the helmet of the hope of a better life to come must needs be vnwilling to leaue this present life especially if he haue any portion of comfort in the same needes must he feare to forsake it when hee heareth and seeth how roughly death dealeth with other men round about This maketh Physicke so seriously sought for though neuer so costly and Physitians more honoured of many then the God of heauen himselfe This causeth so many salt brine teares to trickle and distill from the eyes of worldly men being in danger to die which although they be reputed to come from a remorsed soule for sinne yet from many God knoweth they proceede from this fountaine namely that they are flitting from this world where if they might liue they are sure of something vnto another life where they are vncertaine of any good thing Such men are as a Ship without sayle or anchor tossed and tumbled with euery storme and tempest and alwayes in ieopardie of sincking or ship-wracke Therefore that we may be assured that we truely haue and enioy these precious iewels of a sauing faith and hope section 5 vnmoueable we must labour to approue or rather finde out the same by a Christian life and an vndefiled conscience For euen as pure and christall water commeth from a quicke fountaine and liuely spring incorrupted So doth a good conscience and holy life from an vnfained faith And as in digging of Wels we first finde out and discerne the streames of cleare water issuing from the liuely spring and in searching for mettals of gold siluer copper brasse or tinne wee first know wee haue found out the Mines thereof by the shining and glistering veynes in the earth appearing vnto vs So if wee will not misse but meete with a liuely faith and blamelesse hope we must first discerne them by the powerfull fruits of a sanctified life alwaies attended vpon by the hand-mayde of a pure and vndefiled conscience These be the remarkable streames of the true and liuing fountaine of a sauing faith and the vndeceiueable veines of these rich and wealthy Mynes of an inuincible hope to inrich our soules Loue out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and faith vnfained be linkes of one chaine beames of one Sunne streames of one riuer fruit of one tree twins of one womb c. To separate any of these is to make ship-wrack of the soule A good conscience watcheth ouer the soule Charitie is carefull to keepe Gods commandements and a pure heart loueth and imbraceth God aboue all and faith vnfained is neuer ashamed of professing Christ and his Gospell for section .6 any trouble By faith conceiued in the heart professed with the mouth and practised with the hand the righteous man liueth For as it is certaine there is no saluation without faith So there is no faith without repentāce no repentance without amendment of life nor any amendment without forsaking of sinne whence wee may conclude that no euill liuer hath any part in Christs death but the markes of Gods vengeance abiding on him and that he aduentureth his saluation that deferreth his repentance For what knowest thou whither tomorrow shall euer come Dally not therefore thus with God till the Diuell take thee in the lurch For as Christ came to saue vs from the damnation of sinne so also to free vs from the dominion of sinne and as he was sent to destroy the Diuell so likewise to ouerthrow the workes of the Diuell And most absurd it is for such as are the slaues of sinne to vaunt themselues for the seruants of God section 7 The praise of faith is to ouercome by fighting that the power of our Lord Iesus Christ may be made strong by our infirmitie He that hath a soule must needs breath and he that hath Gods spirit must needs bring forth the fruits thereof Faith I confesse is euer alone in iustifying but neuer alone in the person iustified euen as the eye alone seeth but the eye separate from the body doth not see at all but is a dead eye As Christ neuer raised vp himselfe without his humanitie yet not his humanitie but his diuinitie raised him vp Though faith doth worke by loue yet is it not inclosed in Faith as Papists say like a Diamond in a Ring neither yet is Faith as the shell and Charitie as the kernell but faith must haue this place which apprehendeth Christ who adorneth faith as the colour beautifieth the wall Faith is a certaine obscure knowledge or rather darknesse in it selfe which seeth nothing and yet Christ apprehended by faith sitteth in this darknesse as God in mount Sinai and in the temple Wherefore Christ apprehended and dwelling in the heart by Faith is the true Christian righteousnesse who giueth vs eternall life Christ is the Lord of our life in him we are by faith and he in vs. This Bridegroome must be alone with the Bride in his secret chamber all the seruants and family set apart but after when the doore is open then let them minister vnto them let Charitie doe her office and all good workes be busie When Faith is feeble Loue looseth her feruor but pray wee the Lord to increase our Faith and Loue forthwith will be on fire By Faith indeede we take hold of the righteousnesse of Christ by which alone we are reconciled vnto God but of this wee cannot take hold except withall we apprehend the sanctification of Gods spirit for he was giuen to vs for righteousnesse wisedome sanctification and redemption Therefore Christ iustifieth none whom he doth not also sanctifie Wherefore our indeuour and care must be for the sure approuing of our faith and hope to haue in readinesse a pure heart and vndefiled conscience which may be as vnreprouable witnesses before God and man that we haue had a sincere care to please our God not onely in outward action but inward affection labouring to the vtmost of our knowledge and power to put in practise all the holy duties of our callings towards God and man Thus if our heart condemne vs not we are sure to haue peace with God howsoeuer we are troubled in the world or afflicted in the flesh Now to clense our conscience and to haue it single and sincere is by the blood-shedding of Christ which section 8 hath satisfied for our sinnes whose death apprehended by a liuely faith doth purifie and purge the same Which conscience thus cleared shall now no more accuse but excuse vs before our God And albeit our former ignorance and infidelity hardnes of heart securitie with the innumerable euils both originall and actuall haue stained and defiled the same heretofore yet now our conscience being bathed in the blood of Christ and rinsed from the guilt of sinne and vncleannesse doth henceforward behold Gods anger turned into fauour his iustice into mercy c. Which sight so purifieth a Christian soule that neither death nor diuell can dant
it But on the contrary such as want this good testimonie section 9 of the conscience purified by faith in the blood of Christ their case is very dangerous lying still in their sinnes which in the time of Gods visiting hand will sting them deadly and in this world if they be not awakened by repentance but lye snorting in the same till their dying day their conscience that hath furfeited of sinne in this life will vomit all in their faces when they come once to their reckoning For as a good conscience is a continuall feast and paradise to him that hath it so an euill one is a perpetuall plague and prison to the soule and like the raging sea that casts vp mire and durt A pure conscience saith one is as the sweetest sugar to delay the bitternesse of all afflictions it is as marrow in the bones and good blood in the veynes as sound health to the body fitting and inabling it to sustaine all blustering stormes and winter blasts It is as a watch-tower and Beacon on a hill to giue vs warning and word of all danger imminent to our life As a Trumpet to awaken vs from our sinnes It is as the match and tinder to kindle the fire and zeale of all holy deuotion faith and obedience still pricking vs forward to all vertue and godlinesse till wee end our daies in peace We may say of the conscience as Zeno the Philosopher of a Wife that shee is a continuall comfort or a perpetuall crosse A good conscience is an inuincible Tower it may be besieged but neuer battered and raced to the ground It will neither be borrowed nor bought nor sould yet if it should be set a sale few would buy it The bed of a good Conscience flourisheth alwayes as the greene borders in a Garden If our hearts be setled in loue and obedience to the section 10 Lord all the world besides cannot defile vs. Our heart is the safest Tower of defence that wee haue in all our life take heede therefore of thy heart for if it accuse thee it will kill thee If it be on thy side let the heauens fall yet the ruines thereof shall not affright thee let thy foes be what they will let their counsell be what it can and destruction that is conspired neuer so cruell yet if thy heart be faithfull to God thy enemies shall feare more then thou for Innocencie assisteth thee which is strengthened with the arme of God and cannot be conquered by any meanes of Man Death or Diuell Though nature be