body and soule from God Hence it appeareth that Death is threefold first corporall secondly spirituall and thirdly a death common both to body and soule and all these kindes due to all men without exception for all haue sinned and are destitute of the grace of God This corporall Death which I said to be a seperation of the soule from the body is likewise called the first Death And spirituall Death which is a renting of the soule from God who is the life thereof is also called the second Death Both corporall and spirituall or the Death that is common both to body and soule which is an euerlasting diuorce both of body and soule from the vnion and fellowship of God is also called eternall death which is inchoatiue in this life for they that beleeue not are condemned already and compleate in the life to come when after the resurrection of the body both body and soule shall euerlastingly be seperated from the Lord of life which is also common to all by reason of sinne yet not preuailing ouer Gods elect iustified and freed from it by faith in Christ Death therefore in a word is nothing else but a departing from life the life of the body is the soule therefore the separation of the soule from the body is Death And as the soule is the life of the body so the life of the soule is God therefore the going and departing of the soule from God to cleaue to sinne and Sathan is the death also of the soule The sinfull soule dies not because she turnes to nothing but in that she dies to God and liues to sinne for how can the substance thereof perish seeing it is the soule that giueth life he that receaueth the soule receaueth life and when the soule departeth life flyeth away The soule therefore is life and how can it die which is opposite so directly to death it selfe For as Snow can endure no heate but presently it melteth and as the Sun in his brightnesse can receaue no obscuritie but dissipates and dispels all darkenes by his cleare and christall beames and as the coldest and hardest Ice at the approach of the fire is turned into water so the soule which is the fountaine of life and authour of mouing is not capable properly of death nor can possibly die Therefore the soule of man being immortall ought to be well ordered and heeded least the Immortality to ioy should turne to Immortality of sorrow The death of the body is not the death of the soule but onely a seuering or parting of the same from the body As in taking of a Candle out of a Lanthorne we may take the light out and not put out the Candle and the Lanthorne is full of darkenesse by reason of the light remoued yet the Candle casteth her light more cleare and bright euen so the soule departing from this body of clay liueth and moueth afterward more freshly and blessedly The soule then dies not because it is vtterly abolished but because it is as though it were not it ceaseth to be in respect of righteousnes and fellowship with God for this is the death of all deaths when the creature hath subsisting and being still in it selfe and yet for all that is depriued of all happy and heauenly societie with God The soule in the body is the life of the flesh but God which quickneth all things is the life of our soules so saith Gregorie As the body dieth when it sendeth out the soule so doth the soule die when it looseth God The seperation from God is the death of the soule euen as the departing of the soule is the death of the body so saith Augustine Sinne begat the last and the punishment of sinne brought forth the first so saith Bernard The nature then of death in effect is the absence or depriuation of that life which God bestowed on man in his creation It is an execution of Gods iustice and iudgement vpon man for sinne God ordained it in iustice but man procured it by his sinne whose stipend it is euen the ouerthrower of mankinde an enemy to nature the dissolution of Gods worke the power of the diuell the strength of Gods wrath and the very kingdome of hell The death of the soule is to cease from righteousnesse and quite to be sequestred from the life of God This is called the first death in respect of time going as I said before the second which is the compleate death indeede for as the soule as we haue heard is the life of the body so God is the life of the soule and his spirit is as it were the soule of our soules the want of which communion brings nothing else but endlesse and eternall death Without God there is no life therefore Adam and Euah departing from God departed from their life and although their soules were not presently seperated from their bodies yet being gone from God their life they lay as it were buried in their bodies as dead carkases in the graues as also their bodies themselues euery moment were mortall Sinne saith Bernard went before and Death followed at the heeles which if Man had preuented death had not entred He would not be ruled by God and so was made vnable to rule his body Thus by sinne he lost his life found out death As his soule could not be diuided from God his life but by sinning no more could his body be seperated from his soule but by dying and nothing was more agreeable to Gods iustice then that a spirituall death should beget a corporall a guilty death that which is penall and a voluntary death an ineuitable and fatall So soone as man through sinne had turned himselfe from God so soone and as sodainely was he destitute of his grace and so soone did the huge hoast of death ceaze vpon him and besiege him as hunger thirst and nakednesse sicknesse sorrow and all kinde of miseries So soone as euer they had sinned saith Chrisostome euen so soone did the Lord pronounce sentence of death against them and euen as those that are condemned of an earthly Iudge although for a while perhaps they may be reserued a liue in prison and be repriued yet in effect they are but dead men Euen so our first parents though through the exceeding great mercy of God after sentence pronounced they did long enioy their liues yet forthwith in effect they were as good as dead for no day houre or moment did afterwards ensue in which they had assurance of their life Whereby we may learne that the life of sinners is no life indeede but a death being estranged from the life of God and none haue life in God which want beliefe in Christ for onely Christ who is eternall life through faith doth quicken vs So that truely to acknowledge Christ and thorough faith to possesse him is to be freed from death and to haue eternall
will set vs all at rest in his due time section 12 Wee must therefore neyther hate this life for the toyles therein for that is sloath and cowardlinesse nor loue it for the delights for that is folly and vanitie but serue our selues of it to serue God in it who afterward shall place vs in ioyfull rest and replenish vs with pleasures which shall neuer more perish Againe to flye it is childish and in flying from it wee meete it Much lesse ought wee to seeke it for that is temerâ—tie nor euery one that would dye can dye It is enough that constantly wee waite for deaths comming that shee neuer finde vs vnprouided Wee must not fall sodainely vpon death but march valiantly towards the same by little and little wee must not rashly or vnaduisedly leaue our life like one that takes his runne to fetch the better rise CHAP. VII Consolations against the agony of Death and horrour of the Graue and Corruption THE very remembrance of Death is bitter section 1 enough to frayle and mortall man but the agonies and bickerings wee haue in the flesh are farre beyond the conceit of men For such is the weaknesse of our nature and the guiltinesse of sinne making warre in our flesh that without especiall aide and helpe from heauen wee shall be swallowed vp of griefe And what man is hee so strong in Faith that can contayne himselfe in this pittifull tryall of deaths combat It made Christ himselfe to sweat and cry and pray before he got the victory Although I confesse the burden of our sinnes and Gods wrath were importable to any but himselfe yet was hee fitted with grace and power without measure and for all that felt this horrour and therefore the best and strongest regenerate men cannot goe free but are made conformable to the sufferings of Christ in a measure Besides the corruption of sinne remayning in vs which finally must be purged by the bitter pill of death Ezechiah after the sentence of death pronounced section 2 against him by the Prophet complayneth how his dayes were cut off that he should goe to the gates of the graue to the pit of corruption where hee could not see the Lord any more in the Land of the liuing nor the inhabitants of the world to confesse and prayse God as the liuing doe and hope for his truth He cryes out that his habitation is remoued like a Shepheards Tent and his life cut off as the weauers webbe that God brake all his bones like a Lyon and so made an end of him This made him in his prayer to chatter like a Swallow and mourne like a Doue Hee saith hee was oppressed and walked to his graue in the bitternesse of his soule c. What should I speake of many other of the faithfull which cry out aliue as men free among the dead drawing neere to the graue and going downe to the pit who are remembred no more but cut off by Gods hand lying in a place of darknesse and in the deepe feeling Gods wrath lying vpon them being vexed with all his waues and stormes How doe they stretch out their hands with lamentable complaints saying Shall thy louing kindnesse be declared in the graue or thy faithfulnesse in destruction Shall thy wondrous workes be knowne in the darke and thy righteousnesse in the land of obliuion I omit to speake of Iob of Ionah and many of Gods children who haue rufully complained in this case section 3 If the parting company of one way-faring man with another when they haue trauelled but for a time together doe cause such sorrow and solitarinesse what a griefe then will it be to thinke that two such friends as the Soule and Body haue beene shall be separated and singled one from another which so long haue trauelled together euen from the mothers vvombe vntill the instant moment of death Betweene whom there hath beene so many knots and bands of mutuall loue O Death how imperious art thou to carnall mindes aggrauating their other miseries not onely by expectation of future payne but by the remembrance of wonted ioyes not suffering them to see ought but what may torment them Great no doubt are the horrours of death when the sicke man shall see the world his friends and all earthly things forsaking him but farre greater is the horrour of iudgement to consider hee is now going to answere for all that hee hath done in his body whether it be good or ill If the countenance of an earthly Iudge be fearefull to a guilty prisoner how much more shall the beholding of an eternall Iudge amaze all such who finde a thousand witnesses in themselues to giue in euidence against them But as hee that is to passe ouer some great and deepe Riuer vpon a narrow plancke and straite passage must not looke downeward to the streame of the water but for preuenting of feare must set his foote sure and cast his eyes to the bancke on the further side So must hee that draweth neare to death as it were looke ouer the waues thereof and fixe the eye of Faith vpon eternall life If in the time of temptation wee looke to sayle a right course neyther sincking nor slipping into the gulfe of desperation neyther battering our Barke against the rocke of presumption let vs in a contrite spirit cry to the Lord our God and say Heale my soule for I haue sinned against thee for thou healest those that are broken in heart and bindest vp their soares I see and that with ioy how my flesh must decay for looke what freshnesse soeuer was in it at the first diminisheth day by day And I neede not goe farre to seeke for death for I feele not so small an infirmitie in my body but the same is vnto mee a messenger of dissolution Yet for all this I shall see my God and when I am couered in the belly of the graue I am assured hee will reach mee his hand to raise me vp againe to immortalitie and life so that this base cottage and shade of leaues being brought to dust shall yet in the end be conuayed vnto my incorruptible house in heauen That dissolution is well bestowed that parts the soule section 4 from the body to vnite them both to God All our life here is but a vitall death How gainefull therefore is that death that determines this false and dying life and beginnes a true and happy life Hee that hath Stephens eyes to looke into heauen cannot but haue the tongue of the Saints to say Come quickly Lord Iesus Such a man seeing the glory of the end cannot but contemne the hardnesse of the way but who so wants these eyes though hee say and sweares hee feares not death beleeue him not But is thy soule sorrowfull vnto death Remember Christs prayer in his Agonie Father not my will but thine be fulfilled Teaching vs what to doe in the time of distresse what wee should thinke
are as corrupt by nature as the rest vntill they be reformed by the santified meanes ordained of God 15. Mans sinne maketh his life a due debt to death 17. The Diuell is the father of Sinne and Sinne the mother of Death ibid. The corruption of our flesh did not make our soules sinfull but the sinne of our soule did make the flesh corruptible ibid. CHAP. V. DEath is threefold corporall spirituall and that which is common both to body and soule Sect. 2. The description of Death according to the seuerall parts 3. The soule cannot properly dye being life it selfe illustrated by examples 4. How the soule is said to dye 5. The seperation from God is the death of the soule as the departing of the soule is the death of the body ibid. The nature of Death 6. Gods Spirit is the soule of our soules ibid. Man by sinne lost his life and found out death 7. It is agreeable to Gods iustice that a spirituall death should beget a corporall ibid. So soone as man had sinned so soone did the armies of death besiege his life 8. The very life of sinners is a death 9. Gods spirit must quicken and reuiue the soule or else it must needes dye and be damned 10. The degrees of the spirit in Gods elect 11. The wicked in this life doe liue in death and conuersing in earth they are bondslaues of hell 12. An effectuall faith in Christ is the life of the soule 13. What it is to be dead in sinne 14. Death is diuersly deriued with the reasons thereof 15. CHAP. VI. IT is enacted in heauen that all men must dye Sect. 1. The Registers of the death and buriall of men from the beginning witnesse the execution of Gods decree herein 2. Death is the way of all the world and the house of all men liuing ibid. Death is the Lady and Empresse of all the world 3. Balthasers Embleme is written vpon euery mans wall 4. Death respecteth no mans person place or qualities 3. Dayes and yeares and times no plea against the graue but a fitter prey for Death ibid. Death as Dan the gathering hoast sweepes all away 4. Mercilesse Death doth exercise her cruelty vpon all alike 5. Nothing can preuaile against Death or ransome our life 6. Gods hand a man may escape but Deaths dart no man can shunne 7. No force can resist it nor meanes preuent it ibid. Death is the common road-way of all the world 8. We must needes yeeld our selues to the law of Death ibid. Men may be distinguished by times but all are equall in the issue 9. As we grow our life decreaseth This whole life is but a death ibid. Man cannot be ignorant of his death since all creatures and actions proclaime his mortalitie 10. Experiments of death on euery side most apparant 11. The law of Nature conuinceth it amongst all nations 12. Our liues as our garments weare of themselues they are eaten with the Moaths we with the Time ibid. The course of our life runneth without pause to the period and end 13. An exclamation against Death most hideous and pittifull 14. 15. The Christian vse of our mortalitie with a reproofe of the carelesse Christian 16. 17. Death to the faithfull is as an hackney to carry and hasten them from earth to heauen ibid. CHAP. VII SInne brought in a sea of miseries Sect. 1. Life and misery are two twinnes which were borne together and must dye together 2. A description of infancy and old age with their miseries 3. The miserie of all estates Here death is liuing and life dying 4. There is no contentment in this wretched life 5. A description of mans sinfull mortall body 6. The frailty and brittlenesse of mans body with the reason thereof 7. See the manifold dangers of our life and how easily it is lost 8. The mutabilitie and inconstancie of mans life 9. This life is little better then hell were it not for the hope of heauen 10. This world is an Ocean sea of troubles See how fitly it resembleth it hauing a mercilesse maw to swallow vp all 11. It is a dungeon of ill sauours and a puddle of vices 12. Mans life is short and swift like a poste a ship and a shadow ibid. Our dayes passe swiftly as the Eagle to her prey and all mortall men are a prey to death 14. We are as flowers and grasse and Death in the hand of God as a sythe to cut vs downe ibid. All things dye but our sinnes which reuiue and grow young againe in despight of nature ibid. The cares of this life are like the Flyes of Egypt which giue men no rest neither day nor night 15. They are like mercilesse Tyrants which take away our peace ibid. Man and his labour are fitly resembled to the Spider and her web 16. All things are as snares to sinners to draw them to destruction 17. The meanes for Christians to auoid the snares of this life 18. It is as naturall for corrupt man to sinne as for water to run downe the channell or a Coach downe a hill 19. The best men liuing amongst the wicked are aptly resembled to Colliers and Millers ibid. The manifold engins of Sathan to enthrall vs. 20. No man can liue peaceably in this world among so many enemies of peace ibid. The warfare of Christians both outward and intestine with the occasions thereof 21. 22. Our life is as a tempestuos sea and death the onely port of tranquilitie and rest 23. CHAP. VIII MEN by dying proue they had sinned and sinne conuinceth there is a Law Sect. 1. The Law conuinceth man of sinne who without it knew not sinne 2. Sinne by the Law grew out of measure sinful with the reason thereof 3. The Law detecteth sinne as a hidden sicknesse that so we may seeke to Christ the Physitian 4. It is holy and righteous in it selfe though an occasion of euill to those that are corrupt ibid. How sinne is said to be dead without the Law 5. The Law anatomiseth sinfull man and setteth him out in his colours 6. The Law slayeth the sinner before Gods Spirit quicken him 7. Sinne and the Law are the strength and sting of Death 8. The Law not onely conuinceth man of sinne but iustifieth God in the punishment thereof 9. The horror of death with the reason thereof 10. CHAP. IX GReat and heauy was the tribute which God imposed vpon man for sinne Sect. 1. The death of the body is nothing to the damnation of body and soule in hell 2. As diseases are the maladies of the body so death is the maladie of diseases ibid. The death of the reprobate is a liuing death and a dying life 3. The life of the damned is an immortalitie of torments and euill 4. The torments of hell are vnspeakable 5. They are euerlasting and endlesse 6. Death to the vnregenerate is the very gate of hell 7. Death cannot be so feared as it ought of wicked men 8. CHAP. X.
