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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A14923	The soules progresse to the celestiall Canaan, or heavenly Jerusalem By way of godly meditation, and holy contemplation: accompanied with divers learned exhortations, and pithy perswasions, tending to Christianity and humanity. Divided into two parts. The first part treateth of the divine essence, quality and nature of God, and his holy attributs: and of the creation, fall, state, death, and misery of an unregenerated man, both in this life and in the world to come: put for the whole scope of the Old Testament. The second part is put for the summe and compendium of the Gospell, and treateth of the Incarnation, Nativity, words, works, and sufferings of Christ, and of the happinesse and blessednesse of a godly man in his state of renovation, being reconciled to God in Christ. Collected out of the Scriptures, and out of the writings of the ancient fathers of the primitive Church, and other orthodoxall divines: by John Welles, of Beccles in the County of Suffolk.	Welles, John, of Beccles.	1639 (1639)	STC 25231; ESTC S119607	276,075	406

God allure us by easie meanes and faire promises to everlasting life which the Law denieth to all men no man being able to satisfie the justice of the Law If it be objected then that the grace of the Gospell doth destroy the workes of the Law because that mercy is given of grace and not of desert it is answered that the Gospell doth not destroy the workes of the Law and the substance thereof but onely doth mitigate the rigour and severity thereof As God when he preserved Daniel in the Lyons denne hee did not destroy the Lyons but onely shut their mouthes and bound their power that they might not hurt Daniel Dan. 6.16 so he did not destroy the Law but onely restraine the violence thereof from hurting his Daniels that is his faithfull servants and as when King Darius tooke Daniel from the denne and cast in his accusers the Lyons power was no longer shut up Dan. 6.24 but had the mastery and devoured them their wives and children no more shall the reprobates avoyd the condemnation of the Law notwithstanding the promise of the gospell and the new covenant of grace Because no man hath the benefit of mercy but hee that first is the child of faith therefore the great King of all the world shall take his faithfull Daniels his Elect from the power of the Lyons the Law but leaveth the reprobate in the state of their destruction Thus much in generall of the Gospell and the difference betweene that and the Law and them that lived under the bondage of the Law and us that now live in the liberty of the Gospell the purpose of the Gospell is the salvation of man And therefore the Angell that was the first preacher of the gospell told the shepheards that hee brought them tydings of great joy Luk. 2.10 indeed a greater could not be then to bring them tydings of their salvation The matter of the gospell is the life the death and the doctrine of Jesus Christ for they are the onely meanes by which wee attaine to the favour of salvation Esay 43.11 his doctrines were directions his life examples and his death was and is life eternall to all them that apprehend him by a lively faith In the circumstance of the gospell is principally considered First God who of himselfe and of his owne election without any cause in man did enter this covenant of grace being moved onely by the pleasure of his owne most holy will and by his owne gracious love to his creatures for so saith the Holy Ghost God so loved the world Iohn 3.16 that he gave his onely begotten Sonne that whosoever believed in him should not perish but have everlasting life Whereby it is evident that the love of God was the onely cause that moved him to this effect for God can glorifie himselfe aswell in the damnation Gods love to man is the moving cause of the covenant of grace as in the salvation of men For hee needeth no addition of honour that is infinite both in greatnesse and goodnesse but as his mercy is most eminent over all his attributes so in this new covenant of the Gospell hee doth give us the greatest demonstration of his mercy that can be in giving his only begotten Son to die on the Crosse for the redemption of mankind In every word there is a passion of love infinitely beyond all comparison wherein it seemeth that God doth as it were put off his Majesty and descend himselfe in his care to pity and redresse the ruined state of sinfull man his enemie Secondly in the person of Christ who is the cause both moving and finishing the covenant of the Gospell there is matter of most worthy and admirable consideration For Christ is not onely to bee understood as the instrumentall cause whereby this covenant of grace betweene God and man was effected but also as the first moving cause and deviser thereof it being impossible to assigne him offices without his appointment hee being equall to God the Father and the holy Ghost and they having all but one divinity undivided This the unbelieving Jewes could not comprehend and therefore they derided Christ when he said Before Abraham was Iohn 8.58 I am not knowing that hee was God equall and coeternall with the Father and was begotten before all beginning It is therefore most wonderfull in the person of Christ that hee being Lord of all the world that he would leave the bosome of his Father and for a time to put off the presence of his divine Majesty and to take our nature upon him in humility Strong witnesses of the love of Christ towards us and in a base estate to undertake not onely to satisfie the Law and to make good our defects but also to beare the displeasure of his Father and to suffer the malice of wicked men to prevaile against him even to his death and that he hath endured all this for the sinnes and good of man a creature that by sinne had brought himselfe in disgrace and heavy displeasure with God and which is most of all that hee hath done all this by his owne appointment without either command or direction there being no power above him by whom he could bee commanded This incomparable love of God is able to astonish a Christian meditation and to make a man admire and say with holy David Lord what is man that thou hast such respect unto him Psal 144.3 or the sonne of man that thou so regardest him This doth strongly relieve our faith against all diffidence shewing that our salvation hangs not like a meteor in the ayre but is firmely fixed upon the love of God in Christ Iere 31.3 32.40 2 Tim. 2.19 and it furthereth our spirituall joy in that it teacheth us that the love of God is constant and his decree concerning our welfare eternall And it also eclipseth the pride of the heart shewing that Gods dignation and not mans dignity his favour not mans faith his mercy and not mans merite is the fountaine and foundation of mans felicity Thirdly is considered The Ministers ●n the office of the Gospell the officers in the holy ministration of the gospell by whose faithfull endeavour and vigilance the spirituall graces of the gospell are distributed to the children of faith for whose sakes the covenant of grace is given the first officers in this kind were the twelve Apostles of purpose chosen by Christ Jesus himselfe that they might bee the faithfull witnesses of the whole passage of his life and that after his ascention they might plant in mens hearts a knowledge of the gospell by their prayers preachings and godly exhortations to dispose the holy seed of grace in their hearts whom God should make capable to entertaine it with profit These holy labourers being assisted by the holy Ghost travelled in Gods husbandry with such alacrity as that the Gospel in their times spread it selfe into very large

