and is freed from all miseries of this life and enjoyes the honour of all good workes Rev. 14.13 the bodie resting in the grave from all paine and labour as in a bed of rest till the resurrection Esa. 57.2 And into this degree of life eternall wee enter in by the gate of death The thirddegree of life eternall beginnes at the resurrection of our bodies at the last day and is enjoyed by body and soule for ever comprehending all possible consummation of felicity and glory in the heavens And into this wee enter by the gate of resurrection which is a kind of new begetting of us and therefore is called the resurrection of life Ioh. 11.25 and so the blessed in heaven are called the children of the resurrection and by that way the children of God Luk. 20.36 In the first degree life is imperfect in the second it is perfect in the third it is consummate And the use of this first point should be to warne men to looke to it that they enter into the first degree of eternall life while they are in this world or else they shall never get to heaven when they dye and therefore should strive for saving knowledge and to become new creatures or else it is in vaine to hope for heaven 2 For the second which is the originall of life it is greatly for the praise of it that it flowes from that life which is in God himselfe which is an unspeakable glory to the creatures that enjoy it With thee is the fountaine of life saith David Psal. 36.9 So he calls him the God of his life Psal. 42.8 Naturall life is but a sparkle that flowes from the life of our parents but spirituall and eternall life is kindled from that infinite light and life in God But yet not as Christ received we this life for he had it by naturall generation wee have it by a way unspeakeable from God but yet by Iesus Christ In him was life as the life was the light of men Iohn 14. He that hath the Son hath life Iohn 5.12 and he it is that is eternall life viz. to us vers 20. As there is no light in the visible world but from the Sunne in the sirmament so there is no life in the spirituall world but from God in Heaven which hath caused it to shine in our hearts by the Son of righteousnesse Christ Iesus Thus our life is called the life of God Ephes. 4.18 and Christ is said to live in us Gal. 2 20. Which should teach us greatly to admire and adore the excellency of Gods goodnesse and make us to rest our selves for ever under the shadow of his wings Psal. 36.7 8 9. But that this point may be more clearly understood we must consider of the originall of this life from God three waies First in respect of Ordination and so it flowes from Gods decree Hee hath ordained us unto life Acts 13.48 and our names are written in the booke of life Phil. 4.3 Secondly in respect of Merit it was bought of God by the death of the flesh of Christ. I give my flesh for the life of the world Iohn 6.51 This life will not be had without his death that we might live in eternall life hee must dye a temporall death And shall not this greatly inflame our hearts to love the Lord Iesus that gave himselfe for us that we should not perish but have everlasting life Thirdly in respect of operation or inchoation and so the fountaine of life is either without us or within us without us is the Word of Christ that is the immortall seede by which we are begotten unto life 1. Pet. 1.24 and so is called the Word of life Phil. 2.15 And the word is so as it is the word of Christ that is Gospel My words saith he are spirit and life Iohn 6.63 And that word considered as it is preached to the dead soules of men the dead shall Hear the voice of Christ and live Shall heare it note that Iohn 5.25 which should make us greatly to esteeme the preaching of the Gospel Within us the fountaine of life is the Spirit of Christ which is called the Spirit of life which is in Christ Iesus Rom. 8.2 Now the Spirit of Christ that wee may live doth two things viz. it quickens the seed of the Word and unites us unto Christ as members of the mysticall body and then looke how the soule of man doth give life to every member of the body so doth the Spirit of Christ to every soule as a severall member of the mysticall body 3 For the third We shall not exactly know what the nature of eternall life is till it be perfected us or consummate yet by diverse words God hath let fall in Scripture we may ghesse at the nature of this life and in generall I thinke it is a kinde of celestiall light falling into the soule that doth to it that which naturall life doth to the bodie This S. Iohn shewing how Christ was the life of men saith hee was the light of men Iohn 1.4 And David having said With thee is the fountaine of life adds And in thy light wee shall see light Psal. 36.8 And so the promise to the penitent sinner was that his life should see the light Iob 33.28 So Christ saith he that followeth him