weake to raise vp it selfe and aduersities and temptations strong to cast it downe yet both troubles and temptations flye fast away before the face of our trust in God O Lord take from mee saith one if thou wilt my goods and riches my pleasures c. yea my life to so thou leaue mee my heart which way neuer cease to loue thee trust in thee and call vpon thy name Thou canst not be friends with thy selfe till thou be with God for thy Conscience like an honest seruant taketh his masters part against thee when thou hast sinned and will not countenance thee till thou be reconciled to God neyther dare it be kinde to thee and vnfaithfull to her Maker God doth commit men to their Conscience as vnto a Tutor which vigilantly attends vpon them and a man may better flye from any thing then from his owne heart And therefore this hath alwayes beene the ioy and reioycing of the faithfull to haue the witnesse of a good conscience that they haue simply and honestly walked with men in this world This is their Crowne and comfort to thinke how holily and vnblameably they haue behaued themselues that they haue fought a good fight and finished their course and kept the faith that they haue kept the profession of their hope without fainting still with a good Conscience making their request to God This oyle of gladnesse hath cheared their countenance and this pure wine of a good Conscience hath gladed their heart amidst all their griefe it hath sweetned their sorrowes hauing the loue of God shed in their hearts through the holy Ghost And therefore our greatest care must be to haue alwayes a cleare Conscience towards God and man which will greatly cheare vs against our death section 11 Christians must be daily practicioners of Faith and Repentance they must not onely by mortification of the flesh dye to sinne but being renewed in the spirit rise againe vnto righteousnesse and amendment of life They must hate euill and doe good pursue after peace and holinesse without the which no man can see God For as hee that hath a hope to liue againe when he is dead must dye while hee is aliue to sinne and wickednesse So hee that will escape the second death must be made pertaker of the first resurrection to newnesse of life And those that are deliuered from darknesse must be translated into the Kingdome of Christ and being dead in themselues must liue the life of Christ And this is the end why they are freed from their deadly foes to serue God in holinesse and righteousnesse all their dayes So shall they come to peace of Conscience and ioy in the holy Ghost section 12 Repentance and amendment of life serue vs as the Cannon shot to scatter the cruell bands of Death and Diuell and ioyning Faith with Repentance wee shall be sure to winne the field by the safe conduct of Christ our Captaine vnconquerable who as wee haue heard hath satisfied for our sinnes fulfilled the Law and foyled all our foes If the day of our death finde vs a sleepe in our sinne woe be vnto vs for then wee shall hardly awake The end of all things saith Saint Peter is at hand therefore be sober and watch in prayer Euery one in his death shall finde this end of all things when men are once dead and carryed out of dores all is at an end with them neyther hath their body any more then their length of ground One being demanded when it was time to repent answered section 13 One day before our death but when it was replyed that no man knew that day hee said Beginne then to day for feare of fayling and boast not of to morrow for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth It is a folly to dissemble our sores whilst they are cureable and after make them knowne when there is no remedie Many pretend to amend all in time and this time is so deferred from day to day vntill God in whose hands onely all times consist doth shut them out of all time and send them to paines eternall without time for that they abuse the speciall benefit of time in this world For custome groweth to another nature and old diseases are hardly cured Wilt thou goe to heauen liuing in sinne as thou dost It is impossible As soone thou maist driue God
abhomination to the Lord and his very soule abhorreth them vse 3 Lastly it maketh for the consolation of all such that with faith and knowledge call vpon his name as relying thereon euen such as haue the testimony of a good conscience howsoeuer they shall be censured as Hannah was of Ely yet powring out their soules and calling vpon Gods name in the confidence of his power they shall be relieued though their faith be weake yet if true and assuredly grounded vpon Gods name and power they shall be heard euen out of the dungeon of extremities Out of the dungeon he called vpon Gods name Which also may teach vs doctrine 4 That there is no outward condition of life so miserable or affliction so grieuous which the dearest Children of God are not subiect vnto in this world Ieremie was in the myrie dungeon where he stucke fast and his life was shut vp casting a stone vpon him Daniell in the Lyons denne The three Children in the fiery furnace Israel a bondslaue in Egypt So was Ioseph imprisoned slaundered and disgraced Paul Peter and the faithfull stocked fettered imprisoned and many other murthered and massacred as we may see a whole Catalogue of them mustered by the Apostle all of them so excellent that the world was not worthy of their companie Ioyne to these Abraham for his vncertaine dwelling Dauid for his manifolde enemies Iob for inward and outward miseries of all sorts All these with the rest whose pilgrimage is ended and many that now liue and still remaine to the worlds end must goe the same high way to Heauen drinke of the same whip and bitter cup. All kinde of crosses and calamities attend vpon them in the world vntill they be at rest with God in Heauen The reason hereof is that since the same corruption of reason 1 nature and guilt of sinne spreadeth ouer all alike without exception needs it must follow that all be iustly inwrapped in the outward punishment and mulct thereof since all kinde of miseries follow sinne with death it selfe as the shadow doth the body Sinne is the worke and these are the wages And God in iustice must needes shew his anger against sinne in this life euen vpon his owne seruants Here they must be iudged that hereafter they be not damned with the world Secondly God vseth them as scourges purges and reason 2 wholesome medicines to heale recouer and reforme our sinnefull sicke and disordered nature Here wee must be weined with the wormewood of calamities from the brests of the world which we alwayes would be lugging that so we may be brought in loue with heauen and heauenly things The vse is first for our instruction to make vs wise in the vse 1 vse and end of the manifolde miseries that betide Gods dearest children to moderate our affections and to suspend our iudgements for our selues and brethren when wee or they are so strangely and diuersly handled Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest O Lord and teachest him in thy law these tryals must hasten vs to Gods Sanctuary to stay our violent passions and bring vs our resolutions in such doubtfull cases Secondly it reprooueth all such as iudge according vse 2 to the outward estate of any of GODS seruants what fauour and credite they are in with the Lord. Since an outward condition is here to all men alike All things come alike to all and the same condition is to the iust and to the wicked to the good and to the pure and to the polluted as is the good so is the sinner he that sweareth as he that feareth an oath For although it be most certaine that God hath a speciall care for the saluation of the faithfull yet such is the course of things falling out vnto men in this life that it cannot be iudged by the outward shew and appearance whom God loueth or whom he hateth Such a certaine infinite and endlesse confusion is cast before the eye of man and therefore Gods children must not promise themselues any immunity from troubles or worldly successe but rather to looke alwaies for the contrary and labour still to subdue their inordinate passions in thinking their case to be singular censuring God to bee too rigorous and so calling his iustice into question which is neere vnto blasphemy Stop not thy eare from my sigh and from my cry As if he should say we pray and thou hearest not nay thou art angry with our prayers and stoppest thy eares speaking after the manner of men and shewing by effects that it was as good for sinners not at all to pray to God as to pray in vaine doctrine 5 Let vs note from hence The fruit and effect of sinne it stops the passage of our prayers and keepes Gods blessings from vs it maketh GOD as it were deafe and dumbe and blinde that he will neither heare helpe nor respect vs. The Lords hand is not shortened that hee cannot saue neither is his eare heauie that it cannot heare but your iniquities haue seperated betweene you and your God and your sinnes haue hid his face from you that hee will not heare Sinne makes God as a