Parents in this Towne send their sicklie Children ouer this Firth not to leaue them on the other Shore but by Sea-sicknesse to purge their Stomacke and cure them of their infirmitie So thou can imbark thine owne in the Ship of the sentence of Death and Resolution for it and bring them back againe and cause them cast out some noysome corruption in renouncing the world Thou knowest O Searcher of hearts that I neither loue this life nor desire to abide in it for it selfe but for thy Glorie Though I bee full of dayes yet if I can honour thee in it I care not what miseries I vndergoe I had neuer greater contentment than when I was most injured for thy cause As I count of no life but in thee so I desire not to liue but for thee If thou bring mee backe againe serue thy selfe of mee in mercie and doe with mee as seemeth good in thine eyes If thou hast decreed that at this time I shall not die but liue then grant that I may declare the mercies of the Lord That in my lent and prolonged dayes I may magnifie thy glorious Grace in Christ in teaching sinners thy wayes turning them to thee That thy vowes may bee on mee O Lord and I may pay them in the sight of thy people in the great Congregation that when thou hast redeemed my Soule from Death mine eyes from teares and my feete from falling I may walke before the Lord in the Land of the liuing Psal. 116. And may both feele and say with thine holie Apostle Blessed bee God euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort Who comforteth vs in all our tribulation that wee may bee able to comfort them which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith wee our selues are comforted of God For as the sufferinges of Christ abound in vs so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. And whether wee bee afflicted it is for your consolation and saluation Or whether wee bee comforted it is for your consolation and saluation 2. Cor. 3. 4. 5. 6. I looke for a glorious Resurrection and eternall day of light and comfort after it all my deliueries in this life hath some night of affliction following and the verie day of prosperitie may both haue gloumie cloudes of miscontentment and the eclypses of thy face in some desertion But that day in Heauen shall haue no night following none obscuritie by raines or cloudes of affliction None eclypse by desertion but the constant enjoying of thy face for euer Thou will wype all teares from mine eyes both the teares of sorrow vnder temptation to sinne and vnder guiltinesse for sinne committed and vnder affliction As also the teares of joy I shall then rejoyce without teares for my bodie shall haue none excrementitious humour to cast out at mine eyes And that joye shall not bee by way of passion as now but of a glorified affection it shall not bee mixed with feare of ending but endure eternallie Who can refuse to die for to obtaine such a Glorie Death is but short and that Glorie beyond it is euerlasting and shall wype away all sorowes both of this life death Dauids Worthies for a litle water of the well Bethlehem brak throgh the Armie and shall not we for the well it selfe of liuing waters aduenture vpon Death Men sicke of Ambition cast away there life in battells or combats where the victorie is vncertaine and the following fame is but smooke And shall wee not combat with Death where the victorie is certaine and the following glorie is weightie and eternall I haue had an longsome toyle in the world now I am called to the Lords Rest I had no rest heere but in him and it is kindlie that I finde it more in him in the Heauen There I shall rest from my labours There thy wearisome journey shall end in the owne home O my wearie Soule thou needeth goe no further than thine home and thy growth shall end in that thy perfection There is no way beyond the end nor growth aboue perfection Though there bee sundrie degree of of Glorie in Heauen yet the least degree if perfection can bee little shall haue fulnesse It can neither desire more nor receiue more When desire is satisâ—ied and capacitie filled that is absolute perfection Goe then to this rest and sute it of God vpon all these rights which his mercie hath furnished to thee Thou hast his right of the promise in the Couenant Of his acquisition in the purchase of Christ Of his Legacie in the Testament Father I will that these which thou hast giuen mee bee where I am Of Infeftment by the earnest of the Spirit Of begunne possession by the first fruites and of perfection by so many fulnesses Thou art full of dayes and full of labour both of Gods worke in thee and by thee in other in thy calling and full of desire of dissolution and of that better life What