nature and by restoratives and requisite dyet brings a new flesh wholesome and without disease the former diseased flesh being utterly wasted and consumed with the extremity of Physicke How to mortifie our diseased actions and affections So he that is resolved in his repentance and hath a loathing and detestation of his sinnes and desire to free his soule from the contagion of sinne must also resolve to endure such bitter physicke and strict dyet as the judgement of spirituall physicke doth prescribe him whereby all the evill depraved and corrupt affections of his soule may be utterly wasted that thereby his soule may have new and fresh endowment of grace without taint without disease without griefe This was figured in the manner of Gods calling Moses to his Princely and Propheticall office for when Moses made offer to come neare the presence of God in the bush Exod. 3.5 6. God forbad him saying Come not hither put thy shooes off thy feete that is before thou presume to approach my presence thou must put off thy sinfull and corrupt affections for hee that hath base and vile affections is not fit is not worthy the presence of God It was also commanded of God in the ceremoniall Law that they that were polluted with the touch of any uncleane thing Levit. 15.2 were for a time prohibited the Sanctuary and the presence of God and had a time limited to cleanse themselves before they were allowed and admitted for cleane persons all which ceremonies doe but note unto us the nature of holinesse how impossible it is to be reconciled with sinne for as the two contrary elements fire and water cannot possibly be in any one substance without intestine strife No peace betweene God and Belial so God and Belial grace and sinne can never conspire in any one particular subject in the same respect but what is gracious cannot be sinfull and what is sinfull cannot be gracious there being in them a full opposition of nature not to bee reconciled Phil. 2.12 Therefore it is necessary and needfull that before wee entertaine the graces of Gods holy Spirit wee must first discharge and abandon our sins which have had so long entertainement in us and before that wee can be regenerate and made the sonnes of God we must mortifie our sinfull affections whereby wee were made the servants of sinne Saint Paul admonishing the Colossians to the imitation of Christ and his holinesse adviseth them first to mortification as if without that meanes the other were impossible Mortifie therefore saith he your members Col. 3.5 6. which are on the earth fornication uncleannesse c. And hee giveth a reason of this direction in the Epistle to the Romans For if ye live after the flesh ye shall die Rom. 8.13 but if ye mortifie the deeds of the body by the Spirit yee shall live By which place wee are taught what mortification is and of what necessity it is Mortification is the abolishing of the deeds of sinne in our flesh What mortification is by the grace and operation of Gods Spirit By the deeds of the flesh is meant not onely our evill actions but our desires and carnall affections Saint Paul in the place before alledged Col. 3.5 6. calleth them members of the earth Mortifie therefore your members which are upon the earth fornication uncleannesse inordinate affections evill concupiscence Luke 5.6 and covetousnesse which is Idolatry for which things sake the wrath of God commeth upon the children of disobedience In which hee comprehendeth not onely our sinfull actions but our affections also nay the very naturall concupiscence and depravednesse of our nature To endeavour exactly is exactly to performe not that any man is able exactly to performe these duties but sincerely to endeavour them and that our defects may be in our power but not in our purpose and endeavour therefore you must mortifie your sinnes of action your sinnes of affection and your sinnes by descent and seeing mortification is an office of the Spirit Quest here importeth a question whether the word Note spirit in this place is meant of the Spirit of God the holy Ghost or the spirit of man our naturall soule It is answered Answ that the spirit executing this office of mortification is principally meant of the holy Ghost who giveth the first motion of desire in every godly action it is also respectively meant of the care and travell of our owne spirits or soules Note Phil. 2.13 not that our owne spirits is the cause of our mortification but being first caused by the holy Spirit of God it is entertained and continued by the exercise of our owne reformed spirits our spirits having no such strength in their owne nature but as they are prepared by the grace of the holy Ghost For as in casting a stone or running of a boule though the strength of the arme give the first motion to the boule or stone yet afterwards is the motion continued a competent time as well because of the powerfull moving of the arme as also because of the aptnesse or fitnesse of the thing moved so in the office of mortification Note and in all other divine offices of the soule though the soule move not it selfe to these holy actions No soule can move it selfe to divine action yet by reason of the spirituall nature of our soules when it is once moved by the holy Ghost it then continueth such motion toward perfection so the prime honour of the holy exercise of mortification and so of all other spirituall offices is wholly to be ascribed to the power of Gods holy Spirit which moveth in our hearts every act and every purpose of well-doing and he doth also illuminate us by his holy Spirit infusing a new and heavenly light into our minds being so blind before as that it neither saw nor could see the things which doe belong to the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2.14 the naturall man faith Saint Paul perceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God neither can hee know them through ignorance in like manner also in the will which is altogether perverse and wholly falne from God hee worketh an uprightnesse and in all the affections a new holinesse Hence proceedeth that new man which is created after God in true holinesse and righteousnesse Ephes 4.24 and causeth us being enlightened and thus changed to apprehend his mercy to desire and affect our amendment and to answer his call like David For when God had pierced Davids eare by his Spirit he answered Loe I come Psal 27.9 There is also a necessity of mortification imposed upon every man upon pain of condemnation this is shewed in the words before alledged by S. Paul for saith he If ye live after the flesh ye shall dye but if ye mortifie the deeds of the body Rom. 8.13 yee shall live whereby the Apostle proposeth life and death before the Romanes

