but it is beyond expression and this is the portion of them that feare Him not nor in their season and Day of Visitation call upon His Name even this is their Portion from the Lord saith the Lord Almightie But there is a sweet peace in Death to all such as painfully serve the Lord in life they are the words of him who relateth the last words of that excellent servant of the Lord Mr. Dearing And they were these It is not to begin for a moment but to continue in the A comfortable death ever followes a conscionable life Dr. Ayeries Lectur p. 715. feare of God all our dayes for in the twinckling of an eye we shall be taken away dally not with the Word of God blessed are they that use their tongues so every other faculty well while they have it So he spake lying upon his Death bed neare the time of His dissolution and having spoken somewhat touching His Hope and Crowne of rejoycing He fell asleepe This instructs us in this high point of Wisdome more then once pointed at before but can never be sufficiently pressed till it be thoroughly learnt which is to make use of the ptesent Time to know the Day of our visitation o Iob 22. 21. to acquaint our selves now with the Lord to number our Dayes God only teacheth the heart that Arithmeticke that is to consider how short how transitory how full of trouble our dayes are And yet such though they are but as a span yet thereon dependeth Eternity The thought whereof might stirre up to the well improovement of them The Hebrewes have a proverbe which they deliver in way of Counsaile Good friend remember to repent one Day before thy Death By one Day they meant the present Time the Day of Salvation So the words tend but to this to perswade to a wise and Christian improovement of that which is our Time the present There is no mans Will but when he comes to that point he bequeatheth his Soule to God But let him see to it that hee set his house in order while there was a fit season that Hee committed His Soule to God when He had perfect memory and strength of minde and well understood what He did which in time of distresse a man doth not q Few men pinched with the Messengers of Death have a dâ—sposing memory saith a great sage of the Law the L. Coke in his tenth epistle where he adviseth to set our house in order while we are in perfect health weighty counsell every way else all is in vaine for we know all is voyde if the Will be forced or if the minde and understanding part be wanting and out of frame The Lord will be as strict in examining our Will upon this point as man is what strength there was of understanding what freedome of Will And therefore the sure and certaine way is to evidence our Will in our health by double diligence as by two sure witnesses else the Lord may answer us as Iepthah to the Elders of Gilead r Iudg. 11. 7. Thou despisest me all thy life why committest thou thy Soule unto mee now in thy distresse at thy Death It is not to begin for a moment but a continuance in the feare of God all our dayes It is not to use our tongue well at the point of death but to use it well while we have it and strength to use it We must not think to leap from Earth to Heaven not think at the point of Death to live for ever with the Lord when all our life time we cared not to be made conformable to Christ in His Death We cannot thinke to Raigne with Christ who when we were living men did not Crucifie one Lust for His sake We cannot think to Rest with Him for ever in Glory who never sanctifyed one Sabbath to Him on Earth We cannot think to shine after Death as the Sunne in his strength yea to be like Him who never tooke paines to purifie our hearts nor to rub off the sully and filth of a vaine Conversation We cannot look for pleasures at Gods Right Hand forevermore who in our life and strength preferred a vaine perishing and now a tormenting pleasure before them But great peace have they that keep thy Law and nothing shall offend them Psal 119. verse 165. Great peace have they in death who painfully served God in life Their hope shall not make them ashamed for they commit their spirit into His hand Who hath redeemed them the Lord God of Truth they go to Him whose salvation their eyes have seen and whose they are and whom they served What can dismay them now can death can the grave No they are both swallowed up in victory They put death on the one side and immortalitie on the other worms on the one side and Angells on the other rottennesse on the one side and Christ Iesus on the other and now they are bold and love rather to remove out of the body and to dwell with the Lord Christ with Him together with the Father and the Holy Ghost to have continuall fellowship and everlasting communion Such honour have all the Saints Death is no other thing to them now then as the flame to the Angell Å¿ Judges 13. 20. for thereby though clean contrary to the nature thereof they ascend to their everlasting mansions there to see the good of His chosen to rejoyce in the gladnesse of His Nation and glory in His inheritance There to take possession of that crown of Righteousnesse which the Lord the Righteous Iudge shall give them at that day when with all the Patriarchs t Patriarcharum consortium Prophetarum societatem Apostolorum germanitatem Martyrum dignitatem c. Calv. Ad eccles cath lib. 2. p. 398. Prophets Apostles all the Antipasses those faithfull witnesses not yet made perfect u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Chrysost in ep ad Heb. cap. 11. hom 28. α. they shall be made perfect There to make up that tribute of praise wherein while they lived on earth they were wanting bearing part for ever in that heavenly quire saying Blessing and glory and wisdome and thanksgiving and honour and power and might be unto our God for ever and ever Amen Revel 7. 12. Thus my deare Children I thought it meet while I was in this tabernacle to stirre up your mindes by putting you in remembrance knowing that I and you must put off this walking tabernacle we must lay down this piece of breathing clay I know my self must before long and we all know not how soon and the good Lord grant that ye may be able after my departure to have these things alwayes x 1. Pet. 1. 13. in remembrance It is my charge unto you my last will look unto it and be acquainted with it for it is agreeable to Gods will My hearts desire concerning you is that ye would acquaint your selves with God for that is the
to us but men with us servants but fellow-servants Macroh Sat. lib. 1. cap. 11. imperiously command those that are in subjection to them but also too often abuse some poore silly creatures yet of the Chap. 4 § 13 same mould and image with them as the Philistines did Samson fetching them out to make them sport Assuredly the lowest of men is too high and noble a creature for the highest man on earth to vilifie or trample upon Though yet not to speake of some in a lower orbe so the proudest man on earth for he saith he is as high above Princes as the Sun is above the Moone hath dealt with those whom God had exalted putting them under his foot and he said he hath Scripture for it Psal 91. 13. But there is a Scripture fits him better and will hold him Proud and haughty scorner is his name who delighteth in proud wrath Prov. 21. 24. Note we this That as in the body naturall so in the body politick God hath set no one higher then the head and no one lower then the foot he must not be set under he must not be slighted scorned or contemned He that made him made thee He doth thee service here contemne him not for that but blesse God that made thee the head Remember also we have all one Master in heaven before whom we must appeare after we have layne together in the earth § 13. We may observe children very ready to curse others and wish the plague and pox upon them They consider not what a devourer the one nor how loathsome and defacing the other Indeed they know no other plague but the rod so they account it and let them feele how soveraign a remedy that is against the plague of the tongue for it is a plague indeed there is no more to be said to it but what hath been said that must be done We may observe also that children are very apt to curse themselves for they know not what they say A childe will ordinarily say I would I might never stirre hand or foot They will wish I would I might never speake I would I were dead and yet worse then these I would I might be hanged and yet worse The Divell take me All this these poore children will say who sees them and heares them not saying even so They consider not how soone God can wither the legge as well as the hand The King shall stretch it forth but cannot get it in againe They know not how soone He can stop the mouth and hold the eye and restraine this little vapour our breath and then where is man that speaks so proudly They know not how soone God can say Be it so as ye have desired Children must be taught That in God they live move and have their being In His hands is their breath and all their wayes e Dan. 5. 