then can hold thee out of it God is the Donatour and hath it in his hand Since he hath made thee all these rights hee will maintaine them and put thee fullie in the possession Goe and claime it of his mercie thy claime will bee admitted of him who hath both founded and fraimed it in himselfe How can I but expect the happie end of thy worke in mee O Lord who haue found thee so mercifull in the bygone course of it As thou beginnest in thine own so thou proceedest till thou crown it with glorie My feeling of it is by parts and degrees but in it selfe and in thee it is a continued and compleete worke Thou didst begin in it my free election and seeing mee lye in the lost masse of mankinde didst choose mee in Christ Thou broughtest mee in the world in a time and place where the Gospel was preached and Grace offered And scearcely was I borne when thou washed mee in Baptisme in the blood and renewed mee by the Spirit of Christ. When I was offered to thee in that Sacrament little did I knowe what grounds of Grace thou was laying in mee Thou broughtest mee vp in humane learning vnder good Masters and hemmed in the folie of my youth with the care and proficience in learning With these good occasions thou blessed mee with the hearing of godlie Pastors who did sow the seed of godlinesse in mine heart so that in the verie throng of Schoole-studies thou drew me to a set dyet of priuate deuotion in reading thy word in calling on thy Name So soone as I could discerne any thing thou inclined mine heart to the sacred Ministerie and made mee desire to serue thee in it aboue all callings And sweyed all my thoughts and studies for the obtaining of the abilities of that worke In the verie course of humane learning thou put thine hand in mine heart and entred mee in the grieuous exercise of Conscience to prepare mee for thy seruice and
sinne in Christ and in a good Conscience What wonder that the godlie and wicked vpon so contrare grounds and respects haue so contrare thoughts and desires of Death Thou hast builded my Soule vpon these best grounds and filled it with consideration of the best respects of Death therefore it is that I loue it and desire it as thy Messenger in mercie for mine eternall good As Laban welcomed Abrahams seruant and said Come in thou blessed of the Lord so I sette mee not to flee but occure to it not to shune it but to welcome it Nothing affrayeth man more at the sight of Death than vncertaintie of his estate after it Euerie one at death is as a man on an edge of an high Hill all must leepe but euerie one knoweth not where he shall light To the wicked the valley is darke and mistie they know not what shall become of them after Death dulefull is the parting of that Soule and bodie that part vnder sinne and wrath At best they are in this confused vncertaintie not knowing their future estate and if they haue any knowledge it is all spent in mutuall accusing coÌ„demning at the last day and mutuall tormenting in Hell as authors and furtherers of sin Their Soule curseth their bodie because it was too readie an instrument to execute the wicked desires of it And the bodie shall curse the Soule because it was an euill guide to misleede it in sin They liue now in coÌ„cord mutuall flatterie of other which is nothing but their conspiracie against God But when both are sensible of their estate they shall curse other mutuallie As they part at Death so shall they bee joyned at the last day and curse other eternallie in the Hell vpon the same grounds But to the godlie all things are contrare They know whither they goe after Death and their Soules and Bodies at their parting blesse one another for their joynt happinesse in the state of Grace and in mutuall testifying of their seuerall labour in the Lord for attaining that happinesse They part full of the peace of God full of the desire of their reunion and full of the hope of it and eternall Glorie thereafter Thou hast blessed mee with this certainetie For my bygone condition thou perswadest me of my Calling and Election and hast made them sure in me by thy constant working since thou called mee to Grace For my present estate I finde my selfe vnder thy fauour in Christ reconcealed to thee in him as one of thy called and chosen Ones For my future estate I know that my Redeemer liueth and that hee shall stand at the latter day vpon the Earth And though after my skinne wormes consume this bodie yet in my flesh shall I see God whom I shall see for my selfe and not another for mee though my reines bee consumed within mee Iob. 19. 25. I know that if the earthlie house of this Tabernacle were dissolued I haue a building of God an house not made of hands in Heauen 2. Cor. 5. 