day of hope but to the wicked their day of feare Death then in these divers respects of good and bad men hath a sting and yet cannot hurt is dead and yet living and by opening the gate of temporary death doth admit the entrance either into eternall life or eternall death the one is the most happie condition of Gods chosen the other the most miserable state of the Reprobate and damned for as this life wherein we breathe is but a sacrament or little resemblance of that which is to come so the terrour of a temporary Death hath no proportion with the torments of everlasting Death wherein both the body and the soule shall suffer such affliction as is beyond the power of imagination infinite in measure infinite in manner infinite in time To undertake to report of Heaven and Hell Salvation and Damnation otherwise then is set forth in this Booke is not in my purpose or power to describe them but this we may know that both are infinite Heaven is infinite in time and happinesse and Hell is infinite in time and torment the one as Gods resemblance is infinite good the other as the Divels is infinite evill the one is hoped for the other feared to which all Mankinde must make their resort and by the gate of Death passe their temporall life to one of these to eternitie Seeing our sinne was the cause of death and from our selves had his first originall it ought to humble all men in their own estimation and to acknowledge the great corruption of our nature which makes us powerfull onely in doing evill and in producing such bad effects as cause our owne destruction and the consideration of this may correct their proud opinion that vainely arrogate such power unto themselves as to be the meanes in cause of their owne salvation fondly and falsely thinking that their eyes of nature are not blind in spirituall judgement but imagine to have in themselves that vertue and power which they only have by imagination for if Adam by his sinne did produce and give life to such a monster by birth as death is what expectation then can bee had of our weake ability who are in all respects but sinne Adam's farre inferiours and by much lesse able in the performance of any spirituall duty Secondly seeing death hath universall power over all flesh and seeing that there is no partiality in the execution of this office no dispensing of favour no lengthening of time but commeth certainly but not certainely when this may advise all men to godly action and to live to day as if they were to die to morrow lest otherwise death commeth unexpected and so prevent their good determinations which being onely determined and not done availe us to no other end but griefe and unprofitable repentance Againe seeing all must die and bee reduced againe to earth Iere. 13.18 this should controll the proud ambitious natures of men who in this life insult over men of inferiour state and dignifie themselves in their owne estimations as if God had not made them of earth or that the grave would not humble them and make them earth againe These men that value themselves rich by having the beggarly gifts of fortune and despise the most rich treasure of Grace Iere. 4.2 where it liveth in the banishment of poore fortune these that despise death most when they live P. l. 34.20 Note and feare him most when they die are here admonished to reforme this insolent behaviour and to remember themselves that how proud soever they be yet they must be humbled in the grave and that the wormes and corruption will destroy their pride and in despight of greatnesse make them inferiour to the meanest beggar on earth and yet can death heape a greater calamity upon them and open unto them the passage to everlasting death and afflict them with the damned in torments perpetuall and infinite thirdly seeing that Christ by death hath slaine death and hath taken his hurtfull sting from him whereby he might be hurtfull to Gods Elect it doth admonish a zealous duty of thankfulnesse in them in the merit of the Lord Jesus Christ their Saviour By whose meanes death is no death to them but rather life and advantage by whom they have the doore opened to everlasting salvation for so ought all men to understand of death Note as the common Jaylor of all flesh the world is the prison wherein we are shut death when he openeth the doore delivereth from prison leadeth the parties delivered either to liberty or judgement for so are all that die transported from earth either to heaven which is their liberty or to hell the place of execution Death then is that one key that openeth the double passage the one to heaven the other to hell the one leadeth to salvation the other to damnation Lastly seeing that death is a repose and rest from earthly labours it ought to sweeten the sorrowes of this life with hopefull confidence alacrity and spirituall comfort notwithstanding most men doe repute the professours of holinesse but base and abject people and deride their simplicity in wicked worldly policies making holinesse a note of folly and their owne audacious impudence the onely marke of wisedome and deepe discretion yet should not this discountenance a good cause but rather confirme a Christian resolution and give boldnesse and Christian courage to beare off with patience the contempts and disgraces of evill and wicked men and secretly scorne at their base estimations having their eyes of faith still fixed on the end of all things death with a settled confidence that death will not onely give them rest from all their troubles and adversities but admit them also into the blessed fellowship of God the holy Angels and Saints from whence they shall see their proud enemies cast into utter darkenesse and obloquie and with miserable desperation acknowledge their wilfull neglects in Christian duties thus the meditation of death may give disgraced and afflicted Christians a life of hope in the height of their extremities Therefore let not the faithfull doe as the wicked doe feare to die but hope to die intending the spirituall passage and course of their lives Acts 12. so as that their end may give them comfort without terrour let us reduce to memory what the holy Prophets Apostles and Martyrs have done in this cause how carefull they have beene to preserve their lives in the memory of honest and godly reputation how carelesse also have they esteemed their lives for the defence and reputation of the Gospel Acts 7. being content nay carefull not onely to give up their lives but to give them up with torment for the testimony of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour To these men let us frame our imitation let us care for our lives as they cared let us also care to die as they cared in every work of our life let us remember our end and at our end

