his Inheritance vnto his next Kinsman of his Family and hee shall possesse it and this shall be vnto the Children of Israel a Law of Iudgement or an Ordinance to iudge by as the Lord hath commanded MOSES In which gracious Answere these things may serue for our vse Note 5 First we may note that God reiected not these women from hauing a place in his earthly Canaan because so earnestly they sought and desired it and thereby wee may gather comfort assured and infallible that out of his Heauenly Canaan hee neuer reiecteth any that are desirous to haue a place in it for Hee that commeth to me saith hee I cast not away God would not the death of a sinner but rather that hee would turne from his sinne and be saued God would haue all men to be saued and to come to the knowledge of his truth And in this God is no excepter of persons but in euery Nation hee that feareth him and worketh righteously is accepted of him There is neither Iew nor Grecian bond nor free male nor female in this but wee are all one in Christ Iesus Exclude not then your selues out of Canaan and the Lord of mercy and goodnesse will not exclude you Note 6 Againe wee may note how harsh this disinheriting of Daughters is because wee desire to continue the name If God be pleased to continue the Land or Inheritance in our name blessed be his will if hee be against it and to that end giue no Sonne but Daughters wee fight against one that is too strong for vs in seeking by-wayes contrary to his rule and how can it please him God raiseth vp houses and putteth downe at his pleasure for the Earth is his and all that is in it with his owne to doe his will who will controule and checke him Now if he doe this by a woman why may hee not May hee raise a name by women inheritors and may hee not change the name againe when hee seeth good by giuing a daughter and no Sonne Let vs often thinke of the Psalme in a religious feeling and humbly desire to receiue instruction from the Lord They thinke their houses and their habitations shall continue for euer euen from generation to generation and call their lands by their names but man shall not continue in honour hee is like the beasts that dye This their way vttereth their foolishnesse yet their posteritie delight in their talke c. Here wee may note how grossely and grieuously they erre that condemne the gouernment of Women when Crowne and Kingdomes by lawfull descent in the all-guiding prouidence of God fall vnto them for be they not within this Law of God that he saith should be a Law of Iudgement that is a Law to iudge by of this matter for euer If a man haue no Sonne his Inheritance shall descend vnto his Daughter CHAP. II. Moses is fore-warned to die and how God fore-warnes vs. Sect. 1. THE second part of this Chapter now followeth in the 12. Verse to wit the shewing of the Land of Promise to Moses and the telling him of his death in these words Againe the Lord said vnto Moses goe vp into this Mount of Abarim and behold the Land which I haue giuen to the Children of Israel And when thou hast seene it thou shalt be gathered vnto thy people as Aaron thy Brother was gathered c. These points that are naturall from this place will come againe to be spoken of in the last Chapter of Deutronomie to which I referre you Let vs therefore I pray you euen seriously and zealously pitch our mindes vpon these points Note 1 First that Moses is not here taken away sodainely but is premonished before that he must away and a time giuen him to prepare himselfe for it a great and sweet mercy of God to his Children Wherefore Dauid prayeth heartily Lord let mee know my end and the measure of my dayes Let me know how long I haue to liue And againe in another Psalme Teach mee to number my dayes that I may apply my heart vnto Wisedome The Lord doth not this by expresse words as here to Moses but first by increasing weaknesse and infirmities vpon vs secondly by many yeeres thirdly by Examples of others daily before our eyes and fourthly many times by a secret instinct in our hearts with arguments and circumstances fitting to confirme vnto vs that wee must dye so that if wee be vnprepared it is our fault that wee carry no better an eye to the Lords dealings with vs no better a watch ouer our selues for state of body and minde nor make better vse and application of things as that often repeated counsell in Scriptures willeth vs saying Watch watch for you know not at what houre the Bridegroome will come c. Sweet is the Lord and most gracious is his course Let vs not be wanting in ours and all shall be well the time neuer sodaine the thing neuer fearefull but as welcome as quiet sleepe to a wearied and ouer-wearied body A sodaine death to any one prepared is no hurt for the word of God is firme and immutable hee that beleeueth shall be saued No man taketh my Sheepe out of my hands There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus which walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit Againe Who shall separate vs from the loue of Christ shall tribulation or anguish or persecution or famine or nakednesse or perils or sword No no for I am perswaded that neyther death nor life no not sodaine death nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Now if none of these certainly not sodaine death as I said before and therefore well saith the Booke of Wisedome concerning the godly that though he be preuented by death yet shall hee be in rest hee was taken away least wickednesse should alter his vnderstanding or deceit beguile his minde though he was soone dead yet fulfilled hee much time for his soule pleased God therefore hasted hee to take him away from wickednesse c. It is said that S. Iohn dyed of an Apoplexie and Policarpuâ— wished hee might doe the like yet wee vsually pray against sodaine death first in regard of the rash iudgement of the world secondly many mens negligence in preparing themselues for all houres the want of which hath made the godly sometimes timerous as wee see in Dauid Psal 39.15 thirdly as their soules are not alwayes set in order so neyther their houses as in Ezekia 2 Kings 20.1 But I say againe to one that hath laid his ground-worke well it is no hurt blessed be God and for the iudgement of men in taking Gods office vpon them in iudging weakly or wickedly of their Brethren Mat. 7.1.2 it is too rash
comfortable end made Abraham Iob old Simeon Moses and other of the Saints in the old and new Testament The like wee read of Ambrose whose conclusion in his death-bed was that hee was neyther ashamed to liue nor fearefull to dye because he had a good Lord. Bernards death was grounded vpon the sure hope and Anchor of Gods mercy though hee liued in corrupt times Oecolampadius told his visitors newes in the last speech hee vttered namely that hee should shortly be with the LORD IESVS Mr. Caluin with Dauids heart repeating Dauids Psalmes mourning in the Spirit for his sinnes his soule was sent out of his body like Noahs Doue out of the Arke Melancthon in his last farewell to life professed he was exceeding willing to dye because it was the Lords will praying for a happy and ioyfull departure hee had his desire presently sealed Peter Martyr gaue a comfortable farewell to his brethren and deare friends acknowledging saluation onely in Christ the Redeemer in which faith as he liued so he dyed That halfe miraculous man Luther in his death abounded as with prayer so with praises and thankesgiuings that the Lord had reuealed Christ vnto him and made him an instrument to discouer Antichrist and to oppose him Annas Burgius cryed in her last cryes Lord forsake not mee least I forsake thee Mauritius the Emperour in his last fainting gaue glory vnto GOD that was righteous in all his wayes and holy in all his workes Saint Augustine wept vpon his sicke couch for many dayes together and so was his soule ferryed to Christ in a floud of teares as Peter walked to Christ on the Sea of waters I might giue your meditations matter enough to worke vpon in reflexing vpon infinite examples related by Authors to which euery faithfull Minister that vseth to performe this dutie of visiting the sicke like a spirituall Physitian discerning the estate of the soule addes his Probatum est in ioyfull experience of many whose dying hath beene suted and sorted to their liuing both gracious both glorious Why then shouldest thou feare for to the righteous there shall be peace at the last Esay 57.2 therefore liue by Faith beleeue the Promises and apply them and be comforted in Gods mercy to others but as for the wicked it is not so with them they shall bee like the chaffe scattered in the winde for there is no peace to the wicked saith my God Esa 57.21 the prolong of their wicked life ends in a fearefull Tragedie in death for though in respect of the body and the outward man there is the same condition to the vvise and the foolish to Nabal and Salomon godly Ionathan perishing in the field as well as wicked Saul 1 Sam. 31.2.3 Ezekias strucke with the plagues boyle Esay 38.21 Asa goutie in his feete nay euen good Iosias wounded in the Battell and the rest of the godly being afflicted in sickenesse as pittiously and dying oft times as painefully whether in a naturall or a violent death euen as the wicked as appeares in the exquisite torments of the Martyres in the Primitiue Church in the crucifying of Peter and Paul with their heads downewards c. yea euen in the very Passion of Christ himselfe yet in respect of the inward man and dispositions of their soules in death there is as great difference betwixt them as there was in their carriage and conuersation in life And therefore as you haue heard the godly praying or praysing and blessing GOD speaking graciously sending out their spirits ioyfully and dying comfortably so prophane men dye eyther carelesly and blockishly for the most part their hearts being frozen and their consciences benummed and scared without any touch in soule or remorse for sinne which kinde of dying though our sottish silly common people commend as the most happy and blessed death when they goe away quietly like Lambes as their stupiditie and blindnesse thinke yet indeede they dye like Beasts and Dogs without any life of grace or feeling of the Spirit in the power or comfort of it nay senslesly like stockes and stones as is said of Nabal whose heart was like a stone within him 1 Sam. 25.37.38 or else desperately and ragingly impatiently as impenitently belching out blasphemies against both the Maiestie and the Mercy of God Thus Iudas cryes hee hath sinned in betraying the innocent bloud but hath no Faith to apply that bloud to the washing away of his bloody treason Thus Antiochus Epiphanes dying is tormented inwardly with the gripes and conuulsions of conscience as with the rage of his sickenesse so Iulian the Apostate in his last act of life from his infected lungs sent out venome against Christ calling him in dirision victorious Galilean Thus Eccius dyes execrating his Popish on-setters in frustrating his golden hopes when they had clapt their hands to animate him to barke at Luther and the Protestanrs The like end made Latomus Hoff-maister Spira and other Antichristian Champions being not vnlike in their sinne Thus Gardiner dyes confessing that hee had sinned with Peter but could not repent vvith Peter