Sepulchre can no where be found So that Sinne and Death can hurt vs no more for Christ is Lord ouer the Law Sinne and Death to all beleeuers Moses must giue place to Christ Death and Sinne can haue no roome but grace ioy righteousnesse life faith and peace must haue place with all true happinesse and heauenly rest The Law now cannot condemne nor saue it restraineth vs from sinning as the bonds and chaines the Lion and Beare from tearing and deuouring The Law is the Hammer of Death the thundring of Hell and lightning of Gods wrath that beateth to powder the obstinate and senselesse Hypocrites and hard-harted reprobates This is the true vse of the Law by fearefull tempests and sound of a Trumpet as in Synai to terrifie and by thunder to beate downe and rent in peeces that cruell monster of mans righteousnesse The Schoole-maister chastiseth his Schollers not to hurt them but to reforme them The rod is sharpe but correction is necessarie and the heart of the correctour louing The Physitian giueth a bitter potion to his patient to cure him the bitternesse is not to be imputed to the Physitian but to the medicine and maladie The Law condemneth the faithfull to death no more but teacheth and instructeth them in their duetie exhorteth and reproueth them and procureth them by all meanes to goe to the Schoole of Christ The Law and Christ are as the Physitian and Surgean comming to a sicke man to heale him The Surgean openeth the veine and taketh away the corrupt blood not to kill him but to recouer him to his health The Law peirceth our impostumes and corruptions of sinne and Christ healeth the wound But to seeke to be iustified by the Law is as if one hauing the Falling-sicknesse would ioyne to it the Pestilence for his recouery Or as if a Leper should come to one that had the leprosie to heale him or as one begger to another to enrich them So that they that seeke to be righteous by the Law are twise more vnrighteous weake and beggerly If a man now could fulfill all the Law of God yet could he not be saued because he was borne corrupt and could not possibly pay for that was past and in performing the Law afterward he should doe nothing but his duetie but this is our comfort that the Lord seeing our weakenesse hath in his loue passed by it and seeing our thoughts alwaies to be euill taketh no accompt or reckoning of vs but we resembling the Image of his Sonne the Lord reckoneth with him and striketh off our debts in setting them on his score who hath paid the Lord his full due euen to the vtmost farthing being in his birth cleane in his life holy and in his death obedient We therefore that haue no goodnesse of our owne haue iust cause highly to extoll the goodnesse of God freely giuen to vs in Iesus Christ For the trusting to our owne merites is the reioycing of Sathan the serpent that would sting vs. But the fastening of the firme Anchor of our hope vpon Christ alone is his ouerthrow and baine For as the Apostle exulteth If God be on our side who will be against vs. This is the onely victorie that ouercommeth the world euen our faith fixed on Christ This is the sling of Dauid to throw that mightie Goliah to the ground yea euen the weapon that slayeth him Neither the Law then nor merits of men nor any other meanes whatsoeuer but onely the deserts of Christ take place in the worke of our redemption The death and passion of Iesus Christ is a soueraigne medicine against all diseases of soule and body the remembrance whereof doth much mitigate the feare and horrour of death for hee that beleeueth in this crucified Sauiour is already passed from death to life By his vniust condemnation which we onely haue deserued we are deliuered and absolued at the iudgement seate of God and by the death which he suffered wee haue life and our death is abolished Christ suffered for our sinnes the iust for the vniust he hath borne our sinnes and God hath laid our sorrowes vpon him and by his stripes wee are healed He hath died for vs that wee might liue no more to our selues but to him which died for vs which we must doe by faith For faith presenteth Christ before our eyes It seeketh him out as a mighty Sampson which breaketh the gates of his enemies and carrieth them away vpon his shoulders who killed and destroyed more by his death then by his life So that Christ alone being crucified did conquer the Diuell being nailed to the crosse he cancelled the enditement of the law laid against vs and by dying he slaue Death and Sinne with their owne swords as Dauid did Goliah and broke the Serpents head Hee opened the Sepulchre and gaue life vnto the dead yea he entred into the house of Death and Hell and like a strong armed man bereaued them of their forces No sooner was Ionah cast into the Sea but the tempest ceased no sooner was the paschall Lambe slaine but the Israelites were deliuered no sooner was the high-Priests dead but all banished men returned home into their country What was this but a figure of Christ by whose Death we haue all returne into our country and deliuerance from all danger and destruction Who would not lay his burden vpon him that so desireth to giue him ease God would not haue the sinner to die and be damned but to liue and be saued Haue wee had so many experiments of his loue and should wee now doubt thereof Is the Iudge become our Aduocate and shall wee feare to goe forward to the throne of grace One deepe calleth another and what is that saith one There is a depth of mans miserie now at the gates of death and there is a depth of Gods mercie which is ready to heare and helpe all that call vpon him Now miserie calleth vpon mercie wee may cry Helpe Lord for besides him there is none to helpe It is not the peeces and patches of our owne deserts that can make vs a garment to couer our nakednesse and sinne but it is the Scarlet-roabe that tooke so deepe a double dye in the bloud of Christ that must now alone stand vs all in stead CHAP. III. The faithfull onely and such as are vnited to Christ are redeemed from death and restored to euerlasting life with the singular priuiledges and effects thereof NOW as the benefit of our Redemption section 1 by Christ is great and vnspeakable performed onely by Christ himselfe and his onely meanes so none but his members are partakers thereof Hee is the head the Church is his body and euery faithfull man is a member for his part And as there is no life in the body but as it is vnited to the head nor any motion in the
onely might be ransomed thorough his riches but also loue him the more for his goodnesse God appeared in the similitude of sinfull flesh that each sense of man might be made blessed in him and as well the eye of the heart renewed in his diuinity as the eye of the body in his humanity that whether it goe in or out mans nature which he hath created might in it finde comfort and refreshing No man or any creature else is able to satisfie God for sinne and so saue from death An infinite iustice is offended an infinite punishment is deserued by euery sin and euery mans sinnes are as neere to infinitie as number can make them Where then shall we finde an infinite value but in him who is onely and altogether infinite in himselfe the dignity of whose person being infinite gaue such worth to his satisfaction that what hee suffered in short time might satisfie beyond all times Christ did all and suffered all he did it for vs we in him hee emptied himselfe of his glory that hee might put on our shame and misery not ceasing to be God which he was he became man which before he was not Man to be a perfect mediatour betwixt God and man which were both in one person God that he might satisfie Man that hee might suffer that since man had sinned and God was offended he which was both God and man might satisfie God for man None therefore but he can beare our sinnes and none but he can pay the wages of our sinnes which is the sustaining of euerlasting Death None but he can pleade our cause which onely hath fulfilled all righteousnes for vs. None can purchase our saluation but hee onely that hath paid the price of our redemption He alone hath trod the wine-presse of Gods wrath and there was none to helpe him The cup of bitter affliction whereof he tasted the drops of blood which in his agony distilled from his face for no intreaty with his father could passe from him to any other None but he saueth vs and he is but one and will be alone in all his courses without mixture without medley First last and middest and all filling all yet fined from all in the glorious worke of our redemption No man can ascend but by him that did descend and that is Christ the ladder which Iacob saw at Peniel the Cloud by day and the Piller by night which guideth thee Israell of God in the desart of this world the Kings highway to heauen and happy rest There is no Paradise without this tree of life no perfume without this balme so sweete no building sure without this corner-stone no sacrifice to please without this vnspotted Lambe I say there is no God without Christ in this wicked world As the light of the day is conueyed vnto vs by the Sunne in the firmament so is the brightnesse of heauen by that Sonne of righteousnesse A Planet in the midst of Planets to lighten all aboue and all below whom blessed Angels desire to behold and godly men are earnest to adore Christ is sufficient of himselfe onely and so perfect is his glory that all height must be abased before him he created alone and he will redeeme alone he made alone and hee will saue alone nothing else in earth nothing in heauen nor in the heauen of heauens no vertue no power no strength no name no meanes of saluation but by this our Sauiour Iesus Christ and him alone winne him and enioy ail good things loose him and though thou shouldest get the whole world thy gaine is but damnation Christ is our true Ionah that was