shall have the light of life Mark it the Light of life Iohn 8.12 So that the life of our minds is knowledge in generall and in particular it is the saving knowledge of God and Iesus Christ as our Saviour saith expressely Iohn 17.3 This is eternall life to know God and whom hee hath sent Iesus Christ. And the reason why this knowledge doth most inlive quicken our hearts is because God in Christ is the most glorious subject of contemplation as being that highest good a very Ocean of goodnesse onely able to fill and ravish the heart of man and besides because God as our chiefe good can alone make the ravishment of the heart perpetuall and so last for ever which nothing else can doe But because everie knowledge of God hath not this effect to breed everlasting life in the heart of a man therfore I wil distinctly set downe what kind of knowledge it is that hath this effect and what is required that it may be right 1 It must be such a knowledge as discernes God to be the only true God and this rule excludes the Pagans from eternall life who though by the light of nature they might discerne the invisible things of God by the workes of the creation yet they so shut up those principles of naturall truth in unrighteousnesse that they set up creatures as God and gave the glorie of the true God to them Rom. 1. 2 It must be such a knowledge as ascribes into the Nature of God such an excellencie as can be exprest by no likenesse of any creature in heaven above or earth beneath or the waters under
our selves incombrances by our owne rashnesse or indiscretion And lastly when with all knowledge we joyne lowlinesse of mind and meekenesse that meekenesse that is called meekenesse of wisdome by Saint Iames. Thus of the meanes to attaine life The signes follow There are divers waies to try our selves whether eternall life be begunne in us as 1 By the savouring of those things that are immortall Our mortall life relisheth nothing but what is transitory and eternall life findes happinesse in nothing but what is eternall or tends to it Thus a man that is endued with this life esteemes with sense grace above riches spirituall treasures above all earthly In particular the desire after the Word of God is a signe that we are at least new borne babes in Gods kingdom if so be wee desire it with a kind of naturall affection as the childe doth the breast and constantly and as the word is sincere and with an unfained desire to grow in grace and goodnesse by the power of the Word Rom. 8.5 1. Pet. 2. Iohn 6.27 2 By our knowledge of God in Christ as hath beene shewed before when it is such a knowledge as workes not onely admiration but also sound transformation of our hearts and lives 3 There is a kinde of sorrow that the Apostle saith is to salvation 2. Cor. 10.7 and that is such a sorrow as is voluntary and secret for our sinnes and for all sorts of sinnes Rom. 7. Esa. 6.5 Esa. 1.16 and as they are sinnes and not for other respects and such a sorrow as quieteth the heart and leaveth a vehement desire of reformation and is most stirred by the sense of Gods goodnesse Hos. 3.5 Esa. 1.16 and is found in prosperity as well as adversitie 4 By our love to God for if the light of life bee in vs and that wee are truely acquainted with God as our God in Christ the heart hath seene that that will make it in love with God for ever and shew it by his estimation of Gods loving kindnesse and all the signes of it above all things in life Psal. 63.2 11. and by longing after the comming of Christ 2. Tim. 4.8 and by grieving for Gods absence Cant. 3.1 and by his feare to offend God in any thing Iude 20. and by his willingnesse to suffer any thing for God and the Gospell 1. Thes. 1.2 5 By our love of the brethren The Alpostle Iohn with great confidence of words makes this a signe that wee are translated from death to life 1. Ioh. 3.14 and it is infallible if we so love them as we account them the only excellent ones Psal. 16.3 and desire them as the onely companions of our lives and if it bee for the grace and goodnesse is in them 1. Ioh. 5.1 2. Ioh. 1.2 and if it be notwithstanding their infirmities or adversities and if wee love all the brethren without respect of persons 6 To conclude this point generally If eternall life bee begun in us wee are new creatures borne againe the Image of God is restored in us in some degree Ioh. 3.5 Tit. 3.7 5. Colos. 