and I shall speake and let the earth heare the words of my mouth for I will publish the name of the Lord and ascribe honour unto our God Acts 13.26 Yee men and brethren children of the generation of Abraham and whosoever amongst you feareth God to you is the word of this salvation sent Psalm 34. Come yee children and hearken unto mee and I will teach you the feare of the Lord. O praise the Lord with mee and let us magnifie his name together A perfect Table to finde readily all the branches contained and treated of in the first and second Part of this Booke OF the Essence of God what God is in his Essence and how he is to be understood in his holy attributes so farre as he hath revealed himselfe in holy Scripture for otherwise no man is able to define what God is page 1 Of the majesty greatnesse and quality of God page 19 Of divine directions declaring the variable state and misery of man from the time of his creation to the time of the Gospel or the new Covenant of Grace page 30 Of the creation of the world page 34 Of the Angels their nature their office their fall page 40 Of man his first beginning page 51 Of the state of mans innnocency before his fall page 58 Of originall sin the fall and apostacy of man page 64 Of the Divells trecheries and how to prevent him page 74 Of the morall law of God the ten commandements page 77 Of the purity of conscience page 89 Of the accusations of conscience page 91 To avoyd security page 102 Of the knowledge of mans corruption and state of misery in this world and the miserable state and condition in the life to come without we be renovated by Christ. page 105 Of the meditation of the misery of the body and soule in this life page 109 Of the meditation of the misery of man after death which is the fulnesse of cursednesse page 116 Of the meditations of the grievousnesse of the torments of Hell p. 120 The Branches contained in the second part of this Booke OF the Covenant of the Gospell or the Covenant of grace pag. 127 Of the incarnation of the word Christ pag. 141 Of Christs Nativity pag. 150 Of Christ Iesus the summe or compendium of the Gospell pag. 154 Of the Crosse of Christ and his holy sufferings for our sins pag. 164 Of repentance or sorrow of the soule for sinne pag. 168 Of the two Sacraments Baptisme and the Lords Supper pag. 182 Of the Lords Supper the institution of Christ pag. 184 Of the preparation to the receiving of the holy Communion of the Body and Blood of Iesus Christ pag. 199 Of the ordinance of Christ concerning the translation of the holy and blessed Sabbath pag. 205 Of Christs ascension pag. 208 Of the comming of the holy Ghost pag. 210 Of the love of God pag. 213 Of the properties of Charity and true love to our Christian brethren pag. 217 Of Gods eternall election and predestination pag. 222 Of mortification pag. 234 Of Regeneration pag. 246 Of Sanctification pag. 255 Of Justification pag. 262 Of Faith pag. 267 Of Hope pag. 294 Of Patience pag. 301 Of Prayer pag. 313 Of Afflictions pag. 326 Of generall rules directing a Christian in a godly life pag. 336 Of Gods glory pag. 347 Of the uncertainety of mans life and the expectation of death pag. 351 Of temporary death and of the severall state of salvation and damnation pag. 355 Of a sweet contemplation of the beatificall joyes of Heaven and of heavenly things and the blessed state of a regenerated Christian pag. 364 The Conclusion pag. 373 Esay 40.3 A Voice cryeth in the Wildernesse of this wicked world prepare the way of the Lord make straight the path of our God in the Desert Esay 58.1 Cry now as loud as thou canst leave not off lift up thy voyce like a Trumpet and shew my people their offences and the house of Iacob their sinnes Psal 36.1 My heart sheweth me the wickednesse of the ungodly that there is no feare of God before his eyes Vers 4. He imagineth mischiefe upon his bed and hath set himselfe in no good way neither doth he abhorre any thing that is evill Esay 59.2 3 4. But your mis deeds have separated you from your God and your sinnes hid his face from you that he heareth you not for your hands are defiled with blood and your fingers with unrighteousnesse your lips speake leasing and your tongues set forth wickednesse no man regardeth righteousnesse and no man judgeth truely every man hopeth in vaine things and imagineth deceit conceiveth weaknesse and bringeth forth evill Vers 7. Their feet run to evill and they make hast to shed innocent blood their counsels are wicked counsels harme and destruction are in their waies Ierem. 9.8 Their tongues are like sharpe arrowes to speake deceit with their mouth they speake peaceably to their neighbour but privily they lay waite for him And like as a net is full of birds so are their houses full of that which they have gotten with falshood and deceit Ier. 5.27.28 hereof commeth their great substance and riches hereof are they fat and wealthy and are more mischievous then any other they minister not the law they make no end of the fatherlesse cause yea they judge not the poore according to equity They are corrupt Psal 53.2 4. and become abominable in their doings there is not one that doth good no not one For though they can say the Lord liveth yet they sweare to deceive Ier. 5.2 Their throate is an open sepulchre Psal 14.5 with their tongues have they deceived the poyson of aspes is under their lips Their mouthes are full of cursings and bitternesse their feet are swift to shed blood Vers 6. For when ye have stollen Ier. 7.9 murdered committed adultery and perjury when yee have offered unto Baal following strange and unknowne gods shall ye be punished Have they no knowledge that they are all such workers of mischiefe Psal 14.7 8. eating up my people as it were bread destruction and unhappinesse is in their waies and the way of peace have they not knowne Should I not punish these things Ier. 5.29 saith the Lord should I not be revenged of all such people as these be Heare thou earth also behold I will cause a plague to come upon this people Ier. 6.19 even the fruit of their owne imaginations for that they have not beene obedient unto my words and to my law but abhorred them Psal 28.4 5. Reward them according to their deeds and according to the wickednesse of their owne inventions recompence them after the works of their hands and pay them that they have deserved Eccles 8.11 Because now that evill workes are not hastily punished the heart of man giveth himselfe over unto wickednesse Esay 5.14 Therefore gapeth hell marvellous wide