alotted to die to deliuer his companions from Death and Diuell He is our true Daniel cast betweene the iawes of these deuouring beast euen the Diuell and Death and yet was not consumed he was sunke and swallowed downe into the bottome of the sea of our sinnes and yet was not drowned but enioyed still the breath of life Many despaire of saluation because of their owne vnworthinesse as though there were no hope of Gods mercie vnlesse we bring our gifts and pawnes in our hands but this indeede were to discredit the Lords mercy and bring in credit our owne merits and rather binde the Lord to vs then vs to him But if our sins be great our redemption is greater though our merits be beggerly Gods mercy is a rich mercy If our case were not desperate and we past hope of recouery our redemption should not be so precious and plentifull But when Heauen and Earth Sunne and Moone and Starres goe against vs then to ransome vs and make a perfect restitution is to draw something out of nothing Euen as in sicknesse to haue either little danger or being in great danger to haue present deliuerance by meanes is nothing in respect but in extreame perill when Physicke can doe nothing and nothing maketh for vs but the graue then to be rescued from the pit and to recouer our life from Death it selfe which Christ onely could and did is redemption indeede Our righteousnesse consisteth in Christ alone who therefore is called our righteousnesse as Ieremy saith He saith Paul is our righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption by his obedience many were made righteous he hath paid our debts by him alone wee are reconciled vnto God he hath obtained remission for our sinnes by his death he hath pacified the wrath of God his father he hath washed vs in his blood which clenseth vs from all sinne All things saith Christ are giuen to mee of God If we then will haue all that is necessary for our happines as Gods fauour righteousnes life pardon of our sins sanctification of the spirit redemption c. We must addresse our selues to Iesus Christ alone whom the Father hath chosen to be the Lord-treasurer of heauen and steward of all his graces As in the colde winter we can be no sooner from the fire but we are colde nor out of the light but we are in darknesse so we are no sooner gone from Christ who is our true righteousnesse light and life but straight way we are in sinne and death for as much as he is the life that quickneth vs the Sunne that giues vs light the fire that warmeth comforteth and refresheth all his members As the Moone hath her light from the Sunne so the Church hath her light life and righteousnes from Christ her head Christ is the sheepe that hath borne the wooll and fleece to make vs garments of righteousnesse to couer our sinne and wickednesse Hee as a glorious King hath adorned the Queene his spouse He hath prepared for her all rich and sumptuous robes hee hath washed her from her blood and pollutions throughout And as there is nothing more vncleane then the Church when she is naked in her selfe so there is nothing more beautifull then when she is decked with
the Iewels and ornaments of her husband Christ because as Augustine saith he is a spunge which wipeth and clenseth vs from all our filthinesse which he taketh in exchange for his beautie and righteousnesse Christ is said to keepe the key of life and Death the one to make fast and shut to the gates of Hell which alwaies stood open to swallow vs vp and the other to vnlocke the kingdome of heauen which alwayes was shut and barred against vs By meanes whereof at the time of his death the vaile rent asunder that kept the entrance into the most holy place What is more filthy then a man conceiued and borne in sinne and what is more cleane and beautifull then our Sauiour Christ conceiued by the holy Ghost My welbeloued is white and ruddy the choysest of tenne thousand This sweet and louing Lord that was so fayre and cleane was content to beare the blemishes of our sinnes and filthinesse of our soules to make vs beautifull in Gods sight It was a worke of great patience and humilitie saith Cyprian that so high and excellent a Maiestie would vouchsafe to come downe from heauen to earth and all to cloath himselfe with this our house of clay and dirt and that hee would so hide the glory of his immortalitie to become mortall for sinfull man that being himselfe innocent and faultlesse yet should be so punished for vs that are guilty that hee that came to pardon sinnes would be content to be washed with the water of sinners that hee that feedeth all creatures should fast himselfe and be hungry that hee might fill sinners with his grace and satisfie hungry soules with his righteousnesse c. How was hee spoyled of his earthly garments that apparelleth the Saints with the royall roabes of immortalitie and glory How was hee proffered most bitter gall that offereth to vs the heauenly Manna and food of our soules How did his enemies giue him vinegar to drinke that reacheth out vnto vs the wine and Nectar of life and saluation Hee that was iust and innocent or rather Iustice and Innocencie it selfe was iudged and executed among theeues and murtherers the euerlasting Truth was accused of falshood the righteous Iudge of the world was condemned himselfe and that Word of God the very fountaine of eternall life receiued the sentence and doome of death with silence c. Innocencie was tyed with bands Vertue apprehended Wisdome flouted Honour contemned Glory defaced the well-spring of all vertue troubled Christ as the true Isaack and sonne of promise bare the wood vpon his owne shoulder to the place of sacrifice this carriage was diuided betweene two the sonne carryed the wood and the body that should be sacrificed and the father carryed the fire and the knife wherewith the sacrifice should be accomplished It was the fire of Loue which God bare to mankinde and the sharpe knife of diuine Iustice that put the Sonne of God to death These two vertues in God our heauenly Father contended together Loue requested him to pardon mankinde and his Iustice required that sinners might be punished Wherefore that man might be pardoned and sinne punished a meanes was found that Christ an innocent man might dye and by his death redeeme all sinfull men that doe beleeue Christ is our true Sampson that for the loue of his Spouse the Church suffered himselfe to be bound hand and foote to be shaued of his lockes and spoyled of his force and so to be mocked and scorned of all his enemies for our sakes Christ in his death is the golden propitiatorie the Rainebow of diuers colours placed among the clouds of heauen with the sight whereof Almighty God is pacified with this were his eyes fed his iustice satisfied and his fauour restored Yee that be a thirst come yee to the waters Christ is the mysticall Rocke that Moses stroke with the rod whence springeth the abundance of water to satisfie the thirst of poore afflicted soules Hee is that cluster of grapes brought out of the Land of Promise out of the which was pressed that ioyfull wine to fill the cup of our saluation Hee is the oyle of grace wherewith wee must repay our debts Wee must not looke so much to the quantitie as to the vertue thereof which is so great and good that so long as there be faithfull soules as vessels to be filled therewith so long will the veyne of this sacred liquour runne and neuer cease The bloud of Christ cryeth better things then that of Abel for his bloud cryed for vengeance against the murtherer but this his precious bloud cryeth and craueth for pardon of our sinnes O Lord saith Augustine thou wilt not the death of a sinner nor reioycest in the destruction of the damned but that the dead might liue thou dyedst and thy death hath killed the death of sinners And if they through thy death were againe brought to life Oh grant I beseech thee that I may not dye now thou art aliue CHAP. II. That Christ by his death and merits alone without any meanes of man or other creature redeemeth vs from death and damnation NO Creature but Iesus Christ alone as hath beene declared could possibly rescue vs from death and restore vs to euerlasting life Now followeth in order the manner and meanes of our redemption for as our deliuerance proceeded onely from Christ himselfe so all the meanes and compleate worke thereof was performed by himselfe alone without supply He tooke our nature vpon him to take our part that so hee might destroy through death him that had the power of death that is to say the Diuill and that hee might deliuer all them which for feare of death were all their life time subiect to bondage Hee suffered for our sinnes the iust for the vniust that he might bring vs to God and was put to death concerning the flesh but was quickned in the spirit that hee might be our ransome God is iust and we hauing smitten his Maiestie by our sinne must be smitten againe by his punishment for hee is so to be mercifull as that hee disanull not his Iustice and so to be iust as that hee forget not his Mercy Now to make a way to both to appease his wrath that his Iustice may be satisfied and yet so to appease it as his Mercy may be magnified in forgiuing sinne it was necessary that there should be a mediation For if all the world should be offered vnto God for satisfaction it is nothing for it is his owne euen the worke of his hands for infinite sinnes there must be infinite sufferings and infinite satisfaction and therefore he that must redeeme vs must be an infinite Sauiour euen God himselfe as wee haue heard yet man also he must be euen a true Immanuel God with man For how can there be satisfaction for our apostacie but by our humilitie or