23. Him they must glorifie And for the better inforcing hereof the parent may note for the childes instruction foure examples of those who spake rashly and were payed home in that they spake against themselves †1. We reade Numb 14. There in a discontent the people murmured and wished themselves dead verse 2. At the 28. verse The Lord saith As ye have spoken in mine eares so will I do unto you so their carkeises fell in the wildernesse †2. We know who answered and said His bloud be upon us and our children f Matth. 27. 25. even so it was An heavy imprecation and most heavy it lyeth upon them even unto this day It pursues them saith g Tanquam attonitos terrefactos Aretius upon that place so as we may know the Iews and distinguish them from all others in the world for they looke as men affrighted and astonished They are an astonishing example of Gods smoaking wrath and written for our example who come the neerest to that Mother-Church in our receits and returnes I meane in mercies and in sinnes And this may teach us also that we speake not rashly against our selves nor reject the Counsell of God against our soules h Joh. 7. 30. nor trample under foot the Sonne of God counting the bloud of the covenant an unholy thing i Heb. 10. 29. Chrysost speaks sadly touching this abiding wrath upon the Jewes and the cause of the same 1. Tom. Hâ—m 37. orat 4. for as that bloud being sprinkled on the upper doore-post that is on our hearts speaks better things then the bloud of Abell so being rejected and despised as bloud cast on the threshold and under foot k Mr. Ainsw Exod. 12. 7. it speaks the sorest wrath witnesse the example we are now upon I meane the judgement of the Iews which is become a signe conspicuous to every eye as a Banner displayed or as Ensignes lifted up l Numb 16. 10. Exemplum omnium oculis expositum ut est eâ—ectum signum Trem. †3. There is a third example of a Knight who suffred above twentie yeares since on Tower-hill I will note what he spake to the people at that time when it was time to be serious for he was taking his last leave of them and of the world Thus he spake I was a great gamester and still haunted with ill suck once and it was in France having lost a great sum I solemnly wished would I might be hanged if ever I played againe I quickly forgot what I had so solemnly promised and fell to my game again But now you all see how God hath payed me home a man not likely to breath my last here in so open a place so sadly spake that sad Gentle-man at a sad time and as sad a spectacle And with many good admonitions and savoury expressions he yeelded his body to the justice of the Law and his spirit to Him who abundantly pardoneth and so dyed as one that had hope in his death †4. Dietericus in his Postills m First part imprinted 1631. p. 410. Câ—lum 2. tells us a yet sadder example not of his own knowledge but from anothers Relation of much esteeme and credit with him The Relation is this A young Gentle-woman of good note and breeding portion and proportion answerable had set her affection upon a Gentle-man but too low for her ranke or not rich enough in the friends esteeme yet to assure the young man to her and her selfe to him she solemnly wishâ—d The Divell take her if she marryed with any other The parents shortly after found out a fitter match for their daughter of their own chusing for the other liked them not I remember not well how the maide was pleased but the parents were so the match was concluded This we may note by the way If the question were put to parents what sway reason doth carry in the making of matches I beleeve they that go for wise-men might be posed or else ashamed to answer the truth Affections doe sway most with young persons Money and such by-respects
hast received So God hath exalted thee so shouldst thou exalt the Lord and all this from thy outward frame the site and posture thereof And so farre we are gone and before we go further we must take fuller notice of things we have passed briefly over for they are observable § 1. We are Gods workmanship His building wonderfully were we made by b Isa 45. 11. Him accordingly should we strive to live unto Him if we ask more grace He will not deny us it A strong argument it is c Psal 138. 8. We are the workmanship of thy hands and as strong is this Created in Christ Iesus unto good d Ephes 2 10. works †1. 2. He brought us forth thence where many miscarried because there was no power that our praise might be alwayes of Him And He gave our parents charge over us and them a strong affection to discharge that trust though we were froward and like perverse children which engageth mightily to honour the parents to obey them in the Lord. And to do what possibly we can and all too little for their good if they shall need it and for the promoting their comfort in the childes well-doing the very garland of their hope and sore travell under the Sunne and a very cordiall to their drouping spirits § 2. His exceeding patience to us ward in sparing us so long and His good providence over us all this time but specially then when we could have none for our selves when we foresaw nothing not not a pit before us For mark I pray you that little thing such an one I was so wast thou and let us not carelesly behold him If now he be out of the cradle and the armes and can do more then creep by the wall we shall see it still in harmes-way now puâ—dering in the fire then in the pot of seething liquour then up the stairs it will creep and down again it tumbles with little or no harm And if it can break the mother prison we shall see it marching in the streets presently in the Carts way or under the horses heels perhaps as his strength is upon their backs or upon some Ladder or some Tree where he ventreth his necke for an apple or a lesse matter Like a Lapwing it is Squerill headed still skipping into danger not so quicke to get from it Such like and many more dangers attend that silly age So that this is a sure thing which I shall tell you It was not the care of the earthly Father though he was carefull with all his care nor the tender hand and eye of the Mother though both still helpfull and wakefull neither this nor that was it which provided for the childe and secured its safety but the providence of the Almighties eye 2. Kin. 4. 13. His good hand upon the childe that kept it That that was it and to that we must sacrifice that we have been preserved where so many have fallen and escaped those snares and dangers wherein so many have been taken Make this use we must of the casualties And forget we must not the many diseases this vile body is subject to which we have been kept from or delivered in Plinie reckons no fewer then 300. from top to toe I mention but two and they be capitall ones the Evill and the Falling sicknesse very incident to children and makes their life but a death to themselves and friends That we have been preserved and delivered thus and thus what a mercie herein what praise therefore 3. He hath ranked us in His highest form amidst His chiefest creatures that our thoughts should be on high and our wayes on high Noble creatures we are of an heavenly stamp impresse and superscription that our carriage and deportment should be answerable Oh then how is it that the horse and the mule which have no understanding should teach their Lord and this Lord so brutish that he will not be taught by them We put bits in our horses mouths and they obey us The dogge follows our foot and will be struck by our hand the d Jer. 8. 7. Storke the Crane the Swallow know their season The e Isai 1. 3. Ox knoweth his Master and the Asse his Crib but man is become brutish he considers not Every f Jam. 3. 7. kinde of beasts and of birds and of Serpents and things in the Sea is tamed and have been tamed of mankinde But man is the unruly creature the ungoverned person yet hath he reason to guide him Reason I say the crown and dignitie of a person when the naturall powers and noble faculties are entire and sound a great good mercy go to Bedlam else and enquire we there but that we need not do we need but go sit down and hearken there and then we must needs say Oh what a blessing is it what a mercy that we have the use of reason that our understanding part is sound and perfect He hath reason I say to guide him the fear of the Lord to awe him His word to instruct him and if he be not guided reclaimed taught he will have no excuse no pretext for himself for saith g In Gen. Hom. 9 p. 85. Chrysostome man tameth the Lion and he leads the Beare and he frays the Serpent that he hurts him not thou art unexcusable then O man if thou art an uâ—â—overned creature so the Father reproves man made in 〈◊〉 image And Elihu to h Job 35. 