Christ who by their oathes and wicked practices crucify the Lord of life againe Math 24. 25. These are the nobility or rather ignobolity of this great Princes Court subordinate unto these are many infernall Officers all children of disobedience too many have advanced Ephes 2. 3. his diabolicall throne in their hearts two shall be in a bed two in the feild two at the mill there 's halfe in half for the Devill one taken the Luke 8. 15. other forsaken Matth. 16. The seede of Gods sacred word fell upon foure sorts of ground and but one of them good that 's great oddes three to one three for that infernall Cur one for Gods kingdome The Devil hath too many Servants three to be tyed up in sheaves and burnt with fire unquencheable one to be gathered into Gods granary Luke 8. again there was tenne Lepers cleansed nine of them clave to their ingratefull Mr. one onely returned thankfully to his heavenly preserver here 's nine to one Luke 17. 15. Nay Solomon found not one in a thousand nay there was not found in all Jerusalem one man that executed Judgement and sought the truth Jerem. 5. 1. there was once but eight persons in all the world yet there was one that set up the Devils throne in that smal company Gen. 7. Nay the whole world lyeth in wickednes Joh 5. 19. So potent so great so large a jurisdiction hath this blacke prince of the aire this prince of the world and darknesse Ephe. 8. Lastly as the Devill is a roaring Lyon a Murtherer a Prince So he is also an accuser of the faithfull Rev 12. 10. The Devil an accuser of the faith full he spares no time from accusing for sinne but that which hee employeth in temptation to sinne or inflicting punishment on the sinne committed he is the first mover to sinne and the first accuser for sinne he busieth himselfe only in preferring bils of inditement against sinne to the Judge of heaven and earth who will not suffer it to go unpunishe how like an Informer doth he lye sculking and prying into the closest of mans heart that he might be able to lay that sinne to his charge which he himselfe tempted unto thus dealt he with our first parents and this is his dealing with all the world at this time thus did he accuse Job unto God Doth Job serve God for nought Job 2. There is none that can be free from his most unjust accusations Is it so then Is the Devill a roaring Lyon Doth he compasse the earth seeking whom he may devoure well for all that he is but can is eaten a ligatus a dogg tyed up in a chayne latrare potest mor dere non potest well may he barke bite I am sure he cannot All the world was indeede cowd out by his power till Christ first broke his head in the wildernesse but now the meanest Christian through Christ that helpes him is able to make a jest of him Phil. 4. 13 and hell too One of the sages of Greece said that it was better to have an army of sheepe with a Lyon for their Captaine then a Company of Lyons with a sheep for their leader what though thou art a filly sheepe thou hast the Lyon of the of Judah for thy Commander it is he that hath broken both the head of his power and policy at once I am sure he cannot hurt thee Is the Devill a Murtherer doth he by sinne seeke to take away thy life spirituall doth he by Scandalous defamatory reports go about to deprive thee of thy life morall doth he by some malicious plot or other labour to put out thy life naturall feare him not what though he kill thy body he shall not kill thy Math. 10. 28. Soule the Lord of life will deliver thee and blessed shalt thou bee when men speak al manner of evill of thee for his name sake Math. 8. 7. Is the Devill a Prince of the ayre God of Heaven is above him hath he a large power what though it be so it is for all that limited hath he many sworne slaves attendant on him doth he rule in the children of disobedience both he and they are at Gods command and when they have dominered to the height then will that King of Kings and Lord of Lords by his unlimited power clap them up in Everlasting chaynes of darkenesse Jud. 7. Lastly is the Devill an accusar of the faithful what though God is the God of truth he is a lyar Job 8. 44. cannot the children of God come to stand before the Lord but he must stand perking up amongst them ready to upbraide them Job 1. 6. Doth he never rest from Gods elbow to give information and to file up bills of accusation what of all this Christ sitteth at the right hand of God interceding for thee cancelling those hand writings of sinne and Sathan who then shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect Marke 16 15. it is God that justifieth Rom. 8. 33. and for this accuser Col. 2. 14 Psalm 68. 8. prâ—jectus est he is cast out by the bloud of the Lambe Rev. 12 11. Death and the Devill are now swallowed up into victory 1 Cor. 15. captivity is now led captive that Leviathan who maketh the deepe to boyle Death Sinne and the Devill conquered by Christ like a pot hath now an bâ—oke cast in his nose and his jawes are pearced with the angle Job 40 21. Christs humanity was the bait which he nibled at many a time in the wildernesse and Isid Hispal Sent. lib. 1. elsewhere but not perceiving the hooke little thinking of his Divinity was catcht in the conclusion nay Christ did not leave him so but chaced him downe to those chambers of death the grave they are not now any longer prisons but dormitoryes sweete places of repose for the Saynts departed thus by the death of Câ—rist the last Enemy is destroyed too thou art not now captive to death the sting is taken out the death of Saynts 1 Cor. 15. 1 Thes 3. 14. Phil. 3. 11. Gen. 5. 24. Phil. 1. 23. is called a sleepe a change that of Enoch was a translation that of Eliâ—h an assumption S. Paul called it a dissolution every thing altereth its property where Christ sanctifyeth hee by the bitternesse of his death hath sweetned the extremity of ours the life gave himselfe to death where as men are usually buryed after they are dead Christ after his death layd death in the grave and hell in hell the lake was buried in the lake now hâ—ll where is thy victory thankes bee given to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 15. 57. I have now shewed thee what the Devill is how ravenous for his prey how cruell in his intendments how potent in mischeife and how false in his accusations what neede hast thou then to stand upon thy guard doe but guird