be made righteous through him wayting for eternall life He hath opened the eyes of the blinde and brought the prisoners from the dungeon and him that sate in darknesse hath hee placed in light To conclude by his triumph on the Crosse hee destroyed section 12 Sinne and so was Death in the same victory maimed For Sinne as was said is the sting of Death and when Death had lost his sting and was conquered in Christs resurrection from death Sathan also lost his strength and power which rested vpon them which through sinne were in danger of death Finally because Hell onely deuoureth them which through Sinne and Death are slaues to Sathan it followeth that the other three by Christ being so mightily vanquished that hell also with all the torments thereof were vtterly subdued and the faithfull deliuered And so according to the saying of Zachary God hath performed the Oath which hee sware to deliuer vs from our enemies that wee might serue him without feare in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life Now then all wee which beleeue are freed from the slauery of Sinne kingdome of the Diuell gulfe of Hell and chaines of Death so that henceforth Death is no death to Gods Children through Christ but great aduantage and appoynted for a passage to a better life And therefore though cursed reprobates may tremble at the name of Death and Diuell to whom they are in thraldome yet Gods Children being conquerours through Christ may well triumph for now through him wee haue an entrance made to heauen and Death is the very doore of life a passage out of this world to the Father a freedome from the prison of this body to goe to Christ It is a returning to our heauenly Countrey from which wee were exiled This is the cause why the godly sigh and sorrow to be loosed and to be with Christ section 13 If Sathan therefore charge vs as surely hee will with the greatnesse of our crimes then turning to God let vs pray that hee will turne away his face from our sinnes and not looke vpon vs as wee are in our selues but in the face of Iesus Christ that redeemed vs from our sinnes If hee say that our sinnes are more then the sands of the sea let vs consider that his mercies are more and most infinite and looke what sinne can doe against Christ so much can it doe against me which beleeue in Christ for I am in him and hee in mee and therefore am righteous through Christ who is a condemning sinne to condemne thee O Sathan which art a condemned sinner If hee say it is absurd for an vniust and wicked man to expect the reward of righteousnesse let vs answere that Christ is our righteousnesse and redemption and that we shall neuer be without merits so long as Christ is not without mercies But from whence hast thou this hope Because I haue a good Lord an exorable Iudge and a gracious Aduocate But thou shalt be swallowed vp of death No my Redeemer liueth and my head is in heauen who I am sure will draw mee to him Christ hath ouercome Death and opened to mee the gate of Life O Death thou wouldest haue killed him with the sting of sinne but being of no force thy strength hath failed and hee being my life is become thy death And though Death like a proud Goliah dareth the whole world to match him with an equall Champion and whilest the whole hoast of worldlings shew him their backes for feare yet the true and humble Christian with Faith and resolution in Christ dare shew his face and stand to the fight till hee haue foyled him and wounded him in the fore-head as Dauid the great Gyant euen the wonted seate of terrour and feare and trampling him vnder foot can cut off his head with his owne sword victoriously triumphing ouer him A most admirable victory we dye and are not foyled yea we are conquerours in dying for we could not ouercome Death if we dyed not But thou shalt be damned saith the Diuell Sathan section 14 thou art a false accuser and no vpright Iudge one that art damned thy selfe and not a condemner of others But the Law of thy God accuseth and condemneth thee Sathan Christ hath fulfilled it and giuen his satisfaction vnto mee to him I onely cleaue who hath fulfilled it so that I my selfe haue nothing to doe with it I haue another Law which striketh it downe euen the Law of libertie which through Christ maketh mee free For my Conscience which henceforth serueth the Law of Grace is as a glorious Prince to triumph ouer the Law of Wrath. But see how many Legions of Diuels looke for thy soule as Death for thy body I denye it not and should therefore despayre but that I haue a strong protector who hath vanquished their tyrannie and hellish hatred against mee Yea but God is vniust if hee bestow eternall life vpon malefactors Nay hee is rather iust in keeping his promise and I haue long agoe appealed from his Iustice to his Mercy But thou flatterest thy selfe with vaine hope No the Truth cannot lye to mee Sathan and it is thy propertie to deceiue Oh but thou seest what thou leauest in the world but what after this life thou shalt inioy thou knowest not I tell thee Sathan these things that are seene are temporall and momentany but the things which as yet I see not yet hope assuredly to inioy are eternall and pearlesse Againe hee doth more then see which firmely beleeueth But alas thou goest hence laden with euill deedes and destitute of good Yet will I intreat my Christ to vnburden mee of the euill and to cloath mee with his good But God heareth not sinners I know hee heareth penitent sinners and for such hee dyed But thy repentance is too late No it is neuer too late in this life to turne to God as we truely learne by the theefe vpon the Crosse But thy Faith is weake and ready to fayle thee Yet I will pray to God for the increase and strengthening of it and then it shall neuer fayle mee section 15 But how canst thou be perswaded of Gods fauour who doth thus torment thee with sicknesse God doth it in fauour and loue Sathan as the good Physitian giueth the bitter Potion to cure his Patient and wee see that for the obtayning of bodily health we are content not onely to admit any loathsome Pils and vnsauory Receipts but also if neede require to spill and spare some part of our bloud how much more should wee hazard for the recouery of the eternall health and saluation of our soules But this cup of teares tribulations shall be so tempered in measure by our heauenly Physitian as that no man shall taste thereof aboue his strength This dose of Aloes and other bitter ingrediences I meane the very cup of death itselfe shall be qualified with heauenly Manna and sufficient sweetnesse of ioy and
within the lists of heauen he neuer came thither to assaile any since he was first cast out Death therefore is the day of triumph to the faithfull ouer all their foes section 22 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is Death to shew vs that till Death be commed and gone an end of enemies will neuer come When we see so many fall in the field by fight we perceiue there is no peace to be looked for with this enemie but blessed be the dead which die in the Lord they rest from their labours as if the Saints neuer rested vntill rest and blessednes and dying in the Lord meete together Here fraile nature is the field wherein we must be euer toyling and Death as it entred by Sinne so is it the end of Sinne for for feare lest if life had beene prolonged sinne might haue more increased the Lord suffered Death to enter into the world that Sinne might cease and to preuent that nature might not end in Death God hath set downe a day when all shall rise againe so that Death in the end doth extinguish Sinne endeth our warfare and maketh our nature durable CHAP. V. The faithfull redeemed by Christ are still subiect to corporall Death and all other crosses of this life yet being sanctified vnto them they are furtherances and helpes to a blessed life section 1 NEither yet are Gods elect so redeemed from Death as that they shall not taste thereof at all for though Christ hath drunke the dregs of that cup yet euery one must haue his draught It was enacted of old as we heard that all men must die that all must goe to deaths prison without bale or maine-prise No remedy can begot no dispensation purchased Death must giue vs all our last purgation But his strength and sting is gone there is our comfort Death now is but a Physition to cure our maladies and all Deaths factours as crosses and afflictions shall but further and fit vs to a better life And why should this poynt seeme so strange and so section 2 mightily moue and amaze so many millions of men as it doth that mortalitie and death crosses and all calamities in this world are common to good men as well as to bad to the dearest Saints of God as to the vilest sinners for besides the common guilt of sinne which is cause sufficient what thing in this world haue they not common with other men with whom they haue a communitie of flesh and blood Barrennesse and penurie dearth and famine drougth and deluge warres and hostilitie shipwracke and sinking dolours and diseases with all other miseries and maladies in this world doe betide them yea many times here they shall weepe when the wicked laugh till hereafter that their sorrowes be turned into ioy and their teares wiped away Herein is the patience of the Saints the tryall of their faith and exercise of their hope seene and approued of God Christ indeede hath altered the nature of the first Death section 3 to the faithfull but not taken it quite away first it was ordeined as a punishment for sinne now it is made a passage into heauen then it was inflicted as a curse now Christ hath turned it to a blessing It did at the first depriue men of good but now it putteth them in possession of eternall happinesse Iacob not long before his death pronounced this as a curse from the Lord vpon the tribes of Simeon and Leui for their crueltie against the Shichemites that they should be diuided in Iacob and scattered in Israel yet when the children of Leui shewed their zeale and obedience in killing the Idolaters at Moses