to wit Gospel Ordinances will cry come and be like a Roe for swiftness Cant. 8. last Upon such Christ comes not as a Thief in the night 1 Thes 5.3 for they love his appearing 2 Tim. 4.8 and they are blessed Rev. 16.15 Such as fear to live and see that day shall not see it to live c. The Third great Friend we must watch is the Holy Ghost for 't is a Divine Precept He that hath Ears to hear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches Rev. 2.7 And this is said again and again both in the 2 d and in the 3 d Chapter to all the Seven Golden Candlesticks seven times over the sense whereof is we must watch and hearken what God the Holy Spirit will speak Psal 85.8 not so much with the Gristle on the Head but more by the Ear of the Heart for God may speak once and twice and man perceive it not Job 33.14 until God bore our Ears as he did David's Psal 40.6 and open our Hearts as he did Lydias Acts 16.14 and until our Lord put his Finger into the Hole of our Ear and looking up to Heaven he cry Ephphatha that is be opened as he did to the Man that was possessed with a deaf Devil Mark 7.34 We must pray with the Spouse for this purpose saying Lord thy Companions hearken to thy Voice cause me to hear it also Cant. 8.13 when this Quickning Spirit as he is called Joh. 6.63 even this Spirit of Truth cometh he guideth us into all Truth Joh. 16.13 and blessed is that Soul which watcheth the Motions of this Holy Spirit in a Sanctified Conscience and can discern a difference of such persuasions as come not from him that calleth us Gal. 5.8 The Steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord Psal 37.23 Blessed are they that hear the joyful sound of this breathing Spirit they shall walk O Lord in the light of thy Countenance Psal 89.15 they follow the footsteps of his Anointed ver 51. and David must then bestir himself when he heard the sound of God's goings upon the Tops of the Mulberry Trees 2 Sam. 5.24 This Holy Spirit is a delicate thing Psal 143.10 as Junius reads it and therefore must not be vexed Isa 63.10 nor grieved Ephes 4.30 much less quenched in its motions 1 Thes 5.19 they that are led by the Spirit are the Sons of God Rom. 8.14 as Paul was Acts 16.6,7 and Simeon was led by the Spirit into the Temple Luke 2.27 Yea and our Lord Jesus himself was led up by the Spirit into the Wilderness to conquer the Tempter in a Duel upon the Devil 's own ground Matth. 4.1 Thus Abraham that Father of the faithful went out he knew not whether nor when he should return nor how he should subsist c. yet he well knew with whom he went Heb. 11.8 for he put himself as a Child into his Father's hand who called him and the conduct of the Holy Spirit carried him dry-shod to the last Thus likewise if we be the Sons and Daughters of Abraham the Holy Spirit will teach us all things John 14.26 that blessed Anointing is our best Instructer 1 John 2.20.27 We should lay our selves as Instruments open to the Touchings of this Holy Spirit and submit to his Discipline which requires much self-denial then shall we bring forth the fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5.22,23 which is in all Goodness and Righteousness and Truth Ephes 5.9 And could we but watch its whisperings more and better so as to obey them we should not so oft be found in Fundo Diaboli upon the Devil's ground in places of Temptation but as the Spirit suffered not Paul c. to go unto such and such Places Acts 16.6,7 even so would it be with us could we but put our Souls wholly under the conduct of this Holy Spirit If once we dare presume to break this Divine Hedge that Old Serpent will surely bite us Eccles 10.8 We may not live at Random and without a Rule but we must mind and watch the Teachings of this Divine Unction which never teacheth us any thing but what is consonant to the Holy Scripture endited by it 2 Pet. 1.19,20,21 Now come we to the Second Trinity or three sorts of Foes or Enemies to be duly and daily watched The first Foe is the World which is a woful Witch and must be burned for a Witch at the Last Day 2 Pet. 3.7,10 and therefore ought we to watch this Witch well that we may not be bewitched by it It is well known that such persons as are bewitched do not only lose their Likeness and Beauty but also do suffer many sad Paroxysms and Fits of strange Distempers c. As all this holds true literally to bewitched Bodies c. so no less is it true mystically to bewitched Souls which are captivated by the two fair Breasts or rather Botches this Witch the World exposeth to their view namely Pleasure and Profit Such have horrible Fits of Madness as Saul had when the Evil Spirit came upon him 1 Sam. 16.14,23 c. and such have Leanness sent into their Souls Psal 106.15 Besides the World must be well watched because it is such an Enemy as continually besiegeth us and we cannot flee from it while we live in it therefore we must be sure to have a Lid or Covering for our Hearts Those Vessels that wanted Coverings the Law doomed them Unclean Numb 19.15 and so are our Hearts without a Covering of the Spirit Isa 30.1 The Dirt of a dirty World will unavoidably be often falling into an open uncovered Heart whereby both Mind and Conscience are defiled Tit. 1.15 We should keep the World under our Feet where God placed it Psal 8.6 and not set it in our Hearts Eccles 3.11 The Second Foe to be watched is Satan who is called the God of this World 2 Cor. 4.4 and dealeth with Worldlings as unlucky Boys do with silly Horses they first catch them with a little Provender and then backs them whips and spurs them into an High Gallop and rides them till they be tired and at last lodges them in the Stable at night c. We are told how Satan considered Job and better considered him Job 1.8 and 2.3 that is he watched all Advantages to Tempt that none-such Saint and Servant of God c. Oh then how much more ought such weak worms as we are to consider him who so much consiâ—ers us and watches us to take all advantages against us for we are not ignorant of his Devices 2 Cor. 2.11 We read of Rizpah how she watched her Royal Seed upon the Rock c. and suffered neither the Birds of the Air to rest on them by day nor the Beasts of the Field by night 2 Sam. 21.10 Thus every Believer ought to do as Rizpah did in watching the Royal Seed even the Seed of God in them that it be not wronged either by night or day by Satan who is called
both a Prince Fowl of the Air Ephes 2.2 and likewise a Beast of the Field as he is a Roaring Lion 1 Pet. 5.8 and therefore are we there bidden to be vigilant lest we be devoured by him When this Tempter comes to us he hath a Threefold Errand 1 st To find something of his own Work in us as he found nothing thereof in our sinless Saviour Joh. 14.30 2 dly To get betwixt us and out strong Hold Prov. 18.10 where is safety drawing us out of our Trenches c. as Joshuah did the men of Ai Josh 8.6 And 3 dly To gain some Harbour and House room in any corner of our Hearts NB. Note well Tho' he may have power over our Naturals yet he can have no power over our Morals without our consent He cannot make his passage into us unless we sign his Pass c. We must watch well hereupon c. The Third Foe we must therefore watch the more is our own Hearts which are deceitful above all things and desperately wicked c. Jer. 17.9 Hereupon we are commanded to keep our Hearts with all diligence even with the best of our keeping because the issues of Life yea and of Death too flows from that Fountain according to the goodness or badness of it Prov. 4.23,24,25,26,27 and Deut. 4.9,10 c. This Hidden Man of the Heart as 't is called 1 Pet. 3.4 must be well watched because 't is like a troubled Sea always casting forth Mire and Dirt Isa 57.20,21 'T is Job's phrase am I a Sea c. that thou settest a watch over me Job 7.12 Abundance of evil Thoughts c. proceed from the Heart Matth. 15.18,19,20 The Tempter can only knock at the Door he can neither Fire it nor Force it open 't is his gaining our consent that lets down the Draw-bridge and lets him enter c. therefore 't is not enough to have our Hearts well watched only but they must be well washed also as God saith Wash thine Heart from wickedness that thou mayst be saved how long shall thy vain Thoughts lodge within thee Jer. 4.14 Those evil Thoughts ought to ho watched and strictly examined yea and clapped up close Prisoners otherwise they will abuse us the Fathers of them as Lot's Daughters did him their Father they were awake when he was fast asleep and how busie were they to make him drunk c. Gen. 19.31 to 38. Alas how oft do vain Imaginations abuse our Harlot-like Hearts all the night long until the morning as those men of Belial in the City of Gibeah did the Levite Concubine Judg. 19.25 c. Upon this consideration we ought to watch well our own Hearts which is the Source and Seed-plot of all our sins for thoughts beget delight delight begets consent consent brings forth action action produceth custom and custom concludeth with laying a law of necessity in sinning against God principiis obsta venienti occurito morbo begin betimes to watch Diseases of the Body c. how much more those of the Soul ill principles breed ill practices The Inferences concerning the Duty of watching 1 st 'T is an universal Duty no Persons no Time no Place are excepted from it all watch Mark 13.37 2 dly Every Person must watch the whole Man both all the Members of the Body and all the Faculties of the Soul Alas all have been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 weapons of wickedness Rom. 6.13,19 No Roman General was allowed the Honour of a Triumph until they had won five Victories so nor may we truly Triumph before we have conquered our five Senses How ought we to watch them many have died of a wound in the Eye c. Job cover'd his Eye with a Covenant Job 31.1 Psal 119.37 If our Eye offend us we must pull it out of the Old Adam and get it set into the New Man c. How ought we watch our Tongues Psal 39.1,2 and 141.3 Eccles 5.1,2,3 Jam. 3.2 c. 3 dly Secure Souls that dare neglect their watch consider not that their way is dark and slippery Psal 35.6 and that this world is liKe the Vale of Siddim full of Slime-pits Gen. 14.10 into which we may slip before we be aware therefore ought we 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to walk warily Gal. 2.14 signifying that we lift not up one Foot until we find firm footing for the other and we ought to walk circumspectly Ephes 5.15 the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie to walk exactly by Line and by Rule its Etymology is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a going up to the very top of Godliness walking along as in a Frame and keeping the King 's high way not turning to right hand or left Prov. 4.27 4 thly We must learn from the Prophet to say I will stand upon my watch and set me upon the Watch-tower and will watch to see what God will say unto me c. Hab. 2.1,2,3 Now there is no watching without Eyes which when Samson had lost then a little Boy could lead him Solomon saith that a prudent man foreseeth an evil and hideth himself c. Prov. 22.3 'T is a good observation the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a wise man is derived from the Hebrew word Tsopheh speculator one standing always upon his watch 5 thly Let us rejoyce in this that when we neglect to watch over our selves we have a gracious God to watch over us night and day c. Isai 27.3 and keeps the Feet of his Saints 1 Sam. 2.9 1 Pet. 1.5 Jude ver 1. we may be lost Respectu Rei of our selves not Respectu Dei of God Joh. 6.39 and 10.28,29 and 17.12 Jude ver 24. 2 Tim. 1.12 The Apostle Peter saith the end of all â—hings is at hand therefore we must be soâ—er and wateh unto Prayer 1 Pet. 4.7 This is the last part of our Spiritual Armour Ephes 6.18 Matth. 26.41 which if by the helping hand of our gracious God we be made able to improve aright in our Christian Warfare then shall we be blest to rejoyce with the blessed Spouse of Christ crying It is the Voice of my Beloved behold he cometh leaping over Mountains and skipping over Hills Cant. 2.8 Remarks upon it are 1 st Watching and Praying Souls have this and hear this Kol-Dodi Heb. the Voice of their Beloved thus the Watching and Praying Prophet had his joyful tidings of the ruine of Babylon and of the restoration of Sion Hab. 2.1,3 and Chap. 3. and this was likewise the Spouse's work here wheâ— she was brought into the Bridegrooms Banquetting-house and his Banner of Loâ— was over her Cant. 2.4 yea and his left Hand was under her Head and his right hand embraced her after she had prayed for some of Christ's Cordials to be handed in to her Soul which was sick oâ— Love ver 5 6. and tho' she charged others not to awaken him c. ver 7. yet she doth it her self but not before he pleased for immediately he brings the
at the day of Judgment however if not sooner for then there shall surely be a Resurrection of Names as well as of Bodies c. NB. Note well we must often be pondering in our Minds that great Text aforenamed Prov. 16.31 which runs thus in the Hebrew Gnetereth Sephereth Shebai bederek Tsedakah Timetseh which in Latine is thus expressed Diadema Gloriae Canities in Via Justitiae Invenietur this in English is read thus the Hoary Head is a Crown of Glory if it be found in the way of Righteousness which at â—…rge is treated on before This great Text I say again all we Aged Ones ought to make the constant Rule of our whole Conversations unto the day of our Deaths and then will come the Crown of Life c. 2 dly As the Good Old Age hath its Comforts against these Natural Evils so it wants not Cordials against Moral and Spiritual Evils let us put them both together for then 1. Our Corruptions now are more mortified than ever thâ—y were before Thus Paul the Aged as he calls himself Philem ver 9. could then say of himself I have fought the good fight c. 2 Tim. 4.7 He found that Thorn in the Flesh which he had so sorely complained of 2 Cor. 12.7 to be now conquered and his fighting against it he found was then as good as finished because in a Good Old Age. 2. Grace is then fortified as well as Lust mortified Grace is now more vigorous more lively and more powerful than heretofore while it was clogged and overloaded with many youthful Lusts but as the Outward Man decays so the Inner Man ought to revive day by day 2 Cor. 4.16 This is the Godly Man's Motto as that good old Minister Peter Martyr said upon his Dying Bed My Body is weak but my Soul is well 't is well for the present but it will be better hereafter 't is well in the Kingdom of Grace having overcome the Flesh World and Devil but it shall be best of all in the Kingdom of Glory The Inner Man in Old Age ought to be not only more brisk and powerful but also more fruitful in the fruits of Righteousness and true Holiness or Holiness of Truth as it is in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 opposite to formality Ephes 4.24 this is God's Promise to the Good Old Man He shall bring forth fruit in his Old Age He shall be fat and flourishing being planted in the Courts of his God Psal 92.12,13,14 that is he being rooted and grounded in Christ and living under the droppings of the Sanctuary shall flourish like the Palm which is noted to grow very Tall always Green c tho' it hath many weights at the Top and many Snakes at the Bottom tho' it be not known to grow in our cold Climate and like a Cedar wherewith Lebanon flourished and whereon the Temple of Solomon was built 't is not said he shall grow like the Grass as it is said the Wicked spring as the Grass Psal 92.7 for if that proud Grass grow never so great and lofty they shall be mowed down with the Sithe of God's wrath seeing there is one higher than the highest of them Eccles 5.8 and in things wherein they deal proudly the Lord God is above them Exod. 18.11 Now we Aged ones ought to make a serious search and an earnest enquiry whether we bring forth Fruit in our Old Age whether we be fat and flourishing especially if we have been long planted in the House of our God 't is a shame to us that we should be like the lean Kine of Egypt which eat up the fat Kine and still remain as lean and as ill faâ—…ed as heretofore Gen. 41.3,20 't is a sad Judgment of God when he gives us meat to the full yet sends leanness into our Souls Psal 106.15 When God sends among fat ones leanness Isai 10.16 wo to us if yet we cry out our Leanness our Leanness Isai 24.16 We should all be like Wine which the older it is the better it is our Graces like good Liquor should run fresh to the bottom c. our last works should be our best works Rev. 2.19 Tho' our beginning was but small yet our latter end should greatly increase Job 8.7 and we should hold on in the way of Righteousness and grow stronger and stronger Job 17.9 Veteres non veterascent tho' we grow old and weak in Nature yet ought we not only to retain our former vigour and verdure of Grace but also to grow in Grace 2 Pet. 3.16 from one degree of Grace to another that is to the highest degree Ephes 4.13 We must grow above our Corruptions especially our Constitution-sins the sins of our Nature our darling sins our best beloved Lust Oh God forbid that Erasmus his Character be upon us which he put upon the Bribanti or Flemmings of whom he saith Quo magis Senescunt eo magis Stultescunt the older they grow the foolisher they become Oh God forbid I say that any of us should do so 't is the sign of an Hypocrite who takes no deep Root when planted seemingly in God's Courts as the sincere Servants of Christ do and grow into Fruit-bearing in its Season c. whereas the Hypocrite is only thrust in like a Stake into the Earth and never grows How then ought we all Aged Persons to fear and tremble that we do not run out our Lives in Hypocrisie and so die like Fools at the last And therefore for the undeceiving of our own pretious Souls and for the better setling and comforting of our own immortal Spirits concerning our sincerity in the sight of God let us compare Time with Time can we say in the witnessing of the Holy Ghost that time was when the Assaults of Satan upon my Soul have been very violent but through Grace since that time I have found them feebler than heretofore yea and through the abundant Grace of my dear Lord strengthning me these Assaults of Satan are become less daring and more cowardly in my Old Age As I hinted before let me inlarge upon it here if it be said to the honour of Young Men in whom youthful passions are very pregnant rapid and oft precipitant and preposterous c. that they had overcome the Wicked One 1 John 2.13 Oh then what a shame and dishonour it is for us who are ranked and reckned among Fathers to fall short of the younger and lower Rank and still remain Slaves to our Lusts in whom Nature is decayd and so less grace is required to resist the Tempter and to bridle in the Temptation May we not say that now by the strengthening Love of Christ upon us we can more easily shake off that Viper the Old Serpent from off our Hearts as Paul the Aged did easily shake off that venemous Viper from off his Hands into the Fire Acts 28.3,4.5 and that without receiving any harm thereby even so we ought to bless the Lord for that Miracle of