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vell done thou good and faithfull servant The Christian SOULDIER His COMBAT CONQUEST And CROWNE Agaynst the three Arch-enemies of Mankind The WORLD The FLESH And The DEVILL There is none other that fighteth for us but onely thou O God LONDON Printed by R. H. for J. S. and are to be sold by Bernard Langford at the signe of the blew Bible at Holborn bridg 1639. To his loving and indulgent Mother HELEN MELHUISH The happinesse of this life and that which is to come MOTHER HAving from your breasts received the first nutriture of my body and by your dayly admonition and wholesome counsell a better aliment for the preservation of my soule to whome then could I more fitly dedicate those my younger blossoms of experience next unto God my spirituall Father and the Church my spirituall Mother then to you my carefull naturall Mother the Travayle and payne you endured at my byrth was much and for that I must ever owe you much obedience but what of that had you only brought mee into this miserable world and there left mee sine cognitione dei without the knowledge of a better I had not beene much the better nay farre worse that I have not let the Counsell fall to the ground but by the help of my God made a hopefull improvement let these ensuing lines bee an obedient Testimoniall to your perusal I leave them that the Armour therein mentioned may be your furinture that those evills which the craft and subtility of the Devill or man worketh agaynst you may bee brought to nought that in the end you may receive a Crowne of Righteousnesse shall bee the prayer of Your obedient Sonne E. T. To the Reader READER THis Christian Souldier came but lately to my acquaintance he was me thought at the first sight well qualifyed but some what meanely habited upon further conference had put him into a garb suteable to his condition by way of thankfull Requitall hee related unto me the necessity of undertaking the Christian Combat the use of the Armour therein to bee employed the danger of the adversaries theyr severall Attempts theyr strength and power then shewed the way how to come off with victory lastly used some further motives and encouragements to take up Armes and that to bee done without any further delay the security of these times calls for publication of such discoveryes I have therefore made that common which was delivered to mee in a more private manner Not to hold thee any longer in that to which this but introduceth I bid thee heartily farewell I. Sp. The SUMMONS To take up Armes and that speedily against the three inveterate Enemies of Mankind The WORLD The FLESH And The DEVILL WHosoever thou art of whatsoever degree sex or Condition if thou hast not as yet entred the feild agaynst the common Enemyes of thy salvation let mee advise thee now at this very instant whilst thou art reading this summons to buckle on thy armes and march out speedily it is Arme arme arme high time the Enemyes are growne strong and potent for want of opposition whilst thou lyest sleeping out thy time they have almost entered nay they have allready také possession of thy soule dost thou not perceive how they beginne to smother the thoughts of heaven to quench the good motions 1 Thes 5. 19. of the spirit they are ready to advance theyr owne Diabolicall thrones in thy heart sinne beginnes to reigne Rom. 6. 12. 7. 23. in thy mortall body the 〈◊〉 of the members rebels agaynst that of the spirit thy understanding is darkened thy will instead of conformity to Gods is growne rebellious all the facultyes both of body and soule are ready to yeild themselves weapons of unrighteousnesse to sinne is it not high time Rom. 6. 13 then to look about thee and greive not that holy spirit that Ephes 4. 30 hath marked thee out to a better designe thou hast in thy Baptisme received prest mony to fight under Christs banner and to continue his faythfull Souldier to thy lifes end didst thou not there promise Catechisme in the booke of Com. Prayer and vow to forsake the Devill and all his workes the pompes and vanityes of the wicked world with al the sinfull lusts of the flesh this was the end of thy Baptisme let mee tel thee plainly it is great pity that ever that Sacramentall water should have wet thy face if thou shouldst now forget the end of thy Christian calling who made thee a Christian thou wast not Non natus sed factus Christianus borne so no naturall worke I am sure hath done it Christianity growes not on the bitter Roote of Nature thou art therefore called of God to bee a Christian thou art called of Christ to bee a Christian Philip. 3. 14. Souldier S. Paul gloried more as hee was a Christian by calling then as an Apostle by his function hence it is that a Christian calling is the confluence of all happinesse if it G. Nazianzen were possible to contract all the excellencies that are in Excellency of the Christian calling Math. 13. 45. most eminent callings the same are to be found in Christians A Christian is that Mercator gemmae hee that selleth all hee hath and trafficks for the Pearle a Christian is the Right Souldier that fighteth the good fight 2 Tim. 4. Rev. 5. 10. a Christian is that Royall Priest that is made unto God who shall reigne on the earth lastly hee is the man that fits on the white horse which had a bowe and a Crowne given him better then the Crownes of Kings and Princes Rev. 6. 2. these Heathens were surely foolish that called Christians poore Originalls but of yesterday a fond people they were that thus judged not to speake of Crownes put but in priviledges of Christians the honors which attend on Christians they will be found unspeakable what is like unto that of talking with God walking with God bearing the Gen. 17. 3. Act 11. 26 Gen. 4. 22. 1 Tim. 6. 12. Rom. 8. 15 name of Christ fighting under his banner entertaining the spirit into our hearts excellent also are the Priviledges that attend on Christians the comfort 1 Pet. 1. 8. 1 Tim. 1. 5 1 Thes 1. 6. of joy unspeakable peace of conscience joy in the Holy Ghost as S. Paul hath is concerning the Jewes to whom belong the adoption and Rom. 9. 4. the glory and the Covenants and the giving of the law and the Dignity of Christians service of God and the Promises hence it is that they are 1 Pet. 2. 9. stiled 〈◊〉 generation a Royall Priesthood an holy Nation a peculiar people if it bee thus whilst we are in the Race how glorious will it bee 1 Cor. 9. 24. when wee have finished our Course if it bee thus in the Combat what will it bee in 2 Tim. 4. 7 the Conquest if there
