vntwist euery specialty I will proceed as I may and beginne with the first praying you all that inasmuch as the same dissolution of nature awaites vs all which hath long since brought Paul to his exspected Rest we would yeeld our selues to be so farre forth perswaded by that which by Gods assistance I shall speake that by seeking to imitate Pauls hope we may at last partake the same happines which Paul doth Before I come to the more exact discouerie of the hidde Treasure of this my Text d Doctrine out of the order of the place I must commend vnto you this generall obseruatioÌ„ grounded vpon the course and order of this Place namely That the most solide comfort to a Christian soule beholding the greisly and ghastly countenance of approching Death is the Testimony which the Heart beareth to it selfe of the former steady care to walke in all good conscience before God I would be loth to be charged with offering violence to my Text therefore I will let you see how this doctrine ariseth kindly and vn-enforced from this scripture Wee see first our Apostle in a resolued expectation of his now very neere at hand departure that is expresse we see him also assuring himselfe of no smaller honour then a Crowne of Righteousnes so much the verse following will not suffer vs to denie If it be demaunded now whence it was that his thoughts of death were so full of comfort and his hopes of happines so full of confidence the truest answer is this it came even from hence that the witnes in his bosome speaking the truth before the Witnes in heauen * Iob. 16.19 testified with him and for him that in all his course from the very first instant of his conuersion vnto this last conclusion and shutting vp of his daies his whole drift was in simplicity and godly purenes to haue his Conuersation in the World x Cor. 1.12 I haue fought a good fight I haue finished my course c. So that this considered there is very sufficient footing for this doctrine in this Text. Giue me leaue to shew you in an example or two how others of Gods holy ones being guided by the same spirit haue in the like case grounded their hopes vpon the like foundation Note well the example of Hezekiah y Is 38.1 c. He knew generally by natures instinct that he must die but at this time I now speake of the prophet of the Lord euen the prophet Isaiah came vnto him with this dolefull message Put thine house in order for thou shalt die and not liue Whom would not these tidings haue stroken to the heart and what could Hezakiah expect but present death well then all things threatning his end the common condition of nature the mortality of present sicknes being as it is thought the plague and aboue all the doome come from the Lord by the hand of such a prophet where was the staffe of Hezekiahs comfort but euen as our Apostles was in the secret witnes of his owne soule testifiing vnto him the sincerity and holines of his former course O Lord remember now how I haue walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and haue done that which was good in thy fight Who so compareth this of Paul with that of Hezekiah must needs say that they were both euen the very breathings of one and the same spirit Thinke we that Eliïah sitting vnder the Iuniper tree z 1. Kin. 19.4.10 could with any comfort haue desired the Lord to take his soule if he had not had his assurance written vpon the table of his heart a Pro. 3.3 that he had bene alwaies very iealous for the Lord God of hosts Could old Simeon with a glad spirit haue besought the Lord euen instantly to dismisse him if his conscience had not told him that all his life past had bene an intentiue awaiting for the Consolation of Israel b Luc. 2.2.25.26 But what should I search the scripture for more examples Looke to Iesus the author and finisher of our Faith c Heb. 12·2 and see whether when he a as man made sinne for vs d 2. Cor. 5.21 was to drink that bitter Cup e Mat. 26.39 and to taste death for vs all f Heb. 2.9 his coÌ„stant expectation of partaking with his fathers glory came not by the same degrees vnto the due perfection Examine that effectuall prayer composed by him the night before his suffrings when he knew that his houre was come that he should depart out of this world vnto the Father g Ioh. 13.1 Read Ioh. 17.5.6 I haue glorified thee now glorifie me c. If you demaund a reason of this Doctrine The reason of the Doct. you may thus conceiue it and I pray you to marke it least I should be mistaken and thought to place mans hope of comfort in himselfe A man which iourneyeth builds his assurance of safe arriuing at the place he aimeth at vpon his diligence to enquire and his care to keepe the right path leading thereunto The place I intend I knowe the way