precious habitation for thy soule 1 Cor. 15.42 Vers 43. Vers 44. It is sowen in corruption it riseth againe in incorruption It is sowen in dishonour it shall rise againe in glory It is sowen in weaknesse it shall rise againe in power It is sowen a naturall body it shall risâ— againe a spirituall body Therefore commend humbly and readily thy soule created of God redéemed of his Son and made the habitation of the holy Ghost into the faithfull hands of God as it were a certaine pledge saying with Dauid and Stephen nay rather with Christ thy head Into thy hands I commend my spirit Psa 31.6 Act. 7.59 Luk. 23.46 thou hast redeemed mee O God of truth Note this also that in the very agonie of death thou mayest most surely promise to thy selfe the presence and helpe of God for séeing thou doest embrace Christ thy Mediatour with a true faith being most certainely perswaded that with his death he hath ouercome thine and hath restored vnto thée righteousnesse and immortall life by his resurrection Rom. 5.1 therefore iustified by this faith thou hast peace with God and thou mayest be raised vp in the midst of death by the helpe of thy heauenly Father Iob. 13.15 Psa 91.15 that thou mayest say with Iob Although the Lord shall kill me yet will I trust in him I am with him in trouble saith the Lord I will deliuer him and I will glorifie him with length of dayes will I fill him and shew him my saluation Rom. 8.39 From this loue of God neither life nor death neither any creature shall be able to separate or to pull thee away séeing it is in Iesus Christ which is a king eternall and our Sauiour for euer The accusation of the law makes the shape of death terrible that I say and the deformitie of sinne 1 Cor. 15.55 and the tentation of being euerlastingly cast away séeing the sting of death is sinne the strength of sinne is the law but call to thy memory the consolation which is before opposed to these monsters and all that outward hope of death terrible to be beheld will vanish and will be changed into a most pleasant sléepe XXXIIII The sting of Death The Tempted BY sinne death hath entred into the world and is the due wages of sinne how therefore should I not be sore afraid of death The Comforter TRuly death in it selfe and by it selfe is the wages of sinne and the reuenging scourge of the angry God but to those that beléeue in Christ it is changed into a most swéet sléepe For although the regenerate and those that beléeue in Christ doe as yet carry about the reliques of sinne in their flesh from whence also their body is dead Rom. 8.10 that is to say subiect to death for the sinne that dwels in it yet the spirit is life for righteousnesse that is because they are iustified from sins by true saith in Christ and resist the lusts of the flesh through the spirit therefore that sinne which yet remaines in the flesh is not imputed vnto them Gregor Nyssen in orat de mort but is couered with the shadow of the grace of God therefore by death the true and spiritual life of the soule doth not dye in them but doth rather beginne to which death is constrained as it were to doe the office of a Midwife Thence flow those most swéet appellations by which the holy Ghost which is the spirit of truth doth describe the death of the godly for they which before the eyes of fooles doe séeme and of them are sayd to dye the holy Ghost sayth Gen. 25.8 Cap. 35.29 Cap. 49.33 Tertull. lib. de patient p. 12. Cyprian de mortal p. â—â—4 Chry. hom 45. in Gen. Col. 375. Hilar in Psal 140. Ambr. de boum ort cap. 10. 2 Pet. 1.15 that they are gathered or congregated to their people that is to the company of the blessed and triumphing Church in Heauen to come to those which haue deceased before them in the true faith or rather haue gone before them It is but the taking of a iourney which we thinke to be death it is not an end but a passage it is not so much an emigration as a transmigration from worse things to better a taking away of the soule and a most blessed carrying of it from place to place not an abolishing for the soule is taken away and transposed into a place of rest it is not kild vp It is a passage and ascension to the true life It is an outgoing because by it the godly passe out of the slauery of sinne to true libertie euen as heretofore the Israelites out of the bondage of Egypt into the promised Land Ioh. 5 24. Esa 57.2 The godly are said by death to come to peace and to rest in their chambers that is because they come out of that daily warfare vpon earth to a place of peace out of the most troublesome sea of this life to the hauen out of the most laborious prison of this life to a place of rest Phil. 1.23 they are said to be loosed to come to Christ séeing they are led out of the Inne of this present life to the heauenly Countrie and out of the dregs of wicked men to the most blessed societie of Christ in Heauen they are loosed by death out of the bands of the body for euen as the Cattell when they haue discharged the labours of the whole day at last about the euening are set frée and euen as they which are bound in prison are loosed of their fetters so the godly are ledde forth by death from the sayd yoake of the labours and sorrowes of this life and out of the filthy prison of sinne Heb. 11.5 2 Cor. 5.8 and by a most swéet translation are carried to a better life They are sayd to go forth of the land of their pilgrimage by the dissolution of the tabernacle of their body and to be present with the Lord and that because they come out of the ruinous habitation of the world to the heauenly pallace out of an house of clay to a citty made without hands eternall in the heauens out of the tabernacle of an earthly body to the heauenly Ierusalem and the most blessed society of Christ abiding therein It is his property therefore to feare death which would not goe to Christ Cypr. seruâ— demortal pa. 208. It is his property not to be willing to goe to Christ which doth not beléeue to beginne to raigne with Christ They are sayd to rest from their labours for not the man but the misery of a godly man dieth If this life be full of burden Caeciliae vox Ambros de bono mortis cap. 2. 1 Cor. 15.38 then the end is the ease therof but death is a good ease but death is an end death therfore is good They are sayd to be sowed into the earth or field of the
hath oppressed mee I haue receiued the sentence of death in my selfe I see that I must leaue this life then which nothing is more sweet I must leaue this world then which nothing is more pleasant I must leaue this house of my body then which nothing is more deare The Comforter THou wert created of God not for this wretched and momentany Sap. 2.23 but for a blessed and eternall life for God framed the first Parent of our kinde in corruption to immortalitie neither wert thou redéemed of Iesus Christ for this fraile and miserable but for that perpetuall and most happy life which is to be expected in the heauens seeing it is a certaine and indubitate saying 1 Tim. 1.15 that Iesus Christ came into the world that he might saue sinners neither wert thou called of the holy Ghost through the word to the kingdome of Christ for the most short vse of this light but that hereafter thou mightest passe out of the kingdome of grace into the kingdome of glory out of the Church militant to the Church triumphant out of the valley of teares into the field of ioyes for if in this life only we beléeue hope on Christ wee are the most miserable of all men 1 Cor. 15.19 Wherefore when thou séest that thou art to be led through the gate of death to that life for which thou wert created of the Father for which thou wert redéemed of the Sonne for which liues sake thou wert sanctified of the Spirit doe not I pray thée despise the friendly counsell of God against thy selfe Luke 7.30 but most readily obay and follow God that calls thée II. Of the three-forked Mace of death The tempted THe thought of death doth terrifie mee the terrible shape of that enemy doth vexe my soule 1 Cor. 15.55 hee shewes mee his sting which is sinne he threatens mee with his cruell three-forked Mace while he casts before mine eyes and my heart the wrath of God the accusation of the Law Rom. 6.23 and the hainousnesse of my sinnes seeing death is the wages of sinne and through sinne death hath entred into mee Rom. 5.18 as it hath done also into the whole world The Comforter BVt I admonish thée that being seriously and from the bottome of thy heart contrite for the sinnes that thou hast committed thou behold him which was dead for thée on the Altar of the Crosse that thou mightest not be subiect to eternal death Turne thine eyes away from the outward shape of death and turne them to Christ Heb. 2.14.15 which by his death hath destroyed him which had the power of death that is the Deuill and hath deliuered vs which through the feare of death were all our life subiect to bondage Hose 13.14 Ioh. 11.25 hee is death to our death he is a sting to that Hell which wée haue deserued he is the resurrection and the life he that beléeueth on him vers 26. although he were dead yet hee shall liue and euery one that liueth and beléeueth in him 1 Cor. 15.22 shall not dye for euer Therefore as in Adam that is for sinne deriued out of Adam into vs and for actual sinnes heaped vpon this all of vs are subiect vnto death and are constrained at the last to dye so also in Christ the Captaine of life and the Conquerour of death wee are all quickened by faith that which also our Captaine of life confirmeth with a graue and serious oath Verely verely I say vnto you Iohn 5.24 hee which heareth my word and beleeueth on him that sent mee hath eternall life and commeth not into iudgement but hath passed from death to life Ioh. 8.51 And againe Verely verely I say vnto you If any man shall keepe my word hee shall not see death for euer Beléeue Christ therfore Iohn 14.6 which is the truth beléeue him promising beléeue him swearing Heauen and Earth shall passe away Luk. 21.33 but the words of Christ shall not passe away III. The vexation of Sinne. The Tempted THE remembrance of my sinnes doth come into my minde for I was not onely begotten Psa 51.7 conceiued and borne in sinne but I haue increased this summe of originall and hereditary debt with diuers debts of manifold and most grieuous sinnes through the course of my whole life how therefore can I hope that God will be fauourable vnto me whom I haue so often offended How can I perceiue any comfort in death seeing death is the wages due to my sinnes and to those that are not reconciled to God the beginning of the second and eternall death The Comforter BEhold Christ hanging on the altar of the Crosse and powring out for thy sinnes the price of thy redemption that is his precious bloud 1 Ioh. 1.8 The bloud of Iesus Christ the Sonne of God doth cleanse thée from all sinnes 2 Ioh. 2.2 he is the propitiation for thy sinnes and for the sinnes of the whole world for neither came he into the world for that end that he would be ministred vnto but that he might minister to others and giue his soule a redemption and price for the sinnes of many And lest there should arise or remaine any doubt in thée of this matter therefore from heauen which is the Throne of truth by an Angell which is a Spirit of truth that name of Iesus most swéet and most full of consolation was brought and giuen to this our Mediatour before he was conceiued in the wombe and what other thing is Iesus then a Sauiour Luk. 2.31 for therefore this name was giuen to Christ because hee saues his people from their sinnes Mat. 1.21 This is that Lambe of God which takes away the sinnes of the world Ioh. 1.29 This is that Iesus Christ which therefore came into the world that he might saue sinners This is the high Priest of the new Testament 1 Tim. 1.15 Ephes 5.2 which hath deliuered himselfe for our sins to be an offering and a sacrifice of a swéet smelling sauour vnto God It is Christ which hath powred out his owne bloud for the remission of sinnes Mat. 26.28 1 Pet. 2.24 which hath borne our sinnes in his body on the wood which was wounded for our iniquities and was broken for our sinnes Esa 53.5 God hath laid vpon him and as it were by a troupe made he hath made to fall vpon him the iniquities of vs all Him that hath not knowne sinne God hath made sinne for vs that is 2 Cor. 5.21 he hath imputed our sinnes to him he hath layd vpon him the punishment of our sins he hath made him a sacrifice for our sins neither hath Christ resisted this counsell and decrée of his heauenly Father but hath fulfilled his will with a most ready minde Psal 40.9 and loued vs and hath deliuered himselfe for our sinnes Gal. 1.10.4 Can. 2.20 hee hath loued vs and hath deliuered