10. 11. Iob gives us as full a reproofe and concludes the use saying But none saith where is God my Maker who giveth songs in the night Who teacheth us more then the Beasts of the earth and maketh us wiser then the fowls of heaven 4. Lastly he hath given us our parts proportion and comelinesse in all nothing wanting what praise therefore we have the candle of the body whereby we escape the pit under us and the rock before us a great mercy ask him else who at noon-tide gropes his way as in the night We have tongues whereby we may make our thoughts known and eares we have whereby we understand what others say to us The nose beautifies the face we must not forget that for a great ornament it is as the want thereof defaceth and disfigureth nothing more the Virgins thought so who saith the i Barthol Anat. li 3. c. 10. p. 143. ω. Anatomist and out of our Chronicles too cut off their noses that they might prevent both love and lust from their amorous but bloudy conquerours This organ we have a great comelinesse to the face and the stomacks taster it is of as great use also We have hands both the instrument k Putean Epi. 17 of instruments an excellent instrument We have feet two whereby we can walk and go and as occasions are run all these instruments we have and exceeding great mercies all these Ask him else who hath eyes but sees not a nose but smels not a
tongue but speaks not eares two but hears not no more then the deafe l In Scotland Heylyne Geogra pa. 503. stone we read of or then if there were seven walls betwixt him and the speaker ask him and him who hath no hands or but one or if two yet no use of either ask him and him who hath no feet or but one or if two yet walks not ask him Ask we this man and that and the other and say we what we are assured these defective persons would all say Oh what mercies are these of what use and account how pretious should these be everie one in respect of both their use and esteeme How do these organs these instruments adorn beautifie honour the outward man how serviceable are they thereunto Oh how should we serve our Creator who hath made us so how should we not give all and every part to serve Him and to advance His glory And so much so little rather to the outward frame of body and to the great and many instructions therefrom The inward frame of spirit comes now in the second place to be treated of CHAP. II. Chap. 2 Our inward frame of spirit how naturally depraved THou must now take a view of thy inward frame the frame of thy revolting heart revolting I say from Him who hath done all this for thee whereof thou hast heard who summes up all things in Himself being all sufficient the fountain and Ocean of all our happinesse from Him are we parted and to cisternes we are come to creature-comforts which emptie faster then they fill yet after them our hearts wander from creature to creature for so our comforts here lie scattered like the Bee from one flower to another seeking fulnesse but finding emptinesse for our owne findings are sinne and death Such a generation we are and so degenerated even from the day that we were born for Grace makes the difference and separates not the wombe polluted in our owne blood to the loathing of our persons and the magnifying of His grace who regarded so low an estate making it the object of His pitie So here in this Chapter I can make no division for though I am to speak of a Body which hath many members of a Root which puts forth many branches yet is it but a body of death a root of bitternesse And so spirituall it is in working so speedy and quicke and with such consent and agreement also that I can see no more reason to divide here then Abraham did to divide the Birds But them he divided a not It is sufficient to shew this body as in b Gen. 15. 10. a glasse darkly how filthy and lothsome it is And for this purpose we will look on the 16. Chapter of Ezechiel which gives the clearest reflexion and as fully sheweth a man to himself as any glasse in the world But then the eye must have a property which the outward hath not to look inward and to see its self which imployeth it hath received an anoynting from above But whether we have it or have it not Ezek. 16. a fit glasse it is to see our selves in If we could lay our selves close up on it as the Prophet applyed himself to the child the proud heart would fall the haughtie looks would down And therefore That thou mayst take shame to thy self as thy just portion and the more advance God and the riches of His goodnesse m Here is ground of coÌ„fort and for firme resolution said Staupitius to Luther in that you stand for that Doctrin which gives All to God to Man nothing at all for this is according to the Truth of the Gospel And in sure confidence hereof I shall set my face like a flint said Luther Comâ—oâ— Galat. 1. 12. ch 2 6. according to the doctrin of the Gospel God is never exalted till man is laid low nor is Christ precious till we are vile Consider thy selfe well and begin there where thou tookest thy beginning There thou shalt finde the first Corner-stone in thy foundation was laid in bloody iniquities in which thou wast conceived The very materialls of soul and body whereof thou dost consist were temper'd with sinne like the stone in the wall and beame out of the timber so as they cryed out even the same moment thou wast born rase this building rase it even to the ground And the cry had been heard and thou hadst been sent before this time to thy own place but that mercy came betwixt even the cry of that bloud which speaks better things then the bloud of Abel And that cry was heard so thou wast graciously spared and behold what riches of grace here are shew'd unto thee for thou wast then as wholly naked and stript of all goodnesse as thy body was being newly born and as wholly invested with the worst filthinesse for it is expressed by such things which are not comely to name as thy body was with skin and thy bones with flesh So thou camest in n Tantillus puâ—r tanâ—us peccaâ—or a very little childe but a very great sinner not after the similitude of Adams transgression for sinne was actuall in him breaking a Commandement Originall in thee for thou brought'st it into the world with thee And a world of wickednesse it is defiling thy Body setting on fire not thine own only but the whole course of nature for thou hadst an hand to use Mr. Boltons words in that fire-work which blew up all mankinde he means in Adams transgression in whose loins thou wast as a branch in a common stock which brought forth such a bloudy sea of sinne and sorrow into the world I will hold thy thoughts at the wombe so may'st thou the better know thy selfe for ever after From thence thou cam'st into the world a sinke a Sodome of all filth and impuritie Thou hast inherent in thy bowels secret seeds and imbred inclinations of all sinne The principles of Hazaels bloudy cruelties of Athaliahs treasons and Iezebels lusts The wombe the seed of all the villanies that have been acted in the world which Saint Paul hath sum'd up together in his first chapter to the Romanes 1 Tim. 1. 2 Tim. 3. Thou hast within thee the spawn the fomenter the formative vertue of all that hellish stuffe All those flouds of ungodlinesse have no other originall fountain from which they issue then this sinne thou art now taking a view off Thy Heart is the Treasury of all that wickednesse and if the Lord shall rip up the foundations of thy nature as He may and in mercy also then wilt thou know I do not speak parables But if thou canst not follow sinne to its first originall if thou could'st so do thou would'st feare it more and flie from it faster then Moses from the serpent for more active it is and hurtfull if thou hast not learnt so much yet then learne now and follow the streames they leade to the Spring-head
