delight and desire Pag. 184. 1. Christ is the Object of thy delight Delight is unlawful and lawful 1. Vnlawful 'T is then unlawful when 't is 1. Sinful 2. Hypocritical 3. Treacherous 2. Lawful This is 1 Natural 2 Spiritual Thus 1. In the People of God 2. In the Commandments of God 3. In God himself Quest What manner of delight is this delight Pag. 186. Sol. 1. A Strong 2. A Holy 3. A cordial 4. A constant delight 2. Christ is the Object of thy desire This desire is 1 Natural 2 Spiritual That Christ is a Person without compare in a Christians eye and the Object of a Christians desire will appear by a reflection 1. Of his Person 1. As Man 2. As God-Man Pag. 188. 2. Of his Affection 1. In the freeness of it 2. In the fulness of it 3. In the firmness of it To this is superadded that Christ is the Churches 1. Mercy 2. Merit 3. Mine 4. Mirror Quest But what manner of desires are cordial desires Pag. 193. Sol. 1. Good 2. Lawful 3. Working 4. Constant 5. Holy 6. Hard. 7. Acquiescing Unto which three things are added 1. Whether cordial desires shall be answered 2. Why cordial desires shall be answered Because 1. Imposed 2. Promised 3. Encouraged There 's encouragement 1. Unto these desires 2. After these desires 3. How cordial desires shall be answered 1. In kind 2. In effect Cordial 10. Christ is the Physician of greatest value Quest But what manner of Physiician is Christ Pag. 200. Sol. 1. Choice 2. Costly 3. Cheap 4. Appointed 5. Approved 6. Loving 7. Living 8. Valuable 9. Sadden 10. Seasonable 11. Sutable 12. Incomparable Cordial 11. Art actually Christs Be joyous also for the Death of Him is the Death of His. Pag. 206. 1. Christ disarms the first Death 2. Christ prevents the second Death 1. He will be thy Guide unto Death 2. He will be thy Guide thorough Death THE DEATH of CHRIST THE DEATH of DEATH Section I. Whether there be a Natural or Corporal Death the Circumference of the Universe THE word Death is capable of a various Acceptation in the Sacred Scripture There is an Vniversal Death But of the tree of knowledg of Good and Evil thou shalt not eat Gen. 2.17 Moriendo morieris 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Obnoxius eris morti tum Corporis tum Animae Joh. 14.6 for in the day thou eatest thereof dying thou shalt die So the Hebrew and Junius Thou shalt surely and suddenly die so Ainsworth Thou shalt die the Death so the Septuagint Now this is if I mistake not both the first and the second Death so Pool in his Synopsis It is temporal and eternal Death together with the Causes Signs Antecedentes Consequents and Effects of it whatsoever so that all Dangers Difficulties and Deaths are implied in this Judgment threatned for Disobedience Dying thou shalt die That is thou shalt Die this way that way every way if Christ who is the Way the Truth and the Life interpose not between Thee and Death There is a Judicial Death He that believeth not is condemned already Joh. 3.18 because he believeth not in the Name of the only begotten Son of God The Man is under the Judgment before the Judgment the Man is already cast the Sentence is past 12 Verse of Judes Epistle only there is a suspension of the Execution We read in Jude of those who are Twice dead Dead spiritually for want of a principle of Life and dead judicially under the Wrath of God They were obnoxious to the first death by original corruption and obnoxious to the second death by actual transgression They were dead say one in respect of their natural Condition Jenkins in â—lo pool in loc Piscator and dead in respect of their final Declension Twice dead altogether dead They were obnoxious to the first Death by Nature and to the second Death by Sin These men were alive naturally Quest. though dead spiritually how then were they twice dead They were judged twice dead Sol. either Because a spiritual Death is so great a Death that it may well go for two Deaths One spiritual Death is worse than a thousand natural Deaths Or They are said to be twice dead because they were dead both in regard of an internal Habit of Grace Caryl in loc p. 553. and in regard of an external Act of Grace There is a spiritua Death This Death looks two waies To the Saint to the Sinner To the Saint Now the Saint is dead To the Law Thus he is dead To the Ceremonial Law If ye be dead with Christ from the Rudiments or Elements of the world Col. 2.20 A majore ad minus why as though living in the world are ye subject to Ordinances It is an Argument from the greater to the less Ye are freed from the Rites which God himself prescribed freed from worldly Philosophy or Judaical Ceremonies Pool in loc therefore freed from new Rites by men invented or from old Rites by humane Authority revoked as one saith upon the place To the Moral Law I through the Law am dead to the Law Gal. 2.19 that I might live to God I have no Commerce with the Law I through the Law of Faith am dead to the Law of Works I through the Law of Christ am dead to the Law of Moses That I might live to God that I might live according to the Precept of Christ live according to the Gospel of Christ The Saint is dead to the world God forbid that I should glory Gal. 6.14 Contemptus est a me save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ by whom the world is crucified unto me and Romanus Fervor Furor I unto the world The Apostle here speaks of the World as Luther did of Rome I contemn the Heat and Fury of Rome Thus did the Apostle I contemn the world and the things thereof the world and the things therein The Saint is dead to Sin As to be dead in sin is the worst death so to be dead to sin is the best Death How shall we that are dead to sin Rom. 6.2 live any longer therein To be dead to sin is to be freed from the servitude of sin to have the Force and Power of sin killed It is a metaphor taken from Death because Death is the privation of Life and of Actions To the Sinner Now the Sinner is dead in sin As the Saint or Soul in Christ is dead to sin so the Sinner or Soul out of Christ is dead in sin And you who were dead in trespases and sins Ephes 2.1.5 Hath he quickened these words are not in the Greek The sense here is imperfect but this is supplied in a verse following Even when we were dead in sins hath quickened us together with Christ made alive together with Christ so the Greek What he had touched upon in the first verse he repeats in the fifth verse and
that to this end To shew the Generality of the Condition All naturally are dead dead in sin To shew the Certainty of it We may believe it and are not to be unbelieving about it To shew the Corruptibility of our Nature Though we are dead yea dead in sin yet it is connatural unto us to be unwilling to take notice of it There is an eternal Death Is the first Death so amazing so amusing what is the second Death then Is the first Death The King of terrours to a Christless Soul who then is able to say what the second Death is to this Soul There is the second Death as well as the first Death He or She that overcometh shall not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rev. 2.11 not so the Greek be hurt of the second Death There is a twofold Death both of the Body and of the Soul The first Death of the Body is the Separation of the Soul the second Death of the Body is the Torment of Eternity There is also a twofold Death of the Soul 1 Separatio Animae The first Death of the Soul is Sin the second Death of the Soul is a casting out from the Face of God 2 Cruciatus aeterni and that for an Eternity Hell as some fancy is not Mount Aetna 1 Peccatum nor yet Purgatory according to the conceit of the blind and bloody Papist Hell must needs be a dismal place 2 Profectio à facie Dei in aeternum a Dungeon of Darkness for the Sun-shine of Gods presence never comes there To the damned saith one the Loss of Heaven is more grievous than the Torment of Hell Heaven and Hell are the greatest Opposites Estius Matth. 11.23 or remotest Extreams And thou Capernaum that art lifted up to Heaven shalt be thrown down to Hell The second Death is Hell and the punishment thereof the punishment of Sense and of Loss There is a corporal or natural Death Moses my servant Josh 1.2 is dead How great soever and good soever Moses was he is dead now he is gone off the Stage now he is gathered to his Fathers now he is gone into an Eternity now Moses is dead and God preach his Funeral Sermon Joh. 11.32 Moses my servant is dead Lord said Mary if thou hadst been here my Brother had not died This is natural or corporal Death which is the following Subject SECTION II. What this Natural or Corporal Death is which is the Circumference of the Vniverse BUT what is Natural Quest Sol. or Corporal Death I shall not pretend to a Definition which relate to the Nature and Essence but present a Description which relate to the Properties and Effects Natural Death Descriptio is the Deprivation of natural Life Death is no Essence nor Substance but Privation Death is the Disunion between the Soul and the Body A man then dies when the Body for a time and but for a time is separated from the Soul or the Soul takes leave of the Body Death is but departed Death from lifened Dust Thou hidest thy face they are troubled Psal 104.29 Mors a morsu which our first Parents tasted Isa 2.22 Mors a mora which yet tarrieth for us All. Gen. 35.18 Omne Ens est Bounm omne Ronum est Ens. thou takest away their breath they die and return unto their dust When our Breath goes out our Life goes out when we cease breathing we cease living our Breath going our Life goeth our Life is but a Breath but a Blast Mans Breath is in his nostrils God breathed into mans nostrils the breath of life Cease ye from man whose breath is in his nostrils for wherein is he to be accounted of Unless Breath goeth forth we die and Death is nothing else but a going forth of the Breath Life is a going forth of the Breath by Respiration and Death is a going forth of the Breath by Expiration It is said of Rachel And it came to pass as her soul was in departing for she died that she called his name Ben-oni that is The Son of my sorrow but his Father called him Benjamin that is The Son of the right hand God that made all things saw that all things which he made were very good Every Being is good and every Good is a Being therefore Lord saith one seeing thou hast not made Death suffer not that which thou hast not made to reign over that which thou hast made Death is a Fall August Omnes eramus ille unus Hemo Rom. 5.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which came by a Fall Adam sinning fell he falling all his posterity fell in him and with him It was not Man but Man-kind that fell By one man sin entred into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men in whom so the Greek all have sinned Nature when she was young caught a fall as Mephihosheth did whereof she hath halted ever since Breath departing is dying and departed Breath is Death Death is not a Creature but the Grave of Creatures Jam. 1.15 Who ever was the Father of Death Sin was the Mother of Death if the Apostle may be credited Sin when it is finished bringeth forth death The first and the second Death are the products of sin Sin Lex naturae Tributurn mortalium Plato Visibile Verbum is that unhappy Womb that have been productive of the first and second Death Death as one calls it is the Law of Nature and Tribute of Mortals It is the municipal Law of the Earth to die once of Heaven to live for ever of Hell to die for ever We may call Death a Visible Word I am writing of natural Death it is as natural to die as to live yet when we say a man dies naturally we seem to speak improperly for a Man dies not as a Beast dies through the Annihilation of Nature but from the Appointment of God It is once appointed unto man to die Heb. 9.27 and after death the Judgment The word once say some is not to be referred to die as if there were some suspition that man could die twice but the word once is referred to appoint it was once appointed and that once shall stand It is enough that God hath once appointed Death but after this the Judgment Some understand this of a particular Judgment which God passeth upon the Soul immediately after death but if I mistake not we may with once interpret it of the general Judgment Estius Pool in loc which will be a solemn Promulgation and total Execution of the Sentence Once for All. SECTION III. Whether Natural or Corporal Death be the Circumference of the Vniverse DEath is the Circumference of the Vniverse Death's Motto is Nulli cedo and every mans Line meet in this Circumference To be a Man is to be mortal for to be a Man is to be a Sinner To be unwilling to die is to