Cornelius Agrippa cursing his attending Spirit that stood by him in the forme of a blacke dog Others paralel in the like sinnes making like proportioned ends vnlesse it be in some particulers as once in the Scripture in the Theefe vpon the crosse that a theeuish and licentious life should haue the promise of Paradise in Death which as it was first the conclusion of Christs life secondly the present magnifying of the power of his Passion so it is not to be vrged nor peremptorily pleaded 1. in defence of ill liuers 2. nor imitated in deferring repentance 3. nor presumed vpon no more then a man ought to presume to be a Traytor a Witch a murtherer in hope for a pardon when he is to be turned off the Ladder because some one man in an age hath by Gods prouidence this priuiledge to be repriued and released from these facts committed For in place of one example that hath had his inueterate old sores cured his crying treasons pardoned at the last houre like Gregories good theefe that begd heauen wee haue millions that haue perished rot and consumed in body and soule in the last exigent of life as they haue not spared GOD liuing God hath not giuen them any tokens of his fauour but rather of his wrath and indignation dying forgetting them dying as in their life they forgat him turning away his eare from hearing of their prayers though they houle vpon their sicke-beds like Wolues Ose 7.14 because in their health and prosperitie they haue like deafe Adders stopped their eares in not hearing his Law and Word and in not considering the cryes of the poore Prou. 28.9 Prou. 21.13 Prou. 15.8 Therefore for thy present instruction and future consolation worke thou out betimes thy saluation with feare and trembling Giue all diligence to make thy Election sure Breake off all thy sinnes by
28. â—9 comforts them with the promised Comforter Iohn 16.7 Thus Peter endeuoured that those to whom hee writ and preached should haue remembrance of what hee taught them euen after his departure 1 Peter 1.15 If Peters pretended Successors stood not so much on their personall succession as they should in the right of succession labouring to imitate the doctrine of Peter of the Prophets and Apostles nay if this care of doctrinall succession were in the Ministers of the reformed Religion wee should not haue here so much blindnesse and ignorance where once was light there so many Schismes Errours and Heresies where once was an vnitie in veritie else-where so many Wolues come into the roomes of faithfull Pastors Acts. 20 ver 29. Thirdly if thou beest a Master of a Familie thou must set thine house in order as the Prophet from God commands Ezekias Esa 38.1 Now for as much as all Scripture is from God 2 Tim. 3.16 2 Pet. 1.20 and all examples are for our learning Rom. 15.4 what vvas said to Ezekias is said to euery man Set thine house in ordrr For Order saith Nazianzen is the mother and preseruer of all things Now for the procuring this order in thy Familie doe two things 1. concernes the temporall 2. the spirituall estate of thy Familie For the first make thy Will and Testament thou shouldest make it in thy health as Abraham did who in his health makes a Will and giues Legacies but chiefely in thy sickenesse as did Isaack and Iacob in that propheticall Testament of his Gen. 49. So some thus set downe Christs Will on the Crosse he giues his Soule to his Father his louing Mother to his beloued Disciple Iohn his body to Ioseph of Aramathia to the penitent Theefe Paradise to the Iewes his heartiest desires when hee prayes for them c. Now it is not a matter of indifferencie but a thing that conscience bindes thee to euen to make a Will and to distribute thine inheritance as Siracides counsels Syr. 33.22 for thus discharging a good conscience thou maist more freely depart in peace as a man takes his iourney more freely when hee hath set his house in order Secondly so thou cuttest off many contentions and stayest many suites in Law Thirdly thou takest away scandall and offence and so preuentest a woe threatned Mat. 18.7 Fourthly thou shalt be thought a wise man and not dye like a Nabal and a foole in setting all at sixe and seauen and so shalt leaue behinde thee a good name as a precious Oyntment Eccles 7.3 Fiftly thou shalt in this imitate God vvho is the God of order and not of confusion Now in the manner of making thy Will let the Rules be 1. the Law of GOD 2. of Nature 3. of that Nation whereof thou art a member 4. of common equitie If thy will be against any of these rules it is culpable First then it is Gods will to preferre thine owne bloud in disposing of thy estate before others as GOD tels Abraham that Eliazer a stranger shall not be his heyre but his owne Sonne Gen. 15.4 The like God commaunds the Israelites that if any man dye his Sonne shall be his heyre if hee haue no Sonne his Daughter if no Daughter his Brethren so descending still to the next of kinne Numb 27.8.17 It is a fault then for any man to alienate his goods or lands wholy from his bloud and posteritie the light of Grace and of Nature to condemnes it euen the very Schooles of Plato and Aristotle Secondly those are culpable that giue all to the eldest and little or nothing to the rest or all to Sonnes nothing to Daughters for though it be equall that the eldest haue more then the rest First because he is the eldest the Reâ—ben and first strength of the Father Secondly because Stockes and Families are preserued in their persons Thirdly that they may doe speciall seruices to the Common-wealth yet it is exceeding vnequall to giue so much to the eldest as though he should be my young Master and a Gentleman and the younger borne to beare the wallet as though he onely were a Son and the rest Illegitimate Fourthly in the Lawes of equitie remember him with something or her in thy Will that haue beene trusty and faithfull Seruants to thee gratifie in thy death their loues labours and strength spent for thee deale not with them as the Spaniell with the water shake them not off when thou hast no more vse of them Secondly allot some Legacies to thy friends as memorials of thy lasting loue Thirdly as thou art able remember the Chruch of God and those that are in it poore Ministers or poore Members Fourthly such Societies in the Common-wealth as thou hast liued in Now concerning the spirituall estate of thy Family teach instruct exhort admonish and pray for euery particular person in thy Familie In this reade and imitate the example of Dauid 1 Kings 2. the whole Chapter Exhort thy Wife to be the Spouse of CHRIST thy Children Gods Children thy Friends Gods Friends thy Seruants Gods Seruants so shall God and Gods Spirit giue that testimonie of thee that hee did of Abraham Gen. 18.19 euen for instructing thy Familie after thee The practise of these Precepts concernes thy peace both in sicknesse and in death Lastly when thou feelest Death approaching comming neare to the Agonie and pangs of it then vvith the Marriners stearne aright to get into the Hauen there is the greatest danger and if recouered the greatest ioy Now labour as thou hast liued so to dye by Faith Now apply the Promise to thy Soule trust in it let it quicken thee as it did Dauid Psal 119.49 Comfort thy selfe as that persecuted Patriarke did when Death was before him euen in the Lord thy God 1 Sam. 30.6 Now let God be the strength of thy heart euen vvhen thy flesh fayles and thy heart also Psal 73.26 Now vvith the Israelites looke to him vvith the eye of Faith of whom the brazen Serpent was a figure euen when the Serpent Death imbraceth thee to sting thee Iohn 3.14 Now call to minde all the former mercies of thy God to thy soule and suck spirituall sweetnesse from them Now vvith Moses cry vnto God euen when thou seest the dead Sea as hee the red Sea before thee Exod. 14. Now pray with all thy powers and spirits loue the Lord vvith all thy heart and affections reioyce that thou art going to meete thy Bridegroome now mourne and weepe more then euer that thou hast offended so good so gracious and so louing a GOD Now with Ezekias remember thy former sinnes in the bitternesse of thy soule turne thy selfe to the wall and weepe in the secret silence of thy Soule Esay 38.3 that so thou vvashing thy soule with penitent teares thy CHRIST may at that instant vvash away the pollutions of it vvith his bloud that so it may be presented spotlesse before the
or full Points or seeming defect in not alwayes quoting the Chapter and Verse to which I haue reference testimonially or exemplarily which perhaps would haue stuft the Booke too full or in any such circumstances which my farre absence from the Presse might occasion I pray you let your loues make the best construction if any thing be amisse that is mine owne if ought here be good that is the Lords and his Grace in mee to which good Grace commending you and these my poore labours for you I rest as now so euer Yours in the best bond STEVEN IEROME MOSES His sight of Canaan With SIMEON his Dying-Song Directing How to liue holily and dye happily BY Steuen Jerome late Preacher at St. BRIDES Seene and allowed Nascentes morimur finisque ab origine pendet LONDON Printed for Roger Iackson and are to be solde at his Shop neare to the Conduit in Fleetstreete 1614. The chiefe Contents of the two subsequent TREATISES In Moses his sight of Sion these things are obseruable 1 THE Case of the Inheritance of Daughters propounded page 1 2 How Cases are wisely to be carryed before the Magistrate pag. 3 3 The true Rule of iudging Cases Consultation with God pag. 4 4 The Case adiudged and spiritually applyed pag. 6 5 Moses is forewarned to dye and how God forewarnes vs. pag. 9 6 All must dye 13 7 God prepares his Children to dye as hee did Moses by shewing them Canaan 14 8 Moses his obedience to Gods summons a patterne to vs. 15 9 Fifteene Resemblances of Death to Sleepe 16 10 Fiue Considerations to imbrace Death as willingly as we sleepe naturally 23 11 Sixteene Comforts against the feare of Death in these ensuing particulars 35 1 GOD who infused the Soule cals for it againe 36 2 Sinne the sting of Death is taken away by Christs death 37 3 God as a Father is present at the death of his Children 39 4 Death is no death but a dissolution to the godly 41 5 The Saints shall know and enioy their friends in glory 43 6 Death frees the soule from her spirituall enemies 44 7 It deliuers from euils present and to come 47 8 It ends Sinnes Conflicts with Heauens Tryumphs 48 9 It frees vs from conuersing with the wicked 51 10 It secures vs from corrupting by the wicked 55 11 It secures from the malice of the mighty 56 12 Our good name is cleared in Death which calumny ecclypsed in life 57 13 Death tryes and declares the sinceritie and measure of grace 63 14 It is the inheritance of the Saints as it is the terrour of the wicked 64 15 The Christian should in death desire Christ who by death desired him 71 16 Death is the common Inne of all flesh where the Saints are refreshed 75 In Simeons dying Song these are the chiefe Notes both from the Doctrines and the Vses THE force of Examples eyther for imitation of Vertue or detestation of Vice 77 The vaine Songs and Sonnets of our age iustly reproued 79 Our singing as corrected so directed 80 The ground of all our reioycing must be in and for Christ 81 The sensuall