I am well aduised of in it I am sure I am I haue traueiled in it as was fit therefore I am sure I shall not faile in my intent This is a kinde of reasoning which cannot deceiue So is it in this case The way to heauen is Christ I am the way h Ioh. 14.6 by his bloud he hath tracked out for vs a new and liuing way i Heb. 10. â—0 For the help of his chosen in this way he hath giuen his word He hath shewed thee O man what is good c. k Mic· 6.8 to his word he hath annexed Ministers as Guides l Act. 8.31 for vnderstanding it with the voice of his word he hath coupled the Teaching of his spirit Thine eares shall heare a word behinde thee saying This is the way c. m Is 30.21 He hath set marks also in the way by which to know it as namely 1. Antiquity Stand in the waies and aske for the old way which is the good way c. n Ier. 6.16 2. Purity There shal be a path and a way and the way shal be called Holy c. o Is 35.8 3. Fruitfulnes He hath ordained good works that we should walke in them p Eph. 2.10 4. Straitnes and the fewnes of passengers The gate is strait and the way narrow which leadeth to life and few there be that finde it q Math. 7.14 So then the marke I haue alwaies aimed at is heauen euen the Price of the high calling of God in Christ r Phil. 3.14 the way to it I haue sought not in mine owne heart nor in the guises and humors of the world but in the Scripture I haue found it to be Faith in Christ working by loue Å¿ Gal. 5.6 and making a man zealous of goodworks t Tit. 2.14 to
some sweetnes in it All these are gifts and graces of the spirit of God but yet they are not those graces which Christ meaneth by water here in this place because these be such as may befall those who notwithstanding shall neuer be saued Many a reprobate is gifted with admirable skill in crafts and sciences Demetrius seemed to be a cunning workeman yet was he no small enemy to the preaching of the Gospell Secondly the Apostle seemeth to make it a thing possible to be once enlightened and to a Heb. 6.4.5 haue tasted of the heauenly gift yet so to fall away as to be past all hope of being renued againe by repentance Thirdly at the day of Iudgement b Math. 7.22 Many will say to Christ Lord haue we not by thy name prophecied yet it shal be said to them c ver 13. Depart from me Fourthly many wicked men haue power to conforme themselues and to bridle many sinnes and to cary themselues in an outward ciuility so Abimelech the heathen d Gen. 20.6 abstained from committing folly with Abrahams wife and many a-among the gentiles excelled in morall vertues and diuers we see whom we call ciuill men demeane themselues in the eies of the world vnblameably who yet giue small hope of any true conuersion Lastly Christ in the parable sheweth that many hearers for a time belieue e Mat. 13.21 but as soone as tribulation commeth because of the word by and by they are offended Now there are besides these other speciall graces of the spirit which are proper onely to Gods children Paul saith that f 1. Tim. 4.10 God is the sauiour of all men specially of those that belieue so it may be said he giueth graces to all but in speciall manner to elect Christ is pleased in scripture to terme the church his loue his spouse The day of Iudgement is the mariage day and the time present is the wooing time in which he is as it were a suter to his church and the ministers are appointed to prepare the church for her husband g 2. Cor. 11.2 and to present her as a pure virgin vnto Christ Now he which is a suter to a woman himselfe being a man of worship and ability howsoeuer to testifie his bounty and to make knowne his loue to his beloued he will bestowe gifts vpon the seruants of the family yet if he haue any â—ewell of worth and price that he reserueth for her on whom his loue is fixed so Christ Iesus conferreth common fauours euen vpon the reprobate to make knowne his riches and withall for the good of his chosen but the speciall and choise and selected graces these he keepeth onely for the true members of his church And these are the graces meant by christ in this place they are in order these which follow 1. The gift of regeneration which is that whereby a man of a Limme of Sathan is made a member of Christ of a childe of the diuell The proper gifts is become the sonne of God That this is a worke of Gods spirit appeareth by Christ his words Except a man be borne of water and of the spirit h Ioh. 3.5 c. And therefore fitly is the holy Ghost compared to Water because as water doth moisten that which is hard So the holy Ghost doth supple and soften and put the sappe of Grace into the drie and dead and rotten Heart of Man So that where the spirit of God is there the Heart is renued the nature changed the