shall dye in your sins except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish If ye come not to me and close not with me upon Gospel-terms ye will live in your wounds and lie in your wounds and die in your wounds and be damned for your wounds How freely did Christ deal with the woman John 4.16 17 18. He said unto her Go call thy Husband and come hither The woman answered and said I have no Husband Jesus answered and said unto her Thou hast well said I have no Husband for thou hast had five Husbands and he whom thou now hast is not thy Husband in that didst thou say truly A good Physician must also have a Ladies hand A Physician must use the Patient gently and carry it towards the Patient tenderly Herein Christ also is incomparably qualified How tenderly did Christ carry it towards the Adulteress Woman not Adulteress John 8.10 11. Woman not Harlot Woman not Whore Woman Where are those thine Accusers Hath no man condemned thee She said No man Lord. And Jesus said unto her Neither do I condemn thee Go and sin no more Art actually in Christ Cordial XI M. Knox. In Adamo primo potuimus non mori in Adamo secundo non possimus mori Be joyous at last for the death of Him is the death of death unto His. Blessed saith one is their death who have part in the death of Jesus In Adam the first there was a possibility of living in Adam the second there is an impossibility of dying I have read of One who pretended that he had a Salve for every Sore a Medicine for every Malady and could cure all diseases but death Death the Mistress of Mortals was such a disease that he could not cure Death the Emperess of the Vniverse was such a disease that he could not cure But now the death of Christ will make a cure of death it will make a cure of a twofold death of the first and the second death The death of Christ disarms the first death Oh Death where is thy sting Oh Grave 1 Cor. 15.55 56 57. where is thy victory The sting of Death is Sin and the strength of Sin is the Law but thanks be to God that giveth us the victory thorough our Lord Jesus Christ The death of Christ is the death of this death unto a person actually in Christ it is to Him a stingless death it is to Him not a Foe but a Friend this person may look this death in the face and laugh Oh Death where is thy sting As if an honest man being set upon by an High-way man should disarm him and then say Where is thy Sword now Where is thy Pistol now The death of Christ prevents the second death Oh! what is the first to the second death The second death is eternal death Rev. 2.11 Who can dwell with devouring fire who can dwell with everlasting burnings Now those actually in Christ and overcoming thorough Christ shall not be hurt of the second death He or She that overcometh shall not not so the Greek be hurt of the second death But Soul art actually in Christ that thy Soul then may be filled with joy and peace like the water-pots of Galilee up to the very brim thorough believing be in a reflection of these two concluding words Art actually in Christ Then He will be thy Guide unto death For this God is our God but how long until Sin rise or Satan rage until there be a sliding foot or a backsliding heart until I be a Captive to Temptation without or Corruption within and I fear no longer mark the words For this God is our God for ever Psal 48.14 and ever he will be our Guide even unto death Art actually in Christ Then He will be thy Guide thorough death Luk. 23.43 To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Was Socrates glad when his death approached because as he thought he should go to Homer Hesiod and other learned men whom he thought he should meet with in the other world How much more should they who live and dye in a Christ be filled with joy and peace that they shall go unto God and Christ that they shall go unto Angels and Apostles Drink now of the Brook by the way and lift up thy head for the death of Christ is the death of death Haec tria perpetuò meditare Adverbia Pauli Tit. 2.11 12. Haec tria sint Vitae regula sancta tuae HALE-LU-JAH POEMA MORTUALE OR AN ELEGY UPON DEATH THE LAW of NATURE AND TRIBUTE of MORTALS By R. M. No Poet nor the Son of a Poet. Dust Bodies are and unto Dust return Souls locked are not in a sable URN In Christo vixi morior vivamque perennè Gratia Christe mihi Gloria Christe Tibi Anno Praedicto 1679. I. The Prologue The Vale of the Author to the Reader AS with Hortensius 't is not with Me Unapt to write but apt to speak was He Nor do I with ALBERICUS compare Unapt to speak but apt to write his share For words or works their Genius rarely lay But haltingly do I go either way Death subject is a Cup full to the Brim An Ocean where Elephants may swim In POETRY I 'm learning but to spell Are Deeps exhausted with a Muscle-shell One was a Mute wise Cato being there Give fancy Vent Du-Bartas was not here This Poem now takes air our mortal Fate As to CONDOLE so to Congratulate Dost live to dye this shews a doleful state Dost dye to live this Dolour antiquate Is Truth the White let that Man never speed Who from the Issue censures of the Deed. Man may attempt all Men to please as soon As He that made a Vestment for the Moon To suit each interchange ah jugling Ape Dayes scarcely two She keepeth in a Shape Prose Poems too meet with a critick woùnd Some Faults will find besides Faults to be found Wing Momus then this Book is not for Thee And Zoilus take thy Flight as far as He. Art Notional 't was no Prophetick Brain Art Critical 't is no Poetick Strain But art Celestial here lies the STRESS Most lovely Truth shews in her native Dress Now Reader take taste eat but also wish 'T is Lordly Fare though in an earthen Dish II. The Description PAle Death the Subject is but what is Death From lifened dust but a departed Breath But is not Death so worthy Meditation An Essence No nor Substance but Privation There Beings are but Death no Being have No Creature 't is for Creatures 't is a Grave Death 's but a Fall which by a Fall invaded This Microcosm whereby he was degraded Some Persens are for Debts in PRISON laid This Debt pays Man though Man be left unpaid Man mortal is this Microcosmus must Strike Sail to Death and graved be in dust Life 's but a breathing Death a Tale that 's told He doth but live that liveth to be old A Vapor is man's
be unwilling to be a Man for to be a Man is to be mortal Luther Cedo nulli As one said in the matters of God and Faith I give place to none so saith Death I give place to none As it is true what Man is he that liveth and sinneth not Eccles 7.20 Ps 89.48 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Homo There is not a just man upon earth that doth good and sinneth not It is as true what man is he that liveth and dieth not What man is he that liveth and shall not see death that is shall not die What Man What Man or Woman The Greek and the Latine words for Man comprehend both Sexes What Man so the English and Junius What strong Man so Ainsworth and the Hebrew Mi Geber Mi Geber Geber a Man so called from his power and strength A strong man or a man in his strength It is properly one who is neither a Boy nor an old Man What strong man or man in his strength is he that shall not see death that shall not die Shall he deliver his soul or Life from the hand or power of the grave From this long Text there is this short meditation That man is mortal Every man and woman is mortal and not a match for Death All men and women may die yea must die What man is he that liveth and shall not die what man that is no man Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect Rom. 8.33 34. That is none shall Who is he that condemneth That is not one Thus here what man what strong man That is no man no strong man Not Caesar nor Pompey though the one could not endure a Superiour nor the other an Equal Not Sampson or Scaliger though persons of strength not Gustavus or Huniades though persons of conduct and courage Not Alexander or Ajax though persons of Terror Not Gideon or David though persons of valour Not Peter or Paul though the one the Doctor of the Jews and the other the Doctor of the Gentiles All the Apostles died yea all the Apostles save John who had such intimacy with Jesus died violent deaths and laid down their Blood on this side the Grave concerning which Luther was so troubled that he did not Death is the way of all flesh the way of all men the way of all the world Death is a Tribute due to Nature and every man must pay this Debt what Debts soever he leave unpaid Death is the way of all men This way Gen. 47.28 31. Gen. 35.29 Jacob went He bowed himself upon the Beds-head that is he died This common way did Isaac go He gave up the Ghost died and was gathered unto his people being old and full of daies Though Isaac was old and full of daies yet he died This common way Abraham went He gave up the Ghost Gen. 25.8 and died in a good old age an old man and full of years and was gathered unto his people Though Abraham lived to a good old age yet he died He died in a good old age an old man and full The Hebrew goes no farther He died full Full of what Our Translators to fill up the sense add by way of Explication full of years This way Methuselah also went Gen. 52.7 His daies were nine hundred sixty and nine years and he died This man was long-lifted indeed would not a man living in his time have thought that he had been immortal But he was mortal Though he lived to be very gray yet he died at last If the Majesty of Heaven call him upon the stage this is the last Act wherewith the Commedy ends Et mortuus est And he died Methuselah is his name which is by Interpretation He dieth And He died is the Epitaph for every Individual Death periods the daies of a long-lifed Methuselah And He died Though he had lived so long yet he died at last Though he had lived so many daies yet there came a time when he had not a day longer to live Though he had lived so long in the world yet there came a day when his Time went into Eternity And He died All Object have not died All have not been graved All have not had a Pillow of Dust for their Head All have not passed under the first Death All Solu have died or been translated All shall die or be changed To these distinctly All that have lived have died or been translated I read but of two men who made a leap over the Grave and did not see Death Now these two were Enoch and Elijah Enoch Enoch taught as the word signifies walked with God Gen. 5.24 and was not for God took him Enoch was so little like the world that his stay was little in the world Enoch was so like God himself that God takes Enoch unto himself He was not for God took him Not that there was an Annihilation of him but a Translation of him he was personally translated Soul and Body were translated to Heaven Enoch walked with God and he was not And not He so the Hebrew He was saith one translated from the society of men Junius This is a difficult Scripture but the Apostle gives a full Heb. 11.5 and unerring Comment upon it By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death and he was not found because God had translated him for before his translation he had this testimony that he pleased God Here is One that never went to the house of the Grave As God had before translated him out of a State of Sin into a State of Grace so Enoch was such a proficient in Grace that God translated him from Grace to Glory without so much as looking into the Grave Gen. 4.17 Jude ep v. 14. There was an Enoch in the Hebrew Chanoch who was the third from Adam and who was the immediate Son of cursed Cain But this Enoch or Chanoch was according to Jude the seventh from Adam And Enoch also the seventh from Adam Enoch was so the seventh from Adam as that both Adam and Himself must be computed to be Two of that Number Enoch was not so the seventh from as to be the seventh after or the seventh that came of Adam The like expression there is in Matthew Mat. 1.17 All the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations Into which Abraham and David themselves must be taken to make them up fourteen Enoch also was not so the seventh person from Adam as that there were no more than seven persons begotten from the time of Adam to Enoch for all those six Patriarchs mentioned before Enoch are said to beget Sons and Daughters but Jenkin in loc Enoch is called the seventh from Adam because he was exactly in that particular direct Line the seventh from Adam to Him Ainsworth This Enoch after saith one he had lived so many years upon the Earth as