and sinnefull ioyes of worldlings iustly taxed 83.84 c. Wee must be truely thankefull for Christ 8â— Tenne Reasons to incite vs to the duty of gratulation with the vses 88.89 The great mistery and greater mercy of Christ incarnate 92.93 c. Wee must be borne againe to CHRIST and and hee borne in vs as hee was borne for vs 95 The glorious Name of the Lord must not be vsed vpon euery triuiall occasion 97 How bootlesse it is for the wicked in death to cry Lord Lord. 99 The godly haue diuers raptures and secret ioyes in life and death 101 These Ioyes demonstrated in sixe particulars 103 Three Reasons of these extraordinarie Rauishments 105 Worldlings farre wide that thinke Christians Melancholicques and comfortlesse 106 Foure Comforts of the Christian which the world neyther knowes nor feeles 107 All the Patriarkes and Prophets since the promise haue expected the Messias 110 Wee see Christ more clearely then the primitiue Saints 111 How Christ came to them how to vs. 112 How wee should entertaine Christ with Redargution and Commination of the Iewes and our ingratitude 113 Our desire of long life must be simply to glorifie God 116 Reproofe of the worlds practise in Ministers Magistrates Masters and all sorts ayming at themselues not God 120 The better Christian the more willing to dye 126 Twelue Reasons which cause this willingnesse 127 The point applyed by examination 133 Christ most willing to dye of all the Sonnes of men 135 Seauen Reasons why Death is vnwelcome to the wicked 136 Wicked men may die willingly for sinister respects as Heretiques haue done 143 Fiue meanes to be vsed to make vs willing to our dissolution 144 God manifests his presence at the death of his three wayes 148 How God workes in sinne permissiuely disposingly c. but neuer workes sinne 151 Euery death for Time Place Matter Manner is determined by God 153 Iust inuectiues against Heathenish Fortune 157 The rash censures of men concerning diuers deaths condemned 160 Comforts in that God sees the cause and effect of euery mans maladie 161 Patience perswaded in that it is Gods rod which strikes 162 No meanes can protract or detract from our dayes besides their limits 164 Foure maine Obiections answered 165 Meanes must be vsed both for life temporall and spirituall notwithstanding Gods decree 168 Vnlawfull for any priuate man to take away life from himselfe or others 170 Twelue disswasiue arguments against Selfe-murther 171 The sinne reproued and the frequencie of it deplored 174 Twelue things from experience and Heathenish examples occasioning selfe-killing 179 How to preuent this sinne 188 Euery obstinate sinner from causes naturall and supernaturall accused of selfe-murther 189 * The chiefe delight and desire of euery man must be to be Gods Seruant with foure reasons why 196 Multitudes that liue vnder the meanes are ignorant how God should be serued 201 Multitudes reproued that haue as little will as skill to serue God 202 How few ayme at Gods seruice in all their wayes expostulated in particulars 210 Ciuill honest men most enemies to Gods true Seruants and sincere seruice 216 Many in the rancke of Christians serue the Diuell and their owne lusts 218 All the members that haue serued sinne directed to serue God 221 Sixe Motiues perswading to serue God 1 From the end of our Creation 227 2 From our Preseruation 231 3 From our Vocation 233 4 From our Redemption 235 5 From our Profession 237 6 From the Reward ibid. First Reward of Gods seruice Wealth and Riches 238 Second Honour and Dignitie 239 Sinne brings shame and all other iudgements 240 Gods hand vpon his enemies in many iudgements 243 Holinesse is the way to Honour 245 God is most liberall of all Masters 246 Gods seruants best rewarded and regarded in eight particulars 248 God grants the suites of his seruants 252 The
vsually both in this and other things The life before and the profession and confession of a true Faith ought to giue all men satisfaction if not let them remember that saying well Who art thou that iudgest another mans Seruant hee standeth or falleth to his owne Master and Lord. To the wicked indeede that haue wallowed in sinne without feeling sodaine death is fearefull eyther in warre when the bullet taketh him or at Sea when hee is drowned or any other way whatsoeuer when Ammon is nailed to the wall by his Brother Absolon 2 Sam. 13.28.29 when Pharaoh and his Companie be sodainly drowned in the Seas Ezod 14.27.28 Corah Dathan and Abiram sodainely swallowed vp of the earth Numb 16.32 When Zimry and Cosbee the Israelitish and Moabitish wantons be sodainely destroyed by Phineas Speare or Gods plagues in their filth or after Numb 25.4.8 The old Worldlings and Sodomites sodainely consumed by fire or water Baltazar Antiochus Herod the rich Churle with others sodainely swept away like dung from the face of the earth with the besome of Gods wrath and strucke with Gods reuenging hand in the midst of their drunkennesse crueltie pride couetousnesse and such sins their case is fearefull Sect. 2. That all must die BVt though Moses be not sodainely taken away yet away hee goeth it is very true and so must all flesh therefore let vs reckon of it The reward of sinne is death Rom. 6.21 And since all flesh is sinfull to all is appointed once to die Heb 9.27 hodie an cras c. whether it be to day or to morrow it must be it will be a debt it is and must be paid saith S. Augustine Hodie mihi cras tibi I to day you to morrow till wee be all gone nothing more vncertaine then the time nothing more certaine then the thing They that liued so many hundred yeeres as Adam Methusalem Noah Sem and the other Patriarkes of euery one it is said Et mortuus est and hee dyed the longest time had an end and at the last death knocked for him hee must away And as no time so no vertue can auoid death but euen Moses himselfe as worthy a man as the earth hath carried as the Word testifies of him Iosh 1.2.13 Heb. 3.2.5 yet this Moses must die But if a man maruell at this why such men should dye since sinne which is the cause of death is pardoned forgiuen them through faith in Christ let him know that this is done for two causes First for those reliques of sinne and corruption which hang vpon and by death must be purged and taken cleane away God then perfecting that sanctification which was begun before Secondly that wee might be made conformable to our Head Christ Iesus who as hee by death ouer-came death and rose from death to life so must wee by him both which ends yeeld vs great comfort because they shew that death is not laid vpon the elect as a punishment but as a mercy vouchsafed by a sweet father for the ends named Sect. 3. God prepares his children to dye as hee did Moses by shewing them Canaan BVt before hee dye and passe this way of all flesh God will haue him goe into the Mountaine and see the Land of Promise this was done in sweet goodnesse that with more ready will hee might make an end And assuredly thus dealeth God with his louing children at their latter ends euen giue them a glympse a sight and taste of the true Land of Promise that heauenly Canaan which hee hath prepared for them after death But as Moses to see this pleasant sight must ascend vp into the Mountaine so must wee raise vp and lift vp our hearts our soules our thoughts and the eyes of our mindes as it were aloft to an high Mountaine that so wee may see what will make vs most willing to depart that our ioy may be full and endlesse as in Peter That Moses entered not into Canaan but onely saw it it had two ends first the punishment of his Incredulitie when hee strucke the Rocke spoken of here in the 14. Verse of this Chapter and secondly for mysterie Vt significet nos per Legem cuius Minister c. that it might signifie that by the Law whereof Moses was Minister wee may see as it were afarre off eternall life and saluation but neuer enter into it that way because through corruption of our natures wee are not able to performe it which being not performed shutteth vs out and subiecteth vs to a curse Sect. 4. Moses obedience to Gods summons a patterne to vs. THat Moses went vp into the Mountaine to dye Deut. 34.1 is an example before our eyes of most singular obedience for hee grudged not hee grieued not he shrunke not backe but yeelded to Gods blessed pleasure and was most willing and ready to dye O that wee may finde grace and mercy with God so to doe when time commeth saying with tongue and saying with heart behold here am I thy seruant be it vnto mee as thou my blessed God wi lt Is my time come and must I away Lord then I come and desire to be loosed and to be with thee Againe that Moses endured so patiently the deniall of him to enter into the Land which no doubt hee much desired let it euer teach vs and strengthen vs to doe the like when God denieth vs our desires for assuredly God will doe better for vs as here he did for Moses if vvee rest on his good pleasure It is a true saying it is a good saying let it neuer goe out of our mindes Semper Deus suos exaudit c. God alwayes heareth his Children if not vnto their will yet vnto their saluation and good CHAP. III. The nature of death sweetned to the Saints with fifteene resemblances of death to sleepe OBserue it againe carefully that death is not mentioned vnto Moses in any terrible words but in sweet wordes Ibis ad Patres Thou shalt goe to thy Fathers and so still is the death of Beleeuers spoken of in the Scriptures that we might draw sweet comfort from it against any feare that fraile flesh may conceiue of death For there is a death which most men feare and that is the seperation of body and soule our naturall death and there is a death which too few feare and that is the seperation of the soule from God Vita carporis anima vita animae Deus the life of the body is the soule and the life of the soule is God Against this naturall feare oppose this and the like phrases in Scriptures You goe to your father therefore feare not Socrates a Heathen was much comforted at his death that hee should goe and meete with those learned Poets Orpheus Homer Hesiod and such like how much more may wee ioy to meete with God the Father and God the Sonne and God the holy Ghost with
