favour with God so that he can truly apply Christ and all his benefits and promises unto his own soul trusting in him and casting himself only upon him for pardon and salvation 4. He hath a sweet and sanctified peace in his conscience arising from the assured forgivenâ—sse of his sins a sound and strong joy in the Lord and in his Word through beleeving not seldom the holy Ghost inwardly setting to Gods privy seal by sudden refreshings falling like the dew upon his heart and establishing his soul before the Lord especially after holy duties yea his hope as being built upon Gods word and promises fills him with such joy unspeakable that is makes him rejoyce even in tribulation 5. He sometimes loseth the efficacie feeling and comfort of faith but the seed and habit of faith alwaies remaineth He is often and grievously assaulted with fears and doubtings but in the issue he alwaies gets the conquest and is the more asâ—ured for having been so much assaulted and does so much the more strive to make his calling and election sure and to be assured of future happinessâ— after this his earthly pilgrimage 6. Or if he have but a weak faith yet it is sound against which the very gates of hell shall never prevail for he never utterly falls away from the grace of God but perseveres in the truth and in well doing to the end and therein finds also a blessed thriving and gracious progresse in true holinesse 7. He is perfectly justified by the bloud of Christ freed from the rigour of the Law and in some good measure from the spirit of bondage is often in combate between the flesh and the spirit but the spirit in the end ever gets the upper hand CHAP. VI 1. ANd as he beleeves in his heart so he is not ashamed of the crosse of Christ but will professe the truth boldly in all estates and in times of suffering and publish what Christ hath done for his soul to Gods glory and the comfort of others yea if called to it he will God assisting him lay down his life for Christ and the Gospel and rejoyce also that he is counted worthy 2. Neither is he high-minded but more fears the want of grace then confides in what he hath for he works out his salvation with fear and trembling and trusts not in the least to his own strength but is ever jealous and suspitious lest his heart should deceive him but he resolves by Gods grace not to use any unlawfull means nor yeeld to any thing against the truth for the avoiding of what he fears be it burning at a stake as knowing and being fully perswaded that all things shall work together for the best unto him And indeed the fear of God which is his continuall guardian keeps him in some measure from the fear of death and terrour of the world for he fears not them that can only kill the body in any degree like him that after he hath killed can cast both body and soul into hell Nor does he grutch to losâ— a temporall life when in lieu thereof he shall obtain an eternall Crown of glory 3. He is wonderfully inflamed with the love and estimation of God and of Christ especially upon the retâ—rn of his prayers or the obtaining of some mercy the which he shews by his hating of evil and by his constant obedience and the delight he hath in keeping of God Commandements and by his willingnesse to be at cost or suffer for him Neither is he so in love with the world or any thing in it as that it shall diminish his love to God yea he so loves and longs for Christs appearing that he may be united to him and enjoy his presence that his daily prayer is Come Lord Jesus come quickly 4. Again He intirely loves and highly esteems Gods people not out of any carnall or selâ— ends but for their graces the truths sake and because they are born of God more loving and honoâ—ring the poor that wâ—lk uprightly then they that pervert their wayes though they be rich and loving them best that serve God most He is prone to justifie them and speak in their defence when he hears them reviled slandered or contemned by wicked and ungodly men though he incur their displeasure by it 5. He does not estrange himself from the people of God in their misery but is ready to minister unto them when they stand in need and use any means for their relief He will solicit great ones in their behalf and in Christs cause though he indanger himself thereby and can be as earnest a suitor at the throne of Grace for others that are in distresse as for himself even thirsting and studying how he may do them most good as participating and being touched with compassion and having a fellow-feeling both of the misery