sometimes troubled with the fruit of his corruption and the consequents of guilt and punishment that attend it but a true-hearted Christian with corruption it self this drives him to complaine with Saint Paul O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me not from the members only but from this body of death We must be humbled for actuall sinne but that is not low enough he that goes no lower doth but as if a man should rub his nose to make it leave bleeding As in good things the cause is better then the effect so in ill things the cause is worse There is more heat in the furnace then in the spark more poyson in the root then in the branch more bitternesse in the spring then in the streame It is not actuall sinne that only or primarily defiles me I must look back to my first originall I was tainted in the spring of my Nature that is worse then any of those filthy streames that come from it my Nature is subject to break out continually upon any upon all occasions pray we then Lord strike at the root dry up the fountain in me Oh d Dr. S. S. C p. 195. 196. if we could but one whole houre seriously think of the impure issue of our hearts it would bring us down upon our knees in humiliation before God But we can never whilst we live see so throughly as we should into this depth nor yet be humbled enough for what we see How should it humble us that the seeds of the vilest sinne even of the sinne against the holy-Ghost is in us And to heare of any great enormous sinne in another man considering what our own nature would proceed unto if it were not restrained we may see our own nature in them as face answering face If God should take His Spirit from us there is enough in us to defile a whole world We cannot see the Dregs in the bottome before we see the vessell shaken Sinne may lye dormant like a dog asleep for want of an occasion to jog it and all that while we may keep clean as a swine in a faire meadow We know not our own hearts till an occasion be offer'd nor then neither unlesse we plough with Gods Heifer till His spirit bringeth a light to ours I hold thee the longer at this point Because it is the maine point The more we consider the height the depth the breadth the length of this misery the more shal we be humbled in our selves and magnifie the height the depth the breadth and the length of Gods mercy in Christ e Pag. 213. The favourers of Nature are alwayes the enemies of Grace This which some thinke and speake so weakely and faintly off is a more enemy to us then the divell himselfe a more neere a more restlesse a more traiterous enemy for by intelligence with it the divell doth us all the hurt he doth and by it maintains forts in us against goodnesse Therefore slight not sinne here nor thy misery by sinne According to those steps thou canst go down into this depth of thy misery by sinne thou shalt rise upward again to the greatnesse of Gods love in Christ and so fetch happinesse out of that depth also Here it is most true one depth calleth unto another depth If every step or Article in the first which is misery by sinne do not more and more humble us in the sight of our misery no Article in the second part which is our redemption by Christ can comfort us Enlarge thy sinne to the uttermost that thou may'st magnifie the grace of Christ Lessen not mince not sin in hope of pardon Little sinne to forgive will make Christ little loved The height and depth of mercy cannot be sounded but by the measuring line of misery We must be brought to Davids acknowledgement f Psal 38. 7. There is no soundnesse in this flesh no part of health or life in our sinfull nature which was most fully signified in that which was most remarkable saith Mr. Ainsworth g Ainsw Levit 13. 15. Plurimum profâ—cit qui sibi plurimum displicere didicit Cal. Inst 3. 3. 20. in the Law of Leprosie That quick or sound flesh in the sore should be judged leprosie and the man uncleane whereas if the leprosie covered all his flesh he was pronounced clean Hope not then in small sinne but in great mercy and that it may not seeme small for that is the feare think thus Can that pollution be small which hath past through so many Iordans yet cannot be cleansed Can that root be any other then a root of gall and bittâ—rnesse which hath defiled all and all parts and faculties of All Can that Stump be small that hath thrust out such strong branches and those so often cut and he wed at and yet growing again Can any sparke be little that comes from such a Treasury Think on this and think seriously whether here be not cause of loathing take it actively that thou shouldst loath thy self or passively that thy person should be loathed Cause of loathing there is of despairing also in thy self but not in another Cause to go out of thy self for mercy no cause to despaire of mercy A great sinner hath a mighty Redeemer but he wil not roul himself upon Him That is mighty till he feeles himself to be such a sinner as we heard a great sinner which consideration will drive the soule upon another rock if we observe not how the Prophet pleads for mercy upon this very ground Because his sin is great h Psal 25. 11. The glory of God is great in the salvation of great sinners And by putting confidence in Him Who is mightie we lay Glory and Majesty upon Him for to those words we may properly allude i Psal 21. 5. His glory is great in thy salvation honour and Majesty hast thou laid upon Him Our thoughts are straitened now yet think we on the riches of His mercy Who when we were as out-casts to the loathing of our persons in the day that we were born when we lay polluted in our own bloud said unto us at such a time as that Ezek. 16. Live If we think k on this we think on a Love which passeth knowledge on a mercy whose height and depth and breadth cannot be measured but if we can spread it upon our sinne as the the Prophet himself upon the childe we shall finde it equall to all dimensions And this is the Love of Him who gave His Sonne and the obedience of that Sonne who gave Him self for our ransome a price that cannot be valued for it went to the worth of souls And this He did being made as Luther said well the greatest sinner in the world suffering what was due to such a sinner eternall wrath not in respect of its duration for it was of a short continuance but yet eternall in respect of the excellent dignitie of the
from how kept under from spreading too farre and running forth wilde AND now leaving this inward frame of our revolting heart I meane the fountain of originall impuritie or the body of death as Paul calls it to our most retyred thoughts that so it may stirre up to continuall watchfulnesse and humiliation I say leaving that fountain or body of sin I come to the members issuing thence as the streame from the fountain or as branches from the root For though the current thereof be in a good measure stayed and stopt in Baptisme by the sanctifying power of Christs saving bloud yet it doth more or lesse bubble up in our rebellious nature Though the branches are hew'd and lop't yet they trust out again from their bitter root Though the body of sinne be mortified so as the power and dominion thereof is subdued yet the life thereof is prolonged a Dan. 7. 12. and the power thereof is as the kingdome spoken of by Daniel b Dan. 2. 42. partly strong and partly broken So as here is still matter of our strife and combate as against an enemy dwelling within our Land like the Canaanite in the border of an Israelite to vexe exercise and prove us I cannot reckon up the least part of that wilde fruit which springs forth of this our so fruitfull stumpe bound up fast within our earth as with a band of Iron and Brasse But some three or foure or more branches I shall point at which run most wild to the dishonour of our outward man and disturbance of our inward peace And these I shall discover unto thee that thou may est be most wary of them and ever well provided and armed against them as followeth The first is §. 1. Pride Chap. 4 §. 1 § 1. I meane not that privy pride springing up from a secret and unsuspected fountaine even from an holy zeale godly duties good actions not properly ours yet flesh and bloud will lay claime unto them And hath its seat in a sanctified soule making it proud that it is not proud even of its humilitie And therefore doth the same soule make its watch the stronger I meane that pride whose root is discernable and whose fruit soonest shooteth forth and declareth it selfe defiling our outward members and inward faculties lifting us up so much the higher in a windy conceit the emptier and lighter we are upon the ballance and the more wanting And this some call the Womans sinne Indeed it is most unworthy and unbeseeming a man the truest testimony of weaknesse and vanitie But yet Sith there is as one noteth c L. Verulam Essayes Act. 12. 