and Dauid and Iudith how much more ought wee to burst forth into prayses for our spirituall deliuerance from the Flesh the World the Diuell that Pharaoh and from his Aegyptian yoake from Hell Death and Damnation by that Messias of whom these earthly and terrestriall Sauiours were Types and figures Secondly gratulation and thankefulnesse is a duety commanded Psal 50.15 1 Thes 5.18 therefore wee must not be immorigerous and disobedient to Gods commaund no more then Paul was to the heauenly vision vnlesse vve be found fighters and rebels and traytors against God Thirdly it is a species and part of Prayer and so of Gods spirituall worship Phil. 4 6. Ephes 6. Fourthly by this duety wee glorifie God which is the end of our Creation Psal 50.23 Fiftly 1. It is a seemely thing and becommeth the Saints to be thankefull Psal 33.1 2. It is a very good thing to praise the Lord Psal 92.1 3. It is a pleasant thing and praise is comely Psal 147.1 Sixtly the very Heathens haue commended it and the beasts haue performed it in their bruitish manner to their benefactors as appeareth in Androdius his Lion Seauenthly an vnthankefull man is hated of men accounted as a Viper and an vnprofitable burthen to the earth the very light of Nature and common humanitie cryes out vpon it Eightly God vpbraydes and brands his dearest Children for the omission of this duetie 2 Chron. 32.25 Ninthly the omission of this is a signe of a proud heart and brings downe Gods wrath Ibidem Tenthly this is the conuersation vvhich wee shall haue in heauen euen to praise God especially for the redemption of the world by Christ Phil. 3.20 Reu. 5.9 Reu. 19.1.3 This is the life that the Angels leade therefore vvee ought speedily to inure our selues to it This must excite vs to be more carefull in performance of this duety It is a blame and a blemish to be vnthankefull to man as Iudas was to Christ as the Iewes and Abimelech to Gideons Children as Pharaohs Butler to Ioseph much more to God It is a sinne and an abhomination to be vnthankefull to God for temporall and outward blessings as health wealth life libertie children c. so for the vse of the Creatures Christ vpbraydes the nine Lepers for this sinne Luke 17.17 18. And sure those that vse the Creatures prophanely as Dogs and Swine and beasts neuer looking to the holy and religious vse of them as sanctified by the Word and Prayer they are worse then the Doues and Elephants that at least looke vp to heauen when they eate their meate but if we be vnthankfull for the Incarnation Death and Passion of the Creator that in his humanitie was made a creature and subiected to death to redeeme vs the slaues and vassals of sinne and Sathan from the first and second death our sinne is in a higher die and graine of ingratitude wee are more not onely vnchristian but viperous and inhumane then the sauage Getes and Sauromiataines Alas then how many are vnlike to thankefull Simeon hour many are seemingly and hypocritically thankefull for outward things they are ready in euery company to thanke God oft times in the Pharisaicall pride of their hearts for full basquets and rich store-houses abundance of Talents fruitfull wife for their Oliue branches their children but the same men are neyther vocally nor really in words or workes thankefull vnto God for Christ Iesus for the benefits vvee haue by him 1. of Election 2. Vocation 3. Iustification 4. Redemption 5. Sanctification and title to 6. Glorification for his 7. Word 8. Gospell 9. Sacraments 10. Ministers 11. Ministerie for these ne verbum quidem not a word there is altum silentium as mute as fishes All naturall and morall men in this are Mutes and not Consonants as it is most consonant they should be Or if they speake a gratulatory word their hearts are as farre from it as heauen from earth at least their workes proclaime open warre and hostililie against the Lords Christ kissing him with Iudas in outward profession crying Aue and all haile with the Iewes when their liues being all hell they cry Crucifie him in their conuersation Psal 3.17 And thus much for the Title now to the Text Lord now lettest c. Euery word hath his waight without torturing the Text these things are obseruable 1. Simeons Compellation Lord 2. his desires Limitation Now 3. the acknowledgement of the Diuine Permission Lettest thou 4. his proper Appellation Thy Seruant 5. his desired Dismission Depart 6. his hoped Pacification In peace 7. his grounded Resolution According to thy Word of which in order Simeons Compellation In this word Lord. SOme take Lord essentially for the whole Trinitie Iehouah Elohim some personally for one of the Persons for indeede the vvhole Trinitie and euery Person in the Trinitie is oft in the Scripture tearmed by this vvord Lord. Some appropriate it here to God the Father some to Christ the Sonne so Theophilact and Euthumius some to God the holy Ghost so Athanasius Apply it vnto Christ and then you haue to consider a great Mysterie a great Mercy God manifested in the flesh iustified in the spirit seene of Angels preached vnto the Gentiles beleeued on in the world and receiued into glory for that incarnate Babe vvhich Simeon hath in his armes in respect of his humanitie hee cals him Lord in respect of his Diuinitie From whence wee see demonstratiuely what all Orthodoxe Antiquitie affirmes the testimonie of Scriptures harmony of all reformed Churches Generall and Prouinciall Concels seuerall Creedes both Apostolicall and Nicene confirme that Christ the Messias the Sonne of God is both God and Man Christus Deus de Patre Homo de Matre c. God of his Father Man of his Mother of his Fathers immortalitie of his Mothers virginitie of his Mother without Father of his Father without a Mother a Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech without Father as hee was Man without Mother as hee was GOD of his Father without time of his Mother without seede not borne without eyther man or woman as was Adam nor of man without a woman as was Eue nor of both man and woman as are wee the posteritie of Adam and Eue but of a woman without a man Patrem habuit in Coelis Matrem quesiuit in Terris hauing a Father in Heauen hee sought for a Mother in earth yea such a Mother as made the Mystery so miraculous as all things in heauen and earth cannot paralell or patterne it for these three things in this one are accomplished of GOD admirably singular and singularly to be admired Deus Homo Mater Virgo Verbum Caro to wit God and Man a Mother and a Maide the Word and Flesh vnited in one A Mystery neuer sufficiently to be admired Vt propter nos veniret
in mundum per quem factus est mundus a Mercy neuer enough to be magnified of men and Angels that for our sakes hee should come into the world which made the world that the Creator of Mary should be borne of Mary that Dauids Lord should be Dauids Sonne hee which was long before Abraham the seede of Abraham the Maker of the earth made of the earth that as in the nonage of of the world man was made after the Image of God so in the dotage of the world God should come in the similitude of sinfull man that God should be made man that man should be as a God that God should descend downe to the earth that man should ascend vp to the heauen Oh wonder at this you that wonder at nothing for my part saith Cyprian I doe not admire the beautie of the Sunne the colours of the Raine-bow the glory of the Moone the motion of the Heauens the fixed stabilitie of the earth the ebbing and flowing of the Sea the varietie of the Creatures the alteration and succession of times and seasons nor any thing else amongst all the Creatures Celestiall and Sublunarie but this I admire and for euer will Deum in vtero Creatorem in creatura c. God made man the Creator borne of the Creature and for the Creature yea the mighty God before whom the heauens shake and the Mountaines tremble a little Infant in the armes of a Virgin Mother in the armes of old Simeon an aged Father this is such a worke such a wonder that I say with S. Ierome Quod natura non habuit c. that which Naure had not which Vse knew not which Reason was ignorant of mans Minde vncapable of which the Cherubins conceiued not the Angels till reuealed vnderstood not which all the Powers of created nature vvere amazed at came to passe when CHRIST by his Incarnation did vnite the Humanitie to the Diuinitie in a true naturall reall and Hypostaticall vnion Oh therefore let vs reape the fruit of this Vine since he is come from heauen to earth to marry vs in our owne nature Nam vt Sponsus Sponsa in Thalamo c. for as man and wife are one in the Bride-chamber so God and man one Christ in the wombe of the Virgin Oh let vs labour by faith to be vnited and marryed vnto him to be made members of this Head Branches of this Vine Buildings vpon this Corner-stone parts of his Body Spouses of this Bridegrome that with the vvise Virgins being contracted by faith vnto him here in grace the Marriage may be solemnized in Glory Then shall wee truely be kissed with the kisses of his loue Oh foelix osculum c. Oh happy kisse which is not a ioyning of lips but a ioyning of loues betwixt God and man Secondly was this Lord borne man for vs let vs labour to be borne againe to him in that spirituall new-birth and Regeneration which the Scriptures call a new Creation a holy turning change and conuersion of the whole man in the renouation of all the Powers and faculties of body and soule superiour and inferiour both in the intellectuall parts as in memory will vnderstanding c. as also in the lower faculties irascible and concupiscible this new birth which the Prophets haue continually vrged which Iohn Baptist and the Disciples haue preached which Paul and the Apostles haue continually pressed in their Sermons and writings which our Sauiour Christ himselfe both in his publique preaching and priuate conference with Nichodemus hath so doctrinally explained and by application inforced to be performed of all vnder paine of damnation it is so needfull nay of such absolute necessitie to be practised of all Christians chiefely that till a man bring forth the fruits of it worthy repentance and amendement of life he is but like the barren Figge-tree corrupt and twise dead without either sap of Grace or blossome of goodnesse fit to be hewen downe and cast into the fire nay a beast and no man a foxe a Viper a Dogge filthy and vncleane as were Herod the Iewes and the Cretians nay a horse and Oxe nay worse then the Oxe and Asse then the Horse and Mule without vnderstanding vnwise disobedient rebellious fooles blinde men naturall men without God in Christ aliants from God and strangers from the Common-wealth of Israel miserable naked and wretched men for whom is reserued Hell and the second death wrath and vengeance fire and Brimstone storme and tempest exclusion out of heauen and intrusion and eternall inclusion in the bottomlesse pit with the Diuell and his Angels insomuch that as Augustine well Nasci non renasci generari non regenerari for a man to be borne and not to be borne againe to haue the nobilitie of the first birth without the new birth be hee what hee will be Prince or Potentate King or Kesar or the worlds Monarch a second Alexander if hee haue onely generation from Adam without regeneration from the Spirit of Christ the second Adam if hee be not borne to him by water and the Spirit that was borne and dyed for him comming by water and by bloud hee had better as the Scripture saith of Iudas that hee had neuer beene borne nay that a Milstone had beene hung about his necke and hee throwne into the Sea the first houre hee was borne for then he should haue bene damned for his originall sinnes but his damnation shall now be aggrauated for his actuall sinnes chiefely for this sinne of Omission in liuing so long within the Church without the life of grace like a rotten Bough or woodden Legge No part of the root of Iesse or body of Christ without regeneration in not beleeuing in or liuing like that light which for that end came into the world those which before sate in darknesse and in the shadow of death being illuminated should cast off the workes of darkenesse and walke like the children of the light like Disciples of this Lord who was made man to redeeme Sathans slaues into the libertie of his owne Sonnes Secondly in Simeons Compellation Lord let it rectifie our practise wee vse or rather abuse this great and glorious Name in our mouthes at our pleasures not onely in rash vaine and false swearing and forswearing to which sinnes there belongs a swift curse but without reuerence respect or regard in our ordinary and customary talke which at euery word and vpon euery triuiall and friuilous occasion is stuffed out with foolish and vaine admiration as oh God oh Lord oh Iesus oh Christ tossing like a Tennis ball this great and fearefull Name the Lord our God the mighty Iehouah which the very Iewes feare and tremble to nominate at this day Others