Mercy that no deadly â—oison of Satan doth now harm us as our Lord did promise unto all Believers after his Resurrection Mark 16.17,18 Oh that all we Aged Ones could sincerely praise the Lord for this high Favour that 〈◊〉 now find by sweet experience we can better resist the Devil now so as to make him flee from us Jam. 4.7 We can now resist him more stedfastly in the Faith 1 Pet. 5.8,9 than we were able to do in our youthful days and tho' we be able through Grace to say this yet out of an Holy Jealousie over our own Hearts we must still make a farther enquiry what is the principal procuring Cause of such an happy and easie Conquest over our own Corruptions and Satan's Temptations now in our Old Age whether we be not more beholden herein unto the decays of our own Natures in us than to any strength of God's Grace freely given to us because we may die to sin by the deficiency of our natural strength of Body when sin doth not die to us through those powerful Operations of the mortifying Spirit of Grace Rom. 8.13 but more of this after c. Now come we to the Second Reason why a Good Old Age is a great blessing because the goodness of it is not only a blessed Antidote and Preservative against those threfold Evils before-named but also it is a blessed Preparative for Death at the end of our Old Age and of our Lives This preparation for Death is not only an universal but also an indispensable Duty for after death comes the Judgment Heb. 9.27 then is the time of Reckoning which our Lord Requires after his Returning however long or short it be wherein all Mankind both the good and the bad Servants must Reddere Rationem or give an exact account of their Stewardship whether they have wasted or improved their Lord and Master's Goods Matth. 25.14,19 Luke 16.1,2 and 19.15 c. as I shew at large in my Fourth Volume of the History and Mystery of that Parable pag. 185 186. Now every Man's Death-day is his particular Dooms-day for then the Spirit returns to God who gave it Eccles 12.7 when the Body returns to Dust of which it was first made Gen. 2.7 by rotting in the Grave c. Then the Soul goeth to God not to dwell with him for there the Speech is made of all Men both bad and good but to be disposed of by him for his Final Estate then is the Soul or Spirit as being there opposed to the Body to receive its Final Doom either for Everlasting Weal or for Everlasting Wo. Therefore to prepare for Death is a most necessary tho' it be a much neglected Duty Now such as be good in Old Age their goodness consists in being alway prepared for it both Habitually and Actually they learn to die daily 1 Cor. 15.31 and makes Death familiar to them both at Bed and Board Their Conversation is in Heaven while their Commoration is here on Earth Phil. 3.20 They labour and learn to live with dying Thoughâ—s because they hope at last to die with more living comforts They have Heaven as an happy Harbour of Rest in the Eyes of their Hope which serves to season and sweeten all Sorrows and Sufferings to them as it was with blessed Paul who had his Eye fixed upon that Crown of Glory which was laid up for him and for all Believers 2 Tim. 4.8 and therefore he was not at all discouraged at his light Afflictions which were but for a moment in comparison of that exceeding and eternal weight of Glory 2 Cor. 4.17 where we have a most elegant Antithesis or opposition and a double Hyperbole beyond the reach of our English Translation As thus 1. For Affliction here is Glory 2. For light Affliction here is a weight of Glory And 3. For momentary Affliction here is Eternal Glory and the sight of this by an Eye of Faith put Paul upon his Cupio Dissolvi I desire to be dissolved Phil. 1.21,22,23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there signifies to loose off from the shore of this Mortal Life and to launch out into the Ocean of Immortality which he accounted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is far far better and best of all Thus this preparation for Death had caused Old Simeon before this Apostle even to sing his Soul out of his Body as before This likewise made that Good Old Man Job to say I would not live always Job 7.16 for he hoped to behold his Redeemer c. Job 19.25 Thus may we accordingly say we would not be Young always because we have been so hampered and pester'd with many youthful Lusts which now through Grace a Good Old Age hath weakened An Hoary Head that is found in the way of Righteousness doth ripen fast like good Fruit upon the Tree of Life in its Autumn and becomes day by day more mellow for Death and hath nothing thâ—n to do but to die being able through Mercy to say with his sweet Saviour Father I have finished my work which theâ—… gavest me to do in the World John 17.5 Oh how ready was David how willing and how prepared to die and to fall asleep in Jesus 1 Thes 4.14 when he could say his Conscience bearing witness with him in the Holy Ghost as Rom. 9.1 that he had served out his Generation in his whole Generation-work according to the will of God Acts 13.36 The Third Reason why a Good Old Age is a most rich Blessing and Benefit to the Sons and Daughters of Mankind is because it doth priviledge them with a true Title unto Mansions of Glory prepared for them in a better World Such as have continued in ways of Holiness all their Life and become faithful unto death Rev. 2.10 they shall assuredly at the last arrive at the Haven of Heaven and Happiness when they die for God himself hath assured us and God Keeps the best and surest Ensuring Office that having our Fruit unto Holiness then our end shall be Eternal Life Rom. 6.22,23 for then comes first the Joy of Harvest as when fruitful Fields are white unto Harvest John 4.35 then comes the Husbandman with his Sithe or Sickle and cuts down his Corn binds it up in Bundles and carries it Home to his Barn c. even so God the great Husbandman as Christ calls him John 15.1 when he sees his old Servants as it were white unto Harvest with Hoary Heads and fully ripened in the way of Righteousness then doth he take them down by the hand of Death and gathers them Home into his heavenly Garners Our Lord doth certifie this great Truth to us over and over again saying that Heaven is surely secured for us and we are likewise safely secured for Heaven by the mighty Power of God the word there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth we are kept as with a Guard and in a Garrison and that at the last we shall receive the end of our Faith even the
salvation of our Souls 1 Pet. 1.4,5,9 Insomuch that Death which is in it self no other than Nature's Divorce the Bodies Prison the Soul's Banishment the Arrest of Judgment the Curse of Sin and the King of Terrors as well as the Terror of Kings Job 18.14 unto all Mankind in General yet such a change doth the power of Godliness both in Young and Old that are chosen and called make in their Changes from one World to another that their Death's is only their 1. Harvest or Ingatherings into God's Garner c. 2 'T is the Joy of Marriage which is called a Rest in the House of the Husband Ruth 3.1 so Death is our Rest A Rest from their Labours Rev. 14.13 they shall Rest 1 st From their Labours of Necessity their Needs of Nature shall then cease for ever they shall Hunger no more they shall Thirst no more c. as they have done while in the Body 2 dly They shall Rest from their Labours of Infirmity they shall never complain of any more Aches and Pains in any one of the parts of the Body as they have done frequently heretofore in the time of their Mortality 3 dly From the Labours of their Callings c. they shall toil no more in the Sweats of either their Brows or their Brains c. And 4 thly Which is above all they shall Rest from their Labours of Iniquity a Laboribus Peccati as well as Officii they shall never sin any more whereas heretofore in the time of their sojourning upon Earth they had this weight upon them which they could never lay aside nor cast it off and sin did then easily beset them so that they could not run the Race that was set before them Heb. 12.1 Because of the Law of the Members that did continually war against the Law of their Minds and oft bringing them into Captivity yea and as oft making them to cry out Oh wretched Man that I am who shall deliver me c. Rom. 7.23,24 But now Christ is come to them and knock'd off all their Fetters which formerly clogg'd them c. and setteth them at perfect liberty Isai 61.1 and those whom the Son of God doth free they are free indeed John 8.36 3. Death to those that die in the Lord and in a Good Old Age also is not only the Christians Harvest Marriage and Rest as before but 't is likewise their Conquest over all their Spiritual Enemies so they have also the Joy of Victory as well as of Harvest of Marriage and of Rest They are become by their Holy Life and Happy Death more than Conquerors Rom. 8.37 even Triumphers in Christ 2 Cor. 2.14 and so as they have won the Crown of Glory by their overcoming the Wicked one through the strengthning Love of Christ upon them so they shall wear it as Kings Rev. 1.6 and as Conquerors for evermore 'T is said the last Enemy to be destroyed is Death 1 Cor. 15.26 Now to all true Believers Death is already swallowed up in Victory ver 55. as Fuel is swallowed up by the Fire and as the Sorcerers Serpents were swallowed up by Moses his Serpent so that they can say to Death when it comes to them as Jacob said to Esau surely I have seen thy Face as the Face of God Gen. 33.4,10 Thus that Esau Death doth meet a Member of Christ with Kissing rather than with Killing or so much as Frowns yea and guards him home to his Father's House as Esau guarded his Brother Jacob Home to Canaan after his long absence from it he went before Jacob as his Life-guard ver 12. Thus after a long Conflict by the Indwellings of Sin all our Life comes the Conquest at the last in our Death Alas we cannot beat sin out of Doors as Sarah did the Bond-woman Hagar but this Fretting Leprosie sin can never be either washed out or scraped off from the Walls of our Earthly Tabernacles until the House that is infected with that Plague be demolished by Death and the Stones and Timber thereof be altogether taken down As it was thus in the Type under the Law concerning the House of Leprosie Levit. 14.43,44 So it is with our Houses of Clay as the Antitype which can no way be Amended but must be Renewed and this is only done in part while we are in the Kingdom of Grace But this cleansing Work is compleatly perfected when Death gives us a dismission from hence into the Kingdom of Glory The belief of this made Old Simeon sing his Soul out of his Body and Paul the Aged Phil. v. 9. was not only a Conqueror but which was more even a Triumpher in Christ as before for he sang a Triumphant Song over Death and the Grave singing as well as saying Oh Death where is thy Sing and Oh Grave where is thy Victory 1 Cor 15.55 This is the boldest and the bravest Challenge that ever any Mortal Man did ring in the Ears of Death in which words he as it were out-braved it calling it Craven to its Face as the Vulgar saying is and bids it do its worst to him that it could do like the Philosopher Anaxarchus who with an undaunted Courage told the Tyrant who was beating his Body to pieces with a great Iron Pestle in a large Mortar made purposely for that Barbarous Butchery in the very Act of his Martyrdom he most confidently cryed out to his Tormentor Tunde Tunde Tyranne Vasculum frangis sed Anaxarchum non Laedis Beat on beat on thou Bruitish Tyrant thou indeed doth break the Vessel of the Man but thou can never hurt Anaxarchus the Man himself Much more might this blessed Apostle insult over this greatest of Tyrants that universal Destroyer of Mankind to wit Death with his Javelin in his hand seeing he was so able as to render such weighty Reasons for his Triumphing Insultation as he saith the Sting of Death is Sin c. ver 56. signifying hereby that our dear Redeemer had been the Death of Death by his Death Mors Mortis Morti Mortem quoque Morte dedisset The Death of Christ gave Death its Death as it was prophesied of him Oh Death I will be thy Death c. Hos 13.14 thus our Saviour did disarm Death and took out the Sting from this Venemous Serpent so that we may now as safely put Death into our Bosoms in a serious Meditation of dying Daily as some men whom I have seen have with enough of safety put into their Bosoms a Snake whose Sting was before pulled out If Death do now shoot out any Sting at us we may thank our selves for our not being more constantly sound in the way of Righteousness If at any time we turn aside to crâ—…ked Paths there will the old crooked Serpent meet us and he will not only sting us there but also leave his Sting behind him in us as the Bee doth to those that are stung by it and this may be the procuring Cause of many sad effects
for Gold as Chrysostom's Thief did say of himself and he is a Pirate at Sea hanging out false Colours to get in with us he seeks not whom to bite out whom to devour 1 Pet. 5.8 the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to swallow up at one mouth-full and that no less than our precious and immortal Souls therefore is he called Abaddon Hebr. A bad one indeed or the wicked one and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greek Rev. 9.3 both which names signifie a Destroyer He is a broken Bankrupt himself and ordained for Destruction and therefore his whole work is to involve all Mankind in his own Misery accounting it some comfort to have Companions therein Solamen miseris socios adhibere Doloris He hunts not as Nimrod that Cruel Hunter for our moneys houses lands or liberties but for our very lives as the Harlot doth Prov. 7.23 yea to steal away our Souls from God and the Crown of Glory from us he is called in Scripture by such names as are all of a destroying nature as 1. A Draggon Rev. 12.7 2. A Lion 1 Pet. 5.8 3. A Serpent Isa 27.1 4. A Wolf Jobn 10.12 5. A Murderer John 8.44 6. A Tormentor Matth. 18.34 7. A Fowler and Hunter Psal 91.3 8. Beelzebub Mat. 10.25 12.24,27 9. Devil quasi Do evil often and therefore it is no less than a Miracle of Mercy that we are not all of us destroyed by him through his craft and cruelty his power and policy especially considering how he hath the upper ground of us as he is Prince of the Power of the Air Eph. 2.2 when we are but weak and worthless Worms crawling here below upon the Earth insomuch that his Territories lay betwixt us and Heaven which is our Fathers House therefore was Lazarus's Soul carried by Angels through the Regions of the Air into Abraham's bosom Luke 16.22 Beside it ought to be considered with seriousness how Satan our Adversary as it signifies proved too hard for the Innocentest Man Adam too hard for the Strongest Man Samson and too hard for the Wisest Man Solomon If he could over-master all these Three who were green Trees what can we dry Trees expect Luke 23.31 If this Strong Man yea and Armed too even with Armour of proof Luke 11.21 became a Conquerour over Adam in his state of Innocency how much more may he more easily master the best of us Si hoc Adamo in Paradiso contigisset quid nobis in sterquibunt saith Bernard If this foul fall befell Adam in the Garden of Eden oh what may befall us who are now cast out of Paradise upon the dirty Dunghill of this present evil World Gal. 1.4 It may be said of the best of us as it was said of young Troilus's grappling with great Achilles There was Impar congressus a very unfit and an unequal match betwixt them Yea so bold and daring is this Devil that he dared to Assault the Second Adam as he had done before the First Adam hoping for the same success Even the Son of God himself who only could indeed over-match him not only for himself but more especially for all his Redeemed Moreover Satan is a Restless Adversary out of his unspeakable hatred against God and all goodness as it is said of the Scorpion there is not one minute of Time wherein he doth not thrust out his Sting but keeps it in a continual and speedy motion of poisoning and destroying whatever he can reach even so and much more that Old Serpent will watch night and day to sting our Souls worse than the Fiery Serpents did the Bodies of Israel Numb 21. Consider also how Satan is an Ubiquitary Adversary his Circuit he walks is the whole Earth Job 1.7 2.2 he is call'd the God of this World 2. Cor. 4.4 which lays in wickedness 1 John 5.19 As the True God in the beginning did but speak the word by his Creating Power and every Creature in the whole Creation was perfectly wrought so if Satan do but hold up his finger or give but the least whisper to his Vassals they are at his beck and obedience he leads them captive at his will 2 Tim. 2.26 Yea and this he doth all over the World no Land or Island is free from him but the whole Universe may be called as one part of it is Terra Diaboli the Devil's Land he is the Ruler of the Darkness of this World Eph. 6.12 He is a God in this sense because there is no fleeing from his presence c. as Psa 139.7,8,9 our base hearts and a busie Devil will meet in all Lands Add likewise to the abovesaid how He is an Everlasting Adversary both 1. In respect of the great World He began betimes with the first Man and Woman in the World and he hath continued ever since to this present time and he will continue even to the end until our Lord lays hold on him and chain him up for a 1000 years Rev. 20. And 2. In respect of the little World Man who is as an Epitome of the great World c. Satan begins betimes even at our very Conception for as the Serpent was more subtle than all the Beasts of tbe Field Gen. 3.1 so Satan's subtlety was most manifest in this matter that when his Luciferian Pride had metamorphos'd him from a glorious Angel as he was created into a damned Devil and therefore was cast out of Heaven into Hell and understanding how God designed to fill up that Habitation which he had left with his Angels Jude verse 6. by a Remnant Redeemed out of Mankind Hereupon he is said to be come down or rather cast down having great Wrath and Malice against Mankind Rev. 12.12 hating Man's Redeemer with a perfect hatred and sinning that unpardonable sin against the Holy Ghost every moment c. and that his Cruelty to us is managed with the profoundest Craft and Policy as is apparent in this that he stayed not to pour his poison into every Vessel as it was brought forth into the World but he pours it into the Fountain or Spring head of Mankind well knowing that in poisoning our first Parents he likewise poisoned all their Posterity in all succeeding Ages to the end of the World Thus saith the Apostle by one Man Sin entred into the World Rom. 5.12 and Death by Sin and so Death passed upon all Men for that all have sinned and v. 14. Death hath Reigned from Adam to Moses and so down to us in our day c. even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's Transgression So that Infants are no Innocents being born with Original Sin the first Sheet wherein they are wrapped is woven of sin shame blood and filth Ezek. 16.4,6 c. They are said to sin as they were in the loins of Adam sust as Levi is said to pay Tithes to Melchisedech even in the loins of his Fore-father Abraham Heb. 7.9,10 otherwise Infants would not die for
