last affliction and my last deliuerance from all miseries 3 It is both an end of this life and the beginning of my life of Glorie in Heauen 4 In it selfe it is a curse but to the Sainctes a blessing in him who hath ouercome it 5 I finde it both a dissolution from the world and of Soule and body and of euerie part of the bodie from other and my first great union with GOD the Sainctes and Angels 6 It is both my death and perfect birth day I haue now a seeming life but I liue not perfectlie till I die the New man shall then come foorth to a glorious libertie in the face of God 7 It is my last and greatest pollution my bodie is sometimes and by partes affected with weaknesse and Death turneth all in a lumppe of vyle and lifelesse clay and yet it is my first and greatest purgation Many purgations spirituall hast thou giuen mee in this life in Baptisme the Laver of Regeneration from sin in euerie act of Faith purifying the heart in euerie act of Repentance washing mee in the blood of Christ in euerie exercise of spirituall worship clensing mine handes in innocencie to compasse thine Altar But this is the great and last purgation when I am cleansed from all sinne In that same instant when my Soule and body doe separate all spiritual blemishes are separated from mee That is the worke of thy Spirit in mee hee knoweth no vncleane thing can enter in Heauen and therefore at my last breath he will giue me the last full cleansing and last degree of sanctification I tremble not at the fire of Purgatorie The enemies of the crosse of Christ are justlie so punished by that their errour when Christs Blood hath cleansed mee from all guiltinesse of all sinne and his sanctifying Spirit hath purged out the nature of it And his perfect obedience hath relieued mee from all punishment there is neither place nor use for that purging or rather tormenting fire after this life 8 Death is in it selfe the most terrible of all terrors but I find it in Christ most desireable The wicked doe tremble at the thoughts of it they see it onelie in the fearefull respects as a destructioÌ„ a curse an end a death a dissolution a pollution Therefore they abhorre it and the mention of it is to them as the hand-write on the wall was to Beltashar But thou shewest to mee these pleasant respects of death as a deliuerie a blessing a beginning a birth an union a purgation They haue none but fearefull grounds they are yet in Nature vnder the Law vnder sinne without Christ and vnder an euill conscience but thou hast layed better grounds in mee and put mee vnder Grace and vnder the Gospel vnder remission of
gaue me no solide peace till I tooke on mee both the yocke of Christ in mine effectuall calling to grace and of the Ministerie of the Word By this doing thou drew all my thoughts to practick Diuinitie as to the best sort holding mee euer about the end and the use the fruite of the best meanes to it for keeping of a good Conscience Thou hast joyned foure things in me that furnisheth daylie exercise to my Spirit 1. A naturall disposition inclining to pensiuenesse so that my greatest rest is in the multitude and throng of enquiring thoughts 2. The worke of Grace in the sanctified exercise of Conscience 3. And thy prouidence without euerie day furnishing a new crosse as mine ordinary dyet a matter both to my naturall disposition Conscience 4. And with all these the assiduous labour of a painefull Ministerie changing the nature of rest and labour in mee So that my greatest rest is in greatest labour and a short relaxation doeth wearie mee more than long bending of my Spirit As thou didst separate me to the Gospel of thy Son and counted mee faithfull and put mee in the Ministerie thou possest me with a care to bee faithfull in it and to approue my selfe to thee in preaching thy word as thy word and in partaking of that Grace which in thy Name I offer to other Thou made mee thinke it a fearefull judgement to feede others and sterue my selfe To builde the Arke of Noe to saue others and perish in the waters my selfe but to striue to this compleat fruite of the Ministerie by faithfull discharge of my duetie to saue my selfe and them that heare mee 1. Timoth 16. I caÌ„not but count this among thy greatest mercies to mee that in the midst of my trouble thou fillest my Soule with thy peace that in the multitude of the thoughts of mine heart thy comfortes delight mee Psal. 94. 