which may furnish us abundantly with meditations in this kind It was a custome in former times for men to make their sepulchres in their gardens to mind them of death in the midst of the pleasures of this life This present worke may not unfitly be tearmed a Garden wherein whosoever takes a dayly walke may gather in the severall beds thereof those wholsome flowers and hearbs which being distilled by serious meditation will prove water of life to a fainting spirit in some hee shall finde instruction in some incitation in others consolation in all profit Here thou shalt finde that Lethall gourd sprung up by Adam his transgression that makes all his posterity cry out There is death in the Pot. There thou mayst gather hearbs of grace as a counter-poyson against the malignity of death in a third there is the spirituall Heliotroâ—…ium opening with joy to the Sunne of righteousnesse the hope of a blessed resurrection Doe the glittering shewes of outward things make thee begin to over-fancie them heere thou shalt finde how little they will availe in death the consideration whereof will make them like that precious stone which being put into the mouth of a dead man loseth it's vertue are thou over-burthened with afflictions here thou art supported in the expectation of a farre more exceeding weight of glory art thou ready to faint under thy labours here thou shalt finde a time of rest and of reaping doth the time seeme over-long that thy patience begins to flag heere thou hast a promise of thy Saviours speedy comming In a word be thy estate and condition what it will be heere thou mayst have both directions to guide thee and comforts to support thee in thy journey on earth till thou arrive at thy Countrey in Heaven Certainely there is no man can sleight and undervalue so deserving a Worke but hee shall discover himselfe either to be ignorant or idle or ill affected especially when so judicious and learned men have thought it a fit concomitant for their severall labours which they have added for the accomplishment of it Therfore take it in good worth improve it for the good of thy soule that being armed and prepared for death when it shall approach thou mayst have no more to doe but to die and mayst end thy dayes in a stedfast assurance That thy sinnes shall be blotted out when the time of refreshing shall come from the presence of the LORD Thine in him who is the Resurrection and the life H. W. THE TABLE THe Stewards Summons Page 1. TEXT LVKE 16. 2. Give an account of thy Stewardship for thou mayst be no longer Steward The praise of Mourning Page 29. ECCLESIASTES 7. 2. It is better to goe to the house of Mourning then to the house of Feasting for that is the end of all men and the living will lay it to his heart Deliverance from the King of feares Page 55. HEBREVVES 2. 14. 15. 14 For asmuch then as the Children are partakers of flesh and bloud hee also himselfe likewise tooke part of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Divell 15 And deliver them who through the feare of death were all their life time subject to bondage The perfection of Patience Page 79. IAMES 1. 4. But let patience have her perfect worke that you may bee perfect and intire wanting nothing A Restraint of exorbitant passion Page 101. 2 SAM 12. 22. 23. 22 And he said while the Child was yet alive I fasted and wept for I said who can tell whether God will be gracious to me that the Child may live 23 But now he is dead wherefore should I fast Can I bring him back againe I shall goe to him but he shall not returne to me The sting of Death Page 121. 1 COR. 15. 56. The sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the Law The destruction of the Destroyer Page 135. 1 COR. 15. 16. The last enemie that shall be destroyed is death The Worlds losse and the righteous mans gaine Page 151. ESAY 57. 1. And mercifull men are taken away none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evill to come The good mans Epitaph Page 177. REVEL 14. 13. I heard a voice from Heaven saying unto me Write Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their labours and their workes doe follow them The Christians Center Page 193. ROM 14. 7. 8. 7 For none of us liveth to himselfe and no man dyeth to himselfe 8 For whether we live we live to the Lord and whether wee die we die unto the Lord whether we live therefore or die we are the Lords The improvement of Time Page 213. 1 COR. 7. 29. 30. 31. 29 But this I say Brethren the time is short it remaineth that both they that have wives be as though they had none 30 And they that weepe as though they wept not and they that rejoyce as if they rejoyced not and they that buy asthough they possessed not 31 And they that use this world as not abusing it for the fashion of this world passeth away Securitie surprized Page 235. 1 THESSAL 5. 3. For when they shall say peace and safety then sudden destruction commeth upon them as travaile upon a woman with child and they shall not escape A Christians victory or conquest over deaths Enmitie Page 263. 1 COR. 15. 26. The last Enemie that shall be destroyed is death The great Tribunall Gods scrutinie of Mans secrets Page 283. ECCLESIAST 12. 14. For God will bring every worke into judgement with every secret thâ—…ng whether it be good or whether it be evill A Triall of Sinceritie Page 299. ESAY 26. 8. 9. 8 Yea in the way of thy judgements O Lord have wee waited for thee the desire of our soule is to thy name and to the remembrance of thee 9. With my soule have I desired thee in the night yea with my Spirit within me will I seeke thee early for when thy judgements are in the earth the Inhabitants of the world will learne righteousnesse The expectation of Christs comming Page 321. PHIL. 3. 20. 21. 20. For our conversation is in Heaven from whence we looke for the Saviour the Lord Iesuâ—… Christ. 21. Who shall Change our vile body that it may bee fashioned like unto his glâ—…rious body according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himselfe Christs Precept and Promise or security against death Page 345. IOHN 8. 51. Verily verily I say unto you if a man keepe my saying he shall never see death The Young-mans liberty and limits Page 367. ECCLESIAST 11. 9. Rejoyce O young-man in thy youth and let thy heart cheare thee in the dayes of thy youth and walke in the wayes of thine heart and in the sight of thine eyes but know thou that for all these things God will bring thee into
