chase Thee from the Earth O my Soule Miseries made Pegans to desire death but they saw not a Glorie to come God hath enlightned thee in the face of Christ thou knowest that there is Glorie layed vp for thee in the Heauen thou belieuest it hopest for it thou hast tasted it and is vnder a longing desire of it Call thy selfe to minde of the dayes of olde when either a sense of mercie or more usuallie affliction sent thee to God did hee not then allure thee to the wildernesse and speake to thine heart Hosea 2. 14. Wast thou not then vnder his liberall hand as a small vessell vnder a large Fountaine Did not his joyes so abound in thee that thou could neither receiue them all nor keep them in the measure that thou receiued them Tell me what was then thy comfort Thy God so sensible to thee in that diffusion of his loue that thou wast in a sort drawen out of thy selfe at least drawne out of mee Could thou either holde thine affection off God or containe it when it returned to thee Could thou lodge it or God that it brought with it or that sense of him and joye that it reported to thee Did not thy bodie partake of that thy joy with a sweete complacence it rested on that sense and was glad to bee so honoured as to bee a lodging of a Spirit which had so sweete and friendlie an intercourse with God When his loue shed abroad in thee could not abid in these boundes whither was thy griefe greater that so good a God should bee at any time displeased by thee or thy joye because hee was then reconcealed to thee Then atonce were the deepe groanes both of griefe and joy but more of joye than griefe and of joye for that holy griefe for offending so good a Father If thou remember these excessiue joyes why doest not thou mak good use of them They were not giuen thee for that time only but for this that is now What were these tastes first fruits but as the wine grapes that the Spyes broght out of Canaan They were so great that they could not beare them in their hand but were a burden to two men When these two senses of spirituall joy Sonlie griefe reported their burthen of an excessiue sweetnesse was not that a taste of the fruite of Canaan If a Cluster of that Land be so sweete so great to thee What shall thou finde when thou enters in that Land How can thou but loue that Land that hath such fruits long for the fulnesse of that fruite that is so sweete to thy taste when thou wast vnder that sens◠thou was more in God than in thy selfe and more in Heauen than on Earth Since the remembrance of it doeth both present the Image of it and waken it selfe againe in thee Be of good courage enter and possesse the Land God hath discouered it to thee off the toppe of Nebo and Pisgah Thou hast tasted the fruite of it by the report of the Spyes Lay hold on it by the hand of thy loue longing desire God hath cast downe the walles of Iericho before thee and hath wounded the world the sonnes of Anake at thy conuersion and daylie is killing the sonnes of Harapha in thy daylie battells Bee strong and goe fordward for God is before thee Consider by the satietie of the tastes how great a satietie thou shalt haue in Heauen when the smallest blinke of Gods face made thee patientlie to beare forget thy greatest affliction what shall that full presence worke in thee In his presence is fulnes of joy and at his right hand are pleasures for euermore Psal. 16. If thy taste bee vpright thou cannot but long for that fulnesse thou must welcome the Messenger that calleth thee to it How can I but long for a change betwixt two so contrare estates present miserie grieueth mee and future Glorie gladeth me in hope The Earth thrusteth mee from it and the Heauen allureth and draweth mee to it Who can indure such a violence of an out thrusting earth and alluring Heauen Sathans snares doe vex mee heere beneath and the sweetnesse of Christ pulleth mee aboue Naturall miseries made naturall men to desire Death and shall I not desire it more who haue an hope and sight of Glorie which they knew not I will not bee as a Meteor in the Aire betweene them two but I resolue to leaue the Earth that I may goe to Heauen Who can either delight to abide in such an Earth or refuse to goe to such an Heauen All things here inforce a remouing Our life a weariesome journey our walking in it laborious and it selfe a way and not our end And while wee are heere we are absent from God But in Heauen all is contrare our life shall bee pleasant without labour It is our end and not the way Our home in the presence of God This is sufficient to chase thee from Earth and sette thy desires on Heauen Art thou walking in the valey of the shaddow of Death yet feare not euill for God is with thee and in thee and thou in him Can a man that is in God die the death No more than Life can die can that man die that liueth in God As wee are in Christ wee are in life and that life of his euen himselfe can not die so farre art thou from dying in him at death that thou liueth more by death and in it than before it None can take that frō me on the Earth which God is keeping for mee in Heauen My life is not in this bodie nor in the world but in God in heauen It is hid with Christ in God Coloss. 3. 3. And the life that I liue I liue by the Faith of the Sonne of God Galat. 2. 20. My death commeth not so much of paines thrusting mee out of this bodie as of that life and fountaine of it in God sucking and drawing my Soule to it and that not to slay or destroy it but to quicken and perfect it Consider thy selfe art thou not dwyning and dying in this life when sinne liueth in thee and stayeth thee from good and compelleth thee to euill The Bodie though an helpe as it is boared through by the windowes of fiue Senses yet it is an hinder to thy proficiencie perfectiō of knowledge doing A Cage suffereth the Bird to looke through the wyres yet it is a prison to keepe it from libertie When thou art loosed from that cage thou shalt haue greater light in libertie As Christ himselfe ouercame Death so will he doe in mee Sathan did hound it at him as his last and most fearefull mastiue but he destroyed it they went together in others grippes to the Graue but Christ did strangle it in the owne dungeon Hee arose and left it behind him as a conquered and triumphed Enemy he did not that for himself but for vs his owne Bodie will doe it in euerie one