that griefe perhaps is not sufficient seeing it doth not answere the fault neither is it an aequiualent price for my sinnes The Comforter NAy griefe rising out of the acknowledgement of sinne vexation of conscience shall neuer be able to answere the grieuousnesse and deformitie of sinnes séeing God the infinite good is that which is offended sinne the infinite euill is that which is committed the infinite punishment of Hell is prepared for sinners how then by thy contrition mightest thou satisfie the infinite iustice of God and expiate his infinite wrath Christ hath performed that which of thy selfe and by thy strength thou couldest not performe hee hath payd the infinite and equiualent price for thy sinnes If by thine owne selfe thou couldest haue satisfied if by thy contrition and by thy griefe thou haddest béene able to abolish sinne what néeded CHRIST to descend from heauen and to labour so long vnder the burthen of his crosse Esa 43.24 Esa 63.3 Thou hast put him to paine in thy sinnes and pressure in thine iniquities he hath trodden the Wine-presse alone and of the people there was none with him Take héed therefore to thinke onely that the griefe of thy contrition eyther can or ought to be such that it may answere to the grieuousnesse and deformitie of thy sinnes but therefore and to this end God requires true acknowledgement of sinne and earnest contrition of the heart that place may be giuen to the frée remission of sinnes which is giuen vnto thée through Christ apprehended by faith Christ preacheth the Gospell Esa 61.1 but to the poore that is to those that are humbled in spirit he healeth Luke 4.2.18 but the contrite in heart neither haue they that are well néed of the Phisition Mat. 9.12 that is which thinke that they are well He preacheth libertie but it is to the captiues that is to those that acknowledge the spirituall captiuitie of sin for he desires not to goe forth of bondage which supposeth himselfe by all meanes to be frée He preacheth sight but it is to the blinde that is to those that bewaile the spirituall blindnesse of the heart for they which say they sée their sinne abideth They which say that they are rich and wealthy ohn 9.41 and want nothing they doe not know that they are wretched and miserable and poore and blinde and naked Hee preacheth forgiuenesse but it is to the broken and contrite in heart 1 Sam. 2.6 God kils and makes aliue he leadeth downe to hell and bringeth backe againe he kils by contrition that he may make aliue by consolation he leadeth downe to hell by the hammer of the Law that he may bring backe from hell by the comfort of the Gospell VIII The weight of Griefe and Sorrow The Tempted TRoubles haue compassed mee round about my heart is vexed and troubled my sinnes are alwayes before mine eyes which do grieuously torment my conscience and labour to beat mee downe to hell Psal 32.3 there is no peace in my bones for the terrour of the Lord my soule refuseth to be comforted I am troubled Psal 77. vers 2. ver 3. and my spirit doth afflict mee I see no place whereto I may flye and seeke a remedy of my sinnes The Comforter IF thou wilt flye flye to CHRIST he friendly inuites all that labour vnder the weight of their sinnes Mat. 1.27 which are pressed with the yoake of iniquitie an euill Mistresse Be thou hid in his wounds and the tempest of the wrath of God will passe away Christ is the propitiatory Rom 3 25 to which thou mayest flye with true faith and rest vnder the shadow of his wings As the Hart desireth the fountaines of waters Psal 42.1 so let thy soule exhausted with the heate of thy sinnes and of the wrath of God thirst after Christ the fountaine of liuing water springing forth to euerlasting life If thou commest vnto him hee will not put thée backe he will not repell thée for thus goe his promises Apoc 22.17 Cap. 21.6 He that thirsteth let him come and hee that will let him take the water of life freely I will giue vnto him that thirsteth of the Well of the water of life freely Come vnto me all yee which labour Mat. 11.27 and are heauy loaden and I will refresh you in mee and by mee you shall finde rest to your soules Him Iohn 6.37 that comes vnto me I will not cast forth of dores Imbrace these words of Christ which are the words of the eternall and vnchangeable truth with a faithfull heart Let thy heart set before him these his promises Psal 27.8 and séeke the face of the Lord. Set Christ as it were in the middest betwéene thée a sinner and thy angry God appeale from the Throne of Gods seuere iustice to the Throne of mercy prepared for thée in Christ and through Christ The internall Hawke doth vrge and pursue thy soule Cant. 2.14 let it flye therefore like a fearefull and affrighted Doue to the holes of the Rocke which are the wounds of Christ Moses doth accuse thée sigh therefore Bern. Serm. 64. sup Cant. August in meditat that Christ may make intercession for thée Thy conscience is troubled but let it not be tumbled downe from his hope and confidence but let it remember the wounds of Christ let all the assurance of thy confidence bee in the wounds of Christ which do abound with the streams of mercy neither want there holes through which they may flow out Idem Serm. 22. sup Cant. Let the passion of our Sauiour Iesus Christ be thy last refuge and onely remedy of thy sinnes wisedome failing righteousnesse not sufficing the merits of holinesse not holding out that will be able to helpe and succour thée And this is the other and indéede essentiall propertie of true Faith forsooth to behold with the eye of the heart Christ hanging on the Crosse out of his wounds to hope for and drawe the medicine of her wounds to rely on him with a true confidence of heart and to wrap her selfe as it were in his most holy merit for this is the voyce of true faith Behold me thou which hangst vpon the Tree Bern. Serm. 22. sup Cant. And let my sinnes in thy side hidden be My sicke soule thirsts for thee my guilt forgiue My sinne 's my death but in thy bloud I liue Therefore if hauing compunction for thy sinnes thou hungerst and thirstest after righteousnesse thou mayest beléeue on him which iustifieth the wicked and being iustified by faith alone thou shalt haue peace with God Confesse that thou art not worthy neither canst thou by thine owne merits obtaine the kingdom of heauen but let this be thy confidence that Christ thy Lord doth obtaine it by a double name that is by the inheritance of the Father and by the merit of his Passion with the one he himselfe is content the other
Christ that doth Christ doe It is Christ which pronounceth the remission of sinnes vnto thée the Minister doth onely lend his voice to Christ If any doubting would insinuate it selfe into thy hart therof attend to the words of Christ speaking to the Apostles their Successors He that heareth you heareth me Luk. 10.16 Matth. 10.20 Ioh. 1.23 It is not you that speak but the spirit of my Father Attend to the words of the Baptist I am the voice of a cryer There is another which doth preach and cry by me the Ministerie is mine but the force and benefit of the Ministerie dependes of another Attend to the words of the Apostle For Christ that is in the name and place of Christ we are Embassadours 2 Cor. 3.20 God as it were exhorting by vs we beséech you for Christ be you reconciled vnto GOD. He therfore which contemnes 1 Thes 4.8 contemnes not man but God which hath giuen his holy spirit into vs. Beleeue therefore that euen at this day Christ saith to thée that which heeretofore hee hath saide to the man sicke of the Palsie Matth. 9.2 Luc. 7.48 and to the woman-sinner Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee Because there is no difference betwéene that and this which the Minister vtters for this is not pronounced of man and that of Christ When therefore thou hearest the Minister pronounce vnto thée the remission of sinnes doe not thinke that thou hearest the voice of the Minister but the voice of Christ XIIII The want of the euidence of the promises of the word The Tempted I Confesse that there is great and notable consolation offered vnto mee in the Ministerie of the word as yet notwithstanding my faith wauers neither doth it so firmely embrace the promise of the Gospell that it excludes all temptation for my flesh whispers vnto mee that the promises are onely words which thou perceiuest with thine eares but thou doest not as yet see the good promises subiect to thine eyes The Comforter INdéed they are words but the words of the most true and euerliuing God They are words indéed Ioh. 6.69 but the words of Spirit and life They are words indéed but more firme and durable then this heauen which thou beholdest then this earth whereon thou standest Luk. 21.33 Heauen and Earth shall passe away but my words shall not passe away saith the truth Esa 40.8 The word of our Lord God abides for euer saith the Prophet Hée which foldeth himselfe in this word hée which embraceth it with true faith the same may be saued for euer Neither hath God onely set forth vnto thée his word but to his word he hath added Sacraments Augustin tract 80. in Iohan. which are as it were the visible word visible signes of the inuisible grace and seales of the promises of God instituted for the confirmation and nourishment of thy faith By Baptisme thou art receiued into the couenant of the grace of God thou art made a Sonne and heire of GOD thou art washed by the bloud of Christ from thy sinnes thou are regenerated and renued by the holy Ghost and as I may speake in a word art made truly partaker of al heauenly goods For Christ attributes to Baptisme that it is a meane of regeneration Ioh. 3.3 Vnlesse a man be borne againe of water and of the spirit hee shall not enter into the Kingdome of heauen Therefore he which is borne againe of the water of Baptisme and the spirit is written an heire of eternall life because it is a meanes of saluation Hee that shall beleeue and be baptized shall be saued Mar. 16.16 The Apostles doe attribute to baptisme Tit. 3.6 that it is the lauacre of regeneration and renouation in the holy Ghost when we are baptized into the remission of sinnes Mar. 1.4 Let euery one of you be baptized saith Peter Act. 2.38 in the name of Iesus into the remission of sinnes and you shall receiue the gift of the holy Ghost Baptisme doth saue vs 1 Pet. 3.12 saith he in another place which is not the putting off of the filth of the flesh but the request of a good conscience or a couenant to Godwards through the resurrection of Iesus Christ Be thou baptized Act. 22.16 and wash away thy sinnes saith Ananias As many of you as are baptized haue put on Christ Gal. 3.27 and by faith ye are the sonnes of God saith Paul For Christ sanctifieth his Church Ephe. 5.27 clensing it in the Lauer of water in his word Out of all which thou mayest firmely conclude that baptisme is the price of redemption to the captiues Basill 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tom 1. part 446. Cyril Hierosolym in praefat Catech. the forgiuing of debts the death of sinne regeneration the bright cloathing of the soule a seale that cannot be infringed the chariot to Heauen the procurer of the kingdome the frée gift of adoption Illumination or Baptisme is the brightnesse of soules the change of life the request of the conscience vnto God the help of our weaknesse Illumination is the putting off of the flesh the following of the spirit Nazian orat in S. Bap. p. 615. the communion of the word Illumination is the restitution of the Image the deluge of sin the participation of light the loosing of darkenesse Illumination is the Waggon or Chariot vnto God the peregrination with Christ the foundation of faith the perfecting of the minde the glory of the kingdome of Heauen the change of life the taking away of bondage the loosing of bands the instauration of the couenant Tertull. 