of Records as it were wherein are written the names of as many as God hath appointed to life Rejoyce not saith our Saviour in this that the divels are subdued unto you but rejoyce that your names are written in heaven And all that are not found written in the booke of life are cast into the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone Rev. 20. 15. God in his secret counsell and purpose in his speciall providence and love takes notice of all his servants even of their names and he hath them as sure as if they were written downe in a booke there is not one man that commeth to heaven but the Lord knowes him already to be a man ordained to that estate and condition Secondly as in all Cities and Societies there is a certaine law whereby they are all governed in obedience to which they live So there is a law whereby all the Citizens of heaven all the houshold of God are governed that law which the Apostle Saint Iames calleth the royall law a law which commandeth the very spirits of men a law that disposeth the whole man to a heavenly frame and subjection to the will of God the great King of Heaven so that a man while he is here below by degrees is drawne off from the world in his affections and disposition and carriage and made sutable and conformable to the rule of righteousnesse Thirdly as in all Cities there is a kind of safety and securitie to those that dwell there not onely as they are incompassed with walls but also as there is watching and warding some wakinâ—… while others sleepe to keepe the rest in safety So in this heavenly societie the Angels pitch their Tents about those that feare God nay the Lord himselfe is the Shepheard of Israel that neither slumbereth nor sleepeth while men oppose them God defends them while men are labouring and plotting and devising against them and they it may be are secure and feare no danger God disperseth and disappointeth a thousand projects intended against his servants It was so with his owne people Israel while they were in the plaines securely lying in their tents there is Balack and Balaam consulting upon the mountaines how to curse them but the God of Israel that is above the mountaines that sitteth on the highest Heavens hee ordereth the matter so that Balaam for his life though hee might have had all the wealth and honour of the Kingdome could not pronounce one curse against Israel because God had said to him that he should not curse Fourthly As in Cities and societies on earth men have communion and societie one with another the lesse have interest in the greater and the greater in the lesse and all have interest one in another the inferiours receive from the superiours protection and provision and the superiours receive from the inferiours subjection and submission So it is in this heavenly Corporation in this spirituall Hierusalem Ierusalem is a Citie at unitie in it selfe There is a communion and fellowship that the Saints have with God the Father with Christ with the Angels with the Saints in heaven and one with another on earth With God the Father they have an interest in him as subjects of his kingdome as servants and children of his family there is not the meanest subject in this kingdome but he may make his request knowne to this Prince there is not the least servant in this Family but he may make his complaint to this Master they may as children goe boldly to the throne of grace and make their request knowne unto him though it be but in sighes and groanes Hence it is that God takes notice of them your heavenly Father knoweth that you have need of all these things and therefore hee will supply them If you that are earthly can give good things to your children how much more shall your heavenly Father give good things to them that aske him They have interest in Christ also he is their Intercessour therefore hence it is that he is said to sit at the right hand of God making intercession for us Hee is their Advocate if any man sinne wee have an Advocate with the Father even Iesus Christ the righteous Hee is their Lord and Captaine the Captaine of the Lords Armie to defend his Church Michael the great Prince standeth up for the children of his people They have interest also in the Holy Ghost the third Person in Trinitie they have not only the love of God the Father but the communion and fellowship of the Holy Ghost as the Apostle wisheth for the Corinthians Hence it is that the Holy Ghost is ready to helpe their infirmities to inable them to put up their requests when they know not how to pray as they ought Hence it is that hee sanctifieth them and therefore they are said to bee Borne againe of water and of the spirit that hee comforteth them therefore hee is called the holy Ghost the Comforter As the Saints have interest in the three Persons in the Trinitie in respect of their dependance upon them so the blessed Trinitie hath an interest in them also If I bee a Father where is my honour if I bee a Master where is my feare Because