1. Many seeke certaintie of vncertainties to secure their worldlie state on Earth and neglect their spirituall state in thee But all fastening in the world is loosnesse and a losing of a better But I seeke for a certaintie of that better substance By the Grace working Faith in mee thou hast made mee more certaine what shall become of my Soule and bodie after Death than I am of my goods in the world I haue no promise of their particular state thy Prouidence will secure it selfe of them and they may possiblie fall in the hand of mine enemies But as for my Bodie I know it shall rest in hope in the dust till the Resurrection and my Soule shall bee carried to Abrahams bosome Thou hast tolde mee whither I shall goe when I die euen to that Land of Light and Libertie to these Mansions which Christ in the Heauen hath prepared for mee And for thy loue and desire to bee with thee in them I visite them daylie When at euening morning and midday yea seuen times a day I call on thee my Father in Heauen then am I visiting these Mansions I cannot bow my knee religiouslie to thee but mine heart is then with thee adoring thee in the Heauen of heauens In the time of thy worshippe when I seeke thy face though my Bodie bee on the Earth yet my Soule is beholding thy face thereby acquainting my selfe with the light of thy countenance which I hope to enjoye for euer Thou knowest I counted not these for dayes of my life wherein I did not often draw neare to thee on the throne of Grace almost continuallie setting thee before mee and disposing my Soule and bodie as worthie of thy sight Shall I not then know that way after Death which I daylie haue troden in my life Or shall that light which now leadeth mee in the darknesse of this life be put out at Death I must die but it will not die to mee Thy face that now inlightneth mee shall send out a more glorious splendour in the houre of my Death than euer it sent in this life There is no feare of darknesse in the path of Death when the discouered face of God in mercie shineth on mee and perfectlie inlighteneth mee in that glorious light When bodilie senses doe faile the spirituall sense and sight succeed in their perfection I haue in this life but a small candle lighted at the meanes of Grace in reading hearing and meditation But when these meanes end and mine outward senses doe cease from their work I shall take light immediatelie from God himselfe hee worketh by his ordinance so long as their necessitie or vse remaineth but when these end he commeth in himselfe and worketh more fullie I neede not bee grieued nor my friends cry out in the bitternes of heart when my senses faile The light that I looke for in Death shall as farre exceed my present light as the Sunne in his full beautie at mid-day exceedeth the light of a small candle I shall finde no darknesse in the passage of Death since I am in Christ Hee who is in him shall not walke in darknesse but shall haue the light of Life The immediate â—ight of God needeth not the use of outward meanes It shall bee no losse to mee when perfection supplieth and succeedeth imperfection Thou hast also acquainted mee with Death and made mee feele in some beginnings and resemblance that same which I will finde at his dint that sentence of Death putteth mee to the hight of Resolution and I am vnder thine hand as Isaak vnder the hand of Abraham bound and layed on the Altar and know nothing but that the stroke will come I am readie for it and looke for none other than dissolution But thou knowest thy thoughts concerning mee If thou spare mee at this time this lesson is profitable that thou hast shewed mee the face of Death and yet brought mee backe againe As tender and louing
not of this Ioye but Gods children who know the worth of it will not value it with all the world For worth it passeth all vnderstanding and for use it guardeth the heart and mind in the sauing knowledge of the Lord Iesus Christ. It is sweete in our life but shall bee more sweete at our death then we shall see his face not frowning but smiling on vs wee shall not bee amazed but rejoyce when hee commeth with his messenger death to loose our bands Who can conceiue Simeons joye when hee song Now letteth thou thy seruant depart in peace Hee could neuer haue so spoken of death without this Peace and a sure ground had hee for his eyes did see his armes did carrie and his heart was full of the Saluation of God the Prince and pryce of this Peace It is a guard in our life and a bridge at Death to set vs safe ouer the gulfe of miserie and enter vs in Heauen 5. Wee are fooles about Happinesse OUr greatest folie is where wisedome should bee