againe in their Pharisaicall Orisons Paganish Prayers Heathenish Bablings vse this word Lord in their Tantologies and repetitions as the Papists the word Iesus euen like a Superstitious Popish charme thinking to be heard for their much babling nay imagining which is the grosse and foggy ignorance of our both vulgar and vicious common and carnall people that if euen in the houre of death like the Theefe on the crosse or in their old age with Simeon they cry Lord Lord if they can haue time but to say Lord haue mercy vpon them they are cocke-sure of heauen it is no matter how they liue Ans It is true indeede if they had the Faith of Simeon and the penitent Theefe if they had the Spirit of God and zealous hearts like them they should be heard and helped yea inter Pontem Fontem crying betwixt the Bridge and the Riuer betwixt the Axe and the necke for Velox Spiritus sancti gratia the Spirit is nimble and speedy like the winde in breathing grace and Penitentia vera non sera True Repentance is neuer too late and hee that cals vpon the Lord shall be saued But alas then thou must call vpon the LORD with such an heart as did Simeon for the Lord reiects and abhors all prayers that come not from the heart as hee did Caines Sacrifice as execrable and abhominableh. But now thou that hast liued in sinne in health and in youth in thy old age and in sickenesse by these sinnes art likely to be depriued of Gods Spirit and of thine owne heart For as Sinne quencheth the Spirit as vvater quencheth fire so it takes away the heart Ose 4. verse 11. therefore Nabal vvhen hee dyed hee vvanted his heart it was dead like a stone Now thou Nabal thou foole thou stony heart what profit wilt thou haue in crying Lord Lord thou maist cry so till thy tongue cleaue to the roofe of thy mouth thou maist howle vpon thy bed like a Wolfe and yet the Lord stoppe his eares from hearing and folde vp his hands from helping The foolish Virgins knocked and cryed Lord open vnto vs yet were shut out so shalt thou Mat. 25. For not euery one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdome of Heauen Math. 7.21 But hee that doth the will of God as Simeon did now the will of the Lord is that thou shouldest repent betimes call vpon him pray vnto him and prayse him but all from a touched heart His desires Limitation In this word Now. THE second thing obseruable here is his Desires Limitation in this word Now which denotates the Time present Which word like all the rest in the Scripture hath his weight for as S. Ierome once obserued Nulla Littera nulla Syllaba c No Letter no Syllable nay no Tittle no Pricke wants his energie and force or is vnsignificant in the originall Here Simeons minde may be thus expressed Lord it hath pleased thee of thy mercy not my merit to giue mee a reuelation that I shall not see death vntill I see the Annoynted of the Lord verse 26. now by the motion of thy Spirit comming into the Temple verse 27. I perceiue that this Babe that is brought in hither to be done vnto according to the custome of the Law by his Parents is annoynted and appoynted to be the Prince and Priest and Prophet of his Church therefore Lord now I am willing nay desirous to depart in peace since I haue in mine armes the Prince of peace in my heart the spirit of peace in my conscience inward peace thou hast kept touch and performed what thou hast promised I haue my expectation satisfied my desires accomplished therefore I desire not to liue any longer I am an aged man and ready to be gathered to my Fathers A ripe apple fit to fall from the tree I cannot liue long by the course of nature I desire not to liue long by the instinct of grace it is better for mee to remoue out of this Tabernacle then to runne further in the Pilgrimage of my few and euill dayes better to depart in peace then continue in this worlds Prison I know I must dye neuer so well neuer so willingly as now euen now when I haue in mine armes the conquerour of death the Lord of life Wee see in Simeon that the godly haue oftentimes diuers raptures and sweet ioyes as in life so chiefely in their dissolutions So had Steuen when about to be stoned hee saw the Heauens open and the Sonne of man standing at the right hand of God Acts 7.56 Such feelings diuers of the Martyres haue had at the Stake nay euen in the heate of flames and fires so experimentally that Mr. Glouer knew as well when Gods Spirit came to him as a cold body feeles externall heate or warmth so comfortably that good Craâ—mer indured the burning of his once guilty hand with lesse motion then some abide the Goute or Tooth-ach Many such rauishments and inward comforts diuers of the Saints haue felt how euer at other times with perplexed Iob and penitent Dauid so deiected as though they were reiected of God that they haue desired the Lord a while to with-draw his presence the weake vessels of their fraile nature not being able to containe that fulnesse of the Spirit which they haue felt Such an extasie was Paul in when rapt vp into the third heauens hee heard Verba ineffabilia words not to be vttered himselfe transposed from himselfe whether in the body or without the body hee wist not hee was more then in an ordinary rauishment in his sure Sanctuary that he had against Principalities and Powers life and death c. built vpon the sure anchor and Corner-stone of Gods loue to him in Christ so in his annihilating and vilifying all things as Pharisaicall learning birth knowledge riches and the like as drosse and dongue in respect of the excellent knowledge of Christ IESVS and him crucified so when hee was ready not onely to goe to Ierusalem to bee bound but to dye for Christ so in his expectation and assurance of that Crowne vvhich Christ that righteous Iudge would bestow vpon him hauing fought a good fight and finished the Faith his affections were inflamed his Spirit wondrously reioyced his heart ouer-ioyed and his desires transcendent The like Iubilies haue many of Gods Children kept with their God in such extasies of ioy as haue shewed themselues like the Sunne-beames through a cloud through the vaile of the flesh euen in outward alterations and Symptomies Some in their Meditations hauing their thoughts so sequestrated and their spirit so abstracted from all earthly things that their corporall senses haue not perceiued outward obiects no not so much as the sound of Bels neare ringing Others haue forgot their repast and feeding the loue of Christ being better then wine and the taste of the Spirit sweeter then honey and the honey-combe such things the Papists write
against not onely the light of Grace but euen of Nature nay of corrupted Nature euery creature from the Lyon to the Worme from the Eagle to the Wrenne as Tully notes seekes it owne preseruation fugitque nociua flies the contrary Now the more vnnaturall that any sinne is the greater the grosser it is Incest is a greater sinne then Adulterie Adultery then Fornication Beastialitie then all wantonnesse with a mans owne body worse then actuall pollution with a woman because more vnnaturall so in murther Fratricide the murther of thine owne brother is worse then Homicide Man-slaughter Parricide or Patricide King killing or the murther of Parents worse then eyther but Semicide or selfe-murther worst of all because most abhorring and swaruing from the very sparke and instinct of nature Fourthly a man sinnes not onely thus 1. against God 2. against Grace 3. against Nature 4. against his owne Body but also hee sinnes 1. against the State 2. against the king 3. his Country 4. the Church 5. the Common-wealth 6. his Friends 7. his Familie for euery man is pars Reipublicae communitatis a part of the State both Politicall and Ecclesiasticall hee is a member of both bodies and therefore hath not interest in himselfe to be actiue in his owne death he must be meerly passiue Partem Patria partem Parentes c. Besides saith the Orator his Parents and his Friends as his Country for whose good hee was borne as well as for his owne challenge a great interest and prerogatiue in him all whom hee frustrates and so directly sinnes against all by cutting off himselfe euen as he sinnes against the head that cuts off the hand or foote in the body naturall Fiftly this course is as curelesse as cursed as fruitlesse as godlesse for it preuents not misery but procures it it redresseth it not but a man runnes further into it like the fish that leapes out of the Frying-panne into the fire like him that goes from the English pillory to the Spanish Strippado that they goe from the hell of Conscience into a reall Hell is to be feared in selfe-murtherers though God onely can determine it Sixtly it argues Madnesse Distraction or Frenzie and so the world censures Seauenthly Impatiencie that a man cannot attend and waite the leasure of God to release his crosse Eightly Muttering murmuring and Israelitish fretting against God and so rebellion against the Almighty Ninthly Cowardlinesse and faint-hartednesse that a man will not endure that which might be inflicted on him Tenthly Vnthankefulnesse not to preserue this Iewell of life which is bestowed vpon him Eleuenthly Selfe-killing is noted as a marke of Desperation and brand of Reprobation as in Saul Iudas c. Twelfthly the practise of it causeth not onely the actors but their actions profession posteritie Country nay Christianitie it selfe to be euill spoken of their names rot and stincke as doe oft-times their bodyes Besides they are denied Christian Buryall being like excommunicate persons cast out of the Church as vnsauory Salt All which Reasons with many moe being so plaine and pregnant against this sinne argue and demonstrate vnto mee that many men are not onely irreligious but vnreasonable that dare perpetrate and commit this horrible ryot and outrage vpon their owne bodyes in selfe-murther Neyther can I but deplore as I doe wonder to see how the Diuell doth daily get ground and aduantage on humane nature in this inhumane vnnaturall and belluine sinne which euen the bruit Beasts detest and abhorre How many haue wee read of how many haue wee heard of how many haue wee seene culpable in this kinde What weekes doe passe but our soules are made sad and compassionately send out sighes at the Tragicall fals and fearefull ends of Semicidian selfe-slayers the knowledge whereof wee receiue by the intelligence of our eyes or eares How oft are our hearts made cold and wee occasioned to smite vpon our breasts at the vndoubted relation or our owne visible sight of many not onely amongst the ignorant profane irreligious and impatient common people that know not what belongs to God or themselues to their duties in life or their estates after death but euen of Schollers learned men great men that make away themselues some by hanging more by drowning most of all by stabbing