commandement the Lord turned this curse into a blessing This scattering was a furtherance vnto them to make them more fit to teach the people in euery citie and so to receiue the Tithes of euery Tribe So at the first the Lord threatned death as the punishment of sinne but by faith in Christ it is made the end of sinne and the beginning of glory He that could at the first bring light out of darknes could after bring a blessing out of a curse If Physitians by their art can extract an Antidote or preseruatiue against poyson out of poyson it selfe why may not God by his infinite wisedome and power draw good out of euil mercy out of iudgement and a blessing out of a curse Death saith a learned Father as yet remaineth for the righteous to exercise their faith withall for if immediately vpon remission of sinne there should follow immortalitie of the body faith should be abolished which wayteth in hope for that which is not yet enioyed yea the Martyrs could not testifie their faith and patience their courage constancie and loue to Christ in suffering Death for his sake section 4 Nothing is more grieuous to a Christian heart then the practise of sinne but death destroyeth them all Sinne brought in Death and Death must driue out Sinne. After death our Sanctification shall be perfect and not as here in part Faithfull men shall be like Angels in heauen readily willingly and chearefully to doe the will of God As hearbs and flowres breede wormes by nature yet wormes at length doe kill both hearbs and flowres So Sinne breedeth Death in it selfe and Death at last shall proue the bane of Sinne. As Sampson could not kill the Philistims but by his owne death no more can Christians get the conquest of sinne but by the losse of their liues At the first as was said before Death vvas ordayned as a punishment for sinne now God doth vse it as a meanes to stop the course of sinne It was said there vnto man If thou sinne thou shalt dye the death but now it is decreed thou must dye lest thou continue in sinne That which then was to be feared that men might not sinne must now of necessitie be suffered that they may be freed from sinne Sinne hath taken such a deepe roote in our bodies that it cannot be destroyed without the destruction thereof Like the Leprous houses strongly infected nothing would serue to purge them but needes they must be pulled downe Our corrupt flesh and nature must quite be plucked vp by the rootes lest any spur or sprig remayning the buds of sinne doe sprout afresh from the same our olde house must be plucked downe that so they may be built againe as new Temples to the Lord. Sinne saith one neuer ceaseth to be in our bodies vntill we come to be blessed with a shuffle If there could any humane receipt be prescribed to auoid all crosses and afflictions with death it selfe it would section 5 be purchased of some at any rate but both it is impossible that earth should redresse that which is sent from heauen and if it could be done yet the want of miserie would proue miserable vnto vs For the minde of man being cloyâ—d with continuall prosperity would grow
same Thus are the bodies of the Mariners hardened vnto the Sea thus come knobs in the poore labourers hands so are the souldiers armes strengthened for the Speares and Darts and the members of those that runne made nimble for the race And in very deed that part in any man is the stronggest that most is exercised by paines and toyle There is none so firme and solid a tree as that which the windes oftnest beate vpon for being thus beaten and ballasted it knitteth together and spreadeth the rootes more firmely in the ground The fire tryes the gold and misery men of courage There is no peace without war no rest without toyle no crowne without crosses no raigning without suffering no glory without shame and shaking in this wofull world section 16 Many would feed vpon manchet and alwayes tread vpon Roses I meane in seruing God they would be freed from all afflictions They loue Canaan with the Israelites but they loath the wildernesse The running waters of Shilo they would taste but the rough streame of Iordane they cannot tallage Iames and Iohn would haue the seate of honour but they would not drinke of the bitter cup. But wee must know that the way to heauen is not strewed with flowers but set with thorns yet is it both the straight and the right path to immortall glory The persecutions and troubles of Gods Children shall neuer cease till the World be without hatred the Diuell without enuy and our Nature without corruption Euen the sweetest of all flowers hath his thornes and who can determine whether the scent be more delectable or the pricks more perillous It is enough for heauen to haue absolute pleasures which if they could be found here below certainly that heauen of heauens which is now not enough desired would then by such meanes be altogether feared God here compoundeth our pleasures to the fashion of our selues so as the best delights we haue may still sauour of the earth thus God doth weary vs in the world to weane vs from it section 17 And for Death it selfe which by nature wee so much abhorre God hath mitigated and broken the sorrowes thereof that though they tyre the flesh and amaze it for a season yet they cannot extinguish the hope of a Christian for what can Sinne the sting of Death preuaile against vs being pardoned in Christ The abundance thereof causeth abundance of grace and the greater remission of sinne procureth the greater loue of God What therefore can Sathan gaine by his assaults but to multiply the reward and make the Crowne of Gods Saints farre more glorious by their sufferings Death may put out our carnall eyes yet Sathan hath not whereof to reioyce so long as Faith inlighteneth the minde neuer remouing her eyes from Christ Iesus crucified So forcible and effectuall is the spirituall contemplation and insight of Christ crucified that it turneth despayre into hope and hope into ioy most glorious and vnspeakable The humbing Bee hauing lost her sting in another section 18 doth still notwithstanding make a grieuous noyse by her often buzzing about our eares yet wee know she cannot hurt vs So Sinne and Death hauing lost their sting in Christ doe not as yet leaue their murmuring but with furious stormes of temptations seeke still to terrifie our soules though not able to wound vs to euerlasting death Indeede Death may fray vs at the first sight as Moses rod turned into a Serpent made him flye from it for the present but through confidence in God who hath willed vs not to feare wee shall finde it a blessed meanes to diuide the waters of many tribulations to make vs a passage from the Wildernesse of this world vnto the heauenly Land of eternall rest Neyther can Death separate vs from God though it be fearefull to the flesh to see his prefixed end nay nothing hath greater power to ioyne vs to God through the death of him that conquered Death And must it not needes be ioyfull to a Christian to be freed from this wicked life wherein euery day is the messenger of fresh sorrowes and wherein hee findeth his corruption so burdensome and therefore he is ready most chearefully to imbrace it as the Souldier that commeth after his valour shewed in the field to be made a Knight or the King that goeth to his Coronation for then they shall not haue Reeds but Palmes in their hands to shew their triumph and not to be crowned with thornes as Christ in this world with his members are in mocking but with immortall glory with God and his Angels in the highest heauens section 19 To conclude Death is the key of the King of heauen which in mercy he sendeth to deliuer those that loue him from the irkesome prison of this body of sinne It is the gate through which Gods friends escape from whole troupes and swarmes of euils This whole wretched life rightly considered is nothing else but a continuall crosse and death of the olde man that being once mortified in all our members hee may most gloriously be transformed into the Image of God For like as there can be no generation without corruption for so much as that thing which is must perish that that thing may be made which is not so this spirituall regeneration and transformation of man into God cannot be effected vnlesse the old man be first destroyed by death CHAP. VI. Gods Children in this world as strangers and Pilgrims haue hard entertainment their true heauen and happinesse commeth hereafter section 1 BVt for as much as the faithfull while they liue in this world are as poore strangers in their voyage and passengers by the way in their iourney they must fit themselues for all assayes regarding neyther the winde nor the weather foule nor faire Such as they finde they must take in good part There is small prouision for strangers vnlooked for as they come they must be accounted of Happy sometime they thinke themselues if they may haue any lodging in their Inne if it be but bare house-roome it must serue their turne for the tlme The best lodgings are here taken vp for great States Christ and his Mother must be glad of a Stable The dainties and delicates are prouided for the Nobles and great men the bread of aduersitie and water of affliction are commonly the diet of Gods dearest children vntill the time of their refreshing come in a better life Here for a little they shall weepe and mourne till hereafter God send them such exceeding ioy that none can take away And when Gods children are well vsed in their hosteries section 2 yet no allurements can make them stay long but that after their baite they haste on their iourney Neither will they much be discouraged with their lets and impediments but still comfort themselues hoping this day that to morrow will be better howsoeuer they still lagge on that they were at home And because the