stranger that hee will not tarrie among his owne people and though hee bee most strong yet it so astonieth him that hee cannot helpe reason 1 them Such is his hatred to sinne that hee will not heare nor helpe hee disclaymeth their seruice and cannot abide their prayers Their persons are odious and how shall their actions be acceptable His Will and Word is against them remaining sinnefull hee will not owne them for his but excludes and excommunicates them from his presence and Church GOD heareth not sinners Such as bee wicked cannot stand in his sight Will you steale murther and commit adultery and sweare falsly and come and stand before mee in this house wherevpon my name is called Is this house become a denne of theeues This must make vs carefull to holde vp pure hands when wee pray vnto God praying him first to purifie our hearts by faith which may manifest it selfe by vnfeined repentance That so when wee draw neere vnto God in our seruice and worship and would haue him draw neere to vs in the acceptance thereof wee may both clense our hands and purge our owne hearts from all kinde of sinne and hypocrisie Wash you make you cleane cease to doe euill learne to doe well Come now let vs reason together If iniquity bee in thy hand put it farre away and let no wickednesse dwell in thy Tabernacle Then truely shalt thou lift vp thy face without spot thou shalt bee stable and shalt not feare and thou shalt bee bolde because there is hope Being in the dungeon He not onely called but sighed and cryed vnto God Afflictions not onely stirre vp men to prayer but make doctrine 6 them also more seruent and
a venemous sting 8. Comforts of riches flye from vs in our crosses as vermine from a house on fire 9. When men forsake their owne wils and submit themselues to Gods what can be hard 10. Worldly fauours honours c. as snowbals against the beames of the sunne dissolue and come quickly to nothing 11. He that is great with God shall haue quietnesse in earth and blessednesse in heauen 12. The pompe of the world is like a blazing starre presaging ruine ibid. He is vnworthy of Gods fauour that thinketh it not happinesse inough without the world 13. The Trinitie which the wicked worship is the diuell the world and the flesh ibid. CHAP. IIII. THis wicked world is Sathans kingdome a very Edome and Egypt to the Israel of God Sect. 1. It is a sea of sorrowes and our liues as new sayling ships vnacquainted with the water 2. It is Sathan forge and stythie wherein he frameth a thousand chaines of impieties ibid. A discription of couetousnesse the worlds factour and the couetous 3. God maketh this world loathsome to his children that they should not loue it 4. This barren land wherein we liue after all our drudgerie yeeldeth nothing else but a crop of cares troubles feares c. 5. Our Christian loue must be as a iust ballance our worldly lusts are vnequall in valuing earthly things 6. If our life be no more then the dreame of a shadow what must we thinke of the glory of this world which is of shorter continuance then mans life 7. All worldly glory is no more certaine then calmenesse in the sea still subiect to a storme 8. Worldly men are better sighted then the children of the light but Ieremie wondreth how he should be a wise man that is not a godly man ibid. We must put our trust in God not in our goods on whose pleasure they depend 9. He is the richest that coueteth the least and is content with the least 10. Contentment consisteth not in much yet he hath much which hath it ibid. CHAP. V. GOd made all things and gaue them vnto man who sinning forfeited all againe into his hands and so sent him out of the world with as much as he brought at first Sect. 1. We haue our goods to liue the end ceasing the meanes also cease 2. All worldly goods are ebbing and flowing neither possesse we them as we should vnlesse at all times wee be ready to forgoe them when God pleaseth 3. We must not make a rent-charge of these outward blessings which God giueth of his free liberalitie they are but lent and borrowed 4. Vaine confidence in wealth be-commeth not onely poison to humilitie modestie and faith but transformeth them into pride arrogancie and infidelitie 5. We must vse our riches as our raiment such as are fit for couetousnesse groweth with riches as the Iuye with the Oake 6. God is to be loued aboue all things and all things for him ibid. Good men vse the world and the things thereof that they may inioy God and wicked men so vse God as that they may inioy the world 7. If we loue our friends too much and not God aboue all things then hath our sorrow no measure as it ought 8. Carnall parents and friends are to be loued but the creatour of all is to be imbraced and preferred 9. Loue him that thou canst not loose euen Christ thy redeemer ibid. CHAP. VI. IT is naturall to all men to feare death and how it may lawfully be feared of the faithfull Sect. 1. Faith and a religious feare are alwaies friends in a Christian man 2. Affections of nature are not simply euill but lawfull and tollerable when they are rightly ordered by Gods spirit 3. Christians haue greater cause to imbrace Death then to feare it 4. None are simply to be censured for their manner of Death 6. Gods dearest children are subiect to most fearefull deaths yet an euill Death can neuer follow a constant good life 7. Death cannot properly be called sudden which euery day manifesteth it selfe to all our sences ibid. We must not be curious either to know the time or to choose the manner of our death 8. It is madnesse to desire to know our end of such as are ignorant of their owne 9. We must seeke to mortifie the flesh in vs and to cast the world out of vs but to cast ourselues out of the world is in no sort permitted vs. 10. Gods children alwaies waite in their tryals vntill Death open the doore for their deliuerance 11. We must neither hate our life for the toyles nor loue it for the delights 12. CHAP. VII THe dearest children of God are subiect to the agonie of death by meanes of the weakenesse of nature and guiltinesse sinne Sect. 1 2. Christian meanes to mittigate the horrour of death 3 4. We run away by committing euill and we must returne againe by suffering euill 5. It is God that knoweth the perils of our death and can onely deliuer vs by his power ibid. The sweet spices of Christs buriall expell the strong scent of our rotten graues 6. It is the remainder of life not of death that tormenteth a man 7. Such a death is neuer to be deplored which is seconded with immortalitie and a blessed life 8. Death and the graue are a fould to the faithfull and a shambles to the wicked 9. Death doth prune as it were the feathers of the soule to flye more swiftly to heauen ibid. By death and the graue the faithfull are fitted and by Gods spirit renewed for his kingdome and glory ibid. CHAP. VIII IT is most conuenient for Christians to dispose of their goods and make their testament in time of their health Sect. 1. and 2. The best furniture against death are faith hope and a conscience vndefiled 3. Men without hope are as a ship without a sayle and anchor tossed with euery tempest and in danger of ship-wracke 4. A sauing faith and an vnmoueable hope are alwaies accompanied with a Christian life and conscience vndefiled 5. As there is no saluation without faith so there is no true faith without repentance 6. Faith is euer alone in iustifying but neuer alone in the person iustified 7. God iustifieth none whom he doth not also sanctifie ibid. The conscience of Christians is bathed and rinsed in the bloud of Christ from the guiltinesse and corruption of sinne 8. The comforts and commodities of a good conscience 9. Thou canst not be friends with thy selfe till thou be with God if thy conscience accuse thee it will kill thee 10. He that hath a hope to liue when he is dead must dye while he is a liue to sinne and wickednesse 11. If the day of our death finde vs a sleepe in sinne we shall hardly awake 12. Many by deferring their amendment shut themselues out of all time and send themselues to paine eternall without time 13. He that will liue without repentance must looke to die without repentance 14. The world