4. Aduer Marc. p. 231. It is the originall of true life and of true iustice it is a compendious washing it is the sacrament of life and saluation eternall The holy Ghost into this Brooke doth come From Heauen August 21 contra Crescen c 18. Paulinus Epist 12 ad Seuer and brooding on the front celestiall Doth heat the holy waters they become Conceiued of GOD and in their liqours christall Bring forth an holy Brood an holy Nation Of the eternall seed the propagation For what the grace of God doth worke inuisibly in our baptisme that hath béene shewed in visible signes in the Baptisme of Christ Châ—mnit in cap. 17. Harmoni The water of baptisme was sanctified by the touching of the Lords body for what things soeuer Christ hath deserued and purchased in the body of his flesh he hath as it were layd them downe in baptisme He tooke vpon him baptisme with vs sinners that hee might witnesse that by baptisme wee are made his members As the eternall Father in the baptisme of CHRIST vttered this voyce This is my beloued Sonne so as yet this day all that doe beléeue and are baptized hée doth adopt for Sonnes As in the baptisme of Christ Heauen was opened so as yet at this day by the Sacrament of Baptisme the gate of the heauenly Paradise is
1.18 which is in the Father and the Father in him which is one with the Father Againe what is more néere to the Sonne of God Ioh. 14.10 then flesh and bloud or the humane nature which hee hath assumed Ioh. 10.30 as which he hath coupled to himselfe in a personall and indissoluble league Therefore by eating the flesh of Christ and drinking his bloud thou art ioyned most straightly vnto God These things being taken taken down Hilar. 8. de Trin. p. 141. make that Christ abides in thée and thou in Christ What is more néere vnto vs then that which wee eate and drinke as which is eyther conuerted into the substance of our flesh as natural and elementall meates or else doth change and conuert vs into it as that spiritual food of the body and blood of the Lord which we eate indéed but we doe not change it into our substance but wee are changed into it Therefore by eating the quickening flesh of Christ thou receiuest spirituall life from the same by drinking the precious bloud of Christ thou comest to the Fountaine of life Christ hath taken vpon him the humane nature of vs in it he hath condemned sin he hath destroyed death hee hath repaired life and hath filled the same with the fulnesse of grace and heauenly good things the same nature taken from vs and repaired in himselfe sanctified and filled with heauenly treasures hee sets before thée againe in the holy Supper that thou mayst be ascertained that those things doe truly pertaine vnto thée which hee hath layd downe into the same as it were into a certaine rich storehouse he doth as it were ingraft thy wretched and depraued nature into his most holy and quickening flesh that out of it thou mayest draw the iuyce of life and an antidote of the spirituall poyson that lyes hidden in thy flesh He is the Vine we are the braunches hee that abides in him Iâ—hn 15.5 and he in whom he abides this man brings forth much fruit The vncleannnesse of thy nature is shadowed and couered by that most holy body of Christ which thou receiuest and by that most precious bloud which thou drinkest least it appeare before the tribunall and in the sight of God Liturg. vtter Damas 4. fid Orthod cap. 14. Therefore thou receiuest the flesh and bloud of Christ for an apology that will easily be admitted and the earnest of eternall life to the sustaining kéeping of the body and the soule to the forgiuenesse of sinnes and to life euerlasting Nay in the holy Supper is giuen thée a certaine holesome prouision for thy iourney séeing the tokens of the future resurrection are exhibited vnto thée Can. Nicen. by which the right of acquaintance and hospitalitie which is to be expected in the heauenly countrey is confirmed vnto thée Iohn 6.54 He which eateth my flesh saith Christ and drinkes my bloud hath eternall life and I will raise him vp againe in the last day It cannot therefore come to passe I say that thy body should abide in the graue séeing it is nourished with the body and bloud of our Lord that is to say with that food which is the medicine of immortality the antidote that wée should not dye but liue in God through Christ the purgation that driues away all euill By this foode thy weakenesse shall be comforted that thou mayest come through with Elias 2 Reg. 13.21 to the hill of the Lord. The bones of Elizeus yea euen when he was dead did giue life by how much more the flesh of Christ liuing and quickening receiued by faith shall quicken thee to euerlasting life XVII The vnworthy vse of the holy Supper The Tempted I Acknowledge that in the true and wholesome vse of the holy supper the godly are made partakers of these benefits but it doth not a little trouble mee that the Apostle doth affirme that they which eate this bread vnworthily 1 Cor. 11.27 and drinke this cup of the Lord vnworthily are made guiltie of the body and bloud of the Lord. I feare therefore lest that I be an vnworthy guest of this heauenly banquet The Comforter BY acknowledging and bewailing of thine vnworthines thou mayest escape the spot and imputation of an vnworthy guest for the Apostle calles vnworthy not those which are weake in faith wheras this sacrament was instituted for the confirmation of faith comfort of the weake but those which doe not proue themselues neither do discerne the Lords body that is which come to this holy Supper 1 Cor. 11.28.29 as it were to a common banquet without true repentance and liuely faith without the hatred of sinne and a serious and earnest purpose of amendement of life which doe not discerne this heauenly banquet from other common foode that they may acknowledge the true excellency thereof and vse due preparation of the hart thereunto Such vnworthy guests of this banquet do nothing lesse sin in eating and drinking vnworthily the flesh and bloud of Christ then the Iewes in crucifying Christ But farre be it from thy pietie farre be it I say that thou shouldest be in the number of them Chrysost in 1 Cor. 11. Thou doest acknowledge also the spots of thy sinnes thou doest bewaile the vncleanenesse of thy nature thou sighest vnto Christ the Physitian of thy soule that he prepare a sit lodging for himselfe in thy heart thou weighest the greatnesse of those things which are present and set before thée in the holy Supper and considerest the amplenesse of the heauenly gift thou hungrest and thirstest after righteousnesse Mat. 5.6 therefore also thou shalt bee filled the sinnes shall not hurt thée Luk. 15.20 which doe not please thée thou makest haste with teares to thy heauenly Father thou bewailest thy sinnes and desirest that the hunger of thy soule may be refreshed with his heauenly foode that most kinde Father vers 22. doubt not will méete thée hee will kisse and receiue thée with ioy he will giue vnto thée the first long garment of innocency he will cloath thée with the garments of saluation hée will giue thée a ring on thy hand hée will seale thée with his holy spirit hée will giue thée shooes for thy féet he will direct thée in the way of peace and righteousnesse hée will fil thée with the flesh of that sacrifice which was slaine on the altar of the Crosse vers 23. and was offered vnto him for a swéet smelling sauour Lay aside therefore all feare of vnworthy eating he which is most vnworthy in his owne eyes hee is accepted before God hée that displeaseth himselfe pleaseth God hee that is cast downe in himselfe in true contrition of heart hée againe is raised vp by the most louing hand of God XVIII The weakenesse of Faith The Tempted FAITH is altogether required to the wholesome vse of the Supper and fruit of the promises of the Gospell seeing the hand of the
to resolue that the sense and mouing of faith kindled in thy heart is first to be expected before that thou wilt heare meditate and receiue the word of the Gospell This is a peruerse opinion which take héede that thou sucke not in that thou put not vpon thée this is a peruerse order which take héede that thou doe not follow In the Schoole of the holy Ghost wée must take our beginning from the hearing and meditation of the word by that meanes thou art brought vnto faith by faith vnto the féeling of faith Thou sayest that thou canst not beléeue therefore thou oughtest to heare the word meditate on it and receiue it into thy heart that thou mayest beléeue GOD giues his holy spirit to those that Luk. 11.13 aske and yet without the grace of the holy Ghost we cannot aske so God giues faith to them that sigh after it and yet without the beginning of faith we cannot sigh after it For a surety faith riseth with a certaine wrastling in the heart it is encreased with wrastling it is performed in the heart with wrastling and that which we cannot doe of our selues wée are able to doe by his gift which hath said No man commeth vnto mee vnlesse the Father draw him Ioh. 6.44 Euery one that heareth of my Father and learneth he commeth vnto me him that commeth vnto me I will not cast forth If thou art not yet drawne pray that thou mayest be drawne heare and learne that thou mayest come vnto Christ XXI The small number of good workes The Tempted TRue and liuely faith alwaies workes by loue on the other side that faith which hath not workes is dead in it selfe Gal. 5.6 As the body without the soule is dead so faith without workes is dead Iac. 2.17 Vers 2◠Rom. 9.21 Vers 18. But now I doe not see a great number of good workes which may giue manifest testimonie of my faith Euill cleaues vnto me that am willing to doe good to will is present with mee but I finde no power to performe that which is good The Comforter THou doest well that thou doest estéeme the light of faith out of the beames of good workes For as workes which are not done of faith are not truly good workes so faith which is without workes is not true faith but a vaine perswasion Math. 7.16 and emptie shadow Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes 2 Pet. 1.10 saith our Sauiour Doe your endeauour saith Peter that you may make your calling and election sure Therefore out of workes we must iudge of faith and this is the third property of faith that as it hath contrition to vsher it and true confidence on Christ in stead of an Essentiall forme so it alwaies hath new obedience to follow it Therefore thou doest well as I haue said that thou doest estéeme the light of faith