of vs in our tyme Hee fulfilled the Law tooke away Sinne satisfied Gods Iustice and so brak the jawes of Death Shall I then feare to follow such a Captaine Hee hath made Death but a carcase of an enemie I haue neither to feare in it Sinne which is pardoned nor Law which is fulfilled nor Iustice which is satisfied It is a Serpent without the Sting a Gyant without bones or armes though it swallow mee vp in a naturall dissolution it shall cast mee out as the Whale did Ionah in an immortall condition when this mortalitie shall bee swallowed vp of life When Dauid had killed Goliah the Israelites ranne as fast to see him as they fledde before from him beeing aliue Doubtlesse they contemned that sometimes terrible Gyant they trod vpon him with their feete and cut him with there swords They did that securelie because hee was dead Hee who was euen now the matter of their feare his lifeles carcase is turned a matter of their contempt and his death a cause of their joye Death may separate thee from this Bodie but neither from God nor his life in thee it shall the more vnite thee to him this Bodie that dyeth by thy departing shall liue in Death It dyeth as a creature the part of such a one but it liueth as a member of Christ and the Temple of the holie Spirit both because it is separate from all spirituall corruption of Sinne and quickened spirituallie by the holy Ghost who departeth not from it and in the Spirit of Iesus who remaineth our Head euen in Death And lastlie because thou my best part shall bee in libertie with God Death may destroy naturall life but not the Spirituall neither in Grace nor Glorie It can sease on no more than I had when I sinned in Adam I got nothing then but a sinfull body but now in Christ I haue a new bodie created to his Image who is Life it selfe so farre is it from either destroying mee or dissoluing my union with him that it both saueth mee setting mee at libertie from sinne and perfecteth mine union absolutelie with him It rusheth indeede furiouslie on mee but grippeth nothing but my shaddow I am in God in Christ as I am beloued and chosen called and sanctified As I am such Death cannot finde nor grippe mee While hee grippeth nothing but this bodie of dust as Potiphars wife laying hold on Ioseph I goe to God and leaue my garment in his hand I am dead to the world and sinne and my life is hid with Christ in God and when Christ my Life shall appeare then shall I in Soule and Bodie appeare with him in Glorie Resent thine owne estate and thou shalt finde what I say Hast thou not dyed to the world and left it before it left thee And hast thou not left the bodie before it leaue thee If thou had not come to God till the world had forsaken thee and the bodie chased thee out hee had found just cause to forsake thee and send thee backe in disdaine to these thy beloued false friends But now since in thy prosperitie thou renounced the worlde and in thine health and strength thou went daylie to God choosing rather to bee in him than in the bodie Surelie hee will welcome thee That is a token of thy liuing in him and his liuing in thee Marke how thou hast euen in this life preuented the buriall of thy bodie Hast thou not with Ioseph of Aramathea hewen thee a Sepulchre in the Rock And cropen in by the holes of that Rocke that was pearced for thee How oft hast thou gone in by these wounds of Christ to his heart by his suffering to his loue and the loue of God in him and washen thy selfe in the blood of his satisfaction Hast thou not also prepared the fine Linnen and wrapped thy selfe in the winding-sheete of his righteousnesse Thy sinnes are buried in the Seas of his mercie and thy selfe is hid in him before euer thy bodie be layed in the dust And hast thou not prouided Oyle for thy Lampe that when thou goest out of this bodie thou wander not in darknesse but enter streight way in Heauen All thy care in this life hath beene to get Oyle and to make it shine to find light and walke in that light The Rock thy Sepulchrie hath inclosed thee the Linnen of his Righteousnesse couered thee and that burning Oyle in thy Lampe shall not waste till thou enter in Heauen Since God euen thy God hath anointed thee with some measure of the Oyle of gladnesse hee hath prepared thee for his Heauenlie buriall and the smell of his Oyntments powred out on thee hath wrought a distaste of all worldlie pleasures Foure speciall thinges bring solemne joyes in this life and if we bee in Christ they all meete in vs at Death Birth Mariage Triumph and Coronation Death is my best Birth day If the childe in the wombe knew that hee were comming foorth to a free light hee would not weepe at his birth but Nature in him taketh his deliuerie for destruction so maketh him mourne at the just cause of his joye My first birth brought me out of the prison of the wombe My second brought mee out of Nature and Sinne This third and last shall bring mee perfectlie out of the world and all miserie It is my Mariage day with Christ mine Husband he hath loued mee with euerlasting loue and betrouthed mee to himselfe in righteousnesse and trueth And our Bandes are daylie proclaimed in his worshippe his Gospel preached is the signification of his loue on his part and our Prayers and desires are the signification on our part since I am glad of the Match and rejoyce at the proclaiming of these Bannes why should I fray at the solemnizing of the Mariage God sendeth out Pastors as Abraham did his seruant to choose a wife to Isaak These Messengers haue found me continuallie about the well of liuing waters The sight of Abrahams riches euen the chose Graces of God haue wone mine heart to Isaak and I haue gladlie condescended to forsake all and goe to him Though I finde him at the Euening and Sun-sette of my life I shall enjoy with him an euerlasting day of heauenlie contentment Esther was not sorrowfull but rejoyced to be takē by Ahashuerosh to wife and should not I rejoyce when the Lambe of God Christ Iesus sendeth for mee It is an glorious triumph Dauid was glad whē he heard the people sing of his victorie ouer Goliah shall I not rejoyce when God hath stramped all mine enemies vnder my feete when the deuils are howling for their defeate and the good Angels◠and Spirits doe welcome mee with joyfull Acclamations It is more seemelie that I put in my part with the glorious Spirits in the heauenly harmonie than with the euill ones in howling To bee dashed in Death is to let the present victorie goe out of mine hands Sathan shall then ouercome mee when
of the whole man God hath chosen the mid way to translate the Soule the best part to dissolue the bodie so Gods threatning is keeped thou shalt die and thou shalt returne to dust the example of Christ in death is followed our best part is translated for our happinesse and the assurance of the bodies reunion and a way to all Death in this respect is not penall but premiall in a sort not of Gods anger for our sinne to punish vs but of his mercie for our well to perfect vs. Oft-times God giueth vs plaine documents heereof if wee would obserue them euery twenty foure hours we haue cleare proofes of foure things 1. Our Life in the day time when we are busied in our Calling 2. Our Death at Euen when wee rest from our labours 3. Our Buriall when wee goe to bedde wee are not casten in them nor our garâ—ments pulled off but wee goe in quietnesse and lay our garments downe in order intending to take them vp againe 4. Our Resurrection when wee rise in the morning more vigorous to our Calling than when we lay downe then wee shall behold his face in righteousnesse and when wee awake shall bee satisfied with his Image Psal. 17. The sentence of Death in bodilie paines hath taught mee many thinges 1. The mortalitie of my body which must once bee ouercome and yeelde to them and so turne to dust this Cottage of clay so oft and so hardlie beaten must