they acknowledge God to be their Father they honour him because they acknowledge him to betheir Lord they feare him c. They have interest in the Angels also Hence it is that they are called Ministring spirits sent forth for the good of the Elect They were Christs messengers his Angels and now they are made Messengers Angels to the Saints therefore saith Christ Offend not one of these little ones for I tell you that their Angels behold the face of my father in heaven They have interest in them not as worshippers of Angels which the Apostle condemneth Coll. 2. as foreseeing to what a height Popish superstition would rise in this kind I say not to worship them to invocate them to pray to them we know no such will-worship which is without the rule Wee have an Angell comforting Hagar we have an Angell defending Elisha we have an Angel incouraging Iacob wee have an Angell carrying Lazarus into Abrahams bosome But wee never had any Angell that stood in this place to have worship and adoration This indeed the Angels have from us imitation of their obedience we pray thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven They have interest in the Saints also yea in those that are dead not as though they praied for us yet they have a common desire of the welfare of the whole Church The soules under the Altar cry How long Lord holy and true wilt thou not avenge our bloud on those that dwell upon the earth All the Saints departed their soules crie to God to finish these dayes of sinne and hasten the comming of Christ. And besides this this further benefit wee have that we are all members
flesh of the fashions of the world of the wisedome that is from below and earth-creeping Are Christians guided by these rules have they not the God of heaven and earth the Lawes of the Spirit and the wisedome that is from above and customes that are from heaven whereby to regulate them Who are the men of this world are they not those who have the God of this world to raigne in their hearts who are led captive by him whose under standings are darkened their wills obfirmated their hearts hardened their consciences seared their conversation defiled with all uncleannesses their senses open breaches for sinne to enter their tongues blaspheming the name of God and are these conversations fit for the Saints and are they not strangers Are not they strangers that are not capable of honours of possessions in the place wherein they live as being not free Denizens of the place and is not this proper to Christians whose dutie it is to vilifie riches and honours and pleasures in themselves asmuch as they that have these doe others that have them not to account riches the greatest povertie and pleasures the greatest torment and honours the greatest ignominie and power the greatest weaknesse not to possesse the world not to enjoy it not to account any thing good that maketh not the owner better not to admit any thing from the world but so farre as it may advance the true Nobilitie of man the puritie of the Image of God his restitution to his ancient descent his re-estating him in the possession of heaven and the societie of Angels and Archangels to rise up in Armes against this materiall world and to rend himselfe from this faeculent matter and out of the greatnesse of his Spirit and noblenesse of his disposition to be altogether ambitious of the presence of God and of these constant and unchangeable good things This is the dutie of Christians and are not they Strangers Are not they strangers that have double Impost and double customes and the greatest taxations layd upon them is not this peculiar unto the Saints in this life have they not afflictions layd upon them in the greatest measure must they not through many afflictions enter into the kingdome of heaven Have they not teares and that in abundance for their meat and for their drinke Have they not enemies from within and enemies from without Must they not bee conformable to their head Christ their elder brother as he had his double portion this life of afflictions and punishments so must they have as he was sanctified by afflictions so must they also The gold is not pure unlesse it bee tryed nor the water sweet if it have not a current nor the vessell bright unlesse it be scoured nor the Saints fit for heaven unlesse they be prepared by afflictions what man was there that ever set himselfe seriously either to reforme himselfe or others that found not great opposition from himselfe and from others and are not these strangers Are not they strangers that are ad placitum Principis to stay in the Land or to be gone according as hee shall manifest his royall pleasure by his Proclamation and are not we here in the world upon these termes how soone all of us or any of us shall bee dismissed who knowes who dares promise to himselfe the late evening or secure himselfe of the least atome or moment of time hee that dreamed waking of long continuance had scarce libertie to dreame sleeping for that night they tooke away his soule and hee himselfe was branded to succeeding generations with the name of a foole and are not wee strangers Did not the Saints of God whose judgements were most refined those that had the honour to approach most neere unto God himselfe alwayes so repute themselves Doth not the holy Patriarch that wrestled with God and had principalitie over him Did nor hee acknowledge that few and evill were the dayes of his pilgrimage Did not he that was a man after Gods owne heart that had a speciall promise that his house should continue for ever Yet did not hee acknowledge that hee was a stranger as well as his fathers were is it not his earnest prayer unto God I am a stranger upon earth hide not thy Commandements from mee as if hee had said I am a Traveller upon earth I am speeding to Ierusalem which is above I am to passe through this darke calignous world thy Word is a light to my feet a lanthorne to my steps the rule the square the cannon of all rectitude hide not this light from mee lest I runne out of the way or linger in the way or stumble or fall in the way I am a stranger upon earth c. What should I instance in particulars are they not summed up to my hand by the Apostle Heb. 11. 