themselues or by cutting their owne throates The frequencie of which euents Crowners who by Iuries finde out the principall indited causes of these murthers well know whose office Sathan and mans corruption hath made as more painefull so much more gainefull then in former ages wherein Christians liued and dyed more like Christians at least more like men or lesse like Pagans and naturall men but chiefely lesse like vnnaturall and bruitish men then wee doe in this and other sinnes in these our curelesse corrupted times degenerate and declining dayes c. For let a man peruse all Histories and looke at the carriage of Christians in their lowest exigents when they were most exposed to most miseries such as are particularized Heb. 11. When the sword had the keenest edge against them in the hands of the tenne first Romane Persecutors when some one weeke saw the slaughter of more thousands then there be dayes therein yet neuerthelesse we reade of few or none that were their owne slaughterers but in rest and patience they ranne through fires and waters and burnings and boylings and bitings of beasts euen into the mouth of tyranny it selfe in passiue suffering rather then they would rid themselues of these exquisite torments by more easie though more vnlawfull selfe-killings but alas such are the impieties such the impatience nay such the Atheisme of these our desperate dayes that euery crosse yea though triuiall though but in imagination must be remoued with some by a reall curse of Selfe-murther If wee cannot be our selfe-caruers wee thinke thus to be our selfe-curers if not selfe-brokers to haue what wee will wee are selfe-butcherers against Gods will like toyish children wee will take pet and dye The losse of an office the rising of an aemulated Corriuall in the Courts the forfeiture of a Bond the feeling or the feare of pouertie the turning out of seruice the frowne of a great man the brawling of a Wife the miscarrying of some or the charge of many children the ouer-throw in a suite at Law the reiection of a suite in Loue to omit weightier matters distresse of minde distraction of hart rage of conscience despaire of mercy c. euen these are arguments sufficient and efficient to in the Diuels Diuinitie whereby he pleades and preuailes with such whom the Lord hath left to him and to themselues to make their owne hands their owne executioners which particular sinne if there were no moe in man though it be accompanyed with Legions as it strengtheneth my faith in those first poynts in all Christian Catechismes of mans misery whose nature being viciated and adulterate in the fall of Adam is now growne monstrous and
because they haue dyed of the Plague Suppose it be an accursed death did not Christ the penitent Theefe Peter and Paul which were crucified by Nero with their heads downewards dye an accursed death euen the death of the Crosse Fourthly besides is it not Gods visitation like other diseases Fiftly is it not oft-times sent as Cyprian well notes as well for the sinnes of those that liue it of those that dye as appeares in the Plague sent vpon Dauids Sheepe when he the Shepheard sinned in numbring of them Sixtly is it not a disease though sharpe yet short and more tollerable then the Stone Dropsie Gout Palsie or the French disease Seauenthly did not Dauid desire this kinde of death rather then eyther Famine or Warre Eightly nay haue not Gods Saints as namely Iob for many moneths together beene troubled with a more grieuous maladie Ninthly is not God very mercifull to many that dye of the Plague that haue their senses and memories till the last houre are not those blew spots which appeare Gods tokens as they are called fore-warning them that haue them as God did Ezekias to prepare themselues for they must dye Lastly is their any death much lesse this can hinder the soule after her dâ—arting from Gods present and immediate fellowship or the body from a glorious Resurrection and what if none visit the afflicted in this sort the fewer that gaze on them the fitter they are to looke vp to God And what if they dye and vvant solemne buriall what preiudice is that to the bodies resurrection or soules saluation Obiect 7. But some of the godly dye of Famine as did Lazarus from which God promiseth to preserue them Psal 34. Answ First it is vncertaine whether Lazarus dyed for want of food or the violence of his disease Secondly this death is rare and seldome fals out God prouiding for his as hee did for Iacob and Elias euen in Famine but if this happen God armes his with patience and strengthens them with the assured hope of life eternall as hee did the persecuted Hebrewes who were exposed to nakednesse and hunger Heb. 11.38 Thirdly the Promise is conditionall as all others are that concerne these outward things which fall alike to all Ecclâ—s 9. Fourthly some vnderstand the place in the Psalmist concerning the soules of Gods Saints which are fed with the hidden and precious Manna of the Word to life eternall Iohn 6. Apoc. 2.17 Obiect 8. But some are slaine by their enemies these dye not in peace Ans Yes for no death can seperate Gods Children from his loue Rom. 8.38 Secondly though they kill the body as Cain did Abels the Philistines Ionathans yet as Zwinglius said in the like case as you haue heard they cannot kill the soule Thirdly it is a priuiledge if they dye in Gods cause and procures them a greater increase of glory Apoc. 14.13 Mat. 5.8 Obiect 9. Lastly it is obiected that some of the godly as Sampson and Rasis haue killed themselues others haue done the like in our dayes How haue these dyed in peace Ans For Rasis it was a weakenesse in him if hee were a good man or a wickednesse if he were not For Sampson what hee did was typicall as he prefigured Christs death that ouercame dying Secondly it was by a speciall instinct and motion of Gods Spirit inimitable no more then Abrahams sacrificing his Sonne for those which our experience instanceth in I confesse it is a ticklish point and the knot is hard to be loosed I know that Saul Achitâ—phel and Iudas that killed themselues are noted in the Scripture for reprobates And it seemes that those which doe this inhumane deede doe not for the instant thinke of hell torments yet vvhat then God neuer forsakes his chosen Secondly his mercy is bottomlesse from the Ocean of which mercy hee may distill some drop of grace at the last point of time Thirdly this act is done commonly in some Frenzie or predominant Melancholy when they are not themselues Fourthly Sathan is a wilie Serpent that obserues his aduantages and the Lord knowing his malice and wickednesse and mans frailtie and weakenesse punisheth this sinne as he did the first sinne wherein this Serpent vvas chiefe actor more in Sathan the agent then in man the patient Fiftly many Selfe-murtherers liue after the selfe inflicted fatall stroke and repent ere they dye Let vs iudge the best of them and pray to GOD to giue vs grace neuer to yeeld to the like temptations Amen And now these Doubts discussed these Obiections remoued we come to the Vses The first is this is it so that the Seruants of the Lord doe dye in peace wee must then if wee meane to dye well as the Lord shall inable vs learne to liue well If wee will dye in peace wee must liue the life of grace for it is not â—am vetus quam verum so prouerbiall as true Qualis vita finis ita as is the life so is the death Instance in all particulars in the Scripture from the first line in Genesis to the last Letter of the Reuelation and wee shall neuer see otherwayes excepting one example of the Theefe vpon the Crosse which is particular miraculous vpon a speciall occasion to magnifie the effect of Christs bloud and the power of his Passion to eternize his mercy that gaue life euen at his death and to shew and demonstrate his Deitie that at the lowest ebbe of his crucified Humanitie was able to saue a soule to strengthen the Disciples and allure the vnbeleeuing Gentiles I say excepting him which is an extraordinary example and not to be propounded as a president by any presumptuous soule wee shall not finde any one that liued ill and dyed well but that had the Prologue of their euill life shut vp with the Tragedie of a damned death Looke vpon Cain the murtherer that desperate Runne a-gate on the licentious Worldlings on Lamech the seauentie time auenged Polygamist on polluted Onan and wicked Err on vncleane Sodome with her Sister Gomorrha Gen. 19 25. on rebelling Israel hard-hearted Pharaoh obdurate superstitious and irreligious Aegypt Exod. 6.7.8 ch 14. on disobedient Saul 1 Sam. 15. on lying Iesuitically aequiuocating Gehezi 2 Kings 5. on theeuish Achan treacherous Achitophel traiterous Iudas adulterous and murtherous Herod bloudy Ioab couetous Ahab persecuting Iezabel deluding Ananias deceiuing Saphira cruell Antiochus proud Hamman vsurping Athalia rebelling Absolon with millions moe looke at their liues obserue their deaths peruse their Stories paralell their doings with their sufferings and tell mee if they haue not sealed vp and concluded sensuall and sinfull liues with cursed deaths nay as the Prophet saith Goe yee to Calneh and see and from thence goe you to Hamath the great then goe to Gath of the Philistines looke vpon Ioppa behold Tharsus wonder at Niniuie the pride of Assur gaze vpon Babilon the beautie of all the Chaldees honour And
betwixt Christ and their soules their sinnes being washt away in the bloud of the Lambe the Lord at that day may freely accept them and seeing no iniquitie in Iacob nor transgression in Israel may couer their offences and not impute their sinnes to their deserued condemnation In omitting or pretermitting of which dutie wee may iustly blame and exclaime against wicked and secure worldlings that neuer thinke of this waightie worke till by sicknesse they be summoned to their dissolution then with the vnrighteous Steward they beginne to shuffle and bussle a little to make all straight in some superficiall and hypocriticall Repentance like Ahab Which preparation of theirs for their Passe-ouer out of this world is at that time very preposterous because then all the senses and powers of the body are occupyed about the paines and troubles of the disease Besides Physitians to be consulted with Friends to be conferred with Houshold affayres to be set in order a Will to be made order taken how debts must be eyther paid or receiued neighbours comming to visit oh how doe they diuide how distract the sicke party Is that a fit time of this preparation When so many Irons are in the fire it is likely this great one will coole much lesse is it conuenient to deferre it till the houre of death as is the practise of carnall and carelesse men imagining that if they haue but time to say God forgiue me Lord haue mercy on mee with the Publican but especially to runne ouer the Lords Prayer and the Creede which they vse in ignorance and superstition as Popish Charmes without any faith feruencie and feeling they holde themselues cocke-sure of saluation though their preparation be not so good as the Iewes for their Passeouer as a Christians is or ought to be for his ordinary hearing the Word and receiuing the Sacrament Doe not these men presumptuously thinke like blinde Bayards that they haue God and his Grace and his Mercie at commaund that they