section 5 Yet as waxe is more apt to receiue an impression then clay so the soule being a Spirit commeth nearest to Gods nature For first the very substance of Adams soule did most liuely shadow out the diuine Essence not onely in the simplicitie inuisiblenesse and immortalitie thereof but also in that power which it enioyed to know and will And as God is but one in the world quickning sustaining and gouerning the same so there is but one soule in the body which being whole in euery part thereof without augmentation or diminution giueth vnto it both life sense and motion Further the soule is like vnto God in the faculties of the same For as there is but one onely diuine Essence in the Godhead and yet three distinct persons in respect of their externall actions so the soule is but one howsoeuer it consisteth of sundry essentiall qualities This Image of God in man consisted especially in the section 6 rule and dominion of the Creatures Let vs make man saith God in our owne image that hee may rule the fowles of the ayre fish of the sea beasts of the earth Now to rule well is required Knowledge Memorie Will Vnderstanding and Iudgement which are essentiall in God and proper to our soules Man had not onely giuen vnto him of God power and abilitie to vnderstand diuine and humane things but was endued with other heauenly qualities as Iustice Wisedome Temperance Mercy Loue c. Gods Image in man is righteousnesse holinesse and knowledge Be renued saith the Apostle in the spirit of your minde and put on the new man which after the Image of God is created vnto righteousnesse and true holinesse Whose qualities are necessarily inferred by the contrary attributed to the olde man where truth is opposed against lying Christian anger against sinfull rage iust dealing against falshood and wrong holy and gracious speech against corrupt and filthy communication And hee saith that this Image or new man is renued in knowledge after the image of him that created it because the true knowledge of God transformeth man to the image of God his Maker that is to say to the true sinceritie and purenesse of the soule Therefore presently following hee expresseth the qualities of this Image to wit tender affection or bowels of compassion kindnesse humblenesse of minde meeknesse long-suffering forbearing and forgiuing one another Loue Peace and these be the fruits of Gods Spirit which renueth our hearts as they are mustred by S. Paul against which vertues hee saith there is no Law which Image also is called a conformitie to Gods Sonne section 7 By the infusion of Gods holy Spirit saith Iraeneus man is made spirituall as at the first hee was created And Tertullian saith that the Image of God in man is to haue the same sense and motion with God the same Will Knowledge Affection Iudgement and Reason in all humane and heauenly things according to the measure of a creature The reason thus to perswade vs is that man was made first according to Gods Image that hee might rule all his creatures below as his President and Substitute ouer all And it is no question but God would haue all his creatures which hee had made well and orderly to be ouer-heeded and ruled who alwayes and euery where in his Word forbiddeth the abuse of any or the least and wee are straightly bound to referre all of them to the glory and praise of their author and owner Now this good vse and excellent administration of all the creatures which God requireth cannot stand without all those former conditions and qualities of the soule of man whereof this Image of God consisteth So that when the minde is endued with the sound knowledge of God and adorned with Iustice then it most truely representeth Gods Image and likenesse because that Iustice and knowledge of diuine and heauenly things are nothing else but a certaine influence from the diuine nature into our mindes and soules section 8 But that these things may appeare more plainly wee are to know that the Image of a thing is the forme by which it is resembled and a similitude is a qualitie of a thing by which it is shadowed Now man in his Image not onely resembled his Maker in knowledge and vnderstanding but was also created in other celestiall conditions as Iustice Wisedome Mercy Loue c. as before was declared yet so as that Christ alone is the very ingrauen forme of his person according to his Deitie and in his Humanitie so farre as it is capable of the same And to this end hath God predestinated and elected vs that we should be conformable to the Image of his Sonne Therefore God made vs of an vnderstanding nature and capable of diuine perfection when with these heauenly properties our soules were first endued which now cannot be againe recouered but thorow the helpe of Christ the true patterne and type of our first created Image To conclude how like we were made to God appeareth by our proposed end of that selfe-same happinesse and blisse which wee feare to loose and waite through hope to enioy with God himselfe both in louing and knowing of him as hee is Mans soule by creation had Reason and Will as it section 9 were for two wings Reason to vnderstand and know and Will to approue and elect things vnderstood and knowne And these two wings did with equall force and sweet consent carry vp and support the soule to guide it aright to God that so it might sore aloft with her affections as the Eagle flying carryeth her young ones to inure them with the Sunne so it might lift vp it selfe aloft from all infection whatsoeuer A rectitude and vprightnesse was also added that it might beare the force and power as it were of a cleare and pleasant gale of winde to these two wings which blast receiued into the braine did carry and freshly set forward the powers of the minde as when the flight of the Larke or Nightingale ascending on high is hastened with a quicke and pleasant winde wherewith these birds are so delighted that the higher they flye aloft towards the skye the more sweetly doe they sing Such a heauenly harmonie and consent was in all the faculties of the soule that alwayes and altogether they aspired with ioy to holy and heauenly things All excellent learning and skill was engrauen in mans soule his Reason was more sharpe and cleare then the Eagles eye which can behold the Sunne his Knowledge surpassed all Arts and Sciences so that by nature he could approach vnto the eternall light and vnderstanding of God himselfe and heauenly things as the Angels and holy Spirits themselues CHAP. II. Man in his first and best estate was mutable by nature and subiect to fall and so righteously made of God without any cause of iust complaint NOW for the better humbling of man in this his high estate that hee
life Onely in name to professe him is the part of dead men for as whosoeuer beleeueth not remaineth in death and hath the wrath of God still staying vpon him so none beleeueth in Christ that loues him not and none loueth him that keepeth not his commandements Hereof saith Saint Iohn to the Angell of Sardis thou hast a name that thou liuest but thou art dead so Christ called the Scribes and Pharisees painted sepulchers whose soules were dead in their bodies for want of faith Hence it was that he said to the young man let the dead burie their dead and Paul of the wanton Widdow that being aliue she was but dead Awake thou that sleepest and stand vp from the dead and Christ shall giue thee light you hath he quickned that were dead in your trespasses and sinnes As the soule infused into the body quickeneth a massie piece of flesh which had no motion before so the soule to make it a liuely and a good soule must haue as it were a soule powred into it that is the Spirit of God and if this Spirit be absent wee are but dead from all holy motions as the body naturall is from outward actions by absence of the soule So that a man may liue a life in the flesh and yet be dead in respect of the life of God Againe as the body while it hath a soule is but a naturall body wasting it selfe like oyle in the Lampe and cannot choose but in the end to dye yet after this life shall be called a spirituall body not in substance but in qualitie because in the resurrection it shall be quickened by the spirituall power of Christ So a man that hath but simply a soule if hee haue not the true soule of the soule which is the Spirit of God to quicken and reuiue it hee is but a meere naturall man and must needes be damned Furthermore as a body raised vp and quickened by the power of God can neuer dye againe so the soule of a faithfull man being a spirituall soule hauing once receiued the earnest of Gods Spirit and a measurable power of true Sanctification from the holy Ghost can neuer dye Now the life of Gods Spirit hath three degrees in Gods elect Regeneration in this life when we are renued in our affections and doe feele a true change of minde within vs the second after this life when the soule shall be separated from the body which being once as it were released from the fetters of the flesh shall swiftly take her flight to heauen and then shall the soule liue indeede a heauenly life being altogether freed from the temptations of the Diuell and all allurements of the flesh But the highest degree of all of the soules estate is at the generall day of resurrection when the world with the lusts thereof shall passe away like a cloud and be sodainely wrapped vp like a scrole for then both the body and soule of man shall not onely enioy the presence of God but liue also with him for euer in heauenly blisse So likewise the reprobate in this life and in the life to come haue double miseries coupled to their double deaths For first while they liue they want Gods grace and fauour being strucken with terrour in their conscience as Cain that runnagate and vagabond not onely fearing their liues but being frighted at their shadowes And they haue the Diuell who is the God of this world possessing them and still leading them captiues by the cords and chaines of all manner of wickednesse towards hell and damnation and in the life to come they are not onely depriued of the presence of God but suffer and endure all endlesse and vnspeakable torments with the Diuell and his Angels As Gods Children therefore being crucified to the world and the flesh haue the life of God liuing in them which will most perfectly appeare and shew it selfe at Christs comming so all fleshly and wicked men who haue giuen themselues to the Flesh World and Diuell doe presently liue the life of hell which they carrying about in their bodies will clearely shew it selfe to their shame and confusion at the latter day So that the wicked in this life doe liue in death and conuersing in earth they are the bond-slaues of hell And as Faith in Christ as I said before is the life of the soule in Gods elect so no faith can quicken vs which is not liuely in it selfe which apprehendeth not Christ aright which worketh not by loue which flourisheth not with fruits for Faith without good workes is dead And therefore to the end wee may be reuiued being dead and buryed in our sinnes we must first beleeue in Christ which is our life and if our beliefe be liuely wee must shew it forth by our fruits otherwise we may haue a name to liue and yet be dead Now to vnderstand this poynt the better let vs obserue what it is to be dead in sinne They are said to be dead in their sinnes whom Death still holdeth in the cords and bonds thereof such as are strangers from the life or God that haue neyther sense nor feeling of their sinnes nor any motion to godlinesse to whom all goodnesse is vnsauory whose bodyes and soules are holden captiue of the Diuell whom they serue as slaues such as are void of Gods Spirit wedded to their owne wicked wils whom the God of this world hath blinded that they can neyther see nor beleeue the truth whose conuersion is as hard as to raise vp Sonnes of Stones vnto Abraham Who is more dead then hee that carryeth fire in his bosome sinne in his Conscience and doth neyther feele it nor shake it out nor tremble at it for Sathan hath gotten quiet possession and hee is carelesse in assaulting of such in whom he hath gotten a quiet dwelling Hence we may learne to loath our selues for our sinnes which bring vs into such thraldome to Death and Diuell which cut vs off from God shut vs out of heauen rob vs of saluation and bring the euerlasting wrath of God vpon vs which is vnmeasurable infinite and vnportable neuer able to be sustained of any but of Christ our infinite God and Sauiour who in maiestie and power is equall with his Father Thus we haue heard the nature of death common vnto all by the meanes of sinne without exception Well therefore is Death deriued from a word that signifies to to diuide not onely for that it maketh diuision where it comes but that without exception it equally diuides to all alike Some thinke that it proceedes from bitternesse for that the sweetnesse of the forbidden fruit proued bitter to Adam and his brood And Augustine not vnwittily deriueth Mors à morsu for that our first parents in biting the Apple were bitten of death Whence hee also alludeth to that of Osea 15. O death I
consolation And seeing that God my louing Father tempered this Potion for mee and Iesus Christ his Sonne hath begunne vnto mee shall I not drinke it with thankfulnesse and comfort But why will hee haue thy death so bitter and sharpe It is my Lord who can and will wish me nothing but good and why should I his poore and vnprofitable seruant refuse to suffer that which the Lord of glory and my blessed Sauiour sustained himselfe But it is a miserable thing to die No the death of Gods Saints is precious in the sight of of God and the ready way to eternall life Blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord for so saith the Spirit they shall rest from their labours But the death of sinners is damnable Yea but he is no more a sinner that truely repenteth and is pardoned Let not Sathan tell Gods children what they haue beene but what they would be for such we are by imputation section 16 as we are in affection and he is now no sinner which for the loue he beareth to righteousnesse would be no sinner Such as we be in desire and purpose such wee be in reckoning and accompt with God who giueth that true desire and holy purpose to none but to his children whom he iustifieth Neither vndoubtedly can the guiltinesse of sinne breake the true peace of conscience seeing it is the worke of another who hath commended vs as righteous before God and saued vs. It must needes be graunted that in our selues we are weaker then that we can resist the least sinne so farre off is it that we can encounter with the Law Sinne Death Hell and Diuell and yet in Iesus Christ we are more then conquerours ouer them all If Sathan summon thee therefore to answere for thy section 17 debt send him straight to Christ thy pledge and say that the wife is not sueable but the husband therefore enter thy action Sathan against Christ my husband and he will answere thee Who then shall condemne vs or what Iudge shall daunt vs sith God hath acquitted vs and Christ that was condemned hath iustified vs He is our Iudge that willeth not the death of a sinner hee is our man of law that to excuse vs suffered himselfe to be accused for vs. O gluttenous hell where is thy defence O cruell sinne where is thy tyrannous power O rauening death where is thy bloody sting O roaring Lyon why doest thou fret and fume Christ my law fighteth against thee O law and is my libertie Christ my sinne against thee O sinne and is my righteousnesse Christ warreth against thee O Diuell and is my Sauiour Christs Death is against thee O Death and is my life Thou diddest desire to paue my way to the burning lake of damned soules but contrary to thy will thou art constrained to lift vp the Ladder whereby I must ascend to euerlasting happinesse and ioy In our tryals and temptations we must first search out section 18 the cause and ascend to God pleading guilty and crauing mercy at his hand and not so much stand quarrelling with the corruption of our nature and Sathans malice against vs. For as it were no good wisedome for a man condemned to die to make any long suite to the Iaylour or hangman for they be but vnder-officers and can doe nothing of themselues but must rather labour to the Iudge himselfe who can either repriue or release him so it is no good pollicie to stand reasoning so long with Sathan in our temptations who doth all by constraint and restraint vnder God our Lord in whose onely hands are both the entrance and issues of all afflictions and Death it selfe section 19 Whatsoeuer scruple therefore ariseth from our selues or is inferred of Sathan from any imperfection that is in vs it neede not at all dismay vs because wee saue not our selues but are saued by him who is made vnto vs from God wisedome righteousnes Sanctification and redemption that who so glorieth should glorie in him Thus we must send Sathan to Christ who is our aduocate