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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A17397	The marrovv of the oracles of God. Or, diuers treatises containing directions about sixe of the waightiest things can concerne a Christian in this life. by N. Bifield, late preacher of Gods Word at Isleworth in Middlesex.	Byfield, Nicholas, 1579-1622.; Byfield, Nicholas, 1579-1622. Beginning of the doctrine of Christ. aut; Byfield, Nicholas, 1579-1622. Spirituall touchstone. aut; Byfield, Nicholas, 1579-1622. Signes of the wicked man. aut; Byfield, Nicholas, 1579-1622. Promises. aut; Rules of a holy life. aut; Byfield, Nicholas, 1579-1622. Cure of the feare of death. aut	1630 (1630)	STC 4222; ESTC S120511	234,877	800

and affections yea our very consciences are still impure within vs there is no good nature in vs in any one faculty of our soules but there is a miserable mixture of vile infection Secondly this is the worses because this is incurable There lieth vpon vs a very 〈◊〉 of sinning wee cannot but offend Of the flesh it is well said I can neither liue with the●… nor without thee The flesh is an inseperable ill companion of our li●… wee can go 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 it c. Thirdly if wee consider but some of the effects of this corruption in 〈◊〉 as 1. The eiuill warre it causeth in our soules there is no businesse can bee dispatched that concernes our happinesse without a mutiny in our owne hearts The flesh is a domesticall Rebel that daily lusts against the Spirit as the Spirit hath reason to lust against the flesh Galatians 5. 17. 2. Secondly the insufficiency it ●…eeds in vs for our callings The greatest Apostle must in this respect cry out Who is sufficient for these things Though Gods wor●…e be all faire worke yet we see that euery man is extremely burthened with the defects and mistakings and insufficiencies which befall him in his course of life 2. It works a perpetuall madnesse in the heart of a man in some respects worse then that of some lunatickes For they are mad at some times of the yeere onely or chiefly but man is seldome or neuer free from this inward madnes of heart Salomon saith The heart of the sonnes of men is full of euill and madnesse is in their hearts while they liue and after thnt they goe to the dead Now this madnesse appeares in this that men can neuer bring their hearts to a settled contentment in the things they enioy but death coms in vpon them before they know how to improue the ioy of their hearts in the blessings they enioy whether temporall or spirituall This vile corruption of nature diffuseth gall into all that a man possesseth so as it marreth the taste of euery thing 4. It fils our hearts and liues with innumerable euils it ingenders and breeds infinitely swarmes of euill thoughts and desires and abundance of sinnes in mens liues and conuersations so as godly Dauid cries out Innumerable euils haue compassed me about and I am not able to looke vp They were more then the haires of his head therefore his heart failed him Psal. 40. 12. 5. It is continualy madnes to be●…ray vs to Satan and the world in all the occasions of our life 6. It will play the Tyrant if it get any head and leade vs capti●…e and giue wretched lawes to the members yea euery sinne which is the brat bred of this corruption is like a fury to fright and amaze vs there is a very race of diuels bred in vs when Satan and the flesh ingender together in vs. 2. And as wee are thus miserable in respect of the remainders of corruption so are we in respect of the remainders of the punishment of sinne vpon our spirits Our hearts were neuer fully free since the first transgrssion our minds are yet full of darkenesse that euē godly men do seriously cry out They are but as beasts they haue not the vnderstanding of men in them And in many passages of life they carrie themselues like beasts Psalme 32. 9. Eccles. 3. 18. The ioyes of Gods presence are for the greatest part kept from vs our consciences are still but in a kind of prison when they goe to the s●…at of iudgement to giue sentence in any cause they come forth with fetters on their legs as prisoners themselues besides the many personall scourges light vpon our soules in this life 3. Lastly the very condition of our bodies should not bee ouerpleasing to vs our deformities and infirmities the dangers of further diseases should tire vs out and make vs account it no louely thing to be present in the body while wee are absent from the Lord. And thus of the miseries of our liues also Now it remaines that I should proceed to the second sort of contemplations that is those that are remoouals namely such meditations as take off the obiections which are in the hearts of men CHAP. XII Comforts against the paine of Death THere are in the minds of all men certaine Obiections which if they could be remoued this feare of Death would bee stocked vp by the very rootes I will instance in some of the chiefe of them