bee so much honour in the person that grace hath made a Christian what then is to bee found in the grace it selfe every man riseth to honour three ways 1 By Favour A Christian made honorable by favour 2 By Descent 3 By Vertue And a Christian hath all these severall rises but it is grace that makes him truly noble procul dubio ea est vera Nobilitas quae in favore Dei S. August â—onsistit there is not a greater â—onour then to bee in favour â—ith God The Bereans are called Noâ—le Act. 17. have not I planted bee a Noble vine sayth God of the Church Jerem. 21. are there not vessels of â—onour 2 Tim. 2. 20 all â—ese titles of honour are given regard of Gods especiall â—vour this is the estate of a Christian by Gods favour truly honorable Secondly a Man is honorable by descent when hee cometh 2. A Christian made honorable by descent Rom. 8. 15 Mar. 3. 35. from honorable parentage and untainted house if title descent make honorable then may the Christian bee accounted truly noble Hee calleth God Father Christ brother whosoever shall doe Gods will which is in heaven he is Christs brother and sister and Mother here is a noble alliance Matth. 12. 50. Lastly a Man is made noble by vertue and that 's the cheife A Christian made truly honorable by vertue Nobility here it is that a ChristiaÌ„ hath his primeexcellence for vertue is not to bee found out of Christianity moral vertues are but shadowes in a Christian every vertue is a grace and grace is that which ennobleth states Prov. 14. it sets the stampe of Honor upon Christians nay it ennobleth soules S. Paul S. John Ephes 3. 8. Luk. 16. 20 Lazarus to themselves they were but ragged but grace made theyr soules so honorable that they had a guard of Angells to convey them into Abrahams bosome thus the gracious calling of a Christian is made honorable both in body and soule good reason it is a calling of God distinguished from others of men other callings are honorable by way Great difference betwixt the calling of Christians and that of Men. of assignement this flowes immediately from God it hath its deduction from him doth not depend on any thing from man this is the right calling all others are but crafts and trades then surely if Christians have theyr calling from God a Christian is a man of God but if the name and practice agree not aliud professione aliud conversatione then the name of Christianity is not a Comfort but confusion the true marke of a Christian is not magna loqui but vivere it were better bee a bad Heathen then a bad Christian to have the forme of Christianity and 2 Tim. 3. 5 not the power is meere hypocrisy omne nomen ab actu a Sâ—holler is knowne by his study a Merchant by traffick to practice godlynesse is the proper Act of a Christian and the buffetings of Sathan are the markes of a Christian Souldier yet not every scratch or scarre can bee tearmed the Churches glory but when it is as some times with the Romanes quot vulnera tot ora so many wounds so many tongues to expresse the glory of God all those wounds which are received in warres for the Countryes good are Gods honour it was the saying of Maelius that hee had no armes or coate of Heraldry to bragge of Hae cicatrices sunt meae imagines Salâ—â—st In ipso non sunt vulner a sed ego habco in ipso claro loco but those honorable scarres received in combat for his Countreys safety thus Telamon upbrayded Vlisses that he had more words then wounds it was Alexanders honour to goe bare in that place where hee was wounded thus did hee likewise encourage his Father being lame of his foote goe on and shame not to limpe every step you treade is a pace of honour here was glory but not in Christ the wounds were stigmata but not stigmata Christi here was glory but in the concrete not in the Gal. 6. 18. abstract then is the true glory when Christ is made the ayme of all encounters then whatsoever The true works of a Christian Souldier blowes shall bee endured will appeare as so many honorable trophyes erected to his glory Adde unto all this for thy further encouragement the Justice of the Christian Souldiers cause Ephes 6. 7. Justice of the quarrell betwixt thee and the Enemyes no bad cause God himselfe hath commanded to put on the whole armour to resist the Jam. 4. 7. 1 Pet. 5. 8. Devill to be sober and vigilant surely then the cause must needes bee good otherwise the Lord of hoasts would not have thus farre enjoyned it As the cause is just so the Consequence of the cause consequence is of no small importance no lesse then the glory of God the honor of the Lord of hoasts and the eternall salvation of thy poore distressed soule nay thou shalt bee no sooner in the feild but the Pax belli filia daughter of warre the peace of God and of thy owne conscience shall salute thee even Col. 3. 15. that peace of God which passeth all humane understanding that peace of conscience which is so unutterable but no such peace Phil. 4. 7. Peace the end of all the Christian Souldiers combat Psalm 2. 4. sayth God to the wicked Esay 52. 25. Hee shall bee like the troubled sea that cannot rest v. 20. he that sitteth in heaven shall laugh his security to scorne whereas thou after the Victory shalt have the golden Crown of Christs approbation the applause of Saints and Angels thus shall it bee with the man whom the King loveth Ester 6. 6. if thou dost but fight I will assure thee of Victory I know the willingnesse Matth. 26. 41. of the spirit and the weakenesse of the flesh being under Christs standard if thou Encouragement to take up armes lookest on thy owne weakenesse and the Enemyes strength there is small hope but if on Christ Jesus the Captayne of thy salvation no cause of doubting hee hath coold Heb. 2. 10. the Enemyes courage bruised the Serpents head hee may hisse Gen. 3. 15. at thee but cannot hurt thee his sting is out hee was once strong but now Christ the stronger hath spoyled him of his armor Luk. 11. 21. 22. Col. 2. 15. wherein hee trusted and divided the spoyles hee was a mighty Prince in worldly Canaan but good Josiah hath subdued him on then in the strength of Gods holy name bee not white liverd shew not thy selfe a fresh water Souldier seeing thou hast received a * The signe of the crosse Military Sacrament in Baptisme and given up thy name to Christ to whom thou owest thy life by a double right first for giving it thee then for restoring it being lost thy life through sinne was morgaged but Christ hath redeemd it