to pleade and defend our cause which yet is not so much ours as his owne because the question is not of our merits or satisfactions which we freely renounce but of the merits of his obedience and of the value of his Death vnto the saluation of the soules of all the faithfull Thus shall we at once for euer stop the mouth of this our cruell enemie when refusing to pleade our owne cause we referre our selues vnto Christ whom we know to be the wisedome of God and sufficient to answere what possibly can or shall be obiected against vs. When Dauid comes to fight with Goliah he casteth away Sauls armour all confidence in the world or man is laid aside and he onely trusteth in God section 20 Doth the Law indite vs of transgression we must make our appeale to the court of Conscience in heauen and there get a Supersede as to stay the course of Law and so appeale to the throne of grace from the Law of feare to the Law of loue as Augustine speaketh Doth the aduersarie vrge our debt our answer is the obligation is cancelled and the booke is crossed and the whole sum discharged Christ hath passed his word nay he hath paid all that is due for vs to the vtmost farthing Let vs shew him our generall acquittance vnder hand and seale giuen vs by God himselfe with whom it is as proper to shew pittie as mercie to helpe misery This is my wel beloued Son in whom I am wel pleased Here is the creditours owne word his owne handwriting vnder seale this is a very good quietus est in Law it is proclaimed from heauen and therefore sufficient to comfort poore distressed sinners vpon earth The house built vpon a rocke was not moued when the stormes beate and the windes blew Christ is our sure rocke let vs builde our faith vpon him and we shall be safe Men cannot be more sinfull then God is mercifull if section 21 with penitent hearts they faithfully call vpon him If wee come to Christ the fountaine of all mercies there shall we finde God in his mediation great without quantitie and good without quality as an auncient speaketh When the wandring Sonne had consumed his fathers substance yet returning sorrowfull his father receiued him and though we sometime loose the nature of children yet God doth neuer loose the name and nature of a father To conclude the Diuell once ouercome giues a fresh assault againe he will neuer giue vs ouer till death end the battell and then he shall be foyled As it comes to passe amongst warriours if the one die in the field and fight the other getteth the vpper hand Here is the difference the faithfull at the last euer get a finall conquest then ascend to heauen as triumphers there the Diuell can assaile them no further he may compasse the earth but he cannot enter
the Bee doth fall among the weedes which seeme section 7 sweet flowers and lights on this and sits on that and tasting all is pleased with none but flyes away so here the faithfull soule findes no delight in these flowers of sinfull flesh and worldly weedes but like Noahs naked doue returnes againe whence she was sent and soares to heauen No more then shall Gods Children paine themselues in heaping together these exhalations of the earth for the heauens shall be ours and this masse of earth which euer draweth vs to the earth shall be buryed in the earth No more then shall wee weary our selues with mounting from degree to degree and from honour to honour for wee shall highly be raised aboue all heights of the world and from on high laugh at the folly of all those wee admired who fight here foolishly for lesse then a poynt or an apple like little children No more then shall we haue such combats in our selues for our flesh shall be dead and our spirit in full life our passions buryed and our Reason freed in perfection Our soule deliuered out of this foule and filthy prison shall againe draw her owne breath recognize her ancient dwelling and againe remember her former glory section 8 This flesh which wee feele this body which we touch is not properly man Man is from heauen heauen is his Countrey and his Ayre That hee is in his body is but by way of exile and confinement Man indeede is soule and spirit man is rather of celestiall and diuine qualitie wherein is nothing grosse or materiall This body such as it is is but the barke and shell of the soule which must needes be broken if wee will be hatched for a heauenly life if wee will truely liue and see the light Wee looke but through false spectacles wee haue eyes but ouer-growne with pearles wee thinke wee see but it is in a dreame wherein wee see nothing but deceit All that wee haue and all that we know is but abuse and villany Death onely can restore vs both life and light And yet so blockish are wee that wee thinke shee comes to rob vs of them Though our soule now for a while be bound to our bodies as Isaack was tyed to the Altar yet so soone as the bonds are loosed it mounteth vp to heauen a place of ioy and blisse Death depriues the soule of no good but freeing it from the burden of the flesh makes it fitter for goodnesse It is the very graue of sinne to the faithfull and the instrument and meanes to raise them vp to the life of righteousnesse through it the sinfull bodies are resolued to dust that so defiled the soule and so the soule once separated aspireth to the heauenly Spheares section 9 The nature of the earth saith one is cold and drye so are our earthly affections to deuotion and pietie The earth stands still without motion and hath the circumference carryed round about it so Gods benefits compasse earthly men and yet they are nothing moued The earth doth often extinguish hot and fiery exhalations which otherwise would ascend so doe earthly affections many holy and heauenly motions of remembring our latter end But the qualitie of the earth which wee should imitate for our good is to be fruitfull after tilling because that the ground which bringeth forth bryars and thornes is subiect to a curse The dearest children of God here in the flesh are as section 10 poysoned vessels washed by the holy Ghost wherein notwithstanding there rests some taste and tallage of the former corruptions But the reprobate and wicked are as barrels full of poyson infused of the Diuell wherein the spirit of God neuer shewed his power Sinne in the regenerate hath a deadly wound and is like the Sun faintly appearing through a thicke cloud but in the wicked it hath a full and violent course Yet if wee haue receiued but the earnest-penny of Gods Spirit in this life wee shall be sure to receiue our full wages and pay in the life to come Neyther neede wee be dismaid that we limpe with Iacob and be imperfect in this life for if wee had no infirmities wee should be as proud as the Diuell whereas now they serue to humble vs and make vs thankfull vnto God so mercifully restrayning them and so fatherly passing by them and so they serue to multiply our grones vnto God the sooner to be freed from this body and bondage of sinne God doth here buffet his children with their imperfections as he did Paul lest they should grow insolent Now the Lord will trust vs no more with perfection since Adam lost it in Paradise but will exercise vs with our weaknesses lest wee should step into our old mothers conceipt to thinke our selues Gods And thus the Lord cureth our grosse sinnes by our infirmities euen as the best Triacle is made of poyson and the skinne of a Viper is the best cure against the sting of a Viper And though our infirmities be simply euill yet qualified and tempered with God our Physitians hand they are turned to our good If God be on our side who can be against vs Nay rather section 11 saith Chrisostome who is not against vs But howsoeuer they are against vs they shall not long trouble vs for God is a recorder of our patience and Death the finisher of our paine And though the heauy burden of our sinfull flesh doe load vs yet lightsomnesse it is to a Christian to thinke that the way is not long The traueller thinking of his Inne but especially of his home which is the end of his trauell goeth more chearfully on to the end of his iourney The bond-man calling to minde the yeares of Iubilee endureth with more patience the yeares of his bondage Great are our troubles and trauels in this life but saluation will one day make amends for all when wee shall once be landed on the shoare of perfect securitie and be deliuered from all toylesome labours c. Happy yea thrice happy and blessed shall the faithfull be being departed from a shadow of life to true life it selfe from darknesse to light from trouble to rest from sinfull men to the most holy God when the battell of their warfare shall be ended and they quite freed from al the throes of Sinne and Death section 12 One faith well that the word of God is swift and it requireth a speedy follower if speede in following much more in attayning if speede in the body which is a burden of sinne much more when the soule hath put it off if vnder the crosse wee groane and yet goe forward with how much more speede shall wee haste to the Crowne when all teares shall be wiped from our eyes And if it be true of a glorified body as Augustine speaketh that the body is straight where the minde will how much rather shall a sanctified soule disburdened of the body
the word and therefore still continue in waxing and waining let such I say feede still their fancies with shewes and shadowes all which shall end in a moment but let vs that are Christians liue the life of the righteous that so we may die a righteous death and liue in peace and happinesse both here and hereafter If we liue in the spirit then let vs walke in the spirit Our walking and behauiour is a sure and certaine signe whether wee be aliue or dead If our walking and working be spirituall then doe we liue in the spirit but if our workes be carnall we are dead in the spirit neither haue we any thing to doe with Christ and his kingdome As there is a resurrection to the life of glory so is there also a resurrection to the life of grace As the death of the soule went before the death of the body so must the resurrection of the soule from the death of sinne be first and then in due time will come the resurrection of the body Sinne is a kinde of death this my sonne was dead and is now aliue holy conuersation is a rising againe and blessed are those that haue their part in this resurrection The prodigall Sonne by repentance found himselfe who first by riot had lost himselfe and therefore let vs giue him our life who gaue vs life section 7 Christians must be as birds who for necessitie sake are faine to stay vpon the earth yet still for the most part are soaring in the skie where they tune many a pleasant note so should our thoughts be imployed in things beneath but our chiefe delights must still climbe higher where true ioyes dwell where no distracting thoughts can once disturbe them Raise vp thy selfe O soule saith Augustine and thinke of that good which containeth all good Our deuotion must not be as the Morning dewe which vanisheth with the Sunne nor like the leaues of Autumne that fall from the tree but our goodnesse must abide so long as wee liue yea wee must rather yeelde vp our breath and being then our faith and deuotion section 8 Euery one feareth the death of the body but few are affraide of the death of the soule That which possibly cannot be auoyded men seeke to shun but to auoide sin that they may liue for euer few or none doe care To labour not to die is but trauell in vaine this is to defer not to auoide Death but if we would take heede we sinne not then neede we not be doubtfull after death to liue for euer Simply to liue is not so good except a man liue well and in Gods feare for the Diuels and the damned liue but better it were if they had no being The soule without grace is as the ground without moysture which turneth to dust and vanisheth and like the barren earth accursed It is as an vnarmed man and one that is naked amongst the pykes and darts of his aduersaries And since the earth was cursed for our sinnes in Adam and our soules are saued by faith in Christ let the direction of our thoughts to him be the messenger to our hearts that our affections are in heauen for we are not placed that wee should be planted here but being bought from this earth by bloud we should clense our selues in this world with water that since some inferiour affections must needes be found here below yet the dust onely may cleaue to our feete and our head and hands lift vp to God So shall we haue comfort in our death being thus sanctified section 9 in our life and it shall serue vs as a barge to bring vs to the hauen of happy rest which now is made through Iesus Christ the issue of all miserie and an entrance to true safetie to all Gods elect Christians therefore one would thinke neede not as Pagans consolations against death but death should serue them as a consolation against all afflictions So that wee should not onely strengthen our selues not to feare it but accustome our selues to hope for it for vnto vs it is not onely a departing from paine and euill but an accesse and possession-taking of all happinesse and good not the end of life but the end of death and beginning of life because it is not to vs a last day but the dawning of an euerlasting day Death now is the way to recouer our former estate being lost by our first parens It is the meanes to translate vs from our mortall condition to euerlasting immortalitie and happinesse in Christ Who therefore will not be glad to exchange for the better Let them desire to liue in the world whom it loueth and affecteth but all true Christians it hateth euermore and despiseth What man being farre from home would not hasten to section 10 returne into his country and though he saile vpon the dangerous seas would hee not hoyst vp the sailes of his Ship and hasten his iourney with some hazard to come to the hauen of rest where he would be Now this world is a forraine Countrie to all Christians where they wander for a while our home is the Paradise of God heauen it selfe is the hauen whither Gods children must saile to land and the way and passage both by sea and land is death decreed of God which to the godly as hath beene said is not an end of their liues but an end of their sinnes It destroyeth not nature but reformes it It cutteth off our corruption and restoreth vs to immortalitie Whilst I remaine vpon earth I am as it were in my wardship but hereafter I shall haue the full managing of all my goods O happy dying and blessed death which art made so gainefull vnto me why should I feare thee which bringest all sorrowes and feares to an end Thy name is fearefull but thy effect full of consolation especially when I behold thee vnder his feete which hath pulled out thy sting taken from hell his command and spoyled the diuell of his power section 11 The iudgement of God cannot afflict me for that the Iudge is my aduocate Sathan my accuser is condemned the Angels of the Lord are my defenders against him The graue though it gape wide yet can it not deuoure me for although I must rot in it yet was it my Sauiours bed who was laid therein to sanctifie it for me by his sweet funerall and to prepare me there a chamber of rest But O Lord suffer me not to die before I begin to liue nor to rot in the graue before I be assured of my immortall inheritance in heauen wound my hart with a holy sorrow wash my soule with thy precious blood Let other men desire to liue many yeares vpon earth my longing is to aspire to the dayes of heauen whereas one day consumes not another but are endlesse and eternall The reward of life the ioy of euerlasting saluation and perpetuall blisse the possession of Paradise