and set downe the answers to them Some men say they should not be afraid of death considering the gaine of it and the happinesse after death but that they are afraide of the paine of dying It is the difficulty of the passage troubles them For answer hereunto diuers things would be considered of to shew men the folly of this feare First thou likest not death because of the paine of it Why there is paine in the curing of a wound yet men will endure it And shall death doe so great a cure as to make thee whole of all thy wounds and diseases and art thou so loth to come to the Cure Secondly there is difficulty in getting into an Hauen Hadst thou rather bee in the tempest still then put into the hauen Thirdly thou likest not death thou sayest for the paine of it Why then likest thou life which puts thee to worse paine Men obiect not at the paines of life which they endure without death There is almost no man but he hath endured worse paines in life then he can endure in death and yet we are content to loue life still Yea such is our folly that whereas in some pains of life we call for death to come to our succours yet when wee are well againe we loue life and loath death Fourthly we are are manifestly mistaken concerning death for the last gaspe is not death To liue is to dye for how much wee liue so much we die euery step of life is a step of death He that hath liued halfe his dayes is dead the halfe of himselfe Death gets first our infancie then our youth and so forwards All that thou hast liued is dead Fiftly it is further euident that in death there is no paine it is our life that goeth out with paine Wee deale herein as if a man after sicknesse should accuse his health of the last paines What is it to be dead but not to be in the world And it is any paine to bee out of the world Were wee in any paine before we were borne Why then accuse we death for the paines our life giues vs at the parting Is not sleepe a remembrance of death Sixthly if our comming into the world be with teares is it any wonder if our going out be so too Seuenthly besides it is euident that wee make the passage more difficult by bringing vnto death a troubled and irresolute minde It is long of our selues

IX The misery of life in respect of the world THirdly consider but what the world is in which thou liuest and that either in the apparent miseries of this world or in the vexations that accompanie the best things the world hath to offer to giue thee First for the apparent miseries 1. It is exquisitely like a wildernesse no man but for innumerable wants liues as in a desart here 2. It is a true Aegypt to the godly it continually imposeth hard taskes and seruile conditions Life can neuer bee free from grieuous burthens and inexorable molestation 3. This world is verily like Sodom full of generall and vnspeakeable filthinesse All the world lyeth in wickednesse scarce one Lot to be found in a whole Citie or Parish If God would seeke but fiue righteous men that are truly or absolutely godly they are not to bee found in the most assemblies in the world nay in the Church too 4. Yet more this world is a very P●…st-house spiritually considered Euery man that a godly man comes neere hath a mischieuous plague-sore running vpon him yea the godly themselues are not without this disease so as there i●… a necessity as it were to infect or be infected still in all places or companies Oh who would loue to liue in a Pest-house that may dwell in a place for euer free from all infection 5. Yet more this World why it is a very Golgotha a place of dead men we liue amongst the Graues almost all we see or haue to deale with are but men truely dead Alas what should wee reckon of the life of mens carkasses when their soules are dead and both soule and body sentenced to eternall death Almost all that we meete with are malefactors vnder sentence ready to bee carried to execution the wrath of God hanging ouer their heads and vnquenchable fire kindled against them and shall wee bee so besotted as to loue the dead more then the liuing or the society of vile and miserable malefactors in a prison rather then the fellowship of the glorious Princes of God in their Palace of endlesse and matchlesse blisse 6. Why should wee loue the World that hateth vs and casts vs off as men dead out of minde Are we not crucified to the world Galat. 6. 14. and doe not wicked men hate vs and enuy vs and speake all manner of euill sayings of vs because we follow good The World loues her own but vs it cannot loue because we are not of this world Can darknesse loue light or the sonnes of Belial care for the sonnes of God In this world we shall haue trouble and if wee found not peace in Christ wee were of all men most miserable Ioh. 15. 19. Eccles. 4. 4. Ioh. 17. 14. 2 Cor. 6. 17. Ioh. 16. 