another but I and no other That Paradise is under promise for Converts Thou shalt be in Paradise Glory is entailed upon Grace Happiness is entailed upon Holiness and the Crown is appointed for the Converts Head Thou That this person was convinced appears in the Context Luke 23.40 41 42 Doest not thou fear God seeing thou art in the same condemnation And we indeed justly for we receive the due reward of our deeds but this man hath done nothing amiss And he said unto Jesus Lord remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom That this person also was converted appears in the Text or Christ would not have laid Paradise under promise 1 Cor. 6.9 for Paradise is for none but Converts of his own making Thou shalt be in Paradise The unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God The unrighteous as unrighteous and in a state of unrighteousness Mat. 18.3 shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Except ye be converted and become as little children ye shall not not so the Greek enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Persons must be converted as well as convinced and changed as well as called or they cannot be passed thorough the Gates into the City Ye shall not not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Not not two Negatives strengthen an Affirmative That which makes Paradise a Paradise indeed is to be with Christ there With me Thou shalt be with me in Paradise What would a Paradise be without Christ What would Heaven be though Angels be there and the Spirits of just men made perfect be there if Christ were not there Whom have I in Heaven but thee As if the Psalmist had said Heaven would not be a Heaven to me were it not for thee Christ's being with the Soul here makes a Heaven here and the Souls being with Christ hereafter makes a Heaven hereafter Would not Heaven be a Baca a valley of tears A Bochim a house of mourning if the Soul were not to find Christ there John 14.1 2 3. Let not your hearts be troubled ye believe in God believe also in me in my Fathers house are many Mansions if it were not so I would have told you I go to prepare a place for you And if I go and prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you unto my self that where I am there ye may be also That the Soul of a Convert is a Blossom of Eternity and hath a Stamp of Immortality As the Mortality of the Body so the Immortality of the Soul is legible in this Text and Truth Thou shalt be with me and that in Paradise Though thy Body dye yet thy Soul shall live yea live with me Fear not them which kill the Body Mat. 10.28 but are not able to kill the Soul Though the Body dyes the Soul lives That when Time goes into Eternity then the Converts Soul shall go into Glory To day Thou art upon earth to day and thou shalt be in Heaven to day Thy Body is upon a piece of timber this morning but thy Soul shall be in a place of Triumph before night To day To be in Paradise is much but to day to be there is more The time accents the mercy For Christ to speak in the Future Tense to a graceless Soul is not so amazing and amusing as for Christ to speak in the Present Tense For Christ to say He that believeth not shall be damned is sad but to say Thou Fool this night shall thy Soul be required of thee this is sadder For Christ to say He that believeth shall have everlasting life is much but for Christ to say To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise is much more Though thou hast been sinning to this day yet after this day thou shalt never more sin All persons are bound for Hell or for Heaven for there is no Purgatory but what is in the foolish fancy of the blind and bloody of the barbarous and butchering Papists This cruel Crew cast all men into three Ranks Some are Apostles and Martyrs persons eminently godly these they say go immediately to Heaven Some are Apostates and Persecuters of the Faith these they say go immediately to Hell There is a middle sort of ordinary sinners that immediately after death go neither to Heaven nor to Hell but to Purgatory where they say they must bear the punishment of their sins until they be prayed out Luk. 16.22 23. But all Souls are bound for Heaven or Hell The poor man dying arrived at Heaven the rich man dying arrived at Hell The Soul of this Convert was to be where the Soul of Christ was to be and did not his Soul go into Glory Ought not Christ to have suffered these things Luk. 24.26 and to enter into his Glory Was not the Soul of this Convert in Heaven before his Body was in the Grave Stephen dyed in this Faith that the Soul of a Convert goes into Glory when his Time goes into Eternity or he would not have prayed Acts 7.59 Lord Jesus receive my Spirit They stoned Stephen calling upon God and saying Lord Jesus receive my Spirit Art actually in Christ Cordial V. Triumph also for Death will grave and that at once all thy Cares and Snares all thy Fears and Tears all thy Temptations and Tribulations Art actually in Christ Death then will grave all thy Cares Martha was careful and troubled about many things As it is said Luk. 10.40 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 10.41 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 She was cumbred about much serving cumbred The Greek word to cumber or be cumbred signifies to be drawn or wried round and round about so it is said Martha Martha thou art careful and troubled about many things Martha Martha she is named twice and the name signifieth Bitter as if Christ had said Bitter Bitter 1. Bitter to her self in making her self a Drudge and neglecting the Word 2. To her Sister in chiding and accusing her Thou art careful The word signifies excessive and sinful Care 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Solicitude And troubled The word seems to signifie anxiously to be wreathed with the difficulty of a thing to be accomplished Martha was excessively and forbiddenly careful and thoughtful yea anxiously wreathed she had too much Care and Trouble when she was upon earth but she hath no care upon her now she is in Heaven Is not this the cry here Bread for the day Bread by the way Is not this the Cry here Bread for me and Bread for mine A little meal in my Barrel Eccl. 9.10 and a little Oil in my Cruse Oh says the Widow I am going to bake this Cake for me and my Son and then to dye But now Soul Death will grave all thy Cares for there is no work nor device nor knowledge nor wisdom in the Grave whither thou goest This life is a day of working but death is a night of resting This life is
to Death and to the House appointed for all living Ab Vtero ad Sepulcrum From the Womb to the Tomb is the Motto of Infant-Man Reader a Reflection upon these things together with Gods Glory thy Good and my Good have encouraged unto this work though I be the Benjamin the Least the Last of my Fathers House The work is good though the workman be bad The Subject is Death wonder not for no sooner did we begin to live but we began to die and shall continue dying until we be swallowed up of Death We dwell in Clay-Houses and our Bodies are Clay-Builts The School-men say Gratia infusa effusa diffusa that a good Thought is Grace infused a good Word is Grace effused a good Work is Grace diffused I would not out-bid my self neither would I know any thing by my self but my sin but second Thoughts and Reviews may better the first if not be better than the first Many with my self though not so much as my self may see Emendata are Emendanda that what is mended needs mending and what is bettered needs bettering yea the best sometimes not good enough to be called good It could never be said of any one but that only One Christ Jesus that he did all things well Luke 23.4 41. I find no fault in this man this man hath done all things well this man hath done nothing amiss I am not altogether insensible that my Thoughts are very short of Things and that my Words are far short of my Thoughts I dare not therefore be so peremptory concerning this Writing as Pilate was concerning his when he said John 19.22 What I have written I have written To give a penny is below an Alexander he will give a City To give Farthings and Fragments is below the Majesty and Magnificence the Grandeur and Glory of Princes and Potentates Araunah as a King gave unto David But Reader a penny to Me may be as much as a pound to Another Had I more thou shouldest have it Goats hair contributed to the Erection of the Tabernacle and the two Mites which made a Farthing received a welcome into the Treasury I have formerly sent through importunity two little-little Tracts into the World the one entituled Love to the Life the other A Paternal Gift The Author and Actor of Grace Christ Jesus the Lord by his Blessing hath made way for them into the Hands and Hearts of many Glory to God in the Highest which hath among other things encouraged the sending of this third Tract as a Modicum and Morsel and Mercy into the world also which is Mans last Scene in the acting whereof he goeth off the Stage not altogether despairing but hoping that this also through the same Blessing will meet with the like Entertainment and Welcome from those who are acquainted with Christ and acquitted by Him Reader Earl of Marlborrough to Sir Hugh Pollard Dying and dead mens dying words p. 2. it was the saying of an Earl not long before his death in a Letter of his to a Knight as followeth There is a certain thing going up and down the world called Religion that how dressed soever loseth not its Being the great and good God hath not left it without a witness more or less sooner or later in every mans Bosom to direct him in the pursuit of it Bullinger The Truth of Religion saith one is not to be judged by the Prosperity or Aversity of the Professors of it Most if not all the Learned men in the world have found that the Notion of God and Religion is the first engraven in and the last defaced out of the Minds of Men. Earl of Leicester A great person left this Testimony behind him concerning Christian-Religion that the sincere profession of it had in it Sweets and Joys that Courts were Strangers unto Basil The reason saith one why Julian and all other Apostates slight Religion is because they do not understand it Religion is a persons Interest Rolls rebuilding of the City p. 177. a Nations Interest how infatuated soever persons of worldly Grandeur and Glory may be This is the Religion of the Papists He that shall assassinate a King in Zeal for their Religion shall be canonized for a Saint Ah Religion ever to be abhorred and dreaded by those that are not of it as being resolved to propagate it self every where by secret Plots and open Violence by Fire and Sword Per Fas Nefas by Fraud and Force But what have I to do with those blind and bloody Papists with those children of Belial with those children of Blood Is this Religion of God which hath no other way to promote and propagate it self but by Fire and Massacre Is not the Religion of the Papist Rebellion Is not the Faith of the Papist Fancy Is not the Mercy of the Papist Murder Those born in England are born saith one in the Region of Religion in the Land of Goshen Mr. Ness Christians walk and work in the Valley of Vision Now Religion is the Beauty and Bulwark of a Nation It is to a Nation as the Palladium was to Troy which could not be destroyed so long as that was possessed It is like Sampsons Lock which while he retains he retains his Strength and is invincible Men differ not so much from Beasts in Reason as in Religion Religion is the highest Reason What can be more rational than for the supream Truth to be believed the highest Good to be embraced the first Cause of all things to be owned and feared and for those who were made by God and live wholly upon him to improve all for him and live wholly to him It was the will of God that the Body of Moses should be interred in a secret place unknown to any man to prevent Superstition Verse 9. of Judes ep and Idolatry among the Jews Now as the Angel and the Devil strove for the Body of Moses when he was dead And as seven Cities contended for Homer when he was dead though they cared not for him while he lived thus it fares with Religion Is it not now made a meer Eccho Do not men now speak of it Vox praeterea nihil as of the Lacedemonian-Nightingale a Voicc and nothing more Many contend and contest for the Carkass and Skeliton of it few contend for the Life and Substance of it which consisteth in Works not in Words We should rather be Agents than Disputants in Religion The Vanity of the Head is to argue much but the Sincerity of the Heart is to act much Look but into the Divine Mirror and there read such multitudes of Truths and so precious as will take up a mans time were he to live as many Years as Methuselah did Days It is not the subtle Head but the sincere Heart that shall go to Heaven That Man is under a prodigious Deception and Delusion who hopes to