in the condemnation of the reprobate and an entrance for his mercy in the saluation of his elect for if there had beene no fall of man God should haue manifested himselfe neither iust in condemning some nor mercifull in sauing others which very much would haue obscured his glory and altogether depriued him of his praises amongst the sonnes of men c. Man was subiect to death by nature yet not of necessitie as though he saw no way to shunne it and now I goe no further then mans knowledge reuealed in the word setting Gods decree and secret counsell aside for he had sufficient power giuen him of God in his creation to auoide it Gods law was written in his heart agreeable to his nature he thought it no yoake or burthen to obserue it his shoulders or backe being bigge enough to sustaine it Sinne therefore wee may see hath diminished our strength and altered our nature that now we are forced to be slaues to those who before were our subiects Gods law now written is the same which before was engrauen in our nature yet now it is such a huge weight and heauie yoake which neither we nor our fathers were euer able to beare CHAP. III. Of the greatnesse of Adams sinne and his grieuous fall with the fearefull effects and fruites thereof MAn being thus created in so glorious an estate raigning and ruling not onely as a Prince but as it were a petty God vpon the earth all things being put in subiection vnder his feete Sathan that olde serpent and enuious aduersary of mankinde hauing fallen himselfe and his associates by his and their owne transgression into a most cursed and wretched estate enuying at the blessednesse of our first parents so happily planted vpon the earth and placed in Paradise possessing the body of the Serpent and abusing his forme drew Enah by his wiles to heare her God accused of vnkindnesse and from hearing to suspition and from suspition to plaine rebellion against his law and so Sathan not contented she was made his snare to catch her husband also But marke I pray you this diuels proceeding and see what hookes this Fisher hid vnder his fine and pleasant baites First he bewitcheth her sences with a faire sight and pleasant shew of the forbidden fruit then he assaileth her with infidelity and doubtfulnesse of Gods word namely that they should die the death thirdly he opposeth himselfe against the vndoubted truth of Gods word setting downe the contrary Ye shall not die lastly he pricketh them forward to pride and selfe-loue Ye shall be as Gods euen as cunning as the highest in good and euill So they poore creatures not resting vpon God nor asking counsell at his word but trusting to themselues deceiued by his strange delusions yeelded and in yeelding were seduced and so shackled with the wards of their owne sinne and fetters of their owne finding out and as he solde himselfe to sinne and Sathan by this his fall so iustly did God ordaine the meanes to hamper him to wit Death and Destruction Neither was this action contrary to his iustice except he should haue denied himselfe nor yet repugnant to his vnchangeable word pronounced for in the beginning as we haue heard God created man holy and righteous euen like to himselfe and so long as he kept this forme he enioyed Gods presence his protection and prouidence ruled ouer him he wanted nothing that was needefull for him all the creatures were his seruants they came at his call and bowed at his becke he wanted nothing that heart could wish he was placed in Paradise amidst all passing pleasures the ground of it selfe yeelded forth her encrease without toyle or trauell he was made subiect to no creature but was Lord ouer all him onely excepted that had thus preferred him Now this his gracious God and bountifull Lord for all these his graces and blessings vnspeakeable required no great seruice or homage at his hands he exacted no great rent he did not ouercharge him but onely this to shew his soueraigne power he gaue him a Commandement no weighty thing to be obserued but a small matter and easie to be performed to wit that he hauing such choise and aboundance of all things besides should abstaine for his pleasure from tasting of the tree of the knowledge of good and euill and all this he did to try his obedience And now behold this vnkinde creature this vngratefull wretch and wicked man forgetting God and his duetie casting aside his blessings and graces wherewith he abounded most traiterously villainously and shamefully rebelling against his Lord contemneth his Creatour and setteth his God at naught he listneth to the Diuell and beleeueth his lies and followeth like a beast his sensuall appetite and euen in that one thing forbidden spiteth his God regardeth not his word feareth not death that was threatned but eateth of the forbidden tree maugre the beard of God and his iudgements And here let vs throughly consider not so much the matter and meanes which was but the eating of an Apple as the manner and measure of this rebellion and sinne which manifested it selfe by these degrees first a doubtfulnesse of Gods word which made him to stagger secondly a losse of faith not beleeuing Gods threatning thirdly a nise curiositie in departing from Gods word and seeking other wisedome fourthly a pride in desiring to be greater then God had made him fiftly a contempt of God breaking his law against his conscience sixtly an apostasie in falling from the counsell of God to beleeue the Diuell seuenthly an ingratitude and hellish vnkindenesse in driuing away and expelling Gods holy spirit dwelling in them eightly a murthering of himselfe and his whole posteritie for this fall of his was the first opening of the gate to all sinne and misery to all mankinde This sinne therefore can no way be lessened consisting of so many most monstrous and horrible impieties Could any punishment possible be sharpe enough for such a monstrous fact that whereas God had giuen them such liberty and freedome of all things yet would not so much as obey him in this one Againe God did not onely binde him to obedience but threatned his rebellion if thou eate thereof thou shalt die the death Notwithstanding Gods commanding and his threatning he is most carelesse and swiftly runnes headlong to sinne and wickednesse and so entred into such a maze of miseries from whence neither himselfe nor his posteritie were euer able to vnwinde themselues for so abusing his owne free will he lost it and was made a slaue to Sathan and himselfe Gods image being by his fall defaced he became like the diuell and contemning life he found out death euen death eternall This was the wages of his sinne this was the hire of his labour this profit reaped he for his paines God thrust him out of Paradise and being expelled he was kept out by the Cherubins so
heauenly Canaan wee shall haue a spirituall Pharaoh with his Captaines like Grassehoppers to feed vpon vs yea the libertie which wee haue in Christ the corruption of our heart will labour to inuert to voluptuousnesse the sweetnesse which wee taste in his word the vanity of our mindes will endeuour to ouer-cast with drowsinesse the Faith which we ground on his promises the subtiltie of the Serpent will seeke to vndermine with doubtfulnesse the conscience wee make to offend the lusts of our flesh will contend for to couer with hypocrisie the detestation wee haue of sinne the concupiscence of our eyes will striue to ouer-reach with prophanenesse and the interest wee haue to heauen the pride of our liues will perswade vs to change for trifles Being freed from outward warre ciuill and intestine ariseth vp against vs our Affections against Reason and Will Earth troubleth Heauen and the World in our selues although wee greatly shunne it doe what wee can will haue a pauilion and tent in our hearts Yea those oftentimes who with tragicall and vehement words seem most to detest it are yet made so blinde with the glory thereof that the very shadow of ambition affecteth them Many I dare boldly say seeme to defie the World which meet and welcome the same with the kindest embracings This masking World in her strange disguised vizour not seldome flourisheth among such as seeme most to ahhorre her For alas wee are resident in the World and the World in vs so that wee cannot be free from the World except wee depart from our selues and what is this departure but death Some in flying the contagion of others are corrupted of themselues and in with-drawing from the societie of men yet deny not the olde man possessing them In the great deluge of this life Gods Children are tossed with raging stormes on euery side where no good footing or high place can be found for the Doue of Christ to rest her selfe Here is no sure peace nor secure quietnesse but warres on euery side and in all places contention and deadly foes The tempestuous sea torments vs wee are grieued at the heart and desirous to vomit and to be discharged thereof we remoue out of one ship to another from a greater to a lesse wee promise vnto our selues rest in vaine they being alwayes the same windes that blow the same waues that swell the same humours that are stirred to all there is no other port no other meanes of tranquilitie but onely death See the foolishnesse of the world and the infirmity of our flesh When God saith trouble shall come they say wee would haue ease when God saith be merry and reioyce in trouble wee lament and mourne as though wee were cast-awayes But this flesh which is neuer merry with vertue nor sorry with vice which neuer laugheth with grace nor weepeth with sinne holdeth fast with the world and giueth God the slip Thus wee may see our wretched estate in the flesh still crossing God and the saluation of our soules All our affections and wils with the whole force of Nature helpeth forward our destruction fightings without and terrours within World Flesh and Diuell ioyne together with Death for our damnation CHAP. VIII Of the power strength and sting of