once fall Many haue a strong desire to liue long and turneth this naturall desire in a conceate that as they would and may so they shall liue longer Though there bee necessitie of Death in a decaying bodie and the spending of the life yet that desire and hope of life groweth euen with the decay of life But the holie desire of Immortalitie will eate out that fleshlie desire and the sense of daylie mortalitie will cut off that false hope 2. The immortalitie of my Soule in that vnder such paines it can haue the own free working on God If in a body so diseased it can seeke him and finde rest in him shall it not beeing separate from the bodie haue a more free working 3. The loue of God in deliuering mee from damnation How often haue I cryed in the midst of my paines O how farre am I bound to thee my Redeemer who hath deliuered mee from the fire of Hell If a short and light paine vnder thine hand in loue bee so heauie how intollerable is that paine of soule and bodie eternallie vnder thy wrath 4. That thy loue can stand well with affliction thou hast made light to arise to mee in darknesse and caused thy countenance to shine on mee in Christ and giuen me great peace in my Conscience in my greatest extremitie O what a Iewell is a good Conscience in affliction Though no man want his slips and infirmities yet he may eschew the grossest sinnes though none can attaine to a legall perfection yet hee may haue an Evangelicall perfection in Faith Repentance and begunne obedience When the Soule darre attest God as witnesse and appeale him as Iudge to its sinceritie In intending nothing but his Glorie In inquiring his will as the way to that Glorie And endeuouring to doe according to his knowledge for that good end Then in some measure wee may say with Ezechiah Remember O Lord how I haue walked before thee in trueth and with a perfect heart The conscience of these things haue so taken vp my Soule that my paines at the greatest are mitigate that holy and heauenly diuerting of my Spirit by so sweet and spirituall influence sometimes beguyleth my bodilie sense that it doeth but tolerablie affect mee The present sense of thy loue in mine acceptation in Christ and assurance of Glorie to come are strong ingredients to temper the greatest paines in this life And it is a profitable paine in the bodie that both occasioneth the seeking and bringeth out the feeling of the health of the Soule in thy sensible loue It hath also giuen mee a new Experience of Death surelie Death to the Sainctes is not as the most part take it 1 not a destruction but a deliuerie 2 It is both my last affliction and my last deliuerance from all miseries 3 It is both an end of this life and the beginning of my life of Glorie in Heauen 4 In it selfe it is a curse but to the Sainctes a blessing in him who hath ouercome it 5 I finde it both a dissolution from the world and of Soule and body and of euerie part of the bodie from other and my first great union with GOD the Sainctes and Angels 6 It is both my death and perfect birth day I haue now a seeming life but I liue not perfectlie till I die the New man shall then come foorth to a glorious libertie in the face of God 7 It is my last and greatest pollution my bodie is sometimes and by partes affected with weaknesse and Death turneth all in a lumppe of vyle and lifelesse clay and yet it is my first and greatest purgation Many purgations spirituall hast thou giuen mee in this life in Baptisme the Laver of Regeneration from sin in euerie act of Faith purifying the heart in euerie act of Repentance washing mee in the blood of Christ in euerie exercise of spirituall worship clensing mine handes in innocencie to compasse thine Altar But this is the great and last purgation when I am cleansed from all sinne In that same instant when my Soule and body doe separate all spiritual blemishes are separated from mee That is the worke of thy Spirit in mee hee knoweth no vncleane thing can enter in Heauen and therefore at my last breath he will giue me the last full cleansing and last degree of sanctification I tremble not at the fire of Purgatorie The enemies of the crosse of Christ are justlie so punished by that their errour when Christs Blood hath cleansed mee from all guiltinesse of all sinne and his sanctifying Spirit hath purged out the nature of it And his perfect obedience hath relieued mee from all punishment there is neither place nor use for that purging or rather tormenting fire after this life 8 Death is in it selfe the most terrible of all terrors but I find it in Christ most desireable The wicked doe tremble at the thoughts of it they see it onelie in the fearefull respects as a destructioÌ„ a curse an end a death a dissolution a pollution Therefore they abhorre it and the mention of it is to them as the hand-write on the wall was to Beltashar But thou shewest to mee these pleasant respects of death as a deliuerie a blessing a beginning a birth an union a purgation They haue none but fearefull grounds they are yet in Nature vnder the Law vnder sinne without Christ and vnder an euill conscience but thou hast layed better grounds in mee and put mee vnder Grace and vnder the Gospel vnder remission of
sinne in Christ and in a good Conscience What wonder that the godlie and wicked vpon so contrare grounds and respects haue so contrare thoughts and desires of Death Thou hast builded my Soule vpon these best grounds and filled it with consideration of the best respects of Death therefore it is that I loue it and desire it as thy Messenger in mercie for mine eternall good As Laban welcomed Abrahams seruant and said Come in thou blessed of the Lord so I sette mee not to flee but occure to it not to shune it but to welcome it Nothing affrayeth man more at the sight of Death than vncertaintie of his estate after it Euerie one at death is as a man on an edge of an high Hill all must leepe but euerie one knoweth not where he shall light To the wicked the valley is darke and mistie they know not what shall become of them after Death dulefull is the parting of that Soule and bodie that part vnder sinne and wrath At best they are in this confused vncertaintie not knowing their future estate and if they haue any knowledge it is all spent in mutuall accusing coÌ„demning at the last day and mutuall tormenting in Hell as authors and furtherers of sin Their Soule curseth their bodie because it was too readie an instrument to execute the wicked desires of it And the bodie shall curse the Soule because it was an euill guide to misleede it in sin They liue now in coÌ„cord mutuall flatterie of other which is nothing but their conspiracie against God But when both are sensible of their estate they shall curse other mutuallie As they part at Death so shall they bee joyned at the last day and curse other eternallie in the Hell vpon the same grounds But to the godlie all things are contrare They know whither they goe after Death and their Soules and Bodies at their parting blesse one another for their joynt happinesse in the state of Grace and in mutuall testifying of their seuerall labour in the Lord for attaining that happinesse They part full of the peace of God full of the desire of their reunion and full of the hope of it and eternall Glorie thereafter Thou hast blessed mee with this certainetie For my bygone condition thou perswadest me of my Calling and Election and hast made them sure in me by thy constant working since thou called mee to Grace For my present estate I finde my selfe vnder thy fauour in Christ reconcealed to thee in him as one of thy called and chosen Ones For my future estate I know that my Redeemer liueth and that hee shall stand at the latter day vpon the Earth And though after my skinne wormes consume this bodie yet in my flesh shall I see God whom I shall see for my selfe and not another for mee though my reines bee consumed within mee Iob. 19. 