greatest euen in the choose and pursute of true Happinesse Wee cannot heere possesse all thinges and yet confusedlie wee couet them when wee choose one of them it is not the best but the worst of all in so farre as wee make it our best God is to bee sought aboue all hee may bee seene and found of all yet the most part knoweth him not and seeketh him not They professe wisedome but they practise folie herein they are not spiritually daintie either in choose or their affection any thing contenteth them The base lump of the earth and vanities of it are felicitie to them And though there be some choyse blessings in the world they light rather on the trash than on the good substance As they passe by God himselfe to his gifts so among his gifts they misse the corne and choose the chaffe Neither doeth their folie stand heere it can imagine to it selfe an happinesse in this miserable miscarrying This is indeede a fooles Paradise a conceate plat-formed by our selues we are delighted with these vanities and captiued by them which proueth our naughtinesse Raw and racklesse choosing maketh faint pursuing True Happinesse as all true good hath an alluring and drawing vertue and the godly by their inclining yeelding dispositioÌ„ to it are made partakers of it to their happines Their care about it is as far aboue other cares as it selfe excelleth other things If this rule bee applyed to mankinde how few shall bee found in the way of true Happinesse Professe with men and imagine with themselues as they will there is none appearance that either they haue found the alluring power of it or rendred themselues in their greatest desire and care for the obtaining of it It deserueth the flower and prime of all our labours and their smallest remaines may serue other trifles But when this order is inverted such men lye as fast in miserie as they are blinde and lazie in the pursute of true Happinesse If true good haue drawen vs forceblie to it selfe then wee cannot but seeke it earnestlie This is true Wisedome to passe by all thinges that wee may finde God To count these deceiuing imaginations about Happinesse to bee tyrranous foolries in the midst of so manie euils in the world to find out the good and among so manie goods to finde out the true and best good euen our good God and rest on him 6. Death surpriseth the most part of mankind MAnie are on their death-bed before they thinke rightlie of life They are going out of the world while they begin to know wherefore they came in it Wee come in it for this great businesse to saue our Soules in the Faith and obedience of God but when wee haue time to doe it we forget that busines and then begin to thinke of it when the time appointed is gone We spend much time in doing nothing and more in doing euill but little or none in that great matter wherefore wee were borne The life of sinne is in vs before the life of God and fearing the owne ejection preoccupyeth the other and taketh all time to it selfe And mortalitie seasing on vs in our conception before our perfect life subjecteth vs to inevitable death before wee liue the life of God The Soule must bee in perplexitie at the houre of death that seeth the day spent and that assigned businesse not begun A Traueller that seeth the Sun setting when hee is entring on the journey must bee agast the Euening of the day and morning of the taske doe not well agree together All the time that remaineth is too short for lamenting the losse of bygone time and if Gods mercie did not infinitelie exceed our euil none could be saued after such a neglect Time bygone cannot returne but may be redeemed and this redemption is not in the extent of the worke but in the equiualence of it God worketh not by such lent proceeding as hee doth in them that spend their time well but at-once hee perfecteth them as hee pardoneth their sinne so he perfecteth their sanctification Though God doe this in some yet he biddeth all use their time well while it goeth The fruitfull use of it may cost vs the losse of manie trifling joyes but that shall bee recompenced with solide fruite Fearfull will that encounter be when grimme Death findeth a man in sinne carelesnesse he must cry in the bitternes of his heart Hast thou found me mine enemie But when it findeth vs in our worke and at peace with God pleasant will bee that meeting It is Gods messenger to loose vs out of the yoake and bring vs to our promised and exspected reward How joyfullie shall that Soule goe to God that hath so liued as euer in the worke wherefore it came in the world When the Conscienâ—e at death saith to God Lord I beare this man record that hee hath worne himselfe and spent his time in