there be daies in the Year of the Sun was translated from Earth to Heaven next after Adams death seven Patriarchs remaining Witnesses of his Translation Elijah Elijah a strong Lord as the word signifies called also Elias who in prayer Jam. 5.17 18. 2 King 2.11 12. prayed so the Greek that it might not rain and it did not rain that it might rain and it did rain This Elijah had his Rapture and his Rapture was a Type of Christ's Ascension He went up by a whirlwind into Heaven Elisha seeing it cryed my Father my Father the Chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof All that do live shall die or be changed Behold I shew you a mystery we shall not all sleep That is 1 Cor. 15.51 52. we shall not all die Now that by sleep he means Death the whole Discourse of that Chapter makes evident What shall become of us then This is answered in the words following but we shall be changed There shall be a corporeal and numerical Resurrection if Job may be credited Though worms destroy his body Job 19.26 27. yet in the flesh shall I see God whom I shall see for my self and mine eyes shall behold and not another though my reins be consumed within me Every man shall have a Resurection out of his own Dust The dead in Christ 1 Thes 4.16 1 Câ—â—â—5 53 54. shall rise first These shall be raised into a state of Incorruption This corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortal must put on immortality Now those then living having Christ for their Life shall not die but be changed into the same state of Incorruption Col. 3.4 and Immortality of those that shall have a numerical Resurrection given them by the power of God and the God of power SECT IV. Why Natural or Corporal Death is the Circumference of the Vniverse THat Man is Mortal and not a match for Death hath appeared why Man is mortal and not a match for Death will appear by these following Reasons Reasons Man hath sinned therefore man is mortal and must die Sin is that wretched womb wherein Death lay Rom. 6.23 The wages of sin is death All sorts and kinds of Death whether violent natural spiritual or eternal they are the stipend of sin Sin is the most mischievous thing in the world for it begins in turning the Heart from God and ends in turning God from the Heart Psal 9.17 now is not this man like to be turned into Hell Sin is that unhappy womb that have been productive of all the penal Judgments that have been in the world the first and the second Death Fire and Famine Poverty and Prison Plague and Pestilence the Rack and the Stake binding and banishing bleeding and burning they are the products of sin Oh my soul Nil nisi peccata timeo Chrysostom So Anselm all thy cares and crosses all thy fears and frowns all thy sorrows and sufferings all thy tears and troubles all thy tryals and travels they are the monstrous and prodigious Births and Effects of sin Wonder not that one said I fear nothing but sin Sin is the Mother Death is the Daughter Rom. 5.12 By one man sin entred into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men in whom all have sinned Sin is like Pandora's box which being opened was full of all evils filling the Earth with Diseases and all other Calamities What is said of War Bellum est malum complexum may be said of Sin it is a complex and complicated Evil. Sin is Evil only Evil all Evil alway Evil altogether Evil. We cannot speak worse of Sin than it is nor of Man being a Sinner than he is As God is that Good in whom is all Good Bonum in quo omnia sunt bona and no Evil so Sin is that Evil wherein is all Evil and no Good Death is the product of Sin Let the great Doctor of the Gentiles speak who had a great command of Oratory 1 Cor. 15.21 Vorstius By Man Adam the first came death That is by the Sin of Man came the Death of man by the Sin of man came the first and the second death upon man By man came death Not only Mortality as one saith but also eternal Death When the Jews are under a severe stroke they say This is part of the Golden-Calf That is this suffering is for our sin The Mother of Nero concerning him and from our sin Is it not pity that any man should say of his sin as she did of her Son Let me die so He may live Dost thou say let my sin live though I die and be damned then I say thou seemest to me to be within a step of Death within a step of Damnation Dost thou say to thy sin as God did to Joshua I will not fail Thee Josh 1.5 nor forsake thee Then I say thou art in danger of Hell fire and it is mercy to a wonder yea mercy above wonder that thou art out of Hell All men that live must die and all that die are bound for the grave that is the next stage When sin came into the world and that came in by cating Death came in with it Well may we cry Ah Sin Sin Sin thou hast digged all the graves and made all the funerals that have been in the world It was once said of the goodly Buildings of Rome that the sins of the Germans meaning the money got by the Popes Factors for sin-pardons granted the Germans have built these Thus when we see those goodly Buildings the bodies of men cast unto the ground yea cast into the ground we may truly say the sins of men have unbuilt have pulled down their Bodies Man Reas 2. is formed out of the dust therefore man is mortal and must die As our Bodies dwell in houses of clay Job 4.19 the foundations whereof are laid in the dust so our Bodies are but Clay-builts and they cannot stand long We were reared at first our of the dust and we are making to our Center every moment Bodies are but Clay-builts though some be painted and decked and beautified more than others yet all are dust and that makes to its Center Soul as thy Original was so shall thy Conclusion be as thy beginning was so shall thy endiâ— be Though Man now seem to be somewhaâ— better than dust yet to dust shall he return Bodie alive are but living dust Man is dust while he lives returns to the Dust when he dies and 〈◊〉 turned into dust after Death It was said to Adam and in him to all Mankind not only as a curse but also as a command Gen. 3.19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat thy bread until thou returnest to the ground that is until thou diest for dust thou art and unto dust shalt thou return Phil. 3.21 As thy Alpha was so shall thy Omega
night And as we are to reflect on the Certainty of Death this being a Tribute due to Nature and a Debt to be paid by every Individual so we are to reflect the Vncertainty of the Time of Death which comes to many persons as a Thief in the night suddenly silently unexpectedly SECT VIII The Impartiality of Death DEATH is common to All. Pallida mors pulsar Regum turres pauperumque tabernas Zach. 1.5 Death when she marches her Rounds knocks at a Palace as well as at a Cottage at the Princes Palace as well as at the Peasants Cottage The King as well as the Beggar may die must die The persecuting as well as the persecuted may die must die The man in his Robes as well as the man in his Rags may die must die Your Fathers where are they and the Prophets do they live for ever The Hebrew Proverb is That in Golgotha are Skulls of all sizes as well as of all sexes Death knows no difference no distance Death is like the Sword of Alexander the Great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 11.13 that knew not how to make a Difference The Apostle in the Book of Martyrs epitomized speaking of those Worthies of whom the world was not worthy saith These all died in Faith or according to the Greek according to Faith All these died naturally though they died believingly There is not a man in the Charter of man-kind but he is obnoxious to the common and equal Law of Death There are no Sons of Zerviah too hard for Death though a Sampson this great Leviathan Death account him but a straw One being asked by another where he had been answered Diogenes to Alexander the Great Job 3.19 I have been comparing the Skulls of Princes with the Skulls of Peasants the Skulls of the mightiest with the Skulls of the meanest the Skulls of the richest with the Skulls of the poorest the Skulls of the highest with the Skulls of the lowest and I find no difference The small and the great are there and the Servant is free from his Master The small cannot escape the Hands or slip through the Fingers of Death because they are little the great cannot rescue themselves from the power or break out of the hands of Death because they are big Death is impartial from the Threshold to the Throne SECT IX Directions concerning Death the Tribute of Nature and Law of Mortals This Section hath a double Aspect and looks to a Soul out of Christ and to a Soul in Christ Chap. 1. To the Soul out of Christ ARt out of Christ Take heed then of puting far away the day of Death Directions There is a wicked Proverb I thought no more of it than I did of my dying day As if a man should not concern himself with the Thoughts of Death What became of that French King when he died Lewis the 11th that would not think of Death while he lived He prohibited upon pain of Death to speak of Death in the Court There is Deaths day Non putaram and this is not to be put far away This is the Fools motto I never thought of it The Master say to the Servant Is this done Is that done The Servant say to the Master I never thought of it Mark 16.16 Luk. 13.3 Oh say Christ to the Soul why didst thou not believe and repent for He or She that believeth not shall be damned and except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish Oh say the Soul to Christ I never thought of it Oh say Christ why didst not thou love me 1 Cor. 16.22 for If any man love me not let him be Anathema Maran-atha a curse to the coming of the Lord to pass the definitive Sentence Oh say the Soul I never thought of it Oh say Christ why didst thou not Ark in me and Anchor upon me Joh. 14.6 when I am the Way the Truth and the Life Oh say the Soul I never thought of it Oh say Christ why didst thou not get Oil in thy Vessel against a dying hour and a wedding-garment against a judging hour Oh say the Soul I never thought of it Oh Soul if thou hastary love to thy self love to thy Soul take heed that â—â—ou dost not lay under that black Brand as to Death that they did as to Judgment Yâ— Amos 6.3 that put far away the evil day and cause the seat of violence to come near Oh Soul take heed thou speakest not of Death as one did of Hell Demonax who being asked what Hell was profanely said stay until I come there and I will send thee word from thence Hell is not a place to be sported with There are many that have not only a name to live but also the nature of life that sometimes tremble at the Thoughts of shooting this Gulf. That saying Isa 56.12 had too great a Tincture of Atheism To morrow shall be as this day and much more abundantly Art out of Christ Direct 2. Take heed also of taking Gods work out of Gods hand God who giveth life may call for it when he pleaseth but man must not Gen. 22.2 God imposed upon Abraham an Oblation of Isaac it had been Murder for the Father to have killed the Son had not God imposed it God is the Being of Beings and doth all things well Some Romish Parasites have flattered the Pope into this divine priviledge which is peculiar to God and the prerogative of God God is so high that he cannot look above himself but looks below himself and hath none to whom he is to give an Account of his Actions Behold he taketh away Job 9.12 who shall turn him away who may say unto him what dost thou yet the blind and the bloody Papists have slattered the Pope into this divine priviledge no man must question him do what he will if he carry thousands to Hell with him no man must say unto him what dost thou I kill and I make alive I wound and I heal neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand is a Dialect becoming a God but unbecoming a man Gods work is not to be taken out of Gods hand Might not the consent of Paul to the Death of Stephen lay near Pauls heart so long as he lived Act. 22.20 When the blood of thy Martyr Stephen was shed I also was standing by consenting to his death and kept the rayment of them that slew him Oh Soul take heed of breathing their Veins and letting out their Vitals unto whom Death is stingless Take heed of having a hand in their Death who through grace see the Death of Death in the Death of Christ If those who are actually Christs die a natural Death God takes notice of it Moses my servant is dead Josh 1.2 Psal 116.15 But if they die a violent Death God takes especial notice of it Precious in the eyes of Jehovah is the