out of the beames of good workes but take héede thou doe not thinke that those are onely good workes which are great in their outward shew in the eyes of men and frée from all spot of sinne cleauing vnto them Vnder the name of good workes is especially vnderstood the inward renuing of the heart and the kindling of those spirituall motions in the hearts of the regenerate by the holy Ghost Therefore an holy cogitation a good purpose the true feare of God sincere loue ardent inuocation are truly good workes although they are not perceiued and séene of men Psa 45.14 The glory of the Kings daughter is within the outward workes doe giue testimonie of that inward glory of the reuelation Therefore if thou hast nothing else that thou canst offer vnto God offer vnto God a good will and an holy purpose to liue godlily Offer to God thy heart and thou hast offered all things Submit thy selfe wholy to the will of GOD cleaue vnto him resigne thy will to him and thou shalt be one spirit with him 1 Cor. 6.17 This if thou shalt doe the outward workes will readily follow because the spirit of God dwelling in thée will driue thée to all manner of good workes but where there is not an outward faculty of working there the inward good will to God sufficeth Neither is there any reason why thou shouldest hope that thou canst be frée from the spot of all infirmitie in this life Our workes doe please God not because they are absolutely perfect but because they doe procéede out of true faith in Christ and are offered of beloued Sonnes in stead of a sacrifice of thankesgiuing Acknowledge therefore the testimonie of good workes which they giue of faith least thou be cast downe in thy minde acknowledge the imperfection of the same and the spot of sin cleauing vnto them least thou be too much lifted vp in thy minde XXII The want of Merits The Tempted IVst is God and iust are his iudgements therefore hee will giue to none the reward of eternall life vnlesse there goe before the merit of good workes What therefore is my hope what is my confidence when my workes are imperfect foule many wayes contamined and no way meritorious The Comforter Rom. 6 23 Bern. Ser. 1 in Annunc Col. 106. NAy eternall life is not the due wages of our deserts but the frée gift of God in Christ and for Christ For neither are the merits of men such that for them eternall life is due of right and God should doe iniurie to some man vnlesse he should giue him it For that I may not speake of this that all merits are the gifts of God and so man is more a debter vnto God for them then God to man what are al merits to so great glory All the Saints do confesse Exod. 34.7 Esa 64.6 that before God no man is innocent that all their righteousnesses are before God like the cloath of a menstruous woman that no man can stand before the iudgement of God if he will impute sins that when they haue done all things that are commanded of God Psa 130.3 Luk. 17.10 they are neuerthelesse vnprofitable seruants what place therefore can there be héere for merits who can presume of sufficiencie to saluation either of his owne wisedome or righteousnes or holines Bern Serm. 22. in cant Col. 555. Gerson li. 4. de consola Theolog. pros 1. Rom. 8.18 who can shew his owne righteousnesses as it were in boasting vnto God more then a woman the cloath of her confusion to a man neither our doings nor our sufferings are worthie of the future glory which shal be reuealed on vs. We cannot deserue that crust of bread which we eate by our obedience but are constrained to begge it by daily Prayers of God how much more incomparably lesse can we deserue the reward of eternall life by our merits Therefore if thou wilt fall from grace bragge of thy merits August in Ps 31. Id. de verb. Apost Ser. 15. Fulgen. 1. ad
drinke Rom. 14.17 but righteousnesse peace and ioy in the holy Ghost Wherefore if thy soule hath sometimes felt in the secret of thy conscience the spirit of the Son Ber in Can. serm 8. col 509. crying Abba Father let her presume that she is beloued with a fatherly affection when shee perceiues that shee is affected with the same spirit with which is also the sonne In the spirit of the Son shée may know her selfe to be daughter of the Father the spouse and sister of the sonne And although all these things are sometime weake and languishing yet be not out of heart but aske for increase of the spirit Luk. 11.13 for God will giue this spirit to those that aske him Stir vp the gift 2 Tim. 1.6 that frée and gracious gift of the spirit which is in thée that is by asking by séeking by knocking by meditating on thâ— word by resisting euill concupiscences There is here no perfection but a continuall way to perfection Beside this inward seale and testimony of the holy spirit God hath giuen thée the Sacraments which are the seales of the heauenly promises the waggons of the benefits of Christ bringing them vnto thée and the meanes of the begetting cherishing confirming of thy faith that thou mayst be sure that the benefits of Christ doe pertaine in speciall vnto thée Cypr serm de mort pa. 209. Thou wert receiued into the Church by baptisme and fed in the Lords Supper with the body blood of Christ being confirmed by these seales beléeue the word of the Gospell surely and without all doubt Why doest thou doubt why doest thou wauer this is that God should not altogether be this is to offend Christ the Master of beléeuers with the sin of incredulity this is for him that is placed in the Church not to haue faith in the house of faith Attend moreouer to the infallibility of the promised hearing God hath promised euen with an oath put thereto that he wil heare our prayers that whatsoeuer we aske according to his will shall be giuen vnto vs Verily verily I say vnto you saith Christ whatsoeuer yee shall aske the Father in my name Ioh. 16.23 Mat. 18.19 hee will giue vnto you If two of you shall consent vpon earth on any manner of thing whatsoeuer they shal aske it shal be done to them of my Father which is in heauen This is the trust which we haue vnto God 1 Ioh. 5.14 if we aske according to his will we shal obtaine it The very same which hath promised hearing hath coÌ„manded vs to aske forgiuenes of sins therfore what place of doubting will there remaine of the remission of sins how should Christ haue commanded to ioyne to prayer the word Amen if hee would haue had vs to doubt of hearing To conclude attend to the property of true faith as by which we haue accesse vnto that grace wherein we stand and glory of the hope of glory Heb. 4.16 promised of God through which wee come with trust vnto the throne of grace that wee may attaine mercy and finde grace through which we are kept by the power of God vnto saluation 1 Pet. 1.5 through which we know that we are translated from death to life 1 Ioh. 3.14 through which wee are most certainly perswaded that neither death Rom. 8.38 nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present vers 39. nor things to come neither height nor depth nor any other creature can separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. August in Psal 148. Weighing all these things let thy frailtie lift it selfe vp let it not despaire let it not bruise it selfe let it not turne it selfe away Christ hath promised thée that thou shalt bee there where hée is What hath God promised vnto thée O mortall man that thou shalt liue for euer Doest thou not beléeue beléeue beléeue it is more now which hée hath done then what he hath promised What hath he done he hath died for thée What hath he promised that thou shalt liue with him it is more incredible that the eternal hath died then that the mortal can liue for eternitie Now thou holdest that which is more incredible why doest thou doubt of that which remaines God hath promised thée heauen he hath giuen thée his Son which is a greater gift then heauen and earth XXIX The doubting of perseuerance The Tempted TRuly I doe nothing doubt but that by my Mediator Christ there lyes open to me accesse to GOD I surely trust that I am in the grace of God yet I cannot but doubt of perseuerance Matth. 10.22 cap. 24. v. 46. I know that it is perseuerance alone that is crowned I heare that they onely which shall perseuere to the end shall be saued Not to haue begun well but to goe through well is the part of vertue Aug. Ser. 8 ad frat in Erem Hiero in Epist ad furiam Theol. myst Harp c. 34. Neither is the beginning but the end required in Christians Iudas began well but he ended ill Paul began ill but hee ended well Without perseuerance neither he that fighteth obtaineth victory nor the Conquerour the palme I heare the ouer-seer and appointer of our masteries crying hold that which thou hast least another take thy crown I heare and I feare I feare and I doubt Apoc. 3.12 I doubt and I cast away the confidence of my heart The Comforter Bern. Serm. 3. de sep frag miser Col. 183. COnsider thrée things â—n which thy whole hope doth consist the charity of the adoption the truth of the promise the power of performance Now let thy foolish thought murmure as much as it will saying who art thou and how great is that glory or by what merits hopest thou to obtaine it and doe thou answere confidently I know whom I haue beléeued and I am sure that in the aboundance of his charitie he hath adopted me that he is true in his promise that hée is powerfull in performance This is the thrée-fold cord which is not easily broken which I pray thée that thou holde firmely fast being let downe to thée out of our Country euen into this dungeon that it may lift thée vp that it may draw thée euen to the beholding and sight of the glorie of the great God This is the most firme Anker of thy hope these are those thrée pillars on which thou mayest relie against the flouds stormes of doubtings that is to say the good will of God adopting his sure faithfulnesse promising and his infinite power to fulfill his promises The good GOD hath promised good things Phil. 2.13 hée hath begun to worke a good worke in thée hée that hath begun will performe it according to his good liking The good GOD hath promised good things 1 Cor. 10.15 he that hath promised is faithfull and true he