33. And if they hate vs for well-doing how will they triumph if our seet do but slippe Wee should desire death euen to bee deliuered from the feare of giuing occasion to the world to triumph or blaspheme in respect of vs. Yea so extreme is the hatred of the World that a iust man may perish in his righteousnesse when a wicked man prolongs his dayes in his wickednesse Eccles. 7. 17. 8. 4. 7. Do we fall into any speciall miserie in this world why behold the teares of the oppressed and there is none to comfort them We are either not pittied or not regarded or the compassion of the world is like the morning dew it is gone as a tale that is told our mistery will last but there will soone bee none to comfort vs. Miserable comforters are the most that can bee had in the world and for this reason Salomon praised the dead that are already dead aboue the liuing that are yet aliue Eccles. 4. 1 2. 8. There is vsually no Christian but in thi●… wo●…ld hee hath some speciall miserie vp●…n him either pouerty o●… deb●… 〈◊〉 disease in his body or the 〈◊〉 c. 9. We daily ●…ffet th●…●…se of our friends that were the companions of our life and the causes of contentment to vs. Now who would tarry behind them or esteeme of this world when they are gone from vs And thus much of the apparent miseries of this world CHAP. X. The vanities of the seeming felicities of the world NOw it followeth that I should intreat of the vanities that cleaue to the seeming felicities of the world and proue that there is no reason to bee in loue with life for any respect of them The best thing the world can make shew of are Honours Credit Lands Houses Riches Pleasures Birth Beauty Friends Wit Children Acquaintance and the like Now there be manythings which apparently proue th●…re can be no sound contentment or felicity in these For 1. All things bee full of labour who can vtter it Ecclesiasticus 18. Men must gaine the blessings of the earth with the sweate of their browes there is seldome any outward blessing but it is attained with much difficultie paines or danger or care or grieuance some way 2. How small a portion in these things can the most men attaine If the whole world were possessed it should not make a man happy much lesse those small parcels of the world which the most men can attaine Eccles. 1. 3. 3. It is manifest men cannot agree about the chiefe good in these things Life is therefore apparently vaine in respect of these things because there are almost infinite proiects and variety of opinions and in all these successions of ages no experience can make men agree to resolue which of these things haue felicity in them Who knows what is good for a man in this life all the daies of his vaine life which he spendeth as a shadow Eccles. 6. 12. 4. In all these things here is nothing now but it hath beene the same or the like to it Now things that are common are out of request Eccles. 1. 9 10. and 3. 15. 5. The world passeth away and the lusts thereof the eye is not satisfied with seeing nor the care with hearing If a man liue many dayes his soule is not filled with good the desire after these things will vanish men cannot loue them still Our life is spent in wishing for the future and bewailing of the past a loathing of what wee haue tasted and a longing for what wee haue not tasted which were it had would neuer more satisfie vs then that wee haue had Hence it is that men wearying themselues in seeking of variety of earthly things and yet cannot be contented The vexation that cleaues vnto them still breeds loathing We are like men that are Sea-sicke that shift from roome to roome and from place to place thinking to find ease neuer considering that so long as the same Seas swell and winds blow and humors are stirred alteration of place will not profit So it is with vs so long as wee carry with vs a nature so

of thy particular conscience The least gaine that can bee imagined by this course is that whereas before thou hadst few euidences or none for thy estate thou shalt now haue many of all sorts and it must needes bee thy owne way wardnesse if assurance follow not For these signes will ransacke thee and try thy very heart and reignes and all thy secretest desire and practices Yea this benefit thou maiest reape by the signes that they wil tell thee all the dayes of thy life how it is with thee whether thou goe forward or backward For if by examination now thou gather out all thou canst finde by thy selfe these will not onely lie by thee to helpe thee against any temptation at any time but besides if thou try thy selfe againe either against the next Sacrament or the next yeere thou mayest discerne what ground thou hast gotten or lost If thou prosper thou wilt discerne it by taking in diuers things in each signe which before thou durst not acknowledge and besides it will exceedingly shew thee what thou wantest in each grace of God and so what thou shouldest set thy selfe about and get thy wants supplyed It will at all times make a true Anatomie of thy estate which to the well aduised Christian ought to bee accounted a matter of great moment The God of peace giue thee all peace and ioy in beleeuing If thou receiue