13 All these Patriarkes Prophets Saints all of them did acknowledge themselves to bee strangers Examples have in them an universalitie of Doctrine and instruction especially the examples of the Saints because Praxis Sanctorum is Interpres praeceptorum the practice of the Saints is the best interpretation of the precept Examples have in them a directive force because those that are best disposed in mind and body are a rule for the rest Examples have an incentive force to give life spirits vigour transmining by a kind of Metem Psychosis the soule the spirits the resolutions the affections of the patterne to him that reades it extorting deepesighes and teares and groanes and other alterations at their pleasure And if any Examples have this force have not these much more Other examples have the restimonie of men these have the restimonie of God himselfe hee is not ashamed a wonderfull condiscention of the one and the supreame elevation of the other to bee called their God the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Iacob the Father of the faithfull and the God of the beleevers There are examples whereof men boast but God is ashamed of them corrupt examples of wicked the imperfect examples of heathen men of these God is ashamed but of these God is not ashamed and shall wee be ashamed of them Wee are then strangers Let mee instill into your eares the voyce of that was heard in the Temple before the ruine of it Migremus hinc Let us goe from hence Let mee say unto you with our Saviour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let us goe from hence let us trusse up our fardles and on with our sandals and promote our way to heaven Let us depose and lay downe all burthens and impediments and make our selves expedite and fit for our journey wee are in an Inne let us looke about us and leave nothing behind but carry all with us or send it before us wee have but an instant of our abode here let us imploy it to the best advantage It is the greatest losse it is the most shamefull losse it is the most irrecoverable losse that may bee to lose this
to make the straight wayes of God crooked to make that that God accounts straight to be crooked this is a setting against God therefore Peter saith to Simon Magus pray if it be possible that the thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee So you see Saint Paul speakes to Elymas the sorcerer upon the same ground Act. 13. Thou child of the divell and enemy to all righteousnesse wilt thou not cease to pervent the right wayes of God Now I say here are the words and speeches that men speake against the wayes of God these are speeches that argue men in a state whereby they are lyable and open to judgement and exposed to wrath therefore wee should take heed of such words The use may be to condemne those that make light account of words they thinke they may speake it may bee in rashnesse and hastinesse and they may be excused for uttering them it is their hastinesse and their passion and it was done unadvisedly c. I but the Law of God is transgressed the Majestie of God is offended the anger of God is provoked You know what old Eli sayd to his sonnes My sonnes if a man sinne against a man man may plead for him but if he offend against God who shall plead for him I say who shall take up the matter with God in such a case as this when the offence strikes against God and his ordinances and his worship Therefore take heede there is much evill there is life and death as Solomon saith in the power of the tongue that is a man may utterly destroy himselfe by the very words he speakes unadvisedly as hee thinkes and will plead for himselfe or passionately and rashly Againe much more doth it concerne those that proceede to other kinds of wickednesse in the tongue we instanced in some particular instances then that we cannot now stand on We came to direct men to carry themselves in their speech as David to set a watch before the doore of their lippes he prayed to God to doe it And Psal. 39. I sayd that I will take heede to my wayes that I offend not in my tongue And then he prayes to the Lord Psal. 131. to keepe a watch before the doore of his mouth Hee knew well enough that there will be a time when the words that we thinke are sleight and vaine shall be brought to judgement idle unprofitable frothy talke much more rayling and reviling speeches most of all the highest blasphemies and execrations these shall most certainly be brought to a greater censure at the day of judgement But I will not stand on that I then handled Now there remaines three things more The first is this that in the day of judgement God will proceed according to his Law So speake and so doe as those that shall bee judged by the Law I say In the day of judgement God will proceede with men according to his Law Hee will proceede according to his word written therefore labour that your speeches and actions may bee such that they may be agreeable to that Iohn 12. 