bee unarmed if it bee hee will present one lewd object or Job 31. 1. Deut. 16. 19. other to thy sight to allure thee if it bee thy eare he will make it listen after bad counsel Prov. 17. 14. if the tongue hee will make that a world of mischeefe if the hand hee will make it ready Jam. 3. 5. to act all sorts of mischeefe if the foote hee will make it swift Prov. 13. 4 to shed bloud if a Ship do but spring a little leake at any part of her she will in short time bee over-whelmed If thou dost but leave any part of thy soule ungarded sinne will presently enter in and being once in sinke thee into the nethermost pit of hell Stand therefore and watch when the howre of thy visitation cometh watch and see the kindnesse of Ps 17. the Lord be ready at all assayes to repell these grand and potent enemyes Lastly I will now shew thee being thus armed and prepared how thou must use and put on thy armes and that must bee with prayer praying alwayes with all prayer and Prayer to bee used at the putting on the Armor supplication for all saynts praying unto God that hee would send thee his spirit Prayer is the meanes and the manner how the weapons should bee used It will not bee amisse then to shew the use of prayer First how thou must pray Secondly when thou must pray Thirdly to induce thee the more to it I will shew the power and efficacy of prayer For the first of these how thou must pray and in this How to pray thou art commanded to use three motions Aske and you Math. 7. 7. shall have seeke and you shall find knock and it shall bee openeâ— unto you here is first Gods parâ— to thee secondly thy part to God thy part to God lyes in these words Aske Seeke Knock thus explaned aske with the mouth seeke with the heart knock with the hand First aske with the mouth God created the lippes and doth therefore require the lippes Joakin the Father of the Virgin Mary said cibus potusque erit mihioratio Prayer shall bee meate and drinke to mee If thou wouldst but make prayer to bee foode and meate and drinke to thee thou wouldst find it more excellent nourishment to thy soule then any corporall foode can possibly bee to thy body and as there is difference betwixt the soule and body the one being mortall the other immortall the one corporall the other spirituall Difference betwixt the foode of the body and the soule the one temporary the other eternall so there is a great difference also betwixt the foode of the one and the foode of the other the bodily or corporall foode goes in at thy mouth to nourish thee here in this world but the spirituall foode of the soule which is Prayer doth proceede out of thy mouth to keepe thee not only in this world but to bring thee to heaven in the world to come The Righteous mans prayer is his delight and of prayer Prov. 15. 8 there bee three kinds The first is Prayer meerely Three sorts of prayer mentall The second is Prayer meerely vocall The third is Prayer botâ— mentall and vocall These three sorts of Prayeâ— have reference to the three motions Aske Seeke Knock Prayer meerely vocall is to pray with the tongue without the heart this is that sort which God doth so much abhorre to mumble over a few prayers and yet not know what wee say our selves Appropinquant ore sue labiis suis honorant me cor autem à me procul amovent They come neere unto mee sayth God with theyr Esay 29. â—5 mouth and honour mee with theyr lippes but theyr heart is farre from mee they put that farre from God which he doth most love and that 's the heart Lip labour is nothing worth Lip-service to God abhominable in Gods eye without the heart â—hat makes the lip acceptable here are a sort of people â—hat make their lips theyr owne saying who is Lord over â—s but that 's not the way to â—ome acceptable to God to make theyr prayers to become as sweete smelling incense before him or to become so powerfull as to pull a blessing â—ut of Gods hand if thou desirest therefore to pray aright 〈◊〉 with the mouth seeke with the heart knock with the hand The second kind of Prayer Ps 12. 4. Second sort of prayer is prayer meerely mentall that is meditation to meditate or pray with the heart without the tongue this is allowed by God and approved by him in the practise of all the Prayer mentall by God approved saynts When the children of Israel were passing through the red Sea seeing Pharaoâ— hoast behind them and 〈◊〉 Sea before them murmureâ— agaynst Moses but what diâ— Moses hee cryed unto thâ— Exod. 14. 14. Lord. Cur ad me clamas whâ— cryest thou unto mee Saytâ— God whereas it is not expressed that Moyses sayd any thing at all only it was his inward and ardent prayers to God in the behalfe of the children of Israel pray then with thy heart and pray with thy understanding also and if place and time will admit 1 Cor. 14. 15. pray with thy heart and tongue together The third kind of Prayer is mixt Prayer both mentall and Third kind of Prayer mentall and vocall vocall included in the words Aske Seeke Knock for to aske with the mouth to seeke with the heart and to knock with the hand is that which God so much calls for wee will render sayth the Prophet Hosea the Calves of our lippes Hos 14. 2. that is both the heart and the tongue Thus I have breefely shewed thee what is thy part to God which is to aske and to aske aright now I will shew thee what is Gods part to thee and that is to give Petite vobis dabitur Aske and you shall have do but aske and he will give every one that asketh receiveth and every Math. 7. 8. one that seeketh findeth whatsoever you aske in prayer if Joh. 15. 7. you beleeve you shall receive it what then will this gift bee what is it that thou shalt receive blessings spirituall blessings temporall the gift of God is eternall life through Rom. 6. 23 Jesus Christ our Lord. The second branch or motion of Prayer is thou must Seocnd motion of prayer to seeke with the heart seeke with the heart for the asking of the mouth hath never prevayled without the seeking of the heart but the seeking of the heart hath oftentimes prevayled without the asking of the mouth let not then thy heart goe a wandring after the pleasures of the world when thou art at thy devotions God doth promise to bee found of those that seeke with the heart If thou wilt seeke Deut. 4. 19 him hee will bee found of thee as David instructed his sonne Solomon and agayne those