be demonstrated from Scripture the first man defiled Nature and ever since Nature hath defiled every man his whole Frame is out of frame whole evil is in man and whole man is in evil As in Noah's Flood not any one part of the Earth could be seen dry So nor any one part of man can be found that is not infected with this Original Pollution and the chief cause of all our Actual Sins is charged not upon Satan but upon this Evil Concupiscence that is inbred in us Jam. 1.15 The Tempter might strike Fire long enough in vain if we did not find him dry Tinder for his Sparks to fall upon We cannot say as our sinless Lord said the Prince of this World cometh and finds nothing in me that is to favour his Temptation Joh. 14.30 But alas when he comes to tempt us he finds a Treacherous Party within this Birth-sin of ours which betrays us oftentimes into his hands as hath hapned unto some Cities besieged whose Gates have been opened by some Traiterous Citizens within for a free entrance of the Enemy that were besieging it round about Hence is it that all men are said in Holy Scripture to be dead in sin Ephes 2.1 and Bondslaves to Satan Heb. 2.15 and subject to all Calamities of this Life under the Curse of God Gal. 3.10 Yea and good men even the best of men are but men at the best for Original Sin in them is stronger than their Grace for if God should leave us with our stock of Grace that he hath graciously given us and let us be alone but a while in the hands of our own Counsels this sin of our Nature would easily swallow up our stock of Grace wo to us when God departs from us Hos 9.12 The Reason is because Grace given to us is like the putting of Hot Water into that which is Cold Tho' this will warm it for the present yet the Water will reduce it self into its own natural temper of Coldness unless Fire be kept continually under it Take another Example as a River would run caeterâ—…s paribus the nighest way to the Seaâ— which is the Receptacle of all Rivers were it let alone to its own tendency by nature but we see the various situation of the Earth in some places higher than others and by the Art and Industry of Man the most Rapid River is madd to run in crooked Streams in and out to break its forcible passage even so this Original Sin would drive all persons the nighest way to Hell were it not that it meets with not only the several Tempers and Dispositions of Nature in the Sons and Daughters of Mankind which makes it work variously according to their various Constitutions as David saith I have kept my self from my iniquity Psal 18.23 that is from my Constitution sin c. but also and that more especially through the over-ruling Power of God and that by two ways 1. Either by giving Restraining Grace even to Pagans as he did to that Pagan King Abimelech Gen. 20.6 whereby God kept him at a modest distance from medling with Sarah Abraham's wife which otherwise he would have undoubtedly defiled seeing so many Kings tho' called Christian make it their too common practice or 2. By giving Renewing Grace even to his own chosen and called ones whereby he changeth their Natures so that one of the Antient Fathers tells this Story of a Young Man who had been for some time intangled with an Harlot and meeting with some Remorse of Conscience he withdrew from her upom some occasions he had in another Country and after a â—ittle time returning home this impudent Whore meets him takes hold of him and said to him Ego sum Ego I am the same Woman I was when you left me at which he smartly replied to her sed ego non sum ego but I am not the same Man I was through the Grace of God whereby he said with David The Snare is broken and my Soul is delivered Psa 124.7 therefore if any man be in Christ he is a new Creature old things are past away behold all things are become new 2 Cor. 5.17 VVhere Christ comes he saith Behold I make all things new Rev. 21.5 both all the Members of the Body and all the Faculties of the Soul These all were formerly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 weapons of wickedness unto sin but now become weapons of Righteousness unto Holiness Rom. 6.13,17,18,19 so that Christ makes new understandings new wills new memories new consciences c. in the inner man yea and new tongues hands and feet c. to talk walk and work for God in the outward man ☞ Let this likewise be well weighed how this Original pollution of the faln Nature is like the first Confused Chaos at the Creation of the World which had the seeds of all several kinds of Creatures in it and that prolifick Vertue continues unto this day even so in Original Sin lays the Spawn of all several kinds of sins which lasteth all our lives until death destroy this body of Death at the last as the other will last while the World lasteth So This fretting Leprosie of sin is typically described in the Law of that Plague Levit. 14.41.43,44,45 The house which hath that Contagion all the scraping of the Walls within it will not cleanse it until the house it self with the Stones and Timber of it be broken down yea and it begins betimes as well as it lasts long This sour Leaven doth leaven the whole lump with its sowrness and spreads it self over all the Ages of Man as Infancy Childhood Youth and old Age. 1. Infancy Austin's story Vidi Zelantem parvulum I my self saw a little one rise up in Rage against his fellow-suckling for beguiling him of his Mothers Milk from whence that Antient Father proves and confesses that sin began betimes both in himself and in others 2. Childhood there is much folly bound up in the heart of a Child Prov. 22. v. 15. as fardles or packs are bound upon the Carriers Horses back and these bonds of Iniquity keeps him fast in the gall of bitterness Acts 8.23 so makes not only Childhood but also 3. Youth to be not only Vanity but likewise often abounds with Villany Eccles 11.9,10 with 12.1 where the Preacher presseth upon Youth to indulge themselves in their youthful lusts if they dare do so adding a stinging But which marrs the Yonkers mirth God will judge thee for all thy Tricks of youth account them not Trifles which both Job and David so bitterly bewailed Job 13.26 and Psal 25.7 Therefore he exhorts such to remember their Creators at that time as Psal 119.9 before 4 ly Old Age come which is an Evil Age both for sin and misery But more plainly this Truth of Man's Malady and Danger is held forth in that Text The strong Man armed c. which declares Man's Malady and Danger Luke 11.21 where Satan is described 1. By his
and do so to this day But more especially he is mischievous to the Souls of Mankind It may be said that the Sword of this Strong Man reacheth even unto the very soul as Jer. 4.10 He both slashes and wounds the Soul and doth ambitiously aspire like Lucifer to be like the Most High Isa 14.14 and to have a power to kill the Soul as well as Body Estate and Good Name which is God's Prerogative only Matt. 10.28 However his main Mark Satan aimeth at is to procure evil against our Souls Jer. 26.19 and therefore as the Syrians were commanded to fight against neither small nor great but against the King of Israel 2 Chron. 18.30 So our fleshly lusts are those Syrians and Soldiers whom Satan commands to war principally against the precious Soul 1 Pet. 2.11 and his Malice is mostly to be mischievous to Saints more than to Sinners for he tempted David a man after Gods own heart 1 Sam. 13.14 to grosser and greater sins than ever he did not only Saul who died in his Sin even of self-murder yet never fell into such foul acts of sin as David did but also than ever he did tempt Ahab tho' he sold himself to work wickedness 1 King 21.25 yet this none-such Sinner was only tempted to covet his Neighbours Vineyard and not his Neighbours Wife yea and life too as David did The reason is this because Satan is satisfied with the evil state that Sinners remain in so he needs not to tempt them to evil Acts well knowing that such Actions will as naturally flow from them as Water doth from a Fountain Thus David saith to Saul wickedness proceedeth even naturally from the wicked 1 Sam. 24.13 as if they needed no Tempter but will Tempt themselves Jam. 1.14,15 Satan matters not for Actions but only where he cannot secure persons and still keep them captive in an evil State NB. This Reason may be rendred why some civil Moralists do lead more blameless and more spotless lives than some Saints and sanctified Souls who sometimes may be left of God to Satan's buffeting Messengers to humble them as 2 Cor. 12.7,8 because 't is enough for the Temper to know that these meer moral men do still abide in a Christless-state but as to such as are delivered from the power of Belial and are translated into the Kingdom of Grace Col. 1.12,13,14 Those be they against whom this Envious One is most maliciously mischievous and when he sees that he cannot keep them from Heaven he will do them all the mischief he possibly can he will send them if possible even haulting to Heaven Herein Pharaoh that Dragon of Egypt so called Ezek. 29.3 was a Type and Figure of this old Red Dragon the Devil who was calm and quiet enough with God's Israel while he found they could be content to be his Bond-slaves in Mortar-Work c. but when they begin to be gone out of his Kingdom c. then he rages and pursues them with his Chariots and Horsemen c. As Pharaoh pursued Israel as they were passing towards the Earthly Canaan so Satan pursueth us in our passage towards the Heavenly Canaan and as Pharaoh in his pursuit of Israel was at length drowned in the Red-Sea So this may be for strong Consolation to us that this Saint-pursuing Satan shall at last be drowned in the Red-Sea of our blessed Saviour's Blood for we are told to our Comfort that our Redeeming Angel will come down from Heaven having the Key of the bottomless Pit and a great Chain in his hand and will lay hold on the Dragon that old Serpent the Devil and not only bind him for a thousand years but he will cast him likewise into the lake of Fire and Brimstone where he together with the Beast and the False Prophet shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever Rev. 20.1,2,3 and 10 verses In the mean time we must expect that this Serpent and Dragon will be spetting forth the Poison of his Malice against us for such is his Malice to all the Saints that he will first tempt them to Sin and then he will accuse them for Sin as it is storied of the Russians they are so malicious one against another that sometimes a man will hide some of his own Goods in the House of him whom he hateth and then accuse him for the stealing of them just so doth the Devil deal many times with God's dearest Servants thus Joseph's Steward first foisted his Lord's Cup into Benjamin's Sack and then accused him for stealing it Gen. 44.2,4 So that tempted Souls may say to Satan when he would tempt them to sin and after will accuse them of sin as the young Soldier said to Joab his General Tho' I should receive a thousand Shekels of Silver yet will I not dare to do what thou Satan would draw me into for the King of Kings hath charged me to the contrary and should I do otherwise I shall then work falshood against my own life for there is no matter that can be hid from the King and thou thy self would set thy self against me 2 Sam. 18.12,13 c. Thus Satan dealt with Jehoshua the High-Priest accusing him for wearing those very Garments that himself had soiled Zech. 3.1,2,3,4 yea and thus Satan dealt with our Dear Saviour himself to whom he made an offer of his giving to him all the Kingdoms of the World and the Glories of them if he would fall down and worship him Matt. 4.8 yet afterwards this Accuser of the Brethren as he is called Rev. 12.10 doth by his Instruments accuse our Lord for aspiring after one of the least of those Kingdoms of the World namely that little Kingdom of Judaea Matt. 27.11,29,37 and this is the Tempters Method with all tempted Souls he will always extenuate sin in the time of his Temptation to it but after the Commission of it he will aggravate it in his accusation for it that he may drive the Soul into despair c. Thus he dealt with King Saul whom he first persuaded to spare Amalek under the notion of a good Deed or Work of Mercy hereby he tempted him and prevailed to spare King Agag and the fattest of the Flock 1 Sam. 15.8,9 Yet this same Satan comes to Saul in the likeness of Samuel and notoriously aggravates this Action which before he had presented to him in a plausible Dress of candour and kindness to the Creature c. and sets it home with weight upon Saul's Conscience especially when he saw him almost overwhelmed with deepest Distresses now representing the same Action as most horrible heinous and damning and all to drive him down at-once into the Pit of Desperation 1 Sam. 28.11,19,20 And thus by Divine permission the Devil deals with many Souls which are far more dear to God than this Saul was c. Hereby the third cursed property of this Doeg the Devil is made manifest namely that he is not only antiently maliciously but also