48. The word that I speake to you saith Christ shall judge you at that day There is not a word that Christ speakes but it shall judge he speakes not in vaine he is the judge that speakes Now you know Christ speakes two wayes Eyther in himselfe Or by his Ministers In himselfe and so eyther that that hee spake when hee was on earth in his his owne person then all the words that hee spake at that time are those words by which he will judge men as farre as they concerne morrall actions by those words he will judge men at the great day for he spake nothing but what was according to his Law Or else that which he spake in his Apostles immediatly by a certaine and infallible worke of the Spirit directing them to such truth as that they could not erre in speaking now in this Christ still spake in them The same way Christ hath in speaking to this day therefore saith he he that heareth you heareth me and he that heareth me heareth him that sent me That which he spake to them hee spake in them concerning all the Ministers of the Gospel What we speake as Ministers that is as men that looke to the direction of our Lord for we are but Embassadours and our words are so far of value and power as they are the speeches of our Lord and as we speake the word of him whose Embassadours we are Now I say looke what the Minister thus speakes as the Embassadour of Christ to the people that Christ will confirme at the day of judgement Now it will appeare what wee speake as Embassadours if we speake nothing but what is agreeable to the text of Scripture rightly understood Therefore marke it whatsoever sinne wee denounce the judgement of God against and urge Scripture for it it is the very rule that Christ will observe in judging men Or else that speech could not stand what yee loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven and what yee bind on earth shall be bound in heaven Wee bind when by declaring of mens sinnes wee denounce the judgement of God against such sinnes and so pronounce men to stand under the wrath of God that remaine in those sinnes saith Christ what you thus binde on earth shall bee bound in heaven that is Gods act shall ratifie and confirme the same sentence in heaven which we denounce here upon earth by vertue of this word So when wee come to distressed soules and declare to them that they stand acquitted and that by the Word of God and so as Ministers of the Gospell by vertue of the truth revealed to us declare that they are freed from the bond and guilt of their sinnes upon those evidences of repentance that they manifest I say it is ratified in heaven Therefore you see there is no other way of proceeding but looke as Christs owne words when hee was upon the earth so the same that are as his owne words that is those truths that are drawne from Christs truths have the same power upon the hearts and consciences of men now to command them and shall have after to judge them as ever they had But here it may be objected it should seeme that all men shall not be judged by the Law because there are some men to whom the Law hath never beene published for what shall wee say to a great part of the world that have not yet received the Scriptures we know that the Scriptures have not beene published to a great part of the world at this day there are many Heathens many Pagans that never had the Scriptures therefore how shall they be judged by the Law except you say that onely those shall bee judged by it that have beene under the preaching of the Gospell and have had the helpe of the Scriptures We answer that all mankinde and every particular man is under
the Law onely the Law is not alike expressed to them it is not revealed alike to all sorts All have the Law and the Law written too but eyther it is written in the hearts of men and so it is naturally in the hearts of all the Sonnes of men Or else in the Scriptures and so it is more clearely and evidently manifested in the Churches but yet neverthelesse in the hearts of men is the Law written as much as shall be sufficient to condemne them as we see Rom. 2. 14. saith the Apostle If the Gentiles which have not the Law doe by nature the things conteined in the Law they having not the Law are a Law to themselves and shew the effect of the Law written in their hearts their consciences accusing or excusing them before God The Gentiles that had not the Law that is not the Law written in the Scriptures yet neverthelesse they are a Law to themselves that is they have certaine principles certaine rules which remaine in their naturall consciences whereby they eyther accuse or excuse as they doe good or evill And even these doe shew that they have a Law that doth binde them and shall condemne them because that when they would not obey even that Law that is even those principles whereupon their consciences wrought to accuse or excuse they were sinners against the Law So that wee see no man shall be condemned at the day of â—…udgement but by vertue of the Law and however all have not the Scripture yet they have a naturall conscience and the Law written there whereby it accuseth or excuseth Howsoever it bee true that things are not alike expresly manifested to other people and to us that have the Scriptures yet they have so much manifested to them as shall condemne them And the reasons of it are these why it must be so First because the Law of God is Gods Scepter whereby hee governes and rules the Church Psal. 110. 