and felicity of others as one member hath of another especially of the Churches as a member hath of the whole body Neither can he rejoyce in his own peace and welfare while the Church and people of God are in distresse whose welfare he prefers before his own 6. He delights in the Saints company above all others as finding an heavenly sweetnesse in their conference and society where every ones words do savour of grace and wisedom and when in every company he shall either do good or receive good 7. And as he loves and delights in holy company so he loathes evil company neither will he have any fellowship with the workers of iniquity or be in league with the wicked as Swearers Drunkards Whoremongers Scoffers c. but avoid all needlesse society with them 8. He rejoyceth when the righteous are exalted and grieves when the wickâ—d bear rule He is no enemy to reformation but earnestly desires the same and furthers it all he can CHAP. VII 1. HE makâ—s conscience of sanctifying the Sabbath and sees that all under him do the same He will not give liberty to his servants â—pon the Lords day to do what they list 2. He reforms his family and sâ—ts up Gods Worship therein perâ—orming the duties of Prayer reading repeating c. and instructing his children and servants 3. He is zealous to admonish reclaim and reduce such as go astray and to save those among whom he lives out of duty and thankfulnesâ—e to God and his Redeemer and out of love to them 4. He is haâ—ed of the world for goodnesse and suffers some way for Christ at least he is evil spoken of for well doing and rejoyceth therein or in whatsoever he suffers well considering that all his sufferings in this life are not worthy that glory â—e shall enjoy in the next 5. His graces and goodnesse gains him more enemies and breeds him more danger then vice and wickednesse does another man but he is more pleased then displeased at it for he knows by the worlds hating of him that he is not of the world but that Christ hath chosen him out of
the evil and not only delivers him but returns with the greater interest of joy and felicity Indeed the Lord lets him know what it is to lose his favour and makes him tugg hard by prayer and to persevere a long time in knâ—cking and asking but at length he will be sure to give him what he desires or that which is better for him for the prayer of faith from the knees of humility and a broken heart will conquer even the Conqueror Indeed the case may be such that he cannot pray or not to purpose as in time of sicknesse by reason of the extremity of pain but then he can send to the Congregations intreat them to pray for him Besides all his former prayers and meditations do serve to ayd him in his last straits and meet together in the center of his extremity yeelding though not sensible relies yet secret benefit to his soul Yea which is best of all he hath the benefit of Christs intercession in Heaven and of the prayers of all the Saints on earth 2. Tenthly The malice of Satan shall make much for his good for if Satan be sent to buffeâ— him as he did Paul or to winnow him as he would have done Peter it is that he may not be exalted his malice shall prove the occasion of much good to him as it did to the incestuous Corinthian or if God lets him loose upon him as it did upon Iob it shall but advance the glory of God manifest this Beleevers patience occasion his own shame c. so the Devil shall be over-shot in his own bow and wounded with his own weapon And so it is that to all whom God hath any interest in this Scorpion shall prove a medicine against the sting of the Scorpion For though he aym at despair and destruction yet God ayms at humiliation and conversion yea at consolation and salvation and when the sinner is sufficiently humbled Satan shall be cashiered that Horse-leach shall be taken off when he hath sufficiently abated the vicious and superfluous bloud so that he shall be healed by wounding exalted by humbling Satan shall help him to the destruction of his flesh his corruption and the edification of his soul 3. Eleventhly Death the last and strongest enemy of all shall do him the greatest good of all He may be killed but he cannot be hurt nor conquered for even Death that Fiend is to him a friend like the Red Sea to the Israelites that put them over to the Land of Promise whiles it drowned their enemies It is his bridge from woe to glory for dying he sleeps and sleeping he rests from all the travels of a toylsome life to live in joy and blisse for evermore It is to him the end of all