3.10 and we are such as are fully resolved to spend our daies in the way of righteousnesse and a holy course of life Prov. 12.28 8 The properties of this life follow and they are five for 1 It is unspeakable eye hath not seene nor eare heard nor can the heart of man conceive what God hath prepared in life for them that love him 1. Cor. 2.9 2 It is free it is not given by merit but is the free gift of God Rom. 6. ult 3 It is certain for there is an Act for it in Gods councell Men be ordained to life and their names written in the booke of life Act. 13.48 Phil. 4.4 and God hath bound himselfe by many promises in his Word to the believer and besides hath confirmed it with an oath Heb. 6.17 and Christ is gone into heaven to make the place ready for all the heires of life Ioh. 14.3 and further wee have it already begun even eternall life begun Ioh. 17.3 4 It is a life by assimilation that is such a life as is fashioned in likenesse to the life of another even Iesus Christ according to whose Image wee are created Col. 3.10 And who shall change our vile bodies and make them like his glorious body Phil. 3.21 5 It is eternall A life that will last as long as God liveth it will never have an end Divines expresse the etâ—rnitie of it in part by this similitude Suppose a little Bird came to the Sea once in a thousand yeares and tooke up onely one drop of water and so should continue to take every thousand yeares onely one drop what an unspeakable space of time would it be before the Sea would be drunke up and yet eternity is a lasting beyond that unmeasurably Thus of the explication of the doctrine concerning life The uses follow and Vse 1. First what a strong impression should this doctrine have upon the hearts of all unregenerate men How should life and heaven suffer violence How should this force open their eies that they might awake from that fearefull lethargie and stand up from the dead that Christ might give them this light of life How should they unchangeably resolve to seeke Gods kingdome first above all things and above all gettings strive to get understanding What shall it profit them to winne the whole world and lose their owne soules But especially the doctrine of life should melt the hearts of all the godly and imprint upon them the care of many dueties as 1 They have cause to wonder at the exceeding riches of Gods kindnesse to them in Iesus Christ in providing such an inheritance for them Eph. 2.7 2 They should pray earnestly to God to open their eyes more and more to see the glory of this life and effectually to take notice of the high dignity of their calling and riches of their inheritance in life Eph. 1.19 3 This should marvellously weane their hearts from the cares of this present life and from the love of earthly things seeing their inheritance lyeth in spirituall and eternall life 1. Cor. 7.31 Heb. 13.4 5. 11.13 Col. 3.1 2. Phil. 3.20 4 Since they have found this precious life by the Gospell they should therefore take heed they be not carried about with divers and strange doctrine nor trouble themselves with doubtfull disputations or unprofitable questions They have found the words of eternall life and whither else will they goe Tit. 3.7 9. Heb. 13.9 5 This should make them love one another as such as shall bee companions in life for ever Yea they should receive one another as Christ received them to glory Ioh. 13.34 Eph. 4.2 5.1 Rom. 15.7 And in particular husbands should make much of their wives and masters of such servants as are heires with them of the grace of life as this Text shewes and Col. 3.24 6 They should strive to shew the
be loved when their husbands are not loved Thus of the fourth point the fift point is the effect and that is they adorned themselves Adorned themselves In all ages the comelinesse and ornament of a wife as a wife was to obey her husband with meeknesse and feare and those were the comeliest and best apparelled women in the sight of God their husbands and good men that were most quiet and easie to be governed and willingest to please their husbands And so on the contrary a wife were a very unhandsome woman and not fit to please any wise man that were of a froward and unquiet disposition eyther through anger or crying or the like yea though shee had otherwise never so great an estate or never so excellent gifts of nature of minde or bodie yea if she could be imagined to have true holinesse and grace yet she were but a loathsome creature And this doctrine as it should move all wives so especially such as have not other things to commend them but want eyther portion or beautie or skill or have but weake gifts in Religion these should be the more carefull to recompence their husbands and strive to please them in this way of adorning themselves The matter of the example is Subjection to their husbands and of that I have entreated in the exhortation it selfe The speciall argument is taken from the particular example of Sarah vers 6. Where we are to observe 1 What shee did viz. shee obeyed Abraham calling him Lord. 2 What fruit will follow to Christian wives if they follow her example viz. they shall become her daughters 3 Vpon what condition they shall obtaine that honour viz. if they doe well and be not affraid of any amazement Sarah The names here mentioned are Sarah and