2. he shall bring the rod of thy power out of Sion The rod of thy power that is the Scepter of thy power that Scepter whereby thou dost authoritatively and by power rule over the Churches and what is this Scepter It is the word as we shall see Esay 2 3 4. The Law shall come out of Sion So then the Scepter the rod of the word that is brought out of Sion is the Law that comes out of Sion the word of God the Law of workes and the Law of faith for both these come out of Sion the Law of workes as farre as it is the rule of life and then the Law of Faith both come in to rule the Church of God Yea this is the rod of Christs power therefore hee will manifest his power and make all men subject to it What power There is a power of Christ such a power whereby he manifests his owne greatnesse and soveraigntie over all his creatures over those creatures that have not sence that have not reason that is not this Law But this power here the Scepter of his power is that whereby he manifests his soveraigntie over reasonable creatures Angels and men therefore if they will not obey him yet it shall bee a Scepter of Iron to crush them in peeces Therefore we see the very Angels themselves that would not obey the directing commandement of God the rule of life in that particular place wherein they were they found it a Scepter to crush them downe and they were cast out of their place for their sinne So likewise men you see what the Apostle Peter speakes of those that perished in the time of Noah because they would not receive the Word preached to them but they would be lawlesse and disobedient or like men that would be under no Law therefore they felt the force of it in the effect of the Law in the fruite and penaltie of the Law upon them So I say Christ still rules by power in the Law in so much as that when the Law and command prevailes not then the punishment prevailes and they that will not subject themselves to the Law they shall bee subdued under the punishment of the Law that is the first thing Againe secondly it must bee that Christ must proceede in judgement according to the Law because the Law is the rule Now you know a rule is a note of distinction it is that that being streight and right in it selfe which doth distinguish and discover things that are crooked So the Law of Christ it is a straight rule in it selfe therefore whatsoever is contrary to it is crooked and perverse And he will declare a righteous proceeding contrary to the unrighteousnesse of men How by that rule that discovers unrighteousnesse How shall Christ appeare to be righteous in his Law except he have a rule whereby unrighteousnesse shall be discovered Now that is discovered by the Law the right rule as it is Psal. 19. The statutes of the Lord are right Now rectum is index sua oblique that that not onely declares its owne excellencie but the unrighteousnesse and obliquitie of the contrary therefore Christ shall proceede by the Law because that shall most cleare his proceedings For all the world will grant that that is a righteous rule Therefore Micah 6. 8. when the Prophet would deale with men that were unrighteous that would walke wilfully and rebelliously against God and then serve him with outward performances wherewith shall I come before the Lord and bow before the high God he hath shewed thee O man what is good that is to doe justly and to walke humbly with thy God So that now looke what rule it is that shewes what is good that is the rule whereby the righteous Judge will proceede in judgement Now the Law shewes what is good he hath shewed in his Law what is good therefore hee gives a briefe summe of the Law there to walke humbly with God that is the substance of the first Table of the Law and to doe justice that is the substance of the second Table of the Law therefore saith hee he hath shewed thee what is good this is a righteous rule that discernes betweene good and evill Looke what that is that in the directions of life discernes betweene good and evill that also in the proceeding of the Judge will cleare his justice eyther in rewarding the good or in punishing the evill therefore Christ must needs proceede according to his owne Law in judgement Thus the point is opened Now a word or two for application Is it so that Christ will proceede in judgement by his owne Law then it serves in the first place for the just reproofe of those that neglect the Law that neglect this direction that Christ gives them Alas is it a small matter thus to slight the Law of God the Word of God why you shall bee judged by this God shall judge the secrets of all men saith the Apostle in that day according â—…o
my Gospell Rom. 2. 16. not onely that looke what he hath spoken of the judgement shall proove true but that in the judgement there shall be a proceeding proportionable and agreeable to what hee hath spoken in that word that he calls his Gospell Therefore take heede how you slight this Word it is a dangerous thing Saith Solomon Pro. 13. 13. he that despiseth the Commandement shall perish Hee that despiseth the Commandement when God hath revealed his will in matter of dutie for the direction of life for that he calls the Commandement there now if a man come to despise this he shall certainely perish saith Solomon When doth a man despise the Commandement You know to despise is when a man accounts a thing of no force that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 despise not prophesying The word is account it not a thing of nothing account it not a slight matter Now you know a man accounts a thing as a thing of nothing when he undervalues it when he gives it lesse acknowledgment then it is worthy of As if a man come to buy a Jewell or a Pearle in the Market and offer a sleight and small matter for it hee had as good bid nothing the undervaluing of a commoditie is as the accounting of it worth nothing In spirituall things when a man accounts the Law of God below it selfe that is when hee makes it not the chiefe direction of his life then hee accounts it as a thing of nothing and despiseth the Law For either the Law is somewhat by Gods appointment or not at all if it be somewhat by Gods appointment then it must have that place that God hath appointed it or else wee