25. I know that if the earthlie house of this Tabernacle were dissolued I haue a building of God an house not made of hands in Heauen 2. Cor. 5. 1. Many seeke certaintie of vncertainties to secure their worldlie state on Earth and neglect their spirituall state in thee But all fastening in the world is loosnesse and a losing of a better But I seeke for a certaintie of that better substance By the Grace working Faith in mee thou hast made mee more certaine what shall become of my Soule and bodie after Death than I am of my goods in the world I haue no promise of their particular state thy Prouidence will secure it selfe of them and they may possiblie fall in the hand of mine enemies But as for my Bodie I know it shall rest in hope in the dust till the Resurrection and my Soule shall bee carried to Abrahams bosome Thou hast tolde mee whither I shall goe when I die euen to that Land of Light and Libertie to these Mansions which Christ in the Heauen hath prepared for mee And for thy loue and desire to bee with thee in them I visite them daylie When at euening morning and midday yea seuen times a day I call on thee my Father in Heauen then am I visiting these Mansions I cannot bow my knee religiouslie to thee but mine heart is then with thee adoring thee in the Heauen of heauens In the time of thy worshippe when I seeke thy face though my Bodie bee on the Earth yet my Soule is beholding thy face thereby acquainting my selfe with the light of thy countenance which I hope to enjoye for euer Thou knowest I counted not these for dayes of my life wherein I did not often draw neare to thee on the throne of Grace almost continuallie setting thee before mee and disposing my Soule and bodie as worthie of thy sight Shall I not then know that way after Death which I daylie haue troden in my life Or shall that light which now leadeth mee in the darknesse of this life be put out at Death I must die but it will not die to mee Thy face that now inlightneth mee shall send out a more glorious splendour in the houre of my Death than euer it sent in this life There is no feare of darknesse in the path of Death when the discouered face of God in mercie shineth on mee and perfectlie inlighteneth mee in that glorious light When bodilie senses doe faile the spirituall sense and sight succeed in their perfection I haue in this life but a small candle lighted at the meanes of Grace in reading hearing and meditation But when these meanes end and mine outward senses doe cease from their work I shall take light immediatelie from God himselfe hee worketh by his ordinance so long as their necessitie or vse remaineth but when these end he commeth in himselfe and worketh more fullie I neede not bee grieued nor my friends cry out in the bitternes of heart when my senses faile The light that I looke for in Death shall as farre exceed my present light as the Sunne in his full beautie at mid-day exceedeth the light of a small candle I shall finde no darknesse in the passage of Death since I am in Christ Hee who is in him shall not walke in darknesse but shall haue the light of Life The immediate â—ight of God needeth not the use of outward meanes It shall bee no losse to mee when perfection supplieth and succeedeth imperfection Thou hast also acquainted mee with Death and made mee feele in some beginnings and resemblance that same which I will finde at his dint that sentence of Death putteth mee to the hight of Resolution and I am vnder thine hand as Isaak vnder the hand of Abraham bound and layed on the Altar and know nothing but that the stroke will come I am readie for it and looke for none other than dissolution But thou knowest thy thoughts concerning mee If thou spare mee at this time this lesson is profitable that thou hast shewed mee the face of Death and yet brought mee backe againe As tender and louing
this appeale in the cōscience of Gods both knowing acknowledging sight of their heart So also it is our best while the world either thinketh that God seeth not or would it were so that wee euer delight to cast our hearts open to God not because it must bee so but because that wee rejoyce that it is so Wee count not that terrible which wee finde so comfortable That Soule is sufficientlie guarded for its innocencie and sinceritie against the scourge of the tongue which is conscious and sensible of Gods Seeing witnessing and approbation The seales of that approbation in a solide peace and vnspeakable joye are stronger than can bee broken by the breath of man That lying breath cannot dissolue but doubleth them both in themselues and the joyfull use of their possessours This made the holy Apostle to say with as great libertie as trueth I passe verie little to bee judged of you or of mans judgement for I am not conscious to my selfe of any thing 1. Cor. 4. 3. 4. 68. Rest on Prouidence SOme cares are necessar because commanded of God others needelesse because forbiden Euery day hath enough of his owne griefe and wee should not care for to morrow God relieueth vs of that care Hee who made the World disposseth all and careth for all in it Before wee were borne hee ruled all and needeth not our helpe in any thing and when wee shall bee at rest hee will rule all It is a matter of pittie to see manie rent their heart when they neede not Gods prouidence easeth vs of that care if wee bee at peace with him his prouidence is for vs it hath nothing more in head than to content the Lords beloued If once wee loose our mindes to apprehensions and feares of crosses there will neither bee end nor remeede of them One will breede an hunder and euery one will multiplie answerablie so that we shall be buried and ouerwhelmed with feares before the feared euill come But these and the like shreds of tortouring apprehensions shall bee cutted if we close our selfe within the compasse of a mercifull prouidence and this shall bee if wee can perswade our selfe 1. That there is a GOD. 2. And that this GOD ruleth all 3. That all his ruling worketh together to the good of them that loue him Hee needeth not bee afrayd of any thing who is at peace with him who ruleth all things By distrustfull care wee offend God and make his prouidence to worke matters to our griefe The course and euent of things I leaue to God and his prouidence He is more wise see more able to doe that which is good than all the world I haue no care but to see that I offend him not either in abuse of meanes commanded or vse of things forbidden This prouideth with a certaintie of good a solide contentment also When I rest on his prouidence fullie resoluing to welcome what it bringeth I trust his Grace will worke contentment in his worke when it commeth Since I reuerence it before it come If any take on them to counsell or command prouidence or to controll the worke of it let that Soule resolue to lodge in continuall miscontent It is good wisedome to keepe our selues in peace with God who directeth prouidence and to submitte our selues vnto it so wee shall finde it serue vs and Gods Grace to giue vs contentment in the worke of it Commit thy wayes vnto the Lord and trust in him and hee will doe them Psal. 37. 