any good by this Treatise praise God and pray for me FINIS THE SIGNES OF THE WICKED MAN TOGETHER WITH Directions that shew how the seuerall Gifts and Graces of Gods Spirit may be maintained NEEDFVLL FOR SVCH AS want those Graces and for such as desire to increase in them By N. BIFIELD late Preacher of Gods Word at Isleworth in MIDDLESEX LONDON Printed by Iohn Legatt and are to bee sold by P. Stephens and C. Meredith at the golden Lyon in Pauls Church-yard 1630. TO THE MVCH HONORED LADIE the Ladie Bridget Tracie Nicholas Bifield wisheth all prosperity in the things of the Kingdome of CHRIST MADAM BEing destitute of a better gift to bestow vpon your Ladiship to testifie my thankefulnesse or obseruance I present this little Treatise vnto you It may haue more vse then it shewes for For if things shine more cleerly when their contraries are set by them then may this description of the estate of a wicked man by Signes serue much to establish the godly in the point of Assurance when he seeth himselfe freed from those fearefull forlorne markes And if men vse to make much of all those directions by which any gaine or treasure may be certainely compassed then ought the Directions not to bee despised that shew how the Spirit of God and the Graces thereof may bee attained For by these directions both those that want the true graces of Christ may here learne how to get them and such as haue them but in weake measure may by the same Rules learne how to increase them I haue beene induced to thinke of your Ladiship in this Dedication partly in acknowledgement of the great respect due to the Family out of which you came as it hath beene a principall meanes of causing the light of the Gospel for many yeeres to shine in those places where the people had sitten in darkenesse and in the shaddow of death And partly drawne by the many praises I haue obserued in your Ladiships since the time of your noble soiourning in the noble Familie you now liue in Your great respect of my Ministery and your constant paines to employ your selfe about religious duties deserue from mee more acknowledgment then so meane a gift as this can discharge Madam you are happy aboue many that God hath inclined your heart to beare the yoke of Christ in your youth and discerne the glory of the spirituall kingdome of Iesus Christ. Your meeknesse assures me libertie to beseech you to goe on in the good way of God and to cleane fast with all heartie affection vnto the Truth as you haue learned Iesus Christ. It shall bee a great increase of your glory to increase in the knowledge and grace of Christ and in sound deniall of your selfe and contempt of the world to fashion your selfe to all the courses by which you may bee pleasing in the eyes of God whiles multitudes in the Gentri●… of the land of both sexes by following foolish vanities forsake their owne mercie Now the God of peace sanctifie you throughout so prosper his owne worke in you that your whole spirit and soule and body may bee preserued blamelesse vnto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ March 9. 1618. Your Ladiships to bee commanded in Christ Iesus N. BIFIELD THE CONTENTS THE Preface shewing the necessitie of the tryall of mans estate and the causes why wicked men will not try themselues and also why diuers godly persons are negligent herein Page 119. to 209. CHAP. I. THirtie signes of an open wicked man pag. 209. to 218. CHAP. II. THirteene signes of an hypocrite pag. 218. to 222. CHAP. III. SIxteene signes of such Professors as are likely to fall away page 222. to 226. CHAP. IV. SEuen arguments of hope that shew a wicked man that he may bee saued if hee will bee directed page 226. to 230. CHAP. V. HOw hee may get faith page 230. to 234. CHAP. VI. HOw he may get to be poore in spirit pag. 234. to 239. How hee may attaine godly sorrow page 239. to 245. CHAP. VII HOw the Spirit of Adoption may be had pag. 245. to 247. How hee may get alone to the Word pag. 247. to 250. How hee may get the gift of prayer pag. 250. to 255. How he may attaine to the feare of God pag. 255. to 256. How he may be made to loue his enemies page 256. to 258. CHAP. VIII HOw sauing knowledge may be gotten and increased pag. 238. to 260. How the loue of God may bee wrought in vs. pag. 260. to 262. How the loue of the godly may be attained and how it may bee preserued pag. 262. to 366. CHAP. IX HOw vprightnesse and sound sincerity of conuersation may be attained pag. 266. to the end THE PREFACE TO THE CHRISTIAN and carefull Reader HOw necessary it is for all sorts of men in the visible Church to trie their estates whetherthey be true Christians or no may appeare by the expresse charge giuenin the Scriptures concerning it The Apostle Paul chargeth men to examine themselues whether they be in the faith and whether Christ Iesus be in them vnlesse they be reprobates 2. Cor. 13. 5. And the Apostle Peter would haue all Christians diligently to make their calling and election sure 2. Pet. 1. 10. And the like commandemēt lay vpon them in the Church of the Iewes in the old Testament as may appeare by that exhortation Lam. 3. 40. Let vs search and try our wayes and turne againe vnto the Lord and the Prophet Dauid in this case chargeth men to commune with their owne hearts Psal. 4. 4. How