Abraham and both their names are kept in the Christian Church not as they were at first but as they were changed of God out of his love and respect to their faith and obedience The woman was first called Sarai which signified My Lady or My Mistris but after was changed into Sarah to signifie that she should be a Mistris to many or a Mistris indefinitely meaning that she should have a great posteritie as the mans name was changed into Abraham and signified a father of many nations From the giving of the names we may gather 1 Such as glorifie God by beleeving and keeping his covenant and patient bearing of adversitie shall be blessed of God and in particular shall have this blessing of a happy posteritie A godly life brings God to us and our families and an ungodly life drives him away 2 That God is no accepter of persons but godly wives shall have their part in the blessing of godly husbands This christian wives may looke for if they be as Sarah holy women and such as obey their husbands and are a comfort and helpe to them in all the travailes of their lives and no way hinder godlinesse in them Obeyed Abraham Diverse things may be noted hence 1 That obedience is the chiefe thing required in the subjection of wives shewing how Sarah was subject he saith she obeyed him The maine thing required of wives is to be ruled by their husbands Those wives transgresse that are not carefull to see that done which their husbands require with reason require and those that crosse their husbands and vexe them by opposing or censuring especially those that will not be quiet unlesse they may doe what they list and rule their husbands 2 That as much is due to everie husband as was due from Sarah to Abraham else this argument of the Apostle had not beene good They might have said that Abraham was a great man and holy and wise and loving c. but the Apostle requires that what women would doe for the substance of obedience if they had Abraham to their husband that must they doe to him that is now their husband And the reason is cleare Because Gods commandement in the morall Law prescribes the same honour to be given to all husbands and in the new Testament obedience is required of all wives to all husbands And this was the more observeable in Sarah because in obeying Abraham shee was faine to leave her owne countrey and be exposed to a world of paines and danger and wants 3 That the discharge of domesticall dueties is a good worke and shall be had in everlasting remembrance Though all good wives have not the honour to be written in Gods booke of Scripture and praised therein yet they have the honour to be written in Gods booke of Remembrance which shall be opened at the last day and so contrariwise Calling him Lord. That shee did so call him the Apostle found written Gen. 18.12 Hence we may observe 1 That godly wives ought to acknowledge their husbands to have power over them as if they had been servants bought with their mony not that their subjection is no better than the subjection of servants but that the husbands have aswell power over them as they have over their servants Sarah doth not in judgement only acknowledge it as due but with wonderfull affection doth easily and with great love give that title to Abraham 2 That it is one part of the subjection of wives to carry themselves reverently towards their husbands and to give them such titles as may shew that they doe heartily honour them 3 We may here observe the wonderfull goodnesse of God towards his servants that in a great heape of sinne can see accept of a little spark of true grace The whole sentence of Sarah was vile and prophane only that word was good God praiseth her for that was good and passeth by the great fault she committed Yea we may note that God is so well pleased with her loving subjection to her husband that hee is content to forgive her great sinne of unbeliefe against him Yea it is probable that her great respect of her husband made her the more willingly to beleeve Gods promise afterwards for Heb. 11.11 she is commended iudging God to be faithfull who had promised her a child though at first she laughed at it Whose daughters ye are Godly women may be said to bee the daughters of Sarah three waies 1 If Sarah be taken mystically for the new Ierusalem as Gal. 4. 2 In respect of inheriting the love and blessing of God which Sarah had they shall be her daughters that is they shall have the same portion from God as if they had come in Sarahs roome as in the case of Abraham is said Rom. 4.11 16. 3 In respect of spirituall kindred and alliance Christian women are as neere a kinne to Sarah as if they were her owne daughters So that the maine doctrine from hence is That there is a spirituall kindred and consanguinitie betweene the godly About which from this place wee may observe diverse positions 1 That all the godly are a kinne and the reason is Because they are all