5. Cast thy burden on the Lord and hee will sustaine thee Psal. 55. 22. God dwelleth in that heart that so reposeth on him but hee deserteth the Soule that chydeth his Prouidence Hee who trusteth in God shall bee as Mount Sion that can not bee remoued Psal. 125. 1. Hee shall not bee affrayed of euill tydings because his heart is fixed on the Lord. Ps. 112 7. This is Christian Stoicisme or rather spirituall Securitie The olde Stoickes preassing to exalt the naturall man aboue the reach of humane passion did both thrust him out of Nature and shake him loose of Gods protection And turned him from himselfe as farre as from God But this holy disposition maketh vs rest out of our selfe in God And so to finde our selfe secured in him 69. Afflictions fruite THere is nothing more grieuous to man and nothing more profitable than Affliction How foolish are wee in the day of trouble Wee thinke that God is slaying vs when hee is sauing vs A life indeede is taken from vs but such a life as wee both may and should want Such a life as killeth our Soule but quickneth vs by the want of it We haue a worldly and a sinfull life euen our loue of the things of the world God giueth them as coards and wings to lift vs vp to Heauen but wee turne them in weights to hold vs on the earth When we loue our name our goods our Children our body our selfe more than wee ought God hath two quarrels at these things The one of Iealousie because wee loue them to his prejudice The other of Violence because they detaine our Soule in them When hee crosseth vs in them then hee slayeth that our life in them Hee killeth it in our name by calamities in our goods by their remouall in our friendes by death and in our bodies by sicknesse Then that hurt life reteareth from a wounded member of our lot at least doeth not so vse it as of before When wee are wounded in all these the Soule draweth from them to GOD. If hee saw vs not excessiuelie affecting them he would not wound vs in them but there is no choyse heerein it is better to liue in God than to die by a seeming life in them And this wounding is not so meikle the worke of his Prouidence without as the mightie draught of his sauing loue within pulling vs out of that wherein wee would die that we may truely liue in him His blessings are good in themselues but our corruption abuseth them and killeth vs And it is necessare that our corruption bee killed wee die by the leauing of it and in its death wee liue Crosses are pressours to expresse our corruption euen that venome of Sathan which oppresseth vs. The life of God and of sinne haue their contrare growth standing and decay in vs as the one increaseth the other answerablie decayeth the raigne of the one is the destruction of the other In all crosses God intendeth the health of our Soule Many see the hand of the Phisitian that see not his heart many feele the bitternes of his potions and the paine of his cutting that see not the health that followeth as the first sight of sinne is falle because it seemeth pleasant and profitable so the first sight of Affliction is false because wee see nothing then but losse and hurt The second sight of sinne in Repentance is the best because wee see it vyle so is the second sight of
shall bee a fountaine in our bellie springing vp to life eternall How can it in our bellie spring vp to life eternall but because it lifteth our heartes to GOD in Heauen The Soule which so adhereth to God is more in him than in the body which it quickneth both because it goeth gladlie out of it selfe to bee all in him and next because it cannot dwell in it selfe but because of him it can better dwell among Monsters in the desert that in it selfe without him And thirdlie because when it is lost in sinne and securitie it seeketh and findeth it selfe more in him than in it selfe When we may say to him O thou whom my Soule loueth All these sorts and degrees of union with him are found The bosome of the mother is a kindlie rest to the Babe both for sleepe in health recouerie in sweruing that naturall heate wherein it was formed doth kindlie cherish that life that proceedeth of it WheÌ„ we lye alwayes in the bosome of God and are warmed by the sense of that sauing loue in Christ wee are both sensible of the vertue of our beginning and of the first fruites of our end The Needle of the Dyall standeth not but towards the Pole so doeth the godlie Soule to God If the secret vertue of a small stone can so moue yron shall not the Rocke of Syon Christ Iesus the Miracle of loue drawe our tender louing hearts vnto him How securlie shall wee contemne all other things and rest sweetlie content in him vnder the sense of this his drawing and vniting vertue expecting that happines which his sauing Loue procureth to his Beloued Returne now O my Soule to thy Rest and abyde in it for GOD hath beene and will bee for euer beneficiall vnto thee Psal. 116. 7. AMEN FINIS A RESOLVTION FOR DEATH written vnder the sentence of Death in the time of a painfull Disease And now published for their comfort who studie to approue themselues to God And to assure all that liue the life of the Righteous that they shall die the death of the Righteous By the same Author M. W. S. I desire to bee dissolued and to bee with CHRIST Philipp 1. 23. EDINBVRGH Printed by the Heires of Andro Hart. Anno Domini 1628. Philipp 1. 21. Christ is to mee both in Death and in Life aduantage Luke 2. 29. 30. Lord now lettest thou thy Seruant depart in Peace according to thy Word For mine eyes hath seene thy Saluation 1. Cor. 15. 55. 56. 57. O Death where is thy Sting O Graue where is thy Victorie The sting of Death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the Law But thankes bee to God which giueth vs the victorie through our Lord Iesus Christ. A Table of the following Treatise THe proposition of the Resolution Num. 1. The first ground from present misery 2. The miserie of our Bodie 3. The miserie of the Soule 4. The miserie of our Lott 5. The second ground from our Happinesse 6. The happinesse of our Soule 7. The happinesse of our Body 8. The happinesse of our Lotte 9. The third ground from Gods worke in vs concerning our miserie and happinesse 10. Sense of miserie in the Bodie 11. Sense of miserie in the Soule 12. Sense of miserie in our Lotte 13. Sense of Glorie in Heauen 14. Resolution it selfe 15. The godlie man dyeth not 16. But ouercometh Death in Christ. 