Death by meanes of the Law whose nature is here vnfoulded THe originall of Death we haue heard as also what it is who be subiect to it with the fearefull estate wherein they stand Now let vs further obserue that as the Diuell and man together brought in Death by sinne so it now being entred is become the very kingdome of the Diuell wherein hee raigneth By Death he triumphed ouer man whom hee seduced holding him fast in his owne fetters and shackles of sin which himselfe first found out and so leadeth him as his slaue and ruleth ouer him as his head for God did renounce man although hee created him and cast him off by meanes of sinne whom first he had made like vnto himselfe In that men die it proues they had sinned and sinne proues there is a law which law being broken bringeth Death for the wages of sinne is Death Now to conuince sinfull man the better of this his cursed estate God renewed his law first ingrafted in his nature but blotted out by his fall in Tables of Stone to shew the hardnesse of his heart that so as in a glasse hee might see his fearfull fall For amiddest the heapes of all other sins pride so possessed his heart that although he was nothing else but sin yet stil he deemed himselfe as innocent and righteous He was so blinded in his corruption that he knew not sinne in his colours vntill the law descried it And this is the common error of all his lynage that without the publishing of the law wee had not knowne our sinne I knew not sinne saith Paul but by the Law I had not knowne lust except the law had said thou shalt not lust but sinne tooke occasion by the Law and wrought in me all manner of lust so sinne by the Law grew out of measure sinnefull Such is the corruption of mans nature that it most eagerly desireth things that are most straightly denied which if they had not beene mentioned should not so much as haue beene dreamed of For though the flame of concupiscence be restrained by the damme and wall of Gods law yet is it not dryed vp in our mortall nature When the law was giuen to man in whom there is no grace sinne abounded three waies first seeing the law of God giuen vnto him as an helpe sinne laboureth to turne it to his hurt whom it securely before possessing lesse assaulted secondly Man naturally desireth liberty and freedome and flyeth seruitude and bondage by nature mans minde is crosse and peeuish and is swayed to contraries Stolne waters are the sweetest hid bread is pleasant So that by the prohibitions of the law charity in man being decayed the desire of euil increased which once increased made the things forbidden by the law more sweet and pleasant Thirdly for that the inhibition of euill things puts them more in remembrance of the things forbidden which very remembrance to nature corrupted is a prouoker and stirrer vp of filthy lust and desire Againe in that sinne abounded when the law entred it is to be vnderstood by an accidentall consequent for God sent not his law in cruelty and rigour but vpon good aduise and sound iudgement Sometime man seemeth to be whole and is sicke and because he feeleth not the sicknesse hee seeketh not for the Physition but the disease increasing with the griefe the Physition is sought by whose meanes the sicke and sore body may be cured So the law was giuen to such as were infirme and sicke in sinne that so they may seeke to the Physitian Iesus Christ to be healed Againe it entred the better to discouer sinne which without the light thereof
members being separated from the body So in Christ our head consisteth our life as we are true members of his body the Church vnited to him by a true and liuely Faith and so quickned by his Spirit and knit and ioyned one to another in a holy fellowship and communion by the bond of loue Christ is the Vine and the faithfull his branches without him they can doe nothing as they are of this tree they are fruitfull but broken off they are barren and liue no more but dye and wither away By his life alone wee liue and without his death we are but dead and damned for euer Therefore wee must know and learne our true vnion section 2 with Christ and try our selues whether wee be members of that body whereof hee is head For none I say are redeemed from death and freed from condemnation but those alone that are in Christ whom they cannot possibly apprehend but by a true and liuely Faith which is the spirituall hand to lay hold on Christs merits to eternall life Hereby we are interessed in all that eyther God hath promised or Christ hath performed hence haue we from God both forgiuenesse of sinnes and assurance of his fauour This is the ground of our happinesse and glory hence of enemies wee become more then friends euen the sonnes of God that may challenge not onely prouision and safe protection on earth but an euerlasting possession and inheritance in heauen The apprehension of Christs all-sufficient satisfaction by a true and a liuely Faith maketh it our owne and vpon our satisfaction wee haue remission vpon remission followeth reconciliation vpon our reconciliation the peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding When therefore our conscience like a sterne and sturdy Serjeant shall catch vs as it were by the throat and arrest vs for Gods debt our Plea must be it hath beene paid and so bring forth that bloudy acquittance sealed vs from heauen vpon our true and assured Faith So shall the cruell looke of our Conscience be changed into friendly smiles and that rough and violent hand ready to dragge vs downe to hell shall euen louingly embrace vs and fight for our righteous Crowne Oh heauenly peace and more then peace whereby alone we are in league with our selues and God with vs. section 3 Gods Spirit sheweth vs our pouerty and where to buy Gold that shall cost vs nothing It sheweth vs our wretchednesse that haue nothing but ragges to put on and withall the wardrobe of Christs righteousnesse where we shall haue garments fit for Gods Saints It sheweth vs our Apostacie how wee haue fallen and by our fall haue euen broken our necke and sends vs to Christ our Physitian who is onely good at such a desperate disease It sheweth vs our debt and our Serjeant the Diuell to arrest vs and then sends vs to the Lord-Treasurer of heauen in whose hands are sufficient to discharge whatsoeuer wee owe. Gods Children then must be knit vnto Christ the Son section 4 of God they liue in his life and stand in his strength whose right hand hath made all things and whose yeares endure for euermore who is heyre of all things and shall shew vs his glory and immortalitie when all these creatures shall haue a change There is no saluation nor sanctification for vs vnder heauen but as our nature is really vnited to the person of Christ the Sonne of God who hath sanctified and sacrificed himselfe for vs. Euen as our hands armes and other parts are not nourished but onely by the meate receiued of the head so our spirituall meate of life and righteousnesse can no where else be deriued to vs but from Christ our head And as the veynes are meanes by which nourishment is conueyed to euery part so Faith is the instrument by which we receiue from Christ all that is healthfull for our soules And as by ioynts and sinewes our members are really knit and made a compleat body vnto the head so really truely and indeed by one Spirit wee be knit vnto Christ and substantially made one with him as our naturall members are made one with our head This though wee cannot conceiue yet wee are bound section 5 to beleeue Wee now beleeue in the Lord our God and yet wee know not his countenance wee beleeue and apprehend by hope his glory yet neyther eye can see it no nor heart conceiue it wee beleeue the resurrection of the dead yet wee cannot vnderstand such excellent wisdome how our life should be renewed in the dissolued bones and scattered ashes Euen so wee beleeue that Christ and wee are one hee of vs and wee of him hee the head wee the body really substantially and truely knit together but not by ioynts and sinewes for that vniting we know but by his Spirit which all his Children haue and this coniunction indeed can wee neuer fully comprehend till wee know God as hee is and his holy Spirit which hath wrought this blessing The diuine nature vnited to the manhood of Christ hath giuen the participation of his office to him as man that as God is Mediator so is man as God hath deserued saluation so hath man and that hee as man shall iudge the quicke and the dead not that hee shall iudge by his manhood but Christ man shall iudge the world This Christ is not onely God with vs in nature but in person for the reprobate are of the same nature with him and he with them yet is he not God with them but against them But wee as the Apostle speaketh are flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones euen as a man and wife which are not onely one in nature but in person by speciall couenant so are wee one with Christ by couenant of grace and being one with him wee are also one with the Trinitie I pray thee O Father saith Christ as I am one with thee so these may be one with vs both which bringeth great comfort to Gods Elect that through Christ haue the whole God-head reconciled vnto them and dwelling in them section 7 And as Christ is our person and Sauiour so his righteousnesse is ours since we haue him whose it is and this maintaineth Gods iustice to punish Christ in our person and to iustifie vs in his in respect hee is in vs and wee in him and so doth hee neyther punish the innocent nor iustifie the offender And in this respect when wee know that Christ is truely ours that God giueth life and this life is in the Sonne and this Sonne is in vs it followeth that wee are not saued by his righteousnesse but by our owne his person being made one person with vs. By regeneration wee are made partakers of his diuine nature and flesh that is our nature is renewed and sanctified and is made another flesh to wit the flesh of Christ For as the Sonne of God was so made man that by