drags him along that goeth by compulsion CHAP. II. How dangerous a thing it is not to be prepared for Death or to deferre the time thereof HAuing partly heard of the necessitie of preparation section 1 let vs a little consider of the dangerous want thereof for Death being such a fearefull enemie we may not without great hazard of our estates meete him naked in the field but knowing him and his forces it is fit wee be throughly prepared against the combat And albeit we cannot of our selues make any prouision sure inough to serue our turne for it is not our owne strength counsell or pollicie that can stand vs in stead in such a fight yet prouided we must be if we will preuaile neither is it Sauls harnesse that will buckle handsomely to our backs or any other furniture deuised by man but onely the sling of faith casting out the stone taken out of that riuer or rather that inuincible rocke Iesus Christ that will vtterly foyle this huge Goliah Death For Gods children hauing continuall experience of his section 2 mighty power in their worldly deliuerances and of his gracious protection and aide in all the miseries and calamities of this life feeling still in themselues the sufficiencie of his grace and assistance of his spirit in all their extremities they doubt not euer to commit their bodies and soules to this their faithfull creatour They doe not feare to be ruled by him in life death no they will goe to God thorow fire water no dangerous paths will they eschew when he cals them they care not to goe thorow the vale of death leaning on his staffe nor to sayle as it were through hell that they may come to heauen to enioy his blessed sight knowing that by the susteining of a temporall death they are freed from eternall torments and endlesse fire of hell For although at deaths first entrance a huge flood of sinnes and a fountaine of sorrowes issued out yet now being altered by Christ it killeth sinne in Gods Saints and perfecteth their estate And so farre off is it from the destruction of a Christian man that it brings him to perfection for after the death of the body followes the freedome of the spirit nay it is the very furnace appointed of God for the purifying both of body and soule from the drosse of all corruption and sinne But as it auaileth nothing as I said before to goe to section 3 warre without weapons or to keepe a Castle without munition no more or lesse can we withstand deaths deadly force our soules not harnessed against the same The greatest cowards haue many times the greatest talke then it will onely appeare what thou hast gained in knowledge when thou commest to combat with Death no man knowes in what place Death attends him therefore in all places we must be prouided What cares Death for prisons for guards for iron barres c. one gate or another stands alway open to him there is but one chaine onely that keepes vs bound euen the loue of this life and this must not wholly be shaken off but extenuated and lessened that when occasion serueth nothing may hinder vs. If euery day of our life were as long as that long day of Iosua when as the Sunne stood still a whole day in the middest of heauen it would auaile vs nothing For as in the end the night came which dissolued that long day so the night of death will at last assaile vs and make the daies of our life vanish away how long so euer they haue beene for euery thing subiect to corruption fadeth and he that troubleth himselfe therewith shall passe away Man is resembled to a peece of rotten wood which breaking in peeces is turned into powder section 4 This life is a moment of time whereon all eternitie of life and death to come dependeth If it be a moment and a moment of so great importance how is it passed ouer by worldly men so carelesly as it is If Death be an enemie then let vs watch him as an enemy preuent him as an enemie that so we may endure his hard assaults when time shall serue Doe that before death which may doe thee good when thou art dead for if we prouide not before death there is no prouision after It is farre better to enter while the gate is open then afterwards to knocke in vaine when the gate is shut to seeke the Lord while he may be found then to be found of him vnprouided when we would not be sought The morning was faire when Lot went out of Sodome and yet before night it was burnt to ashes Nebuchadnezar neuer thought himselfe so sure as when he boasted himselfe of Babel and yet while the word was in his mouth God puld him downe vpon his knees The rich man neuer thought himselfe so likely to liue as when hee said to his soule Eate drinke and be merry yet the selfe same night it was taken from him The ship would be mended in the hauen not in the tempestuous Sea the breach would be repayred in the time of peace not in the skirmishes of warre In time a care would be had of our estate for the time to come The dayes of man are short and his time vncertaine that little moment wee haue to prouide for a state of all continuance and to gaine eternitie in is quickly runne ouer before wee be aware Gods mercy in giuing vs time and space passeth along section 5 as a pleasant-riuer if we stop the course thereof by continuance in sinne it will rise high as a floud and turne into Iustice bearing vs downe by force as a violent streame and ouerthrow our surest repose Such is here our fraile and brittle estate that when wee seeme to stand in great securitie wee then doe dwell in deepest danger and when wee least feare we soonest fall Calamitie commeth vpon vs not looked for sicknesse sodainly inuadeth and Death without ransome requireth her due therefore Boast not thy selfe of to morrow for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth Our continuance here is certaine in vncertaintie therefore saith one Let our vncertaine condition worke a certaine carefulnesse of our estate to come That which once and neuer but once is done should be aduisedly begunne carefully prosecuted and most seriously laboured with all industry vnto the end Wee sleepe with our cause and wee rise with our cause saith Augustine Doe well and haue well liue the life of the righteous and dye the death of the righteous To him that passeth through darke places one light carryed before him will doe him more good then many brought after him When sleepe is gone from the sicke mans eyes when rather extremitie of griefe then true sorrow doth rake out a little sicke repentance from the most carelesse person when rest is departed from their tossed beds then many can
world euen so long there is betweene them a certaine equalitie in the flesh though alwayes an euident distinction in the spirit So that vntill this mortall body hath put on immortalitie and the spirit of Christ which dwelleth in Gods children hath brought them to God in heauen all discommodities and casualties with Death it selfe must needs be incident to all men alike Besides that our earthly prosperitie so dulleth our spirituall senses and our great imployments in the world so carry away our affections and so hinder the remembrance of our latter end that the greatest men many times both for place and gifts doe mightily forget themselues herein and knowing it to be so haue had their speciall Memorandums I omit to speake of the preparing of their Sepulchres in their life time and the purposed placing of them in their common walkes with their set salutations of some seruant to that purpose Thus most humbly supplicating your Honour to be well pleased with this my honest purpose and christian indeuour in the fauourable acceptance thereof I commend your Honour to the gracious protection and direction of the eternall and euer liuing God who euer guide you with his spirit in all your weighty imployments to his glory and the good of his Church c. From my poore Study at Shearsbie in Leicestershire February 21. 1616. Your Honours in all Christian duties wholy deuoted in the Lord Iesus IOHN MOORE AN ABRIDGEMENT OF THE WHOLE Bookes substance OR A GENERALL TABLE of the principall poynts thereof according to the CHAPTERS and SECTIONS The first BOOKE CHAP. I. GOD in his incomprehensible Wisedome Goodnesse and Loue created man at the first as a Chrystall glasse of his glory and a liuely resemblance in a sort of his Maiestie Section 1. Mans body a briefe map and abridgement of the whole worlds perfection 2. Mans excellency and maiestie in his first Creation ibid. Man in his body resembled his Maker and in his seuerall members expressed the varietie of his perfections 4. The very Pagans admired the portraiture of mans body and preferred it before the worlds curious creation ibid. Man especially in his soule resembled God with the manner how 5. Gods Image in man appeared especially in the regiment of the creatures 6. It consisteth principally in righteousnesse holinesse and knowledge ibid. The Image of God in man is to haue the same Will Knowledge Iudgement and Reason with God in humane and heauenly things in a measure with the reason thereof 7. The difference betwixt the Image and Similitude of a thing 8. Christ is the very ingrauen forme of God and the true patterne and type of our first created image ibid. Reason and Will as two wings to the Soule did at the first guide it aright to God that so it might soare aloft with her affections to heauen and heauenly things 9. The excellent harmony in all the faculties of the Soule before Adams fall with the exquisite reason and knowledge thereof 10. CHAP. II. GOD alone is vnchangeable and all creatures haue their being standing and vpholding by him who onely is Sect. 1. Gods name and nature ibid. Adam was mortall by creation yet had he not sinned he neuer had dyed 2. Man was made of a mutable nature in power of standing and possibilitie of falling 3. The reason why God alone is vnchangeably good and all other creatures subiect to decline ibid. Three things requisite for Adam and the Angels to perseuere in goodnesse 4. Why the good Angels fell not but keepe still their standing ibid. Adam if hee would had grace sufficient to haue kept himselfe from sinne and death illustrated by examples 5 6. Adam could fall of himselfe but hee could not stand or rise againe with the vse thereof 7. Why man was made of a changeable nature 8. Man was subiect to death by nature but not of necessitie with the reason 9. CHAP. III. SAthan enuying at mans glorious estate laboured by temptations to supplant him and so preuailed Sect. 1. The manner and degrees of Sathans proceeding 2. Adam by yeelding procured his fall and so sold himselfe to Sinne and Sathan to the iust destruction of himselfe and all his seede ibid. The greatnesse of Adams sinne and the equitie of Gods Iustice in the manner of punishment 3. See the further inlargement of Adams rebellion by the degrees thereof 5. God not onely commanded his obedience but threatned his rebellion 6. Adam by his fall lost Gods Image and contemning life hee found out death ibid. The cursed fruits and effects of his fall 7. Adam procured the practise of euill before he could attaine to the knowledge thereof 8. In searching for knowledge he met with error and blindnesse both of soule and body ibid. Originall sinne as a pestilent poyson infected euery part of man 9. It is deriued from Adam by propagation and by imitation confirmed and multiplyed in all mankinde ibid. The fruits and effects of originall sinne ibid. It maketh man more degenerate then all the rest of the creatures 10. Mighty is the power and raging is the strength of originall sinne ibid. Though sinne be the greatest bondage yet wee are willingly led to the practise and obedience thereof 11. Sinne breedeth in our hearts as wormes in the wood ibid. Concupiscence the fruit of Adams transgression is the Tyrant of the flesh the Law of the members the nourishment of Sinne the feeblenesse of Nature and food of Death 12. Before wee can sinne we are lincked to sinne and before wee offend we are bound with offence ibid. CHAP. IIII. THough the cause of death be iust yet the originall thereof seemeth doubtfull Sect. 1. God is not the author of Death with the reasons why 2. The Diuell is the author of Death proued at large 3. Sathan was created an Angelicall Spirit by sinne hee made himselfe a Diuell and falling from God hee fell from goodnesse 4. Causa causae est causa causali Sathan being the cause of Sinne caused Death ibid. Man and Diuell are partners in Sinne and so in Death 5. Sathan tempted and man consented ibid. The Diuell is not the absolute cause of Sinne and Death with the reasons why 6. Sollicite he may to sinne but force he cannot ibid. Man by nature might haue declined and should in himselfe haue had the cause of sinne and so of death 7. Death hath no proper efficient cause but rather deficient 8. It is a priuation of life onely hauing a name and no nature and substance with the vse thereof ibid. Sect 9. Adams sinne was hereditary to his posteritie and so the punishment proued at large from 10. to 13. The naturall condition of mans soule by originall sinne 13. Though in the iust iudgement of God mens soules be defiled with sinne being ioyned to their bodies yet it is not of compulsion 14. God doth incline the wils of men eyther to good or euill according to his mercy and their iust deserts 16. The children of the regenerate
members 24. CHAP. IIII. THE life of Christians is a continuall warfare nothing but death can end the combat Sect. 1. 2. Sathan especially assaulteth Christ and his members with the reasons why 3. The Diuell as a cunning fisher fitteth his baites as he findeth men affected 4. Out of the nature of mens qualities he worketh his malignities 5. Sathan most eagerly assayleth the faithfull at the houre of death and why 6. Sathans arguments from the Law of God against the faithfull 7. 8. The answere of Sathans obiections 9. All the breaches of the Law are made vp in Christ who perfectly fulfilled the same for all beleeuers 10. The Law being fulfilled Sathan Sinne and Death must needs be vanquished 11. The particular conflicts of Sathan with the faithfull with their comfortable conquest 13. 14. Soueraigne Antidotes of comfort against afflictions 15. Such we are by imputation with God as we are in purpose and affection 16. An excellent course to silence Sathan in his varietie of temptations 18. We must send him to Christ our aduocate who both pleadeth and defendeth our cause 19. Wee must shew him our generall acquittance sealed by God himselfe and proclaymed from heauen 20. Men cannot be more sinfull then God is mercifull 21. As Death entred by Sinne so it extinguisheth Sinne and endeth our warfare 22. CHAP. V. DEath must giue vs our last purgation and end our corruption Sect. 1. The dearest Saints of God are here subiect to all afflictions and Death it selfe as the vilest sinners with the reason thereof 2. The nature of Death is altered through Christ to the faithfull 3. Sinne brought in Death and Death must driue out Sinne. 4. There is no prescription against Death earth cannot redresse that which is enacted in heauen 5. Paine sicknesse c. with Death it selfe are as Gods Souldiers to come and goe at his pleasure 6. Afflictions are preuentions of sinne to the godly and plaisters to cure the sores thereof ibid. God doth diet his children in this world that they surfet not vpon pleasures and profits ibid. Wee as children cannot order our selues Gods wisedome and will are our best guides 7. Our worldly desires and lusts are inordinate and endlesse except the Lord restraine them 8. The excellent fruits of afflictions when they are sanctified to Gods elect 9. Afflictions are necessary trials of our Christian estate 10. Afflictions in this life are both punishers and purgers of Gods elect 11. They are both sufferings and instructions 12. Christ is the true patterne of Christians to whom they are conformable by their sufferings 13. Crosses and calamities are the Harbingers and Purueyers of Death 14. Whom God most loues those he most proues 15. The fire tryes the gold and misery men of courage ibid. The troubles of Gods children shall neuer cease till the world be without hatred the Diuell without malice and our nature without corruption 16. Afflictions may tire the flesh but neuer be able to extinguish the hope of a Christian 17. Sinne and Death haue lost their sting in Christs death 18. They cannot separate vs from God though they be fearefull to the flesh ibid. Death through Christ is the key of Gods Kingdome and gate of glory 19. CHAP. VI. CHristians are strangers in the world the bread of aduersitie and water of affliction is commonly their dyet Sect. 1. Being strangers they must be content with their vsage and prepare for their iourney 2. This world is restlesse there is no contentment in it 3. The world deales with men as the Rauen with the Sheepe picking out the eye that it may not see her tyranny 4. See the Anatomie of the World 5. The world is no proper element to Christians it rather feedeth then slaketh their appetites as oyle doth the fire 6. All Creatures haue their rest from God he is the centre of the faithfull 7. God hath set the earth vnder our feet that it should not be too much esteemed 8. Euery Christian with his crosse must be content to accompany Christ to his kingdome 9. Whilest we set our affections on earthly things we seeke for no better for we looke no higher 10. God giues his children here but an assay of his goodnesse the maine sea of his bountie and store is hourded vp in heauen 11. CHAP. VII AS man rebelled against his maker so all things while he liueth rebell against him euen man against himselfe the flesh against the spirit Sect. 1. Our manifold infirmities are as gyues and fetters about our legs to shew our guilty condition 2. The flesh as a subiect should obay the soule as her soueraigne 3. Though it be infused into the body it must not be confounded therewith ibid. Worldly and fleshly imployments dull the soules edge 4. Death to the faithfull is the funerall of their vices and the resurrection of their vertues 5. How we may discerne the state of our soules 6. Death endeth the combat of Christians when the flesh shall be dead and the spirit fully liue our passions buried and our reason freed in perfection 7. The body is but the barke and shell of the soule which must needes be broken if we will truly liue and see the light 8. The nature of the earth and earthly men 9. Sinne in the regenerate hath a deadly wound but in the wicked it hath a full and violent course 10. The Lord cureth our grosse sinnes by our infirmities ibid. Great are the troubles of the faithfull but saluation will one day make ameds for all 11. The glorified body shall obay the soule with admirable facilitie 12. The difference betweene a mortall man liuing and the faithfull deliuered by death 13. Sinne with all misery affliction and Death it selfe shall hereafter be shut vp in hell as in their proper place 14. This world to all Gods Israel is an Egypt of slauery 15. See the royall exchange of the faithfull who for a mortall and miserable life shall enioy a blessed and immortall 16. As the sufferings of Christ doe abound so doe the consolations increase to Gods elect 17. CHAP. VIII THE faithfull redeemed by Christ grow euery day to be spirituall and heauenly Sect. 1. Prayer and holy deuotion as precious perfumes take away the euill sauour of sinne and vncleannesse 2. There is no Iustification without the vnfayned sanctification of Gods spirit 3. The way to become spirituall and diuine 4. The nearer we approach to death the more we should be inflamed with the loue of God and all good workes 5. If wee will dye the death wee must liue the life of the righteous 6. Our deuotion must not be like the morning dewe and leaues of Autumne 7. The soule without grace is as the ground without moysture 8. Christians should not feare death but accustome themselues to hope for it 9. Death to the godly is no end of their liues but an end of their sinnes and miseries 10. The graue of the faithfull is sweetned by Christs funerall 11. When wee