17. Hee preuenteth Death in his Life 18. Hee preueneth his Buriall in Life 19. Foure ioyfull solemnities 20. Ioy at Birth 21. Ioy at Mariage 22. Ioy at Triumph 23. Ioy at Coronation 24. They are all at the death of the Godly 25. IncouragemeÌ„ts against Death from them 26. The noyse at Death 27. Fearefull cryes to the wicked 28. Comfortable cryes to the godly 29. A glorious change at Death 30. Manie unions with the Bodie 31 Necessitie of separation 32 Documents of the sentence of Death 33. 1. Mortalitie of the Body 34. 2. Immortalitie of the Soule 35. 3. Gods loue sauing vs from Hell 36. 4. That his loue standeth with affliction 37. Experience of Death 38. Eight comforâ—able contraries in Death 39 The VVicked tremble at it 40. But the godlie reioyce 41. Incertaintie at Death is fearefull 42. Certaintie is comfortable 43. It is obtained by Faith 44. By Prayer 45. And conuersing daylie with God 46. Our light clearer in Death than in Life 47. Acquaintance with Death 48. Sentence of Death 49. Lawfull desires of Life 50. Hope of glorious Resurrection 51. Hope of eternall Glorie 52 Hope of the Lords Rest. 53. Our Rights to that Rest. 54 A Catalogue of GODS speciall blessings to strengthen these our hopes 55. The fearefull Death of the Wicked 56. The ioyfull Death of the Godlie 57. The remainders of feare in the best men 58. But they are soone ouercome 59. The godlie mans Testament 60. A Prayer for an happie Death 61. And for the sight of Christ at Death 62. Confidence to obtaine them both 63. And glorie thereafter 64. The last and greatest desire 65. And last an eternall delight of the godly Soule 66. Reuel 14. 13. Blessed are the Dead which die in the LORD for they rest from their labours and their workes followeth them A RESOLVTION FOR DEATH written vnder the sentence of Death in the time of a painfull Disease Decemb. 1627. And now published for their comfort who studie to approue themselues to God WHY should I feare Death when it approacheth It is the way that I desire to goe I passe Natures necessitie in Adam that hath subjected me to mortalitie come to the priuiledge of Grace in Christ which hath deliuered mee from the curse of it I say not I make mee for Death because I must die but because I would die Long haue I thought on it and earnestlie longed for it if I stagger and feare at his reproach my desire hath either beene foolish or my Spirit is faint The grounds of my desire are 1. Present miserie 2. Next future Glorie 3. And the worke of God in mee concerning them both My Miseries are great in the weaknes of a mortall body a lumppe of earth busying it selfe and mee about it selfe For Eating Drinking and Clothing and Resting it spendeth the Tyme and it selfe and wearieth the Spirit Fraile is this lump that hath an hourelie necessitie of so fraile things and the necessitie so great that the paine of it is intolerable the easing of it by meanes conuenient is wearisome and that ease beginning with ending and ending in the beginning Scarcelie is it refreshed when it hungreth and wearieth againe One necessitie sendeth it to another and the satisfying of one bringeth on another and that same that was now eased returneth shortlie If I satisfie Hunger and Thirst. Drowsinesse calleth for Sleepe if I refresh it by Sleepe Nakednesse must bee couered and scarce haue I couered Nakednesse when new Hunger calleth for Refreshment and Refreshment sendeth me to Sleepe againe Weake is that Life that needeth so
I am triumphing ouer him And while I am breaking his power his policie supplanteth mee if I bee dejected for that which is my glorie It is my Coronation day why should I be ashamed of it Ioseph and Mordecay were not so base minded as to sorrow at their preferment and why should I not rejoyce at this my greatest exaltation to bee taken vp to Heauen and honoured to an equalitie with Angels and conformitie with Christ. Arise therefore O my Soule and make thee for thy last birth day Come foorth of this Bodie wherein thou dwellest and out of this greater Tabernacle from this visible worlde and goe to God So long as thou art inclosed in the straite bounds of the creature thou cannot enjoy freely thy Creator Arise and mak thee readie to meete thy Bridegroome hee is comming to thee and his reward is with him prepare thy Lampe powre out thine Oyle make thee to meete him who is comming to thee and hath wooed thee to himselfe Lift vp thine eares and heare the howling of euill spirites triumphed and subdued and the encouraging shouting of the glorious Spirites how all that Queere of Heauen doe gladlie desire to take thee in their number to keepe thy part of their harmonie of the new Song to the praise of God And lift vp thine head now full of hope to receiue that Crowne of Glorie which Christ hath purchased to thee and is readie to set vpon thee O Lord I haue foughten my fight I haue finished my race and keeped the Faith hencefoorth is laide vp for mee the Crowne of Righteousnesse which God the Righteous Iudge will giue to mee and not onelie to mee but also to all that loue his glorious comming 2 Timoth. 4. Will thou know what is this noyse about thee it is the hand of thy Lord softlie loosing the pinnes and slakening the coards of thy Tabernacle it is the noyse of his Chariots that hee hath sent from Heauen to bring thee to him Olde Iakob reuiued when he saw Iosephs Chariots to bring him to Egypt though his posteritie were thereafter in thrall shall thou not bee glad to goe vp in these Coaches to Heauen where thou shalt euer bee with Ioseph and vnder a good King who knoweth Ioseph and will neuer die This noyse is nothing but the sound of Christs key opening thy prison and fetters Lift vp thine head and rejoyce for thy Redemption is at hand hee that is to come will come and not delay Behold hee commeth and his reward is with him Thou shall heare in due time the voyce of thy beloued crying Arise my spouse my beloued arise and come away for the winter of thy calamitous life is gone the raines of thine affliction are passed Cant 2. Fearefull indeede are the cryes which torment the wicked at Death The cry of their sinnes accusing them the Law condemning them the Conscience tormenting them the Gospel testifying their contempt of it Sathan insulting ouer them and of a craftie tempter become a cruell tormenter The creature cursing them for wearying it with sinne and vanitie The Heauen debarring them and the hells gapping for them But I thanke God in Christ I haue a better cry in some measure and hope to heare it more at the last My Conscience comforting mee in the peace of God The Law absoluing mee because it is satisfied for mee in Christ my Cautioner The Gospel testifying my delight in it and care to beleeue and obey it Sathan and his Angels lamenting their disappointment The Heauens opened to receiue my Soule and Angels readie to carie it to Heauen So long as thou hearest these sweete voyces the noyse of Death shall not trouble thee All this noyse of a decaying bodie is