power of this life and how much it excells naturall life and therefore the fruit of the Spirit should be in them in all goodnesse righteousnesse and truth Eph. 5.9 and they should so hold forth the Word of life that they should thinke on whatsoever things are true honest just pure lovely and of good report and if there be any vertue or any praise they should strive to act that being carefull in all things to maintaine good workes Phil. 4.8 Tit. 3.7.8 Oh what manner of persons should they be in all manner of good conversation 7 They should lift up their heads with joy and bee alwaies comfortable considering the assurance they have of eternall life they have the Spirit of glory resting upon them One would thinke they should be alwaies singing making melody in their hearts though they have crosses and wants in this life yet is not God their portion and is it not enough they are provided for in respect of eternitie and is there any comparison betweene the afflictions in this world and the glory to bee revealed Grace Thus of the matter of their inheritance The cause followes and that is Grace Grace is either a gift in us or an attribute in God Sometimes by Grace is meant the gifts God bestowes upon men and if Grace were so taken then would bee implyed this doctrine That dead men may have the Grace of God There may be grace in men without life yea men may have excellent gifts and yet be not alive spiritually As gifts of government from the Spirit of God as Saul had and gifts for edification in the Church A man may bee an excellent Preacher as Iudas was and may have the gifts of prophecying and working miracles as the Reprobates mentioned Mat. 7.21 a man may have the gift of knowledge of the Scriptures as S. Paul imports 1. Cor. 8.2 Heb. 6.4 a man may confesse his sins as Pharaoh and Saul did a man may be much grieved and sorrow and humbled for his sinnes as Abab and Cain and may repent too as Iudas did and may make a great profession of true religion and be very forward as Demas and Himâ—neus and Philetus did a man may be veryzealous for the truth as Iohn and the Galathians were a man may pray and cry hard and often to God and be heard of God as the Israelites were in their distresses many times a man may be of an unrebukeable conversation amongst men as Paul was before his conversion and such as have sinned may reforme their lives in many things as Herod did finally a man may have faith to believe Gods word as the Divells doe and to believe Gods promises as they that have a temporary faith doe after a sort and may joy much in the comfort of them as they concerne the godly and yet in all these gifts there was no life Another point in that sense is this That there are gifts of Gods grace bestowed on the Elect which are ever accompanied with life so as their grace is the grace of life And both these points should wonderfully awaken all sorts of Christians to looke about and trye their estates and weake Christians should diligently studie their booke of signes of true grace and marke how the Scripture proveth all those saving graces to be such as can be found in no reprobate But because I thinke Grace in this place cannot bee taken for the gifts of grace in men I passe from these points By Grace then here is meant the glorious attribute of goodnesse that is in God by which he freely sheweth his love mercy to his creature And that it must be taken in this sense I gather from the third of Titus v. 7. where the sentence being like grace is called there His Grace Wee are justified by his grace and made heires of eternall life Now this grace of God as it is in God I consider of two wayes first as it is in relation to this spirituall and eternall life of Gods heyres and then secondly as it is in it selfe generally considered In relation to spirituall life I consider of it both in what it excludes and what it includes Grace excludes both Nature and the workes of the Law It excludes Nature from this life in three respects First in respect of propagation This life cannot be propagated by Naturall generation we are not borne heyres of life and so the sonnes of God we are borne only the sonnes of Adam not of God They that are borne after the flesh are not the seed Rom. 9.8 Secondly in respect of priviledge By nature wee are the children of wrath and therefore cannot be the children of promise Ephes. 2.3 Thirdly in respect of the works of Nature for by Nature wee doe such workes as proclaimes us to be children of disobedience and children of the Divell and therefore cannot be heyres of life by any workes done by Nature since the fall And as it excludes Nature so it excludes the workes of the Law not in respect of the obedience to the Law but in respect of the merit of life so as the inheritance cannot be had by the work es of the Law Rom. 4.4 11.6 nor can our best workes after calling deserve life and salvation Tit. 3.7.4 5. And on the otherside the Grace of God includes all things in life as wholly caused by Gods free favour to us in Christ. For first our election to life is from the meere grace of God Ephes. 