for euer and together eternally Oh saith a godly Father if a sinner damned in hell did know that hee had to suffer those torments there no more thousands of yeares then there be sands of the sea and piles of grasse on the ground or no more thousand millions of ages then there be creatures in heauen and in earth hee would greatly reioyce thereof and comfort himselfe with this poore cogitation that once yet his torments would haue an end but now saith hee this word Neuer breakes his heart when hee thinketh on it and that after a hundred thousand millions of worlds there suffered he hath as farre to his end as he had at the entrance for no water can quench this fire no time can end these torments Death in it selfe to the vnregenerate man is the very gate of hell and wicket-dore of damnation for whomsoeuer it findeth vnrenued by Gods Spirit lying still in the filth of sinne it sendeth them straight to Gods Iudgement seat for speedy vengeance such therefore cannot choose but loathe and abhorre it being the messenger of Gods wrath the wages for their sinne and the fearefull fore-runner of their eternall damnation to ensue For shall it hale them forward to hell like an executioner and they not dislike it Shall it arrest them as a Serjeant to appeare before their Iudge and they not regard it Fearefull no doubt are their fits and furies before their end and grieuous and vnspeakable are their pangs before they come to the full possession of their endlesse paines And what a sorrowfull day will death be to such when Iustice shall set such a fyne vpon their heads that will for euer decay their former wealthy estate in the world and leaue them in a desperate case It is no maruell therefore that wicked reprobates doe so shake and tremble at the remembrance of death for there is cause of more feare then they can feare For the power of Gods wrath which now in death the wicked and vngodly men presently expect to feele cannot be feared as it ought For who knoweth the power of thy wrath There is no feare no suspition no thought which may sufficiently expresse the terrour of it Horrendum est it is a horrible thing so saith the Author to the Hebrewes but how fearefull no creature can tell but they that feele it and lye vnder it in the flames of hell as Diues did Aske no question saith one concerning them that perish concerning the death of the vngodly seeke not neither enquire there is no comfort to be giuen vnto it CHAP. X. The fearefull condition of the reprobate and all wicked men without Christ WHen the wicked and vngodly men shall ponder with themselues vpon the knowledge of the former poynts how sinfull they are and how by meanes of their vnrepentant hearts they are holden in the cords of their sinne and as malefactors apprehended and found guilty are ready to be haled to deaths prison there to lye vntill their arraignment and appoynted time of iudgement speedily to be executed vpon them They cannot choose hauing the sentence of condemnation written in their consciences but tremble and quake at the remembrance thereof If the hand-writing against Balthasar once read vpon the wall caused his very heart to shake and his knees knock together when hee heard that God had numbred his dayes and weighed him in the Ballance how fearefully shall the vngodly be affected with the continuall expectation of the wrath and vengeance of God assuredly decreed sodainly and in a moment to fall vpon them And albeit they striue to put away the euill day from their thoughts and cogitations yet haue they many fits and feuers of feare euen in the middest of their delights When Pharaoh the proud Tyrant had hardened his heart and boasted exceedingly against the people of God yet he no sooner saw the death of the first borne but he feared and trembled as the leaues in the Wildernesse There is indeede a way as Solomon saith that a man thinketh straight and pleasant when yet the issues thereof lead to death but what pleasure is that and what delight Surely in that laughter the heart is sorrowfull and that mirth doth end in heauinesse True it is that such men strengthen themselues and striue to vanquish feare sometimes with one pleasure and sometimes with another but if they would violently cast it out as the Cannon doth her shot yet would it euermore returne againe and vexe their heart And though they would neuer so faine haue their conscience seared as with a glowing Iron to make them senslesse yet sometimes it awakeneth them as out of a sleep and then they see most fearefull sights of horrour and torment and when they feele it least their state is no better then that of the stalled Oxe not knowing being so fat that then he is the fittest for the slaughter All their life is a miserable bondage in feare and terrour of their iust condemnation to ensue They haue the spirit of slauery and feare being the children of the handmaid Hagar borne in the bondage of her wombe they dwell in the Desart of Ambia and are in mount Sinai where is the burning of fire and blacknesse and darknesse and tempest and sound of Trumpet at which they tremble for they are without Christ and therefore must needes be in the horrour and feare of death all their dayes And though through the custome of sinne they come to a slumbring spirit and are cast into a numbnesse of conscience brawned through a senslesse blockishnesse as men hewed out of hard Oakes or grauen out of Marble hauing flinty hearts and adamant soules altogether destitute of true feeling of their sinnes and feare of God yet when the Lord shall let loose the cord of their consciences and shall set their sinnes before their face some of them depart this life like bruitish Swine and others of them surcharged with sinne doe end their dayes like barking dogges The sting of an ill conscience is called a worme that neuer dyeth a searing with an hot iron a sea that alwayes rageth a violent fire to deuoure the aduersary An euill conscience is a heauy burden it will make the wicked grieue at the losse of that he neuer loued for vertue hath this triumph ouer vice that they which hate her most shall be grieued at her absence If a man languish in sicknesse so his heart be whole his sicknesse doth not so much grieue him if he be reproached so he be precious in the sight of God and his Angels what losse hath hee but if his soule be disquieted who dareth meete with the wrath of the Lord of hoasts Who can put to silence the voyce of desperation Who can make agreement with Hell and Diuels In all other afflictions a man may haue some comfort against sinne but this is euer accompanied with the accusation of sinne then a man suspecteth all
of Gods elect to know the bottomlesse loue of Christ beyond all knowledge indeed who was accursed for our sakes and suffered for vs not onely the torments of his body but the anguish and horrour of his soule and the wrath of his Father which wounded his flesh and spirit vnto death and would haue held him in that condemnation for euer if hee had beene no stronger then wee that had deserued it But being also the Sonne of God in whom the fulnesse of the God-head dwelleth bodily the eternall spirit that was with him did loose the chaines of Sathan Death and Hell and so hee mightily arose from the power of the Diuell of which it was impossible hee should be holden and hath left those his enemies euen Diuell Death and Hell in ignominie and darknesse and hath abolished them for euer and euer not to hurt vs any more As a Bee saith one stinging a dead body takes no hurt but stinging a liue body many times looseth both sting and life together in like manner Death so long as it stung mortall men onely which were dead in sinne was neuer a whit the worse but when it went about to sting Christ which is life it selfe by and by it lost both sting and strength Hee that felleth a tree vpon which the Sunne shineth may well cut the tree but cannot hurt the Sunne Hee that poureth water vpon iron which is red hot may well quench the heate but he cannot hurt the iron but rather makes it harder so Christ the Sunne of righteousnesse did driue away the shadow of death and as glowing iron hee was too hot and hard a morsell for Death to digest As the while Adam did eate any other fruit which God gaue him leaue to eate hee was nourished by it but when hee had tasted of the forbidden tree hee perished euen so Death had leaue to deuoure any other man Christ onely excepted but when it went about to destroy Christ then it was destroyed it selfe Death indeed did taste of Christ but could not swallow him vp nor digest him Contrariwise Christ as soone as euer hee had but a little tasted of death eft-soones he did deuoure it and swallow it vp in victory Death as a rauenous beast deuouring all men snatched at our Sauiour Christ but hauing caught him could not hold him in her iawes but perceiuing the worthinesse of the prey trembling for feare let him goe free for although Death seemed to swallow him when hee was dead yet finding him farre from the infection of sinne shee could not retaine him in her house As the life of Christ is the life of life so the death of Christ is the death of death Long before his death hee challenged Death and threatned his death O Death I will be thy death and after his death he scorned Death as a Drone without a sting It is reported that the Dragon killeth the Elephant yet so as the Elephant falling downe killeth the Dragon with him As an Elephant as the story saith killed Eleazar yet so as Eleazar falling downe killed the Elephant with him So the Diuell and Death by killing Christ were killed themselues The Elephant liued not after he had killed the Dragon nor Eleazar after he had slaine the Elephant But Christ liued and doth foreuer liue after the full destruction of the diuell and death Though Christ in his graue was neuer like to rise againe yet he died not but mortalitie died in him and immortalitie so liued in his person that euen in his sepulchre he did most liue when hee seemed most to be dead as the Lawrill it greenest in the foulest winter and the Lime is hottest in the coldest water and the Glow-worme lightest when the night is darkest Christ by Death was wounded but his enemies and ours Death and Diuell vtterly spoyled his buckler which was his god-head was whole and vntouched So that his death was no death indeede but an exaltation vnto greater glory He was led saith Esay as a sheepe before the Shearer Shorne he was saith one by Death but not for euer depriued of life But as a Lambe is much more nimble and liuely by shearing so this shearing by Death was a kinde of quickning to Christ Christ is that louing Rahel which dieth her selfe that her Son may liue He is that painefull Adam who by the sweate of his browes hath earned for vs the bread of life He is that iust Noah which shutting vp himselfe in his Arke as a Sepulchre saueth all that come to him aliue He is that tender Pellican which wounding his owne brest doth with his blood restore his faithfull broode to life And as honie being found in a dead Lion was the sustenance of Sampson So Christs gall is our honie and his bitter Death by reason of his righteousnesse is the sweete life of all beleeuers Now the remembrance of Christ crucified must serue to crucifie sin for then Christ doth sleepe in thee when thou forgettest his passion and the readiest way and directest path to goe to heauen is to swimme through the riuer of Christs blood the drops whereof rayning from the cloudes of his mercy commonly quench the fiery flames of Gods burning wrath which cannot be extinguished by the vertuous water of any mans merit It is the oyle of grace which must purge our defiled hearts It is the dew of heauen which will make vs flourish Christs death alone therefore is the welspring of our saluation Oh loue this good thing in which all good things are it is enough for thee Where is safe and stedfast rest and assurednesse for the weake and wounded soule but in the wounds of our Sauiour Christ and so much the surer I dwell therein as he is mightier to saue me The world rageth the body burdeneth the Diuell like a deuouring Lyon roareth yet the faithfull fall not because they are builded vpon Christ the rocke I haue sinned a grieuous sinne my conscience is troubled but it is not distressed because I remember the wounds of my Iesus Our safe sanctuarie in all distresse is Iesus Christ who wholly gaue himselfe and spent his soule in suffering for our sinnes still remaining our Aduocate to his Father and crying alwayes vnto vs to come to him for rest In the caue of this rocke wee may safely hide our selues his death is the secret den for our deliuerance from eternall death and hell Vnder the wings of this Hen may the poore and naked chickens hide themselues be sure and safe from all hellish Kites There is nothing so soueraigne a remedie against the stinging of that infernall serpent as to fasten the eye of our faith vpon Iesus Christ heaued vp and exalted vpon the Crosse The venemous by tings of those hellish spirits of damnation cannot once annoy vs if wee fully repose our trust in Christ alone that was crucified His Crosse and passion is the triumphant ensigne