for thy libertie as it decayeth thou shalt increase as it goeth to the Earth thou goest to Heauen You came from diuerse beginnings the bodie of the Earth and God put thee in it in your loosing you seeke backe to these beginnings the bodie to the dust and thou to God that gaue thee thou wilt bee stronger freer cleanner when thou can not vtter thy selfe to man than euer thou was before The Ballance are well casten when the more the body returneth to dust the more thou ascendest to God thy Sauiour I finde a change whereof I neuer thinke to repent a great change without losse My bodilie eyes waxe dimme but my minde seeth God more cleerely Mine eares are slow of hearing men but my Spirit quicke in hearing the consolations of the holy Spirit My taste distasteth meate but the delight in tasting the sweetenesse of God increaseth All my naturall powers are failing but my Spirit is more vigorous in affecting and more peaceable in resting vpon God and his happinesse It it a fearefull change which goeth all to the worse and in end to destruction but this change is all to the better and shall end in Saluation This is a sure token that as I haue not enjoyed mine happinesse heere so I haue not lost it heere But liuing in the hope and beginnings of it I am now going to the possession of it This my change tendeth to happinesse though the body by dissolution seeme to goe farre about yet it is in the way to its owne perfection And thy change is directlie for it from Faith to sight from hope to possession and both Soule and bodie in their seuerall perfections shall bee in the last day conjoyned to make vp my compleatest perfection There shall neither bee sinne nor paine in bodie or Spirit all miseries of both shall bee gone and happinesse of both shall bee compleate That worke of Gods Grace perfected in glorie and his hand crowning my desires with enjoying himselfe Many unions hath thou with the bodie and but one separation In our creation in Adam an union in innocencie in my birth an union in vncleannes I am begotten and borne according to the image of Adam fallen and sinfull in the resurrection I shall haue a glorious union in Christ and but onelie one separation in Death This separation is now needefull it was threatned in Paradice if wee offended and now I cannot enter in Heauen without it except I either liue till the last day and be changed or be translated as Enoch and Elias To hold all mankind aliue till the last day is against GODS appointment who hath drawne our dayes to an hand-breadth To bee translated is the priuiledge of a few and cannot bee the lot of all Therfore the separation is in mercie that the Soule may enter in Glorie and the bodie rest in hope for a time It is not casten away but laide vp and God hath a speciall care of the dust of it to raise it vp againe When our friends and neighbours haue laide it in the cold clay they leaue it there but God leaueth it not but keepeth it till the last day Since there can neither goodly be an holding of Soule and bodie together till the last day neither a translating
there is no vse of them But it directeth Loue Peace Ioy and other home graces that as they conveyed vs in the way so they attend vs at Death and enter in the Heauens with vs. The first sort beginneth endeth here their being vse The second of a more induring Nature doe beginne and grow here and shall abide in vs for euer in Heauen as a part of our perfectiō Marke the just man and consider the vpright for the end of that man is peace Ps. 37. 37. Moses after hee had beene all his dayes a faithfull Seruant in the house of God dyed peaceablie on the Mountaine in the Armes of God Hee liued all his time in Gods obedience dyed full of his fauour and peace God welcometh them kindlie to his joyfull Rest who serue him faithfullie in their life There is none so throughly sanctified who at Death shall not find some feare Nature is nature in the best men till Soule and bodie separate 1. The remembrance of bygane sinnes though pardoned 2. The sight of the great volumes of the compt Books of our Conscience though cancelled in the Blood of Christ. 3. The skarres and markes of our mortified corruption 4. And the weaknes of grace not yet fully perfected 5. And the paines of Death both then first felt and last to bee felt will worke some astonishment in them who are best prepared for Death But so soone as our Spirites gather themselues and seeth God in Christ with the Crowne of Glorie in his hand and the good Angels come to carrie our Soules to Heauen all that amazement shall euanish God in mercie both craueth and admitteth those our infirmities Hee giueth Grace in some things to correct Nature In some to cure it In other to sanctifie and perfect it All these workes of Grace doe heerein concure Natures moderate feares are sanctified her excesses preuented and corrected and her last worke closed by the succeeding glorious joyes Manie things giue vp their last worke at our death Sathan his last on-sette The Conscience if it be not fullie pacified her last accusation then turneth to be a continuall comforter The Body the last feeling of paine and all these are greatest because they are last and yet doe not argue strength or preuailing but decay Deadlie diseased bodies haue some sort of bettering immediatelie before Death It seemeth to some a recouerie of health but is indeede a dying So all these things at our Death cease from their worke by their last on-sette Pharaoh made his most fearefull assault on Israel at the red Sea but these men which now yee see yee shall see no more said Moses Wee may beare with Natures last assaulting and braids in Death it shall neuer molest vs againe I haue put mine house in order disposed all things that thou hast giuen me The world I leaue to the world thou knowest I neuer loued it nor counted of it since I saw thee The first worke of thy life in mee was the killing of the loue of the world Thy face the light of thy countenance and sweetnesse of thy Grace made mee disgust the world as gall and worme-wood My bodie I lay ouer to the dust in hope of a glorious resurrection My Soule I giue to thee who hath giuen it to mee since the dayes of mine effectuall calling it hath beene more in thee than in mee the desire of it is to thee and the delight of it in thee alone what then remaineth but that now it bee filled with thy selfe I haue not much to transport out of this world My Soule in the strongest affection is gone before and when I come away I shall bring nothing to Heauen but thy workes in me and with them a good Conscience my daylie obseruer As for things worldlie the baggage of this Earth I leaue it as the house sweepings to them who come after in this great house of the world I had none other accompt of it euen in the time of necessitie of the vse of it what shall I count of it now when that necessitie is ending As for my sinnes which thou hast pardoned in Christ I lay them ouer to Sathan as their Author they were mine in their Nature Action and Guiltinesse but they are his in Origination Hee spewed that poyson in Adam whereby all mankind are originallie