63. in humane nature more of the foole then of the wise we must grant it to be the Mans sinne also perhaps not so generally his nor in the same degree For if we do grant as ordinarily it seemes so and is so concluded That the inward powers of Iudgement and Reason are weaker in women then in men we must needs grant That pride as it is till of late more ordinarily discovered in that sex then in the other so it is for the same reason more incident unto them They may have lesse inward worth and beautie to commend them and therefore do they the more paint and adorne the outward Likely it is that they do not so well discerne the simple and naked truth of things and therefore delight themselves in feathers toyes flattering conceits false valuations They are not so well able to study nature as men may and can therefore may they it is not proper to say they may and yet more excuseable it is in them then in men they may please themselves with polished Art at the best but natures Ape rather then with that which is simple and naturall with very appâ—arances affectation and pompe rather then with reality and substance rather with that which is borrowed then with that which is proper and naturall Lastly they may not be so able to study themselves The principles they consist of The foundation they stand on The vilenesse of the body The excellent worth and dignitie of the soul The faculties of both body and soul The excellency of that end for which they received them Where these defects and wants are as in all they are for naturally in all as was said there is more of the fool then of the wise and the more or lesse they are in man or woman accordingly will he and she more or lesse reckon and account of falshood and outward appearances before verities Lying and base vanities before realitie and substance and so are pay'd accordingly with winde and counterfeit ware instead of currant commoditie for these vain conceits and false valuations will prove but poore and shrunken things in the end For from hence it is and so we may go through all things that do lift up man and blow up that bubble hence it is That our clothes made for necessity and ornament yea to make us humble and thankfull humilitie and thankfulnesse still go together do prove so contrary to those ends priding us up in our own conceits and dishonouring us in the eyes of others Hence it is that we are such Fashionists so phantastick and changeable that way That the Taylor can as hardly fit us as the d Plut. Conv. 7. sapient man so goes the fable could fit a garment for the Moon Hence it is That our haire made to cover our scalp doth in a windy humour to a base fashion cover our face and that part of it which of any should not be covered So that which was made for an ornament and we should finde it so if we wanted but an eye-brow is so nourished and let to spread out so that it makes the person look like afurie Hence it is that we do tread like the Antipodes if the word were proper clean contrary to nature hiding that which should be covered and covering that which should be hid Hence it is That our eyes feet fingers our whole gesture and deportment do make so plain a Commentary upon the heart That if I may apply it so he that runnes may read the present humour and state of the minde and will so great a discovery of our dissimulations the gesture is for that speaks to the e Many have secret hearts and transparent countenances Essayes 21. p 128. eye as the tongue to the eare Hence it is That the inward beauty is so neglected and the outward so set out and highly prized when as beauty and strength will be much wasted by one fit of an Ague yea f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Basil in Hex Hom. 5. quite gone in one night Hence it is That Knowledge doth puff up That Learning makes proud which is not Knowledge indeed nor Learning but our ignorance and going back wards a windie and flatuous conceit of both True Learning the more it is and the truer it is the more it humbles the closer it lies the
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alex. Protrept p 30. A spark of wickednesse neglected or dallied with in the fancy may quickly beget a flame of wickednesse in the heart Corpus opere sordidatur animus voluntate Chrysost in Matt. Lat. tantum Hom. 52. pleasures which we have not opportunitie outwardly to performe which is called speculative wickednesse and greatly defileth the man and dishonoureth God and so answerably provoketh Him even to give us up to our imaginations and to cast us loose into the lap of our Delilahs or lusts which is the greatest judgement in the world for when sinne is let into the soule by the eye and rouled about by the imagination it will quickly like a canker eat out all the grace in the soule and then what follows but a filling of our hearts with Satan and in the end a reaping the fruit of our own wayes If we suffer our fancy to brood upon lusts we shall hatch Cockatrice egges or weave Spiders webbs the issue will be mischiefe or vanitie and so we shall weave the web of our own sorrow and shame Therefore we must watch over our thoughts if we regard our peace whereof watchfulnesse is the preserver They may make a through fare in our minde they must not get entertainment nor lodging there n From sinne lighting upon our thoughts it is impossible from making a nâ—st there or hatching that we may do and are charged so to do We must keep our heart from resolving and saying content Bp. And. p. 190. And that we may be afraid to think before God what we are ashamed to do before men we must consider first 1. That we have to do with an holy God who specially sees the heart and requires puritie there It is our spirits with whom God who is a spirit hath most communion with all And the lesse freedome we take to sinne here the more argument of o Voâ— scelera admissa punitis Apud nos cogitare peccare est Vos conscios timetis nos etiam conscientiam solam M. Minut Fael p. 25. lin 3. in sol Summum praesidium Regni est justitia ob opertos tumultus Religio ob occultos Card. de sap lib. 3. â— Incentiva viâ—â—orum statim in mente iugulabis parvulos Babylâ—â—is allides ad Pâ—tram c. Hier. lib 2. ep â—8 p. 216. â— Succubâ— Incubi Zanch. de oper Dei lib. 4 cap. 16. Aug. de Civit. Dei lib. 15. cap. 2. sinceritie because there is no Law to binde the inner-man but the law of the Spirit of Grace whereby we are a law to our selves But on the contrary the more way we give to wicked imaginations the more we shew what our actions would be if we dared o for if we forbeare doing evill out of conscience we should as well forbeare imagining evill for both are alike open to God and hateful to Him And therefore oft where there is no conscience of the thought God gives men up to the deed The chiefe lesson then is this As we desire and expect to have communion with God we must addresse our spirits before Him p we must be pure not in body only but in heart also nay we must be in our measure pure and holy as He is if we look to see Him as He is We must consider withall That our unclean spirits make us like that Spirit who though he commits no corporall uncleannesse some tell us of sexes in divels or assumed by them and of their filthinesse that way q yet he is called an uncleane spirit And as he is he is called which tells us That the uncleannesse of our spirits and hearts as it is the greatest defilement so it doth make us most like the divell And therefore if this uncleane spirit or our selves have stirred a sinke in our soules we must not stirre it more by our imagination but as we use to do when a sink is stirred we go into a sweeter roome so we must remove our thoughts and take off our imagination from stirring and puddering in that filth And this we may do by finding it some sweeter more cleanly and befitting work It is certain that the imagination hath a power if it be put forth but that requires an other power to raise it selfe as swiftly and as quick which is the excellency of it to heaven to the high and great things there as it will descend to hell though it be a naturall descent to those black things there And it is certain too that hopes on high will lead to thoughts on high The noblenesse of the soule and thoughts thereof and of great things prepared for it will remember our imaginative sacultie of noble work of high and weightie considerations If our affections be indeared to any sensuall delight they will drown our fancies therein and on the other side our fancies quicke and nimble though they be yet will they move heavily and die in their excessive motion to the things below if the soule be taken up with the Love of the best things And this leads me to the last thing which is a more speciall and soveraign vertue to help and fortifie our soule against her sensuall appetites I meane such helps which reason can suggest I know if the Eye of the Lord awe us Job 31. if destruction from God be a terrour unto us if the spirit of holinesse comes into the heart then the work is done 2. In the last place then because our imagination hurteth and betrayeth our succours within by false representations and by preventing reason usurping a censure of things before our judgements try them whereas the office of imagination is to minister matter to our understanding to work upon not to lead it much lesse to mis-lead it sith I say our case is so and so depraved our facultie is we must take great heed and give all diligence That as one excellently adviseth we suffer not things to passe suddenly from the imagination to our will and affection we must aske advise first of our judgement That is the light and eye of the inward man and we must pray for the inward anoynting whose office it is to weigh things in the ballance and so to discerne This judgement doth acquaint the minde to ballance reasons on both sides and to turne backe the first offers and conceits of the minde and to accept of nothing but first examined and tryed There is a sicknesse of fancy and there is no way to cure it but by advising with judgement We shall as Saul in another case account the wayes of sinne and death even the shedding our own souls bloud in the pursuit of our own appetites and the libertie to satisfie the same All this we shall account a compassion r 1 Sam. 23. 21. if judgement do not come betwixt our imaginations and will The tumults and distempers of the soul though they rage in silent darknesse would be in a great measure quieted if summon'd before strength