and the reward of eternall life that notwithstanding thou become not thereby carnally secure The infallible promises of God doe frée thée from doubting the exhortations and comminations of God doe free thée from carnall securitie There is securitie no where in this life but in the hope of the promises of God alone August in Psal 94. Id. 2. de bono perseuer c. 13. In this life which wholy is a tentation vpon earth he that séemes to stand let him take héede least he fall therefore those that will not perseuere are mingled by the most prouident counsell of God with those which shall perseuere that we may learne to be not loftily wise but agréeing with the humble and worke out our saluation with feare trembling Therefore with one eye of thine heart behold the mercie of God but with the other the iustice of God out of the faithfull beholding of the mercy of God let there arise in thine heart the confidence of perseuerance out of the feare of the iustice of God let there arise in it the flight of carnall security Let the feare of God wound thy flesh least the loue of sinfull flesh deceiue thée Psa 147.11 The delight of the Lord is in them that feare him and hope in his mercy Let the inward man hope and trust let the outward man feare and tremble XXXII The doubting of the writing in the Booke of life The Tempted THey alone doe perseuere and receiue the Crowne of perseuerance which are written in the Booke of life But how may I know that I am written in that Booke The Comforter Apoc. 13.8 cap. 21.27 THat Booke of life is Christ from whence it is called the Booke of life of the Lambe The writing into this Booke of life is nothing else but the election of the beléeuers in Christ to eternal life Eph. 1.5 Apoc. 17.8 For euen as the faithfull are said to be chosen in Christ before the foundations of the world were laid so their names are said to be written in the booke of life from the beginning of the world Therefore we must iudge as of election so also of the writing into the Booke of life not from that which goeth before but from that which followeth after Bern. Serm. 1. Septuag There are manifest signes and tokens of saluation giuen so that it is without all doubt that he is of the number of the chosen in whom those signes shall remaine For as many as are elected from eternity to life they doe heare the word of saluation in time they beléeue on Christ they shew forth the fruits of the spirit they perseuere in faith 1 Ioh. 5.10 He therefore which beléeues on the Son hath the testimonie of God in himselfe for the holy Ghost doth testifie in the heart of beléeuers that they are the Sons of God Rom. 8.16 and written into the Booke of life Those whom God hath predestinated from eternitie Luk. 10.20 Rom. 8.29 whose names he hath written in heauen those doth he call in time by the word iustifie by true faith on Christ that faith shewes it selfe forth by true inuocation of God by patience in the Crosse by the study of holines Therfore let the holy wholsome meditation of election and the Booke of life begin from the wounds of Christ hanging on the Crosse hée that beléeues on him and perseueres in faith is iustified and written into the Booke of the liuing Rom. 10.9 Hast thou not béene receiued by Baptisme into the couenant of grace washed with the blood of Christ from thy sinnes regenerated and renued by the holy Ghost This is an euident signe that thou art written into the booke of life Gal. 3.26.27 For we are all the Sons of God by faith séeing as many as are baptised haue put on Christ How commeth it to passe that falling into sinne out of infirmitie after Baptisme thou hast not béene bruised Sauanar in Psal 31. who hath put vnder his hand who hath receiued thée againe into grace who but the Lord This is a great signe of thine election the elect when he shall fall shall not be bruised God hath written not the Tables of the destinies or the decrees of Rhadamantus but the Booke of life when he chose vs in Christ before the foundations of the world were laide Therefore séeke in Christ by faith the election of thée to life and writing of thée into the Booke of life walke by faith that thou mayest come to predestination Ex Aug. Lom 6.1 sent dist 41. D. They which rashly and without the limits of the word doe search the depth of God are plunged at length ouer head and eares into the déepe XXXIII The feare of Death The Tempted IT is good for mee to cleane vnto Christ I will not let him depart out of my heart before hee blesse mee I haue decreed with true faith to perseuere in Christ that it may be my lot to raigne together with him In the meane time I confesse that I am not yet free from all terrour of death neither doe I feele so great strength and helpe of the Spirit that with the Apostle I desire ardently to be dissolued The Comforter INdéede this is the infirmitie of our flesh and propertie of our corrupt nature that we are more desirous of this life fading then of the life to come that is not flitting Hence comes that feare and terrour of death which that thou mayest ouercome by the power of the spirit and mayest grow in the strength of the inner man waigh those things diligently which I shall propose vnto thée out of the store-house of the heauenly truth First Math. 10.30 Iob. 14.5 it is certaine that euen the haires of our heads are vnder an account with God the number of our moneths is appointed of him he hath set vs downe a bound which wée can by no meanes passe a◠our dayes were written in his Booke Psa 139.5 before any one of them was Therefore good reason thou shouldest rest thy selfe in this fatherly will of God of his grace he gaue thée life hée brought thée forth wonderfully out of the close places of thy Mothers belly as long as he would haue thée to be in life he hath kept thée safe and sound from a thousand dangers hée doth now aske againe the soule which heretofore he hath giuen thée surely he doth not take away that which is thine but he askes againe that which is his owne now what action can there lie against him which askes for that againe which he hath lent Furthermore the soule which hée doth require of thée hée doth translate into the ioyes of the heauenly Paradise and wil restore the same againe to the body in the time to come adorned with greater glory and with more shining gifts That body which is reposed into the Chamber of the graue shall in time to come be a farre more glorious worthy and
Lord by death and buriall séeing the bodies of the godly as it were precious graines of Wheat shall againe bud forth hereafter to life Stigeliu◠This Corneth immortall glory of the flesh Doth shew from liueles body springing fresh Vnder the clods is cast the saplesse seed Of which a man would thinke could nothing breed Yet this doth rise by hidden motion growing Increas'd in strength and body from the sowing Likewise our bodyes layd in hollow graue Thence rising lasting life and glory haue First drown'd in death now lifes true badge they weare And before God eternall blisse doe share The bones of the godly shall bud forth and flourish in the time to come Esa 66.14 2 Reg. 7.12 Esa 26.20 Dan. 12.2 Matt. 9.24 Ioh. 11.11 1 Cor. 15.6 1 Thessal 4.13 when the spring of the life eternall shall beginne finally they are said to slumber and to sléep a certaine swéet sléep for euen as in sléepe we rest from labour wee gather our deiected strength the soule in the meane time exercising her operations so by death being lead to rest from all the labours and sorrowes of this life wee gather new strength of minde and body to execute those workes more readily and perfectly to which we were in the beginning created and redéemed by Christ the soule in the meane time liuing and reioycing in Heauen Euen as in sléepe wee doe not care what is done about vs neither are wee troubled with the troubles of humane businesses so they that are godlily dead in the Lord doe rest from all care and trouble neither are they further subiect to the euils of this life Euen as we are againe raised vp out of sléepe so death shall not be a perpetuall sleepe but the houre will come in which wee shall heare the voyce of Christ calling vs out of the graue and wee shall come forth againe to life August ser 44. de ver Dom. No man doth so easily raise vp one that lyes vpon his bed as Christ the dead out of his graue Out of al which it clearely appeareth how truely the Apostle hath called the death of the godly aduantage Phil. 1.21 séeing it is aduantage to haue escaped the increase of sinne it is aduantage to haue auoyded worse things it is aduantage to passe to better The death of the godly is precious in the sight of the Lord Psa 116.15 and to them it is good for rest better for securitie best of all for blessednesse XXXV The sorrowes of Death The Tempted I Feare not death but the sorrowes of death for I haue often seene the eyes of dying men waxing dimme their eares waxing deafe their tongue waxing stiffe I haue seene the sweat and anxitie the horror and nakednesse of men that dye I haue oftentimes heard the howling and complaint of the soule compelled to goe forth of the house of the body The Comforter THose that beléeue in Christ are kept from those sorrowes of death or surely the sorrowes are mittigated vnto them Christ hath taken vpon himselfe that which was most bitter in our death that is to say the sense and féeling of the wrath of God Exod. 15.25 Iohn 5 51. let vs cast the wood of the Crosse on which Christ dyed for vs into our death and behold it will be vnto vs a pleasant sléepe Verely verely I say vnto you saith Christ if any man keepe my word hee shall not see death for euer that is to say he shall not onely not sée eternal death but also neither that cruell and horrible shape of temporall death And if so bee some small taste of bitternesse be offered vnto vs out of the cup of death what and how little is that in respect of that brooke of which Christ dranke for vs in the way of this life Psal 110.7 how little is that smal draught to be estéemed in respect of that cup which the heauenly Father hath offered vnto Christ to be drunke vp wholy in our stéed Mat. 26.42 Our death is as it were a certaine medicinable purgation of the soule of the body The saying of Methodius séeing by it the poyson of sin is as it were purged out of our flesh what maruell is it if some Aloes be mixt with this purgation Our death is the midwife to eternall life what maruaile is it if the same happen vnto vs which happens to an infant borne into the world out of the narrow places of his Mothers wombe which must in part beare the sorrowes of trauel There is no birth without all griefe that sharpe fit will endure but a short moment and behold the day of our deeth will be the birth-day of eternall life Narrow is that gate which leades vs to life what maruell is it if we féele some trouble in the going out thereof Mich. 2.13 Christ is our Captaine and hée that hath broken vp the way for vs he layes open the iourney before vs we must cleaue vnto him by true faith that we may passe through the gate of death together with him and finde the way to eternall life knowne vnto him Sinne doth as yet dwell in our flesh Psa 16.11 what maruell is it if for the remainder of sinne wée are constrained to suffer some sorrowes of death Rom. 5.1 Eph. 2.14 In the meane time our conscience hath peace in Christ which is our true peace which rising againe from the dead hath brought to vs the gift of peace There remaines no dart to Death by which it may wound our soule it fastens his téeth in our héele but the poison is taken away from it of Christ that it cannot powre it into vs together with the téeth that it hath fastned XXXVI Too timely Death The Tempted ME thinkes I am called backe too timely out of this life Psal 102.25 Psa 58.23 God snatcheth mee away in the midst of my dayes I feare therefore least this be a signe of the wrath of God seeing it is written men of bloud and deceipt shall not liue out halfe their dayes The Comforter NOthing is too timely with GOD which is ripe Long life truly is the gift of God yet short life is not alwayes a token of the wrath of GOD séeing GOD sometimes also commands the godly and those that are beloued of him to depart timely out of the house of this world that being fréed from the danger of sinning they may be set into the securitie of not sinning neither be constrained to haue experience of publike calamities oft-times more grieuous then death it selfe Esa 26.20 The people of GOD goeth and enter into their Chambers they shall shut the dores vpon them they are hidden for a moment till the indignation passe away Esa 57.1 The iust man perisheth and there is no man that considereth in his heart the mercifull men are taken away and there is none which doth vnderstand Vers 2. The iust man is taken away from the