sorrowes and the beginning of his everlasting joyes the cessation of all trouble a Superseâ—eas for all diseases the extinction of sinne the deliverance from enemies a rescue from Satan the quiet rest of the body and infranchisement of the soul CHAP. XIX A description of Heaven and Hell so farre as may be collected from the Word according to the best Expositors 1. THus as the unbeleever and disobedient is cursed in every thing and whereever he goes and in whatsoever he does Curâ—ed in the City and cursed also in the field cursed in the fruit of his body and in the fruit of his ground and in the fruit of his Cattell Cursed when he cometh in and cursed also when he goeth ouâ— cursed in this life and cursed in the life to come as is at large exprest Deut. 28. So the Beleever that obeyes the voice of the Lord shall be blessed in every thing he does whereever he goes and in whatsoever befalls him as God promiseth in the former part of the same Chapter and as I have proved in the eleven foregoing Sections Yea God will blesse all that belong unto him for his children and posterity yea many generations after him shall fare the better for his sake yea the very place where he dwells perhaps the whole Kingdom he lives in Whereas many yea multitudes even an whole Army yea his childrens children unto the third and fourth generation fare the worse for a wicked man and an unbeleever Besides his prayers shall profit many for he is more prevalent with God to take away a judgement from a People or a Nation then a thousand others And he counts it a sinne to cease praying for his greatest and most malicious enemies though they like fools would if they durst or were permitted cut him off and all the race of Gods people which is as if one with his hatchet should cut off the bough of a Tree upon which he standeth For they are beholding to Beleevers for their very lives yea it is for their sakes and because the number of Christs Church is not yet accomplisht that they are out of hell But to go on as all things viz. poverty imprisonment slander persecution sicknesse death temporall judgements spirituall dissertions yea even sinne and Satan himself shall turn together for the best unto those that love God as you have seen So all things shall turn â—ogether for the worse unto them that hate God as all unbâ—leevers do Rom. 1. 30. Ioâ—. 15. 18. even the mercy of God and the means of grace shall prove their bane and inhance their damnation yea Christ himself that only summum bonum who is a Saviour to all beleevers shall be a just revenger to all unbeleevers and bid the one Depart ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Which shall be an everlasting departure not for a day nor for years of dayes nor for millions of years but for eternity into such pains as can neither be expressed nor conceived Iude 6. 7. Rev. 20. 10. Mat. 3012. Heb. 6. 2. 2. Wickednesse hath but a time a short time a moment of time but the punishment of wickednesse is beyond all time There shall be no â—nd of plagues to the wicked man Prov. 24. 20. Their worm shall not die neither shall their fire be quenched Isa. 66. 24. 3. Neither is the extremity of pain inferior to the perpetuity of it it is a place full of horror and amazednesse where is no remission of sinne no dismission of pain no intermission of sense no permission of comfort its torments are both intollerable and interminable and can neither be endured nor avoided when entred into Rev. 19. 20. and 20. 14. and 18. 6. Mat. 25. 30. 2. Pet. 2. 4. Heb. 10. 27. Iude 6. 4. The plagues of the first death are pleasant compared with those of the second For mountains of sand were lighter and millions of â—ears shorter then a tythe of these torments Rev. 20. 10. Iude 7. It is a death which hath no death it hath a beginning it hath no ending Mat. 3. 12. Isa. 66. 24. 5. The pain of the body is but the body of pain the anguish of the soul is the soul of