can men draw neere vnto God in the full assurance of faith if they will not be at the paines to examine themselues Heb. 10. 22. Or how shall we euer know that wee are of God or attaine vnto any confidence of faith as we ought to doe 1 Ioh. 5. 19. Eph. 3. 12. How fearefully this point of sound triall is neglected and how miserably most men are deceiued for want of it may appeare by this obseruation which may vsually be made of men in the most places viz. that many that are carnall men say they are godly and many that are godly men say they are but carnall Besides that a multitude of men both good and bad liue in securitie the one not caring to get out of so wofull an estate and the other not regarding the riches of Assurance The causes of this miserable securitie may be obserued and noted both in wicked and in godly men In wicked men these things may be easily discerned 1 A lothnesse to examine themselues and try their estates exactly for feare lest they should finde that they are not in a good estate Their hearts secretly condemne them and they thinke if they should take particular notice of their owne condition it would be found that they haue indeed no true grace in them and therefore they rather chuse to liue in that doubtfull estate then to be put out of doubt and made to know that they haue yet no right to the Kingdome of heauen neuer considering that the knowledge of our misery may be one degree to get out of it 2. In such as see all is not well with them the cause is slothfulnesse mingled with horrible presumption they had rather weare out their dayes in danger then be at the paines to vse the means for their owne repentance and reformation they will wretchlesly put it to the venture 3. Others will aduenture vpon their common hope of mercy they haue certaine generall confused apprehensions of mercy in God vpō which they wilfully engage their hopes without care of reformation or the particular warrant of their hopes from the Word of God and so miserably perish their hopes prouing but as the house of the Spider and the imaginarie mercy failing them they die either as stockes without sense or as Iudas in horrible despaire 4. Others rest themselues vpon their outward profession of Religion and some general things wrought in them and the good opinion others haue of them so being somewhat neare the kingdome of God they are content to rest there as the Israelites did neare Canaan though they neuer possessed it We see many think there needsno more to be sure they are in a good cōdition then to heare Sermons abstaine from grosse outward prophannesse and to be well reputed of among the godly c. pleasing themselues with the shew of godlinesse though as yet they deny the power of it as hauing attained to other righteousnesse then the righteousnesse of the S●…ribs and Pharises 5. In multitudes of men there are seated euill opinions about assurance They thinke either it is impossible to bee had or it is needlesse or it is presumption to seeke it 6. All wicked men are hindered by their beloued sinnes which they are not willing to part with but of purpose forbeare the care of heauen that they may the more securely liue in sinne Thus of wicked men It is true also that many godly Christians haue beene and are extreamly faulty in neglecting the triall of their estates and their assurance and the causes of this negligence in them are diuerse as 1. Some are so much mis-led by the surmises of their owne hearts that they think that assurance would breed security and that it is a better way to keepe their owne hearts humble to be somewhat doubtfull not knowing that vnbeliefe is the chiefe cause of slothfulnesse and securitie and that the assurance of faith is the chiefe meanes to purge the heart and quiet the soule and works effectually in all the duties of loue 2. In the most Ignorance of their owne gifts and Gods promises is the cause for if Christians did see distinctly how far the Lord hath brought them by his grace and withall did behold the euidences of their faith and hope in Gods promises they should not faile of comfort and establishment of heart 3. Smothering of doubts and temptations is a great let in many diuers Christians are secretly and daily assaulted with certaine strange doubts which if they did propound get sound answer vnto their hearts would heale within them and the worke of faith prosper 4. Some Christians are kept without assurance through the ouermuch viewing of their owne daily infirmities in all parts of Gods seruice They are wicked ouermuch wheras if they would study those Scriptures that shew how graciously the Lord stands inclined toward his people notwithstanding their daily wants their