give it not any esteeme according to the appointment of God but according to our owne Fancy I say if wee give the Law esteeme according to Gods appointment and by vertue of his Word then wee will give it the esteeme that God hath put upon it that is that it shall rule us in all our actions and that it shall be our supreame rule and guide that a man shall account nothing else as the sufficient direction of his life but the Law Now when men come to this that they will preferre their owne opinions before the Law when they will preferre the opinion of other men before the Text of Scripture when they preferre the customes of the world before the rule of the Word This is now to dispise the Law to make it as a thing of nothing As you see it plaine it is ordinary in Scripture thus to tax men as when they would account the traditions of men above the word In vaine they worship me saith God they become vanitie themselves for accounting the Law vaine So when they preferred the customes of their forefathers equall with the Law they despised the Law this mixture this joyning of other things with it it is that that the Scripture calls the despising of the Law Therefore it is a dangerous thing to despise the Law Is it not dangerous to despise the Judge the Law shall bee your Judge that is the rule whereby the Judge shall proceede You know it is the aggravation of the fault of a Malefactor that he not onely transgresseth and sinneth against the Lawes of the Kingdome but that he hath despised the Law if hee have beene heard to speake any speeches to the contempt of the Law this is a great aggravation of his sinne how much more shall it bee in the day of the Lord Mens Lawes are imperfect and therefore are revoked many times and repealed and reversed but this Law of God is a perfect Law and therefore it shall never bee reversed it shall never be revoked nor altred Now for a man to sleight and neglect this in any point or degree it is a high contempt against God himselfe That as a man might say of the Iewes when Christ came amongst them hee offered himselfe to bee their King but being they would not take him for their King who if they had taken him so would have beene their Saviour therefore the time shall come that he will be their Judge and not their Saviour So I say concerning the Law the Law now published in the preaching of the Word those that will not now take it to be their counsellor shall finde it then to bee their condemner If this be a harsh saying as they speake of the command of Christ Ioh. 6. This is a hard saying who can beare it If the Commandement of Christ concerning obedience seeme harsh then how harsh a saying shall that be depart yee cursed into everlasting fire If it bee so hard a thing to stand to the command of the Law how hard a thing will it bee to stand under the penaltie and censure of the Law Therefore I say let men take heede they shall finde that even that very faith commanded that they have sleighted it shall proove heavie they sleighted it in obedience it shall proove heavie in the judgement and punishment Secondly it may serve for admonition and so to teach us how to carry our selves If the Law of God be the rule whereby hee will judge us First then looke to the law for direction looke to the precept to the command of God for the directing of our lives I know not how but I am sure by the malice of Sathan it is come into the world into the Church that some men upon pretence of giving the doctrine of justification by grace and by the merits of Christ the full vertue of it would put men off from all obedience as if therefore wee were not to be under the direction of the Law because wee are freed from the Law by Christ. They distinguish not betweene the penaltie of the Law and the command of the Law the same Christ that hath freed us from the punishment of the Law as many as are in him by faith hath subjected us to the command of the Law and that in his owne person and not onely so but in his owne precept Therefore he became an expounder of the Law Matth. 5. and shewes that the Law is spirituall that it is a thing that binds the conscience and would have all men looke to the direction of the Law And the Apostle Saint Paul then whom no man ever spake more fully of justification by Faith yet the same Apostle would not have the Law as it is a direction of life abolished but would have men so much the more new as by new arguments and incouragements they are set upon the duties of obedience But I say such is the malice of Sathan as to draw men upon such grounds as these are not rightly understood by them to I know not what course of libertiâ—…sme and though they pretend a course of obedience to the Law yet they will not doe it as to the Law Whereas it is evident that the Law is appointed as a curbe to our
terrestriall the other so noble the one so ignoble the other so magnanimous the one so abject the other These Saints they did duly consider that our life it is but a Pilgrimage that this whole world is but a Diversorie or Inne to refresh us for a while that it is a warfare all things within us without us our enemies that this body is but a Tabernacle a Tent a Cottage an earthen vessell a Gourd the scabbard the prison of the soule more brittle then glasse decaying mouldering of itselfe though it bee preserved from eternall injuries of ayre or weather they saw the vanitie the vacuitie the emptinesse of the things of this life their affections were alienated estranged and divorced from the world they had by watchings fastings grovelings on the ground teares and groanes scoured off the drosse of their soules and made them polished statues of pietie they had made up their accounts betweene God and themselves