1.46 Secondly the meritorious cause of life is by grace Gal. 4.4 5. Thirdly the promise of life is by grace Rom. 4.14 Gal. 3.18 Fourthly the inchoation of life is from grace whether we respect Vocation Gal. 1.15 or Iustification Tit. 3. 7. Gal. 2. ult Lastly in respect of the consummation of it in the perfection of glorie in heaven Rom. 6. ult Thus of Grace in relation to Life In it selfe Grace is a most amiable attribute in God extending his goodnesse unto the creature without respect of deserts And that we may the more admire the glorious grace of God it will be profitable to give a touch of the fruits of it unto man upon whom hee sets his favour for looke what men have interest in the grace of God these things flow upon them from the beames of that grace 1 God knowes them by name Exod. 33.12 2 When God is angry with all the world and about to declare his wrath by terrible judgements yet still they finde favour in his sight Gen. 6.8 19.19 3 When they offend and are sorie for their offences and seeke for mercie he pardons iniquitie and takes them for his inheritance and repents him of the evill Exod. 34.9 Ioel 2. 12 13. 4 He will withhold no good thing from them Psal. 84.12 bestows of his best gifts upon them liberally in all sorts of gifts 1. Cor. 1.4 5. 5 He will give them any thing they aske of him without hitting them in
they doe soe is because they themselves did feele by experience how unable they were to beare crosses when they fell upon them It was this Peter that denied his Master upon the very sight as it were of adversaries and it was this David that gave this advice after himselfe had changed his behaviour before Abimelech as you may see by the title of the Psalme Which should teach us to bee thankfull for that publike or private quietnesse any of us doe enjoy and besides it should warne those unruly froward Christians that live not in quiet either at home or abroad to repent and amend their words and workes They cannot imagine what singular comfort and contentment they withhold from their owne lives and the lives of others If they did but know how much God abhors a froward Christian they would be more affraid than they are Thus of the generall observations The first part concernes the persons that are exhorted and they are described by two formes of speech the one Such as will love life the other Such as would see good daies If any man will love life From this forme of speech three things may be observed Doct. 1. That men by nature are prone to the love of life and so prone that the most men will breake all bounds and will love life whatsoever bee said to them or done to them This is a point so sensibly felt by the experience of the most that heare it that it needs no proofe If any man aske what the reason should bee why there is such an inordinate love of life in the most many things may be answered The first cause of it is the generall corruption of nature in the most men which came in by sinne To love it selfe is nature but to love life so pertinaciously is from degeneration and the great abasement of the nature of man that cannot now move it selfe towards the perfection of it selfe for unto the godly the change of life is an alteration that brings perfection Secondly ignorance and unbeliefe is the cause of it If men did know beleeve those glorious things God speaks of a better life they would loath this present life long to be in heaven Thirdly the cause in many is that their hearts are â—ngaged upon such perplexed and intricate projects about profit or pleasure or greatnesse in the world that they are not at leasure to examine the reasons of the love of life the heart of man is usually oppressed with some one or other of these projects Fourthly in all sorts of people there is such an incurable inconsideration that no warning from the Word or workes of God no experience of their owne or other mens can force them to a serious and constant meditation of the things concerne their true happinesse Fiftly the love of life ariseth in the most from the Idols of their hearts There is one thing or other that they have set their hearts upon in a vicious manner and this unreasonable love of their particular sinnes doth hold them downe in bondage to this present life and so cannot be cured of the disease till they repent of their beloved sinnes And the guiltinesse of their consciences makes them affraid of death and judgement and to embrace this present life upon any conditions And in godly people this inordinate love of life ariseth from the defect