hearts would be much eased and their minds cleerely resolued to trust vpon the euerlasting mercies of their God 5. In some the cause is found in the disease of their bodies Melancholy when it is growne to a disease is a most stiffe and pertinacious aduersary to Comfort and Assurance it doth fill the heart with so many sad conceits and fancies and is an humour so vnteachable that comfort for the most part is as water spilt vpon the ground And the more difficult it is to remoue this let because vsually the parties possest by this humour are so far from seeking help that they will not be perswaded that they are troubled with any such disease 6. Some Christians are hindred by their owne Passions they are so froward and vnquiet in their dispositions that their hearts are daily lifted off from the benefit of setled assurance by their own habituall discont●…nts Frowardnes is a mischieuous distemp●…r that weakens both body and minde and assurance and strength of faith seldome dwels in an vnquiet minde 7. Others want assurance because they neglect the meanes of assurance they doe not try all things and keepe that which is good or they call not vpon God daily feruently and constantly to giue them the spirit of reuelation to shew them the hope of their calling and their glorious inheritance Eph. 1. 18 19. 8. A barren life is an vncomfortable life and contrariwise to abound in good workes hath stedfastnesse and a secret rest of heart as an vnseparable companion of it 9. The loue of earthly things is another great impediment Many professours haue their thoughts and cares so eaten vp with worldlinesse that they cannot seriously seeke Gods Kingdome nor constantly hold out in any course for the attainement of assurance This degree of faith requires some degree of the contempt of the world 10. In some there lodgeth some secret sin which they know and do not purge themselues for and doth daily preuaile in them and

men euen of his neighbours and familiar acquaintance It is enough to him that his best and next neighbour and friend respects him Psal. 31. 11 12 16. Thirdly Thou maiest comfort thy selfe by opposing the good report thou hast amongst the godly against the reproaches with which wicked men pursue thee As thou goest through ill report so doest thou through good report thou hast honour as well as dishonour and it is a great recompence to obtaine good report amongst the godly 2. Cor. 6. 8. Heb. 11. 2. Fourthly were it so that thou hadst no honour in thy name on earth and that well-doing were in no respect at all yet this should comfort thee aboundantly that thy faith and sinceritie and innocency will be found vnto praise and honour and glory in the reuelation of Iesus Christ. Thou shalt haue vnspeakeable praise at that day 1. Pet. 1. 7. Fiftly the same persons that now reproach thee may bee so turned about by the power and grace of God that in the day of their visitation they will admire thee and glorifie God for thee 1. Pet. 2. 12. Sixtly we should bee the lesse troubled with our reproaches because this is not to resist vnto blood God deales fauourably with vs. If wee had liued in the dayes of our fathers when to professe the Gospell of Christ had beene occasion of terrible death then we might haue had some pretence of grieuance but now in these dayes when the hurt is done only with the tongue of infamous men it is a great weakenesse to bee disquieted Heb. 12. 3 4. Seuenthly let vs looke vpon the author and finisher of our faith ●…en He was exposed to these indignities and yet for the glory set before him despised the shame and endured the dr●…sse and is now crowned in heauen Heb. 12. 2 What should the seruant complaine of when the Lord and Master is called Beelzebub Eightly Dauid easeth himselfe by considering the cause of his suffering For thy sake saith he to God haue I borne reproach shame hath couered my face The zeale of thy house hath eaten mee vp and the reproches of them that reproached thee haue fallen vpon me When I wept and chastened my soule with sasting that was to my reproach Psa. 69. 7 9 10. Ninthly Why should we be ●…oubled at that which is the Lot of all the Saints We haue heard of Dauid before how hee was standered by many and on euery side Psal. 31. 12 13. Ieremy complaines That they consulted how to deuise deuises against him and how they might smite him with the tongue I●…r 18. 18. False witnesses were suborned against Stephen and in that case of Religion Acts 6. 11 13 14 Many and grieuous complaints were laid against Paul Acts 25. 7. Yea it was the condition of all the Apostles and the principall men of the Christian world to be made a A spectacle to men and Angels and to bee accounted forlorne and as the off-scouring of all t●…ings 1. Cor. 4. 9 10 13. And our Sauiour Christ supposeth it the case of any blessed man that men may say all manner of euill sayings of them Matth. 5. 12 c. Tenthly The Spirit of God and of glory doth rest vpon you 1 Peter 4. 