base unto it the soul cannot unite with them nor be servant unto them use them she may but she enjoyes God her union there parts unrivets and divorceth her from base unions and fellowships with things below And so much to the second Grace required in the Receiver 3. The third is Love Love to God who loved us first and gave His Sonne that we might not perish Love to to Christ who so dearely bought us a Love as strong as Death which stirres up all the powers of the Body and Soul to love Him again so as we can thinke nothing too much or too hard to do or suffer for Him who hath so abounded towards us The History of His passion is more largely set down then is the History of His Nativitie Resurrection or Ascension and for this reason it is That all the circumstances thereof are so largely set down That our hearts should be enlarged after Christ That we should have largenesse of affection to Him and these steeped as it were in His bloud and crucified to His crosse and buried in His grave And as Love to Him so love to our Brother for His sake * Amicum in Christo inimicum propter Christum It cannot be doubted of in Him that tastes of this Love Feast he partakes of that there which is the cement that sodders and joynes us together e Sanguis Christi coagâ—lum Christianorum as the graines in one Loafe or as the stones in an Arch one staying up another or to speake in the Scriptures expression as members of one Body nay which is yet neerer as members one of another we partake in one house at one table of one bread here is a neere Communion and that calls for as neere an union so the Apostle reasons 1 Cor. 10. 16 17. One God one Christ See Chrysost on the 1 Cor. Hom. 1. one Spirit one Baptisme one Supper one Faith And all this to make us one That we may keep the unitie of the Spirit in the bond of peace f Eph. 4 3. But above all The Sacrament of the Supper is ordained for Love But our love to our enemies our shewing the kindnesse of the Lord g 2 Sam. 9. 3. first part p. 71. that is returning good for evill This blessing them who curse us this is all the difficultie and the doubt And hard it is to corrupt nature I remember Salvian saith He that thinks he prayeth for his enemy may be much mistaken he speaks he doth not pray h Si pro adversario orare se cogit loquitur non precatur lib. 2. pag. 70. And yet it is much to consider how farre a common and naturall light hath lead some here in this straight way of forgiving an enemy He was an implacable brother who said let me not live if I be not revenged of my brother The other brother answered And let not me live if I be not reconciled to my brother i Plut. de Fralorno amore And they were brothers too betwixt whom we read never any other contention was but who should dye for the other k Mart. lib. 1. ep 37. So strong a naturall affection hath been and so able to endure wrongs and to right them with good which is our rule and contrary to former customes l Isid Pelus lib. 3. epist 126. 1 Cor 4. 12. 13. Lege Chrys ad Pop. Ant. tract Hom. 9. ω. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plus de Frat. Am. wins the Crown or garland Grace is stronger then Nature it rivets and joynes men together like twin-members eyes hands and feet or like twigs on the same root or stalke which stick alwayes together But especially if we suppose two persons communicating together at the Table of the Lord we must needs grant that in this Communion they see that which will reconcile implacablenesse it self for there they see a free offer of grace and peace not onely to an enemie once but to enmitie it self an infinite debt cancell'd a transgressour from the wombe an infinite transgressour since yet accepted to mercy This will beget again a love to God and to the most implacable enemy for Gods sake thoughts of this will swallow up the greatest injuries If our thoughts be upon the Ten thousand talents we cannot possibly think of requiring the hundred pence this Chrysostome m Vol. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Lege Chrysost in cap. 8. ad Rom. Hom. 14. p. 206. presseth very fully and usefully in his first sermon upon that parable or debtor We must remember alwayes that much love will follow as an effect from the cause where many sinnes are forgiven n Luke 7. 47. Matth. 18. 33. We cannot but think on the equitie of this speech and how inexcusable it must leave an implacable man I forgave thee all thy debt shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow servants The summe is and our rule I must love my friend in Christ and my enemie for Christ Catechismes are large here and helps many and it is hard to meet with new meditations on so old a subject handled so fully and usefully by many but His good spirit leade thee by the hand who leades unto all truth It remains onely that I give some satisfaction to a question or two these they are But how if I finde not these graces Repentance faith charitie to be in me how then May I go to this Table or go I as a worthy Communicant A weighty Question this of high and universall concernment For he or she that eats and drinks unworthily are guilty of the Body and Bloud of the Lord o 1. Cor. 11. 27. The guilt of bloud lieth upon them Now the Lord ever puts a price upon bloud even upon the bloud of beasts upon the bloud of man much more upoÌ„ that bloud that was shed for man how great a price being the bloud of God and the price of souls So then we must be well advised what we do For if we spill mans bloud as God forbid we should for bloud cries yet if we would we have another bloud to cry unto which cries for mercy but if we spill this Bloud and tread it under foot what then whither then shall we flie for mercy when with our own hands we have plucked down our Sanctuary We spill we cast away our right pretious medicine We must then be well advised what we do and be humbled very low for what we have done even to girding with sackcloth and wallowing in dust p Jer. 6. 26. For who is he that may not say even in this case Deliver me from bloud guiltinesse O Lord the God of my salvation q Psal 51. And blessed be God even the God of our salvation that we can in His Name go to bloud for pardon of this crimson sinne even the spilling of His Bloud for so three thousand did before us r Acts 2. And written
abuse of the tongue but to instruct to exhort to reprove to correct also thereby to bring all to know and serve God There must be no difference none at all between children and servants It is not said m Gen. 18. 19. Abraham and his Isaac Lydia n Acts 15. 16. and her daughters but Abraham and his houshold Lydia and her houshold All alike in point of information though a difference in affection This is the praise in the Gospell that some private families were particular Churches The Church in thy house Philem. 2. And hence saith the Father o Chrysost in ep ad Cor. Hom. 12. If we observe so much it sufficeth hence all our evils which break out in Citie and Countrey ever from the neglect of this family or household We think it saith he sufficient to excuse our neglect when he or she walk in their own way the way of sinne and death That they are our servant or handmaid as if servants had no souls and we no charge over them or to use the same Fathers words as if in Christ Iesus there were either bord or free All one in our care But now heare the same Fathers reproof we do not so neglect our horse or our asse for we would have them good as we do our servants For the same may be said of us the Father p In epist ad Cor. Hom. 8. puts it down as a Caveat in way of prevention which was said of a people in Ieremiah's time q Jer. 7. 