19. While I am thy prisoner in this bed of disease cannot declare thy mercies in publicke to thy people Thou giuest mee libertie to speake of thy wondrous workes to them that visite mee to exhort them to liue the life of the righteous and in as great confidence in thy Name to assure them that in that case they shall die the death of the righteous And to say with thy Prophet Come and heare all yee that feare the Lord and I will declare what hee hath done to my Soule I cryed vnto him with my mouth and hee was exalted with my tongue If I regarded iniquitie in mine heart the Lord will not heare mee But truelie God hath heard me and hath hearkened to the voyce of my prayer Ps 66. 16 17 18 19. For hee seeth no sinne in Iaacob nor transgression in Israel Numb 23 21. But as manie as walke according to this rule his peace is on them and his mercie and vpon the Israel of God Galat. 6. 16. This I take as a seale of thy loue that thou hast both accepted mee and my former endeâ—ours and pardoned all my sinnes in the Sonne of thy loue What would be my case if in those paines my wonted terrours had possessed mee But thou who comforteth the abject knowest my weaknesse layest no more on mee than I can beare Thou makest thy Grace sufficient for mee to giâ—e mee the out gate with the temptation that thy power may bee manifested in my weakenesse 1. Cor. 12. 7. 9. Blessed bee God who hath not turned away my prayers nor his mercies from mee Psal. 66. 20. How precious are thy thoughts to mee O God how great is the summe of them If I should count them they are moe in number than the sand Psal. 139. 17. 18. Many O Lord my God are thy wonderous vvorkes which thou hast done and thy thoughts vvhich are towards vs they cannot hee reckoned vp in order to thee If I would declare and speake of them they are moe than can bee numbred Psal. 40. 5. But this is a small summe of a greater roll that I may both testifie to the world my thankfulnesse to thee who hast ladened mee daylie with thy blessings And stirre vp others to marke thy mercifull dealing with them in their youth That finding thy goodnesse in good occasions and education and the blessing of both in learning and godlinesse they may bee thankefull to thee O what a mercie is it in so dangerous a time as Youth to bee brought by thy Spirit to true Wisedome and godlines Then Witte is weakest and corruption is strongest and we readie euery houre to cast our selfe in sinnes which may cost vs eternall murning But thou preuentest Sathan and ingageth vs in thy Grace and obedience before either hee can abuse vs in iniquitie or wee doe know what good thou art working in vs. Thou knowest how forcible the sense and conscience of thy mercie is both to make vs thankefull for it and desirous and confident of more None can feele thy loue in thy Fatherlie care ouer him in his Youth but his heart must dissolue in loue to thee and powring out it selfe on thee waite vpon the due accomplishment of such good beginnings When I remember these thy mercies I finde them mine obligements to thee How thou didst beare more with mee than all the world or I could beare with my selfe I both wonder at thy vnspeakable loue pursuing with kindnesse so vile a worme And am confident that thou who hath begunne thy good worke in mee will also finish it till the day of the Lord Iesus WhoÌ„ thou louest thou louest to the end Thy calling and gifts are vvithout Repentance VVho shall separate vs from the loue of Christ For I am perswaded that neither Death nor Life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things preseÌ„t nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall bee able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Rom. 8. 38. 39. Vnder this acquaintance with Death and certaintie of these glorious thinges after it the bitternesse of Death is disgested As the godlie and wicked haue contrare respects of Death and contrare grounds and contrare desires so also contrare disposition and practice when it commeth I leaue the horrors of it to them that are vnder sinne Their death is like a Malefactors execution when hee is pannaled and justlie convicted one pulleth the Hatte doggedlie from him another his bond a third bindeth his hands behind his backe and the poore man ouercome with griefe and feare is dead before hee die But I looke for the Death of the Righteous and a peaceable ende that it shall bee as a going to bed of an honest man His seruants with respect take off his cloathes and lay them downe in order A good Conscience then playing the Page ordereth all so that it confirmeth and increaseth his peace It biddeth good-night to Faith Hope and such other attending graces and giftes in the way When wee are come home to Heauen