make a new bout at thee and tax thee of Presumption saying why dost thou presume thus of Gods mercy being so notorious a sinner and that having not repented of thy sinnes it is now too late tell him againe that At what time soever a sinner shall repent of his sinnes God will blot out all his misdeedes Ezek. 18. Then will he seeke to cast a mist before thy eyes how knowest thou sayth hee whether God will accept of thy repentance or no since formerly thou hast been so backward in this worke of Repentance let him understand that thou art assured that upon acknowledgement of thy sinnes God is just and faithfull to forgive them Joh. 1. 9. When all this will not The main battell against the Devill serve the turne then he lifts up his arme to give the fatall blow to challenge thy Faith that it is dead and false bid him keepe off for thou wilt show him thy faith by thy workes Jam. 2. 18. Alas sayth hee thy workes what dost thou speak of them thy charity is vaine-glorious thy obedience fayned thy Religion formall and the best of them but hypocriticall answere him that thou art no hipcorite thou knowest nothing of thy selfe yet art thâ—u not thereby justified 1 Cor. 4. 4. Yea but perchance â—he will tell thee that it is a great signe thou hast beene a notorious offender in regard that thy afflictions and corrections lie so heavy upon thee let him know that God doth scourge every sonne whom he receiveth and by this thou â—â—ther knowest that thou art a sonne no bastard Heb. 12. 7. 8. He may perchance proceede further and say whereas thou lookest for pâ—â—ce at the hands of God thou art deceived for thou canst have no peaece so long as thou dost endure Afflictions Answer him with the Psal mist The Lord speaketh peace unto his people and to his Saints that they â—urne not againe to folly Psalm 85. 8. When all this will not prevaile then he comes on afresh Thou talkest sayth hee of Faith and good workes but what is all this if thou art not elected tell him thou art sure the Lord hath elected to himselfe the man that is godly Psalm 4. 3. Being thus pinched then he is ready to challenge God The heat of the battle against the Devill of inconstancy Gods will saith hee may change alter It is false the gifts and callings of God are without repentance Rom. 11. 29. God was yesterday to day and the same for ever Heb. 13. Nay let him know to his fatall downfall and overthrow that the mountaines shall remove and the hils fall downe but Gods mercy shall not depart from thee if thou livest in peace nor shall the Covenant of my peace saith the Lord himselfe fall away which hath compassion on thee I but saith Sathan if there Es 54. 10 be no alteration in God yet sure I am that thou art a changer changing thy good promises to evill practises and though God is strong yet thou art weake Answer him thou art not kept by thy own strength but by the power of God unto salvation Rom. 1. 16. And for all thy weaknesse thou art strong enough to overcome Rev. 12. 11. the great Dragon by the blood of the Lambe Christ Jesus Then he labours to make thee distrust in God power what saith he how darest thou depend on Gods strength since thou art so wicked a creature what hast thou Gods grace and assistance at command faint not for all this but tell him boldly that thy sufficiency is in God it is true thou canst not approach to Christ â—xcept the Father draw thee without him thou canst do nothing Joh. 6. 44. but on the other side through Christ that helpes thee thou art able to do all things Phil. 4. 5. Well saith he though thou dâ—st trust in Gods strength yet thou dost not know whether God will helpe thee or not because his grace is free and not at command for answer shew him thy affâ—rance and covenant which God hath confirmed and sealed with the blood of Jesus Christ I will make an everlasting Covenant with them that I will never turne aâ—â—â—y Jer. 31. 33. from them to do them good I will put my feare in their hearts that they shall not depart from mee Exod. 26. 26. however Sathan I will not require helpe of thee for hardly canst The retraite thou helpe another when thou canst not helpe thy selfe Lastly whatsoever it be that he shall lay to thy charge whether it be pride malice taking Gods name in vaine c. plead Christs suffering upon thy repentance as a generall release from all thy sinnes this if nothing else will stop his mouth make him hide his head being utterly ashamed of so fearefull an overthrow Thus I have shewed thee how to repell the Devils assaults as he is thus furious in the encounter so he is also The Devil observes his times very cunning in the observation of his time In times even of prosperity he knowes how to come upon thee David in his aboundnce found it more hard to resist his pleasures then to vanquish great Goliah Hezekiah was safer on his sick-bed then he was congratulated for his recovery it is ease that slayeth the foole Pr. 1. 32. That man had need to have astrong braine which the liquor of prosperity cannot overcome hence it was that Moses chose rather to keepe his Fathers sheepe then to enjoy the pleasures of the Court for a season but well doth the Devill know that hee was one of a thousand when the wind sits in a corner blowing in profits and preferments then is the time of trvall the Devill Time of Prosperity the Devils opportunity Luk. 14. 16 layes about him timidus in inalis tumidus in secundis it was the yoke of oxen the wife and the farme that hindred the ghests from the supper of the Lambe these are the Devils â—aytes have a care then and looke about thee if riches encrease set not thy heart upon them they will betray thee to the Enemy hinder thee in the combat and so deprive thee of life everlasting If this will not take he can undermine thee with afflictions sure I am that in afflictions man is then at the weakest when his body is distempered with sicknesse his In time of affliction the Devill most violent mind cast downe through present calamity nay his very soule drencht in sorrow for sinne committed then is the Devill at the very height of his strength not that hee is stronger in his owne nature but that hee is so strong over mans nature that is then so weake It is with the Devill as with an Enemy seeing that by the helpe and power of Gods spirit within thee thou hast oftentimes foyled him out hee doth as it were give thee over but when God shall but once lay his hand of affliction on thee then doth hee lay his hand also to make