The loue of this life The Tempted I Could wish that I might yet enioy a more lasting vse of this life and the profits thereof I could wish that I might possesse yet longer the blessings of God granted vnto me in this life The Comforter TAke héede that thou doe not make it manifest by the inordinate loue of this life that thou doest not truly loue the chiefest good Anselm de mensura crucis lit E. So doe we owe our whole heart to the loue of God that whatsoeuer is giuen thereof to another is withdrawne from God Hée loues God the lesse which loues any thing with him which he loues not for him Thy heart is a vessell but it is full of the loue of the world therefore there is no place for the true loue of God to enter powre out the loue of the world that the loue of God may enter What doth this present life so much delight thée which is wholly a dangerous and hard warfare What other thing is it to liue long then long to be tormented Cypria Serm. de mortal pag. 215. and long to sinne If in the house of thy dwelling the walles should shake for age the roofe aboue thée tremble the house being now wearied and fainting vnder the buildings that slide downe with age should threaten a ruine néere at hand wouldest thou not goe forth with all hast If while thou wert sayling a troublesome and stormie tempest the waues being raised vp by the force of the winde should fore-shew shipwracke to come wouldest thou not make toward the hauen with all hast Behold the world shakes and slides away and testifies the ruine of it selfe not now by the olde age but by the end of things and doest not thou giue God thankes doest thou not reioyce on thine owne behalfe that being taken away with a more timely end thou art saued from ruines shipwrackes and imminent plagues Ambros in ca◠8. ad Rom. Euen as the Sea stirred vp by contrarie stormes doth rise and maketh a tempest to those that saile so the world being stirred by the conspiracie of the treacherous doth trouble the mindes of the faithfull and the enemie deales so peruersely that wée are ignorant what wée should first shunne For if power doth cease to be against vs he stirres the mindes of priuate men If these be appeased hée blowes vp a combustion by those of our owne house And if this also be allayed by his cunning he makes discord betwéene brethren themselues so that the house being shaken at the foure corners one some part begins to fall wherefore with one consent Christians must flye hence For they ought to follow the example of the holy man Simeon which knowing that they doe here wage warre against treacherie required that hée might be let to depart in peace Surely this life appeares to be a pretious Nut outwardly but if it be opened with the knife of truth there will be found nothing in it but vanitie and emptinesse If there be any good in this life that is eminently nay incomparably better in that other That is in faith this in fight that in the time of peregrination this in the eternity of mansion that is in labour this is in rest that is in the way this in the Countrey August trac vlt. in Ioh. that is in the worke of action this in the reward of contemplation that declines from euill and doth good this hath none euill from which it may decline it hath great good which it may enioy that fights with the enemie this raignes without an enemie that is valiant in aduersity this feeles no aduersitie that bridles carnall lusts this spends the time in spirituall delights that is troubled with the care of ouercomming this is secure in the peace of victorie that is helped in tentations this without any tentation reioyceth in the helper himselfe that helpes the néedie this is there where it findes none néedie that forgiues other mens sinnes that her owne may be pardoned vnto her this neither suffers that which shée may forgiue nor doth that which she may require to be forgiuen vnto her That is scourged with euils least it should be lifted vp with prosperitie this in so great fulnesse of grace wants all euill that without any tentation of pride it may cleaue to the chiefest good That discernes good and euill this sées those things which are onely good Chuse therefore which is to be preferd before other Lay aside the inordinate desire of the fading life least thou léese the inheritance of the abiding So hold those things which are of this world that notwithstanding thou be not held by them Let the earthly substance be possest of thée but let it not possesse thée Let that which thou hast be vnder the dominion of thy minde least thy minde while it is ouercome with the loue of earthly be it selfe more possessed of the things themselues Cypria Serm. de morta Why doest thou not make hast to better things Now heauenly things succéede earthly and great things the small and eternall things the perishing XL. The separation from Wife Children and Kinsfolkes The Tempted I Must leaue my most sweet children I must leaue my most faithfull wife I must leaue my most pleasant kinsfolkes who shall prouide for my wife and children who will be their defender and Patrone The Comforter IT is God which calles himselfe the Father of Orphanes Psa 68.6 and the defender of widdowes commend them to his Patronage and defence God which is thy God Gen 17. will also be the GOD of thy seede Thy children are not thine onely but they are also Gods nay they are more Gods then thine seeing he hath bestowed more things vpon them canst thou therefore doubt of the fatherly care of God towards them The Prophet of the Lord doth testifie that he hath beene young and also olde Psa 37.25 yet neuer did he see the righteous forsaken or his seed to begge their bread Psa 112.2 The generation of the righteous shall be blessed at length God hath promised to thy children the heauenly treasures hée will not suffer them beléeue mée to perish for hunger Hée hath giuen them life he wil not deny them the maintenance of life he hath giuen thē a body that which he hath wonderfully framed he wil also kindely sustaine But take héede that thou be not so carefull for the bodily safety of thy wife and children that in the meane time thou neglect the care of thy soule Luk. 14.26 If any man come to me saith Christ and doth not hate his Father and Mother and Wife and Children and Brothers and Sisters yea and his owne soule he cannot be my Disciple Matth. 10.37 that he expoundeth else-where so He that loueth Father or Mother more then mee is not worthy of me and he that loueth sonne or daughter more then me is not worthie of me Behold God calles thée by
death take héede thou doe not so loue thy wife and children that therefore thou refuse to follow God calling thée with a readie heart The loue of the heauenly Father must be preferred before the loue of children Ambro. in cap. 12. p. 111. Bern. Serm. 26. in Cant. Col. 569. August Epist 6. ad Vid. the loue of our Bridegroome Christ must be set before the loue of wife the benefit must not more be loued then the benefactour What shall I speake of kinsmen if thou leauest those that are deare thou shalt receiue them héereafter more déere For wée doe hope on a most faithfull promise that when we goe out of this life whence being to depart we haue not lost but sent before some of ours that are departed we shall come to that life where by how much they shall be better knowne of vs so much they shall be dearer vnto vs and without the feare of any dissension amiable If thy kinsmen be déere vnto thée let Christ be déerer which is thy brother If it be a pleasant thing to be here conuersant with thy kinsmen Heb. 12.22 let it be more pleasant vnto thee that thou commest to the mount Sion â—er 23. and Citie of the liuing God the heauenly Hierusalem and to the company of innumerable Angels and to the congregation of the first borne which are written in heauen and to God the iudge of all and to the spirits of iust and perfect men XLI The stopping vp of the eares in Death The Tempted I Feare lest that my eares waxing deafe in the agony of death I shall be destituted of all consolation of heart and too much vexed with the terrours of Satan The Comforter THe inward comfort of the spirit is of greater force then all outward consolations Rom. 8.16 The holy spirit giues testimonie to our spirit that wee are the sonnes of God the same spirit doth raise vp our spirit when wee beginne to wrastle with death and to be troubled in heart for he is the true and greatest comforter Ioh. 15.26 When thine eyes waxe dimme in death the holy Ghost will giue vnto thée the true illumination of the heart when thine eares waxe deafe in death he will giue vnto thée the quickening consolation of the soule Where mans consolation shall cease there Gods consalation will begin Behold the examples of the Martyrs how prompt and ready they were to the most exquisite punishments the whéeles séemed to them Roses the sparkes of fire spirituall bracelets the yron chaines golden crownes the torments ornaments the two edged swords beames of the heauenly light who hath wrought this in their hearts who hath comforted them in sorrowes but the holy Ghost His consolation is of greater force then the accusation of the whole world yea of the prince of the world What Doest thou thinke that the holy Ghost doth onely lift vp our hearts in the course of this life and doth idlely rest in the agony of death Dost thou thinke that the habitation of the holy Ghost is destroyed Gal. 2.20 when the tabernacle of the body is destroyed Ephes 3.2 Christ liues in thée and dwels by faith in thy heart grace is powred out in his lips in the fragrancy of this grace hee will make glad thine heart Psal 45 9. although thine hearing perish his spéech will â—ierce to thine heart although the dores of thine eares be shut Esa 61.1 The spirit of the Lord is vpon him the Lord hath annointed him to preach the Gospell to the afflicted hée hath sent him to binde vp the broken in heart to preach fréedome to the captiues and opening of prison to those that are bound Esa 50 4. The Lord hath giuen vnto him a learned tongue that hee may know to comfort sustaine the afflicted in a seasonable time Cleane to him with firme confidence of thy heart commend thy selfe to him with godly prayers hee will comfort thée in the seasonable time he will raise vp thine heart with the word of the Gospell when the arrowes of death are fastened in it hee will binde vp thy heart when the wounds of death are inflicted on it hée will preach deliuerance to thy heart when thou art led captiue of death as it were a pray he will preach opening to thy heart when thou art thrust into the prison of death XLII The apparant in vtilitie of Redemption IF Christ hath redeemed vs from death why must I as yet dye How shall death be ouercome by Christ when hee shewes his daily prayes as it were the trophees of his victory The Comforter EVen as Christ hath saued his people from their sinnes Mat 11.21 not that sinne may no more dwell in their flesh séeing in this life they remayne solde vnder sinne but that he may not condemne them for euerlasting as being regenerate and beléeuing so also hee hath redéemed vs from death Rom. 8.10 not that we should not any more be subiect to temporall death séeing that our body is dead or subiect vnto death for sinne but that wee might be frée from the bands of eternall death The death of the soule is the true death from this Christ hath redéemed vs sustaining the punishment for vs. Swéet Iesus hath also made temporal death it selfe swéet vnto vs that it is death in name alone but in very déed sléep nay the end of death and the beginning of true life Those that are truly godly doe dye daily 1 Cor. 15.24 by reason of those continuall calamities by which they are oppressed in this life therefore their death is the end of death but by the gate of death they passe to a quiet and eternall life Ose 13.14 therefore their death is the beginning of true life The death of Christ is the poyson of our death although therefore this poyson hath not altogether kild our death for it doth as yet moue it selfe and fastens his dart in our héele yet this poyson is gone to the heart of death it will come to passe therefore 1 Cor. 15.26 that at length by the force thereof it dye death is that last enemie whom Iesus Christ at length in the last day shall vtterly destroy Luk. 11.22 and comming vpon this strong armed man with greater strength shall take away powerfully from him all his pray Death must be beheld with spirituall eyes and it will appeare that his wrath is but vaine without strength as being captiuated and ouercome of Christ It layes snares for the life of the godly and behold it brings them to the true life It attempts to kill their soule and body with his darts and behold the soule being trée and without hurt of all wound of death the body alone is wounded which same also in the time to come shall bee snatcht out of the Iawes of death It endeauours to deliuer the godly to eternall death and behold it deliuers them to eternall life LXIII The horrour of the