can repent when they list the contrary experience whereof improues their folly discouers their delusions and shewes that they build on the sand and rest on a broken staffe for was there not a time when Esau sought the blessing with teares and found it not Would not Iudas faine haue repented as appeares by his hypocriticall confession Mat. 27.3.4.5 and yet a Halter was all the comfort he got Would not Antiâ—chus Epiphanes had mercy when notwithstanding his expired life ended in miserie Would not the foolish Virgins haue entered the Bridegroomes Chamber when it was past time but were excluded And doth not the Lord threaten that many shall seeke to enter in at the straite gate but shall not be able Why so Because they seeke too looke when the time of grace is past And indeede it is iust with God to reiect them in aduersitie that haue reiected him in prosperitie not to heare when they call though they howle on their beds like Wolues that would not heare when hee called by his Word and the motions of his Spirit to forget them in death that would not remember him in life to harden those that would not be softned Consider with thy selfe what reason there is to the contrary is it reason that God should accept the Winter of thy life thy barren and frozen soule when thou hast offered vp the Spring Summer and Autumne of thy yeeres to Sathan that he should receiue the euening Sacrifice when Mammon or Lust hath had the morning that he should be pleased with thy lees and dregs when thou hast giuen the best wine of thy bloud to the Diuell will hee pledge Sathan in such a cup will he take the refuse and offals and leauings of Sinne It is possible hee may I doe not limit the vnbounded Ocean of his mercy but it is not probable hee will Make it thine owne case wouldest thou entertaine an old decrepit Seruant that is able to doe thee little or no seruice and giue him great wages that hath spent his youth and strength in the seruice of thine enemie I trow not Will any Generall admit of a lame Souldier past seruice that hath serued all his life against him in his enemies Campe will God admit thee into his seruice entertaine thee into his Campe receiue thee into his House reward thee in his Kingdome when thou hast spent the prime of thy yeeres in the seruice nay in the seruitude and slauery of Sathan I say as Augustine said to such a deferrer as thou Non dico saluabitur non dico damnabitur I will not say thou shalt be saued I dare not determine thou shalt be damned I leaue thee in the hands of God that hath thee as the Potter hath the Clay as the Smith his Iron as the Carpenter his Wood as the Creator his Creature to harden or soften thee to make thee a vessell of honour or dishonour to glorifie himselfe in his Mercy in thy conuersion or in his Iustice in thy confusion But thy heart tels thee and Sathan tels thy heart that thou maist repent at thy last houre Thou maist indeed if God will but to driue thee from this false holde it is not likely thou shalt repent truly and sincerely It is said Iudas repented in his death so the Word is Mat. 27. verse 3. hee had a Legall sorrow in him yet hee is called a reprobate for all that it is too true that Poenitentia sera raro vera late Repentance is seldome true Repentance It is commonly as sicke and weake as is the partie it is not voluntarie and free as that is which brings saluation 2 Cor. 7.10 but vsually constrained and extorted by the feare of hell and other Iudgements of God for crosses and afflictions and sicknesse will cause the grossest Hypocrite that euer was to stoope and buckle vnder the hand of God as did Pharaoh twise and to dissemble Faith and Repentance and euery other Grace of God as did Ahab as though they had Gods graces as fully as any of Gods Seruants whereas they are altogether destitute of them naked and blinde like the Laodiceans And that such repenters commonly counterfeite it appeares by this demonstration True Repentance is a turning to God so the Word cals it Ioel 2.12 an auersion from sinne which is his Terminus à quo a conuersion to God Terminus ad quem so most Diuines hold it Now where is the turning from sinne in such repenters They forsake not sinne but sinne forsakes them they leaue their euill wayes because they must leaue the world they leaue sinne in action but hugge it still in affection if they had a new Lease of their liues they would beginne new sinnes Nay Si nunquam morirentur nunquam peccare desinerent If they should neuer dye they would neuer desist from sinne as appeares in the practise of these pretended repenters for if God doe recouer them from their sicke-beds and take his hand off them doe
Lords Tribunall vvhither it is approaching that so as it is said of the Doue and the Eagle that when they haue plunged their vvings in the water they are better fitted for their flight thou plunging thy selfe into the troubled Bethesda poole of thy repentant teares distilling from the Limbecke of a remorcefull heart thy soule may take the wings of a Doue and flye out of the Cage and Coate of thy body to her eternall rest in Abrahams bosome Now with Simeons heart sing Simeons Song now awaken all thy powers to praise the Lord so as in singing wee ascend to higher notes thy soule leauing the earth of thy body shall with the Larke mount still higher and higher nay it shall be carryed vp on the wings of wayting Angels till it be transcendent amongst the Quires of those heauenly Hierarchies that sing continuall Halleluiah's vnto the once incarnate now deified Lambe euen Simeons Lord that sits vpon the throne To whom with the Father and the eternall Spiriâ— a Trinitie in Vnitie and Vnitie in Trinitie as his due and our duty from the ground of our hearts and soules be ascribed all Honour Glory Power Maiestie and Mercy of vs and all Churches now and for euermore Amen Necessary Incouragements and Comforts against the grieuances of seuerall Crosses Because that many are too much deiected and disconsolate at the death of their friends Parents for Children Children for Parents Husbands for Wiues and Wiues for Husbands Brother for Brother and Friend for Friend mourning like Rachel for her Children and will not be comforted let these Motiues moue thee to take truce with thy teares and not to sorrow as did the Heathens without hope 1 KNOW and acknowledge that it is GOD that hath taken away thy friend the pleasure of thine eyes thy Wife or the like therefore as God said to Ezekiel in the like case Mourne not nor weepe neyther let thy teares runne downe cease from sighing and make no mourning for the dead Ezek. 24.16.17 Murmure not as did the rebellious Israelites when their Brethren were taken away Numb 16.41 Kicke not against the pricke Act. 9.5 resist not God with a stiffe and vncircumcised heart Act. 7.51 but like an obedient childe imbrace the stroke of thy Father and kisse the rod. 2. The Saints of God haue beene patient spectators of the deaths of as neare and deare friends as any thou hast parted withall whose Patience in this crosse I propound vnto thee to imitate as Iames propounds Iobs Patience to be imitated in euery crosse Iames 5.11 Thus Adam and Euâ— saw the death of their sonne Abel Gen. 4. Noah the destruction of the whole world by the Deluge Gen. 7. Abraham of Terah his Father Gen. 11.32 so of his deare Wife Sarah Gen. 23.2 Lâ—t of his Wife Gen. 19 26. Isaack of his Mother and of Abraham his tender Parents Gâ—n 25.8.9 Iacob of his Father Isaack Gen. 35.29 of his beautifull and beloued Rachel Gen. 35.19 Thus when Aaron saw his two sonnes Nadab and Abihu deuoured with fire from the Lord hee held his peace Leuit. 10.2.3 Iob blessed God as well when his Children were slaine as his goods imbezeled Iob 1.21.22 for Eli lamented the losse of the Arke rather then the slaughter of Hophni and Phinees for which his Daughter in-Law also was more moued then for the death of her Husband 1 Sam. 4. v. 18.19.20.21.22 Dauid more bewayled the spirituall death of the soules of Ammon and Absolon then the corporall deaths of their bodies thy dying in their sinnes of Incest and Treason 2 Sam. 14.14 Lastly the Virgin Mary and Iohn the Disciple stood by the Crosse of Christ in his Passion onely with compassion without that outward lamentation which Christ condemned in the Daughters of Ierusalem and in them immoderate mourning in all Mat. 27.56 Luke 23.28 which particulars chiefely the last as Ambrose applyed them in his Funerall Oration of Valentinian the Emperour so they must be laid to heart in our application and imitation in euery Funerall 3 If hee dyed in the Faith of Christ hee is translated like Enoch from this life to a better from this vaile of misery to eternall glory hee is a Citizen of Heauen an inheritor of a Kingdome Sorrow not for his triumph he is gone to possesse a Crowne in Glorification which was granted him in Predestination promised him in Vocation 4 Hee is blessed being dead in the Lord Apoc. 14. 5 Hee is returned home to his Fathers house hee is gone to his better friends euen to the companie of innumerable Saints and Angels and to the Spirits of the iust Heb. 12.22.23 Mat. 22.30 Reu. 15.11 Mat. 8.11 1 Thes 4.17 6 Hee is inseperably vnited vnto GOD the chiefe and perfect Good first whom to see is Tranquillitie secondly whom to rest in is Securitie thirdly to enioy is Felicitie Being incorporated into that Citie first whose King is Veritie secondly the Lawes Charitie thirdly the Dignities Equitie fourthly the Life Eternitie in which hee shall be sempeternally blessed ioying in and inioying first a certaine Securitie secondly a secure Tranquillitie thirdly a safe Iocunditie fourthly happy eternitie fiftly an eternall felicitie 7 He is now married vnto his Bridegroome CHRIST to whom his soule was contracted in earth and the Marriage-feast is now solemnized in Heauen now thy mirth not thy mourning becomes a Marriage Hos 2.19 Mat. 22. Phil. 1.23 Iohn 12.26 17.24 Luke 33.43.46 Reu. 7.17 8 Consider that his warre-fare is now at an end his iourney is finished and his worke is accomplished if GOD had had any more worke for him to haue done hee should haue liued longer for as God sweepes away the wicked when they are at the height of sinne as hee did Er and Onan Gen. 38. the Sodomites Hophni Phinees and Absolon so the godly in the height of Grace 9 He was here a Pilgrime and a stranger as were the Patriarkes Abraham Isaack Iacob Dauid and the rest now he hath hoyst vp sailes hee is gone home into his owne Country therefore why shouldest thou grieue at his happy voyage and safe arriuall 10 Thou hast not lost him but left him hee is not dead but departed nay as Christ said of Iairus his Daughter and Lazarus thy Friend thy Damzâ—ll thy Daughter be it hee or shee is not dead but sleepeth and as Martha beleeued there shall be a time when they shall waken Now what mother grieues that her vnquiet childe sleepes and takes the rest many weepe because their Children will not or cannot sleepe few because they doe sleepe 11 Hee shall be restored vnto thee againe at the Resurrection of the iust euen in his body Psal 17.15 Iob 19.25 Iohn 5.29 as his soule is now immediately gone to God as did the soule of Lazarus Luke 16.22 of Stephen Acts 7.69 of the penitent Theefe Luke 23.43 yea of CHRIST himselfe verse 46. where it remaines in ioy Mat. 25. v. 21. 23.