and had sued out their pardon for their defects and failings and had that seated in their consciences they did penetrate the cloudes with the eye of faith and did see the immense good things layd up for them in heaven with which being ravished and impatient of cunctation and delay they desire to be vested in the possession of them though it were with the deposition of their house of clay which they did beare about them Of these things they had not a bare conjecture but a certaine knowledge For wee know ver 1. that if our earthly house of this tabernacle bee dissolved wee have a building not made with hands eternall in the heavens from this full perswasion did arise this heavenly affection in this wee groane earnestly But alas how different is our disposition from this heavenly temper how pale how wanne is our countenance at the mention of Death at the least summons of our last accounts as vinegar to our teeth as smoake to our eyes as a sudden dampe to our lights as an horrid cracke of thunder in the middest of our jollities so is the mention of Death If any aske the reason of this it is too manifest Want of judgement what is the true good of the sonnes of men Want of apprehension of the happinesse of the Saints Want of faith in God of Union with Christ our soules never make any holy peregrination from the body and seate themselves with Angels and Archangels and trace the streetes of New Ierusalem wee anticipate not the joyes of the life to come by devout meditations and contemplations wee have not our conversation in heaven from whence wee looke for our Redeemer Our soule thirsteth not our flesh longeth not after the living God The reason of this is wee hang upon the teats of the world like babes and children we suck venome out of it to our soules wee walke upon our bellies as uncleane beasts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wee jutte against God and offend him our accompts are not streight and even therefore wee are afraid at the appearance of our Saviour and of our citation to appeare before his Tribunall wee groane when wee heare of death wee groane not that we may dye this is our condition and are not these different one unto another Doth not this staine the verdure of our countenances and cover us with shame and confusion to observe so manifest a declination of the fervor of the Spirit That you desire this heavenly temper I doubt not I should offer violence to Charitie the Queene of Graces if I should thinke otherwise For this cause many of you are strict in the performance of holy duties agreeable and convenient to this sacred time That your devotions may attaine a happy end let mee lend you an helping hand whilst I discourse these words which even now sounded in your eares In this wee groane earnestly c. Which I will resolve into three propositions 1. That wee are strangers in this life without our house 2. That the Saints desire their true and proper house 3. The intention of their desire In this wee groane c. That wee are strangers doe not the sacred Oracles declare our conversatinn our politie is in heaven saith the Doctor of the Gentiles Our life it is hid up with Christ Col. 2. Wee are fellow Citizens with the Saints of the houshold of God Ephes. 2. Doth not the chiefe of the Apostles intreat us as Pilgrims and strangers to abstaine from fleshly lusts which fight against the soule and doe not these and the like demonstrate unto us that a Christian lives with men yet abovemen in earth yet in heaven bound yet free deteyned with us yet farre above us living a double life one manifest the other Hid with Christ one contemptible the other glorious one naturall the other spirituall that his Parentage is from heaven that his Treasure is in heaven that his heart is in heaven that his roote is fastened in the everlasting mountaines though his branches are here below that his dwelling is in heaven though his peregrination be here on earth and did not these Oracles tell us thus much yet are there not enforcing arguments to convince us of this Truth Are not they strangers that are out of their proper place and are not Christians while they are here out of their place Is this world made for Man an Arke of travell a Schole of vanitie a Laborinth of errour a Grove full of thornes a Meadow full of Scorpions a flourishing garden without fruit a fountaine of miserie a river of teares a feigned fable a detestable frenzie and is this the place of man What meanes the fabricke of our body lifted up to heaven our hands eyes head upward but to shew us as Chalcidius the heathen man observed that our Progenitors are from heaven that our place is in heaven Every place is adequate to the thing placed in it is this world adequate to man are not his desires infinitely extended beyond the same Every place hath a conseruing vertue in it Doth this world preserve man well may it minister a little food to this beast of ours which we carry about us but can it afford the least favorie morsell to the soule it were to be wished that it did not poyson contaminate and defile the soule so that the safest way for the soule is to flie from the world as from the face of a Serpent Is this world the place of man why doth our tender Mother the Church assoone as wee come into the world snatch us out of the world and as soone as wee breathe in the ayre bury us by Baptisme in the Grave of Christ and assoone as we move in this world consigne us with the signe of the Crosse to fight against the world and all the pompes of the same and are not wee strangers Are not they strangers that have different lawes and divers customes and another Prince to rule and command them You have heard of the Prince of the ayre and the Lawes of the