Things present things to come Life Death the world it selfe all is ours and we are Christs Christ in regard of this our vnion with him is not ashamed to call vs Brethren who yet made heauen and earth section 20 and is an immortall and glorious God one with his Father to whom all Angels doe obeysance and the most glorious Princes are but dust and ashes It was a rare thing in Moses being so high in fauour with Pharao that hee would vouchsafe to visite his poore brethren such slaues and bond-men It was singular loue in Ioseph being next to the King in honour and place yet not to be ashamed of his Fathers house being herd-men and sheepe-herds But this is nothing to the kindenesse of Iesus Christ the very shining brightnesse of that most glorious God and his onely begotten Sonne before all eternitie who yet was not ashamed of vs miserable wretched sinners but of his free grace acknowledged vs that were his very enemies in whose person he should suffer a most shamefull and slanderous Death And is it not trow you a iust condemnation if wee wretched men should be ashamed of him who being the God of glory was not ashamed of vs And as they are naturall brethren which are borne of the same Parents so all wee are brethren with Christ which are borne of God through the same spirit by which we cry Abba Father and exercise our loue one towards another in the vnitie of Christian faith section 21 Wee wrastle here with sin as though the steppes of our strength were restrained and looke euen fully vpon death as the Ialour that committeth vs to our graue as a dungeon how be it euen in this doth the Lord reach forth a most approued cordiall to reuiue the faintnesse of our hearts for through the vnion and communion we haue with Christ the vncleanenesse of our birth is washed away in the sanctification of his nature Our transgression remoued in his innocencie our rebellion discharged in his obedience and the vtmost farthing paid in his sufferings And hauing the Image of God which we lost in Adam not renewed onely but a fairer and deeper stampe thereof ingrauen and set vpon vs we may in a Christian resolution challenge at the gates of Hell and Death that nothing can be charged vpon vs as a debt and therefore nothing can light vpon vs as a punishment Wherefore though we mingle here our bread with care and drinke with weeping and haue our lodging in the bed of darkenesse and discomfort it is but to weane vs from the flesh-pots of Egypt till in the heauenly land of Canaan we haue our hearts desire section 22 And though our bodies seeme to perish for euer in in the iudgement of men yet still they haue a being in the sight of God and are members of Christ For the vnion as I haue said betweene Christ and the faithfull is not onely of our soules but of our bodies also all the bodies of the faithfull being vnited to the bodie of Christ And this is such a coniunction as Death can neuer dissolue For though it doth breake the knot betweene Man and Wife yet cannot it infringe the bond betwixt Christ and the faithfull As Death did not make a separation betwixt the two natures of Christ at the time of his suffering though his soule and body were then farre distant in regard of place the one being in heauen and the other in the graue yet were they at that time and in that case personally vnited vnto his god-head no more can Death make a diuision betwixt Christ and the faithfull though there bodies putrifie and rot in their graues yet still they remaine true members of his body And as the Husbandman doth make as great reckoning section 23 of that corne which he hath sowen in his Field and lieth vnder clods as hee doth of that which lieth safe in his barne or garner because he assureth himselfe it will come vp againe and yeelde encrease So Christ our Sauiour doth as highly esteeme of those bodies which are dead and buried as of those which remaine aliue because hee knowes that one day they shall rise againe in honour Their life is but hid for a time and will be found out againe for Christ is able to restore that which nature hath destroyed And God doth deale herein no otherwise with the bodies of his children then Goldsmiths with their old peeces of plate long agoe out of fashion who cast them in the Furnace to refine them and to bring them to a better forme according to his minde Therefore let not the wofull condition of our bodies discourage vs any whit or lessen our hope being ready to die For though the graue deuoure them wormes doe eate section 24 them fire consume them or sea swallow them vp yet being ioyned to Christ in his death and resurrection as Christ and Christians are made one indiuisible body by the bond of Gods spirit they can neuer be seuered from him And although their bodies be as it were rent from the soule by the violence of Death yet in regard of this coniunction with Christ their head neither death nor the graue can separate them from their head For though our bodie be buried in the earth yet our head is in heauen And as one that swimmeth though his body diue and sinke vnder the water yet his head being aboue the streames the whole man is sure and safe from perishing So sure are the faithfull from euerlasting death and destruction though their bodies be entrenched and enterred in their graues being members of their head Iesus Christ ascended aloft aboue the highest heauens to whom they are vnited still by an inseparable bond of his spirit which death can neuer breake CHAP. IIII. The combat and conflict of Christians with Sinne Flesh Death Law and Diuell with their heauenly conquest and triumph ouer them all through Iesus Christ section 1 SVch is the enmitie of the old Serpent in the iust iudgement of God set betweene him and Adams seede that though his head be broken yet still he will labour to bruise their heele Like a coward ouercome he lags behinde for aduantage and not daring to shew his face any more in the field hee dragges in the way and lieth aloofe vpon euery occasion to take them in a trappe Though he cannot preuaile yet prouoke vs still hee will to fight and try our manhood neither can wee otherwise be conquerours then was Christ our Captaine and head who by dying in the field recouered life both for himselfe and his Souldiers for nothing but Death can end this combat Our life is a warfare and that most strange for any section 2 other warre may haue an end either by a conclusion of peace with the enemie or by flying farre from him or by ouercomming him in fight But in this spirituall warre we cannot lawfully make any peace with these our enemies the
run along as it were by the water side into a shade and that there should be nothing to crosse our desires who could vaunt that hee had serued God with good affection But when our way shall sometime be rough and ragged when one while wee shall enter into a quagmire and another while martch on craggy rockes and stones of temptations then shall wee haue the vse of a well exercised minde in prayer in repentance and in contempt of this life Thus it is requisite that Gods graces should not be idle in his Children but set on worke by afflictions whereby they may be knowne in due time and place as also be taught that though sometime they haue much in possession yet that they hold but little in affection and when God doth most aduance them to feare their wants of humilitie For if the Lord by multiplying his mercy increaseth our account we are often to suspect our selues for the vsing of Gods blessings who often giueth that in iudgement which he might denye vs in mercy and often waineth vs from some things in his loue which hee might giue vnto vs in his anger It is best here to be pressed and harrowed with the rake section 11 of Gods iudgements and blessed are they that to their owne saluation feele sorrow and griefe in their body whiles sinne may be both punished and purged It is better for vs to runne to the Lord in this life lest wee tarry till the Lord haue locked vs vp with the heauy fetters of desperation when hee shall summon vs to the barre of his Iustice and Iudgement in the sight of his Angels and impanelling the great Inquest of his Saints against vs shall denounce our fearefull and finall sentence of endlesse condemnation As Moses Rod saith one striking the hard Rocke brought forth water so the Rod of affliction falling vpon our stony hearts by the working of Gods Spirit mollifieth them to contrition and oftentimes brings forth euen flouds of teares to repentance One compareth the crosses of Gods Children to a Fyle of Iron that taketh away the rust of the soule to a Purgation cleansing the body from ill humours to a Furnace consuming the drosse and purifying the Gold c. Though the winde blow cold yet doth it cleanse the section 12 good graine though the fire burne hot yet doth it purifie the best Gold Afflictions are both sufferings and instructions Though God be a chastising Father yet a Father though a launching Physitian yet a Physitian and therefore one that loues and cures wee neede no more but lay open our griefe and let him alone with the saluing who seeth chastisements sometimes as necessary for the soule as medicines for the body When the waters of the Floud came vpon the face of the earth downe went starely Turrets and Towers but as the waters rose so the Arke rose still higher and higher In like sort when the waters of afflictions rise downe goeth the pride of life and lust of the eyes with the vanities of the world but our soules as in an Arke by a true and a liuely Faith ascend higher and higher and draw nearer and nearer towards the heauen of heauens Neyther neede Gods children care what crosses they sustaine For as there is none more shamefull then the Crosse of Christ so all the afflictions of Christians are accounted his If wee be poore despised imprisoned or whatsoeuer is the fruit of sinne betide vs God is not as man to turne away his face but wee are the more deare in his sight and euery crosse sealeth the loue of Christ who suffereth with vs who likewise was made sinne for vs who knew no sinne that wee might be made the righteousnesse of God in him Who then can be discouraged with the afflictions of this life or enuy at the wicked to see their ease and peace No no these be but broken weapons and cannot possibly enter to the heart of our soules onely let vs take heede of sinne that it raigne not ouer vs for therein Christ hath taken no part and by it onely we are separated from him section 13 When Gods children thinke themselues furthest off from the Lord they are nearest to him when they thinke themselues to be fullest of confusion then the Image of Christ is most liueliest within them The Lord may hide his face for a while euen a moment as hee did from Christ but hee must needes returne vnto vs with euerlasting compassions for the Image of his Sonne is cleare within vs. A blessed sorrow and woe full of happinesse that fashioneth these dayes of our vanitie to the likenesse of the age of Christ that with him at last wee might raigne for euer A precious countenance it is in the sight of God that appeareth without beauty in the eyes of men and an vnspeakable treasure of ioy and gladnesse engrauen in these vessels that are but earth and ashes When Christ is the patterne whose similitude wee beare who can be discouraged vnder the Crosse Vnto this hee hath predestinated vs that wee should be like vnto his Sonne in all afflictions and so be honoured with him in the day of glory Chrisostome saith very well that then wee haue most section 14 neede of Gods prouidence when we are deliuered from aduersities and then wee haue most cause of feare when wee are freed from dangers For like as wee doe much more feare the Lyon or Leopard when they are let loose then when they are chained vp so our vntamed affections when by prosperitie they are vnbrideled are much more to be feared then when by troubles they are curbed and restrayned Hee that will be able to beare the crosse of all crosses namely Death it selfe must first of all learne to vndergoe smaller crosses as sicknesse in body troubles of minde losse of goods friends and good name which may fitly be called little deaths and the beginnings of Death it selfe For the afflictions and calamities of this life are as it were the harbingers and purueyers of Death First therefore wee must learne to entertayne these messengers that when Death the Lord and Master himselfe commeth we may in better manner welcome him Whom God most loues those hee most proues by afflictions Why is it that in a Campe the most perillous section 15 actions and attempts are committed to the most couragious and valiant Souldiers Why doe Captaines send out the most choyse and resolute men of warre to giue the enemie a canvisado to discouer a way to winne a passage or to driue them away that guard the same There is none will say my Captaine hath done me wrong but rather hee holds mee in great esteeme So Gods children reioyce in their tryals whereas cowards and effeminate men lament and weepe God deales with his elect as Masters doe with their Schollers who set them the greatest taske of whom most hope is conceiued To be in daily dangers maketh vs lightly to esteeme the
the race and winne the goale why step wee aside to follow flies and feathers in the ayre CHAP. VII The faithfull in this life are subiect to manifold infirmities their bodies and soules are vnder the thraldome of Sinne and corruption but Death breakes their bonds and setteth them at libertie section 1 MOst lamentable and fearefull is Saint Pauls complaint in the person of the faithfull that he is carnall and sould vnder sinne doing those things which he hateth and omitting the good things he willeth that in his flesh dwelleth no good thing and therefore crieth out as a miserable caitiue to be deliuered from the body of this death For as man at the first by sin rebelled against his maker so all things while he liueth shall rebell against him euen man against himselfe the flesh against the spirit yea both of them doe what wee can are lyable to the tyrannie of sin which as a soule and an vncleane spirit hauing entred will not againe without much renting and torment be driuen out a doores And were it not that our strong man armed far greater then sinne had dispossessed him with violence desperate and forlorne had beene our estate yet here in this life the battell is but begun and must continue all our tearme as we haue heard onely death must end the wars and make our conquest pleasant God here will haue vs humbled all our daies before he will fully exalt vs when all times and daies shall cease section 2 The corruptions of this life and manifold infirmities of our nature shall be as gyues about our legs and fetters about our feete to shew our guilty condition and what we are He therefore that desireth so greatly to liue is like a foolish prisoner delighting in his bolts that may be free from his fetters and careth not that may goe out of the Iayle and will not Shall the bruite beasts and senceles creatures being subiect to vanitie grone in their kinde for the redemption of Gods Sonnes when they shall be freed from the bondage of sinne and shall wee that are Christians endued with reason yea and aboue reason inlightened with Gods holy Spirit especially when it standeth vpon our ioyfull being and euerlasting dwelling with God in heauen shall wee not I say lift vp our mindes beyond this rottennesse of earth Surely the very creatures shall condemne our backwardnesse herein that we are worse then beasts bereaued of sense and reason Wee may say of our vnruly flesh as one said once of a troublesome neighbour Neyther can I liue with thee section 3 neyther yet can I be without thee Here our nature like Hagar the bond-woman is very disdainfull toward Sarah the free-woman where the rebellious appetites striue against the regiment of Reason where our wit like another Heuah still prouoketh vs to reach of the forbidden fruit where Sinne like Tarquinius the proud would tyrannize challenge so a perpetuall Dictatorship We must not therefore commit the guard of our selues to this body of sinne nor mingle our soules with the corruption therof Ioyne with thy friends not with thine enemies the flesh is thine enemy because it contradicteth the vnderstanding and contends after nothing but to sow enimities and troubles Mingle not thy soule therewith for feare thou confound and defile it together for making this commixtion thy flesh which should be a subiect comes to contemne the soule which ought to command as a Soueraigne seeing shee giues life to the body and the flesh on the contrary effects the death of the soule Though the soule be infused into the body yet wee may not thinke that shee is confounded with the body Consider the light for an example though it peirce into euery place yet is it not mixed therewith wee must not therefore confound the office and effects of so different substances but let it reside in the body to quicken lighten and gouerne the same section 4 Wee see by experience when wee muse and meditate on a matter wee would not willingly see any body wee like not to heare any noyse about our eares hauing sometime our minde so fixed on our thoughts that wee see not that which is before our eyes And in the night our cogitations are more firme and wee conceiue the better of that in our hearts which serues for our learning and instruction Oftentimes many men close their eyes when they would profoundly consider of any affayres auoyding at such times the impediments of sight otherwhiles seeking out some solitary places to the end no company may hinder their contemplations For this body of ours procureth diuers imployments which dulleth the soules poynt and slackens our intentions Well therefore said Iob Thou hast made me of the clay and slime Our soules are as it were plastered with the flesh but they dissolue not into it Thou hast apparelled mee with skinne saith hee and flesh thou hast enterlaced mee with bones and sinewes so that our soule is confined and extended through the sinewes that many times shee is made stiffe as it were thereby and sometimes crooked by the heauy affections thereof section 5 Wee must therefore rouze vp our soules aboue the bed of our flesh and rise out of this rotten sepulchre of the body of sinne that wee may the more nimbly mount aloft towards heauen and so retyre from this dangerous coniunction of the body Let vs chearefully martch forwards towards our happy home for what other thing is Death to the faithfull but the funerall of their vices and the resurrection of their vertues Let vs therefore swiftly ascend with the flight of loue to that high and happy hill where wee hope to rest Let our soules soare aloft like the Eagle who flyes aboue the clouds shee glisters and shines afresh by the renewing of her plumes shee raises her flight to the skyes where she cannot be intrapped by the snare like other foolish Fowles which descending downeward are intrapped by the Fowler So take wee heede lest our soules groueling on the earth be insnared with Sathans gyns and worldly baites Now the better to discerne the state of our soules let section 6 vs learne of the Musitian who according to the songs that he singeth or playeth vpon the Lute Harpe or Recorder hath his countenance and passions accordingly framed and affected So the soule which vseth the body and playeth vpon it as an Instrument of Musicke if she be sage wise and godly will expresse as it were with her fingers ends the most inward parts and passions so that a pleasant harmony of good manners will redound thereof and we shal see her obserue such melody in her thoughts and affayres as that her deliberations and executions will most sweetly accord It is the soule therefore that needeth the body but as an instrument and therefore soueraignetie is one thing and seruice another and there is great difference betweene that which wee are and that which wee ought to be As