drags him along that goeth by compulsion CHAP. II. How dangerous a thing it is not to be prepared for Death or to deferre the time thereof HAuing partly heard of the necessitie of preparation section 1 let vs a little consider of the dangerous want thereof for Death being such a fearefull enemie we may not without great hazard of our estates meete him naked in the field but knowing him and his forces it is fit wee be throughly prepared against the combat And albeit we cannot of our selues make any prouision sure inough to serue our turne for it is not our owne strength counsell or pollicie that can stand vs in stead in such a fight yet prouided we must be if we will preuaile neither is it Sauls harnesse that will buckle handsomely to our backs or any other furniture deuised by man but onely the sling of faith casting out the stone taken out of that riuer or rather that inuincible rocke Iesus Christ that will vtterly foyle this huge Goliah Death For Gods children hauing continuall experience of his section 2 mighty power in their worldly deliuerances and of his gracious protection and aide in all the miseries and calamities of this life feeling still in themselues the sufficiencie of his grace and assistance of his spirit in all their extremities they doubt not euer to commit their bodies and soules to this their faithfull creatour They doe not feare to be ruled by him in life death no they will goe to God thorow fire water no dangerous paths will they eschew when he cals them they care not to goe thorow the vale of death leaning on his staffe nor to sayle as it were through hell that they may come to heauen to enioy his blessed sight knowing that by the susteining of a temporall death they are freed from eternall torments and endlesse fire of hell For although at deaths first entrance a huge flood of sinnes and a fountaine of sorrowes issued out yet now being altered by Christ it killeth sinne in Gods Saints and perfecteth their estate And so farre off is it from the destruction of a Christian man that it brings him to perfection for after the death of the body followes the freedome of the spirit nay it is the very furnace appointed of God for the purifying both of body and soule from the drosse of all corruption and sinne But as it auaileth nothing as I said before to goe to section 3 warre without weapons or to keepe a Castle without munition no more or lesse can we withstand deaths deadly force our soules not harnessed against the same The greatest cowards haue many times the greatest talke then it will onely appeare what thou hast gained in knowledge when thou commest to combat with Death no man knowes in what place Death attends him therefore in all places we must be prouided What cares Death for prisons for guards for iron barres c. one gate or another stands alway open to him there is but one chaine onely that keepes vs bound euen the loue of this life and this must not wholly be shaken off but extenuated and lessened that when occasion serueth nothing may hinder vs. If euery day of our life were as long as that long day of Iosua when as the Sunne stood still a whole day in the middest of heauen it would auaile vs nothing For as in the end the night came which dissolued that long day so the night of death will at last assaile vs and make the daies of our life vanish away how long so euer they haue beene for euery thing subiect to corruption fadeth and he that troubleth himselfe therewith shall passe away Man is resembled to a peece of rotten wood which breaking in peeces is turned into powder section 4 This life is a moment of time whereon all eternitie of life and death to come dependeth If it be a moment and a moment of so great importance how is it passed ouer by worldly men so carelesly as it is If Death be an enemie then let vs watch him as an enemy preuent him as an enemie that so we may endure his hard assaults when time shall serue Doe that before death which may doe thee good when thou art dead for if we prouide not before death there is no prouision after It is farre better to enter while the gate is open then afterwards to knocke in vaine when the gate is shut to seeke the Lord while he may be found then to be found of him vnprouided when we would not be sought The morning was faire when Lot went out of Sodome and yet before night it was burnt to ashes Nebuchadnezar neuer thought himselfe so sure as when he boasted himselfe of Babel and yet while the word was in his mouth God puld him downe vpon his knees The rich man neuer thought himselfe so likely to liue as when hee said to his soule Eate drinke and be merry yet the selfe same night it was taken from him The ship would be mended in the hauen not in the tempestuous Sea the breach would be repayred in the time of peace not in the skirmishes of warre In time a care would be had of our estate for the time to come The dayes of man are short and his time vncertaine that little moment wee haue to prouide for a state of all continuance and to gaine eternitie in is quickly runne ouer before wee be aware Gods mercy in giuing vs time and space passeth along section 5 as a pleasant-riuer if we stop the course thereof by continuance in sinne it will rise high as a floud and turne into Iustice bearing vs downe by force as a violent streame and ouerthrow our surest repose Such is here our fraile and brittle estate that when wee seeme to stand in great securitie wee then doe dwell in deepest danger and when wee least feare we soonest fall Calamitie commeth vpon vs not looked for sicknesse sodainly inuadeth and Death without ransome requireth her due therefore Boast not thy selfe of to morrow for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth Our continuance here is certaine in vncertaintie therefore saith one Let our vncertaine condition worke a certaine carefulnesse of our estate to come That which once and neuer but once is done should be aduisedly begunne carefully prosecuted and most seriously laboured with all industry vnto the end Wee sleepe with our cause and wee rise with our cause saith Augustine Doe well and haue well liue the life of the righteous and dye the death of the righteous To him that passeth through darke places one light carryed before him will doe him more good then many brought after him When sleepe is gone from the sicke mans eyes when rather extremitie of griefe then true sorrow doth rake out a little sicke repentance from the most carelesse person when rest is departed from their tossed beds then many can
effectuall Ieremie perplexed in the dungeon called sighed and cryed vnto God Hearken O Lord vnto me saith Dauid and answere I mourne in my prayer and make a noyse It maketh men to cry as a woman in trauell Demaund now and behold if Man trauell with childe Wherefore doe I behold euery man with his hands on his loynes as a Woman in her trauell and all faces are turned into palenesse It forceth very infidels to humble themselues as Pharaoh Ahab c. See the variety of Gods punishments before he can make his people yeeld yet in the end their vncircumcised hearts shall be humbled and they shall pray for their sinne reason 1 Afflictions and troubles doe breake and tame the stoutnesse and pride of mans heart and nature maketh them to melt and relent who may know by woefull experience that God will not cease from punishing till they leaue their sinning God still addeth seauen plagues to seauen increasing the number and the greatnesse till his children be turned vnto him and be throughly humbled So in Amos he sends his iudgements successiuely because they returned not vnto him So he saith he will returne to his place and not be found vntill they seeke him and amend and God affirmeth that he will enter into iudgement with Ierusalem because she saith I haue not sinned reason 2 Secondly being blinded in our affections they make vs to see and know our selues before I was troubled I went wrong In my prosperity I said I shall neuer be moued Ephraim in presperitie was as an vntamed and wanton Calfe not wonted to the yoake but by chasticements afterwards repenting and being conuerted and instructed I smote my selfe saith Ephraim vpon my thigh I was ashamed and confounded because I did beare the reproach of my youth reason 3 Thirdly by afflictions wee may see the anger and vengeance of God against sinne flaming as an vnquenchable fire and burning to the bottome of hell and in them we proue our owne weakenesse not able to vndergoe or endure them Take away thy plague from me for I am consumed by the stroak of thy hand Therefore Dauid prayeth God not to rebuke him in his anger nor to chastise him in his wrath vse 1 The vse whereof is that wee heare the rod and who hath appointed it That we take notice of Gods iudgements in acknowledging the authour and the end thereof that we humble our selues and meete our God that wee pray for patience and strength to vndergoe trialls and seeing our weakenes to run to God for aide Againe it maketh much for our comfort that afflictions vse 2 are so good and profitable as the effects thereof declare When they are sanctified vnto vs they heale our sinfull nature as a good salue that is laide to the sore they recouer the sicknesse of our soules as good physicke cures the disease Thus they proue as wholsome medicines and fatherly chasticements to amend and reforme Gods elect They are meanes to make vs to know our selues and the corruption of our nature that needeth such violent remedies Wee are readie with Adam to hide our sinnes As malefactors on a racke and vnhappy Schollers in a Schoole are forced to acknowledge their faultes so God by affliction wresteth out a confession of sinne and resolution of amendment in his Children Thus God doth scowre and clense away the drosse and drowsinesse of our nature and so rowseth and raiseth vp our dead hearts to earnest and faithfull prayers that it turnes them to cryings