of particular repentance for it Thus of the first point Doct. 2. Men have cause to take off their affections and not to bee so desperately bent to the love of this present life This is a point very profitable to be urged and most men and women have need of it and therefore I will shew more largely the reasons why wee should not love life or not so inordinately as to be unwilling to leave it upon any tearmes The first reason may be taken from the commandement of Christ who gives this in charge to all that will bee his Disciples that they must not love life As they must deny themselves in other things so in this particular And hee so gives this in charge as hee seemes to threaten them with the losse of life if they love it so Luk. 17.33 Iob. 12.25 The second reason may bee taken from the example of the godly that have not loved life Iob detested life Iob 3. Salomon tels of a multitude of occasions that he had to hate life in his book of Eccles. and a multitude of godly men have shewed the proofe of it in laying downe their lives willingly when they have beene called to it Act. 20.24 Phil. 2.20 Heb. 11.35 37. The third reason may bee taken from the consideration of life in it selfe both in the nature of it and in the end of it for the nature of it it is but a winde or a vapour Iam. 4. so meane a thing that no man can well tell how to describe it perfectly which is the greater wonder that it should get the love of all the world and yet no body knowes what it is hee loves And for the end of it it is not in the power of man to number his owne daies God hath set an appointed time for every mans death and though they love life never so much they cannot hold it beyond that time Iob 7.1 And besides our times are so hid that a man cannot bee sure of a moneth a weeke a day an houre and shall our hearts be so bewitched with that which wee know not how long wee shall enjoy Iob 24.1 and the rather because there are so many waies for life to goe out at though but one way to come in And further we can find no means that hath sufficient power to make a man live God hath so reserved the power of life in his owne hands that none of the meanes we use to preserve life can do it to make it hold out for a moment if God doe not from above give speciall assistance Man liveth not by bread Mat. 4. and if a man had abundance of all worldly things yet a mans life consisteth not in that Luk. 12.15 c. The fourth reason may bee taken from the profession of a Christian or his state or relative calling or condition in this life First we are Christs spirituall souldiers Now men that goe to war intangle not ahemselves with the things of this life that they may please them that have chosen them to bee souldiers 2 Tim. 2.4 Secondly we are pilgrims and strangers in this life and therefore nothing should be more easie to us than to be weary of the present condition and to long to be at home Thus did the Patriarches Heb. 11.13 Thirdly in this life we are but poore cottagers that dwell in poore houses of clay and shall wee love to be here rather than in those eternall mansions 2. Cor. 5.1 Iob. 14.2 The fift reason may be taken from the sinnes of life Even sinne is a disease and a loathsome contagious one Now then see what life
the Church of God in generall to prosper Psal. 128.5 6. when God keeps his Church as his Vineyard and waters it every moment and watcheth it night and day and destroyeth every thing that might annoy it Esay 27.2 3. In particular a Christian finds divers sorts of good daies as first the Sabbath daies well sanctified are good daies above all other daies of the week when his body enjoyes rest his soule is blessed according to Gods promise with spiritual rest and grace in Iesus Christ. Secondly the dayes in which the soule of a Christian after sinne and the judgment of God for it is humbled soundly and anew admitted into Gods presence and reconciled to God those daies when God entertaines the repenting sinner that praies unto him especially at the first reconciliation are wonderfull good daies Iob 33.25 26. with the coherence 36.11 Psal. 90.14 Luk. 4.21 with Esay 61.1.2.10 Thirdly all the daies in which a Christian thrives and prospers in the knowledge of Gods word and growes in the spirituall understanding in the mysteries of Gods kingdome are all good daies for this knowledge is that wisedom Salomon speakes of whâ—ch makes a man so happy Pro. 3.18.2.16 Thus of the good daies that are so in the judgement of the inward man God is pleased also to grant such good daies as are or ought to be so accounted in the judgement of the outward man and so First the daies of youth in which a man hath strength of body and vigour of minde to fit him not onely for the comforts of life but for the service of his creator are good daies Eccles. 