seruing and obeying thee This testimonie is sweetâ— in our life when wee lye downe at night wearie of our labour ryse earlie to it againe and are crossed for our fidelitie in it but more sweete in our death That man is blessed whose way and journey time busines breath goe altogether The Apostle closeth all sweetlie I haue run my race I haue keeped the faith hencefoorth is laid for mee the Crowne of Glorie Hee who liueth the life of the righteous shall die the death of the righteous and shall not bee surprysed of Death 7 The great profite of prayer SOme spirituall exercises augment light as Reading Hearing conference other augment life and affection as Meditation and Praise but Prayer is for both It openeth the minde to see more clearelie and softneth the heart to bee more sensible the light of God shineth then most fullie when wee see our God and our selues in his light and the fixing of our minde on him cannot but draw our heart to him the more clearelie wee see
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
chase Thee from the Earth O my Soule Miseries made Pegans to desire death but they saw not a Glorie to come God hath enlightned thee in the face of Christ thou knowest that there is Glorie layed vp for thee in the Heauen thou belieuest it hopest for it thou hast tasted it and is vnder a longing desire of it Call thy selfe to minde of the dayes of olde when either a sense of mercie or more usuallie affliction sent thee to God did hee not then allure thee to the wildernesse and speake to thine heart Hosea 2. 14. Wast thou not then vnder his liberall hand as a small vessell vnder a large Fountaine Did not his joyes so abound in thee that thou could neither receiue them all nor keep them in the measure that thou receiued them Tell me what was then thy comfort Thy God so sensible to thee in that diffusion of his loue that thou wast in a sort drawen out of thy selfe at least drawne out of mee Could thou either holde thine affection off God or containe it when it returned to thee Could thou lodge it or God that it brought with it or that sense of him and joye that it reported to thee Did not thy bodie partake of that thy joy with a sweete complacence it rested on that sense and was glad to bee so honoured as to bee a lodging of a Spirit which had so sweete and friendlie an intercourse with God When his loue shed abroad in thee could not abid in these boundes whither was thy griefe greater that so good a God should bee at any time displeased by thee or thy joye because hee was then reconcealed to thee Then atonce were the deepe groanes both of griefe and joy but more of joye than griefe and of joye for that holy griefe for offending so good a Father If thou remember these excessiue joyes why doest not thou mak good use of them They were not giuen thee for that time only but for this that is now What were these tastes first fruits but as the wine grapes that the Spyes broght out of Canaan They were so great that they could not beare them in their hand but were a burden to two men When these two senses of spirituall joy Sonlie griefe reported their burthen of an excessiue sweetnesse was not that a taste of the fruite of Canaan If a Cluster of that Land be so sweete so great to thee What shall thou finde when thou enters in that Land How can thou but loue that Land that hath such fruits long for the fulnesse of that fruite that is so sweete to thy taste when thou wast vnder that sens◠thou was more in God than in thy selfe and more in Heauen than on Earth Since the remembrance of it doeth both present the Image of it and waken it selfe againe in thee Be of good courage enter and possesse the Land God hath discouered it to thee off the toppe of Nebo and Pisgah Thou hast tasted the fruite of it by the report of the Spyes Lay hold on it by the hand of thy loue longing desire God hath cast downe the walles of Iericho before thee and hath wounded the world the sonnes of Anake at thy conuersion and daylie is killing the sonnes of Harapha in thy daylie battells Bee strong and goe fordward for God is before thee Consider by the satietie of the tastes how great a satietie thou shalt haue in Heauen when the smallest blinke of Gods face made thee patientlie to beare forget thy greatest affliction what shall that full presence worke in thee In his presence is fulnes of joy and at his right hand are pleasures for euermore Psal. 16. If thy taste bee vpright thou cannot but long for that fulnesse thou must welcome the Messenger that calleth thee to it How can I but long for a change betwixt two so contrare estates present miserie grieueth mee and future Glorie gladeth me in hope The Earth thrusteth