sighings and groanings that cannot be expressed Calling vpon Gods name he heard his voyce doctrine 7 Gods children neuer pray in vaine but are heard and helped of God in their greatest afflictions I called vpon thy name O Lord out of the low dungeon thou hast heard my voyce I called vnto the Lord in my trouble and he heard me See the proofes and reasons hereof with the vses in doctrine the first c. Thou hast heard my voyce That is heretofore thou doctrine 8 hast regarded mee when I prayed therefore heare mee still The experience of Gods loue in our former deliuerances out of dangers ought still to encourage vs to resort vnto him when the like or greater troubles shall assaile vs. Thou hast set me at liberty when I was in distresse haue mercy vpon mee and hearken vnto my prayer That God had deliuered Dauid from the Lyon and the Beare was the speciall motiue and incouragement vnto him to incounter with Goliah and his best assurance to conquere and ouercome him So the church cheareth her selfe in her great ruins and afflictions hoping to be redeemed againe from the captiuity of Babilon O arme of the Lord rise vp as in old time in the generations of the world Art not thou the same that hast cut Rahab and wounded the Dragon Art not thou the same which hast dryed the Sea even the waters of the great deepe making the depth of the Sea a way for the redeemed to passe ouer Thus they speake of their deliuerance from Egipt which is called Rahab putting some part of the Land for the whole and the people therein contained meaning also by the Dragon that tyrant Pharaoh dwelling in the middest of the floudes as Ezekiell speaketh hyding himselfe in the Riuer Nylus and as Paul calleth Nero a Lyon so here is Pharaoh termed a Dragon to expresse the qualitie of Tyrants Thus with the remembrance of that eminent deliuerance out of Egipt they comfort their hearts and cherish their hopes to bee freed from the present captiuity for what shall hinder God from bringing them out of Babylon more then it did the freeing of their forefathers from the slauery of Egipt God is still the same without change or alteration his nature and condition is euer to bee gratious and ready to forgiue he is faithfull and will not deceiue his people his power and will are neuer weakened his truth and promise shall abide for euer Hath he said and shall not he doe it or hath hee done it and cannot hee doe the same againe Feare it not for GOD is constant and vnchangeable in his nature doctrine 7 Which doctrine serueth for the instruction of all Gods children in the variety and continuance of their tryals and afflictions being voyde of present comfort they must remember the times past and thinke of former deliuerances as the ancient Church of GOD hath vsed to doe who still called to minde what they had heard with their eares what their Fathers had tolde them of GODS workes in their dayes in the olde time how GOD had driuen out the heathen and planted them in how hee had destroyed the Nations and caused them to grow and so hee concludeth that they will praise God continually and confesse his name for euer This also reproueth the peruersenes of our nature and vse 2
world euen so long there is betweene them a certaine equalitie in the flesh though alwayes an euident distinction in the spirit So that vntill this mortall body hath put on immortalitie and the spirit of Christ which dwelleth in Gods children hath brought them to God in heauen all discommodities and casualties with Death it selfe must needs be incident to all men alike Besides that our earthly prosperitie so dulleth our spirituall senses and our great imployments in the world so carry away our affections and so hinder the remembrance of our latter end that the greatest men many times both for place and gifts doe mightily forget themselues herein and knowing it to be so haue had their speciall Memorandums I omit to speake of the preparing of their Sepulchres in their life time and the purposed placing of them in their common walkes with their set salutations of some seruant to that purpose Thus most humbly supplicating your Honour to be well pleased with this my honest purpose and christian indeuour in the fauourable acceptance thereof I commend your Honour to the gracious protection and direction of the eternall and euer liuing God who euer guide you with his spirit in all your weighty imployments to his glory and the good of his Church c. From my poore Study at Shearsbie in Leicestershire February 21. 1616. Your Honours in all Christian duties wholy deuoted in the Lord Iesus IOHN MOORE AN ABRIDGEMENT OF THE WHOLE Bookes substance OR A GENERALL TABLE of the principall poynts thereof according to the CHAPTERS and SECTIONS The first BOOKE CHAP. I. GOD in his incomprehensible Wisedome Goodnesse and Loue created man at the first as a Chrystall glasse of his glory and a liuely resemblance in a sort of his Maiestie Section 1. Mans body a briefe map and abridgement of the whole worlds perfection 2. Mans excellency and maiestie in his first Creation ibid. Man in his body resembled his Maker and in his seuerall members expressed the varietie of his perfections 4. The very Pagans admired the portraiture of mans body and preferred it before the worlds curious creation ibid. Man especially in his soule resembled God with the manner how 5. Gods Image in man appeared especially in the regiment of the creatures 6. It consisteth principally in righteousnesse holinesse and knowledge ibid. The Image of God in man is to haue the same Will Knowledge Iudgement and Reason with God in humane and heauenly things in a measure with the reason thereof 7. The difference betwixt the Image and Similitude of a thing 8. Christ is the very ingrauen forme of God and the true patterne and type of our first created image ibid. Reason and Will as two wings to the Soule did at the first guide it aright to God that so it might soare aloft with her affections to heauen and heauenly things 9. The excellent harmony in all the faculties of the Soule before Adams fall with the exquisite reason and knowledge thereof 10. CHAP. II. GOD alone is vnchangeable and all creatures haue their being standing and vpholding by him who onely is Sect. 1. Gods name and nature ibid. Adam was mortall by creation yet had he not sinned he neuer had dyed 2. Man was made of a mutable nature in power of standing and possibilitie of falling 3. The reason why God alone is vnchangeably good and all other creatures subiect to decline ibid. Three things requisite for Adam and the Angels to perseuere in goodnesse 4. Why the good Angels fell not but keepe still their standing ibid. Adam if hee would had grace sufficient to haue kept himselfe from sinne and death illustrated by examples 5 6. Adam could fall of himselfe but hee could not stand or rise againe with the vse thereof 7. Why man was made of a changeable nature 8. Man was subiect to death by nature but not of necessitie with the reason 9. CHAP. III. SAthan enuying at mans glorious estate laboured by temptations to supplant him and so preuailed Sect. 1. The manner and degrees of Sathans proceeding 2. Adam by yeelding procured his fall and so sold himselfe to Sinne and Sathan to the iust destruction of himselfe and all his seede ibid. The greatnesse of Adams sinne and the equitie of Gods Iustice in the manner of punishment 3. See the further inlargement of Adams rebellion by the degrees thereof 5. God not onely commanded his obedience but threatned his rebellion 6. Adam by his fall lost Gods Image and contemning life hee found out death ibid. The cursed fruits and effects of his fall 7. Adam procured the practise of euill before he could attaine to the knowledge thereof 8. In searching for knowledge he met with error and blindnesse both of soule and body ibid. Originall sinne as a pestilent poyson infected euery part of man 9. It is deriued from Adam by propagation and by imitation confirmed and multiplyed in all mankinde ibid. The fruits and effects of originall sinne ibid. It maketh man more degenerate then all the rest of the creatures 10. Mighty is the power and raging is the strength of originall sinne ibid. Though sinne be the greatest bondage yet wee are willingly led to the practise and obedience thereof 11. Sinne breedeth in our hearts as wormes in the wood ibid. Concupiscence the fruit of Adams transgression is the Tyrant of the flesh the Law of the members the nourishment of Sinne the feeblenesse of Nature and food of Death 12. Before wee can sinne we are lincked to sinne and before wee offend we are bound with offence ibid. CHAP. IIII. THough the cause of death be iust yet the originall thereof seemeth doubtfull Sect. 1. God is not the author of Death with the reasons why 2. The Diuell is the author of Death proued at large 3. Sathan was created an Angelicall Spirit by sinne hee made himselfe a Diuell and falling from God hee fell from goodnesse 4. Causa causae est causa causali Sathan being the cause of Sinne caused Death ibid. Man and Diuell are partners in Sinne and so in Death 5. Sathan tempted and man consented ibid. The Diuell is not the absolute cause of Sinne and Death with the reasons why 6. Sollicite he may to sinne but force he cannot ibid. Man by nature might haue declined and should in himselfe haue had the cause of sinne and so of death 7. Death hath no proper efficient cause but rather deficient 8. It is a priuation of life onely hauing a name and no nature and substance with the vse thereof ibid. Sect 9. Adams sinne was hereditary to his posteritie and so the punishment proued at large from 10. to 13. The naturall condition of mans soule by originall sinne 13. Though in the iust iudgement of God mens soules be defiled with sinne being ioyned to their bodies yet it is not of compulsion 14. God doth incline the wils of men eyther to good or euill according to his mercy and their iust deserts 16. The children of the regenerate