violence of affliction though it soundly beat vs can separate vs from the loue of God nor the league with his creatures Into what fond vanities are we fallen if we would still be hedged in and enthralled in this vale of teares and not desire to ascend on that ladder which Iacob knew to be the gate of heauen the skirts whereof but seene and felt of the Apostles did so rauish all their sences with delight as that they onely vaunted in the crosses of Christ which was also their preseruatiue against the feare of death and their spurre and preparatiue to set the houses of their hearts in order before they descended to the graue We may learne by the very foode that nourisheth vs section 10 euen our meates and drinks to what loathsomnesse they come before they worke their perfection in vs. From life they are brought to death being dead to the fire so clean altered from that they were aliue from the fire they come to the trenchers and knife all to hackt and cut and from the trencher to the mouth and there be ground as small as the teeth can make them and so from the mouth to the stomacke there to be boyled and dressed before they be fit for our nourishment Is it then any maruell if Christians who are to be as Gods delicates and dainties in the life to come be now so defaced and deformed in this world as in a Kitchin and Mill to boyle and grinde them should by death and the graue be quite altered and changed for a time till they atchiue their happie perfection in the world to come And as we looke for no nutriment of our meate before it be digested So must we not expect for our happy state of heauenly blisse before the corruption of the world and flesh be first swallowed vp of immortalitie Raw flesh is not fit meate for the stomack nor vnmortified men meete for God and heauen till by death and graue they be altered and by Gods spirit renewed as fit Citizens for his kingdom Let vs therefore waite for sicknesse as the fore-runner of sleepe and welcome death as the sickle of the Lords haruest beholding our graue as the faithfull treasurie of our bodies and look vp to heauen as the vndoubted Paradise of our soules CHAP. VIII In what things our Christian preparation to Death doth chiefely consist section 1 HAuing indeauoured to remoue such impediments as hinder preparation and warned Gods children to auoide some dangerous rocks in this their narrow nauigation towards the hauen of death it seemeth now as necessarie for their better encouragement to set downe some safe directions to guide them in this perillous way that chearefully they may passe on without any stay till they ioyfully arriue at the land of heauenly rest Great prouision I confesse would be made for this long and waightie voyage but so many things being obserued by others I will briefely passe by them and come to the principall prouision it selfe And as for the disposing and well ordering of our goods section 2 and worldly state it is best to dispatch this businesse in the time of our strength and health before we be bound to our beds and haue to deale with sicknesse which troubleth all our senses with Physition with Death and Sathan himselfe which then will be most busie to molest vs neither will this so short a time suffice for so many waightie imployments Remember thy Creatour in the daies of thy youth saith the wise man Much more then ought we wholy to thinke on him in the time of sicknes when euery day is suspected to be the last day we haue to liue Many are affraide to make their Testaments betime as things infortunate and presaging euill but this is their ignorance and infidelitie For the disposing of our worldly goods and exempting our selues from earthly cares maketh none die more quickly but more quietly So had Ezechiah counsel from God to put his house in order Abraham deuided his goods to Isaac the rest of his Sons So Isaac dim sighted yet in good and perfect health tooke order for his children before his death So did Iacob for his Sonnes after his Fathers example Which duetie is very fit to be seasonably performed of euery Christian of any state or wealth for the cutting off of contention betweene brethren and kinsfolkes Besides that many diseases are so sharpe and sodaine they giue men small leasure to dispose of themselues much lesse so large a time as to order their goods and familie As he that dreamed of long life had suddenly his answere thou foole this night shall they take away thy soule Sodainely came the flood vpon the wicked world being eating and drinking and sodainely was Sodome consumed with fire amidst their fleshly pleasures Sodainly fell the Tower vpon the eighteene men in Syloah not expected and sodainely will Christ come in the cloudes as a theefe in the night But because all men for the most part are prouident inough for these worldly matters and meanes of state family friends Physicke c. I come to more necessarie matters concerning the soule against the time of neede section 3 The chiefest furniture and best prouision therefore for a Christian man against his death and departure out of life are faith hope and a conscience vndefiled Faith in Christ is as Noahs Arke to saue vs from drowning in the flood of our sinnes and from the deuouring of the dangerous gulfe of death amidst the proud waues and bottomelesse sea of our innumerable transgressions able to sinke and swallow vs vp with the wicked world And hope in God is as the vnmoueable anchor fastned to the almighty power of God as to the most strong and vntwineable cable ready prepared to keepe vs from Shipwrack of our soules in all the raging stormes fearefull tempest and rough passages of Death and Hell For albeit Death be a fray-bug to all faint-harted Souldiers and faithlesse men not built vpon Christ the corner stone by a liuely faith and vndoubted hope threatning and fearing them with the losse of life worldly wealth and all things else Yet the flocke of Christ doe scorne and despise her who account all the world with his wealth and pleasures but dung and drosse yea all things losse to win the loue of Christ Their riches and treasures are placed on high whither their affections and delights were sent before not basely groueling and crawling vpon this filthy earth below but aspyring and climing to the heauen of heauens whither long before they were ascended and setled All earthly things to them are but as toyes and trifles their inheritance is in heauen there is the true portion of their cuppe there be the Iemmes and Iewels that they affect euen such as are safe from rust and free from corruption And thither they are assured by death to be speedily conuayed section 4 He that hath not
out of heauen saith one as goe thither thy selfe in this wicked kinde of life What then wilt thou forgoe heauen and yet escape hell This is lesse possible whatsoeuer the Atheists of this world perswade thee Wilt thou deferre the matter and thinke of it hereafter Thou shalt neuer haue more abilitie to doe it then now and it may be neuer halfe so much againe If thou refuse it now thou maist greatly feare to be refused thy selfe hereafter There is nothing then so good as to take this good occasion while it is offered Breake from those tyrants which detaine thee in seruitude section 14 the Diuell Sinne World and Flesh shake off their shackles cut all their bands and chaynes asunder free thee from their gyues and irons and runne violently to Iesus Christ who standeth with open armes ready to imbrace thee make ioyfull all the Angels and Saints with thy conuersion strike once the stroke with God againe and returne to thy Father Who would be so base minded with the Prodigall Sonne in this world rather to eate huskes with the Swine then to turne home with him againe to be so honourably receiued haue such good cheare and banketting and heare so great melody ioy and triumph for his returne Hee that will liue without repentance must looke to dye without repentance The sparing of the Theefe on the Crosse at the last gaspe was set out as a medicine against desperation and not as a matter of imitation God saith one spared one that