death of his Saints If a Christian of Christs making goes bleeding to Heaven or burning to Heaven if he lays down his Blood on this side the Grave this goes near the heart of God Art out of Christ Direct 3. tremble then for in a moment thou mayest die and be damned too They spend their time in mirth Job 21.13 Anxius vixi dubius morior Oh ens entium miserere mihi Sed c. Arist Job 18.14 Caryl in loc and in a momeut go down to the grave Death by the Philosopher is called of all formidable things the most terrible These were some of the last words of that great Philosopher I have lived anxiously I die doubtfully Oh Being of Beings have mercy upon me but now it is too late for me to call for mercy Death is called by Bildad the King of Terrors This is a very strange Title We have read of many Titles which have been given the Kings of the Earth as most Serene most Christian most Sacred c. but if at all rarely of such a Title as this King of Terrors For a man to be brought to the King of Terrors is for a man to be brought to death or to his last end The Philosopher in this sense called Death the King of Terrors when he called it the most terrible of terrible things Death is terrible upon a threefold consideration Antecedents Nature Consequents Death is terrible if we consider the Antecedents of it 2 King 4.18 19 20. The Forerunners or Harbingers of Death are Pains Diseases Sicknesses and these are terrible The Shunamites Son was taken sick when he was with the Reapers crying to his Father My Head my Head being carried home he sate on his Mothers knees until noon and then died Death is terrible if we consider the Nature of it Death Mors Sceptra Ligonibus aequa is a Disunion All Disunions are troublesom but some are terrible Death according to the Poet is the greatest Leveller in the world Death levels Scepters and Plow-shares it makes all alike The Disunion that Death makes between Husband and Wife is terrible but Death makes a Disunion between them that are nearer than Husband and Wife even between Soul and Body Eccl. 12.7 Husband and Wife are one flesh but Soul and Body are one person Then shall the Dust the Body return to the Earth as it was and the Spirit the Soul unto God Death is terrible if we reflect the consequents of it I have said to corruption thou art my Father Job 17.14 Nativitas mala Vita pejor mors pessima and to the Worm thou art my Mother and my Sister Now soul art out of Christ what is thy Death then like to be It may be said of a person living and dying out of Christ that his Birth is bad his Life is worse his Death is worst of all Some are so sick that they cannot live and yet so sinful that they cannot die their Cry is Oh Lord we cannot die Oh Lord we must not die O Lord we dare not die Oh Lord we will not die Rev. 9.6 We read of some that shall seek death but shall not find it and shall desire to die and death shall flee from them Others there are that Death seek but they would not be found and that Death desire to have but they flee from it A great person hearing the Verdict which the Physicians brought in against him that he must die cryed out Let me live though it be the Life of a Toad under a Threshold Art out of Christ tremble then and realize a state of Death Do not only read of Death but also realize Death Do not look upon Death as a Physical Notion and a Mathematical Conclusion be much in the reflection of this Text and Truth Luk. 16.22 23. It came to pass that the Beggar died and was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosom the Rich man also died and was buried and in Hell he lifted up his eyes being in torment Here is Death and Damnation too Thou mayest die and be damned too Art out of Christ go then to Christ Direct 4. in whose Death is the Death of Death To be Christless is to be Godless to be Graceless to be Gloryless go then to Christ Art in a state of Sin go then to Christ for Grace Art in a state of Darkness go then to Christ for Light Art in a state of Death go then to Christ for Life Art in a state of Damnation go then to Christ for Salvation Isa 53.3 Encline your ear and come unto me hear and your souls shall live Paul was a great Orator a great part of his Oratory was to perswade men to come to Christ and be saved He that winneth souls is wise Art Christless and Godless Graceless and Spiritless May not I say to thee with the Alteration of a word Acts 13.36 as was said to the stock of Abraham To thee is the word of this salvation sent But there is a Lion in the way an Adder in the path But what is this comming to Christ Quest 1. this going to Christ A comming Sol. Joh. 6.40 or going to Christ is a believing in Christ As Faith is the Souls Eye He that seeth the Son and believeth on him hath eternal life And as Faith is the Souls mouth Joh. 6.54 Whoso eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternal life And as Faith is the Souls Ear Joh. 5.24 He that heareth my Word and believeth on him that sent me And as Faith is the Souls Hand Joh. 1.12 To as many as received him to them gave he priviledge to become the Sons of God even to them that believe on his Name So Faith is the Souls Foot Joh. 6.35 He that cometh to me shall never hunger and he that believeth on me shall never thirst But Quest 2. is there an indispensible Necessity of going to Christ for Salvation Can Salvation be had no where else Is he not only a Saviour but also the Saviour That Christ is a Saviour Sol. Luk. 2.11 is evident Vnto you is born this day in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. That Christ also is the Saviour is as evident Now we believe not because of thy words Joh. 4.42 for we have heard him our selves and know that this is indeed the Christ the Saviour of the world I remember the time when if I could have gone to Heaven by my Education Civility Forms of Prayer of mine own making or by my Fathers Copy I would not have made use of Christ but at last I found that there was Salvation in no other Act. 4.12 Isa 51.12 and sailing by the gates of Hell in my apprehension I also found that no Voice but the Voice of Christ would still the Voice of Desperation There is no Paradise without this Tree no Light without this Sun no God no
studied the Art of Living well when Age came upon me and gray hairs appeared here and there my care was to Die well I then studied the Art of Dying well He saith also thou shalt die Summum Bonum Ars optima est vivendi discere Artem bene moriendi not because thou art sick but because thou livest The Heathens hold Death to be mans chiefost Good The Covenant of the Grave is shewed to no man but the Watch-word is given to all men The Physicians exclaim that Life is short and Art is long but Divines teach that the best Art of Living well is to study the Art of Dying well Is it not pity that men should not know unto what they were born into this world until they are ready to go out of this world Who knoweth but to live is to die and to die is to live Life is a thing that few understand but those that are ready to leave it A person in a dying hour shall wish himself not a Man that hath not been a good Christian One speaking of himself that he had lived well another said I wish thou mayest die well being asked the reason why he said so answered because we live to die and die to live 2 Cor. 5.10 As Death leaves thee Judgment will find thee Death goeth before Judgment followeth after As the tree falleth so it lieth We must all appear before the Judgment seat of Christ This Art of Dying well may be studied must be studied But what course shall I steer Quest and by what compass shall I sail in studying the Art of Dying well Would ye Die well Sol. 1. then through Christ Live well The right way to Die well is to Live well The way to die the death of the righteous Qualis vita Finis ita is to live the life of the righteous Such a Life such a Death mostly Live well and Die well are in conjunction are in connexion they are like Rebecca's Twins going hand in hand Live well and Die well they are like the two Temples of Vertue and Honour that were so contiguously built that none could go into the Temple of Honour that did not first pass through the Temple of Vertue There is little if any probability of dying well if there be not a living well That Death is not to be sported with that a strict and serious life is not the humour of some conceited and singular persons in the world witness Balaam the Prophet so much courted by Balak the Prince Let me die the death of the righteous and let my last end be like his Num. 23.10 Here is the most knowing man in the East who was not for living the life of the righteous and yet was for dying the death of the righteous But as the Way is so is the End like to be and as the Work is 1 King 4.29 30 31. so is the Wages like to be Solomon the Sage of Sages one wiser than all men whose understanding was as the sand of the Sea shore this most knowing man in the world Eccl. 1.14 writes upon all vanity and vexation of spirit Living well is praevious unto dying well Mark the perfect man Psa 37.37 and behold the upright for the end of that man is peace Whatsoever his Beginning was his End is peace Though he had not peace in Life yet he shall have peace in Death and though he should not have peace at Death yet he shall have peace after Death Better is the beginning of a thing than the end thereof to a Soul out of Christ but better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof to a Soul in Christ for the end of that man is peace I have fought a good fight 2 Tim. 4.7 8. I have finished my course I have kept the faith henceforth is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness c. Would ye die well then through Christ die daily Let both ears be laid to the Apostle here By your rejoycing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord I die daily Or as the day 1 Cor. 15.31 Those words I protest are not in the Greek As the day I die or I die daily I expose my self daily to death for the Gospel and the Conversion of the Gentiles but as I am daily dying so I am dying daily But unto what are those who are actually Christs to Die daily Quest These are to die unto Self and unto the world Sol. Unto Self Is not Self a Monster a Mountebank the Antichrist within The civil Rule is so defaced that many if not most men are Compounds of Self Let a Minister or Member or Neighbour sink or swim it is all one to them It is become proverbial Every man for himself A Maxim drawn in Hell and ushered into the world by the Prince of Darkness Now there is a six-fold Self unto which those who are actually Christs are to die Those actually Christs are to die unto sinful Self We must kill sin or sin will kill Vs It is a taking Prospect to see Sin die Rom. 6.2 while we live How shall we that are dead to Sin live any longer therein Those actually Christs are to die unto lawful Self Though where there is no law there is no transgression yet those actually Christs are to deny themselves in lawful things and to die unto lawful self It may be 't is but a peccadillio a little thing and lawfull in it Self 1 Cor. 6.12 but if this should offend thy Brother deny thy self in it and die to it All things are lawful unto me but all things are not expedient all things are lawful unto me but I will not be brought under the power of any Those actually Christs are to die unto natural Self These are to die to their Arts and Parts Gifts and Reason natural Acquirements and Accomplishments 1 Cor. 12.31 Covet earnestly the best gifts and yet I shew unto you a more excellent way One Dram of Grace is better than a Pound of Gifts one Drop of Grace is better than a Sea of Gifts one Mite of Grace is better than a Mountain of Gifts Those actually Christs are to die unto moral Self These must not only die unto gross and enormous sin but also to the least Immorality Let none of you suffer as a murderer 1 Pet. 4.15 or as a thief or as an evil doer or as a busie body in other mens matters Those actually Christs should be so far from be-being murderers or thieves or evil doers that they should not be according to the Greek Bishops in anothers Diocess and Priers into other mens matters Those actually Christs are to die unto relative Self This takes in the nearest and dearest Relations Am not I better to thee than ten Sons 1 Sam. 1.8 and and yet these must be died unto Wives are near and dear Relations Though Adam was Emperour of