are as corrupt by nature as the rest vntill they be reformed by the santified meanes ordained of God 15. Mans sinne maketh his life a due debt to death 17. The Diuell is the father of Sinne and Sinne the mother of Death ibid. The corruption of our flesh did not make our soules sinfull but the sinne of our soule did make the flesh corruptible ibid. CHAP. V. DEath is threefold corporall spirituall and that which is common both to body and soule Sect. 2. The description of Death according to the seuerall parts 3. The soule cannot properly dye being life it selfe illustrated by examples 4. How the soule is said to dye 5. The seperation from God is the death of the soule as the departing of the soule is the death of the body ibid. The nature of Death 6. Gods Spirit is the soule of our soules ibid. Man by sinne lost his life and found out death 7. It is agreeable to Gods iustice that a spirituall death should beget a corporall ibid. So soone as man had sinned so soone did the armies of death besiege his life 8. The very life of sinners is a death 9. Gods spirit must quicken and reuiue the soule or else it must needes dye and be damned 10. The degrees of the spirit in Gods elect 11. The wicked in this life doe liue in death and conuersing in earth they are bondslaues of hell 12. An effectuall faith in Christ is the life of the soule 13. What it is to be dead in sinne 14. Death is diuersly deriued with the reasons thereof 15. CHAP. VI. IT is enacted in heauen that all men must dye Sect. 1. The Registers of the death and buriall of men from the beginning witnesse the execution of Gods decree herein 2. Death is the way of all the world and the house of all men liuing ibid. Death is the Lady and Empresse of all the world 3. Balthasers Embleme is written vpon euery mans wall 4. Death respecteth no mans person place or qualities 3. Dayes and yeares and times no plea against the graue but a fitter prey for Death ibid. Death as Dan the gathering hoast sweepes all away 4. Mercilesse Death doth exercise her cruelty vpon all alike 5. Nothing can preuaile against Death or ransome our life 6. Gods hand a man may escape but Deaths dart no man can shunne 7. No force can resist it nor meanes preuent it ibid. Death is the common road-way of all the world 8. We must needes yeeld our selues to the law of Death ibid. Men may be distinguished by times but all are equall in the issue 9. As we grow our life decreaseth This whole life is but a death ibid. Man cannot be ignorant of his death since all creatures and actions proclaime his mortalitie 10. Experiments of death on euery side most apparant 11. The law of Nature conuinceth it amongst all nations 12. Our liues as our garments weare of themselues they are eaten with the Moaths we with the Time ibid. The course of our life runneth without pause to the period and end 13. An exclamation against Death most hideous and pittifull 14. 15. The Christian vse of our mortalitie with a reproofe of the carelesse Christian 16. 17. Death to the faithfull is as an hackney to carry and hasten them from earth to heauen ibid. CHAP. VII SInne brought in a sea of miseries Sect. 1. Life and misery are two twinnes which were borne together and must dye together 2. A description of infancy and old age with their miseries 3. The miserie of all estates Here death is liuing and life dying 4. There is no contentment in this wretched life 5. A description of mans sinfull mortall body 6. The frailty and brittlenesse of mans body with the reason thereof 7. See the manifold dangers of our life and how easily it is lost 8. The mutabilitie and inconstancie of mans life 9. This life is little better then hell were it not for the hope of heauen 10. This world is an Ocean sea of troubles See how fitly it resembleth it hauing a mercilesse maw to swallow vp all 11. It is a dungeon of ill sauours and a puddle of vices 12. Mans life is short and swift like a poste a ship and a shadow ibid. Our dayes passe swiftly as the Eagle to her prey and all mortall men are a prey to death 14. We are as flowers and grasse and Death in the hand of God as a sythe to cut vs downe ibid. All things dye but our sinnes which reuiue and grow young againe in despight of nature ibid. The cares of this life are like the Flyes of Egypt which giue men no rest neither day nor night 15. They are like mercilesse Tyrants which take away our peace ibid. Man and his labour are fitly resembled to the Spider and her web 16. All things are as snares to sinners to draw them to destruction 17. The meanes for Christians to auoid the snares of this life 18. It is as naturall for corrupt man to sinne as for water to run downe the channell or a Coach downe a hill 19. The best men liuing amongst the wicked are aptly resembled to Colliers and Millers ibid. The manifold engins of Sathan to enthrall vs. 20. No man can liue peaceably in this world among so many enemies of peace ibid. The warfare of Christians both outward and intestine with the occasions thereof 21. 22. Our life is as a tempestuos sea and death the onely port of tranquilitie and rest 23. CHAP. VIII MEN by dying proue they had sinned and sinne conuinceth there is a Law Sect. 1. The Law conuinceth man of sinne who without it knew not sinne 2. Sinne by the Law grew out of measure sinful with the reason thereof 3. The Law detecteth sinne as a hidden sicknesse that so we may seeke to Christ the Physitian 4. It is holy and righteous in it selfe though an occasion of euill to those that are corrupt ibid. How sinne is said to be dead without the Law 5. The Law anatomiseth sinfull man and setteth him out in his colours 6. The Law slayeth the sinner before Gods Spirit quicken him 7. Sinne and the Law are the strength and sting of Death 8. The Law not onely conuinceth man of sinne but iustifieth God in the punishment thereof 9. The horror of death with the reason thereof 10. CHAP. IX GReat and heauy was the tribute which God imposed vpon man for sinne Sect. 1. The death of the body is nothing to the damnation of body and soule in hell 2. As diseases are the maladies of the body so death is the maladie of diseases ibid. The death of the reprobate is a liuing death and a dying life 3. The life of the damned is an immortalitie of torments and euill 4. The torments of hell are vnspeakable 5. They are euerlasting and endlesse 6. Death to the vnregenerate is the very gate of hell 7. Death cannot be so feared as it ought of wicked men 8. CHAP. X.
the helmet of the hope of a better life to come must needs be vnwilling to leaue this present life especially if he haue any portion of comfort in the same needes must he feare to forsake it when hee heareth and seeth how roughly death dealeth with other men round about This maketh Physicke so seriously sought for though neuer so costly and Physitians more honoured of many then the God of heauen himselfe This causeth so many salt brine teares to trickle and distill from the eyes of worldly men being in danger to die which although they be reputed to come from a remorsed soule for sinne yet from many God knoweth they proceede from this fountaine namely that they are flitting from this world where if they might liue they are sure of something vnto another life where they are vncertaine of any good thing Such men are as a Ship without sayle or anchor tossed and tumbled with euery storme and tempest and alwayes in ieopardie of sincking or ship-wracke Therefore that we may be assured that we truely haue and enioy these precious iewels of a sauing faith and hope section 5 vnmoueable we must labour to approue or rather finde out the same by a Christian life and an vndefiled conscience For euen as pure and christall water commeth from a quicke fountaine and liuely spring incorrupted So doth a good conscience and holy life from an vnfained faith And as in digging of Wels we first finde out and discerne the streames of cleare water issuing from the liuely spring and in searching for mettals of gold siluer copper brasse or tinne wee first know wee haue found out the Mines thereof by the shining and glistering veynes in the earth appearing vnto vs So if wee will not misse but meete with a liuely faith and blamelesse hope we must first discerne them by the powerfull fruits of a sanctified life alwaies attended vpon by the hand-mayde of a pure and vndefiled conscience These be the remarkable streames of the true and liuing fountaine of a sauing faith and the vndeceiueable veines of these rich and wealthy Mynes of an inuincible hope to inrich our soules Loue out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and faith vnfained be linkes of one chaine beames of one Sunne streames of one riuer fruit of one tree twins of one womb c. To separate any of these is to make ship-wrack of the soule A good conscience watcheth ouer the soule Charitie is carefull to keepe Gods commandements and a pure heart loueth and imbraceth God aboue all and faith vnfained is neuer ashamed of professing Christ and his Gospell for section .6 any trouble By faith conceiued in the heart professed with the mouth and practised with the hand the righteous man liueth For as it is certaine there is no saluation without faith So there is no faith without repentāce no repentance without amendment of life nor any amendment without forsaking of sinne whence wee may conclude that no euill liuer hath any part in Christs death but the markes of Gods vengeance abiding on him and that he aduentureth his saluation that deferreth his repentance For what knowest thou whither tomorrow shall euer come Dally not therefore thus with God till the Diuell take thee in the lurch For as Christ came to saue vs from the damnation of sinne so also to free vs from the dominion of sinne and as he was sent to destroy the Diuell