to the inheritanâ—e of eternall life therefore it must be raised out of the dust that it may enter into the possession of this life deserued for it of Christ Out of all which it euidently appeares Theodor. in 1 Cor. 15. tom 2. pag. 77. 1 Cor. 3.16 that Christ is the suretie and pledge of our resurrection furthermore our bodies are the temples and houses of the holy Ghost hee will not suffer this his Temple to lye hidden in the dust and ashes but will build it vp againe and make it a great deale more glorious then it was in this life Hagg. 2.4 Euen as the latter temple at Hierusalem had a greater glory then the former 1 Reg 6.32 In Salomons temple there were incorruptible palmes so the bodies of the godly shall not be subiect to eternall corruption séeing they are the habitations of the eternall spirit Iren. lib. 4. cap. 34. This also is somewhat that our bodies are sanctified by the body and bloud of Christ in the wholesome vse of the holy supper how therefore shall they remaine in the graue how shall the flesh bee sayd to come into corruption and not to taste of life which is nourished with the body and bloud of the Lord Euen as the bread which is of the earth after the word is added to it is now no common bread but the Eucharist consisting of two things an earthly and an heauenly so our bodies receiuing the Eucharist are not now corruptible hauing the hope of the resurrection Ioh. 6.54 Surely the flesh of CHRIST is quickening food therefore hee which eateth this flesh hath eternall life and Christ will raise him againe in the last day Lactan. lib. 4. institut cap. 48. Adde that the soule in this life by the body and with the body doth worke eyther good or euill séeing it is put into the body therefore the iustice of God requires that those which were ioyned together in the worke be ioyned together in the reward those that are ioyned together in the fault be ioyned together in the punishment Therefore all of vs shall appeare before the iudgement seat of CHRIST 1 Cor. 15.10 Tertul. in Apol. c. 45. p. 337. that euery one may receiue those things which he hath done in his body whether they be good or euill The soules haue not deserued without the flesh in which they haue done all things finally to these vnmoueable props of Arguments may be added the examples of those that haue béene raised vp againe whom Christ by his owne the Prophets and Apostles by the power of GOD haue called backe to life Tertul. de resurrect p. 44. Lactan. 6. dico institu cap. 18. for testimonie of the future resurrection which these partakers of immortalitie and eternitie doe exhibite vnto vs which are ioyned vnto them in faith and confession XLIIII The absurditie of the Resurrection The Tempted THe article of the Resurrection of bodies doth most strongly oppose nature and humane reason from whence also the hope of the resurrection is sometimes not a little weakened in my heart by the stormes of diuers cogitations The Comforter THE foundations of our faith are the oracles of the holy Ghost not the predicaments of our owne reason We beléeue the resurrection of the dead vnder the obedience of this faith wee ought to captiuate all our reason 2 Cor. 10.5 GOD can doe aboue all things superabundantly more then wee aske or vnderstand Thinke therefore on him that promiseth and thou shalt haue him to performe whatsoeuer things GOD sayth they are not words but workes Let vs graunt that GOD can doe something Ephes 3.20 Phil. lib. de decal p. 477 August Epist 3. Bern ser 4. de nat col 43. 1 Cor. 15.37 which wee may confesse that wee cannot finde out in such things all the reason of the deed is the power of the speaker It will be an easie matter for him by whom the mother her selfe hath not lost the corruption of flesh by bringing forth that this corruptible also may put on incorrution by rising againe It is somewhat also that in nature her selfe diuers representations of the resurrection are set forth vnto vs. Vers 38. That which thou sowest is not quickened vnlesse it first dye and what sowest thou Vers 39. not the body that shall be but bare Corne that is to say of Wheate or of some other August de verb. Apost serm 34. But God giueth to it a body after his owne pleasure and to euery séed his owne body He therefore which quickens the dead and putrified graines of séeds by which thou mayest liue in this world will much more raise vp thine owne selfe that thou mayest liue for euer The light that daily dies shines forth againe Tertul. in Apol. c. 45. p. 73 c. and the darknesse by euen turnes departing doth returne the starres that are put out beginne againe to liue the times beginne where they are ended the fruits are consumed and doe returne surely the séedes vnlesse they be corrupted and dissolued doe not arise so fruitfully all things are saued by perishing all things are reformed from death The day dies into the night Id lib. de resurrect car pag. 54. and is buried round about with darkenesse the honour of the World is polluted and all the substance thereof is made blacke All things are foule silent and amazed euery where there is a vacation and rest of things so the light that is lost is mourned for And yet againe with her attire with her grace with the Sunne the same both sound and whole doth begin to be renued to the whole world killing her death the night opening her graue the darkenesse being heire to her selfe vntill the night also be renued againe she likewise with her attire For the beames of the starres also are againe made to flame whom the mornings light had extinguished The absence also of the constellations is brought backe which the destinction of times had taken away The mirrours also of the Moone are trimd a new which the number of the dayes of the moneth had worne out The Winters and Sommers the Springs and the Autumnes returne in their season with their owne strength manners fruits yea the earth is taught of Heauen to cloathe Trées after they are made naked to giue fresh and new tinctures to the Flowres to giue the hearbs againe to bring in the same séedes which are consumed and not to bring them in before they are consumed A wonderfull matter Of a deceiuer shée is become a sauer shée snatcheth away that she may restore shée destroyes that shee may kéepe shée corrupts that shée may make whole shée first lauishly consumes that afterward shée may make it more Surely shée restores things more plentifull and more faire then those shée did consume Of a truth I may say at once the condition of all things is restored againe by death which is increase and iniurie which
is Vsury and losse which is gaine Whatsoeuer thou méetest with now hath béene and whatsoeuer thou shalt léese there is nothing but it shall be againe All things returne into their state when they shall depart Therefore are they brought to an end that they may be new made Nothing perisheth but that it may be saued Therfore this whole order of things which is in reuolution is a witnesse of the resurrection of the dead God hath prescribed it in his workes before he wrote it in letters hée hath preached it by his strength before he vttered it in words Hée sent Nature before to be thy Mistresse meaning to send Prophecie after that so much the more easily thou mayest beléeue Prophecie being the Scholler of Nature that thou mayest by and by entertaine when thou hearest that which euery where thou now séest and not doubt but that GOD will be a raiser againe of thy flesh All this Tertull. which knowest him to be the restorer of all things Are such lypes as these to be thought to be set out in vaine in the whole state of things Is GOD to be iudged weaker then Nature Nay looke vpon thy selfe and know a testimonie of the resurrection in thy selfe Id in Apolo aduer gentes c. 45. p. 737. Remember what thou wert before thou wast surely nothing for thou mightest haue remembred it if thou hadst béene any thing Thou therefore which wast nothing before thou hadst thy being being made nothing when thou shalt cease to be why canst thou not be againe of nothing by the wil of the same founder which would haue thée to be of nothing What new thing shall happen vnto thée thou which wert not wert made when againe thou shalt not be thou shalt be made Render a reason if thou canst which way thou wert made and then shalt thou demand which way thou shalt be made and yet more easily shalt thou be made that which somtime thou hast béene which wert not hardly made that which neuer thou hadst béene Id de resur carnis p. 54. If God hath made all things out of nothing he can againe frame the flesh brought to nothing out of nothing Surely hée is fit to restore which hath made how much more is it to haue made then to haue restored to haue giuen beginning then to haue new framed so thou mayest beléeue that the restoring of thy flesh is easier then the first making therof XLV The flames of Purgatorie The Tempted I Feare the punishing flames of the fire of Purgatorie after death Psal 143.3 for seeing I am compast about with diuers infirmities of sinnes I feare least God should therefore enter with me into his iudgement and most iustly adiudge me to the flames of Purgatory The Comforter THose with whom God doth enter into iudgement that is which are not in this life reconciled to God those doth he not adiudge to the fire of Purgatorie there to be tormented for a certaine finite time but to the infernall and not to be quenched fire there to be broiled for all eternitie But they which doe acknowledge their sinnes seriously and beléeue truly on Christ they haue the hand-writing of Christ their Sauiour that they néed to feare no place of sorrow and torments after death for so hée sayth Iohn 5.24 Verely verely I say vnto you hee which heareth my word and beleeueth him which hath sent mee hath life eternall and commeth not into iudgement but hath past from death to life The tables of truth doe acknowledge two rankes of men onely that is to say the good and the bad the penitent and the impenitent the beléeuing and the vnbeléeuing two receptacles onely after death August lib. 3. hypog Id ser 8. de verb. Apost Id. 21. de ciuit Dei cap. 25. Id. 1. de peccat merit remis cap. 28. that is to say of consolation and torment of reward and payne of Heauen and Hell We are vtterly ignorant of neither doe we finde in the Scriptures a third kinde of men and places there are but two dwellings one in the kingdome euerlasting the other in the euerlasting fire therefore is not any place in the midst of these for any where hee may not be in punishment which shall not be placed in the kingdome that hee cannot chuse but be with the Deuill which is not with Christ Hee that shall beleeue Mar. 16.16 sayth CHRIST and be baptized shall be saued but hee that doth not beleeue shall be condemned Hee that beleeueth in the Sonne is not iudged