14. Ye haue the Spirit of God in you what neede you care what the world accounts of you You haue aboundant treasure in your hearts and you haue an heroicall or diuine Spirit in you And therefore why are yee troubled about such mean things And your patience their rage is a signe you are in a happy condition and haue Gods Spirit and the Spirit of God which is in you is a Spirit of Glory and leades you to a better life And therefore seeing you are but trauellers here why turne you againe at the barking of euery dog Yea these reproaches signifie that wicked men doe s●…e some glory of God shining in you which they striue by all meanes to vilifie and despise being vext in their hearts at it 11. God will certainely take an order with all that reproach his people For first he will recken all their reproaches as cast out against himselfe and therefore will indite them of blasphemie Psal. 74. Colos. 3. 8. 1. Peter 4. 14. 1. Cor. 4. 13. Secondly in his due time he will put to silence those lying lips which speake grieuous things proudly contemptuously against the righteous Psal. 31. 18. Thirdly all that were incensed against the godly shall be rewarded with shame which God will powre vpon them for the contempt with which they haue dishonored his seruants Esay 41. 11 14. And to conclude God will certainely bring them to iudgement for these things they must make their accounts before the Iudge of the quicke and dead that speake euill of other men because they will not run with them into the same excesse of riot 1 Pet. 44 5. 12. Lastly God will prouide for his owne innocent Seruants His thoughts are not to let his people be ashamed Mic. 4. 11 12 And besides he will bring forth their righteousnesse as the the light they shall be cleared Psal. 37. 6. Iob 5. 15. and they shall receiue double for all their shame Esay 61 7. and their reward shall be great in Heauen Mat. 5. 12. For which reason Moses accounted the reproaches of Gods people to be greater riches then the treasures of Aegypt Hebr. 11. 26. And in the meane time there is an hiding place with God from the strife of tongues Ps. 31. 20. CHAP. VI. Wherein many principall Obiections of the godly are answered NOw for the better establishment of mens hearts in the former comforts it will not bee amisse to take off the obiections with which many times godly men doe aggrauate their distresse aboue the respect of the former consolations 1 Ob. If they were ordinarie reproaches it would not so much trouble mee but they are vile things which are obiected against me Sol. They cannot bee viler things then haue beene obiected against Christ and the godly For there haue beene obiected Grieuous things Acts 25. 7. Gluttony Math. 11. 18 19. Madnesse Iohn 10. 20. Blasphemie Math. 26. 65. Act. 6. 11 13 14 Deceiuing Iohn 7. 12. Rebellion Acts 17. 6 7. Rayling Acts 23. 4. Schisme Acts 28. 22. Wickednesse of life 1 Pet. 2. 12. 2 Ob. But base persons doe reuile me the verie scum of the people doe scorne me Sol. This is no strange thing The abiects gathered themselues together against Dauid they did teare and ceassed not Psal. 35. 15. The drunkards sang of him Psalm 69. 12. Those that der●…ded Iob were such whose fathers he would haue disdained to set with the dogs of of his Flocke Iob 30. 1. 3 Ob. But I haue liued long vnder such disgraces Sol. Rest thy selfe and fret not at the man that prospereth in his way the Lord will find a time to bring forth thy

Passion 5. The temptations of thy calling 7 Profanenesse How wee must carry our selues in a●…liction 8. Things to be auoided 1 Dissembling 2. Shame 3. Impatience 4 Discouragement 5 Trust not in carnall friends 6 Perplexed cares 7. Sudden feares 8. Carelesnesse of thy wates 5 Thi●…gs to be done in the time of affliction The drift of the whole Treatise The pr●… followin●… these dir●… ctions The parts of the treatise Eight arguments to prooue we may be helped against the feare of death Christ died to this end 2. It was intended in our regeneration 3 This cure hath bin foretold 4 We were bound to it when we were admitted to be Christs Disciples 5 It is taught in the Lords Prayer Liuely hope doth include it Examples of such as haue attained to it 8. The whole Church taught to seeke F●…ene R●…asons why it is an vncomely thing to be afraid to dye 1 Wee shame our religion 3. We are worse then some Pagans 4 Wicked men dye vnwillingly 5 Death is but a shadow 6. It is a bondage to feare 7. If wee loue this life why not eternal life 8. Are wee worse then children mad men 9. Wee make our selues like the Israelites or rather more absurd then they 10. Is not death ordinary 11. The example of Moses 12 The example of al creatures 13. It is better we goe to death then that death shuld come to vs 1●… It is vncomely to feare that which is common ce●…taine 15. Shal we be afraid of an enemy that hath bin soossen vanquished An exhorta●…ion to attend vpon the mean●…s of cure 2. Wayes of curing the feare of Death 1. By contemplation 2 By practice Th●… wayes of curing this feare by contemplation The happines of a Christian 〈◊〉 death shewed 17. waies 1. Death i●… the hauen 2 It is but a sleepe Iob 14. 