beds and graues or that they were all their life time imprisoned in their priuate Chambers tyed to their couches with the cords of sickenesse then to runne head-long in such courses to hell strong and liuely where they shall be chained and pained eternally in the bottomlesse pit Besides how many abuse their outward members and senses in the seruice of sinne and Sathan whose case would be easier in iudgement if they had neuer had them or by diseases were depriued of them The vnchaste Eye that lusts after a woman the window that lets lusts into the soule were it not better pluckt out Oh that Sampson Sichem Potiphars wife and Dauid had beene blinde then when they beheld thâ—se beauties that vvere there banes Those whose feete are ready to shed bloud swift to euill as Hazael speedy to runne to sinne how good were it for them to be lame those that haue hands to perpetrate mischiefe were better their hands vvere withered like Iâ—roboams Oh what a blessing were it to be dumbe to those whose tongues being set on fire on hell are a world of vvickednesse polluting eyther the Name the Word and Workes of GOD by oathes and blasphemies so obliging their guilty soules to condemnation and swift vengeance 2. or the good name of their neighbours by slanders and calumnies 3. or their chastities by filthy and rotten speeches How much better were it for our riotous Libertines and licentious Gentlemen that liue here like the Athenians to doe nothing but heare or see or tell new things to be deafe without eares then to drinke in daily such deadly infection through that sense as the Spunge suckes water from soule-poysoning Playes Now how mercifull is God to thee not onely by this crosse to mortifie sinne in the inward affection but to restraine and refraine thee from the very outward action 16 This thy sickenesse it glorifies God it tends to the glory of God thou art not punished because God hates thee aboue others for those vpon whom the Tower of Siloh fell were no greater sinners then the rest Lu. 13.1.2.3 Neyther did thou or thy Parents perhaps sinne aboue others as Christ said of the blinde man but that the glory of God might appeare both the glory of his power free-will in creating thee so Esay 45. v. 6. v. 9. Esd 4. as also the glory of his might and his mercy in curing thee for so all the miraculous cures that the Lord wrought in the old or new Testament did tend to his owne glory both in the thankefull gratulations of his Saints for them as in their ioyfull promulgations and declarations of them Thus Dauid and Ezekias in their Eucharisticall Hymnes and Songs of deliuerance after their sicknesse Naaman his acknowledgement and confession of the true God of Israell the sicke of the Palsie healed the blinde man cured the Centurions seruant recouered the Samaritan cleansed confessing their sinnes proclayming Christs mercies and divulging the Miracles were instruments of Gods glory 17 These thy Maladies are no arguments that God hates thee for in this nature or some other God chasteneth euery Sonne whom he receiueth None euer eyther Patriarkes Prophets or Apostles went to heauen out of the crosse way by which CHRIST himselfe went to glory Therefore as Christ to shew his loue pittie and compassion to the diseased and distressed inuited the halt blinde and lame to his great Supper and wils others to inuite them to their feasts so hee himselfe will accept them in his Kingdome as he did 8 Lazarus These Cordials may be applyed to euery ordinary visitation â—ut if thy paines be permanent and thy dolours extreame and durable yet thus reuiue thy fainting spirits and strengthen thy selfe by these Meditations 18 THat at furthest they can but continue this short and transitory course of this life they shall expire with death thy dayes flye as fast as the Bird in the ayre the Ship in the Sea the Arrow out of a Bow or the swiftest things in Nature Now thy Diseases are designed vvithin the limits of this briefe and brittle life they haue their date in thy death at which time they bid thee adiew neuer to returne but ioyes to succeede 19 Secondly they are nothing in comparison of those pure Coelestiall blessed and eternall ioyes in Heauen vvhich vvee haue before mentioned as they are in the Word reuealed so sweet so great that all the Arithmeticians in the vvorld cannot number them nor all the Geometritians measure them nor all the Logitians define them nor the tongues of Men and Angels describe them nay if I were all tongue as Saint Iohn vvas all voyce I could not expresse them as thou shalt experimentally feele them after thy paynes haue here their period vvhen thy vvarfare is accomplished therefore endure this rod for a time since thou art an Heyre for euer 20 Thou art freed surely by Faith in CHRIST from eternall death and the paines of hell which are fearefull in respect of the place horrible in all the diuersities of punishments painefull in the varietie of plagues ineffable invtterable endlesse and infinite in the continuation of time blesse God for this exemption for this redemption Comforts against the vnkindenesse of mercilesse friends Obiection OH but this addes griefe to thy paynes that thy Friends are vnkinde vnto thee in this thy distresse and thou art destitute of comforters none compassionates thy extremities Answ 1. This must not seeme strange vnto thee thy case is not singular in this kinde but vsuall and ordinary Friends like Swallowes sing and make merry vvith thee lodge and lye with thee in the Summer of prosperitie but take their sodaine and farre flight in the Winter of aduersitie it made the vvise Heathen exclayme Oh friends no friends 2 The Saints haue had this measure Did not good Iob finde his three friends miserable comforters in his greatest exigents Was there any more comfort in them then water in a stone or oyle in a flint they were as a brooke dried vp Dauid had some experience in this case when by reason of Sauls persecution euen his Father his Mother and Brethren so farre forsooke him his Companion that are meate with him was so treacherous to him that hee was lest as destitute of true friends as the naked Bird of feathers his friends few his enemies many Psal 69. v. 8. ver 21. Psal 22.12 Psal 25.17.18 Psal 69.4 3 Christ himselfe was reiected not onely of Herod and his Courtiers Luke 23. ver 11. of the Scribes and Pharisies c. but euen maliced of his owne Brethren Iohn 7. v. 3.4 yea forsaken of many of his Disciples together Iohn 6.66 of all in his Passion except Iohn Mat. 14.50 denied of Peter betrayed of Iudas c. Mat. 26.49 4 There is vsually hatred amongst the nearest friends by nature euen in prosperous estate much more in distresse thus Caine hates his Brother Abel Gen. 4.8 Ismael persecutes Isaack Gen. 4.29 Esau
Iacob Gen. 27. ver 41. Cham mockes Noah when the old man was ouer-seene in Wine Michol mocks Dauid ouer-spent in zeale and Iobs breath did smell distastfully euen to the Wife of his owne bosome 5 Though the arme of flesh and thy carnall friends forsake thee yet GOD will not reiect thee hee careth for thy soule his loue is more constant and continuall the Lord vvill neuer despise thee nor fayle thee if thou beest of an humble and contrite heart but Christ and his Father vvill come in vnto thee and dwell with thee if thou hearest his voyce and openest the dore of thy heart to entertaine and retaine them Ponder these places and chew the cud vpon these Promises Esay 66 2. 57.15 Psal 51.17 Reu. 3. â—0 Iohn 14 23. yea hee hath sworne that hee will neuer fayle thee nor forsake thee Thus when Christs friends and fauourites eyther sleepe or flye or faint an Angell comes to comfort him from heauen so when hee was alone in the Wildernesse This is Dauids comfort let it be thine though Father and Mother forsake thee yet the Lord taketh thee vp Psal 27.10 Hee is thy God and thy saluation Psal 18.1 Therefore liue by faith Hab. 2.4 Heb. 10.38 6 If thy friends haue receiued kindnesse of thee before time and now they forget thee which grieues thee the more First examine thine heart vvhether thou hast not first beene by committing and continuing such and such sinnes vnthankefull and vnkinde to thy GOD after so many sinnes pardoned so many mercies receiued so many comforts renued so many crosses remoued c. Secondly Gods dearest ones haue beene more stung vvith this viperous generation then euer thou wast as Christ with Iudas a Disciple a Diuell a Viper in his owne bosome Pharaohs Butler was vngratefull and vnmindefull of Ioseph and his affliction euen after his restitution the Israelites of Gideon killing with Abimelech his seauentie sonnes Iudg. 9.15.17.18 Thirdly what euer man doe God is a faithfull rewarder of all that are his being not vnmindefull of the fruits of thy Faith eyther in the workes of Pietie towards him or of Charitie towards thy Brethren 7 God hath elected thee and chosen thee before all time to life and glory therefore care not though man reiect thee 1 Iohn 3.1 8 Though thou canst not see thy friends here with comfort yet ere long thou shalt see GOD as hee is 1 Iohn 3.2 Preparatiues against Pouertie BEcause that Pouertie as it is intollerable to the carnall man driuing him eyther to despayre in God or to murmure against God or to take some base and sinister courses against his owne soule so it is burthensome to the carnall part of a Christian chiefely concurring with sicknesse when Family-charges growing strength to labour in his calling fayling diseases increasing friends shrinking backe the meanes of his maintenance fayles for which cause the wise Agur prayed against it Prou. 30. v. 9. let these considerations moue thee yet to take vp this crosse patiently and to follow Christ 1 Because it is the prouidence of God that thou shouldest be poore the Lord hath tempered these two estates so in this life riches and pouertie that they may be both to his glory The rich and the poore meete together the Lord is the maker of them all Prou. 22.2 Prou. 29.13 He will haue the rich and poore mingled together here Lazarus and Diues Luke 16. euen as hee will haue Sheepe and Goates Corne and Tares good and bad together as the Israelites and Aegyptians dwelt together till that great day of seperation therefore submit thy heart and subiect thy soule to the will the worke the pleasure and the prouidence of God 2 Thy case is not singular nor thy crosse alone there are thousands at this day that drinke deeper in this bitter cuppe then thou how many hast thou heard of how many knowest thou of Gods deare Children that haue and are vtterly exhaust and spent some by shipwracke or Pyrates by Sea some by Fire some by Theeues and Robbers some by bad Seruants some by bad Debtors and Customers some by Suertiship some by prodigall and vnthriftie Children some this way some that and some by the Surgions and Physitians like the woman in the Gospell vvhich perhaps is thy case Now what euer the meanes be of thy impouerishing God is the Author of it afflicting thee with it as a tryall of thy Faith and to excite thy prayers or inflicting it as a punishment of thy sinnes Iob knew well that Sathan could not stirre vp the tempest to blow downe his house nor the Chaldeans and Sabeans take away his goods without a commission or permission from God therefore with him haue thou recourse vnto God say The Lord giues and the Lord takes away blessed be the name of the Lord Iob 1.21.22 3 Pouertie is no token of Gods displeasure to thee for as it is no argument that the Lord loues a wicked man because he is rich so it is no argument that God reiects the godly because they are poore nay vvhere wealth and wickednesse pouerty and pietie concurre it testifies Gods wrath vpon the wickedly wealthy setting them in slippery places feeding them like Swine with the mast of the world against the day of slaughter and giuing them their portion in this life as was seene in Nabal the two rich Churles in Saint Lukes Gospell with diuers others Besides it is Gods loue to his Children to keepe them bare here to that end he may the better blesse them The Seruant sometimes hath a greater portion then the Sonne for a time the slaue is better fed and clad then the Heyre that is kept at hard meate till his inheritance fall yet the Father loues the Heyre better The poore Sheepe that the Housholder meanes to hold and to keepe goes in a bare pasture a short common is straitely folded in the night kept in obedience by the Shepheard and his Dog once a yeere coldly washt and nearely shorne but his Oxe or Bullocke that hee purposeth to butcher and kill hee puts in a fat pasture to feede hee goes grazing at libertie in Summer is stall-fed and housed in Winter Apply this to thine owne particular if thou beest poore and poore in spirit thou art Gods Heyre of his inheritance Gods Sheepe of his pasture The wicked though wealthy are slaues and bond-men 1. to Sathan 2. to their Lusts 3. to their Wealth 4. to the World they are fat Oxen fat Buls of Basan like the Oxe and the Asse that know not their Master like the Horse and Mule without vnderstanding Now how much is thy case better then theirs thou art crazed in the outward scaberd thy outward man but they are false mettall which shall be burnt and broken their soules damned when their bodyes dye 4 A little that thou hast with the feare of God is better then great riches of the