passe with speede to him that gaue it The spirituall body raised vp from the graue by the spirit of Christ shall againe being vnited to the soule obay it with admirable facilitie all sense of trouble being taken away and all corruption and slownesse remoued when all frailtie and earthly pollution is conuerted and changed into heauenly puritie and stedfastnesse which shall not neede eyther meate or drinke but liue for euer by the quickening spirit of Christ Man of woman is borne in trauell to liue in misery Man section 13 through Christ doth dye in ioy to liue in felicitie Hee is borne into the world with cryes vttering at his entrance his miserable estate Straight as hee departeth with ioyfull songs hee prayseth God for euer Hee is scarcely in his Cradle but deadly enemies assault him yet after death no aduersaries can annoy him Whilest he is here he displeaseth God when hee is departed he fulfilleth his will In this life hee dyeth through sinne in the life to come hee liueth in righteousnesse Through many tribulations on earth is hee still tryed as gold in a furnace but with holinesse vnspeakable in that heauenly life is he indowed for euer Here he dyeth euery houre there hee liueth continually Here is sinne there is righteousnesse here is time there is eternitie here is mortall hatred there is heauenly loue here are paines and perils there is pleasure and safety here is misery there is felicity here is corruption there is immortalitie here wee see vanitie there shall wee behold the Maiestie of God with triumph and vnspeakable ioy in glory euerlasting Seeke we therefore the things that are aboue where Christ Iesus our Sauiour sitteth in his Maiestie to receiue vs. Gods Children in this world are cast as it were into section 14 a sea of melting glasse to seethe for a time and boyle in and in great perplexitie to shift for themselues but at length God will dragge them out to the shoare and giue them ease in that blessed life to come Sinne with all misery afflictions and death it selfe shall be shut vp in hell as in the proper place and the passing from death to life doubles the ioyes of eternall life As those that haue escaped many dangerous shipwrackes on the sea greatly exulte when they come to shoare Mans habitation here is in houses of clay he leades his section 15 life in vile and irkesome sort here is no firmenesse of iudgement nor constancie in actions yea well-nigh no faith to be found amongst men In the day many an afflicted soule desires the night and when it is night they wish for day Bitter mourning they haue instead of meate and salt bryne teares in stead of drinke No ease from troubles nor release from afflictions is here to be found so that many desire deaths company and cannot haue it they sue to her for rest and peace as tyred sea-men for the port and hauen This world to all Gods Israel is an Egypt of indurable slauery here for a poore liuing they make brickes and pots without straw or stubble they toile and labour for Onions and Garlicke here they lye amongst rusty and filthy pots and are made as Scullions Their poore soules are sold for shooes and cut to pieces as flesh to the pot they are as bread and meate to vngodly men and are daily swallowed vp Their backes are broken with burdens and their hands feebled with immoderate labours None in comparison here regardeth the misery of poore Ioseph though his feete be hurt the stockes and the heauy gyues doe peirce his soule This is the guerdon of the world and the reward that the wicked ones repay to Gods elect as naked they came into it so naked they shall leaue it for all their toyle section 16 What comfort therefore may it be to the faithfull children of God to be freed from this thraldome and by Death as Gods messenger to be sent for of the King of heauen with him to rest from their trauell and to be blessed for euer for their houses of clay and earthly tabernacles to take possession of heauenly habitations glorious and eternall mansions with the liuing God himselfe To haue perfect libertie and freedome for their miserable slauery and bondage all fulnesse of ioy and comfort in stead of their former sorrowes and calamities neuer to hunger and thirst againe being still fully fed and fraught with the pleasures of Gods house and fully replenished with the dainties and delicates prouided for the marriage of the Lambe c. Is not this a royall exchange and happy Mart And therefore true is Pauls Positions that Death is the faithfull mans aduantage and that to be with Christ is best of all If Peter and Iohn hauing but a glimpse of Christs glory in the mount could speedily be resolued that it was best for them to dwell there what shall we then iudge of the fruition of happinesse and substance of glory when the very shadow thereof is so beautifull and glorious why therefore should we feare the sorrowes of death and graue being fully assured of the comfortable presence and protection of God himselfe Therefore we reioyce saith Paul of himselfe and the section 17 faithfull in all our tribulations and afflictions and why doe they reioyce because the loue of God is spread abroad in their hearts through the holy Ghost For as the sufferings of Christ doe abound so doe the consolations increase in Gods elect to their exceeding ioy Thus will the Lord when sicknesse sorrowes and death it selfe approach to his children comfort and visite them vpon their death beds ministring most sweet refreshing to their soules With his right hand will hee hold vp their heads and with his left hand will he imbrace them in his loue he will couer them with his wings and they shall be safe vnder his feathers his faithfulnes and truth shall be their shield and buckler who now would not hasten to the fruition of such ioy and continuall gladnesse of heart And what man in miserie desireth not to rid himselfe from the daily sorrow and sadnesse of spirit And since videre Christum sit gaudere as Cyprian saith to see Christ be the reioycing of Christians and that without the sight of him it is impossible for vs soundly to reioyce what blindnesse and madnesse is it in mortall men so to loue and embrace this vale of teares and not rather hasten to that perfect ioy that they can neuer loose Wherefore hidest thou thy face saith Augustine to God happily thou wilt say no man shall see me and liue Oh then Lord that I were dead so I might see thee Oh let mee see thee that I may die euen here I will not liue die I would yea I desire to be loosed and to be with Christ I refuse to liue that I may liue with Christ CHAP. VIII The
holy life heauenly conuersation chearefull death and blessed daparture of the faithfull redeemed by Christ section 1 GOds children now being redeemed from Sinne and Death and truely vnited to Christ by his spirit whom they apprehend by an vnfained faith cannot chuse but shew forth the fruits of this their high calling to the glory of him that hath chosen them And being partakers of the diuine nature they flye from the corruptions of the world and giue all diligence to ioyne vertue with their faith and with vertue knowledge and with knowledge temperance and with temperance patience and with patience godlinesse and with godlinesse brotherly kindenesse and with brotherly kindenesse loue and these things being among them and abounding will keepe them from being idle and vnfruitfull The grace of God to them appeareth not in vaine but teacheth them to denie all vngodlinesse and worldly lusts to liue soberly righteously godly in this present world c. and being risen with Christ from the graue of corruption they euery day more and more seeke those things which are aboue setting their affections where Christ sitteth and not on the things that are on the earth for they are dead to the world and their true life is hid with God in Christ therefore they labour to be holy as he that hath called them to his kingdome and glory is holy They daily imploy themselues in reading and meditating of the word of God in prayer and religious exercises of holy deuotion loathing still this world and sinfull life daily growing to be spirituall and heauenly hauing their affections and zeale inflamed with the loue of God They say with Augustine O Lord I delight to heare of thee to talke of thee to write of thee to deuise of thee and in my heart to print whatsoeuer I learne of thee So must wee walke in these holy paths with all Gods Saints Godly deuotion and holy meditations saith one are section 2 as brine and pickle to keepe and preserue this corruptible flesh of ours from the euill scent that breedeth in our nature by originall sinne They are as faggots and firebrands that enkindle and inflame the loue of God in our hearts And as the fish out of the water die forthwith and the drops of raine distilling from the clouds vpon the ground doe quickly dry and drench vp and the fire without fuell is soone extinguished So our faith and loue c. without these sanctified meanes doe suddenly decrease They are as precious perfumes burnt in a polluted house and sick-mans chamber The sweet incense of prayer and the sauory smell of that odorifferous balme of a liuely faith and effectuall knowledge of God purge and clense the corruption of our liues and vncleane desires God hath chosen vs to be his glorious temple in whom hee dwelleth by his spirit therefore wee must haue our hearts purified by faith and clense our selues from all filthinesse and vncleanenesse both of bodies and soules and so adorne the place of his presence and habitation with all vertue and holinesse Hee that destroyeth the Temple of God him will God destroy for the Temple of God is holy which you are Saint Peter willeth vs to gird vp the loynes of our mindes teaching vs that as they which weare long garments when they come in the foule wayes doe take and gird them vp lest they should tag in the way So we whose mindes and affections doe traile as it were vpon the earth trudging through this foule and filthy world must heaue them vp towards heauen lest they should touch the damnable filth of sinne and wickednesse It is in vaine to boast of iustification without the vnfained sanctification of Gods spirit For as there can be no fire section 3 without warmth and light so neither can God by his spirit be in vs of with any of vs but he will also purifie vs from vice and corruption therefore wee must follow peace and holinesse without the which no man can see the Lord. Christ hath crucified our old man and put to death our vice and corruption and shall wee reuiue the same Shall we maintaine our Sauiours enemies and giue life againe to these deadly poysons of our soules If wee will be Burgesses of heauen we must be strangers to the earth Where is the house of our Father but in heauen and there dwelleth our eldest brother Iesus Christ and all our christian friends and kindred Heauen then is our true Country and on earth we are but trauellers section 4 When Moses had conuersed with God but fortie daies vpon the Mount-Oliue at his comming downe his face shined and glistered with heauenly glory So must we beholding in a mirror the glory of our Lord Iesus Christ in his word and Gospell as it were with open face and not with a vaile as did Moses be changed into the same image from glory to glory as by the spirit of the Lord. If I say but this short time while we liue we be conuersant in heauen by our most holy faith and fruits thereof in all holy affections thoughts words and meditations we shall in the end become heauenly and spirituall both in word and deede As wee see by experience when a country-man hath beene trayned vp sometime in the Court he forgetteth his clownish kinde of life and becommeth a Courtier Let vs therefore leaue the speaches habit fashions and manners of this wicked world wherein we liue and inure our selues with the customes and course of the court of Heauen Let all our thoughts words and communication testifie that in spirit wee are already there section 5 Christ Iesus whom all true Christians haue put on by baptisme as a garment is a most royall robe of grace holinesse and sanctification and shall we be so sloathfull to traile and trample him in the dyrt of filthinesse and sinne or putting him off to put on the vile and spotted garment of the flesh by following the lusts thereof When winter is once ouer the nearer that the Sunne draweth vnto vs the more doth the earth being warmed with the heate thereof fructifie and increase and the longer the daies are the more worke we may doe euen so the nearer the kingdome of heauen doth approach vnto vs by the comming of Iesus Christ the sonne of righteousnesse or the nearer we draw to death the more we should be inflamed in the loue of God and all good workes As the Sunne beames doe come to the earth and yet are in the region from whence they are sent so the mindes and soules of Gods children though conuersant in the earth are truely seated and setled with God in heauen from whence they came Let vaine-glorious worldlings who with the Camaelion section 6 liue by the ayre and therefore are alwaies found gaping and who haue with the Moone but a borrowed light in the world and no true light of
both going out and comming in they might alwaies be mindefull of their death and latter end section 19 I cannot sufficiently wonder at the folly of our nature so abhorring the mention of Death yea euen the aged men whose spring is past whose summer is spent and are euen arriued at the fall of the leafe whose heads are dyed with snowie winter colours and whose ship begins to leake and grate vpon the grauell of their graues yet how fearefully are they amazed to heare the last sound of Deaths trumpet O foolish imbecilitie so fearing to be luld a sleepe in Deaths slumbering fits which is so ready to close vp this mortall day to bring their soules to an euerlasting morrow Mans life saith one is a small thing but the contempt of this wretched life is a great thing And why should Christians so loue this sinfull life and loath their death which is so gainefull First it killeth our familiar enemy the flesh which lusteth against the spirit and maketh vs that we cannot please God Now there is no enemie like vnto a domesticall and home-bred enemie that lieth in our bosome that rests and sleepes with vs and is alwayes a companion to the soule vrging and hailing it to sinne but Death openeth the doore of this filthy prison and stinking dungeon of this body of sinne in which we liue as slaues It freeth vs from this pannier and dungcart we carry about full of all corruption and vilenesse for this corruptible body is heauie vnto the soule and this earthly mansion keepeth downe the minde oppressing it with cares It putteth an end to this our painefull pilgrimage full of bitternesse and griefe For what is this life but a heauie mierie way clagging and tyring our feet and orher limbes Consider then how absurd it is for poore drudges so section 20 foyled and wearied to be yet vnwilling to haue such an irkesome life and way ended Our life is full of labour t' is led with sorrow and yet left with teares so that better is death then such a silly life We thinke not so much how neare Death we approach all of vs being reserued to die we complaine not so much of the thing it selfe as of the day of our death But would wee not thinke him a foole who amongst many other being condemned to die would craue it as a great benefit to be executed the last So foolish are many esteeming it such a matter to haue their death deferred and a little to prolong their dayes Malefactors hate nothing more then the giues and fetters barres and bolts of the prison doores wherewith they haue beene loaded and wherewith they haue beene inclosed and we foolish men feare nothing more then the opening of this prison doore for our egresse and deliuery we cannot abide it we cannot indure to haue the locks and shuts of this layle of our flesh to be broken and battered for our euerlasting manumission from this seruitude and slauerie of sinne section 21 Now then if our whole life be nothing else but a continuall trauell to death as wee haue heard if the