thy weakenesse whom he loveth be loveth to the end Joh. 13. 11 there 's the perfection no crosses no losses troubles nor afflictions shall ever be able to separate thee from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus nay God will not onely follow thee with his love and fatherly kindnesse give a graciouss ansâ—er in the midst of Rom. 8. 35. â— thy afflictions pardon all thy sinnes but he will also helps thee out of all thy afflictions and deliver thee from all thy troubles When a man is sick the Phisition prescribes some choice preservatives to prevent the malignity of a worse disease which might endanger the life but afterwards upon hopes of recovery he administreth restorative cordialls for the better recovery of his health thus God that great Phisition of soules makes use of the former consolation as the Phisition of his preservatives to keepe man growne faint and heart sick with sinne from a more dangerous disease of despaire which may bring on him the God the perfect Physition Rev. 20 2. second death but now he gives him the restorative Cordiall takes him by the hand tells him that the pulse of his faith beates well assures him of the recovery of his health and bids him be of good comfort for he will bind up all his wounds heale his backsliding helpe Marke 10. 49. him out of his afflictions deliver him out of al his troubles Jerem. 30 17. Health is the thing every sick man lookes for joy is that Hos 14 4. which the grieved spirit breaths after every afflicted man long 's for ease every troubled spirit for helpe here 's health for the sicke comfort for the mourner ease for the afflicted and deliverance for the troubled spirit David had a comfortable experience in all this though in afflictions God was his deliverer though poore and needy yet the Lord thought on him though afflicted dejected rejâ—cted though a very abject in Ps 119. 153 Ps 40. 17. the world though table friends forsooke him enimies oppressed God a sure deliverance him and overwhelmed him yet here was his comfort that God was his helper and deliverer did not God thus deliver Noah from the deluge of waters was not Lot like a Firebrand snatch'd out of Sâ—dome Psal 54. 4. Abraham was in agreat strait when he had like to have lost both his life and his wife at once yet God relieved him by plaguing the heathenish Gen. 19. 22 King and all his houshold but Abraham was harder Gen. 12. 17 beset when he was commanded to sacrifice his sonne Isaack his onely Sonne that Sonne in whom all the promises of blessednesse were contracted yet even then whilst hee was lifting up his hand to give the fatall blow God step'd in with deliverance Isaac that Lambe was preserved Abraham did but lift up his eyes and behold there was a Ramme catched Gen. 22. 13. by the hornes in a bush behind him him did Abraham take up and offered in the stead of his sonne Abrahams extremity was Gods opportunity so that it is become a Proverb In monte videbitur Examples of Gods deliverance Deus God will be seene in the mountayne Thus Jacob was free'd from the service of churlish Laban and delivered from the malice of his brother Esan Joseph from the cruelty of his brethren Moses from killing drowning Exod. 2. and starving Eliah from the malice of Abab and Jesabell being sed by an Angell and the Ravens Job 1 King 17. 4. Job 41. 13. Dan. 9. 22. Jonah 2. 10. 2 King 19 35. from the dunghill the three children from the fiery fornace Danyell out of the Lyons den Jonah out of the belly of the whale Hesekiah from the wicked intendments of Zenacherib but above all how many and how great have beene the deliverances of the children of Israel from the land of Egypt out of the house of bondage in their miraculous passage from Egypt through the red sea many were their deliverances during their forty yeares abode in the wildernesse being come from thence and planted in the land of Canaan how were they infested by the Aramites Amorites Philistims Zidonians Amalekites and afterwards were they not carryed captives into Babylon nay did not Haman conspire to roote them out that they might be no more a nation yet for the this God was stil their deliverer but is not God the God of the new as wel as of the old Testament was he so great a God the God of the new as well as of the old Testament saviour under the law and is hee not the like under the Gospell he is semper idem there can be no shadow of change in him hee is yesterday and to day and the same for ever his arme is not straightned did not he deliver Paul Silas out of prison by the meanes of an Earthquake Act. 16. 28. was not S. Paul after that rescued from the malice of the Jewes at Damascus was hee not preserved from the Tyranny of Nero that boore who sought to roote up that small plantation of the Church yet in despight of him God preserved a Church in his owne house under his very nose Salute saith S. Paul the saints that aâ—t Phil. 4. 23. at Neroes house during those ten persecutions of the Primative times what cruelty was not committed what torture was not exalted one boyled in a caldron of oyle S. John S. Laur. S. Ignat. another broyld on a gridiron a third devoured of wild beasts a fourth flead alive c. but what of all this God the Lord to whom belong the issues from death did so Ps 68. 20. order it though there was a power to kill the body yet there was no power to kill the soule Math. 11. 28. these torments were but as so many viands to wast them into a better life and that bloud of theirs thus inhumanely spilt was made the Churches seminary looke but still downewards unto these dayes what an unexpressable deliverance hath this Church of England had in the expelling of those Romish fogs and mists of superstiâ—ion which for many yeares obscured the light of the Gospell and sincere profession thereof how is the candelstick removed of late in some parts of Germany Amos. 8. 11. what a famine not of bread only but of the word of God that bread of life is now amongst them how is that country depopulated their cityes wasted and what the devouring sword hath passed over biting famine hath overtaken wee in the meane time stand as lookers on surfetted as it were with the many and miraculous deliverances both of Church Gods deliverance to England and state witnesse the deliverance from that Armado of Spaine falsly termed invincible in the yeare 1588. that of the powder plot hatched by a company of S. Peter men salt Peter men I should say in the yeare 1605 that of Gods heavy hand of visitation by the