mee from it and the Heauen allureth and draweth mee to it Who can indure such a violence of an out thrusting earth and alluring Heauen Sathans snares doe vex mee heere beneath and the sweetnesse of Christ pulleth mee aboue Naturall miseries made naturall men to desire Death and shall I not desire it more who haue an hope and sight of Glorie which they knew not I will not bee as a Meteor in the Aire betweene them two but I resolue to leaue the Earth that I may goe to Heauen Who can either delight to abide in such an Earth or refuse to goe to such an Heauen All things here inforce a remouing Our life a weariesome journey our walking in it laborious and it selfe a way and not our end And while wee are heere we are absent from God But in Heauen all is contrare our life shall bee pleasant without labour It is our end and not the way Our home in the presence of God This is sufficient to chase thee from Earth and sette thy desires on Heauen Art thou walking in the valey of the shaddow of Death yet feare not euill for God is with thee and in thee and thou in him Can a man that is in God die the death No more than Life can die can that man die that liueth in God As wee are in Christ wee are in life and that life of his euen himselfe can not die so farre art thou from dying in him at death that thou liueth more by death and in it than before it None can take that frō me on the Earth which God is keeping for mee in Heauen My life is not in this bodie nor in the world but in God in heauen It is hid with Christ in God Coloss. 3. 3. And the life that I liue I liue by the Faith of the Sonne of God Galat. 2. 20. My death commeth not so much of paines thrusting mee out of this bodie as of that life and fountaine of it in God sucking and drawing my Soule to it and that not to slay or destroy it but to quicken and perfect it Consider thy selfe art thou not dwyning and dying in this life when sinne liueth in thee and stayeth thee from good and compelleth thee to euill The Bodie though an helpe as it is boared through by the windowes of fiue Senses yet it is an hinder to thy proficiencie perfectiō of knowledge doing A Cage suffereth the Bird to looke through the wyres yet it is a prison to keepe it from libertie When thou art loosed from that cage thou shalt haue greater light in libertie As Christ himselfe ouercame Death so will he doe in mee Sathan did hound it at him as his last and most fearefull mastiue but he destroyed it they went together in others grippes to the Graue but Christ did strangle it in the owne dungeon Hee arose and left it behind him as a conquered and triumphed Enemy he did not that for himself but for vs his owne Bodie will doe it in euerie one
I am triumphing ouer him And while I am breaking his power his policie supplanteth mee if I bee dejected for that which is my glorie It is my Coronation day why should I be ashamed of it Ioseph and Mordecay were not so base minded as to sorrow at their preferment and why should I not rejoyce at this my greatest exaltation to bee taken vp to Heauen and honoured to an equalitie with Angels and conformitie with Christ. Arise therefore O my Soule and make thee for thy last birth day Come foorth of this Bodie wherein thou dwellest and out of this greater Tabernacle from this visible worlde and goe to God So long as thou art inclosed in the straite bounds of the creature thou cannot enjoy freely thy Creator Arise and mak thee readie to meete thy Bridegroome hee is comming to thee and his reward is with him prepare thy Lampe powre out thine Oyle make thee to meete him who is comming to thee and hath wooed thee to himselfe Lift vp thine eares and heare the howling of euill spirites triumphed and subdued and the encouraging shouting of the glorious Spirites how all that Queere of Heauen doe gladlie desire to take thee in their number to keepe thy part of their harmonie of the new Song to the praise of God And lift vp thine head now full of hope to receiue that Crowne of Glorie which Christ hath purchased to thee and is readie to set vpon thee O Lord I haue foughten my fight I haue finished my race and keeped the Faith hencefoorth is laide vp for mee the Crowne of Righteousnesse which God the Righteous Iudge will giue to mee and not onelie to mee but also to all that loue his glorious comming 2 Timoth. 