18. The children gather wood and the fathers kindled the fire and the women knead their dough So of us children and servants run after their pleasure Fathers as fast after their profit the women make provision for a temporall life onely none seek the things of Christ but all their own things whence must needs follow disorder in the family confusion in the Common-wealth And so much may teach thee so to use thy tongue that it may be thy glory in the setting up and maintaining the Glorie and service of God in thy family which was the grace and glory of those families whose praise is in the Gospell and the praise of that vertuous woman She openeth her mouth with wisdome and in her tongue is the law of kindenesse Prov. 31. 26. 2. There will be much use of the eye too many servants riotously waste much children wantonly spill much be wakefull herein see that nothing be riotously abused as the swinish manner is in some families worse then brutish nor needlesâ—ly spent nor carelesly spilt Set an honourable price upon Gods gifts for thou receivest them from God opening His hand What comes from His hand must not be slighted in ours The least crum of His blessings should have its due regard And as He doth open His hand so do thou open thy heart Thou canst not open at all till He open first much lesse so wide but yet pray as the one is enlarged towards thee so the other may be enlarged towards Him in thy measure and thy hand also open to others according as He hath blessed thee If He doth give thee to eat of the fat and to drink of the sweet and to be clad with the wool Nehem. 8. 10. Remember them for whom none of all is this provided And remember withall it is one of the properties of a vertuous woman Prov. 31. 20. She stretcheth out her hand to the poore yea she reacheth out her hands to the needy Mercies are spilt upon us if our hearts are not open towards God whose they are and our hand open towards our brethren who need our help The poore mans hand is Christs treasurie u Manus pauperis est gazophylacium Christi Chrysol Ser. 8. as we adde thereto we give unto Christ and we shew mercy to our own souls x Prov. 11. vers 17. and verses 24. 25. and that thy alms may not stick in thy hand as if thou wert grieved to part with it learn a lesson from thy bee-hive There thou seest great store of honey brought home but look in the place whence the Bee did fetch it and thou canst see nothing missing y Quis unquam quod ferentem â—pem viderat ubi dâ—esset invenâ—t Quint Pro paupâ—re decl 13. p. 158. It is so in giving of alms Thou doest cut a cantle from thy loaf so from thy cheese and something more thou takest out of thy purse wisely considering the poore and needy for that is supposed beleeve me now at the yeares end thou shalt finde nothing missing of all thou hast taken from thy loaf or out of thy purse But suppose thou hast not whereof to give it is a strong objection if there be truth in it as oft-times there is not but suppose thy case so though I cannot well suppose thy case harder then was the case of the widow who notwithstanding as rich in faith as she was poore in outward things from a very little parted with a little and thereby found a very rich increase So we reade 1. Kings 17. It is an extraordinary example but of no ordinary use But suppose I say this little is wanting thou hast nothing to give Then we must suppose also that as it is said thou wast thy self a stranger therefore thou knowest the heart of a stranger z Exod 2â— 9. So thou art a needy person and now thou knowest the heart of the needy and helplesse man he would have kinde and mercifull words they as an almes will be accepted when there can be no more he would not have affliction added to affliction not gall and wormwood put to his sowre cup. So then what thou canst not do with thy hand supply with thy tongue but let thy words come from thy heart Mark it we are not commanded to draw out our purses to the needy person No for our case may be as it is an ordinary case silver and gold have we none But this we are bound to do To draw out our soul to the hungry Esay 58 10. even then when otherwise we cannot satisfie the afflicted soul We must be kinde pitifull mercifull to his body more specially to his soul that is to draw out our soul to the hungry when we have no purse to draw out And then past all doubt we are bountifull for it is a case long since resolved A poore man may be liberall Now in a few words learn the way of thriving how thou may est have whereout to give this is the way A wise and Christian thrift will supply us much this way to enable us to supply others wants whereas a profuse and riotous spending emptieth all the contrary way and seals up the heart that it sheweth no pitie The eye must be wakefull looking about thee that nothing be lost and thy hand must be diligent in thy house for we shall never see one and the same person slack and slothfull yet liberall and bountifull profuse
Prov. 1. turn away their eare from hearing his Law we must heare God first if we look that God should heare us at the last If He cryeth and He cannot be heard We shall cry and we shall not be heard for the Lord hath spoken it more then once e Zach. 7. 13. Quid enim justius c. Sal. De Gob. lib. 3. pag. 86. Non audivimus non audimur ibidem All our stretching and crying and howling will be in vain We should have stretched and inclined our eares and have lifted up our voice on high when Gods time and ours was I mean the ordinary time that he hath appointed to be called upon and we are commanded to seek Him in What time is that it is called the Day of Salvation the acceptable Day And when is that time The Apostle answers Now is the accepted time now is the Day of Salvation now this present time f 1 Cor. 6. 2. And it is but a day Time is all the yeare long but your sowing time and your reaping time both these have their seasons Time is all the day long but tide-time hath See first Part. pag. 71. its appointed houre and we observe it as the poore man the stirring of the water Now this present time while the male is in the flock while breath is and strength is while the season is of knocking and opening Now is the time when we must seeke Now the time when God usually opens There is a pretty fiction touching the shell fish and the Serpent And because it instructs us touching a speciall point of practise we thus read it The Shell-fish and the Serpent sometime lived together and conversed the Shell-fish very harmelesly with the Serpent the Serpent very crookedly with the Shell-fish After many faire means and thereby prevailing nothing the Shell-fish watched his opportunitie and while the Serpent slept gave him a blow on the head which is deadly The Serpent feeling himself wounded to death began to stretch out himself it is the manner of all creatures so to do but most remarkable in the Serpent because he lyeth in a ring and goeth in folds or doubles The Shell-fish observing the Serpent so stretching Chap. 7 § 2 out and straightning himselfe told him Thou shouldest have done so before Thou shouldest have walked even and straight with Me when we conversed together so it might have benefitted thee but now nothing at all This is a fiction but it tels us our folly in good eatnest and instructs us in a speciall point of wisdome we have this property of the Serpent we are content to walk crookedly all our life in the crooked wayes of sinne and Death our owne wayes and we doubt not but to make all straight and even when we dye But ordinarily it profiteth us not our Thoughts deceive us and that is a fruit of our folly Our wisdome is to set all straight and even before hand to put our soules in order and our feete in straight pathes while there is yet Time this hath been the wisdome of the Saints If we read the sacred Register we shall observe all along That they whose yeares are numbred to be many were fruitfull in their lives and faithfull in their Deaths their Old age was their crowne of glory for it was found in the way of righteousnesse And for that great and waighty worke Their setting their house in order Their making all straight and even This was not a worke to be done then when strength and heart and breath faileth but already done When they came to that point there was no more to be done but to close the eye and fall asleep quietly in the Lord. Remember Lord said that good King when death was in his eye Remember how I have walked in truth g 2 Kin. 20. 3. how I have done the thing which is good in thy sight He assureth and giveth large testimony touching the Time past I have I have It was not large promises concerning the time to come when it was threatned That time should be no more as the manner of the most is I will doe thus and thus hereafter if thou wilt be pleased to spare me now many have said so and so promised and recovered and falne backe strangely to commit greater abominations For that is a Time as the learned Knight noteth h Hist. of the world 2. B. Chap 3. Sect. 4. pag. 212. When we remember God perforce and when we stand upon no condition with Him It was not what he would doe but what he had done Remember Lord how I have walked how I have done I have fought a good fight I have kept the faith i 2 Tim. 4. 