so gets many a knock and blow c. oh how severe was God's Law against such saying That Soul which dare do any thing presumptuously doth reproach the Lord as if such scorn'd his helping hand and shall be cut off from among his People Numb 15.30 Our Lord tells us That without Christ we can do nothing John 15.5 that is nothing after a gracious manner neither acceptably or effectually and therefore are we bid to abide in the Vine ver 7. and to abide in him 1 John 2.28 and yet we can do all things by Christ's strengthning prefence Phil. 4.13 Alas our Bow like that of Joseph's cannot abide in strength unless it be strengthened by the Arms of the hands of the Mighty God of Jacob Gen. 49.24 'T was not enough for Joash to put his hand upon the Bow alone no but the Prophet of God who represented God himself must lay his hands upon the King's hand alo otherwise there can be no shooting to any purpose the Arrows of God's Deliverance c. 2 King 13.16 We are like little Boys learning to write who must have their hand guided by their Masters hand But Secondly we must put on the whole Armour of God Eph. 6.12 c. The Reason is our Adversary is a strong Man armed even Cap-a-pee from head to foot and woe to us if at any time he assault us when weak men and naked such are easily overcome by High-way-men in their Travelling-Journeys 'T is sad to be insensible of our own nakedness Rev. 3.17,18 Woful is our case if this Thief in the night find us naked Rev. 16.15 The first Adam made himself and all his Posterity naked by eating forbidden fruit Gen. 3.7 he lost the Robe of Original Righteousness both for himself and for all that were in his Loins as he was a publick Person and Representative of all Mankind Adam's Nakedness made him Run from God to Satan in his sinful excuses of his sin and in his Fig-leave coverings c. Gen. 3.10,12 c. Now while we remain in this corrupt Root the first Adam we are easily taken by this mighty Hunter and led captive by him at his will 2 Tim. 2.26 The Greek word there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies taken alive in Hunting by this Nimrod not to be preserved alive but to be destroyed 2 Pet. 2.12 without Repentance unto Life Acts 11.18 Thus likewise we are told How Aaron made the People naked Exod. 32.25 so that a double Nakedness was upon them both that from Adam's sin and also by their own sin of Idolatry wherein Aaron was their Instrument This Golden Calf did divest them of Divine protection and exposed them to the Wrath both of God and Man as Numb 14.9 we become a Break-fast to Satan c. And this our Nakedness God minds us of it Again Ezek. 16.22 where both Gnaram and Gnarah Hebrew be used to intimate we are in the faln Nature not only polluted in our Blood as is at large expressed in the beginning of that Chapter but that we are both naked and bare too that is without Apparel as well as without Armour also oh great misery c N.B. Note well seeing we are both naked and bare in the faln Estate to wit we are destitute both of Apparel and of Armour Therefore in the first place we must look out for some Tight Apparel not only to cover our Nakedness but also such as may secure us from those Storms which Satan that Prince of the Power of the Air Eph. 2.2,3 will assuredly raise up against us This our Lord sheweth in his Parable Matth. 7.25 saying The Rain will descend upon our Spiritual Buildings c. Many a sharp Shower will beat upon us and batter us and because the Fig-leave Aprons which our first Parents made for themselves was not a sufficient security to them Hereupon the Lord made Coats of Skins and cloathed them Gen. 3.21 which was there a shadowing Emblem of the Fleece and Skin of the Lamb of God we must be counselled to buy of him white Raiment that we may be clothed and that the shame of our Nakedness may not appear Rev. 3.17,18 We must be covered with a Covering of Christ's Spirit Isa 30.1 and apparelled with the Robes of his Righteousness which is call'd the Best Robe Luke 15.22 and thus the Bride the Lamb's Wife had granted to her to be arrayed in fine Linnen clean and white which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Righteousnesses of the Saints to wit the Grace of Justification and the Grace of Sanctification and therefore the Greek word is put into the plural Number Rev. 19.8,9 Oh pray over that Promise I will spread the skirts of my Merit over thee to cover thy Nakedness c. Ezek. 16.8 and look upon it as a shameful thing that we can all of us be wise enough to secure both our Bodies and our dwelling houses from all annoyances and harms to them yet not be so wise for our Souls but leave them exposed to all evil whereas we have need to be like Noah's Ark that was pitched within and without that it might be able to Ride out the Storm Gen. 6.14 Now in the second place This double Malady must have a double Remedy as we are both naked bare Ezek. 16.22 c. So when we are remedied of being naked of Apparel then may we not remain still bare of Armour and this Spiritual or Mystical Armour wherewith we ought to be furnished and fortified do fall under three distinct denominations in sacred Scripture the first is 't is call'd the Armour of Light Rom. 13.12 so named because first 'T is only the Children of Light so called Luke 16.8 Ephes 5.8 1 Thes 5.5 who are blest and beautified with this blessed Armour all the Children of Darkness abide both naked and bare and continue Slaves and Vassals to Satan that Prince of Darkness as before 2 Tim. 2.26 c. But secondly Because those Children are or at least ought to be careful to keep this Armour lightsom bright and glistering as indeed all the parts of this Armour are when they come first to them out of God's own Heavenly Armory and of God's own furbushing and polishment Now this very name Armour of Light doth most clearly teach us that we ought to Exercise all the parts of this Armour duly and daily and to keep them in perpetual Use and never out of any security or presumption dare to let them become Rusty or soiled by our careless Disuse of them Yea and 3 dly this is called the Armour of Light because it gives a light and lustre to such as wear it for the light of Divine knowledge teacheth us to walk 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Handsomely and of the best form and fashion as the Greek word signifies Rom. 13.13 Intimating that we ought by the help of this Armour to lead such convincing lives walk as children of light Eph. 5.8 that all who behold us may then Acknowledge
put to the Foil by that old subtle Serpent who hath a liberty in his Commission to bruise the Heel of the Seed of the Woman Gen. 3.15 because they are no better shod with the Shoes of Gospel-peace This is known by common experience that those who are tender-footed or whose Feet are either beaten or blistered cannot tread upon Stones or Thorns they are Halters betwixt God and Baal The fourth piece of Defensive Armour is the Shield of Faith verse 16. which we are bidden 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 above all or over and upon all to take and be armed with intimating that whatever other part of this Mystical Armour we want we must in no wise want this principal part thereof for this doth cover and defend all the other pieces of the Defensive Armour because a firm Trust and Confidence in God by Christ doth after a special manner shelter and over-shadow the imperfections of all our other Graces And indeed this Shield of Faith doth not only defend our other Graces but our selves also as it takes hold of that precious Promise of God to Abraham I am thy Shield fear not c. Gen. 15.1 As if God had said thine Enemies shall first strike through me thy Shield before they can come to reach and wound thee I will stand betwixt thee and all Danger and the like priviledge of safety God vouchsafed unto Israel saying as the Eagle beareth her young upon her wings so hath the Lord born you c. Deut. 32.11,12 which allusion doth imply that no Shot can come to harm the young Eagles so carried but it must first pierce and pass through the body of the Old one By all this it is apparent how safely doth Faith lodge the Soul under the shadow of the wings of Almighty God Psal 91.1,2,3,4 to 14. The just do live by their Faith Hab. 2.4 Nor is this all that the Shield of Faith doth for us in securing us from the Assaults of Satan but it also repels and beats back those Darts that he casts at us yea and yet higher it moreover doth quench that Hell fire they bring along with them for Satan's Darts are like those that History mentions of the Scythians which were not only pointed and hardened in the fire but they were also dipped in the poison of Asps and in the venom of Vipers that they might the more horribly torture and torment those Bodies that were wounded with them even so Satan would torture and torment our Souls with his poison'd fiery Darts The Lord strengthen our Faith whereby we may quench the fire and antidote the poison c. The fifth peece of Defensive Armour is the Helmet of Salvation verse 17. which the same Apostle helps to interpret this place saying Take for an Helmet the Hope of Salvation 1 Thes 5.8 So that this Helmet here is the Grace of Hope the office whereof is to hold up our heads above Water and raises up the Soul with an out-stretched neck as the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8.23 signifies which we read waiting with groans for the Adoption to wit the Redemption of the Body And the next words there are for we are saved by hope c. and if we hope for that we see not then do we with patience wait for it verse 24 25. Hope is the Daughter of Faith its Mother yet is it as a staff for its Aged Mother to lean upon By Faith we believe the Truth of and our own Title to those blessings that we are not yet possessed of and by Hope we patiently wait for that which we believe shall surely come to pass And when they but begin to do so then Hope looketh up and lifts up the head because our Redemption draweth nigh Luke 21.28 'T is the excellency of Hope to take her Turns in walking round about the Streets of the New Jerusalem and sometimes to sit still and sing adhuc mea Messis in Herba est there is yet an happy Harvest that is hastening in its season for me the Lord will hasten it in his time Isa 60.22 So I will hope against Hope Rom. 4.18 Yet more this Hope is so excellent that it is not only our Helmet by Land but it is also our Anchor by Sea Heb. 6.19 By Hope we have our Safety here and our Salvation hereafter both are purchased by Christ who has secured a full Victory over this strong Man for us Thus far the five pieces of the Christian Defensive Armour reacheth now the two following parts namely the Sixth and Seventh are indeed Offensive Weapons as well as Defensive Armour As the former five were meerly and solely for our Defence so these two latter are not only for our own Defence but they are also for Offence of our Spiritual Foes to wit the Sword of the Spirit and Darts of Prayer The Sixth Apostolical Direction here for our being compleatly Armed in our Spiritual Warfare is Take likewise to you the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God Eph. 6.17 As there is a literal and a Carnal Sword so there is a Mystical and a Spiritual Sword Which Truth may be demonstrated First By that Example in Scripture-Record And it shall come to pass that him who escapeth the Sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay and him that escapeth from the Sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay 1 Kings 19.17 the Interpretation whereof must most plainly imply that Elisha had his Slaying Sword as well as Hazael and Jehu And tho' their Slaying Swords were both of them Carnal yet this of Elisha must be Spiritual as he was a Prophet of the Lord and more yea and weilded no other Sword but that which is called here the Word of God And in congruity with this sense the Lord himself speaketh Secondly Therefore I have hewed them by my Prophets I have slain them by the words of my mouth Hos 6.5 Moreover a Third sacred Instance gives a farther Illustration unto this Mystical Interpretation namely If any man will dare to hurt my two Witnesses I will give such a power to my Servants that Fire shall proceed out of their mouths which shall devour their Enemies and if any man tho' never so many or so mighty will hurt them he must in this manner be killed Rev. 11.3,5 And yet to all those three Quotations above-named this Scripture is most express for this Mystical sense saying Take the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God There be several cogent and ponderous Reasons why the Word of God is called the Sword of the Spirit c. The first is Because the Spirit was the Artificer the curious Contriver who framed and fashioned this Spiritual Sword the Holy Spirit hath the honour of making this excellent weapon ready to our hands for thus we are told That no Prophecy of Scripture came in old Time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost c. 2 Pet. 1.20,21
tread the Wine-press alone for any comfort from them And 1 st He sharply rebukes them for their former vain conceit of themselves promising to do great things c. Matth. 26.33,35 but they were so far from dying with him that they could not so much as watch with him c. And 2 dly He gravely exhorts them to this double Duty of Watching and Praying Then 3 dly He candidly and kindly comforts them against their outward weakness by his owning acknowledging and accepting of their inward willingness the Spirit is willing tho' Flesh be weak Oh who would not love this sweet Saviour that puts such a candid Construction upon his Saints Infirmities alas how oft may our Lord come and catch us napping and oft offering up no better than yawning Devotion Alas how oft a bare waft of the Footmen in lesser Temptations have thrown us down as was Jeremy's case Jer. 12.5 How then shall we be able to contend with the Horsemen of stronger Temptations While we live in this lower Region we are exposed to so many violent Temptations from the Tempter that Prince of the Power of the Air Ephes 2.2,3 therefore are we called to come up higher and to be Upper-region persons and to lead loftier lives than the men of the World can do in an unconverted condition the way of life is above to the wise that he may depart from Hell beneath Prov. 15.24 Were but our conversation more in Heaven Phil. 3.20 while our commemoration is here on Earth we should then be raised up above the reach of Storms c. and if we be risen with Christ we must set our affections upon things above c. Col. 3.1,2,3 for ye are dead namely to Sin and to the World and your life is hid with Christ in God Now to attain unto this happy estate of living above the reach of the Poison of the Old Serpent whereof we are in perils often and in Jeopardy every hour as the Apostle phraseth it our Lord hath prescribed in the 2 d place a double Antidote or Remedy to this before-named Poison or Malady namely to lead a life made up of constant and continual Watching and Praying and this is the way having put on the whole Armour of God as is aforesaid to secure our Souls from both entring into coming in and falling by every Temptation and not only so but also to be Conquerors yea more than so Rom. 8.37 even to be Triumphers in Christ 2 Cor. 2.14 NB. Note well The seventh and last part of our Spiritual Armour as described in Ephes 6.18 hath a concurring concordancy with Christ's Command Watch and Pray Matth. 26.41 and likewise imports the frequency constancy and continuance of those two necessary but too much neglected Duties in an additional phrase of Praying always and Watching thereunto with all perseverance c. that is as we must pray always so we must watch always even all our lives long The whole life of a Christian consists wholly of Watching and Prayer c. Beside this first difference betwixt those two Texts which respecteth Time those two Duties must be done always even all our Days There is a Second Difference that respecteth Order for our Lord placeth Watching before Praying Matt. 26.41 but his Apostle placeth Praying before Watching Ephes 6.18 Now all the Inference to be deduced from this difference is this only that we must Watch and Pray as our Lord biddeth us and we must Pray and Watch as his Apostle requireth us and that all the days of our lives The sum of the whole is this in short 1 st Man 's Malady and Danger all men even the best of men are obnoxious and lay evermore exposed to the evil of manifold Temptations even from a threefold original to wit from the Flesh from the World and from the Devil Thus even those Three Disciples who had beheld Christ's Glory in his Transfiguration as above and therefore they might the more have been able to cleave closer to him now yet even those of the highest Rank were not only in the Danger but in the very Disease it self yea and which is much more we are told that our Lord was tempted like unto us in all things sin only excepted Heb. 4.15 And if this was done to such a Green Tree what may such Dry Trees as we are expect Luke 23.31 no place nor time for security to the best 2 dly The Remedy and Deliverance is by a double Duty understood under Christ our Deliverer as above at large The first is Watch and the second is Pray as in Matth. 26.41 and in Luke 21.36 our Lord makes an addition namely Watch and Pray always to which the Apostle's phrase Ephes 6.18 Col. 4.2 and 1 Thes 5.17 do well agree First of the first of those Duties 'T is the duty of all Christ's Disciples to watch Reasons 1 st 'T is a necessary Duty upon a double Account 1. Necessitate Medii as necessary means for our safety And 2. Necessitate Praecepti as it is commanded by the Lord. 1 st 'T is necessary as a means whereby we are preserved from Danger for our life is a warfare Job 7.1 Margent and we can never accomplish this warfare Isai 40.1 without watching every Christian is a Soldier 2 Tim. 2.3 who is listed under Christ their Captain Josh 5.14 Heb. 2.10 Now no Man can be a good Soldier that watcheth not how soon is he cut off by a surprizing Adversary both Visible and Invisible non Regium est in Belli tempore indulgere Somno saith Plutarch Christ hath made us Kings Rev. 1.6 and it is not King-like to foster sleeping in a time of War Baanah and Rechah took off Ishbosheth's Head while he slept upon his Bed at Noon 2 Sam. 4.5,6 So Jael slew Siscera when fast asleep nailing him fast to the ground Judg. 4.21 2 dly 'T is necessary in our obedience to the Great Lawgiver who hath often commanded us to watch in Scripture as Mark 13. ver last 1 Cor. 16.13 1 Thes 5.6 1 Pet. 4.7 and 5.8 Rev. 3.2 and 16.15 c. Reason the Second they are pronounced to be blessed Souls that do this Duty of watching beside that in Rev. 16.15 see Luke 12.37,38,43 terque quaterque beati faelices ter amplius they are three times blest there by Christ who was sent into the world to bless both believing Jews and Gentiles that watch Acts 3.26 Yea such are not only blessed Saints but they are also blessed Angels for Angels are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Watchers Dan. 4.13 Heaven is the Watch-tower of those Holy Ones that never sleep nor are ever wearied with labour as we Bodily Creatures are not do they Eat or Drink as we do whereby our sleep is procured c. So that this Watching-work is likewise an Angelical as well as an Evangelical Duty and to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like Angels as Christ hath promised Luke 20.36 is to enjoy an Heavenly State here while upon