part thereof essentially and vertually but more especially in the Memorie Will They are the faculties of the soule and Understanding so every man by his contemplative and imaginarie presence is every where as when wee doe set before us as present Ephes 1.18 those things which by considering we doe see within our mind in diligent contemplation and imagination and by this we doe present unto our minds both things farre off past and to come 1 Cor. 5.3 and this spirituall presence is that whereby we be present in spirit though farre off absent in body Againe God is present every where in his might power and working For as an earthly king is royally present in every place of his kingdome and dominions by his Officers Magistrates and Ministers though not in his corporall presence and this kinde of presence is more fit and convenient for the majestie of a king Eccles 17. then if hee were every where present in his person so it is with God for though he is and dwelleth in heaven principally in his majestie and glorie 1 Cor. 12.6 yet by his might Ephes 4.6 power and working he is every where present on earth and worketh all in all and through all for it is not in mans power to order his own waies or to rule and governe himselfe Jerem. 10.23 his steps and goings It is not here meant nor determined that the qualitie of Gods nature be that wherein consisteth the habite disposition naturall power or lacke of power affection God is three waies to be considered and distinguished that is to say of what quality he is in his Essence what in Person and what in Nature forme fashion and the like which the Logicians consider in qualitie but the same which hath his greatest propertie to distinct the nature of God which distinction is made from all others which be made of him according to the which God is of that qualitie as agreeth onely to himselfe which passeth all things else not onely in excellencie worthinesse and majestie but also that by his wisedome might power and great goodnesse hee maketh governeth preserveth and nourisheth all things for looke of what qualitie the works of God and the holy Scriptures doe set forth and declare him to be of such qualitie wee may well say is his nature for hee is such in the qualitie of his nature as hee is tried and found to be in his working Eccles 8.17 It is neither necessarie or possible to finde and search out exactly the qualitie of his majestie and worthinesse Job 11.7 8. much lesse of his Essence but it is sufficient for the godly man to adore the Unitie of his Essence and the exceeding and incomprehensible highnesse of his Majestie and worthinesse in spirit Wisd 12. and to seeke the qualitie of his nature in his workes and in the holy Scriptures and so content himselfe with the testimonie of them both And thereby and therein let him learne understand and know that the nature of God in it selfe is to it selfe all-sufficient in all points and that it is everlasting infinite unsearchable incomprehensible and Almightie towards those things which hee hath made Jer. 32.20 21. and that hee hath might power and authoritie over all things and ruleth preserveth and governeth all things that be in heaven earth and waters and that hee is good favourable and loving towards men gentle Wisd 11. and mercifull fore-seeing and fore-knowing all things present every where slow unto anger true wise just judging every man rightly according to their deserts which is reported and set forth of him in holy Scriptures and thereby wee may be assured of what qualitie Gods nature is And seeing these things be peculiar and naturall unto him and in him it followeth that they are perpetuall voluntarie accustomable and very readie in him without any moving cause in us therefore when we doe consider that universall providence and sufficiencie of God whereby he provideth for the necessitie of all his creatures generally that be in heaven earth and waters that thereby they may live increase and continue that one and the same God is the bottomlesse fountaine of all things that be created by him hee his alone sufficient to all and whatsoever is in heaven earth or waters is of him Jam. 1.17 both whatsoever hath or be without life heavenly or earthly creatures and living in the waters reasonable Colos 1. Jerem. 32.17 19 20 17. or unreasonable having soule or without soule is of him all matter substance essence nature life sustentation of life food powers qualities both of spirit soule or body all-sight hearing understanding 1 Cor. 12.4.11 Wisd 13. wisedome knowledge fore-sight all strength of imagining reason judging remembring loving hating desiring refusing strength and motion is of him yea whatsoever things else which doe outwardly happen or come either by Angells men or beasts or otherwise is of him For as Saint Paul saith That of him through him Rom. 11.36 and for him are all things The holy Scriptures doe manifestly teach Who can magnifie him so greatly as he is to be magnified and almost point out unto us as it were before our eyes not onely what and of what qualitie Gods workes be but also what his Spirit intent and purpose is towards man-kind wherein no doubt the nature of God is sufficiently declared unto us wherefore it is needfull and to great purpose to joyne the lessons of the holy Scriptures unto the workes of God for as much as in them both we are instructed of the nature of God but the knowledge of his workes is more generall unto us For as much as the visible points of Gods nature his everlasting vertue and God-head may be seene in them in the understanding of mans reason if diligently wee consider and ponder them in our hearts by those things which have beene done and be daily done by him universally Psal 107.43 That God through the brightnesse of his workes doth rebound upon the mindes of wise men and so doth open and manifest himselfe unto them by the daily experience which the long and continuall order of Gods workes doth yeeld and set forth unto them of understanding Wisd 13 but the knowledge which is obtained and gotten out of holy Scriptures must have faith whereby to credite and believe the testimonies of the holy Spirit Thus by experience and faith the Elect and faithfull may to their salvation attaine to the knowledge of Gods nature Rom. 1.18 c. which the Reprobates pervert to their owne judgement God cannot worke but according to the quality of his Nature But he cannot worke but according to the quality of his nature for as one said as each man is such is his saying and doing which though it bee verified of men yet it may be better verified of God and applied to him then to man for mans wit is so perverse that by