that Couenant commeth these waters diuide themselues Let mee see the high Priest of my profession who is the Arke himselfe carying that Arke before mee Where hee setteth his feete there is dry ground to passe through the midst of dangers O Sonne of God shew thy propitiation to the Father to appease him To me to encourage mee To these waters that they may flee away and to mine enemies that they may bee destroyed Let mee see thee as I did long since at the like sentence of Death interponing thy selfe betwixt the wrath of God and mee securing me from sinne punishment and all that worke of Iustice When thou turned wrath in mercie and the Iustice Seate in a Throne of Grace And setting thy selfe as a sconse between GODS wrath and mee made mee as posedlie and calmelie to stand before God vnder the sentence of Death as euer I did in the sweetest meditations motions of thy Spirit That former proofe yet fresh in my minde confirmeth mine hope in the expectation of the like peace when Death shall come indeede All this I know this I beleeue and hope for and feele alreadie begunne in mee in some measure and perswade my selfe as now I thinke it and write it that in due time I shall finde it and praise thee in Heauen eternallie for it when thou hast crowned thy mercies in mee The sense of thy presence doth now delight mee but I rest not on it As it giueth mee vnspeakable contentment so it pouseth mee fordward to thy perfect presence I must euer bee in mouing till I bee perfected in thee Though thy presence coÌ„fort me now in these my Soules-speaches with thee aâ—d refresh my wearie heart both vnder present paine and foreseene paines of death yet I stay not there These cooling tastes doe rather inflame my desire than quench it and increase my longing for the Well it selfe That I may bee satisfied aboundantlie with the fatnesse of thine House and drinke of the Riuer of thy pleasures For with thee is the Fountaine of Life and in thy Light I shall see light Psal. 36. 8. 9. All my joyes in the way cannot satisfie mee till I bee in that Citie whereof the Lord God Almightie the Lambe is the Temple That new Ierusalem that hath no neede of the Sunne nor of the Moone for the Glorie of GOD doeth inlighten it and the Lambe is the Light of it Reuelat. 21. 22. 23. I long for that pure Riuer of the water of Life cleare as crystall proceeding out of the Throne of God and the Lambe I long for the fruite of the Tree of Life that bringeth fruite euery Moneth euer constant and new joyes that I may see the face of the Lambe and haue his Name written in my forehead and follow him vvhither soeuer hee goeth Revelat. 22. 1. 2. 4. Till I come to this estate my Soule will euer thirst for thee more than the thirstie land doth for raine or the chased Hart panteth for the riuer of vvaters My Soule thirsteth for God euen for the liuing God Oh vvhen shall I come and appeare before God Psal. 42. 2. None hath wrought or can worke this great Desire in me but thou onelie none can or shall satisfie it but thou and that by none of thy giftes but by thy selfe alone It is a desire of thy selfe aboue all and cannot rest without thy selfe It is stronger than all other desires in mee they are all silent when it raigneth they cease willinglie and quite their priuate contentment and seeke it in the satisfaction of this greatest One. Come therefore O thou whom my Soule loueth and satisfie my Soule in her greatest desire of thee This is for the present by the worke of thy Spirit I trust shall be my last ardent affection to thee in the houre of my Death mine eternall condition in the Heauens Then the greatest satisfactioÌ„ of my greatest desire shall work my greatest delight Sight and Sense and FruitioÌ„ shall then teach mee that which now the eye hath not seene not the eare heard nor the heart of man conceiued But when I shall see thee as thou art shall know thee as I am known then I shall see that which now I beleeue and hope for euen mine happinesse in thee perfectlie When the end of thy loue to mee and of my desire of thee doe meete in that glorious perfection there shall neither