houre of death be also the dreadfull houre of Iudgement what other thing is our whole life but a continuall walking towards the tribunall seate of God And what great madnesse is it for men going actually to be iudged thus in the way to prouoke their Iudge to anger by continuall sinne Let vs better open our eyes and consider the way wee take let vs fore-cast with our selues to what place wee are going and be ashamed of our euils or at the least to aduise with our selues how euill this that wee doe agreeth with that businesse wee haue in hand What a wonder is this that euery day we dye and yet perswade our selues to liue for euer wee are like the Megarenses of whom the Phylosopher speaketh in making proud and sumptuous buildings as though they should alwayes liue yet liuing as though they had but mortall soules section 22 But to hasten to an end Whereof commeth so great forgetfulnesse of almighty God such negligence of preparing our selues to die euen from hence that we presume our life shall last so long This false imagination perswadeth vs that we haue time inough for all things for the world for our pleasures for vanitie for vices for friuolous and curious exercises and that yet for all this we shall haue sufficient time to prouide our selues to die in so much as we dare dispose of our life as we will of a web of cloath for our family lying on a table appointing one piece for this purpose and another for that so we make account of our liues as though we had the signory and gouernment of times in our owne hands to order and our life at our owne will and pleasure to dispose of This fond conceit groweth and is grounded vpon selfe-loue which alwaies hateth and abhorreth Death to auoide the paine and griefe which otherwise it would conceiue Such a one is easily induced to beleeue that another shall die for as hee is not greatly in loue with others so is not the knowledge and beliefe of that truth so sowre and vnpleasant vnto him but as hee loueth himselfe exceedingly so is hee very loath to beleeue any thing that should increase his paine and griefe Yet see how such a one is deceiued hee first of all begins to lead the dance of death and others so censured long after doe follow him So that it fareth with these men as with yong sea-men and fresh-water-souldiers who when they come forth of the hauens mouth it seemeth vnto them that the land and houses depart away when they themselues indeede doe moue and passe away the land and houses standing still Of what impatiencie is it not to endure that euill section 23 which together with so many and mighty is common vnto all men Thou refusest to pay the debt with all Gods Saints which whether thou wilt or no must needs be discharged Hee which by nature could not die was for thy sake made mortall and subiect to death and thou being borne to dye and which so often for thy sinnes hast deserued death wouldest thou alone amongst all other be priuiledged from dying Remember therefore thy folly and pride and rather incourage thy selfe to die hauing so many fellowes and partners in this case For indeede wee haue no more cause to grieue that wee shall die then wee haue to be vexed that wee were borne or that wee were created mortall men and not Angels immortall Death bringeth an equall law and an ineuitable necessitie ouer all Now who can complaine for being of such a condition from which no man is excepted for the chiefest point of equitie is equalitie Let vs therefore pay our tribute chearefully since wee cannot be released and let vs second and follow the will of God without murmuring from whom all things are iustly deriued for Destinie leades him by the hand that goeth willingly and
violence of affliction though it soundly beat vs can separate vs from the loue of God nor the league with his creatures Into what fond vanities are we fallen if we would still be hedged in and enthralled in this vale of teares and not desire to ascend on that ladder which Iacob knew to be the gate of heauen the skirts whereof but seene and felt of the Apostles did so rauish all their sences with delight as that they onely vaunted in the crosses of Christ which was also their preseruatiue against the feare of death and their spurre and preparatiue to set the houses of their hearts in order before they descended to the graue We may learne by the very foode that nourisheth vs section 10 euen our meates and drinks to what loathsomnesse they come before they worke their perfection in vs. From life they are brought to death being dead to the fire so clean altered from that they were aliue from the fire they come to the trenchers and knife all to hackt and cut and from the trencher to the mouth and there be ground as small as the teeth can make them and so from the mouth to the stomacke there to be boyled and dressed before they be fit for our nourishment Is it then any maruell if Christians who are to be as Gods delicates and dainties in the life to come be now so defaced and deformed in this world as in a Kitchin and Mill to boyle and grinde them should by death and the graue be quite altered and changed for a time till they atchiue their happie perfection in the world to come And as we looke for no nutriment of our meate before it be digested So must we not expect for our happy state of heauenly blisse before the corruption of the world and flesh be first swallowed vp of immortalitie Raw flesh is not fit meate for the stomack nor vnmortified men meete for God and heauen till by death and graue they be altered and by Gods spirit renewed as fit Citizens for his kingdom Let vs therefore waite for sicknesse as the fore-runner of sleepe and welcome death as the sickle of the Lords haruest beholding our graue as the faithfull treasurie of our bodies and look vp to heauen as the vndoubted Paradise of our soules CHAP. VIII In what things our Christian preparation to Death doth chiefely consist section 1 HAuing indeauoured to remoue such impediments as hinder preparation and warned Gods children to auoide some dangerous rocks in this their narrow nauigation towards the hauen of death it seemeth now as necessarie for their better encouragement to set downe some safe directions to guide them in this perillous way that chearefully they may passe on without any stay till they ioyfully arriue at the land of heauenly rest Great prouision I confesse would be made for this long and waightie voyage but so many things being obserued by others I will briefely passe by them and come to the principall prouision it selfe And as for the disposing and well ordering of our goods section 2 and worldly state it is best to dispatch this businesse in the time of our strength and health before we be bound to our beds and haue to deale with sicknesse which troubleth all our senses with Physition with Death and Sathan himselfe which then will be most busie to molest vs neither will this so short a time suffice for so many waightie imployments Remember thy Creatour in the daies of thy youth saith the wise man Much more then ought we wholy to thinke on him in the time of sicknes when euery day is suspected to be the last day we haue to liue Many are affraide to make their Testaments betime as things infortunate and presaging euill but this is their ignorance and infidelitie For the disposing of our worldly goods and exempting our selues from earthly cares maketh none die more quickly but more quietly So had Ezechiah counsel from God to put his house in order Abraham deuided his goods to Isaac the rest of his Sons So Isaac dim sighted yet in good and perfect health tooke order for his children before his death So did Iacob for his Sonnes after his Fathers example Which duetie is very fit to be seasonably performed of euery Christian of any state or wealth for the cutting off of contention betweene brethren and kinsfolkes Besides that many diseases are so sharpe and sodaine they giue men small leasure to dispose of themselues much lesse so large a time as to order their goods and familie As he that dreamed of long life had suddenly his answere thou foole this night shall they take away thy soule Sodainely came the flood vpon the wicked world being eating and drinking and sodainely was Sodome consumed with fire amidst their fleshly pleasures Sodainly fell the Tower vpon the eighteene men in Syloah not expected and sodainely will Christ come in the cloudes as a theefe in the night But because all men for the most part are prouident inough for these worldly matters and meanes of state family friends Physicke c. I come to more necessarie matters concerning the soule against the time of neede section 3 The chiefest furniture and best prouision therefore for a Christian man against his death and departure out of life are faith hope and a conscience vndefiled Faith in Christ is as Noahs Arke to saue vs from drowning in the flood of our sinnes and from the deuouring of the dangerous gulfe of death amidst the proud waues and bottomelesse sea of our innumerable transgressions able to sinke and swallow vs vp with the wicked world And hope in God is as the vnmoueable anchor fastned to the almighty power of God as to the most strong and vntwineable cable ready prepared to keepe vs from Shipwrack of our soules in all the raging stormes fearefull tempest and rough passages of Death and Hell For albeit Death be a fray-bug to all faint-harted Souldiers and faithlesse men not built vpon Christ the corner stone by a liuely faith and vndoubted hope threatning and fearing them with the losse of life worldly wealth and all things else Yet the flocke of Christ doe scorne and despise her who account all the world with his wealth and pleasures but dung and drosse yea all things losse to win the loue of Christ Their riches and treasures are placed on high whither their affections and delights were sent before not basely groueling and crawling vpon this filthy earth below but aspyring and climing to the heauen of heauens whither long before they were ascended and setled All earthly things to them are but as toyes and trifles their inheritance is in heauen there is the true portion of their cuppe there be the Iemmes and Iewels that they affect euen such as are safe from rust and free from corruption And thither they are assured by death to be speedily conuayed section 4 He that hath not
course To cure our owne stubbornnesse and rebellions we must not with the vnbeleeuing Israelites harden our hearts or tempt the Lord in our troubles neither lift vp our selues with Pharaoh in such variety of iudgements to haue our hearts harder and harder and so to striue against our Maker which is the high way to increase his plagues and bring vs to destruction but rather be humbled and tremble at his word with melting hearts and not still to exasperate the Lord and sharpen his face against vs but rather while it is called to day to heare his voyce and be reclaimed This also reproueth all such as are so mightily distracted vse 2 and distempered in their troubles and afflictions that grow so violent outragious in word and deed and fall to be desperate they say they are weary of their liues they cannot tell what to do they would pardon them that would ridde them out of the way most truely discerning Sathans censure which to holy Iob and Gods children is nothing but a slander they cease from blessing God and fall to blaspheme him to his face Therefore Gods children must be warie from yeelding to such infirmities to which they are also subiect and pray for true patience whereby they may possesse their soules and for a true and a liuely faith whereby they shall be able to ouercome the diuell the world and the flesh and get the conquest ouer themselues and such vnruly affections If they search the Scriptures they shall see a cloude of Witnesses who by the shield of faith and sword of the spirit haue fought the fight and got the conquest in their greatest feares and doubts Thus God hath comforted vs saith Paul of himselfe and the faithfull that we may be able to comfort them which are in any afflictions by the comfort wherewith we our selues are comforted of God Let vs remember the time past with Dauid and thinke vpon all his wondrous workes We must not bee carelesse and cast away the medicine when once weare healed for the time of our olde disease and sores may come againe but still write in our note-Bookes such soueraigne receipts and approoued remedies to remember afresh when our infirmities newly assaile vs At such a time I prayed and was deliuered from the pricks of the flesh from such and such buffetings of Sathan did the Lord defend me therefore will I pray againe being newly assaulted Such a day and yeare I humbled my soule by fasting and prayer and was saued from such a iudgement At another time in my melancholy moode and the strong temptations and delusions of Sathan I conferred with godly men and diligently resorted to holy assemblies and this relieued and restored me I will neuer therfore forget this comfortable meanes but will for euer remember them yea daily practise them vpon euery good occasion and iust respect Thus good things must be pondered with blessed Marie and not onely conceiued but readily brought forth against the time of neede Such treasure of heauenly store must heedfully be locked vp in the treasury of our soules I haue hid thy promise within my heart that I might not sinne against thee So wisedome counselleth to hide his commandements within vs and to keepe them in the middest of our heart And the Apostle exhorteth vs not to let them slippe out of our mindes or not to haue our soules as crazed vessels receiuing much and holding nothing Where the Prophet seemeth to distinguish betweene law and law precept and precept word and word saying Except thy law thy precepts and so in the rest of the Psalme thy word thy iudgements thy statutes thy ceremonies thy commaundements c. q. d. They and they onely doe this and that and euery thing They and none other haue this vertue and operation of comforting conuerting and sauing This may teach vs that Gods word alone and no other doctrine 6 ioyeth the heart in affliction reioyceth the soule in temptation and quickeneth and reuiueth vs in the greatest extremities and distresses Moses speaking but of the law and commandements deliuered from God inforceth obedience to the same in telling them that it is the word of Life that it setteth before them life and death life to the obeyers death to the breakers And Paul calleth the Gospell The word of life which indeed quickeneth vs by faith in beleeuing the promises when the law for want of obedience slayeth vs therefore he preferreth the righteousnesse of faith before the righteousnesse of the law which is a killing letter to vnregenerate men when the Gospell to all belieuers becomes a quickening spirit This is the word that is able to conuert our soules which is mighty in operation sharper then any sword The weapons of our warfare which we fetch from hence able through God to cast downe strong holds euery high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God and to bring into captiuity euery thought to the obedience of Christ The powerfull preaching whereof is The power of God to saluation to all that beleiue This forceth the very infidell through the working of Gods spirit in the heart being rebuked in holy assemblies to fall downe on his face and worship God and plainely to acknowledge that God is in his messengers This powerfull word of Christ raised Lazarus from the graue of corruption and is able to reuiue vs being dead in our sinnes and to raise vs from the death of sinne to the life of righteousnesse The reasons why Gods word in the holy ministerie thereof is of such efficacy to quicken vs are the same with doctrine the second Besides Gods word is the speciall instrument by which he worketh and effecteth his purpose and decree By his word he created all things and by his word they are vpholden and preserued By and according to his word he saueth and condemneth disposeth and ordereth all persons and actions yea all creatures with their motions referring them to their ends appoynted and making them all to serue his glory God and his word are in a league vnseparable he neuer crosseth it being his good will and pleasure He that heareth it and the messengers thereof heareth him and he that despiseth it and them despiseth him where it is not receaued he accounteth himselfe reiected Which serueth first to teach vs to honour God in this vse 1 his high and incomparable ordinance to yeeld obedience to his will reuealed in his word if we will not be accounted as rebellious against him If we will not effectually heare in the holy ministery thereof we cannot beleeue if we beleeue not we cannot be saued If we contemne and despise it it shall be our iudge at the latter day Hee that resisteth it striueth with his Maker Without the comfort of Gods word we must needs perish in our afflictions if Gods precepts quicken vs not we