anguish For should we first burn off one hand then another after that each arm and so all the parts of the body it would be deemed intollerable and no man would endure it for all the profits and pleasures this world can afford and yet it is nothing to that burning of body and soul in hell Should we endure ten thousand years torment in hell it were grievous but nothing to eternity Should we suffer one pain it were miserable enough but if ever we come there our pains shall be for number and kindes infinitely various as our pleasures have been here every sense and member each power and faculty both of soul and body shall have their severall objects of wretchednesse and that without intermission or end or ease or patience to endure it Luke 12. 5. 16. 23. Matth. 3. 12. 5. 22. 23. 33. Yea the pains and sufferings of the damned are ten thousand times more then can be imagined by any heart under heaven and can rather through necessity be endured then expressed It is a death never to be painted to the life 5 no pen nor pencill nor art nor heart can comprehend it Matth. 18. 8 9 10. 25. 30. Luke 16. 23 24. 2 Pet. 2. 4. Isa. 5. 14. 30. 33. Pro. 15. 11. 6. Yea were all the land paper and all the water ink every plant a pen and every other creature a ready writer yet they could not set down the least piece of the gâ—eat pains of hell fire 7. Now add eternity to extremity and then consider hell to be hell indeed For if the Ague of a year or the Colick of a moneth or the Rack of a day or the burning of an hour be so bitter here how will it break the hearts of the wicked to feel all these beyond all measure beyond all time yet is all this truth save that it comes farre short of the truth this is much it is not near all For as one said Nothing but the eloquence of Tully could sufficiently set forth Tully's eloquence So none can express these everlasting torments but he that is from everlasting to everlasting 8. Now what heart would not bleed to see men runne headlong into these tortures that are thus intollerable Daunce hood-winked into this perdition O that it were but allowed to the desperate ruffians of our daies that swear and curse drink and drab rob shed blood c. as if heaven were blind and deaf to what they do to have but a sight of this hell How would it charm their mouthes apale their spirits strike fear and astonishment into their hearts Yea the Church and they would be better acquainted which are now perpetual strangers For I cannot think they would do thus if they did but either see or foresee what they shall one day without serious and unfeigned repentance feel O that men would believe and consider this truth and do accordingly CHAP. XX 1. THus I say shall they be bid Depart ye cursed into everlasting fire c. while on the contrary the same Christ shall say unto the other Câ—me ye blessed of my father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from before the foundation of the world Matth. 25. 34. Which Kingdom is a place where are such joys as eye hath not seen nor â—ar heard neither hath entred into the heart of man to conceive 1 Cor. 2. 9. 2. A place where shall be no evil present nor good absent Heb. 9. 12. Matth. 6. 20. In comparison whereof all the Thrones and Kingdoms upon earth are lesse then the drop of a bucket Deut. 10. 14. 2 Cor. 12. 2 4. Mat. 5. 19. Isa. 66. 1. Yea how little how nothing are the poor and temporary enjoyments of this life to those we shall enjoy in the next 1 Cor. 2. 9. 3. Dost thou desire beauty riches honour pleasure long-life or what ever else can be named No place so glorious by creation so beautifull with delectation so rich in possession so comfortable for habitation nor so durable for lasting Heb. 12. 22. 1 â—ct 1. 4. 2 Cor. 4. 17. Rom. 9. 3. 8. 18. There are no estates but inheritances no inheritances but Kingdoms no houses but Palaces no meals but sâ—aâ—ts no noise but musick no rods but Scepters no garments but Robes no seats but Thrones no coverings for the head but Crowns Rom. 8. 17. Titus 3. 7. Heb 9. 15. Matth. 25. 31 34. 2 Tim. 4. 8. Gal. 4. 7. 1 Pet. 3. 9 10. Mark 10. 23 24 25. Rev. 7. 13 14 15. Our condition there will be so joyfull that look we outwardly there is joy in the societâ— Heb. 12. 22. if inwardly there is joy in our own felicity 1 Cor. 2 9. Look we forward there is joy in the eternity 1 Pet. 5. 10. Mark 10. 30. So that on every side we shall be even swallowed up of joy Isa. 35. 10. 51. 1â— Matth. 25. 23. 18. 10. Heb. 12. 2. 22. Psal. 16 11. 4. As O the multitude and fulnesse of these joys so many that only God can number them so great that he only can estimate them of such rarity and perfection that this world hath nothing comparable to them 2 Cor. â—2 2 4. There is no death nor dearth no pining nor repining no fraud sorrow nor sadness neither tears nor fears defect nor loathing Rev. 7. 16 17. 21. 4. Heb 9. 12. 5. There shall be no sorrow nor pain nor Complaint there is no malice to rise up against us no misery to afflict us no hunger thirst wearisomnesse temptation to disquiet us Matth. 6. 19 20. Heb. 9. 12. There O there one day is better then a thousand there is Rest from our Labours Peace from our Enemies Freedom from our Sins c. Job 3. 