Majesty and to take our nature into his divinity Hebr. 2.9 whereby he became subject to a temporall death and in that respect a little inferiour to the Angels his owne creatures Secondly The respect Christ had of sinfull man it was an act of wonderfull goodnesse and love because the end thereof had not respect to any meanes that might enlarge the honour and felicity of Christ himselfe in whom all true honour and happinesse consisteth in an infinite measure but had onely respect to poore and sinfull man that by this meanes he might repossesse the favour of God from which he cast himselfe by his owne disobedience and rebellion Object Now if it be demanded that seeing the nature of man is so poysoned with hereditary sin as that all the children of men have a naturall corruption derived on them the which like a generall leprosiie deformes the ancient beauty of our nature and presents us in ugly formes before the Majesty of God how then could Christ take such nature so deformed without imputation of sin and without fouling the exact holinesse and sincerity of his divine nature It is answered Answ 2 Cor. 5.21 that Christ tooke our nature nay all our nature upon him yet not those staines Christ tooke our nature but not the corruption of our nature nor that corruption wherewith sin had deformed our nature for though sin be derived naturally upon us yet is it not of the Essence of our nature but a defect of our nature and an accidentall deformity which happened to our nature since our first creation and not given to us when God first gave us our nature but after it was given and all those staines and deformities which are naturally bred in us in the wombe and at our conception were all voided and absent at the incarnation of our blessed Saviour the holy Ghost sanctifying and preparing the sacred Virgin Mat. 1.18 c. ordained for that holy office and purpose whereby she was only made able to derive her nature with her issue Immaculate without sin without spot without corruption but not without infirmity and this sacred deriving of a sanctified nature from the blessed Virgin is not to be considered as the act or power of the holy Virgin but of the holy Ghost who being God coequall with the Father and the Sonne The holy Ghost the principall mover in sanctifying the blessed Virgin was able to separate our nature from corruption and so to sanctifie the sacred Virgin that her nature might be derived as innocent and spotlesse as God had created it therefore it is necessary and infallibly true then that Christ tooke our whole nature ●pon him even our infirmities and avoided onely sin which accidentally did happen to our nature the which being not of our nature Ephes 5.30 but in our nature and there●●●e the holy Scripture saith that Christ Iesus was like 〈…〉 all things sinne onely excepted Secondly is to be considered what Christ did and suffered whilest he lived in our nature which was the time of his personall and visible conversing with men here on earth What Christ did suffer for us is comprehended in this that hee lived righteously in the duties of the Law and in exact obedience to the Commandements of God and this was necessary in the office of our redemption which Christ had undertaken to finish for us for it was not possible to make God the Covenant of grace Christ did satisfie our contempts before our contempts against the Law were satisfied which Christ by his active and passive righteousnesse did fulfill for us when he lived in a precise conformity to the Law of God by his passive righteousnesse when he suffered punishment for the sins of his people whereby the Law and the Justice of God had satisfaction for all our former contempts committed against the divine Majesty of God and his Lawes The Gospel is the onely true history of the life of Christ it shall not need to report the particulars what our Saviour Christ did and suffered in the time of his conversing with men on earth the Scriptures of the Gospel is best able to give satisfaction wherein is registred not all his life but so much as the wisedome of God hath thought convenient for a Christian knowledge wherein is evident The power and patience of Christ that Christ continually did both exercise his power and his patience his power was exercised in doing good his patience in suffering evill what he did it was for the redemption of man and what hee suffered was for the sin of man Christ both dyed and suffered that man might not suffer Thirdly it is to be considered what Christ did by suffering when he dyed in our nature What Christ did by suffering for us Christ when he dyed in our nature did by death overcome death and by suffering did an act of admirable power and infinite glory both his power and his glory were declared in the conquest he made of sin hell and death enemies to our nature and had wasted the sonnes of Adam but now themselves wasted and vanquished for ever by one sonne of Adam 1 Cor. 15.54 The Victory of Christ over sin hell and death death and hell are the servants of sin the originall or first cause thereof is sin whom sin marketh death destroyeth his body hell tormenteth his soule yet is sin death and hell swallowed up in victory by one Christ who in the forme of man offering up himselfe a sacrifice to God his Father hath reconciled God and man by his own righteousnesse God and man leading into perpetuall captivity the ancient enemies of our nature sin hel and death sealing the new covenant of grace with the crosse of his death whereby he hath opened the gates of heaven and removed all difficulties that might let and hinder us in our passage or progresse to everlasting happinesse This Doctrine whereby to know the sonne of God in his two natures his Divinity and Humanity united in one Christ is most necessary in the knowledge of every Christian it being the maine foundation of Christian religion The necessity of knowing Christ whereupon all piety and faith is grounded for he that understandeth not Christ in his natures and offices cannot apprehend and apply him for his salvation because his assuming our nature and the execution of his offices are the onely meanes of our salvation without which God would not be pleased neither could the Law be satisfied and therefore this generall knowledge doth generally belong to all men and that upon necessity Secondly seeing the Sonne of God was content for our sakes to undergoe so great a travell and for our sakes to unite our farre unequall and most unworthy nature to his divinity wee ought for his sake to refuse no travell that may advance his honour or expresse our thankefulnesse for his infinite favours done for us and by whose onely meanes our soules