Ioh. 3.18 but hee that doth not beleeue is iudged already because he doth not beleeue on the name of the onely begotten Sonne of God vers 36. He that beleeueth on the Sonne hath eternall life but hee that doth not beleeue on the Sonne shall not see life but the wrath of God remaines vpon him Chap. 5 29 They that haue done good shall come forth to the resurrection of life but they that haue done euill to the resurrection of iudgement Mat. 25.46 The blessed shall goe into euerlasting life and the cursed into euerlasting fire And that this immediate separation of the godly and vngodly is to be made not onely in the last day but also by and by after death the example of the rich glutton doth teach vs Luk. 16.23 whose soule is thrust into Hell and of the godly Lazarus whose soule is translated of the Angels into Paradise the example of the conuerted Théefe doth teach vs Luk. 23.43 to whom Christ promiseth the ingresse into Paradise on that very day wherein hée was to dye Apoc. 14.13 the spirit of Trueth doth teach vs pronouncing them henceforth blessed that dye in the Lord. There is none other purgation or expiation of sinnes then in the bloud of Christ 1 Ioh. 1.7 Esa 53.5 Rom. 5.1 1 Iohn 3.14 Sap. 4.1 which washeth vs altogether from all our sins the chastisement of our peace is vpon him that he might be peace to vs therefore he which beléeues on him is iustified and hath peace with God is translated from death to life neither néed hee feare any torment after death LXVI The rigour of the last iudgement The Tempted I Feare the rigour and terrour of the last iudgement Aboue mee will be the seuere iudge beneath mee gaping Hell within mee my Conscience gnawing without me fire burning on my right hand my sins accusing me on my left hand the Diuels terrifying me round about mee the good Angels driuing mee to hell and the euill drawing mee to the same Satan will accuse me my sinnes will accuse mee Bern. in Rithm my conscience will accuse me I feare much the countenance of the seuere Iudge from whom nothing that is hidden shall be kept close neither shall any thing remaine vnreuenged No man shall be able to escape his power to deceiue his wisedome to turne his equitie or to reuoke his iudgement The Comforter IF thou
beleeuest on the Sonne thou shalt not be iudged Ioh. 3.18 that is to say with that seuere and condemning rigour of iudgement If thou hearest the word of Christ Ioh. 5.24 and beleeuest him thou commest not into iudgement thy cause shall not be discust in that rigorous examination of iudgement 1 Thess 1.10 August in Psa 100. seeing Christ hath freed all that beleeue on him from the wrath to come Truly the day of iudgement is to be feared of the wicked for the punishment but is to be loued of the good for the crowne to them it shall be a day of grace and of large remuneration Luk. 21.28 Lift vp your heads saith the Son and know that your redemption draweth neere The Bride doth not feare the comming of her Bridegroome now thy soule is espoused to Christ by faith hée will appeare in the day of iudgement to that end Apoc. 197 that hée may bring her in as it were â—â—is Bride to the heauenly marriage what place therefore can there be here for terrour or feare That day shall be thâ— day of deliuerance because it shall frée vs altogether from the wretched captiuitie of sinne and death Into the perfect seruice of Christ it is the day of deliuerance because it shall plucke vs away from all the heape of euils and waight of calamities it is the day of deliuerance because it shall redéeme vs wholly from that continuall wrastling of the flesh and perillous warfare It is the day of refreshing because it shall set vs thirstie and out of breath into a place of rest by the fountaine of liuing water from the heate of calamities Act 3.20 Apoc. 22.2 Therefore let our Bridegroome Christ come let him come whatsoeuer soule is the true Spouse of Christ sealed by the earnest of the spirit led by the loue of Christ let her say Come Lord Iesu August in Psa 147. If wée loue Christ truly surely wée also desire his comming for it is a peruerse thing to feare least he come whom thou louest to pray let thy Kingdome come and to feare least thou be heard But from whence is the feare because hée is to come a Iudge What is hée vniust doth hée beare vs ill-will is he enuious doth he expect to know thy cause from another least perhaps he whom thou hast instructed either deceiue thée by collusion or failing in lesser elequence or abilitie be not able in words to shew the goodnesse of thine innocencie None of these Who therefore is to come Wherefore doest thou not reioyce Who is to come to iudge thée but he which came to be iudged for thee Feare not the accuser of whom he hath said the Prince of this world is cast forth Feare not an euill Aduocate for he will be thine Aduocate which shall be thy Iudge He will be both thy selfe and thy cause The word of thy cause the testimonie of thy Conscience All this of Augustine Whosoeuer therefore thou be that fearest the Iudge to come correct now thy conscience There is no cause therefore why thou shouldest feare the Iudge to come He shal be thy Iudge which also is thine Aduocate He shall be thy Iudge which hath giuen a promise to his Saints that by his testimonie and example they are to iudge the world He shall be thy Iudge in whom from euerlasting thou wert chosen to life Hée shall be thy Iudge which was thy King how shall a King destroy his owne people He shall be thy Iudge whose true member thou art by faith how shall the head destroy his members Rom. 8.33 Who shall accuse the chosen of God It is God which iustifies who shall condemne It is Christ which is dead nay which is risen againe which is at the right hand of God and makes intercession for vs how shall hée destroy those whom he hath taken into his tuition for whom least they should be destroyed Rom. 2.16 he came into the world Christ shall iudge according to the Gospell but now the beleeuers haue not despised it but receiued it with true faith They haue heard the voice of Christ inuiting them to conuersion Matth. 11.28 Come vnto me all yee which labour and are heauie loaden and I will refresh you therefore they shall also heare his voice inuiting them to the heauenly possession Come ye blessed of my Father Matth. 25.34 receiue the inheritance of the Kingdome of heauen which was prepared for you from the beginning He shall be the Iudge before whose face goe grace and truth grace hath abolisht the sinnes of the beléeuers truth hath giuen vnto them the promises of eternall life Neither is there any cause that thou feare the horrible vniuersall destruction of heauen and earth Heauen and earth shall passe away Luk. 21.33 Esa 40.8 but the words of Christ shall not passe away The word of the Lord abides for euer if thou sticke to this word with true faith thou likewise shalt abide for euer Thou hast lost nothing where by inordinate loue thou hast possessed nothing thy treasure is not the riches of this world but the delight of the heauenly Kingdome let the world be on fire it is sufficient for thée that Christ thy treasure liueth Let the frame of heauen and earth perish flie passe away thou hast most faithfull promises of a new heauen and a new earth Esa 65.17 2 Pet. 3.12 Apoc. 21.1 Behold I create a new heauen and a new earth saith the Lord in which shall dwell righteousnesse so that no man remembreth the former things any more Let the lodging of thy pilgrimage fall downe the euerlasting house of the heauenly Countrey doth abide Neither is there any cause why thou feare the accusation either of Satan or of the Law or of thine owne sinnes thy sinnes are cast into the depth of the Sea suppose into the bottomlesse pâ—t of Gods mercy Mich. 7.19 Es 38.17 Eze. 18.24 Psa 32.1 Psal 51.1 GOD hath cast them behinde his backe so that hée will not remember them hereafter Beléeue Satan shall not draw vp those sinnes out of the Sea nor dare to bring them into the sight of the Iudge Thy sinnes are forgiuen they are couered they are blotted out they shall not be brought againe into iudgement The accusation drawne against the godly of the Diuell shall be vaine because the blotting out of the hand-writing made by the bloud of Christ Colos 2.14 shall be turned against it The accusation of sinne shall be vaine because the pardon giuen by Christ shall be turned against it The accusation of the Law shall be vaine because reconciliation with God through faith hath gone before in this life To conclude there is no cause that thou feare the sodaine returne of Christ to iudgement for although the day of the Lord shal come as a Thiefe in the night 1 Thess 5.2 yet God hath not appointed vs to wrath but that wée may attaine saluation through our Lord Iesus Christ Vers 9. which hath dyed for vs that whether we wake or sléepe we may alwaies liue with him The day of iudgement is not to be feared of them for whom the Kingdome of heauen was prepared from the beginning Matth. 25.34 Eph. 1.4 which were chosen in Christ before the foundations of the earth were laid Commend therefore into the faithfull hands of God the pretious pledge of thy soule he will keepe it in death and iudgement and he will bring it vnited to the body into the Palaces of the heauenly Court to euerlasting glorie FINIS A PRAYER in Sicknesse HEare mee O God giuer and restorer of life in whose hands is life and death health and sicknesse Heare mee not according to the desire of my will but according to the good pleasure of thy will If thou wilt thou canst make mee whole say but one word onely and I shall be whole thou art the length of my dayes in thy hands are my lots but if thou now callest me by the way of Death to the heauenly Countrey mortifie first in mee all inordinate loue of this life giue me the strength of the spirit that I may ouercome the sorrowes of death and in the midst of the darknesse of mine eyes when they waxe dimme kindle and encrease in me the light of heart with thee is the fountaine of true life and in thy light I shall see light Thy death O good Iesus is the medicine of my death and the merit of eternall life I embrace thy vvord vvith a faithfull heart therefore I am sure that thou dwellest by faith in my heart I will not let thee depart out of my heart before thou blesse me and lift me vp with quickning consolation Thou hast said He that beleeueth on mee shall not die for euer this word my heart doth set before thee and in this faith I draw neere to the throne of grace thou wilt not correct nor put back him that comes vnto thee Let thy pretious bloud vvash mee from my sinnes let thy wounds hide mee from the wrath of God and rigour of iudgement I wil die in thee thou shalt liue in mee I will abide in thee and thou shalt abide in me thou wilt not leaue me in death and dust but wilt raise me vp to the resurrection of life Thou hast fought and ouercome for mee now fight and ouercome in me let thy strength be performed in mine infirmitie My soule cleaues vnto thee I will not suffer my selfe to be pluckt away from thee let thy peace which passeth all vnderstanding keepe my heart and senses Into thy hands I commend my spirit thou hast redeemed me thou God of truth take vp the poore soule which thou hast created which thou hast redeemed which thou hast washed from sins with thy bloud which thou hast sealed with the earnest of the holy Ghost which thou hast fed with thy body bloud It is thine thou hast giuen it vnto mee take vp that which thine is and remit the guilt of my sinnes wherewith I haue defiled it Let not the fruit of thy Passion perish in me let not thy precious bloud waxe barren in me In thee O Lord haue I hoped let me not be confounded for euer Amen