heeded and observed The similitude runs in parallel lines betwixt the two kinds of Sleeping and Watching both of that which is Natural and of that which is Spiritual For as in natural or literal Sleep that immortal part of man the pretious Soul layeth as it were dead and buried in an House of Clay all its noble parts and gifts seem then to be lost and Man all the time he lies asleep doth differ very little either from a Beast or a dead Carcass which made that famous General Epaminondas say Qualem inveni talem reliqui when he was blamed for cruelty in killing his Centinel whom he found sleaping to the hazard of the whole Army c. and his Apology was I left him but as I found him c. He looked upon him as one dead while he lay asleep c. But when those Vapors that cause Sleep are digested and consumed by the Natural Heat of our Animal Spirits and when those Obstructions of all our Senses are thereby removed then saith the Philosopher Panduntur Meatus Reditque opus Sensationis id est Vigilia quae est Sensuum Actio Motus quem Calor Spiritus in omnia Membra effusus efficit that is the Heat and Spirit being then defused into all our Members from Head to Foot all the passages of our Senses are opened c. and then we awake from our Sleep c. Even thus it is with us in that which is called a Mystical and Spiritual Sleeping and awaking out of it It was corrupt Humours that caused both the Spouse and the Wise Virgins to fall into a slumber and those Vapors do arise out of the Body of Sin that unrenewed part in us which do for a time obstruct the operations of a Spiritual Life in us But when the Spirit of Grace which is called the Spirit of Burning Isa 4.4 reviveth and burns up those corrupt Humours in us then is it that we awake arise and go forth to shake our selves as Samson did when the Philistines were upon him Judg. 16.20 This is called our awaking unto Righteousness 1 Cor. 15.34 and standing up from the Dead Ephes 5.14 Awake Awake saith the Lord Isa 52.1 and Arise Shine c. Isa 60.1 The Fourth Inquiry is what is the proper Object or Subject of this Spiritual Watching Answer This Christian Vigilancy is most highly concerned in this Watching-work as it hath a Respect and Relation to a double Trinity the first is a Trinity of Friends to wit the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost And the Second is a Trinity of Foes namely the World the Flesh and the Devil All these both Friends and Foes are to be duly and daily watched in our warring the good Warfare 1 Tim. 1.18 and in fighting the good Fight of Faith 1 Tim. 6.12 First of the first The Trinity of Friends that must be watched is 1 st God the Father must be watched this Lesson we should learn from Christ who did so saying We speak that we know and testifie that we have seen Joh. 3.11 and farther The Son can do nothing of himself but what he seeth the Father do Joh. 5.19 and the Father loveth his Son and sheweth him all thing that himself doth ver 20. And as I hear I do not doing mine own will but the will of my Father who sent me ver 30. Now if Christ that holy Child watched what he saw and heard from the Father by that Divine and Unspeakable Communication between them c. how ought Christians to watch likewise having an Unction from the Holy God that teacheth all things 1 Joh. 2.20 It is said of Israel Veshameru Mishmereth Custodiebant Custodiam they watched the Motions of the Lord in the Cloudy Pillar Numb 9.19 they kept Watch and Ward Night and Day to see when the Cloud would arise that they might be at every hour ready for removing Thus David set God always before him Psal 16.8 So ought we to do that we may learn to be holy as he is holy 1 Pet. 1.15 Children should learn to be like their Father Matth. 5. last in the Quality of Holiness tho' we cannot come up to an Equality of his Holiness Thus we ought to pass more and more into the likeness of that Heavenly Pattern If our Eyes wait upon the Lord as the Eyes of a Servant upon his Master c. Psal 123.1,2 then is there Hope concerning both our Conformity to God and our Communion with God We ought to watch God's Pillar of Providence as Israel did the Cloudy Pillar for there is God's Voice in the work of his Providence Were we but Men of Wisdom to watch hear and undestand it aright Mic. 6.9 we should learn the sooner to follow Providence the better the neglect whereof doth oft bring damage and detriment to us c. But tho' God's Providence may be too dark and deep for our dim Eyes to see and for our dull Ears to hear yet blessed be God his Precepts and his Promises are all so plain that he who runs may read and hear them and our not watching them makes us neglect Godliness The 2 d Friend is God the Son must be watched for we know not either the Day or the Hour wherein he will call us either to Death or to the Day of Judgment every Man's Death-day is his particular Dooms-day c. as before and because we cannot foresee it therefore must we ever expect it and spend every day as if it were our last day Hereupon we are all commanded to be always upon our watch and to be also ready for his coming Matth. 24.42,44 where our Lord useth seven Argument from ver 37. to the end of that Chapter as so many motives to stir us up unto watchfulness the day and hour knoweth no man c. ver 36. ideo latet unus dies ut observentur omnes that we might watch continually for that uncertain certain day The Harlot grew bold to sin on this account because she knew her Lord would not return till such an appointed time Prov. 7.10,18,19,20 Whereas secure Sinners may hear Thou Fool this night shall thy Soul be taken from thee Luke 12.20 He will come unlooked for and Dichotomize cut asunder and tear his Soul from his Body by force c. Matth. 24.50,51 'T is a blessed Badge pinn'd as it were upon sanctified Souls Sleeves that they wait for the coming of the Lord Jesus 1 Cor. 1.2,7 1 Thes 1.10 as it was the character of Old Testament Saints that they waited for the consolation of Israel in Christ's first coming Luke 2.25 how much more ought we to lift up our Heads and Eyes for beholding the comfort of his second coming Luke 21.28 looking for and hastning unto it as desirous to meet him in the way 2 Pet. 3.12 crying continually O mora Christo veni come Lord Jesus come quickly Rev. 22.20 All such as have taken many sweet Turns in communion with Christ upon the Mountain of Spices
a long and lingering Death no Member being free from pain so if the mortifying grace of Christ which is the virtue and power of his Deaâ—… as an holy Life is the virtue and power of his Resurrection Phil. 3.10 be in our Hearts by the indwellings of Christ there Ephes 3.17 then the Body of Sin is nailed so fast that it cannot stir either Hands or Feet insomuch as it will certainly die tho' it be not presently dead yea tho' it suffer many sore throbs before it perfectly die 'T is like those Beasts in Daniel whose Dominions were taken away yet their Lives were prolonged for a Time and a Season Dan. 7.12 Now Repentance is the Nail that pierceth this Body of Sin and the renewing of our Repentance doth put the Old Man in us to new Torments till at last it die The Second Enemy which Christ conquers and captivates in us and for us is the World for he saith to us be of good chear I have overcome the World John 16.33 hence the Apostle useth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies we are more than Conquerors by Christ's Love Rom. 8.37 because all our work that Christ hath left us to do is only to conquer an Adversary which is already conquered to our hand before hand Just as Joshuah did to his Captains he delivers the five conquered Kings to them as above and they had no more to do than to set their â—eet upon the Necks of the conquered even so our Jesus hath subdued our Iniquities Mic. 7.19 and hath overcome the World John 16.33 already for us so that we are made sure of Victory before hand in our head Christ Phil. 4.13 and we now have need to do no more but to trample all things under our Feet where the most wise God did at first place them Psal 8.6,7,8 and over which we should triumph in Christ as the Apostle saith now thanks be unto God who causeth us always to triumph in Christ 2 Cor. 2.14 And indeed to be a Triumpher is to be more than a Conqueror for Conquering goeth before and Triumphing always follows after and such a Triumpher was this same Apostle who saith God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ by whom the World is crucified unto me and I unto the World Gal. 6.14 as if he had said the World and I do well agree as it careth not for me so I care as little for it I look upon it only as a dead thing as an overgrown Dunghil I love not to suck her two fair Breasts or rather her two foul Botches of Profit and Pleasure He had learnt that high Lesson in Christ's School of knowing both how to abound with Humility and how to want with content c. Phil. 4.12,13 'T is said when the World is set in our Hearts Eccless 3.11 which ought to be under our Feet as before when we are given up to the carking cares about things of this present evil World as it is called Gal. 1.4 alas how sick are some called Saints of this dry dropsie c May we not well say there is as yet no fitness that the Saints should rule the World according to the Notion of some Opinionists while the World so much doth rule the Saints It may be feared that it is no easie matter to find among many Professors any such mortified men as Paul was and such a Crucifix of Mortification who could cry Quits with the World as before it is said The Scripture indeed tells us whosoever is born of God overcometh the World and who is he that overcometh the World but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God and this is the Victory that overcometh the World even our Faith 1 Joh. 5.4,5 This is not only because by our faith in Christ we are assured of the Victory before we have accomplished our good fight of Faith but also because it is the Nature of Faith to put the Soul upon more noble Exploits as well as Projects than those that are about the base things of this lower World 'T is said that Christ hath made us Kings and Priests unto God his Father Rev. 1.6 which is called a Royal Priesthood 1 Pet. 2.9 So that this faith in Christ giveth the Soul such a Royal Spirit as raiseth it above those things that are below as worldly things are stiled Col. 3.1,2 If ye be risen with Christ seek and set your affections upon things that are above and not upon things that are below upon the Earth Faith lifts up the Soul above both the frownings and the flatterings of the World when we are affrighâ—…d with the Frowns of the World Faâ—… presents the Torments of Hell to us which are far worse than what the most frowning World can inflict upon us and on the other hand when we are allured and enticed with the Flatteries of the World then Faith represents to us the Joys of Heaven which do infinitely transcend all the glittering Glories of this sublunary perishing World as Scipio Affricanus said Vellem si non essem Imperator I would were I not an Emperor and Themistocles take thou it up for thou art not a General so it should be below Christians c. Yea and Faith gives us not only a sight and tast of the Grapes of Canaan the most lovely and desirable Fruits thereof but also feeds us with Hidden Manna Rev. 2.17 If we be but overcomers as we pass along through this Wilderness to our Heavenly Canaan Thus Moses by Faith despised the Treasures and Pleasures of Egypt when he chose to suffer affliction with the People of God rather than to enjoy the Pleasures of Sin for a Season esteeming the Reproach of Christ greater Riches than all the Treasures of that Land which had been the Granary of the World but a little before in Joseph's time for he had respect unto the Recompence of Reward and by the Eye of his Faith he saw him that was invisible Heb. 11.24,25,26,27 that whole Chapter demonstrateth by numerous Instances how Faith is a World-conquering Grace And thus it was also with Caleb and Joshuah who no sooner had tasted of the goodly Grapes of Canaan but they presently loathed the Garlick and Onions of Egypt they longed not at all after them as the other Murmurers did even the whole Multitude Numb 14.6,7,8 saying 't is a Land worth all our Hazards c. How much more is Heaven worth all our Hardships Thus our Lord saith the Kingdom of Heaven suffers Violence and the Violent take it by force Matth. 11.12 Such a Violent and Valiant Conqueror was Luther as before who when the Pope tempted him with a Cardinal's Cap to take him off from promoting Reformation he bravely answered Valde protestatus sum me nolle sic a Deo satiari that is my God shall not put me off with such petty things for I breath after better I am born to better things by my New
Birth And long before Luther even Origen did make the same choice that Moses had made before him in choosing rather to be a poor Preacher or Catechist in Alexandria than he would deny the Faith and turn Apostate as his fellow-pupil Plotinus did to procure to himself the great Grandeur and Splendor of this World As likewise I cannot but record it here how the Strengthening power of Christ made my self able to do the like c. when the Duke of York had imprisoned me and after a long time the Duke of Buckingham came to release me he then did offer to me one of the fattest Benefices in the Church of England if I would conform for he was informed by my Patron and his Father-in-law the Lord Fairfax that I was a great Scholar and had knowledge in all the learned Languages c. as he was pleased to use these Phrases and many more to the same purpose adding how much advantage might redound to our Church as well as to my self might I but be one of them c. My Answer then was this I thank your Grace for your Great Offers but I could not buy my Repentance at so dear a rate in wronging the Light of my own Conscience for I make it my Exercise my Recreation to keep it void of Offence both toward God and toward Man Acts 24.16 All the Favour I request of your Grace at this time is only my Releasement from Prison at which the Lord so inclined his Heart to release me and that without putting any Bonds upon me c. Ever since that time my prayer hath been that of Agur Lord give me neither Poverty nor Riches but feed me with Food convenient for me c. as Prov. 30.6,7,8 Indeed it is a shame the World should captivate us when we should captivate the World The Third Enemy that Christ captivateth for us is the Devil himself who maketh use of our fleshly Lusts as his Soldiers that he presseth yea and presseth forward too to war against our Souls 1 Pet. 2.11 and this present evil World Gal. 1.4 is this Tempter's large Shop where he is fully furnished with all sorts of Tempting Tools his Bag for the Covetous his Bed for the Lascivious and his Board for the Luxurious Lust of the Flesh Lust of the Eyes and Pride of Life as before Now when this Stronger Man our Lord Jesus comes upon this Strong Man thus armed Satan and overcomes him c. Luke 11.22 he spoils him with all his Principalities and Powers he leads Captivity Captive Ephes 4.8 and makes a shew of him openly as Tamâ—rlane did Bajazet the Great Turk whom he shut up in an Iron Cage made like a Grate and formed in such a sort as that on every side he might be seen and so carried him up and down to be scorned and derided by his own People as he passed along through all Asia Thus our Lord and our Champion made the Devil a publick spectacle of scorn and derision triumphing over him in it Col. 2.15 He hath already conquered him taken his Armour from him wherein this Strong Man trusted he hath won the Field and hath trodden him under his own Feet before hand for us and he will tread Satan under our Feet shortly Rom. 16.20 and he will give to us the same priviledge that Joshuah did to his Captains namely to set our Feet upon the Necks of all our Spiritual Enemies for this is God's doom upon all our Spoilers that when they have done their spoling-work they themselves shall be spoiled Isai 33.1 As Satan formerly took us alive as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies and led us captive at his will 2 Tim. 2.26 So he himself shall be led captive as our Lord hath long ago promised Rev. 13.10 as if he had said be of good chear your Spiritual Adversaries yea even Antichrist himself shall all meet with their match as Goliah did with David and this Strong Man with the Stronger Man as they have been long leading you into Captivity so they themselves shall be led into Captivity they shall all Drink as they have Brewed they shall have Blood to drink for they are worthy because they have sucked the Blood of God's Saints Rev. 16.6 Talia quisque luat qualia quisque facit God will pay them home in their own Coins It is a righteous thing with God to recompence Tribulation to them that trouble us 2 Thes 1.6 to fill them with the evil of their own ways as Prov. 14.14 and God will trouble those Troublers of Israel yea and that to all Eternity because if they and we could live together they would trouble us for ever in this lower World Now this is the blessed priviledge of every New Creature whereas sin and Satan did formerly lord it over the Soul the Soul by this happy change becomes through Grace to lord it over sin and Satan and then it is that the Lord saith to us as he said by the Mouth of Moses unto Israel Those Egyptians that pursue you thus this day ye shall see them again no more for ever Exod. 14.13 unless it be as they lay dead upon the shoar Thus converting Grace gives a mortal Wound to the Body of Sin and causeth it to lie a dying ever after and how can such as are dead or at least dying to sin live any longer therein and continue in it Rom. 6.1,2 Oh that we may be able to say our Consciences bearing witness in the Holy Ghost Rom. 9.1 that Christ in us hath led Captivity captive for us c. The Fifth Character of a Conqueror is to pull down the Strong Holds of the Conquered He will in no wise suffer those noisom Nests of Rebellion to be kept standing any longer but with all expedition he labours to demolish them to pull them down from Top to Bottom and to leave them all level with the ground We ought all of us to make a most strict scrutiny and a most serious enquiry whether this Stronger Man the Captain of our Salvation Heb. 2.10 hath made the Weapons of our Spiritual Warfare even strong enough and mighty through God for the pulling down of the Strong Holds of Satan in us and casting down all vain imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the Knowledge of God yea and bringing into Captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ in us 2 Cor. 10.4,5 NB. Note well here 1 st The Apostle's modesty not we saith he but our Weapons are mighty and not through us that wield them but 't is through God that works in and by them 't is not I saith he but the grace of God in me 1 Cor. 15.10 2 dly The Strong Holds of Satan in us are many 't is in the plural number there be sundry strong Forts Castles Trenches Bulwarks all Cages of Unclean Beasts inhabiting in our Hearts we have naturally in us a whole legion of Domestick Devils as the Man in the Gospel had Mar.