12. 3. It is the day of receiuing wages 4 Then the seruant is free and the heire at full age 5 Then the banished returne 6. It is our birth-day 7. It is the funerall of our vices c. The dissolution of the body is the absolution of the soule 8. Then the soule is deliuered out of prison 9. Shewed by another similitude 10. It is but to put off our old clothes 11. it is but to remoue out of an old house 12. The seed cast into the ground is not spoiled 13. Then we shall be in Christ. 14 It is but to come to the ●…nd of the Race and receiue the prize 15. It is our Iubilee 16 I●… is the day of our Coronation 17. Consider the glory to come E●…l 71. The miseries of life two wayes considered The miseries of a naturall life shewed thr●…e waves Three dreadfull considerations about sin 1. Thou art guilty of Adams sin 2. Thou wast conceiued in sin which is like a Leprosie hard to cure Spread ouer thy whole soule or in thy minde An●… in thy Conscience And in thy Affections 3 Innumerable Actuall sins The punishments inflicted vpon wicked men 1. They are banished from Paradise 2. The earth cursed 3. Their soules in wofull distresse 4 And so the●…r bodies 5. And so their estates in foure respects 1. Commō plagues 2. Particula●… crosses 3. Neglected of God 4 Their blessings cursed Fearefull things that may befall them A go●…ly man hath great cause to be weary of life if he consider 1. What he wants 2. What he cannot auoid 6. Thing●… euery go●…ly man wants while hee liues h●…re in th●…s 〈◊〉 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ●…f God 2 Fellowship with his best friends 3 The perfection of his nature 4. Liberty 5. Contentment 6. Th●… Crowne Life bitter in r●…spect of God di●…ers wayes Eight aggrauations of the miseries of li●…e in respect o●… the co●…ctions of God 1. The world full of diuels 2. Our conflict with diuels 3. Their subtilty cruelty 9 Apparent miseries 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this world 1. Like a wildern 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like Egypt 3. Like Sodom 4. Like a P●…st-house 5. Like a very Golgotha In this world the dead bury the dead 6 It hates VI 7 It wil not helpe vs if wee be in miserie 8 Euery Christian hath some speciall miserie What th●… seeming feli●…ties of the world are Fifteene arguments to proue the vanity of the best worldly things 1 All full of labour 2. A small portion that is attained 3. Men cannot agree about the good ●…hat i●… i●… them which should be best 4. Nothing 1. The desire after these things will not last 6 Their ●…re is va●…e 7. Th●… am●…y of the world is ●…he enm●…ty with God 8. All sub●…ect to van●…ty or violence Ma. 6. 19 1●… They may be lost at t●…e very seate of i●…●…gement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ●…6 1●… 4 1 2 9 T●…y w●…●…ot helpe v●…●…n the 〈◊〉 day 10. The loue of them is ●…amnable 11. One condition to all 12 God wi●… dispose 13. A man may want an heart to vse them 14. The euils of life euer ●…ingled with them 15. Thou art mortall Our mor tality aggrauated by 4 considerations 1 All ●…hou ha●…t 〈◊〉 but the prouision of a Pilgrim 2 Thy death is vncertaine 3. When thou diest all will bee forgotten 4 Thy case in death whether thou die with or without issue The causes in our selues why we should not be in loue with life as 1. The remainders of corruption of nature Which is the more grieuous 1 Because it is spred all ouer vs. 2 Because in vs v●…curable 3. 4 Effects of 〈◊〉 of nature in vs. 1. Ciuil war within vs. 2. Insufficiencie for our calling 〈◊〉 A stirring kinde of madnesse 4. Swarms of euill thoughts and actions 2. In respect of the remainders of the pu nishment of sinne 3 If wee respect the condition of our bodies Ob. 1. Sol. Teareasons to shew the folly of men in pretending the feare of the paine of death 4. 5. 9. 10. 1. 2. 3. Ob. 2. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Ob. 3. Nine argu ments to shew the van●…y of men in desiring to liue long 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Ob. 4. Six reasons against their pretence that would liue long to do good as they ●…ay 2. 3. Ob. 5. 1. 2. Against selfe murder Ob. 6 4. 6 Reasons about parting with our friends in death 5. 6. Ob. 7. Sol. 1. Ob. 8. Sol. Fiue arguments against the 〈◊〉 of life 1. 2. 3. 4. Ob. 9. Sol. 1. Fiue obseruations abo●… the honours of this world 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Ob. 10. Sol. 1. 1. Seuen mo●…ues to leaue the loue of riches 2. 3. 4. 5. 6 7 Ob. 11. Sol. 1. 2. 7 Things tha●… cu●…e the feare of death in practice 〈◊〉 The contempt of the Word How the contempt of the world may ●…ee wrought in vs. 2. The mortification of beloued sins How wee may know when sin is mortified 3. Assurance 4 The setting of our houses in order 5 To make fri●…nds with riches 6. A frequent meditation of death 7. Heartie prayer for this thing