dead man then he sends for his Advocate or Lawyer much time was spent with him in the making of his will where A true story of the misery of these times in the neglect of spirituall meanes in the first place he bequeath his soule unto god a legacy usually left to God but he doth not many times claime it then he settles his estate on freinds and kinred strives to make the Inheritance of his Land sure to his heire and in the Interim neglegct his owne inheritance in heaven yet however if it be but for fashion sake he will not seeme to be utterly carelesse in that point therfore in the last place he sends for the Phisition of his soule to consult about his spirituall estate even then when he was hardly capable of any advice at al his foole standing by desired him to give him the staffe he usually walked with abroad his Master gaue it him but on conditioÌ„ that he should giue it backe again to the next hee met that was a veryer foole then himselfe nay then said the foole Master here take the staffe againe for a veryer foole then you are shall I never meete againe that did first send for the Phisition to strengthen your body then for a Lawyer to settle you estate and in the last place for the Preist to comfort your poore soule which should have been the first worke of all what the foole put on his Master may be verifyed in too many who ravell out their pretious time tormented with the cares of this world putting the evill day from them till it come to the last pinch when they are not able to disgest the bitter pill of Repentance or take the potion of humility A man that keepes an Accompt booke Advice to use time present having written it quite through lookes it over and finds many blots and blurres and crooked lines so they having past their lives to the point of Death then in taking a survey of their whole life they perceive many blots of sinnes many blurres of Iniquity many crooked lines of transgressions but what booke is that which shall be found thus obliterated the booke of conscience that booke which shall be one day laid open when both great and Dan. 12. 12 small shall stand before God all the bookes thou readest are to reforme this one booke no booke shall be carryed along but this booke what care had there need to be then to keepe it fayre to looke it over every day not to post the accompt from day to day least thou prove a Bankrupt in grace and there be no time left to compose the great differences betwixt God and thy poore engaged soule when thou seest the sunne going downe say as people â—se at the departure of a freind God knowes whether I shall ever so you againe and God indeed onely knowes whether thou shalt ever see that sunne rise againe let then the present light of that sunne move thee to mend thy pace not like the sunne on the dyall of Ahaz to go 2 King 20. 10. Josh 10. 12. S. Ambrose backwards not like the sunne in Joshna's time to stand still but like the sunne that David mentioneth as a gyant delighting to runne thy course now is the time or never adhuc constitit theatrum adhuc instat certamen adhuc pendet praemixm thou art yet upon the stage thou mayst come off with comfort thou art yet in the race the Reward is yet before thee cry aloud unto God that in this thy Christiâ—n Combat he would teach thee the wayes wherein thou shouldst walke call unto the Captaine of thy salvation Christ Jesus that hee would teach thy hands to warre and thy fingers to fight implore the holy Ghost to give a gracious assistance to all meanes undertaken therein and lastly that thou mayst have a breathing time to lay about thee speake out in the voyce of the Church from battle murther and from sodayne death good Lord deliver me One branch of that unrepealeable statute of Heaven is that all men must dye but that 's not all there 's yet another branch of the statute bebehinde a bitter one but after death the Judgement Heb. 9. 27. there 's more followes after death then the body friends After death judgement kindred and acquaintance to see it layd in the dust there 's workes that will be followers Rev. 14. 13 too whether good or evill the good ones to justifie the bad ones to condemne one pleades through Christ for justification the other sues for condemnation one stands ready at the throne of grace the other at the barre of Justice then shall there be a reward There is a general day of doome to be expected proposed according to the worke but that 's not all neither there is a generall day of judgement too that 's the day that shall pay for all Christ hath but six memorable dayes to be remembred and he is cozend in the honor that belongs to five of them who is it that truly values Christ hath 6 memorable dayes that great day of his Nativity as it ought that great that splendent that glorious day that day aboue thousand of dayes ever to be renued never to be forgotten worthy to be set in the almanack not 1 Christmas day with red but with golden letters are there not some that would raze out the blessed memoriall of this day and chuse rather to be held foolish then not to be singular profane are there not too many that make the honor of this day seeme rather an Heaâ—henish Bacchanall then a Christian Festivall whereas every day to a Saint of God is a Christmasse day and it is to be doubted that such will hardly keep every day that so much stumble and vilifie one day The second day of Christ is that of his circumscision now it was that he made Col. 2. 14. himselfe a debtor to the law and by this meanes hath cancalled 2 New-yeeres day the Chyrographum the hand writing of Ordinances against us the knife of Circumsicion was on this dulled take a knife and cut a stone the edge will soone be off petra erat Christus Christ was the Rock having once touched him it would never out againe if this day were regarded there would not be so many uncircumsized hearts as there are amongst us The third remarkable 3 Good-friday day is that of his passion that day when the price of mans Redemption was tendered downe and the summe payd on the Crosse not with crosses of silver but with drops of blood that issued from his precious side but how is the Memoriall of this day regarded how is this great love of Christ â—equited The drunkard and the glutton give him vinegar and gall to drinke the proud ambitious man sets a crowne of Thornes upon his head the swearer pearceth his side the scorner buffets him and they that abuse his Saints do