be matter nor place for more desire The infinite weight of Glorie The eternall indurance of it The constant freshnesse and continuall newnesse of it in my neuer-loathing nor decaying feeling excludeth both the increase and beeing of any desire WheÌ„ thy delight in mee and my delight in thee doe concurre then my glorified delight shall rest on thee and thy delights contentedlie I cease now to write but not to think of and affect thee as mine onelie happines Let thy good Spirit O Lord keepe my Soule vnder the sense of these delights or vnder the memorie of them or the fruite of them that I may walk in the strength of their coÌ„solations delighting my selfe in thee and in that mine happinesse which is thy selfe till I perfectlie enjoy Thee Into thine Hands I commit my Spirit for Thou hast redemed mee O LORD GOD of Trueth COME LORD IESVS AND TARIE NOT. AMEN FINIS The Table of these OBSERVATIONS A ACcidents rare make many Prophets Obser. 51 Affections right placed 46 Afflictions great profite 69 Athiesmes poyson 27 Ambitious men die of their disease 48 B Our Bodies spiritualitie 40 The Bodies tendernesse a blessing to the godlie 80 C Callings are our tryall 35 Gods Calling a sufficient warrand 26 Fruitefull labour in our Calling 8 Calumnies Comfort 87 Christian Furniture 1 Combat betweene the Earth the Wretch 17 Companie usuallie hurtfull 15 Complementing is a windie fulnesse 82 Contemplation and practise ought to bee ioyned 47 Conceate of VVisedome is great folie 44 Conscience Exercise 79 Conscientious Knowledge 83 Constant inconstancie 30 Corruptions Danger 56 Corruptions Remeede 90 Credulitie and Confidence 41 D Death surpriseth the most part of men 6 Deuotion and Obedience are twinnes 12 E Eiaculations continuall 81 Experience fruitfull 14 F Phantasies Tyrannie and Remeede 94 Faults with the World but not with God 23 Feares needlesse are fruitfull to the godlie 85 Flesh and Spirit discerned 58 G God alone better than all 50 God mercifull presence 59 The sight of a present God-head 42 Gods best giftes 57 God seeth the Heart 67 Gods Beggers are best heard 72 How to please God and man 33 God the dwelling place of the godlie 100 God and Sathan contrare in ends wayes 60 The godlies warre in peace 91 H Concerning happines we are greatest fooles 5 Hearts discouerie 10 Hearts hardnesse 75 I Iniuries inflame our corruption 32 Insolent fittes 29 Iudging wrong 31 L Short life ought a short care 20 Loue of good and hatred of euill 54 The best Lotte hath some want 55 M Mans threefold perfection 97 Man most disobedient of all creatures 70 Man both blind and quicke sighted in his owne cause 88 Mankinds wise temper 84 Best men most iniured 71 Mankinds threefolde respect 96 Meditations profite 39 The Merchant wise and foolish 53 Good Motions are of God 73 N Holie Necessities are no distractions 13 Thirst of News 86 O Obseruations right vse 74 Operations of the holie Spirit 2 P Particulars are mixed with common causes 89 Passions disease and Remeede 22 Patrons of Grace and Nature 43 Peace of God a sweete Vade-mecum 4 Perplexities disease and Remeede 21 Politickes secrecie is open 62 Predominant vertue and vice 93 Prayers great profite 7 Prouidence particular to the godlie 98 Rest on Prouidence 68 R Religious Religion 82 Refuge of the Christian. 95 Resolution performed 34 S Saluation of God alone 24 Scriptures vnspeakable profite 65 Securitie in God 38 Selvishnesse damnable 52 Sense of weaknesse 62 Sinne an euill Guest 28 Proud Sinners post to Hell 25 Soules life 63 Soules Foode 36 The stamppe of God in the Soule 77 Great worldlie Spirits 78 Good Spirits most free of Passions 49 T Our Thoughts fruitfull worke 3 The godlie Traueller 16 Tryall of Trueth 61 Tryall of our Tyme 19 W VVarres fearefull calamities 66 VVayes of God well expounded 18 VVorld worse and worse 9 Dead to the world 45 A new better world in this old bad one 99 VVorship of God done as his worship 76 Constant dyet in Gods worship 37 Y Youth and olde Age. 11 FINIS Faults escaped in the printing in the Obseruations Page Line Fault Corrected 53. 1. delate deleete 57. 1. friend frrine 68. 2. adde Post. 79. 5. wrath worth 87. 17. craueth carueth 111. 21. coÌ„uersatioÌ„ couersioÌ„ 113. 1. craue carue 152. 14. to in 157. ult dele him 180. 10. calamities calumnies 212. 19. taker tacke 218. 11. titling tilting In the Resolution 2. 3. reproach approach 39. 10. it is 49. 2 secure serue