admonishing them that of necessity they must chuse one either to mortifie the flesh and live or pamper the flesh and die there being no meanes no cause of avoydance of this necessity and S. Paul hath admiration at their simplicity that cannot apprehend this mystery who in the Allegory of seed proving the resurrection of the body proveth also the necessary mortifying of the flesh O foole saith hee 1 Cor. 15.36 that which thou sowest is not quickened except it die for as the blade of seed corne cannot appeare before the graine be first rotten in the earth and as there cannot be a resurrection to life before there be first a separation and rottennesse by death so there cannot be a regeneration by grace before there be a mortification to sin for new birth is gotten by the death of sin and mortification is the predecessour and next parent to regeneration they being necessary Relatives for where one is both are and where both are not neither is therefore it is generally necessary all men being bound to mortifie all sin without favour or dispensation of any Lastly it is moved in us by the Spirit of God but it is exercised by our owne reformed spirit Note God first kindling the fire of zeale in our hearts which when it is kindled burneth of it selfe but not without divine assistance for when it shall please the Almighty God by his grace to call us out of the grave of sin by hearty and serious repentance unto newnesse of life by faith in Christ and by the motion of his holy Spirit cause in us a loathing and a detestation of our sins then wee may assure our selves that the gracious goodnesse of God will not give us over but will assist us with his holy Spirit and support us with his divine grace so that we shall never fall away except wee prove voluntary revolters from him for by the promise of God made to his elect in the covenant of grace Ierem. 32.38 39 40 41 42. hee saith They shall be my people and I will be their God And I will give them one hearts and lead them in one way that they may feare mee all the daies of their life I will make an everlasting covenant with them namely that I will never cease to doe them good and that I will put my feare in their heartt so that they shall not depart from me yea I will have a lust and pleasure to doe them good with my whole heart and with my whole soule even so will I also bring upon them all the good that I have promised them and marke our Intercessour and Mediatour Christ Ioh. 17.11.15.20 who hath prayed effectually unto his father for our preservation and conservation in the world because we are his subjects and members who is a most puissant and gracious Prince and Advocate and a most perfect and blessed head and therefore wee may be sure that hee will protect and preserve his subjects profligate and extirpate their sins their enemies and by his Spirit convey spirituall sense and motion into all his members To conclude this calling is an argument of admirable power in God and of his infinite mercy to us for as hee shewed his power in creating and making of things to be that before were not even so he manifests his power in his effectuall calling men that were dead in sin and worse then nothing by their owne deserts to live the life of grace and in breathing into them the breath of new life which was utterly expired by their fall in Adam yea the Lord may seeme to exhibite more power or mercy when he calls men out of their sinnes then when hee did create them For at his creation there was none to hinder him but at his vocation there were many hinderers and great impediments though all inferiour unto God there is the Divell and his suggestions there is the world and her incantations scandalls and allurements and there is our owne flesh the rebellious corruption of the heart all these God must vanquish and overcome 2 Cor. 8.12 and perswade and incline our hearts and wills and of nillers make us willers to come unto him before he perfect and accomplish in us this his glorious and thrice happy worke of grace indeed there is more goodnesse shewed more grace exhibited in restoring of man out of his grievous and intollerable misery and in curing him of his cursed blindnesse then giving him a being Psal 27.1 having none before and in making him to see which before in spirituall things was blinde to raise a dead soule from the death of sinne unto a supernaturall life is a greater worke of mercy than to raise a dead body from bodily death to live a naturall life Joh. 11.43 44. when Christ had cryed to Lazarus being dead and said Lazarus come forth hee forthwith revived and came forth of the grave So when Peter had said to dead Tabitha Acts 9.40 Tabitha arise shee immediately opened her eyes and sate up even so when God shall please to vouchsafe to call a man with his powerfull voyce and shall effectually speake unto the heart and say Arise thou that sleepest in sin come forth of the grave of iniquity stand up and walke in the waies of righteousnesse his voice is so mighty and his Word so powerfull that the man to whom he doth so speake must needs awake arise come forth and walke The voyce of the Lord Psal 29. saith David it mighty in operation the voyce of the Lord breaketh the Cedars it divideth the flames of fire it maketh the wildernesse to tremble The voyce of the Lord is a glorious voyce that maketh the thunder these are the effects of that voyce likewise the voyce which God speaketh to the eare of the soule in his effectuall calling is so mighty and so glorious Heb. 4.12 as that it rendeth the heart and maketh it tremble Ioh 6.20 it discovereth the soule and pierceth into the most secret parts of it and looke as at the sound of the seven trumpets the wall of Iericho fell flat downe and as at that efficacious voyce of Christ saying I am hee Ioh. 18.6 his enemies that came to apprehend him went backward and fell to the ground even so when Gods voyce shall sound in a mans eare and when Christ shall speake effectually unto the heart the walls of hell shall reele and totter the fortresses of iniquity shall be ruinated the castles of sinne shall be cast downe our spirituall enemies shall be driven backeward the strong man Satan shall be fettered and his cursed workes dissolved these are the admirable effects of his glorious voyce Rom. 11.16 these are the worthy and wonderfull workes of Gods effectuall calling wee may therefore justly say The voyce of the Lord is mighty the voyce of the Lord is glorious and bringeth wonderfull things to passe this inward vocation is an infallible pledge of