no man might despaire and hee spared but one that no man might presume The Lord hath promised pardon to him that repenteth but to liue till to morrow hee hath not promised section 15 The heauenly dewe of Repentance neuer fals but the Sunne of righteousnesse draweth it vp Repentant eyes bedewed with teares for sinne are the cellers of Angels and penitent sighes and sobs the sweetest wines which the sauour of life perfumeth the taste of grace sweetneth and the purest colours of returning innocencie highly beautifieth O that our hearts were euermore such a Lymbecke distilling so pure a quintessence of godlinesse drawne from the weedes of our offences by the fire of true Faith and vnfayned contrition of spirit Heauen would mourne at the absence of such precious waters and earth lament the losse of such fruitfull showers Surely till death close vp those fountaines they should neuer fayle running which if they had alwayes issue we neede not doubt of our saluation but that God would wash away all our filthinesse and sinne The world saith Bernard had not perished with the Floud if the flouds of teares for sinne had euer flowed from mens eyes section 16 To conclude if thou shalt see thy selfe to floate in the sea of temptations in the agonies of death leaue not the Anchor-hold of hope before thou enter the hauen of rest This is the sure Anchor indeede of the soule which lyeth deepe and is not seene and yet is the stay of all euen the soule of our life And because wee cannot plead the plea of Innocencie Faith bids vs boldly plead the plea of Mercy and telleth vs the Iudge is reconciled But this is no palsie-Palsie-faith as wee haue heard but firme and constant vnto the end which still concludes through Christ to the Conscience that liuing and dying we are the Lords Hope is the piller sustayning this building of our Faith which fayling our Faith falleth into the gulfe of Despayre And there is nothing maketh more cleare the mighty power of the Word and of Gods promise then that it makes men so mighty that hope and trust in God for all things are possible to him that beleeueth When wee seeme as it were in the whirle-pit of Despayre and are carryed by a violent streame of trouble wee know not whither and are constrayned to diue and plunge downe the water of affliction running ouer our soules yet the Lord will recouer vs and set our feet in a steady place If wee be cast downe so that wee can but scrawle vp againe if wee be so tyred of Sathan by temptations that yet wee can but kicke against him in affection if we can but open our lips and accuse him of malice before the Lord there is yet some hope of comfort to be found And in all our tryals and temptations wee must haue recourse to faithfull prayer that so the burthen thereof may eyther be remoued or at the least eased or wee better strengthened and inabled to sustaine the same Hope to a Christian in this life is as a staffe to a traueller section 17 in his iourney who leaneth to it and resteth vpon it shall hardly fall but shall flye aloft as the Eagles It is giuen to Hope to enter the garden of pleasures and thence to fetch all fragrant smels to season the bitternesse of our sorrowes whose nature is to glory in tryals It ouer-floweth with dainties in the pining Desart of this world Who is this that ascendeth from the Desart flowing with delights It esteemes not the losse of temporall goods for it is said of the Saints that they had sustayned with ioy the spoyling of their goods And whom haue I in heauen but thee and there is none in earth with thee It bringeth rest in labour a shadow against the heate of tribulation ioy in mourning it sheweth vs life in death and heauen as it were in hell Hee may boldly giue saith one that hath so good a pawne and hee may be sure of heauen that hath the pledge of an assured Hope But Despayre is as a tree pulled vp by the rootes it is a bottomlesse gulfe out of which few or none returne that fall into it CHAP. IX The true knowledge and assured perswasion of the Resurrection of our bodyes much furthereth our chearefull resolution to Death section 1 NOW for as much as the fairest frame and building with all the prouision and preparation thereunto is nothing worth if the ground-worke and foundation be not sure and vnmoueable besides the abuse of the time costs and persons imployed about the same frustrating the purpose and end of the builder with the ruines of despayre So all that hath hitherto beene spoken of Life and Death of Heauen and Hell of Christians and Infidels of Faith and Hope and other furniture and prouision for the assured fruition of a blessed life is but spoken in the ayre and a fighting with our shadow if there be no sure demonstration of the vndoubted resurrection of our bodies For then saith the Apostle Paul our Preaching is in vaine our Faith in vaine Christ dyed in vaine all Religion in vaine the persecutions and sufferings of Gods children in vaine nay then let vs scoffingly conclude with Epicures and Atheists Let vs eate and drinke for to morrow wee shall dye But such euill words corrupt good manners I will therefore endeauour as much as in me lyeth to make it plaine
comfort in his trouble and still his promise refreshed his soule reason 1 The reason hereof is first in regard of God himselfe the Author thereof Who is the Father of mercies and God of all comfort which thus comforteth vs in all our tribulations which is our rod and our staffe our onely hope and refuge in troubles ready to be found When Abraham belieued God and obeyed his word in forsaking his Countrey and following him whether he would haue him hee needeth neither to care nor feare then God wil be his buckler his exceeding great reward If he walke before him and be vpright then God all-sufficient will make a supply of all his wants and will blesse those that blesse him and curse those that curse him If wee once dwell in the secret of the most high and abide in the shadow of the Almighty If wee make God our hope and fortresse to trust in him then will he deliuer vs from the snare of the Hunter and all noysome euils then need we not to feare the dangers by night or day his truth shall bee our shield and his Angels our guide Thus if we loue him will he deliuer vs he will exalt vs because we haue knowne his name If the Lord bee our light and saluation whom shall we feare If he be the strength of our life of whom shall wee be afraid For in the time of trouble hee shall hide vs in his Tabernacle in the secret place of his tent shall be hide vs and set vs vpon a rocke Paul therefore in the person of the faithfull challengeth heauen and earth with all their force and still resolueth That nothing is able to separate him from the loue of God Secondly Gods word is so effectuall to comfort and recouer reason 2 vs in our greatest extremities in respect of the nature qualitie and vertue thereof being the immortall seed to beget vs againe to a liuely hope Of his owne will begat he vs by the word of truth And so it is called the word of faith and life and that grace of God which bringeth saluation to all belieuers It is full of heauenly wisedome which all the aduersaries of Gods children are not able to resist In it are contained all the promises of God to comfort vs confirme our faith Notable perswasions to appease the troubled conscience with most excellent examples of all sorts both persons and causes to encourage vs euen a whole cloude of witnesses companions of our faith and patterns of our patience in their variety of crosses and afflictions Besides the most famous example of the author and finisher of our faith Christ Iesus himselfe to whose sufferings wee must bee conformed with whom if we suffer we shall raigne together with him Now hee for the ioy that was set before him endured the Crosse and despised the shame and now is set at the right hand of the throne of GOD. There shall wee learne to put on the whole armour of God that we may be able to stand against all the assaults of the Diuell and quench all the fiery darts of the wicked For without it we come naked and vnharnessed as Souldiers into the field to fight vse 1 Which doctrine must make vs very studious of Gods word and diligently to search the Scriptures as wee loue our safety and saluation that so we may fight the good fight of faith and lay hold of eternall life to buckle about vs this armour of proofe which is able not onely to defend vs but to foyle all our spirituall aduersaries and their forces whensoeuer they shall assaile vs. These weapons are not carnall but mighty through God to cast downe holdes and euery thing that is exalted against the knowledge of GOD and will enable vs to wrestle not onely against flesh and bloud but against principalities and powers against worldly Gouernours and Princes of darkenesse yea against all spirituall wickednesse in the highest places This made our Prophet to say I reioyce at thy word as one that findeth a great spoyle In Gods word will I reioyce in the Lords word will I comfort mee Let therefore the word of God dwell in