17. Heb. 4. 3 9 10 11. Rev. 14. 13. Heb. 9. 12 15. 6. The Eye sees much the Ear hears more the Heart conceives most yet all short of apprehension much more of comprehension of those pleasures therefore it is said Enter thou into thy Masters joy For it is too great to enter into thee Matth. 25. 23. As O the transcendency of that Paradice of pleasure where is joy without heavinesse or interruption peace without perturbation blessednesse without misery Light without Darknesse health without sicknesse beauty without blemish abundance without want ease without Labour Satiety without Loathing Liberty without Restraint Security without Fear Glory without ignominy knowledge without ignorance Eyes without Teares Hearts without sorrow Souls without Sin where shall be no evil heard of to affright us nor good wanting to chear us For we shall have what we can desire and we shall desire nothing but what is good Deut. 10. 14. Esay 66. 1. 1 Kings 8. 27. Mark 10. 21. Luke 18. 22. 1 Pet. 5. 10. Ioh. 4. 36. 10 28. Matth. 25. 46. 7. In fine that I may darkly shadow it ouâ— sith the lively representation thereof is merely impossible this Life eveâ—lasting is the perfection of
warned of a Rock wilfully to cast our selves upon it Neither let Satan perswade you to deferre your repentance no not an hour lest your resolution proves as a false conception which never comes to bearing for as ill Debtors put off their Creditors first one week then another till at last they are able to pay nothing so deal delayers with God Besides death may be sudden even the least of a thousand things can kill thee and give thee no leasure to be sick 2. Secondly or if death be not sudden repentance is no such easie work as to be put off to sicknesse and though true repentance be never too late yet late repentance is seldome true and indeed there is small hope of repentance at the hour of death where there was no regard of honesty in the time of life and Millions are now in Hell who thought they would repent hereafter not being wise enough to consider that it is with sin in the heart as with a tree planted in the ground which the longer it groweth the harder it is to be pluckt up or a nail in a post which is made faster by every stroke of the Hammer As what saith the Holy Ghost Can the Black Moor change his skin or the Leopard his spots then may ye also do good that are accustomed to do evill Jer. 13. 23. 3. Thirdly or suppose after many years spent in the service of sin and Satan thou art willing to relinquish thy lusts and offer to God thy service and best devotions at the last gaspe will he accept of them No he hath expresly told us the contrary Prov. 1. 24 to 32. yea is it likely that God will accept of thy dry bones when Satan hath suckt out all the marrow That he will give his heavenly and spirituall graces at the hour of death to those who have contemned them all their life Yea is it not most just and equall if God will not be found of those that were content to lose him If he shut his ear against their prayers calling to him for pardon that stopt their ears against hiâ— Voice calling upon them for repentance The Lord hath made a promise to late repentance not of late repentance if thou convertest to morrow thou art sure of grace but thou art not sure of to morrows conversion if in any reasonable time we pray he wil hear us if we repent he wil pardon us if we amend our lives he will save us but for want of this timely consideration Dives prayed but was not heard Esau wept but was not pitied the foolish Virgins knockt but wore denied and so thousands have cried unto God at the hour of death and found no repenâ—ance but they died as they lived and went from despair unto destruction Wherefore as you tender the good of your own soul set upon the work presently provide with Ioseph for the deaâ—th to come and with Naob in the dayes of thine health build the Ark of a good Conscionce against the floods of sicknesse imitate the Ant who provides her meat in Summer for the Winter following yea do it while the yerning bowels the bleeding wounds and compassionate arms of Iesus Christ lie open to receive you whiles ye have health and life and means and time to repent and make your peace with God As you tender I say the everlasting happinesse and welfare of your almost lost and drowned soul as you expect or hope for grace or mercy for joy and comfort for Heaven and salvation for endlesse blisse and glory at the last as you would escape the direfull Wrath of God the bitter Sentence