of men still and in death it selfe living hee regards not the threats of the tyrants because hee feeles within himselfe the riches of divine consolation hee is not sorrowfull in adversity because the holy Spirit within doth comfort him effectually hee is not vexed in poverty because the goodnesse of God doth continually succour him the reproches of men doe not trouble him because hee enjoyeth the delight of divine honour he regards not the pleasure of the flesh because the sweetnesse of the spirit is more acceptable unto him 〈…〉 ●ot the friendship of the world because he seeketh the love of God who is a mercifull father gracious and a friend unto him hee feareth no death because in God he alwaies liveth hee feareth not Lightening Tempests Fire Water-flouds the sorrowfull aspects of the Planets nor the obscuration of the light of Heaven because hee is carried up above the Sphere of Nature and by faith he resteth and liveth in Christ he feareth no mortall nor evill power because he that liveth and overcomes in him is farre more stronger then the Divell that in vaine labours to overcome him hee followeth not the inticements of the Flesh because living in the Spirit hee ●eeles the riches of the Spirit and by the vivification of the Spirit Gal. 5.24 mortifies and crucifies the lusts of the Flesh hee feares not the Divell his accuser 1 Ioh. 2.1 because he knowes Christ to be his Intercessour the true rest of the Soule hee grants unto us who is the onely Author thereof O Christ with-draw our hearts from the love of this world and stirre up in as a desire to thirst after the Kingdome of Heaven to thy eternall glory and the unspeakable comfort of our Soules Of temporary Death and of the severall estates of Salvation and Damnation DEath is an ordinance of God for the subjecting of the World which is limited his time for the correction of Pride it is a separation and absence of the Soule from the Body whereby the Body is reduced to his first matter earth and the Soule brought to a sense of either justice or mercie To understand this better wee must consider Death in his originall and first being also in his powerfull and generall continuance and the end or dea● 〈◊〉 ●at● the originall cause that gave Death life was sinne therefore when Adam had eaten the forbidden fruit and thereby committed sinne then had Death his first beginning for though Adam did not at the instant of the act die yet at the very instant of the sinne he was made mortall and subject to the power of death so God fore-told him Gen. 2.17 that whensoever hee did eate thereof he should surely die and from this bad beginning was Death first derived So did the woman of Zareptha acknowledge that her sinne was the cause of her childs death 1 King 17.18 so have all the Children of God understood of Death and the cause thereof and Saint Paul saith Rom. 6.16 that Death is the wages of sinne as if it were a necessary care in the justice of God that all that committeth sinne should have the reward and wages thereof Death Now the cause of this cause of Death was the Divell Gen. 3. who envying the prosperitie of our nature suggested his temptations to our first Parents by whose disobedience we are all made mortall so saith Salomon Through the envie of the Divell came death into the World and they doe prove it that doe hold of his side and so from these two Parents the Divell and Sinne was Death first derived from whence hee had his being and first beginning Wee must consider Death also in the passage of his life or in his powerfull continuance which is evident in this respect that Death hath a generall power over all Flesh the which hee doth execute upon all without respect had either to the greatnesse or goodnesse of any Ios 23.14 therefore Death is called the way of all the World Gen. 15.15 and the way to our Fathers because as our Fathers are gone the way of Death before us so must wee after them and our posterity after us for ever for though Death be but one his office the cutting off the lives of all the world yet it is to him but an easie taske having the diseases of our flesh and infinite other occasions to attend him to the performance of the execution of his deadly office His power then is generall over all being limited by God and time only who though hee bring all Flesh to corruption yet no Flesh can corrupt him or procure favour in the strict execution of his Office The end or the death of Death is the living righteousnesse of Jesus Christ which he wrought by his owne death in his owne person therefore saith the holy Prophet that Death is swallowed up in Victory Hos 13.14 and Saint Paul saith 1 Cor. 15.25.26 that Christ Iesus must reigne till he hath put all his enemies under his feet and that the last enemie that shall be destroyed is Death therefore the Apostle insulting over Death saith O death verses 55.56.57 where is thy sting O Hell where is thy victory the sting of Death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the law but thanks bee unto God that giveth us victory through our Lord Iesus Christ Whereby it is evident that God by his sonne Christ hath given us victory over Sinne Death and Hell if wee doe faithfully beleeve in him and whereas before wee were all servants of sinne and the slaves of Death wee are now made Conquerors and despise them that did command us This happie alteration doth reach benefit to all the faithfull but not to all men therefore it is limited by God and doth extend to such particulars onely as are in his election for though God cast the beames of his Sonne upon every mans face alike and distribute his temporall blessings scatteringly as it were without any heedfull respect where they fall yet those favours that are eternall and import perpetuity of happinesse hee giveth them onely to his beloved Elect barring all the reprobates from spirituall grace and eternall happinesse and therefore though the death of Christ hath disarmed Death and blunted his weapons that have wounded holy men yet are those weapons still sharpe and that Death is still living and made immortall against them that have not received the image of the Lambe of God for though all men enter their graves alike yet with different condition holy and good men enter their graves Mat. 9.25 as their houses of rest where they quietly sleepe and for a time repose in rest and safetie but the wicked enter their graves as fellons doe their Prisons to be reserved to a more terrible day of judgement Eccles 41.1.2 Therefore the Wiseman saith Philip. 1.20.21 the remembrance of Death is bitter to some and acceptable to other for the godly make it their