blest with an hearing Ear to the word of Life for the Ear is as it were the Gutter that conveys even the Waters of Life into the Soul of Man for thus it is said Hear and your Souls shall live Isai 55.3 and Faith cometh by Hearing the Word of God Rom. 10.17 We must enquire likewise whether with Joab also we have smitten those cursed Canaanites the Jebusites namely our own Carnal Corruptions enquire I say what Rule we have obtained over our own Spirits he that is slow to Anger is better than the Mighty and he that ruleth his Spirit is more honourable than he that conquereth a City Prov. 16.32 This is not only Manly but Godly also Whereas he that hath no Rule over his own Spirit is like a City that is broken down and without Walls Prov. 25.28 Such persons are like secure Hazor that had neither Gates nor Bars Jer. 49.31 those Souls are not fenced in with the fear of God and the Strong Man Satan well armed and furnished for every evil Work as the Man of God is furnished for every good Work as before 2 Tim. 3.17 keeps still the possession of his Strong Hold in them and they were never yet blest with a Visit from that blessed Stronger Man the Lord Jesus to dispossess him Oh thrice happy are they to whom Christ saith as he did to that Demoniack Mark 9.25 Come out of the Man thou Unclean Spirit and enter no more into him As none by the Roman Law were allowed to have the honour of riding Triumphantly in the City of Rome until he had obtained five Victories in the Field over his Enemies c. So none of us can ever expect to triumph as Conquerors in Heaven unless we have got the Victory over all our five Senses for even all the Members of our Bodies as well as all the Faculties of our Souls must be rescued from Satan and brought into obedience to Christ 2 Cor. 10.5 The Sixth Character of a Conqueror is Wholly to disarm the Conquered Thus the Stronger Man when he had come upon the Strong Man and had overcome him he took away all his Armour wherein he trusted Luke 11.22 that is those that were his offensive Weapons to wit the World Sin and Death wherewith he hath prevailed over all the Sons and Daughters of faln Adam after he had foil'd Adam himself for some thousands of Years unto this day And Satan finding all these Weapons so successful is said to trust in them as Goliah did in his Armour which made him triumph before his Victory saying to David come and I will give thy Flesh to the Fowls of the Air and to the Beasts of the Field 1 Sam. 17.44 as if David had been some Boy to be frighted with his big Boasts of his Carnal Confidence and in ver 45. David tells us how Goliah trusted in his Armour saying to him thou comest unto me with a Sword and Spear c. that is thou trustest in thy own Strength and in thy Armour c. but I come to thee in the Name of the Lord c. who will deliver thee this day into my hand ver 46 47. which was accordingly accomplished Thus he who is call'd both David's Son and David's Lord Mat. 22.45 The Stronger Man encounters the Strong Man that trusts in his Armour and spoils him thereof Col. 2.15 even in a Duel too as David did Goliah for Christ trod the Winepress alone Isai 63.1,2,3 When the fulness of time came this ruddy David appeared with his Garments dyed Red with the Blood of his Enemies and as David put Goliah's Armour in his Tent 1 Sam. 17.54 so our David hath buried all the Damning Power of the Devil's Armour in his own Grave Rom. 6.4 Col. 2.12 Thus this Alligory may be farther enlarged as David carried the Head of Goliah to Jerusalem and as some suppose set it up upon a Pinacle of the Temple where Satan set our Saviour by God's permission afterwards as an high Monument of his Happy Victory This David did after he had shewed this same Head to Saul ver 57. And as for Goliah's Sword wherewith David had beheaded the Gyant with his own Weapon this likewise was laid up in the Tabernacle wrapped in a Cloath behind the Ephod 1 Sam. 21.9 where we are told how David prevailed with the High Priest Ahimeleck to restore it to him again as before it had been his own won by his Valour and therefore he accounted no other Sword like that which would be a standing Remembrancer of his former Atchievements by the mighty presence of the Lord his God wherewith he did encourage himself in the day of his great Distress 1 Sam. 30.6 even so our Mystical David destroyed him who had the power of Death that is the Devil with his own Weapon Heb. 2.14 Christ's Death was the Death of Death and of the Devil also who had the power of it Christ came to this end that he might destroy the works of the Devil 1 John 3.8 Accordingly Oh how happy are those Christians who through Christ that strengthens them have got the head of the Tempter or of some strong Temptation into their Hand as David had the Head of Goliah in his Hand and can shew it to the King of Kings as he did to the King of Israel as before and who have got also those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Weapons of Wickedness as the Greek word signifies Rom. 6.13 which formerly warr'd against their Souls 1 Pet. 2.11 But now are wrapped up in a Cloth behind the Ephod in the Tabernacle of the Lord and who likewise go with David to the High Priest of our Profession as Christ is called Heb. 3.1 and have got a better Sword of him than that of Goliah even the Sword of the Spirit which it the Word of God Ephes 6.17 of which it may be better said than was said of the other there is none like that for if the word of Christ do but dwell richly in us as it ought to do in all wisdom Col. 3.16 and as it did in Christ himself aeque equally for Quality non equaliter not equally for Quantity for then we may comfortably hope that with this Sword we shall conquer the great Goliah of Hell as our Lotd did only by hurling three smooth Stones of Sacred Scriptures at his Head as David did at the Head of Goliah and gave him his mortal wound Then indeed are we Conquerors in Christ and then may we say with David also the Snare is broken and our Souls are delivered Psal 124.7 We should be careful to keep all our Monuments and Remembrancers of our former Conquests over both Satan's Temptations and of our own Carnal Corruptions as wrapped up in a Napkin behind the Ephod of a Sanctified Memory even in everlasting Remembrances then former experience may strengthen our present Faith Psal 77.10,11 and then no Weapon formed against us can ever prosper as the Lord hath promised Isai 54.17
Lambs with all their Dams also and this vast number of Rams in such a season of the Year when their Wool was best grown upon their Backs and many more such examples of Tribute might be added Oh that we could ask our own Hearts whether our Affections have been conquered by the Lord Jesus the Stronger Man and Conqueror NB. Are all our Affections turned into Graces as the Affection of Fear into the Grace of Fear and the Affection of Love into the Grace of Love and so of the rest then our Lord hath laid his Laws upon them and they pay each of them their Tribute to Christ Oh blessed is that Soul that pays so many thousand Lambs or devout Prayers to Christ the King of Glory which must needs be numerous if both Occasional and Appointed Prayers if publick and private Prayers both in our Closets and in our Families for the space of one whole year be reckoned up all together If we do all these things then this Great King will greatly delight in our Beauty Psal 45.10.11 and give us Victory over our last Enemy Death which Christ will destroy 1 Cor. 15.26.55,56,57 CHAP. VI. Advice to the Aged for saving the Soul 'T IS the Sacred Sentence and Saying of Solomon the wisest of Men that The Hoary Head is a Crown of Glory if it be found in the way of Righteousness Prov. 16.31 Which words do discover a most clear Character of a compleat Conqueror through Christ's love to us Rom. 8.37 whereby he strengthens us to a kind of Omnipotency to wit of an ability to do all things which ought to be done by us both in Active and Passive Obedience Phil. 4.13 The word Proverbs in the Hebrew is Mashalim which is derived of Mashal signifying to Command Oh that this Divine Proverb may have a commanding power and influence over all us Aged Persons so that all our Gray Hairs may become a Crown of Glory to us by their being found in the way of Righteousness This Text is a compound of two principal Parts to wit a Thesis and an Hypothesis or a Position and a Supposition The Position is first 't is positively asserted that Gray Hairs are a Crown of Glory and then the Supposition follows if it be found in the way of Righteousness There be three Enquiries here to be answered the first What is meant by that Phrase of Gray Hairs or Hoary Head to which the Answer is 1 st Gray Hairs and Hoary Hairs or Head are promiscuously taken in Scripture for one and the same thing as in Levit. 19.32 1 Kings 2.6 and 9. Isai 46.4 Gen. 42.38 and 44.29,31 Prov. 16.31 and 20.29 2 Sam. 12.2 Job 15.10 Deut. 32.25 Hos 7.9 Psal 71.18 c. Answer the 2 d is That Gray Hairs Gray Headed and Hoary Hairs or Head are all Synonymical Expressions with Old Age with all those afore-quoted Scriptures Thus the Antient of Days Dan. 7.9 and Everlasting Father Isai 9.6 is described to have Hair as white as Wool Rev. 1.14 so Levit. 19.32 There this Phrase Hoary Head is used with the Old Man for Doctus in Lege one that is learned in the Law of God The 2 d Enquiry is What is meant by the Crown of Glory Answer 1 st This signifies the highest Honour that can be conferred upon Mankind a Crown is above a Garland a Miter c. a Crowned Head is a Title of the highest of all Humane Honours and there is a great affinity in the Greek Tongue betwixt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Old Age and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Honour and thus the Lord commanded that the Aged should be honoured Levit. 19.32 That Silver Crown of Hoary Hairs which the Finger of God doth set upon the Head of Aged Persons doth render them Venerable and to be Reverenced of all even in all Places and Companies where they come 'T was a caution of Restraint in Rome Cato Videt c. much more Deus Videt c. insomuch that they as it were carry an awful Majesty and Authority along with them both for suppressing of Vice and for encouraging of Vertue in their presence where too much familiarity yea and too much folly with it do not breed contempt Answer the 2 d This Crown is of the best kind of Crowns 't is not only a Crown of Silver as before or a Crown of Gold the best sort of earthly Crowns but 't is a Crown of Glory and that in a double Kingdom namely in the Kingdom of Grace here which is oft in Scripture called Heaven and also in the Kingdom of Glory hereafter So that such Aged Persons as are found to be God's Friends and Favourites as Old Abraham had that very Title given to him no fewer than three times of being God's Friend 2 Chron. 20.7 Isai 41.8 and Jam. 2.23 they shall have a double Crown of Glory first in this Life they shall have the Crown of Reverence and Veneration from all as Old Abraham was thus Crowned whom the very Heathens the Hittites most highly honoured saying to him thou art a Prince of God Hebr. or a Mighty Prince amongst us Gen. 23.6 even the Natural Conscience cannot choose but stoop to the Image of God stampted upon and shining forth in both the Persons and Actions of such as are eminent for Godliness as Abraham was and so it had been done to him before by King Abimelech and by Phicol the chief Captain of his Host Gen. 21.22,23 where they with all imaginable Reverence make their most Humble Address to Father Abraham that he might make an everlasting League with them and with their Posterity c. For both this King and his Captain as also did the Hittites all plainly see in him a behaviour that was more than ordinary to Mankind They were affraid of that Name of God even that Glorious and fearful Name put upon him and called upon by him and by all his Seed also Deut. 28.9,10,58 yea still the Sons and Daughters of Abraham even all God's People are called Princes in all Lands Psal 45.16 The Righteous are more excellent than their Neighbours Prov. 12.26 tho' they be never so great that dwell by them if they have only Greatness without Goodness The Jewish Rabins say that those Seventy Souls which went down with Jacob into Egypt were of much more worth than all the Seventy Nations whereof the whole known World consisteth Christ makes all his Saints to be Kings Rev. 1.6 and to be Conquerors also Rom. 8.37 they are his Glory Isai 4.5 2 Cor. 8.23 and therefore this Crown of Glory is given to them even in this World and if we can but become faithful unto Death then shall we have given us the Crown of Life in a better World Rev. 2.10 and we may the more have hope hereof because we are not kept by any power of our own which is no better than weakness it self Tho' David said I have kept my self from mine Iniquity Psal 18.21,23 and the born of God
to discourse upon is the Accidents of this Nature and Substance of Old Age which are principally two namely 1 st The Quantity and 2dly The Quality of it First Concerning the Quantity of it and this is twofold 1 st That which was more special and peculiar to the Antedeluvian Patriarchs And 2 dly That which is most General and Universal to all the Post-diluvian generation of Mankind ever since Noah's Flood not only unto this day but also to the end of the World 1 st As to the Patriarchs They indeed lived very long and to a very great Old Age yet they all did die at last for the God of Nature did ordain upon the Fall of Adam that Nature should decay and die at last NB. Note well That none of the Patriarchs did live out compleatly a Thousand Years for that term of Time is reckâ—…d as one Day 2 Pet. 3.8 and if any of those Patriarchs had lived out their Thousand Years then that Divine Doom upon faln Mankind in the Day thou eatest the forbidden Fruit thou shalt surely Die Gen. 2.17 Now if any one of those had lived beyond a Thousand Years then Man had not died within the compass of that Mystical Day c. The Patriarchs indeed had a very large Quantity and a long Lease of their Lives and this was for many weighty Reasons of four several sorts 1. Natural 2. Civil 3. Moral 4. Theological The 1 st is Natural because 1. There was much vertue in those Herbs upon which they constantly made their daily Meals 2 dly The Climate where they lived had a most temperate Air and every way most congruous to their Constitutions But 3 dly above all their own Temperance from Surfeiting and Drunkenness for the Old Adage is Plures pereunt Gula quam Gladio more Persons do die by Intemperance than by the Sword c. These Three are the Natural Reasons In the 2 d Place the Civil Reasons are 1 st They lived so long both for the better populating of the World And 2 dly For the better spreading of the Church of God out of the White Line in the World they lived thus long to beget Sons and Daughters for this purpose Then in the 3 d Place the Moral Reasons are 1 st For the better institution of all Arts and Sciences c. And 2 dly For the more promoting of their own Experimental knowledge because they wanted those Books and Libraries which we in our days do enjoy therefore the Lord lent them such long Leases of Eight or Nine Hundred Years whereby they got the greater stock of Knowledge by such long Experience And in the 4 th Place The Theological Reason is For the propagation of the True Religion in the World as was hinted above in the White Line the Posteririty of Seth as the Black Line was the Off-spring of cursed Cain as is made apparent in the draught of ancient Genealogies which are drawn with a White and a Black Line all along to distinguish the Church from the World NB. Note well 1. As the longest Day hath the shortest Night so the longest Life of those Patriarchs had the shortest Death for the night of Death came upon them at the last we read of no Agonies they had in their Dying c. NB. Note well 2. As the Microcosm or great World was drown'd as it were with a Dropsie in Neal's deluge and shall at last be burned as it were with a burning Fever even so the Microcosm or Man who is called the little World More of this afterwards But 2 dly as to the Quantity of Lease of Man's Life since the Patriarchs time which is now general and universal over all Mankind we must know that as the long Lives of those Patriarchs near the beginning of the World tho' now faln under sin doth intimate to us and give us a guess how long Man night have lived upon the Earth had he not sinned before he had been translated into Heaven as Enoch was So that the Age of Man began to be shortned after Noah's Flood and more especially after the confusion of Tongues at the building of Babel for Peleg which signifies Division so called because