so likewise to ouerthrow the workes of the Diuell And most absurd it is for such as are the slaues of sinne to vaunt themselues for the seruants of God section 7 The praise of faith is to ouercome by fighting that the power of our Lord Iesus Christ may be made strong by our infirmitie He that hath a soule must needs breath and he that hath Gods spirit must needs bring forth the fruits thereof Faith I confesse is euer alone in iustifying but neuer alone in the person iustified euen as the eye alone seeth but the eye separate from the body doth not see at all but is a dead eye As Christ neuer raised vp himselfe without his humanitie yet not his humanitie but his diuinitie raised him vp Though faith doth worke by loue yet is it not inclosed in Faith as Papists say like a Diamond in a Ring neither yet is Faith as the shell and Charitie as the kernell but faith must haue this place which apprehendeth Christ who adorneth faith as the colour beautifieth the wall Faith is a certaine obscure knowledge or rather darknesse in it selfe which seeth nothing and yet Christ apprehended by faith sitteth in this darknesse as God in mount Sinai and in the temple Wherefore Christ apprehended and dwelling in the heart by Faith is the true Christian righteousnesse who giueth vs eternall life Christ is the Lord of our life in him we are by faith and he in vs. This Bridegroome must be alone with the Bride in his secret chamber all the seruants and family set apart but after when the doore is open then let them minister vnto them let Charitie doe her office and all good workes be busie When Faith is feeble Loue looseth her feruor but pray wee the Lord to increase our Faith and Loue forthwith will be on fire By Faith indeede we take hold of the righteousnesse of Christ by which alone we are reconciled vnto God but of this wee cannot take hold except withall we apprehend the sanctification of Gods spirit for he was giuen to vs for righteousnesse wisedome sanctification and redemption Therefore Christ iustifieth none whom he doth not also sanctifie Wherefore our indeuour and care must be for the sure approuing of our faith and hope to haue in readinesse a pure heart and vndefiled conscience which may be as vnreprouable witnesses before God and man that we haue had a sincere care to please our God not onely in outward action but inward affection labouring to the vtmost of our knowledge and power to put in practise all the holy duties of our callings towards God and man Thus if our heart condemne vs not we are sure to haue peace with God howsoeuer we are troubled in the world or afflicted in the flesh Now to clense our conscience and to haue it single and sincere is by the blood-shedding of Christ which section 8 hath satisfied for our sinnes whose death apprehended by a liuely faith doth purifie and purge the same Which conscience thus cleared shall now no more accuse but excuse vs before our God And albeit our former ignorance and infidelity hardnes of heart securitie with the innumerable euils both originall and actuall haue stained and defiled the same heretofore yet now our conscience being bathed in the blood of Christ and rinsed from the guilt of sinne and vncleannesse doth henceforward behold Gods anger turned into fauour his iustice into mercy c. Which sight so purifieth a Christian soule that neither death nor diuell can dant
it But on the contrary such as want this good testimonie section 9 of the conscience purified by faith in the blood of Christ their case is very dangerous lying still in their sinnes which in the time of Gods visiting hand will sting them deadly and in this world if they be not awakened by repentance but lye snorting in the same till their dying day their conscience that hath furfeited of sinne in this life will vomit all in their faces when they come once to their reckoning For as a good conscience is a continuall feast and paradise to him that hath it so an euill one is a perpetuall plague and prison to the soule and like the raging sea that casts vp mire and durt A pure conscience saith one is as the sweetest sugar to delay the bitternesse of all afflictions it is as marrow in the bones and good blood in the veynes as sound health to the body fitting and inabling it to sustaine all blustering stormes and winter blasts It is as a watch-tower and Beacon on a hill to giue vs warning and word of all danger imminent to our life As a Trumpet to awaken vs from our sinnes It is as the match and tinder to kindle the fire and zeale of all holy deuotion faith and obedience still pricking vs forward to all vertue and godlinesse till wee end our daies in peace We may say of the conscience as Zeno the Philosopher of a Wife that shee is a continuall comfort or a perpetuall crosse A good conscience is an inuincible Tower it may be besieged but neuer battered and raced to the ground It will neither be borrowed nor bought nor sould yet if it should be set a sale few would buy it The bed of a good Conscience flourisheth alwayes as the greene borders in a Garden If our hearts be setled in loue and obedience to the section 10 Lord all the world besides cannot defile vs. Our heart is the safest Tower of defence that wee haue in all our life take heede therefore of thy heart for if it accuse thee it will kill thee If it be on thy side let the heauens fall yet the ruines thereof shall not affright thee let thy foes be what they will let their counsell be what it can and destruction that is conspired neuer so cruell yet if thy heart be faithfull to God thy enemies shall feare more then thou for Innocencie assisteth thee which is strengthened with the arme of God and cannot be conquered by any meanes of Man Death or Diuell Though nature be weake to raise vp it selfe and aduersities and temptations strong to cast it downe yet both troubles and temptations flye fast away before the face of our trust in God O Lord take from mee saith one if thou wilt my goods and riches my pleasures c. yea my life to so thou leaue mee my heart which way neuer cease to loue thee trust in thee and call vpon thy name Thou canst not be friends with thy selfe till thou be with God for thy Conscience like an honest seruant taketh his masters part against thee when thou hast sinned and will not countenance thee till thou be reconciled to God neyther dare it be kinde to thee and vnfaithfull to her Maker God doth commit men to their Conscience as vnto a Tutor which vigilantly attends vpon them and a man may better flye from any thing then from his owne heart And therefore this hath alwayes beene the ioy and reioycing of the faithfull to haue the witnesse of a good conscience that they haue simply and honestly walked with men in this world This is their Crowne and comfort to thinke how holily and vnblameably they haue behaued themselues that they haue fought a good fight and finished their course and kept the faith that they haue kept the profession of their hope without fainting still with a good Conscience making their request to God This oyle of gladnesse hath cheared their countenance and this pure wine of a good Conscience hath gladed their heart amidst all their griefe it hath sweetned their sorrowes hauing the loue of God shed in their hearts through the holy Ghost And therefore our greatest care must be to haue alwayes a cleare Conscience towards God and man which will greatly cheare vs against our death section 11 Christians must be daily practicioners of Faith and Repentance they must not onely by mortification of the flesh dye to sinne but being renewed in the spirit rise againe vnto righteousnesse and amendment of life They must hate euill and doe good pursue after peace and holinesse without the which no man can see God For as hee that hath a hope to liue againe when he is dead must dye while hee is aliue to sinne and wickednesse So hee that will escape the second death must be made pertaker of the first resurrection to newnesse of life And those that are deliuered from darknesse must be translated into the Kingdome of Christ and being dead in themselues must liue the life of Christ And this is the end why they are freed from their deadly foes to serue God in holinesse and righteousnesse all their dayes So shall they come to peace of Conscience and ioy in the holy Ghost section 12 Repentance and amendment of life serue vs as the Cannon shot to scatter the cruell bands of Death and Diuell and ioyning Faith with Repentance wee shall be sure to winne the field by the safe conduct of Christ our Captaine vnconquerable who as wee haue heard hath satisfied for our sinnes fulfilled the Law and foyled all our foes If the day of our death finde vs a sleepe in our sinne woe be vnto vs for then wee shall hardly awake The end of all things saith Saint Peter is at hand therefore be sober and watch in prayer Euery one in his death shall finde this end of all things when men are once dead and carryed out of dores all is at an end with them neyther hath their body any more then their length of ground One being demanded when it was time to repent answered section 13 One day before our death but when it was replyed that no man knew that day hee said Beginne then to day for feare of fayling and boast not of to morrow for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth It is a folly to dissemble our sores whilst they are cureable and after make them knowne when there is no remedie Many pretend to amend all in time and this time is so deferred from day to day vntill God in whose hands onely all times consist doth shut them out of all time and send them to paines eternall without time for that they abuse the speciall benefit of time in this world For custome groweth to another nature and old diseases are hardly cured Wilt thou goe to heauen liuing in sinne as thou dost It is impossible As soone thou maist driue God