vs plenteously and that in all wisedome to teach and admonish vs how to behaue our selues and hold out in our greatest afflictions Thus Christ got the conquest ouer Sathan and his temptations who hereby was forced to forsake him and so shall wee be sure by the shield of faith and word of the spirit which is the word of God to quench all their fiery darts The comfort of this Word made Peter to sleepe as soundly in the prison bound with two chaines as if he had beene at liberty in a Pallace And Paul and Sylas to sing as sweetly after their imprisonment and beating as in their greatest hearts ease and liberty And this made the Apostles to reioyce That they were counted worthy to suffer rebuke for Christs name Secondly it confuteth and confoundeth all Epicures vse 2 and Atheists that scorne at God and all religion that make a mocke at his word and contemne his ordinance What profit is it say they to walke in his wayes They say to God Depart from vs we desire not the knowledge of the highest Who therefore become desperate in their tryals and afflictions being ready for any comfort they can finde to hang and murther themselues with Iudas Saul and Achitophell The delight hee had in Gods law kept him from perishing whence we thirdly obserue That Gods law and word cannot simply profit vs except doctrine 3 we take ioy and comfort in the same we must first taste and proue the sweetnes thereof we must before-hand finde out and feele the vertue thereof as of our foode and phisicke before it can strengthen our hearts heale cure and recouer vs from the maladies and miseries of our afflicted estate When wisedome entreth into thy heart and knowledge delighteth thy soule then and not before shall counsell preserue thee and vnderstanding shall keepe thee and deliuer thee from the euill way and from the man that speaketh froward things c. When we once delight in the law of the Lord and exercise our selues therein day and night then shall wee flourish like the planted trees by the riuers of water that are fruitfull in due season whose leaues shall neuer fade in any drought of danger Then I say whatsoeuer wee doe and take in hand shall thriue and prosper So that if wee will haue comfort in our afflictions wee must first finde comfort in the ministerie of the Word for there is true ioy and peace to be found there is life and saluation as before was said the sweet promises of God faith grace spirituall strength and euery good thing offered vnto vs. GODS Church with the holy ministerie thereof is CHRISTS Garden of pleasures wherein hee
are but dead and damned vse 2 This word considered in the properties power and wonderfull effects thereof sheweth vs also the difference betweene it and the lawes of mortall men their doctrines and traditions their commandements and inuentions This word alone is the rule of faith and the resoluer of the conscience All other humane deuises are but as straw and slubble yea drosse it selfe to the purest gold This hath beene tryed to the vtmost in the furnace and is still more glorious The turning of mens deuises are but as clay Should not a people enquire at their God To the law and the testimony for shame if they speake not according to his word it is because there is no light in them And Ieremie reproacheth those that say they are wise Ye haue cast away the word of the Lord and what wisedome is in you Therefore the Prophet that hath a dreame let him tell a dreame and he that hath my word let him speake my word faithfully What is the chaffe to the Wheate Is not my word euen like a fire saith the Lord and like a hammer that breaketh stones c. See more in the vses of the first doctrine The end of the first Sermon The second SERMON LAMENT 3.55.56.57 I called vpon thy name O Lord out of the low dungeon thou hast heard my voyce stop not thy eare from my sight and from my crie Thou drewest neare in the day that I called vpon thee Thou saidst feare not O Lord thou hast maintained the cause of my soule and hast redeemed my life THe Prophets meaning is that hee prayed heartily to God the ruler of the whole world from the place condition of greatest extremity when no meanes of deliuerance appeared resting still in the experience of Gods loue who heretofore had heard his petitions and now hopeth will not refuse them being earnest and hearty And though he seeme to be farre off will yet take notice of them in the manifestation of his loue in the meanes according to his gracious promise still encouraging his seruants in their greatest dangers Neither doubteth hee but God will defend both his life and good cause that procured the danger and will send deliuerance from the lands of all those that would destroy him and his Church The words containe first a description of the Prophets misery in times past Secondly the meanes hee vsed for his deliuerance Thirdly the fruits and effects thereof His misery is enlarged 1. In regard of the place being a low dungeon 2. In regard of his condition hee sighed and sorrowed he was full of feare and in danger of his life The meanes which he vsed was Prayer which is commended 1. For the faithfulnes 2. For the feruency thereof For the faithfulnes he called vpon God alone and grounded his prayer onely vpon his name and power For the feruency of his prayer he saith hee called cryed sighed and sorrowed 3. The fruits and effects of his prayer are noted by these circumstances 1. God heard him 2. Hee drew neare manifesting his care and prouidence towards him in the meanes 3. He freed him from feare maintained his cause and redeemed his life from the danger of death The summe is that as God heretofore had heard and deliuered him in and from such great dangers and distresse so he would still heare helpe and deliuer him and his afflicted Church in sauing him and redeeming him and it from their so great present dangers and afflictions Being in the low dungeon destitute of all worldly helpe hee called vpon the name of the Lord Teaching vs. That true faithfull prayer and inuocation of Gods name doctrine 1 is a most soueraigne means remedy for comfort and deliuerance in and from our greatest distresses when all other helpes doe faile vs this will serue our turne and is the onely refuge of all Gods children I looked vpon my right hand but there was none that would know me all refuge failed wee then cryed I to the Lord and sayd thou art my hope When the snares of death compassed me and the griefes of the graue caught me when I found trouble and sorrow then I called vpon the name of the Lord saying I beseech thee O Lord deliuer my soule reason 1 The reason hereof is that God hath commanded and ordained it so to be Call vpon me in the time of thy trouble so will I deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me Come to me saith Christ all that trauaile and are laden and I will ease you Hee shall call vpon mee and I will heare him I will be with him in trouble I will deliuer him and glorifie him reason 2 Secondly God is the iudge reuenger and defender of all his that suffer wrong he heareth all causes and controuersies defendeth the cause of the widdow and fatherles he sitteth in the throne and iudgeth right O Lord God the auenger exalt thy selfe clerely exalt thy selfe thou iudge of the world How long shall the wicked triumph and so he concludeth that God is his refuge and rocke of his hope The vse hereof is to make vs feruent and forward in prayer Is any man afflicted let him pray for the prayer of a vse 1 righteous man preuaileth much if it be feruent heauen and the eare of God is open to him When Moses held vp his hand Israell preuailed That the Israelites might see that his hand had a greater stroake in the fight then all theirs the successe must rise and fall with it Therefore we must wrestle with Iacob who by his strength had power with God and striue with Paul and stand in the gap with Moses Secondly it condemneth all such as contemne this ordinance vse 2 and doe not preferre this meanes before all other without which indeed all other actions and instruments are vnholy and vnprofitable as Chariots Horsemen Money Bread Physicke which most excellent ordinance of God is yet least and last thought vpon by many For if men or diuells can sted them they will not be beholden vnto God when it is too late then will they send for the Priest as their Prouerbe is yet so will infidells doe Yea Pharoh himselfe with Ahab and the greatest Athiests vse 3 Thirdly it maketh for the consolation of Gods children that their case cannot be desperate or themselues destitute of helpe If they can but call and cry vnto God if they can but sigh and groane though they can but chatter like a Swallow with Ezekiah make a noyse in their prayers with Dauid and but euen mooue their lips with Hannah it is sufficient if thy soule bee powred out with hers for God knoweth the meaning of the spirit which likewise helpeth our infirmities So that when Gods children are in any danger faith doth accompany them and mooueth them to prayer and in praying they are still more feruent they can neuer be