Eden and had all the creatures to serve him yet a Consort must be cast in as the Complement of his external Felicity Gen. 2.18 It is not good that man should be alone I will make an help meet for him But how near and dear soever Wives are 1 Cor 7.29 they must be died unto It remain that they who have wives be as though they had none Those actually Christs are to die unto religious Self A man must have a Righteousness of his own Mat. 5.20 Phil. 3.9 Except your Righteousness And yet this Righteousness must not be his own but Christs Paul dies to his own Righteousness Not having mine own Righteousness which is of the Law Unto the World As those actually Christs are to die unto Self so unto the World Gal. 6.14 God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ by whom the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world Thus generally but now particularly Those actually Christs are to die to the Worship of the World The men of the world Joh. 4.24 Col. 2.8 20. if they worship not a false God yet they worship a true God falsly for He is a Spirit and must be worshiped in Spirit and in Truth According to the Truth of the Rule and in Truth of Heart Is is not connatural unto man to worship a God of his own making rather than the God that made him Those actually Christs are to die unto the Wisdom of the World As the Friendship of the World Job 28.28 is Enmity with God so the Wisdom of the World is Folly with God The fear of the Lord that 's wisdom and to depart from evil that 's understanding The men of the world think themselves very wise Prov. 26.12 but seest thou a man wise in his own eyes there is more hope of a fool than of him The men of the world think themselves and are thought by others Jer. 4.22 to be very wise but they are wise to do evil to do good they have no knowledge Worldy wisdom or the wisdom of the world is the greatest folly in the world To be witty in sinning to make a mock at sin and to make wickedness our work is the greatest folly in the world Those actually Christs are to die to the Mode of the World It is a profane Proverb as good out of the World as out of the Fashion But were there ever such Fashions in the World as are now in the world Do not Men look like Monsters Do not Women look like Harlots Are we not the Apes of the false French As obedient children not fashioning your selves according to the former lusts in your ignorance 1 Pet. 1.14 Those actually Christs are to die to the Manners of the World These must be daily dying to the Debauchery and Prophanity to the Adultery and Sodomy the Idolatry and Iniquity of the Times It was once sinfully said Act. 14.11 Gods are come down to us in the likeness of men but may it not now be said that Devils are come up unto us in the likeness of men Do not some men account Oaths their greatest Rhetorick Cheating the greatest Ingenuity Atheism their greatest Art Rebellion their greatest Religion Sin their greatest Safety He that departeth from Evil Isa 59.15 maketh himself a prey is accounted mad Margent Those actually Christs are to die to the pleasures of the world Ah! many spend and end their daies in sinful pleasures They spend their time in mirth Job 21.13 and in a moment go down to the grave That word If any man will not work neither let him eat seem to be vanishing now and most men seem to read it thus If any man will not play neither let him eat Gaming is much the Mode and as men live in their sins so they live upon their sins All the Income that many have is their Gaming Those actually Christs are to die to the profits of the world The men of the world make the world their Business Prov. 28.22 Jer. 17.11 it is their Element they make baste to be rich But he that getteth riches and not by right shall leave them in the midst of his daies and at his end shall be a fool DIRECT III. ART actually in Christ Direct 3. Non mori sed damnari metuo Mortem optare malum timere pejus Jer. 20.3 be not surprized then with a Pannick Fear concerning the Arrests of the first Death I am not afraid to die but I am afraid to be damned I am not afraid of the pains of Death but I am afraid of the pains of Hell It was the word of Henry the fifth to wish death is not good but to fear death is worse No man should be afraid to die but he that is ashamed to live Thou art in Christ and dost thou fear death If a soul in Christ fear death what then may a soul out of Christ If a soul in Christ dread the shooting of this Gulf then a soul out of Christ may be a Magor-Missabib fear round about Shalt thou fear death when Christ is thine consider what he is He is a Father and a Friend a Foundation and a Fountain a God and a Guide a Guard and a Good a Rock and a Portion to these distinctly Fear not Death for Christ is thine and he is a Father He is stiled the Father of Eternity Isa 9.6 Whither should the Child go but to the Father Whither should the Christian go but to Christ But if Christ be a Father Quest what manner of Father then is Christ to his Children What good soever is in any Creature Sol. is more eminently in Christ All the dispersed Excellencies that are throughout the Vniverse meet in Christ Psal 94.9 and concenter in him He that planted the Ear shall not he hear and he that formed the Eye shall not he see He that gives Ears to others must needs be all Ear himself and he that gives Eyes to others must needs be all Eye himself Take now the Characters Properties and Properties of a natural Father and see how Christ infinitely out-bids and out-vies such a natural Father A natural Father pitieth the Child To be without natural affection is a sin against Nature 2 Sam. 18.5 A Father pitieth his Child yea then most pitieth him when he standeth in most need of pity The Father then take the greatest Care when there is the greatest Cause When the Child is sick and weak under amazing pains and amusing pangs when sickness and weakness are upon the Child then there is the greatest paternal pity and affection unto the Child Thus yea infinitely more than thus Christ as a Father pitieth his Children Though Christ as man had a Father yet Christ as God is a Father Psal 103.13 As a Father pitieth his Children so Jehovah pitieth them that fear him A natural Father provideth for
and Omega Beginning and End First and Last Fear not Death for Christ is thine and he is a Foundation A Foundation is the Basis and Bottom of the Fabrick The whole Stress of the Fabrick layeth upon theâ— Foundation Behold Isa 28.16 Quest Sol. 1. I lay in Sion for a Foundation a stone a tryed Stone c. But what manner of Foundation is Christ Christ is an ancient Foundation Christ may plead Antiquity He was before the World Pro. 8.23 for he made the World The World was made by him I was set up from everlasting Christ is a perfect Foundation Christ must needs be perfect for he is the Persecteâ— Heb. 10.14 He is the Finisher as well as the Author of Faith of all Grace By once offering of himself he hath for ever perfected those that are sanctified Christ is a sutable Foundation Is not Bread sutable for the hungry is not Water sutable for the thirsty Christ is the Bread of Life and Water of Life Is not that a mighty word Col. 2.10 Ye are compleat in him who is the head of all principality and power Christ is a Safe Foundation He that hath Christ for Foundation shall dwell on high Isa 33.16 his place of defence shall be the munition of rocks bread shall be given him and his Waters shall be sure Christ is a lovely Foundation Chrict Can. 5.10 is a Beauty without a Spot Absalom was a Black to this Beauty He is White and Red. Christ is a precious Foundation Though Christ was sold for thirty pieces of Silver Prov. 3.15 yet he was invaluable He is more precious than Rubies Christ is a living Foundation He that hath the Son 1 Joh. 5.12 hath life but he that hath not the Son of God hath not life Christ is a lasting Foundation The material Foundations of material Fabricks may rot and decay Rev. 1.18 but this Foundation will not cannot Christ is a lasting yea an everlasting Foundation I am he that was dead and am alive and live for evermore Christ is a tried Foundation He hath been tried to purpose tried to the Life tried to the Death He was obedient unto death Phil. 2.8 even the death of the Cross Christ is the Sole Foundation There is not any other Foundation laid nor to be laid Other foundation can no man lay 1 Cor. 3.11 than that already laid which is Jesus Christ Fear not Death for Christ is thine and he is a Fountain With thee is the Fountain of Life These words are metaphorical and may not the Psalmist here allude unto One or All these three things Waters Metals Veins Waters Waters flow from a Fountain There is the Fountain 1 Joh. 5.11 and the Stream the Stream is fed by the Fountain flow from the Fountain Thus Life flows from Christ. This life is in his Son Metals With thee is the Fountain or Veins of Lifes All Mineral Veins the Veins of Gold and Silver the Veins of Lead and of Iron they lay as it were in Bank in the Bosom and Bowels of the Earth Col. 3.3 Thus Life lies hid in Christ For ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God Veins The Veins of the Body as so many Rivers derive their Blood from the red Sea in Man which is the Liver of Man Thus Christ is the Ocean of Life and All that live are filled with Life from Him Col. 3.4 When he who is our life shall appear then shall we also appear with him in glory Thus Christ is Life But what manner of Fountain is this Christ Quest Sol. 1. Christ is a living Fountain Many complain of their deadness and all have cause enough so to do Oh saith One I am dead in the Country dead in the City Oh saith another I am dead in the Church dead in the Closet Soul Christ is the Fountain of Life and this Christ is thy Christ. They have forsaken the Lord Jer. 17.13 the fountain of living waters Christ is a loving Fountain As Christ is the Fountain of Life so of Love Christs Love is a Loadstone 1 Joh. 4.19 it hath in it a magnetick and attractive Vertue His Love is the Cause of Ours Our Love the Effect of His. We love him because he first loved us We cannot love until loved Christ is a lighting Fountain As Christ is the Fountain of Life and of Love so of Light In thy light shall we see light As the Firmamental Sun so the Sun of Righteousness is purely seen in his own Light Oh say the Soul I am in the dark concerning promises in the dark concerning providences But Soul Christ is the Fountain of Light and this Christ is thy Christ Joh. 8.12 I am the light of the world Christ is a pure Fountain Water in the Fountain is pure purely pure Christ must needs be a Fountain pure for he is a Fountain set open for the impure In that day what day The day of the Messiahs comming into the world In that day Zach. 13.1 there shall be a fountain opened to the House of Jacob and to the Inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness Or for sin and for separation from uncleanness Christ is a peaceable Fountain As Christ is the Fountain of Life and Love of Light and Purity so of Peace Joh. 16.33 If a man would have peace of Conscience which is an Anticipation of Glory he must go to Christ for it In me ye shall have peace How prodigious soever the winds be and impetuous soever the waves be yet in Christ for those who are Christs there is peace Oh say the Soul my life is Chequer-work I have my Tones of sorrow with my Tvnes of joy but Soul sorrow not as one without hope for thou art Christs and in him there is peace for his Christ is a free Fountain Wine and Milk may be had without Money and without Price Is this thy Cry Oh that one would give me a crum of the Bread of Lift Rev. 21.6 a drop of the Water of Life I will give to him that is â—thirst of the fountain of the water of life freely What freer than Gift Christ is a full Fountain In Christ water for Quality and Quantity Col. 2.9 is ever the same In him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead personally Christ is an invisible Fountain This Fountain is not for every eye Heb. 11.27 it is only for the eye of Faith Thus Moses saw him who is invisible Christ is an immutable Fountain Men are not the same but Christ is Herod hears John and yet beheads him Heb. 13.8 Saul courts David one day and seeks to kill him the next but Christ is the same yesterday to day and for ever Christ is an incomparable Fountain Christ had the perfection of Grace as God and the perfection of Nature as Man Isa 46.5 To whom will ye liken me and make me