Tongues were divided in that day and his Son Regu and those born after them lived not above half the time of those than were born before them as Porcus notes well in his Medulla Histor Eccles pag. 15. NB. Note well May not we in our Day call our Sons Peleg as Heber did his Son for in a colour of building up Sion 't is rather a Babel because of the Confusion of Tongues amongst us not understanding one anothers Languages Prob Dolor this is for Lamentation c. Know likewise that after this diminution of Man's Age at the Confusion of Tongues Moses comes and mentions a shorter cut of the Lease of Man's Life as we are told in the Ninetieth Psalm which is called the Prayer of Moses that he made most probably when he saw the Carcases of the People fall so fast in the Wilderness and committed to Writing for the instruction of those that were left alive yet were doomed to Death as Numb 14. at large relateth and this Prayer of Moses is fitly placed next to the eighty ninth Psalm that it might be an illustration of that passage What Man is he that liveth and shall not see Death shall he deliver his Soul from the Hand of the Grave Psal 89.48 After this verse Moses reads a Divine Lecture upon Man's Mortality shewing how God turns Man to destruction Psal 90.3 that is God by turning loose upon Man divers Diseases turns him now soon out of the Worlds And when Moses had set forth the misery of Man's Life by many similitudes as a Watch a Flood a Sleep Flower c. which indeed is such a Misery as cannot sufficiently be set forth by any similitudes ver 4 5 6 7 8 9. He at last comes to determine how short a Lease God gives Man of his Life saying the days of our Years are Threescore Years and Ten ver 10. that is as if he had said Tho' the Fathers lived much longer yet as wickedness increased in the World so Mens Days decreased and now their Lives are daily shortned and one Generation soon dispatched away after another All Men have a quick dimission from their appearance upon the Stage of the World and all this is done that the World it self may come the sooner to its perpetual period And tho' some by reason of a more robust Constitution than others have and therefore may attain to fourscore Years yet few exceed seventy and fewer attain to it and such as live longer do pay interest of Pains Sorrow and Misery for their inlargement beyond the generality of Mankind because the Body is then much decayed and filled with Diseases c. And thus Barzillai accounted himself a very Aged Man when he had attained to the age of fourscore Years old 2 Sam. 19.32 saying of himself How long
of Age at which Age David died see after Then Secondly They accounted him among the Annosos an Old Man indeed who lived up from Seventy to Eighty Years of Age such a Man was got a great way into that far Country of Old Age even into that Hyperborean cold and frozen Climate where the Snow of Hoary Hairs lay continually upon his Head undissolved But Thirdly The highest Step and Degree is such an one as liveth above Eighty Years old those they number among Decrepid Ones that then are Superannuated declining to a Doteage in whom all the Senses of the Body yea and all the Faculties of the Soul begin daily to decay as in Old Barzillai before-named according to his own confession unto David such very Aged Persons are accounted wondrous Old as is the Expression in the Old Singing Psalms Psal 90.10 for it falls out most commonly that in this wondrous Old Age we pay the deep interest of Pains in dolorous Distempers being the time wherein as Solomon saith we can have no Pleasure Eccles 12.1,2 c. and according to the Old Adage bis Pueri Senes Old Persons are twice Children as after their Birth so before their Death they become meerly Childish which once did occasion my self to say when I saw a very Old Woman one past all other Work rocking the Cradle that had a very Young Babe in it behold there is one Child rocking another and thereupon I gave her the best advice I could how it was high time for her to make sure work for a better World Moreover beside this Rabinical Animadversion thus Spiritually Improved we have another more Critical and Christian Calculation of Man's Life made by one of our English Martyrs who left behind this curious Criticism saying because the common term of Humane Life in the ordinary course of Nature is but Threescore Years and Ten according to Moses that Man of God's computation Psal 90.10 Now if we divide those Seventy Years into four Equal Parts then must it necessarily follow that every Man is three parts Dead when he doth but arrive at the Age of Fifty Years This solid Observation doth much sooner mind us of our Mortality than that before of the Jewish Rabbins and to the same purpose I my self have both publickly and privately taught the like Lesson upon the end of my four Fingers and the Thumb shewing to the Eyes of those I spake to how the top of the little Finger represents our Childhood the top of the next Finger shews our Youth the top of the longest Finger demonstrates our Middle Age when we come to our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or fulness of Height and Health then the top of the fore Finger which is a little lower than the middle Finger declares our beginning to decline by little and little but lastly from the top of the fore Finger to the top of the Thumb there is a great fall and hence is it that we usually say such an Aged Person breaks fast in a little time the Lord help us to learn this Lesson upon our Fingers ends NB. Note well The God of Nature hath ordained that Nature in all his created Beings must decay yet this is the Sovereign Power of the Creator over all his Creatures to determine the Time measure and Quantity when the period of Nature shall come to decay and be dissolved Thus Job acknowledges this Divine Rule and Dominion of God over all Mankind saying his Days are determined the number of his Months are with God thou hast appointed his Bounds that he cannot pass c. Job 14.5,6 that is God hath set every Man the Bounds of his Time whether shorter called here his Days or longer the number of his Months and whether shorter or longer they have both their Bounds which they cannot pass no more than the unruly Ocean can pass the Bounds that its Maker hath set it Job 38.8,9,10,11 We should think the same of the Waters of Afflictions that the Lord doth limit them saying thus far shalt thou go and no sarther and here shall thy proud Waves be staid This Sovereign Rule and Dominion of God over Man in determining his Time upon Earth is made manifest in ordering such long Leases of Life to the Patriarchs and such a short Term to the Lives of the following Ages This is elegantly expressed thus by Tertullian Vitae Jugera illis sed nobis tantum Spithamas Deus dedit illi Gigantes fuere nos vero Pugiones c. God gave to the Patriarchs whole and long Acres of Life but to us only a Span-breadth thereof they were lofty Gyants but we are puny Dwarfs yea and this Divine Dominion is daily apparent as the only over-ruling Reason why some likely to live long do die soon while others that are more weak with daily Distempers do live longer than they as well as it is the Will and Wisdom of God that we see the Sons and Daughters of Men do die daily in all Ages in Childhood Youth Middle Age as well as Old Age And as God hath set Bounds to Man's Time so hath he determined Man's Task likewise thus John Baptist had his Course to fulfil Acts 13.25 the word for Course in Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from whence the Dromedary hath his Name which is a swift Creature and will run an hundred miles in a day Thus the Baptist tho' he lived not long but was cut off by Herod yet he lived much in a little space he wrought hard and made haste in his Work as not willing to be taken with his Task undone Thus 't is said of David also in Acts 13.36 that he served out his Generation and then he fell asleep after he had done his Generation-work according to the will of God There is an appointed time to Man upon the Earth Job 7.1 both for his Time and for his Task and he who bears up the Heavens prescribes such a Pillar before Man with this Inscription writ upon it ne plus ultra thou shalt pass no farther stat sua cuique dies said Virgil of old every Man hath his Day set him wherein he must die his last Day stands but all the rest of his days to that Day are in a running posture Some Lutherans indeed do teach that God hath not determined the period of Men's Days but that it is in Man's power either to lengthen or to shorten them But many Scriptures teach the contrary that God hath set the Bounds of every Man's Life to a very Day as well as his Place of Dwelling Gen. 49.13 Acts 17.26 and tho' thofe Bounds may be passed which our Natural Constitution in the ordinary course of Nature setteth yet those Bounds which the Almighty Power and Providence of God setteth us we can never pass For Job useth two Metaphors 1 st That of an Hireling Job 7.1 and 14.6 Now we agree with Hirelings to work with us for a day and therefore are they called Day-labourers The 2 d
not so easily pleased again 4. Another Moral Evil in the Aged is to complain of present Times but praising former Days of old which the Old Men of those Days did as much complain of as he doth of these Whereas indeed the fault lieth not in the Times either present or former but in the Persons that liveth in those Times for in every Age better Hearts and Lives would make better Times Then 2 dly After these Moral Vices do follow Spiritual Sins which are found in Old Age such as 1. Ignorance a meer Child for knowledge no Fool like to an Old Fool and therefore tho' this silly Child be an hundred Years old he is denounced by a Divine Mouth to be accursed Isai 65.20 Thus the Old Age of that silly Child Shimei who childishly plaid away his own Life could not exempt him from Justice for it was David's charge to his Son Solomon let not his Hoary Head go down to the Grave in peace 1 Kings 2.6 2. An indocible untractable Frame attends Old Age to learn the great Mysteries of Godliness as appeared in Old Nicodemus tho' a Master in Israel and could not but have read of a New Heart which God promised to give c. in the Prophet Ezekiel and in other places of the Old Testament yet how aukward was he in entertaining the Doctrine of Regeneration objecting against it First How can a Man be born again And after Christ had told him that the way of the Spirits working this work was incomprehensible c. yet comes he off again with his How can these things be John 3.4,10 This Old Man nay an Old Master in teaching work understood no more of the Mystery of the New Birth than a rude Rustick can comprehend the profoundest Points of the Mathematicks which be no better than Gibberish to him when he hears them NB. However it is no matter how dull the Scholar is when Christ himself will become the Teacher as here for this Nicodemus who had long been a Night-bird during the Life of Christ did at the last break forth as the Sun from under a Cloud to manifest his Love to his Lord after his Death John 19.39 3. To illustrate this farther Old Age is Self-conceited and cannot easily be convinced through Pride of Spirit rooted in it he is too wise to learn therefore was it that Solomon preferred a poor and wise Child before an Old and Foolish King who abhors to be admonished Eccles 4.13,14 for the Young Child is apt to learn and ready to receive Instruction and will be as careful to follow it and all this is true Wisdom Whereas an Old and Foolish King is not only weak but also wilful and his Pride is the ground of his Wilfulness as he is short-sighted in his Mind so he is stubborn and unconvincible in his Will There have been such Kings in the World who in their Old Age have shewed themselves so self-willed and so wedded to their own vain Opinions that they never endured to ask Advice and if any were given them what they fancied not they assuredly rejected it though they sometimes yea very seldom ask Counsel yet never follow any but their own until they ruin themselves and their People 4. As the Three former brings Ruine c. to the Bodies not only of Old and Foolish Kings but also of Old and Foolish Subjects who do harden their Hearts against all good Counsel yea and that which is worst of all these Three afore-named bring destruction to their Souls likewise by their living and dying in that great sin of Unbelief and final Impenitency which their custom in sin taking away all conscience of sin doth at last seal them up in where the superabounding Grace of God doth not interpose to disappoint it This refractory and untoward untractable Temper of abhorring to be taught hath been a long time observed universally to accompany Old Age insomuch that this was the first ground of that Old Greek Adage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Senum Doctor a Teacher of Old Persons by which Phrase the Wisdom of the Ancients used to express any labour in vain like those other Phrases Aethiopem lavare to wash a Blackmore white which Phrase is used in Scripture Jer. 13.23 And to the same purpose is that Adage used by Pagan Authors Sysiphi saxum voluere a Poetical Fiction that this Sysiphus was doomed unto as a punishment for his former Faults that he was to roll an heavy Stone up the Hill which then did run down again of it self with its own weight and when it came to the bottom his work was to roll it up again yea and that which was the Mischief and Misery of this Man in this Work it must be his only and continual Task for all his time c. All these Adages do demonstrate the unteachableness of Old Age and that if we do not through the Grace of God remember our Creator in the days of our Youth while that tractable Temper continueth with us but still drive it off until Old then become we so slow so oblivious and so setled upon the Lees c. insomuch that the Ministry of the Word that they sit under is labour in vain to such and Christ's Ministers may complain with the Prophet as to such as hate to be reformed and are incorrigible I have laboured in vain and I have spent my strength for naught and in vain Isai 49.4 NB. Note well how besotted and even bewitched are such Persons to make that the Task of their Old Age which ought to be the Trade of our whole Life and to settle their everlasting and surest making or marring upon so sandy and sinking a Foundation as Old Age is well called an Evil Age for Reasons aforesaid Now the next and Second Point to be discoursed upon is How this Evil Old Age may become a Good Old Age as was Abrahams Gen. 25.8 and Isaac's Gen. 35.29 and Davids 1 Chron. 29.28 hic labor hoc opus est this is an high and an hard undertaking for the accomplishment whereof let this be the method As 1 st The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that it may be so seeing the Evil Old Age which is so in it self and by decays of Nature hath been made a good Old Age by the power of Grace as in those three aforenamed 2 dly The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Reasons why it ought to be made so because our eternal Weal or Woe hangs upon it And 3 dly The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the means whereby this marvelous change from Evil to good may be wrought First of the 1 st That it may be so 't is clear not only from the many Examples of Holy Men and Women upon Record in both the Old and New Testament who all lived holily to a good Old Age and died happily at the last and the Scripture gives this honourable Character concerning Mnason that he was an Old Disciple of Christ Acts 21.16 And the Ancient