4. Will thou know what is this noyse about thee it is the hand of thy Lord softlie loosing the pinnes and slakening the coards of thy Tabernacle it is the noyse of his Chariots that hee hath sent from Heauen to bring thee to him Olde Iakob reuiued when he saw Iosephs Chariots to bring him to Egypt though his posteritie were thereafter in thrall shall thou not bee glad to goe vp in these Coaches to Heauen where thou shalt euer bee with Ioseph and vnder a good King who knoweth Ioseph and will neuer die This noyse is nothing but the sound of Christs key opening thy prison and fetters Lift vp thine head and rejoyce for thy Redemption is at hand hee that is to come will come and not delay Behold hee commeth and his reward is with him Thou shall heare in due time the voyce of thy beloued crying Arise my spouse my beloued arise and come away for the winter of thy calamitous life is gone the raines of thine affliction are passed Cant 2. Fearefull indeede are the cryes which torment the wicked at Death The cry of their sinnes accusing them the Law condemning them the Conscience tormenting them the Gospel testifying their contempt of it Sathan insulting ouer them and of a craftie tempter become a cruell tormenter The creature cursing them for wearying it with sinne and vanitie The Heauen debarring them and the hells gapping for them But I thanke God in Christ I haue a better cry in some measure and hope to heare it more at the last My Conscience comforting mee in the peace of God The Law absoluing mee because it is satisfied for mee in Christ my Cautioner The Gospel testifying my delight in it and care to beleeue and obey it Sathan and his Angels lamenting their disappointment The Heauens opened to receiue my Soule and Angels readie to carie it to Heauen So long as thou hearest these sweete voyces the noyse of Death shall not trouble thee All this noyse of a decaying bodie is for thy libertie as it decayeth thou shalt increase as it goeth to the Earth thou goest to Heauen You came from diuerse beginnings the bodie of the Earth and God put thee in it in your loosing you seeke backe to these beginnings the bodie to the dust and thou to God that gaue thee thou wilt bee stronger freer cleanner when thou can not vtter thy selfe to man than euer thou was before The Ballance are well casten when the more the body returneth to dust the more thou ascendest to God thy Sauiour I finde a change whereof I neuer thinke to repent a great change without losse My bodilie eyes waxe dimme but my minde seeth God more cleerely Mine eares are slow of hearing men but my Spirit quicke in hearing the consolations of the holy Spirit My taste distasteth meate but the delight in tasting the sweetenesse of God increaseth All my naturall powers are failing but my Spirit is more vigorous in affecting and more peaceable in resting vpon God and his happinesse It it a fearefull change which goeth all to the worse and in end to destruction but this change is all to the better and shall end in Saluation This is a sure token that as I haue not enjoyed mine happinesse heere so I haue not lost it heere But liuing in the hope and beginnings of it I am now going to the possession of it This my change tendeth to happinesse though the body by dissolution seeme to goe farre about yet it is in the way to its owne perfection And thy change is directlie for it from Faith to sight from hope to possession and both Soule and bodie in their seuerall perfections shall bee in the last day conjoyned to make vp my compleatest perfection There shall neither bee sinne nor paine in bodie or Spirit all miseries of both shall bee gone and happinesse of both shall bee compleate That worke of Gods Grace perfected in glorie and his hand crowning my desires with enjoying himselfe Many unions hath thou with the bodie and but one separation In our creation in Adam an union in innocencie in my birth an union in vncleannes I am begotten and borne according to the image of Adam fallen and sinfull in the resurrection I shall haue a glorious union in Christ and but onelie one separation in Death This separation is now needefull it was threatned in Paradice if wee offended and now I cannot enter in Heauen without it except I either liue till the last day and be changed or be translated as Enoch and Elias To hold all mankind aliue till the last day is against GODS appointment who hath drawne our dayes to an hand-breadth To bee translated is the priuiledge of a few and cannot bee the lot of all Therfore the separation is in mercie that the Soule may enter in Glorie and the bodie rest in hope for a time It is not casten away but laide vp and God hath a speciall care of the dust of it to raise it vp againe When our friends and neighbours haue laide it in the cold clay they leaue it there but God leaueth it not but keepeth it till the last day Since there can neither goodly be an holding of Soule and bodie together till the last day neither a translating
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