delight in sinne asswaged and a loue of holines and godlines as it were a new iuyce begunne in the soule This is the first proper gift 2. The knowledge of a mans owne Reconciliation to God by the meanes of Christ Iesus Hereof speaketh the Apostle The spirit beareth witnesse with our spirit that we are the Children of God It is true i Rom. 8.16 the nature of man cannot attaine to this knowledge But we k 1. Cor. 2.12 haue receiued the spirit which is of God That we might know the things that are giuen to vs of God And indeede it cannot be but that if God haue beene pleased of his goodnes to make any man or woman his Child he will likewise make knowne the same fauour 〈◊〉 him or her especially seing it is so greatly for our comfort For as on the one side it is the greatest miserie for a man to be in continuall suspense not knowing whether his sins are forgiueÌ„ him so what greater coÌ„fort can there be to a man to be assured of Gods fauour toward him 3. The gift of obedience for as a man that dwelleth in a house as the owner of it ordereth it and gouerneth it at his pleasure so the Holy Ghost gouerneth all those in whome he abideth l Rom. 8.14 they are all ledde by the spirit which are the Lords The spirit represseth all badde motions drawing vnto sinne springing from the Corruption of our Nature suggested by Sathan and occasioned by the beguiling entisements of this euill world and withall it stirreth vp good desires holy Thoughts inclining to Pietie and godlines 4. Praier that is a will and abilitie in some good measure to haue recourse vnto the Lord by Praier vpon all occasions and to poure out a Mans wants and necessities before him For this is a generall and a certaine rule that as naturally euery child being pinched with want acquainteth the Father with his necessities building vpon his loue and willingnes to doe him good so he which is the child of God hath alwaies this Property to make Prayer vnto God his first meanes whereby to obtaine that which he doth desire and to be freed from that wherewith he is oppressed Now that which worketh this in vs is Gods spirit For seeing wee of our selues doe neither know our necessities nor knowing them can tell how to bemoane them therefore Gods spirit is giuen to helpe our Infirmities to assist vs in the framing of our suites that so our prayers may be pleasing vnto God and comfortable to our soules And for this the spirit of God is called the m Zach. 12.10 spirit of supplications because it furnisheth a man both with will and knowledge also to powre out his soule vnfeinedly to the Lord. 5. Comfort in distresse For whereas the children of God are subiect to manifold greeuances partly in regard of inward conflicts with sinne and the terrors of their owne Conscience partly in respect of outward annoyances the spirit of God is giuen vnto them to releeue them to minister comfort vnto them to vphold them to make them able with cheerfulnes to hold out in the midst of the greatest extreamities whatsoeuer For this cause the spirit is called the n Ioh. 15.26 Comforter and o Psal 45.7 Oyle of gladnes because he doth refresh and cheere the poore distressed soules of Gods children 6. Strength There are many things which the profession of
imagine he desireth to be rich who though he be in want yet perceiueth it not Reason it selfe is cleane against it I pray thee therefore learne this lesson which though perhaps it may now be learned yet it will find thee worke for thy life though thou shouldest liue yet many yeares All Gods children long vnfainedly for saluation if thou haue not the same affection with them thou canst not haue the same saluation with them thou wilt say I know if thou be asked O God forbid I were a wretch if I did not long to be saued I pray thee be not deceiued A slight wish to l Num. 2â— 10 dye the death of the righteous as Balaam had thou maist haue and yet no longing It is a matter longer in comming then thou which feelest it not art yet aware of Thy heart must first be softened before saluation can be longed for and I tell thee it is a hard thing to circumcise the heart and to make it bleed it hath a skinne growne ouer it which is not easily remoued Therefore pray the Lord m Num. 20. which made waters flow out of the rocke to smite thy flintie heart to n Eze. 11.19 take the stony heart out of thy bodie to open thy heart as he did o Act. 16.14 Lydiaes to put a new spirit within thy bowels to p Reu. 3.18 annoynt thine eyes with eye-salue that so thou mayest see and feele thy owne wretchednesse and mayest feelingly acknowledge with Paul that in thy q Rom. 7.18 Flesh there dwelleth no goodnesse with Dauid r Ps 38.4 that thine iniquities are as a waightie burden too heauie for thee with Iacob Å¿ Gen. 32.10 that thou art lesse then the least of all Gods mercies with Daniel t Dan 9.7 that open shame belongeth to thee with u Iob. â— 3 Iob that thou canst not answer him one thing of a thousand that so thou mayest haue if it be possible but euen a glimpse of that wofull score which the Lord hath against thee against the day of reckoning and a tast of the horror of hell then and neuer till then wilt thou long to be saued then and neuer till then will the mercie of God be sweet vnto thee when thou feelest the intolerable burthen of a * Pro. 18 14. wounded spirit thy soule will x Math. 5.6 thirst after righteousnesse and all things will be but y Phil. 3.8 dung vnto thee that thou mayest winne Christ the tiâ—…ngs of him will make thy very hâ—art z Luc. 1.41 to leap with in thee as the greeting of Mary did the babe in the wombe of Elizabeth they will come downe vpon thy perplexed soule a Ps 72.6 like the raine vpon the mowne grasse and as the showers that water the earth So much for the first part Dauids longing The second parte Now followeth the second part Dauids loue Thy law is my delight Many words of like effect Dauid vseth in this Psalme yet we may not account them any idle repetitions but rather repute them as testimonies of abundance of zeale the heart of a religious man being like the fire which in the strength thereof breaketh forth into many sparcles so that also out of the inward abundance bursteth out into many speaches Touching the thing it selfe the matter you see of Dauids loue it is the lawe By which word he doth not here vnderstand that part of Gods reuealed will which with a respect and reference had vnto the Gospell is called the lawe the vse whereof is as Paul teacheth to b Rom. 4.15 cause wrath to c Rom. 3.19 stop euery mouth that all may be culpable before God but here it is taken in a larger sense for the whole word of God and for the entire body of the holy doctrine which is d 2. Tim. 3.16.17 giuen by inspiration of God to make vs perfect vnto all good workes This was that which was Dauids delight the ioy of his heart and gladding of his soule the very quickning and enliuing of his spirits And it is by the way worthy to be obserued in Dauid that still looke what affection he professeth to carie to God himselfe the same he also professeth to cary to his word as he saith he e Ps 116.1 loueth God so he saith also f Ps 116.97 he loueth his lawe g ver 120. as he feareth God h ver 161. so his heart stood in awe of the word as he said i ver 57. O Lord that art my portion so he said k ver 111. thy testimonies haue I taken as an heritage for euer which is meet to be noted both for the better illustration and manefestation of Dauids heart and for the discouery of the idle protestations which many make who if they be dealt with concerning the true knowledge of God and the way of saluation will answer what tell you me of these things say what you can I am sure you can tell no more but this that I must loue God aboue all things c. And I trust I shall alwaies loue God as well as you or the best learned But now here is their hipocrisie descried in that they haue so small loue vnto the word This by the way though not vnprofitably Doctrine To come neerer to the point the thing which we learne hence out of Dauids ioyning these two together I long for saluation and thy lawe is my delight is this that it is not inough for a man to say he longes and desires to be saued vnlesse he make conscience to vse the appointed meanes to bring him thereunto It had bene but hipocrisie in Dauid to say he longed for saluation if his conscience had not bene able to witnes with him that the lawe was his delight It is meere mockery for a man to say he longeth for bread and prayeth to God euery day to giue him his dayly bread if he yet either walke in no calling or els seeke to get by fraud and rapine not staying himselfe at all vpon Gods prouidence Who will imagine that a man wisheth for health who either despiseth or neglecteth the meanes of his recouery God hath in his wisedome appointed a lawfull meanes for euery lawfull thing this meanes being obediently vsed the comfortable obtaining of the end may be boldly looked for the means being not obserued to thinke to attaine to the end is meere presumption God would deliuer Noah from the floud but Noah l Heb. 11.7 must be moued with reuerence and prepare the Arke or els he could not haue escaped He would saue Lot from Sodom but yet Lot m Gen. 19. must hye him out quickly and not looke behinde him till he haue recouered Zoan n Is 38.21 He was pleased to cure Hezekiah of the plague but yet Hezekiah must take a lumpe of drye figs and lay it vpoÌ„ his boile He vouchsafed to preserue Paul and his company at