he quite forgot the day of his martirdom holy S. Hilary having spent 70 yeares in devout contemplation was yet afraid of the Judgment-day the Remembrance Job 23. 15. of that day was Jobs trouble and terrour if these be in such a case ad quos Index to whom the Judg appeares in mercy what shal they doe contra quos against whom he comes in Iudgment if starres of such a magnitude beginne to twincle what dimnesse will there be then in those of a lesser body if such pillars shrinke under the burthen what will become of slender tressles surely they'lbe crush't in pieces if this be done in the sappy greene tree what will be done in that which is more zere dry my advice shall be that of Moses to the Israelites be ready on the third day and on the third day when it was morning there was thunders and lightnings and a thick cloud upon the Mount and the sound of the Trumpet exceeding lowd so that all the People that were in the Campe were afraid though there be many dayes Exod. 19. 15. assigned to Man yet there are three dayes in especiall his birth life and death that of his ingresse into the world progresse in the world egresse out of the world but this last day is the third day looke to that day aboue all dayes stand ready for it then it is that God who formerly came as a loving Father will appeare as the great Judg both of heaven and earth then shall be heard the thunderings of accusations then shall be seene the very flashy lightning of hell fire in the consciences of most men then shall the thick Cloud of their sinnes interpose betwixt them and the throne of grace the Trumpet shall sound the aire shall rattle the noise shall be the awakening of all flesh in so much that the very elect who are within the campe of Gods predestination shall be afraid what then will become of them which are without the Campe such as never tooke up armes against the common Enemy they shâ—ll then stand amazed at the barre being accused by the Heavens and the Earth and all the Creatures therin coÌ„tained convicted by a Jury of Heavenly Earthly Inhabitants the blessed Saints and Angels their consciences pleading guilty in stead of a Conscintia mille testes thousand witnesses then doth the Devill sinne the world and the flesh cry out for sentence to be pronounced against the Offenders at the barre which is no sooner desired but performed Go ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devill and his Angels a sentece most fearefull because intolerable because irrevocable intolerable because of the quality of the punishment pinching cold scorching heat more greevious then the cursed water to the suspected woman that caused her thigh to rot her belly to swell and made her detestable to all the People ibi erit fletus c. there shall be Num 5. 18. weeping for the fire that shall never be quenched gnashing of teeth for the worme that never Paines of hell intollerable dyeth if wee be sick here in this life wee may haue soft beds to lie on Phisitions to advise our health friends and kindred to come by way of comfortable visits though all these faile yet there is to be had a good and gracious God to haue mercy on us one that will lay his hand under our heads and comfortably support us but there 's no soft beds but fire the most cruell of all other elements to wallow in and not a drop of cold water to coole the scorched tongue no Phisition to advize but Devils to torment no God to haue mercy on us but hell and dispaire to seaze upon us thus shall it be with them that forget God miserable shall they be at their first ingresse into hels torments there to heare the yelling the howling the crying of damned spirits there 's no comfort no solace no ease no helpe but horror and vexation on every side Bern. Med. cap. 19. alwayes burning yet never consumed alwayes dying and never dead the best sights and cheefest companions shall be Legions of damned ghosts and furies the dyet and fare shall be pinching hunger and famine the drinke shall be lakes of fire and brimstone Rev. 14. 10 mingled with the pure wine of Gods wrath and to make up the meale there shall be musick too curses shall he the Hymnes houling the tunes blasphemy the ditties lachrymae the notes lamentation shall be the song and shricking the straines sighs sobs and teares shall bee the dolefull descant and division the Purple Rayments shall there be flames of fire the hand shall there be seared the heart wounded the eyes blinded the eares dulled the feet scorched and Paena sensus all the body utterly confounded this shall be the state of the body in that day but shall the soule go free No It was to the body as Simeon to Levi a brother in iniquity and shall therefore participate of punishments with the body The memory shall call to mind that which is past the understanding shall consider that which is present and doth shall joyne together to disquit themselves then shall it be thought upon how many good motions have beene neglected how often God knocking at the doore hath beene disregarded what joyes are Paena damni lost what sorrowes are found how easily they might have beene avoyded and how impossible it is to abtayne the least mitigation this of all is the greevous punishment of the damned in hell hitherto I have shewed but the skirts and suburbs of hell but this is the entrance within the walls and the very gates of hell that punishment of the body was paena sensus a payne sensible enough but this of the soule paena damni though it be but a privative punishment yet it hath a miserable positive effect if ever misery deserved weeping of eyes if ever losse deserved Horresco referens gnashing of teeth this is the misery that there shall be No losse like the losse of Gods favour never any comfortable fight of the blessed face of God and this is the losse that there shall be an exclusion from all society with saints and Angels if when the Arke of God was taken old Eli was so overtaken with griefe that he fell backward and dyed what a losse shall they be at that have lost the presence 2 King 14. of God Adam did but Gen. 2. 15. see the apple to be good for the taste but to be turned out of Paradise he found it very distastfull what greater griefe even in this life then to live in Mâ—sheck and Psalm 84. sojourne in the tents of Kedar it was Davids well day so to do can the Israelites be merry in their Captivity there 's no musick with them Psalm 127 they cannot sing under a strange king their harpes hang upon the willowes as sad and silent as themselves