Thou shalt call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins Mat. 1.21 This name Jesus is originally Hebrew and it is a sweet word a word sweetly sweet Had it not been much better for Thee and for Me not to have had a Name than for Vs not to believe in this Name This Name is Honey in the Mouth Musick in the Ear a Jubilee in the Heart Christ is called Jehovah Is not this a great and a good Name What Mortal though the greatest Rhetorician is able to express the greatness and goodness of this Name Jer. 23.6 In his daies Judah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell safely and this is the name whereby he shall be called Jehovah our Righteousness Now do not these various Titles speak Christ to be a God From probable and promising Arguments and Reasons He from whom Salvation is must be God but from Christ Salvation is therefore Christ is God Psal 68.20 He that is our God is the God of salvation and unto God the Lord belong the Issues from death Salvation is a sweet word to a dark and doubting soul to a desponding and despairing soul and this Salvation is from Christ There is salvation in none other Say unto my soul Psal 35.3.2 I am thy salvation He who is the Object of Faith must be God but Christ is the Object of Faith therefore Christ is God Let not your hearts be troubled Joh. 14.1 ye believe in God believe also in me Not that Christ commands or approves a Stoical Apathy as if his Disciples should put off natural affection and be troubled at nothing but he would not have their hearts like water muddied and stirred not full of vehement commotion and perturbation as the Greek word signifieth Let not your hearts be thus troubled ye believe in God believe also in Me. Rom. 3.26 The person of Christ is the Object of Faith That he might be just and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus He who is the Life of His must Himself needs be God but Christ is the Life of His therefore Christ is God Joh. 11.25 I am the Resurrection and the Life The life of Nature of Grace and of Glory are from Christ Col. 3.4 When he who is our life shall appear He who is Life to Himself must be God but Christ is Life to Himself therefore Christ is God I am he that was dead Rev. 1.18 and am alive and behold I live for evermore God as Father hath communicated unto Christ as Son his whole Essence Joh. 5.26 As the Father hath life in himself so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself He that can turn Water into Wine and heal with a word must be God but thus Christ did therefore Christ is God Satan may work wonders and Magicians by the help of Satan did work wonders but miracles are out of the sphere of Satan A miracle is a rare work John 2.9 11. Joh. 4.50 54. apparently wrought by the power of God far above Nature and all natural causes Christ turned Water into Wine and this is called a miracle Christ also healed with a word for he said unto the Noble-man Go thy way thy Son liveth This also is called a miracle Now is not this Christ a God He that was before all things must be God but Christ was before all things therefore Christ is God I was set up from everlasting Pro. 8.23 In time Christ â—vas sent out but from everlasting was Christ set up He is before all things Col. 1.17 and by him all things consist He that is Gods Fellow must needs be God but Christ is God's Fellow therefore Christ is God Awake oh sword against my Shepherd Zach. 13.7 and against the man that is my fellow saith the Lord of Hosts smite the Shepherd and the sheep shall be scattered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Proximum meum My Fellow my Citizen so the Septuagint My nearest that is next unto Me so Junius Thus Christ is he is nearest unto God his Session is at the right hand of God He is next unto God Father and then Son Mark 14.27 That this place is principally to be understood of Christ is evident by the Evangelist For it is written I will smite the Shepherd and the sheep shall be scattered He who gave a Resurrection to Himself must be God but Christ gave a Resurrection to Himself therefore Christ is God Joh. 2.19 21. Christ told the Jews that he would give himself a corporal and numerical Resurrection Destroy this Temple and in three daies I will raise it up but he spake of the Temple of his body When therefore ye read that God raised him from the dead as ye often may ye may then understand it of the Deity Christ also seems to insinuate this when speaking of his Life he saith I have power to lay it down Joh. 10.18 and I have power to take it up again He that can give a Resurrection to others must be God but Christ can give a Resurrection to others therefore Christ is God Lazarus come forth Joh. 11.43 44. and he that was bound came forth That Christ did raise is evident that Christ will raise is as evident This is the will of him that sent me Joh. 6.40 that every one which seeth the Son and believeth on him may have everlasting life and I will raise him up at the last day He that made all things must be God but Christ made all things therefore Christ is God All things were made by him Joh. 1.3 and without him was not any thing made that was made None can create but God only Though Christ be less than the Father in respect of his Humanity yet he is equal unto the Father in respect of his Divinity Jer. 10.11 for all things were made by him The Gods that have not made the Heavens and the Earth even they shall perish from the Earth and from under these Heavens He unto whom divine Adoration is due must be God but unto Christ divine Adoration is due therefore Christ is God Mat. 4.10 This Doctrine Christ hims elf preached to Satan Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve As if Christ had said Satan thou art not God therefore I must not worship Thee to get all the world Acts 14.13 14 15 And as Satan must not so Man must not be worshipped Not Magistrates not Ministers Paul and Barnabas would not be worshipped Rev. 22.8 9. And as Men must not so Angels must not be worshipped They are fellow-servants worship God He who is Omniscient must be God Joh. 21.17 but Christ is Omniscient therefore Christ is God Lord thou knowest all things Christ knoweth all things as if he had but one thing to know He knoweth all things done in Romish-Conclaves and in English-Cabals Come Joh.
then through Grace Assurance of another Life after Death for there can be no Assurance of this Life against Death To this end suffer a concise Discussion of these following Queries But Quest 1. Sol. Joh. 20.28 is Assurance attainable in this Life Yea I dare be peremptory and positive herein that Assurance is attainable in this Life My Lord and my God Mine and Thine are words of propriety These Pronouns Me Thee Mine Thine My Meum Tuum Luth. Thy they are strains of Love and drop like Honey-combs sweetness of Affection The sweetness of the promises as says one is couched and lodged in Pronouns My Thy Me Thee Mine Thine Thomas Job 19.25 was assured my Lord and my God Thus Job I know that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand in the latter day upon the Earth This knowing is knowing upon great certainty knowing without all wavering As if he had said my judgment is fixed and my Faith confirmed in this thing It is as clear to me that Christ is my Redeemer and that this Redeemer of mine liveth as if I had already seen him alive My Faith makes this as evident to me now as my experience shall hereafter Thus David The Lord is my Rock and my Fortress Psal 18.2 and my deliverer my Rock in him will I trust my Buckler and the Horn of my salvation and my high Tower Thus Paul I am perswaded the word signifieth an assured Confidence I am assiredly confident 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but of what that not Death Life Angels Principalities Powers things present things to come height depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the Love of God Rom. 8.38 39. which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Places might be multiplied in order to the evincement of this Truth that Assurance is attainable in this Life May the Church speak My Beloved is mine Can. 2.16 and I am his he feedeth among the Lillies That their hearts might be comforted Col. 2.2 being knit together in love and to the full assurance of understanding Hereby we know that we know him 1 Joh. 2.3 if we keep his Commandments To know that we know is assuredly to know infallibly to know The barbarous and bloody Papists deny an infallible Assurance and grant only a conjectural one the reason they give is the mutability of mans will but the Salvation of a Soul depends not upon the mutability of mans but upon the immutability of Gods will I am Jehovah and I change not Mal. 3.6 therefore ye Sons of Jacob are not consumed But what is this Assurance Quest that is attainable in this Life Soul Assurance or evidence for Interest in Christ is that internal and infallible Certainty Descr which a believing person hath of Salvation through free grace written with the Blood of a crucified Christ In this Description for I dare not pretend unto a Definition six things fall under Discussion the matter the manner the subject the object the motive the medium but to these distinctly The matter This is Certainty Assurance or Evidence for Interest in Christ is a certain thing Hoc aliquid nihil a real thing and an assured Soul can realize this thing The world is a cheat and its motto is This Something is Nothing The world is a mass of mutabilities a mass of uncertainties Oxen and Sheep Asses and Camels to day but none to morrow but now Assurance is a certainty I have read of one who said Lord I am assured of thy Love Mrs. Bretterg and so certain am I of that as I am certain that thou art the God of Truth Assurance is not a Physical notion or a mathematical conclusion it is not conjectural but real The Soul that hath passed through the sealing work of the Spirit can say as Jacob did to Joseph I know it my Son I know it Gen. 48.19 I am not under a mistake concerning the Lads I know what I do Thus those who are assured can say God is theirs and Christ theirs and Grace theirs and Glory shall be theirs We are alwaies confident knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord for we walk by faith 2 Cor. 5.6 7 8. not by sight We are confident I say and wiling rather to be absent from the body that we may be present with the Lord. If the Soul goes down to the dust with the Body what presence have we with God when we die we are confident and this is doubled yea we are alwaies confident The manner As there is the matter which is certainty so there is the manner of this certainty which is internal and infallible but to these distinctly Internal The very Heart and Soul of man is concerned here Assurance is a work within a work upon the Heart Rom. 10.10 With the Heart man believeth and with the Tongue confession is made unto Salvation The Heart is the happy or unhappy soil for good or evil All good or evil begins in the Heart The Soul is invisible and so is this work of Assurance upon the Soul The word of Assurance is my Redeemer My Father and your Father my God and your God is the Dialect of the Gospel And Mary said Luke 1.46 47. but what did she say she sayeth this My soul doth magnifie the Lord and my Spirit doth rejoyce in God my Saviour Infallible As it is external so it is invisible and infallible Assurance is an internal and invisible Certainty for it is from the Spirit of God and who may charge the Spirit of God with fallibility and fallacy In Cathreda Shall the proud Pope pretend to Infallibility when and while in the Chair and shall the Spirit when the Lord is that Spirit be charged with fallibility and fallacy The Spirit is the Tree upon which groweth all that fruit that is brought forth to God The Spirit is that infallible Testimony within Our Gospel came not to you in word only 1 Thes 1.5 it came in word but not in word only it came also in power and in the holy Spirit and in much assurance The Subject Now this is a believing person This Assurance or Evidence for Interest in Christ is that Internal and infallible Certainty which a believing person hath It is a believing person whether Jew or Gentile whether man or woman that launch forth into this great deep It is a believing person that is able to engage a Lion and a Bear and doubts not but to make a Conquest upon a Goliah also Though there may be Grace where there is no Assurance yet there can be no Assurance where there is no Grace Though there may be Faith where there is no Assurance Heb. 10.22 yet there is no Assurance where there is no Faith for it is an Assurance of Faith Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith
Rom. 9.5 Over all God blessed for ever Amen If God sit down first Christ as Mediator of the Covenant may sit down next They say where Natural Philosophy ends there the Physician begins Christ is a Person so great that he begins and ends where he begins to cure a person Christ is an Asa a Physician or Healer of diseases as the word signifies A mortal King may engage to cure the Body a Tumor in the Flesh but Christ the King of Kings engages to cure the Treachery and Tympany of the Soul Mamulus Fuller 's Holy War p. 477. One told the Adorers of Andronicus that monstrous Miscreant That it was just they should dye of the Physick who made a God of the Physician But now it is no wonder that those actually Christs should live by the Physick for a God is their Physician Christ is a costly Physician They were the men of Judah 2 Sam. 19.42 that said unto the men of Israel Have we eaten at all of the King's cost or hath he given us any Gift But none actually Christs can say that they have not eaten of his cost that they have not had his Gift David told Araunah That he would not offer burnt-offerings unto the Lord his God Chap. 24.24 that should cost him nothing At some cost was Christ with the man that fell among Thieves between Jericho and Jerusalem but at far greater cost than this hath Christ been He is not onely the Physician of the Soul but his blood also goes for the Physick of the Soul Joh. 10.15 Fuller 's holy War p. 471. I lay down my life for the sheep Tyranous Andronicus sported himself in shedding innocent blood which he wickedly called his medicine for all maladies But Christ as he is a Soul-Physician so his Blood is Soul-physick this is a Remedy for every Disease a Salve for every Sore a Medicine for every Malady It is written of One Admiral of France That when the War was finished and he returned to Rochel not a day passed over his head wherein he did not morning and evening read over one of Calvin's Sermons upon Job which History he called his Panchrestum or Physick for all Diseases a Salve for every Sore What then may be said of Christ's Blood Certainly he was at great cost who did not onely spend his breath Heb. 13.12 but also spill his Blood He suffered without the Gate Christ is a cheap Physician Physicians here below are dear very dear the Rich onely are qualified to be their Patients no Purse no Physick they will have much though they do little but Christ is a cheap Physician Wine and Milk without money and without price I will give to him that is at hirst of the fountain of the water of life freely Rev. 21.6 Now this saith one is The Grace of the holy Spirit which is now given by drops but in Heaven unto fulness Guttatim Joh. 4.14 according to that The water that I will give him shall be in him a Well of water springing up into everlasting life Or A Fruition of God who is the life of his according to that With thee is the fountain of life Here Psal 36.9 is water and that is necessary yea water of life and that is of necessity yea Pool in loc the fountain of the water of life now water at the fountain is purest and plentifullest there water for quality and quantity is ever the same yea this water is in a way of Gift I will give to him that is athirst 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the fountain of the water of life and that freely without compensation without merit Physicians here below indent with their Patients so much down and so much when the Cure is made but Christ the Physician of greatest value does not indent with his Patients Rev. 22.17 Whosoever will let him take the water of life freely Whosoever hath a will from Christ for Christ let him take Christ and the Grace of Christ and the Spirit of Christ and that freely without price or any merit of his own Christ is an appointed Physician Some go yea run Joh. 12.45 without sending but Christ did not He that seeth me seeth him that sent me As God appointed the Passeover so he appointed this Physician I will give thee for a light to the Gentiles Isa 49.6 that thou mayst be my salvation to the ends of the earth Christ is under a designation and that from the Father in order to the sanctification and salvation of a sinner The God of our Fathers Acts 5.30 31. raised up Jesus whom ye slew and hanged on a Tree Him hath God exalted with his right hand But to what end To be a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance unto Israel and forgiveness of sins Christ is an approved Physician There are some men approved of men but the Man Christ Jesus is approved of God Acts 2.22 Ye men of Israel hear these words Mat. 14.30 31. Jesus of Nazareth a man approved of God among you c. Christ hath been tryed tryed to purpose Thus Christ hath been tryed Relatively He was tryed in the water and kept Peter's head above water He was tryed in the Fire and kept the three children there Dan. 3.24 25. Did we not cast three into the Fire True Oh King Behold I see four and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God Christ and the Christian in the Ship together in the Shop together Christ and the Christian in the Field together in the Fire together Is not this sweet Oh this is sweetly sweet But as Christ was tryed Relatively so he was tryed Personally Some men have been greatly tryed Thus Job was thus Paul was but who so tryed as a Christ in his life Being in an agony the word signifies a striving or wrestling against something as two Combatants or Wrestlers Luk. 22.44 do each strive against other he prayed more earnestly and his swea◠was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground And who so tryed as a Christ in his death My God my God Mat. 27.46 Athanasius Non solvit Vnionem sed subtraxit Visionem Isa 28.16 why hast thou forsaken me He spake this saith One in our person They are not words of complaining but expressing his Grief The Vnion was not dissolved but the Vision was restrained God left him in great distress withdrawing from the humane nature pouring his wrath upon Him as the Surety of His. Thus Christ hath been tryed in life and to the life thus Christ hath been tryed in death and to the death No wonder now He is called a tryed stone Christ is a loving yea ever-loving Physician Physicians here below do not love their Patients as they love themselves they had rather a thousand Patients should dye than themselves should dye But Christ is such a Physician that he loves his Patients
Life a Taper burning 'T is like the wind that passeth not returning Ah! what is Life a Flood and Ebb and Man Sails then into a timeless OCEAN Ah puzling Theme was Austin at a loss What Life to call let not my Gold be Dross Mans Nostril is a passage for his Breath 'T is then a dying Life or living Death Life 's but a dying Death our Bodies are But living Graves the longest Liver share But in a span of days Death homeward sends A CIRCLE 't is beginning where it ends Ah daring Death the Tribute due to Nature The Law of Mortals not reflecting Stature And of the Universe the Emperess That visit Mortals in a various dress III. The Assertion THE Hebrew Proverb travels very far In Golgotha Skulls of all Sizes are Death 's not a bie but beaten path for All Here Croesus Codrus stumble may and fall One shoots the Gulf yet grounds upon a Shelf A Manuscript deceiveth DEATH it self No distance doth this Law of Nature know But Mortals reap according as they sow Death to the Grave is path for any Foot This common Gulf the mean and mighty shoot They blessed are much more let this take Air In Peter's Chain than He in Peter's Chair Ah Miscreant to refuge in a Lye Ah Monster-Man I see as I pass by Thy Triple-Crown begins to stand awry Down Dagon-like let this fall from on high Break Crown Head Neck this is the common Cry Thus wished 't is that thou may'st ever dye Popes dyed have without a doleful Song Unless it were because they lived long Where 's Adam Abram Isa'c Jacob Where Inventi non sunt they SEPULCRED were What Proto-Adam Yea He was a Man Red-earth I find when that his name I scan This Proto-Man finds Death on Nature enter Thus earth to earth returns as to its Center What Abraham 't is strange 't is true he dies And in the CAVE of Mackpelah he lies What Isa'c too a TYPE so eminent Types Shadows are Death pitched hath his Tent With Abraham Ah when his Days were spenâ— He like a Son unto his FATHER went WHat Jacob too Esau supplanted He One named right for Name and Act agree Ah but Supplanters may supylanted be Him daring Death transplanted have I see Mortality whatever Men suggest Antiquity hath for her native Crest Did not Death reign from ADAM unto MOSES Wher 's Matthew Mark Paul Peter James and Joses Our Fathers where are They the greatest Sage Is slily passing going off the STAGE Well stiled then is Death most aged King Who led the Van and up the Rear does bring Ah read Death's Motto in a Ladies Line My lot's to Day to morrow may be thine And wondâ—r not at that true Celled-sense Amongst these Skulls I find no difference But where 's Methuselah of all most gray Scan but his name the word the man bewray Years lived he Nine hundred sixty nine But dyed then no longer was his Line Though many now on Beds of IVORY Do stretch themselves yet these must also lie In Beds of Earth this Tribute pay they must And for their Heads a Pillow have of Dust The great Mogul erects his Nest on high But liveth he that shall not also dye All dyed have that lived have or have Translated been and so deceiv'd the Grave Thus dye shall All that live or changed be From ADAM all derive their Pedigree Now Reasons take from one so low in Stature Why Death should be a Tribute due to Nature IV. The Reasons 1. The Decree of God DEath seizeth All for this is God's Decree She seizeth but will not surrender Thee Death Heavens Statute is in Scripture-sense Each mans line meets in this Circumference Earth Heaven Hell their Laws are different If writing thus be not impertinent Earths Law municipal is once to dye But Heavens is to live eternally Hell also hath a LAW to dye for ever Take prospect here of three Once alway never 2. The Matter of the Body ADd nextly now the Matter of the Man This Fabrick then Eternize if ye can Ah mortal Man made up of Elements Earth Air Fire Water are Ingredients For Man to dye to me appeareth just Who at the first was reared out of dust The Breath of God the Soul I find to be The Work of God the Body seems to me The Building 's Clay the Basis also Dust The Creature to the Center dying must 3. The Merit of Sin ALl sinned have and therefore All must dye This must be true or Truth must be a Lye The Soul dyes not 't is an immortal Spirit The Body dyes 't is Sins undoubted Merit Sins venial and mortal Papists make But this distinction is a gross mistake As Adam's bounds were set and Soul endued So breaking these a double Death ensued 'T is better thus infernal Sophistry To naus'ate than a double Death to dye V. The Uses THree Uses now of daring Death be making High Prudence 't is right Measures to be taking I. Of Trial. TRy mortal Man come to the Test and try Stage Persons also Things yet Man must dye Can any PERSON Or can any THING That Persons deck match Death this timely bring I. Of Beauty CAN Beauty that 's a Snare from Death's Arrest Bail MORTALS No as Ages do attest Can Beauty so admired by the Tall No mortal Man for Nature caught a Fall When she was young as did a petty Prince Which caused hath her halting ever since She 's courted painted spotted yet I see 'T is native Beauty without sports to be Some try to mend but while they mend they marr For Beauty-spects the SPOTS of Beauty are Fade Beauty will like Flowers of the Field Not shot-free girded with an Ajax's Shield She fades faints falls and running of her Race Hath for her Soutch'on but a wrinkled Face Where 's Sarah that the Court of Pharaoh charm This daring Death this Beauty doth alor'm Where 's Absalom the Beauty of his Age He acts his part and gooth off the Stage From Head to Fóót no Blemish could be found But Beauty dyes Death marching is her Round This Tribute due to Nature payed He The Halter was his Hair upon a Tree Here Isr'el's Mirror had his mortal Stroak Will others now call this the Royal Oak II. Of Men and Means CAn Men or Means each Creature in its Station From Natures instinct plot its Conservation What Drug by Galen could prescribed be Or could Hippocrates by DOSES free His Pat'ents No they differ as to Stature Yet payment make of Tribute due to Nature For Spirits Chymists are Phlebotomy A Monster seems in that extracting eye They breathe no Veins rare Spirits they apply But salved is not DEATH by Chymistry Two wayes there are Diseases for to cure But neither can face-paling Death allure Is Sympathy the way the Arrow 's wide For Digby that admired Artist dy'd Or is A NTIP ATHY ah but undarted Is still the White beloved Luke's departed Speak Borgius that I may hear the sound Who