and Doome of Christ the never dying sting and worm of Conscience the tormenting and soul-scorching flames of Hell and everlasting separation from Gods bliâ—full presence abjure and utterly renounce all wilfull and affected evill To which end 4. In the next place be diligent to hear Gods Word powerfully preached which is the sword of the Spirit that killeth our corruptions and that unresistable Cannon-shot which beateth and battereth down all the strong holds of uÌ„n and Satan 5. Thirdly ponder and meditate seriously on Gods inestimable love towards us who hath not spared to give his onely beloved Son out of his bosome to die for us and to purchase thereby every good thing we do injoy either for soul or body even to the least bit of bread we eat and this will make thee if thou hast any ingenuity to direct all thy thoughts speeches and actions to his glory as he hath directed thy eternall salvation thereunto and often force thee to break out into this or the like expression What shall I render unto thee O Lord for all thy benefits but love thee my Creator and become a new creature 6. Fourthly consider that the Lord beholdeth thee in all places and in every thing thou dost even as the eyes of a well-drawn Picture are fastened on thee which way soever thou turnest yea consider him as a just judge who will not let sin go unpunished and this will make thee keep a narrower watch over thy very thoughts then any other can do over thine actions 7. Fifthly if thou wilc be safe from evill works avoid the occasions at least if thou wilc keep thy self from iniquity have no fellowship with the workers of iniquity for it is not more hard to finde vertue in evil company then to misse vice They were mingled among the Heathen faith the Psalmist and what followes they learned their workes Psal. 106. 35. yea how soon was peter changed with but comning into the High Priests Hall and the like with David and Solomon which made David to say so soon as he had considered it Depart from me all ye workers of iniquity for I will keep the Commandements of my God Psal. 119. 115. knowing that he could not do the one without the other And indeed the choice of a mans company is one of the most weighty actions of our lives for our future well or ill-being depends on that election and many a man had been good that is not if he had but kept good company 8. Sixthly and lastly but chieftly principally omit not to pray for the assistance of Gods Spirit otherwise thy strength is small yea except God give thee repentance and remove all impediments that may kinder thou canst no more turn the self then thou couldest at first make thy self We are not sufficient of our selves to think much lesse to speak least of all to do that which is good 2 Cor. 3. 5. John 15. 4 5. we are swift to all evill but to any good immoveable wherefore beg of God that he will give you a new heart and when the heart is changed all the members will follow after it as the rest of the Creatures after the Sun when it ariseth importune him for grace that thou maiest firmly resolve speedily begin and continually persevere in doing and suffering his holy Will desire him to informe and reforme thee so that thou maiest neither mis-believe nor mislive to regenerate thy heart change and purifie thy nature subdue thy reason rectifie thy judgement â—eâ—orm and strengthen thy will â—enue thy affections and beat down in thee whatsoever stands in opposition to the Scepter of Iesus Christ noâ— forgetting that prayer is the key of Heaven as Ambrose calls it And now for conclusion if thou receivest any power against thy corruptions forget not to be thankfull and when God hath the fruit of his mercies he will not spare to sowe much where he reaps much Consider what I say and the Lord give you understanding to strive after those graces wherewith a 〈◊〉 Believer is qualified and whereof I have given you a Copy in the fore-going Character FINIS WE have perused this Treatise and approving it to be very pithy pious and profitable We allow it to be printed and published Iohn Downame Thomas Gataker THe Reader may think it strange that the Proofs are not alledged in some part of this Character but they were found to â—e so many in number that the very pointing to them would have taken up neer as much room as the matter it self â—nd so have doubled the charge which in these times could not be afforded Besides few use to turn to every Scripture and every sanctified heart is a Comment upon all that is herein delivered London Printed by R. W. Leyâ—â—urn 1653.