6 7. said Paul the Aged when the time of His departure was at hand That is not a time to fight when commonly the heart faints the head is light the backe pained the sides weakned that is the time to have the Crowne put on which we have so long striven after a Time to have our sanctification perfected which before we have heartily laboured in It is not the Time to fight but to overcome and to be more then conquerers I have fought that good fight I have kept the faith When when was Paul such a Champion so valiant for the Truth contending for the Faith and keeping it when was this when his bow abode in strength then he played the Soldier so fighting so contending And hence Pauls ground of confidence Henceforth there is laid up for me a crowne Thus touching the wisdome of the Saints They have understanding of the times And they know what they ought to doe k 1 Chron. 12. 32. that is they doe all in season Two lessons I shall draw hence for the Childs use and instruction and then anend First from hence I would give warning and put in a Caveat against some bold and presumptuous words and for ever hereafter prevent them We heare some and it is ordinary To wish for Death in a Passion before they have well thought of it and prepared for it if we may beleeve them they are well content to dye in a discontent They wish for that which they never before thought of in sobriety and good earnest Know they what they say doe they consider what death is and the consequence of the same when once death hath made its last conquest over the Body in that very instant Time the soule enters into a condition never to be altered it enters into eternity a gulfe of Time which all the figures in Arithmeticke cannot fill up For when we have reckoned a thousand thousand yeares we Read Drexclius 4. 2. have not the fewer remaining We are swallowed up in the thought of Eternity as a drop in the Ocean It is not possible to finde any bottome there we want a thought to measure it but if we should thinke of it to purpose we should be well advised what we doe or say I know there are
some who send their prayers and their praises after Soules departed But all helpes no more then doth the crying after a Bowle rub or runne now throwne out of the hand The hand sets the Bias and gives the bowle an impression and where the strength of that impression ceaseth there the Bowle lyeth all our running and calling and crying helpes nothing at all but to evidence clearely as the Anticke and ridiculous trickes of the Bowler so the vanity and unprofitablenesse of our after labours now that the soule is departed For then it is night with the Soule in respecâ— of any further worke the pit is open where there is no praise Then it either rests from his labour or is restlesse in paine There teares are wiped of or else they begin never to have end Weeping for evermore And this I note in passage that when we speake of Death we may be serious It was well answered by a Father to his Sonne who being Crossed in his humor wished hee were dead learne first what it is to live he that so lightly wisheth to dye is as he that flyeth from an yron weapon and a bow of steele striketh him through as Iob speaketh l Job 20. 24. Woe unto you that desire the day of the Lord to what end is it for you m Amos 5. 18. Jer. 48 48. 43. 44. The day of the Lord is darknesse and not light as if a man did flee from a Lyon and a Beare meet him c. So the Prophet reprooved those who were dispisers of Gods Words and Workes and scoffed at His judgements It may instruct us to sobriety that we doe not for the avoyding of an inconvenience runne into a mischiefe It is dangerous to live in discontent to dye in it or to wish so to do is much more dangerous We ought to wish rather we may live and to count it a great mercy that we are spared till we can give a better account of our Time and are better fitted to dye Death indeed is the Churches portion and part of her joynture All are yours n Cor. 3. 21. 22 23. and amongst those severall parcels Death is yours and therefore it may be wished for and desired as lawfully as a Childe may desire to goe to bed or to his Father For the nature of Death is changed to the godly It is harmelesse now and hath lost its venome It is a passage to a better place a gate to Glory It is the accomplishment of Mortification and the end of labour Thus death is but not in its owne nature so it is a destroying hostile thing and so to our nature the most terrible of all Terribles And therefore not to be desired till we are assured that both the nature thereof and our nature also is changed And then also our desires must not be immoderate we must not long for it nor rejoyce exceedingly when we can finde the grave o Job 3. 21 22. This argueth too much shortnesse of spirit and some impatience under Gods Hand and more unwillingnesse then becometh to waite upon Him any longer we must patiently waite Gods Time remembring Eternity is a space long enough for God to shew mercy unto His when their faces shall waxe pale no more they shall rest for ever And therefore no matter if yet longer they waite His Time and abide His pleasure though with some griefe and paine to the flesh pleasures at His right Hand for evermore will abundantly recompense what ever pressures are from below But whether we dye sooner or later it is then safe dying when we can yeeld up our spirits as David did and with the same confidence Into thine Hand I commit my Spirit p Psal 31. 5. Thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of Truth It is safe casting a mans selfe upon God when he can say as Paul did whose I am and whom I serve q Acts 27. 23. We may then wish for Death when with old Simeon we can with the Armes of faith claspe and embrace Christ the fountaine of life Now lettest Thou thy Servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seene thy Salvation Then there is a peaceable departure when the soule hath such a vision And therefore pray thou and pray againe that the Lord would spare thee yet and yet longer till by a conscionable improvement of life health strength peace ordinances corrections also c. Thou hast got some good assurance certaine and stable That do depart hence is much better for thou shalt be ever with the Lord whose Thou art and whom Thou servest And which is the second lesson do not trifle away time nor delay here in a matter of so great consequence Let me remember here for we cannot think of any thing more to our purpose how the learned Knight complaineth of and convinceth the true unhappinesse of our condition and the dark ignorance which covereth the eyes of our understanding we onely saith he prize pamper and exalt Hist of the World 1 Book chap. 2. sect 3. p. 24. See preface pag. 19. this vassall and slave of Death and forget altogether the imprisoned immortall soul till the soul be going from out of one prison into another for when is it that we seriously think of death when examine we the great account which then we are to give up Never while we have one vanitie left us to spend we plead for titles till our breath fail us digge for riches whiles our strength enableth us exercise malice while we can revenge and then when time hath beaten from us both youth pleasure and health and that Nature it self hateth the house of old age we remember with Iob that we must go the Job 10. 21. and 17. 13. way from whence we shall not return and that our bed is made ready for us in the dark and then I say looking over late into the bottom of our conscience which pleasure and ambition had locked up from us all our lives we be-behold therein the fearfull images of our actions past and withall this terrible inscription That God will bring every Eccles 12. 14. work into judgement that man hath done under the Sun But what examples have ever moved us what perswasions reformed us or what threatnings made us afraid we behold other mens Tragedies plaid before us we heare what is promised and threatned but the worlds bright glory hath put out the eyes of our mindes and these betraying lights with which we onely see do neither look up towards termlesse joyes nor down towards endlesse sorrows till we neither know nor can look for any thing else at the worlds hands But let us not flatter our immortall souls herein For to neglect God all our lives and know that we neglect Him to offend God voluntarily and know that we offend Him casting our hopes on the peace which we trust to make at parting is no other then a rebellious presumption and that which is the