Hoary Head found in the way of Righteousness is the flourishing Crown of the Old Man in the Spring of a better World unto which he is hastening with white Snow or Church-yard Flowers upon his Head This makes up another of the five Characters afore-mentioned that Old Age hath White Sugar in its Hair as it is Gray-headed c. The 11 th Evil of Old Age is then the Grashopper or Locust shall be a Burden that is the Old Man cannot bear the least Weight or Burden no not the Weight or Burden of a Locust or Grashopper because he is already become a Burden to himself by manifold Distempers upon him as Gout Phthisick c. But another learned Expositor interprets this Clause neither by the noise of the Locust for that is intimated before ver 4. in the Voice of the Bird nor by its weight Hyperbolically spoken to signifie that the lightest Burden is a Load to Old People but most fitly as he saith it is meant of the slowness of the Aged's digestion For tho' the Locust be a clean and wholesom Food Levit. 11.22 and much used in those Hot Countries especially by the poorer sort of People Matth. 3.4 yet even this Light Meat proves heavy and burdensome to the Old Man's Stomach The 12 th Evil of Old Age is that then Desire shall fail that is not only Appetite either to Meat or to Drink as was in Barzillai afore-named but also all vehement and strong Affections to the common Pleasures of this Life called the Delights of the Sons of Men Eccles 2.8 such as are the Lusts of the Flesh the Lusts of the Eye and the Pride of Life all these shall be taken away c. Hence famous Tully reckons this as one great Benefit by Old Age quod Hominem a libidinis aestu velut a quodam Tyranno liberabit that it sets a Man free from the Fire and Flagrancy of Lust as from a great Tyrant And this also implied in that Etymology of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies an Elder derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ignis and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 extinguo to wit the Quenching of Fire Thus far go the First sort of Evils attending the former part of Old Age while we are yet able to walk abroad now follow the Second Sort that do accompany our Decrepit Age which are the symptoms and forerunners of approaching Death and then it is that we are said to have one Foot in the Grave There is yet one of the Five Characters behind to be now mentioned namely the Old Man hath also an Almanack in his Bones as well as Eyes or Spectacles in his Pocket a Leg or Staff in his Hand Sugar or Snow in his Hoary Head and Teeth or Knife at his Girdle Now this Almanack is the many Aches and Pains all over his Body which makes him Weather-wise and wiser than his Almanack and can better prognosticate that ill weather is near at hand when he begins to feel many pungent pricking Pains infesting the Humours of several parts of his Body the like Prognosticks as the Lord Bacon in his Natural History telleth us are found in some certain Weather-wise Fowls which against stormy Seasons will make most doleful Ditties and sad Outcries and the Reason hereof as that learned Nobleman rendreth it is because then the purified Air penetrates into the Quils of their Feathers which puts them to much Anguish and causeth them to cry out after◠an hiddious manner Thus it is with us in our Decrepid Age such Cramps and Convulsions do come upon us as do foretel the Storm of Death is drawing nigh and that we are going apace to our long home Eccles 12.5 And therefore the Moral of the Apologue is very weighty and well worthy of serious consideration The Story in the Fable runs thus There was a Man who made this Bargain with Death not to come for taking away his Life and sending him away into another World until he had due notice and warning hereof before hand Death agrees and the Bargain was struck up between them both After this the Man liveth a long time yet not altogether without some Ailments and Illments all standing memorials of Mortality At the last Death comes in good earnest as God's Sergeant to Arrest him and to carry him to the Prison of the Grave Nay saith the Man to Death Hold now thy Hand for I must bind thee to thy Bargain wherein thou bound thy self to give me timely notice and due warning of thy coming To this Death smartly replied Oh Man how many Harbingers hast thou had concerning my coming in those sundry Distempers of Tooth-ach Head-ach and such like all which were my Forerunners but thou minded them not therefore Thou Fool at this Time thy Soul shall be required of thee as Luke 12.20 whereupon Death cast his fatal Javeling at him struck him down dead and hurried him away to his place in another World The Moral of this Mystical Fable is this That even all the Infirmities of the First Sort namely not only the Five Characters of Old Age fore-mentioned with all the other Decays of Nature which the Eldest Son of Wisdom Solomon recordeth Eccles 12.1,2,3,4,5 they are all Summons sent from Heaven to us that we may be making ready for our departure from this Earth But more especially those of this latter Sort which do more immediately introduce Death it self The two First whereof be external in the last of part ver 5. As 1 st Man is just a going to his long Home Gnal Beth Gnalamo Hebrew the House of his Age the Grave where he shall rest until the Day of his Resurrection Job 14.12 Now the Sentence of Death is seen by many indicant Signs to writ upon him as 2 Cor. 1.9 and he lies sighing out those sad words of Job My Spirit is spent my Days are extinct the Graves are ready for me Job 17.1 2 dly The Mourners go about the Streets that is his Friends and Neighbours run to see him die and to close up his Eyes making many mournful Moans and Lamentations over him to provoke others to lament with them Amos 5.16 and Jer. 22.18 This is one of the dues of the Dead so it be done aright The Four following Decays are Internal ver 6. in the very Act of Dying namely the dissolution and perishing of those principal parts wherein the life and strength of Nature do inwardly consist As 1 st Or ever the Silver Cord be loosed that is the Marrow of the Back-Bone which runneth from the Brain through the Neck to the bottom of the Back through twenty four Joints and takes in therewith all the Sinews of the other parts of the Body and which are the Ligaments of all the Members Now as this Marrow is of a Silver Colour and is therefore called a Silver Cord so as it is a Cord that ties all the whole Body together Now when this Cord comes to loosened the Back bendeth Motion
it is indeed a Terror to Kings too the Philosopher calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the most formidable of Formidables and Nature in the best doth find it frightful enough yet our Lord saith I will not leave you Comfortless John 14.18 The First Comfort against the Fear of Death and that our Lord hath left us for our Relief is 1 Cor. 15.55 that Christ hath unstinged that Serpent and that now his Redeemed may triumph over it Moses first fled from the Serpent but being better informed he took it by the Tail and then it became an Useful Rod in his Hand Exod. 4.3,4 Thus Israel at first fled from Goliah as affrighted with the sight of such a Monster of Mankind but so soon as they understood that David had slain him and laid him along without his Head upon the ground then did they run as fast to him to trample upon him c. as they had before run away from him sore affrighted 1 Sam. 17.24,52 So could we but believe that Christ our Lord David had swallowed up Death in Victory as we are assured Isai 25.8 and that Christ's Death is the Death of Death Hos 13.14 then might we sing a Triumphant Song with the Apostle over both Death and the Grave c. A Second Breast of Comfort against the Fear of Death is that precious Promise of God Thou shalt not be afraid when Destruction or Death cometh Job 5.21 and thus God said to Old Jacob fear not to go down to Egypt for I will be with thee and I will bring thee back again c. Gen. 46.3,4 Accordingly our Saviour saith to his sanctified ones Isai 13.3 Fear not to go down among the Dead which is a going the way of all the Earth Josh 23.14 for I will go down with thee and I will assuredly also bring thee back again as one of my Children of the Resurrection Luke 20.36 as if he had said I will bring you without failure from the Jaws of Death to the Joys of Heaven as surely as Ezra and Nehemiah brought all the Captive Jews out of the Captivity of Babylon and we must consider for our Comfort that Death seizeth upon the Body only which we derive from the First Adam as Joseph's Mistress seized only upon Joseph's Garment his Person escaped so the pretious Soul is returned to God that gave it Eccles 12.7 A Third Breast of Consolation for Saints to suck against the Fear of Death is the Righteous hath Hope in his Death Prov. 14.32 Death to a Believer is as the Vally of Achor Josh 7.24,27 Israel's entrance into the Land of Promise a Door of Hope Hos 2.15 into the Heavenly Canaan there to sing Hallelujah's to the Lord for ever Death indeed to Sinners is but a Trap-door that drops them down into Hell Psal 9.17 When that Grim-Sergeant Arrests them by God's Permission and Commission in the Devil's Name and hurls them into an Infinite Ocean of Hell-fire Oh what Dreadful Skreaks doth that Guilty Soul give when it is hurried away and hurled into Everlasting Burnings Isai 33.14 and to swim naked as i◠Scalding Lead and Liquor for evermore But blessed be God 't is better with the Saints whose Debts are all paid by their Dear Redeemer they are not afraid of the Arrest of Death but looks upon it as God's Officer sent to give them possession of a Mansion of Glory and therefore their Hearts are not troubled when their Lord sends for them to be ever with him in Heavenly Happiness John 14.1,2,3,4 and 16.7 and 1 Thes 4.17.18 Oh how willing was Old Jacob to go down into Egypt when it was only to see his younger Son Joseph whom he had not seen for many years c. How much more willing yea desirous ought we to be to go up to Heaven a far better place than Egypt there to see our Elder Brother Jesus Christ How glad were those Three Wise Men of the East to take a long Journey when it was only to see the Babe of Bethlehem Christ in the Cradle c Now if we can but say as those Wise Men said We have seen his Star c. Matth. 2.2,11 how much more ought we to long for this Journey c. that we may behold our Lord Christ advanced upon the Throne of his Glory and to behold his Face in Righteousness Psal 17.15 c. which is a Beatifical Vision a Sight far exceeding those Three Romam in Flore Paulum in Ore Christum in Carne which Father Augustin so earnestly wished to see namely Rome in its Glory Paul in the Pulpit and Christ in the Flesh Alas all those Sights are infinitely below the beholding him in his Glory 1 John 3.2 It was a good Prayer of the same Augustin saying Lord can no Man see thy Face and live O then let me die that I may see it c. A Fourth Cordial against the Fear of Death is Better is the day of our Death than the day of our Birth Eccles 7.12 'T is better every way For 1. Our Birth begins our Miseries but our Death ends them if we die in the Lord we are blessed Rev. 14.13 Whereas Man born of a Woman is born to trouble c. Job 14.1 Yea miserable so soon as warm in the Womb at Conception Psal 51.5 Birth is our entrance into this lower present Evil World Gal. 1.4 but Death in Christ is our entrance into the best and blessed World 2. We come crying into this World c. but some Saints have gone singing and triumphing out of it into a better World hoping that their Death was but the Day-break of Eternal Brightness c. A Fifth Cordial is that Death cannot separate us from the Love of God Rom. 8.28 'T is so far from destroying the Union that it is called a sleeping in Jesus 1 Thes 4.14 And as by sleep the frame of the Body is refreshed so by Death the Union of the Soul is refined Now when we are wearied with our days Labour we are not afraid to go take our rest When Lazarus died our Lord said our Friend Lazarus sleepeth John 11.11 and he said the same of Jairus's Daughter Matth. 9.24 and this is the frequent Phrase in Scripture to call Death a Sleep Job 7.21 2 Sam. 7.12 1 Cor. 11.30 Now as Sleep doth not separate Friends but only for a time betwixt good Night and good Morrow so no more doth Death which is but a bidding good Night for after sleeping in the Grave as in a Bed Isai 57.2 the Morning comes to rise again The Sixth Cordial is 2 Cor. 5.1,2,3 to 9. We know 't is not we think or we hope only this is the true Triumph of our Trusting in Christ our leaning upon the Lord Isai 50.10 that when our Clayie Cottages moulder down we have a Mansion of Glory to go to While we abide in those tottering Tabernacles we groan earnestly being Burdened ver 2.4 that is both with Sin and Misery whereof we have here our
Back-burdens Now who would not but be disburdened and be at Ease and Rest in the Grave the Weary find Rest Job 3.17 but the Rest that is found in Christ Matth. 11.28,29,30 is for the Soul as well as Body c. Rev. 14.13 and who would not be willing to put off Rotten Rags and to put on Royal Robes c. Many more Cordials might be mentioned as 7 thly For me saith Paul to die is Gain Phil. 1.21 because Death to a good Man brings freedom from all Evil and a fruition of all Good And hereupon he 8 thly He desired to be dissolved c. ver 23. The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to launch forth to loose off from the Shore of Life and to launch out into the Ocean of Immortality and Glory this was all his Song he longed to be with Christ ever after he had been wrapt up to the Third Heaven 9 thly Yea and Old Simeon thought it best of all with Paul to die when he sang that sweet Song Lord now let thy Servant depart in peace c. Luke 2.29 as is largely spoke to before adding only this here he only saw the Lord's-Christ in weakness with an Eye of Sense but we see him in Glory with an Eye of Faith therefore may better depart not in Peace only but also in Joy and Comfort 10 thly How couragious was that Proto-Martyr Stephen against the Terrors of a most Terrible Death after he had seen the Heavens opened and Christ standing at the Right Hand of God Acts 7.56 The like Prospect we have offered to our Faith which is the Key that opens Heaven and may we but fix our Spiritual Eyes upon that Glorious Object this would wonderfully enable us to lay down our Mortal Bodies in peace and send up our Immortal Souls into the Hands of him that bought it crying Lord Jesus receive my Spirit Lastly But thanks be to God who giveth us the Victory through our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 15.57 with 55 56. Thirdly The Cordials against Terrors of the Day of Judgment which surely follows Death Heb. 9.27 and which is called a Terrible and Dreadful Day very often in Scripture as that Day shall burn like an Oven Mal. 4.1 the Sun turned into Darkness and Moon into Blood Acts 2.20 and Elements shall melt with fervent Heat c. 2 Pet. 3.10 and the Lord will come in flaming Fire c. 2 Thes 1.7,8 and with Fire and Sword will God plead with all Flesh c. Isai 66.15,16 see likewise Joel 2.31 Matth. 25.31,32 Rev. 1.7 c. Now if a Crack of Thunder and a Flash of Lightning at the breaking of a single sorry Cloud do so affright us how much more when the whole Heavens break and drop down like Scalding Bell-Mettal about our Ears c. Yet Note well 1 st There is Comfort for the Chosen Ones they shall be caught up in the Clouds to meet the Lord in the Air and so shall ever be with the Lord and therefore comfort your selves c. 1 Thes 4,16,17,18 2 dly As Death leaves us so the Day of Judgment will find us as the Tree falleth towards the South or towards the North there it lieth Eccles 11.3 Even so as is before observed if we fall by Death upon the Right Hand of Christ among his pretious Sheep then are we called upon to lift up our Heads for the Day of our Redemption is come Luke 21.28 Ephes 4.30 that way the Tree leans that way it falls Oh that while we live we may lean to Christ 3 dly The due Observation of the main end of Life is to be useful to the end of our Lives wee should be ever ready Matth. 24.44 May we but become good Stewards then blessed is that Servant whom his Master shall find so doing ver 46. 4 thly Tho' we be conscious to our selves that our Obedience has been exceeding narrow to God's Commandments which are exceeding broad Psal 119.96 yet may we rejoice with Trembling Phil. 2.11 because our Judge is our Advocate who became sin for us c. that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5.21 1 John 2.1,2 5 thly May we but upon good grounds be persuaded that we are justified by Faith then have we peace with God through Jesus Christ our Lord Rom. 5.1 this is known if we be sanctified by the Spirit 2 Thes 2.13 For this latter doth evidence the former and having got God's Seal and Earnest which he never gives to a Reprobate then fear not Gen. 15.1 6 thly Be sure to have the Line of Scarlet Thread bound to our Windows as Rahab had Josh 2.18 this was the saving Colour a Red Cord Thus Israel's Door-posts must be Red with Blood when the destroying Angel passed over Egypt Rahab made haste and delayed not as Psal 119.60 So soon as she dismissed the Spies long before Jericho fell c. Oh could we get this Scarlet Line the Blood of Christ fixed upon our Hearts this Sign saved Rahab and made her famous Heb. 11.31 and Jam. 2.25 then our Joshuah will save us and say to us also Come ye blessed of my Father inherit c. Matth. 25.34 In the mean time we Aged Ones must be ever praying Lord cast me not off in my Old Age and forsake me not when strength fails me Psal 71.9 Laus Ei Soli tribuatur omnes Cujus Afflatu Labor extat omnis Fructus ut Vitae reserantur omnes orbis in Oras FINIS Christopher Nesse aetatis suae 56 1678 Minnister of the Gospel in fleet Street London