12.1 it being a blessed thing to beare Gods yoake in a mans youth Secondly the daies of speciall prosperity in the world which sometime God grants unto his people are also good daies when God gives his people abundance of blessings in their families and estates and withall publike honour and respect withall sorts even the great ones of the world as was in the case of Iob which hee describes in the whole 29 Chapter of his booke but then it must have this indeed that in this prosperity the godly man be imployed in all well doing and get himselfe honour by the flourishing of his gifts and good workes as is shewed in that Chapter by Iob. Thirdly such daies in which a man enjoyes a quiet estate free from all trouble or vexation or contumely at home or abroad being free from Gods aflicting hand or mans injurious dealing are good daies and such as perhaps are specially meant in this place Thus of the sense of the words Divers doctrines may bee observed from hence 1 That the daies of men usually are evill which is true not onely of the wicked but of the godly also This Iacob said long agoe his daies were few and evill Gen. 47.9 but of this point before Only this may serve for great reproofe of those that so little minde a better life and so wilfully love this life that though they live in much misery are loath to thinke of dying take no course to provide for a better life 2 It is evident from hence that the life of man is but short whether hee live happily or miserably yet his life is reckoned by daies not by longer measures of purpose to signifie the shortnesse of our lives This is expresly affirmed in other Scriptures Iob 10.20 Iob saith his daies were few and of all men that are borne of women that they have but a short time to live Iob 7.1 And this is resembled by divers similitudes so our life is compared to a Weavers shuttle Iob 7.6 to a Post for swift running out Iob 9.25 to the grasse of the field Iob. 7.12 Esay 40.6 to an hand breadth so as he saith his age is as nothing Ps. 39.5 to a watch in the night Psal. 90.4 to a sleepe vers 5. to a tale that is told vers 9. Thus the life of man is said to bee short either as he is in Gods sight with whom a thousand years are but as yesterday when it is past Psal. 90 4. or in his owne account if he measure time to come as hee measures time past and in plaine reckoning let the life of man be improved according to mans utmost strength ordinarily a mans yeares are threescore and ten and if hee live to fourescore it is but labour and sorrow to him Psal. 90. Quest. But what should bee the cause that mens lives are so short Ans. If there were no other cause but the will of him that hath the disposing of the times seasons in his owne power yet that might satisfie us but we may ghesse at other causes as both the mercy and justice of God This world is so bad to the godly that it is Gods mercie to take them quickly out of it and contrariwise it is so good to the wicked considering their deserts that it is justice in God to take them hence and send them to their owne place which is hell Besides many men bring speedy death upon themselves by their own il courses or by sinning against their own bodies by lewd courses by eating up their owne hearts with worldly cares and sorrowes or by living in any grosse sinne to provoke God to cut them off or by falling into such disorder as the Magistrate cuts them off or by laying of violent hands upon themselves or by getting their goods unlawfully to bring upon themselves that curse Ier. 17.11 Finally in this last age of the world there may bee this reason assigned that the Lord makes hast to have the number of his elect fulfilled and therefore he dispatcheth away the generations one after another and so shortneth the daies of man for his elect sake Now for the uses Are our lives so short then it should teach us divers lessons 1 To pray God to make us able to thinke so and so to number our daies that we may not make any reckoning of any long continuance here Psal. 39.3 90.12 2 To make hast and dispatch our repentance and all the businesses that concerne our sound reconciliation and so to walke while wee have the light and to use all good meanes while we enjoy them 3 To redeeme the time and save as much of it as wee can for the uses of a better life Ephs. 5. and to worke the harder to fulfil thy measure and dispatch that taske God hath set thee to doe 4 To lay fast hold upon eternall life 1. Tim. 6. and to make that sure 5 Every day to provide for our departure even all the daies of our appointed time to waite when our changing shall come Iob 14.14 FINIS An Alphabeticall Index of the most Principall things handled throughout the whole Booke A ADoption the glory of it 133 How it is attained 136 Markes thereof 136 Amazement in wives 109 Causes thereof 109 Antiquity when ill pleaded 91 Apparell See Attire Attire reasons against the vanity