defiled Thy sauing Grace I render to thee againe thou hast giuen it to me to bring mee out of Nature And the natiue course of it is to returne to thee and in that returning to carrie mee with it towards thee the Fountaine of Grace So in Death I desire to be as a Pitcher broken at the well while the potsheard turneth to the dust let my Soule with thy Grace runne backe to the well againe euen to thee from whom I receiued them Confirme this my Testament O Lord as thine owne worke and a part of the meeting of thy Testament to mee Nothing but my sinnes can hold mee out of Heauen which receiueth no vncleane thing Cast them behind thy backe and burie them in the bottome of the Sea Seale vp the discharge of them in my Conscience that when I goe out of this life I may present it as my warrand and thy token to bee admitted within the gates of Heauen assure mee more and more of that remission that I may also bee assured of all the following blessinges which thou hast purchased with thy blood Thou sanctified our Nature and assumed it in the Virgine to worke the worke of our Redemption thereby To make it a paterne and samplar of our sanctification A conduit pype to convey Grace to vs And a pledge that in due time thou wilt make vs like to it in a fellowshippe with thee Sanctifie me throughlie with thine holie Spirit that I may bee fullie receiued in thy fellowshippe and enjoye all these glorious priuiledges in thee This Saluation thou hast purchased for vs and promised to vs and hast wrought in mee both a desire of it and a particulare perswasion of it for my selfe This is a true saying and by all meanes to bee receiued that Christ Iesus came into the world to saue sinners of whom I am the chiefe 1. Timoth. 1. 15. Remember therefore thy promise to thy Seruant wherein thou hast made mee to trust This is my comfort in mine affliction for thy word hath quickened mee Ps. 119. 49. Now Lord I am taking vp the other Shore and the Land beyond the Riuer In mine effectuall calling thou brought mee through the red sea bring mee now safelie through Iordan Then thou drowned mine enemies in Baptisme These waters that washed me destroyed them Diuide likewise O Lord these waters of death that I may safelie enter into thine heauenlie Canaan Elias Mantle diuided Iordan wrap me vp in Christs righteousnesse that I may passe through Death For there is no damnation to them that are in Christ. Rome 8. 1. Set the Arke of the Couenant in the midst of it Where
more they can procure both the intermission of his worke a temporall desertion though hee neuer depart simplie from the Elect. Wee can not fore-see his comming but wee may feele his working The worke it selfe telleth vs that hee is in the worke When hee lurketh what confusions in the minde and disorder in the heart In great businesse we make but slow speed all is in a manner forced and nothing doeth promise the desired successe But when hee showeth himselfe O what a change in the Soule Illumination is great in the varietie and the clearnesse of light and euerie power hath the owne seale stamping the heart all goeth then so easelie as the Soule sufficeth not to take vp particularlie his working In that diuine worke it findeth the power of a diuine Nature no creature can either worke so mightily in vs or affect vs in that kinde or degree It hath more increase of light affection sense and sweetnesse in one houre than in some other moneths As the Soule moueth the bodie so hee moueth his giftes and graces in vs which are as a carcase without him Hee is both the worker teacher of his own operations moueth vs to mak due use of them his desertions are grieuous but his felt operations doe largely recoÌ„pence that grief It is good both to feare eschew his desertioÌ„ but when we find it to comfort our selfe in the remembrance of his bygone and assurance of his future working to our former joys His work is euer powerful but not euer seÌ„sible We know that the hand of the Horolodge hath moued when it commeth to the houre but our sight discerneth not the mouing of it His worke is oft-ten secret to vs and yet forcible Thereby our condition is changed to the better though we obserue not aye the progresse of that bettering When hee both worketh in vs sauing Graces and a feeling of his worke so that his worke and our sense of it doe meete together that is our vnspeakable Ioye 3. The fruitfull worke of our thoughts AS our thoughts are called light so is our accompt of their worke They are restlesse and wee are carelesse what and how they worke no man can hold them within both outward things draw them out and themselues are giuen to wandring euen while wee are musing to hold them in order as water they slide away In their going out they carrie the soule with them and at their returne report some fruite of the matter which they considered But many doe neither obserue their going out nor their returne they let them out on euerie thing mak use of nothing some are worse in a profaine libertie they send them out on impious and naughty matters and take them home fraughted with pernicious and sinfull reports God hath giuen vs our Soule for a better use as he hath set it in the bodie to quicken and moue it so also to keepe a fruitefull intercourse with outward things If it went simplie out of the bodie death would follow If it remained inclosed in it there could bee no intercourse with outward things God hath appointed a midde way that the substance of it shall abide in the bodie but it sendeth out the thoughts as fearchers and intercommers Our best in this kinde is to follow Gods appointment not to let our thoughts wander rackelessie but to send them in order not on euerie trifle but on good things and at their returne to receiue their worke in order A wise Soule in this Thought-work is as a Bee-hyue all the powers are in labour a continuall going out and returning no power idle and none returne emptie and all their obseruations as Honie laid vp for use It gathereth and disgesteth in it selfe a substance masse of purified knowledge and that for affection and action and all of them for the obedience of God and union with him Fixed endes make an well ordered and fruitfull course It is good to intend the good of our callings and then to set our Thoughts to worke about the way Painters draw first the lines theÌ„ fill vp the spaces compleat the portrate And Frost turneth first the face of water in hard lines and then equalleth all with yce And the bodie of a childe in the wombe hath first the noble partes framed then all is filled vp to the comelie proportion of a bodie So the bodie of profitable knowledge hath first the noble partes framed in our fixed designes then the enterjected spaces are filled vp by the Minds daylie labour A ball striken in the open fielde goeth straight out from vs but in a Tinnice the wall maketh it returne to our hand So if our thoughts goe out rackleslie they â—uanish But if wee hem them within the compasse of fixed intentions of our calling and particular taske therein they come home with pertinent obseruations In the first case they are as the Rauen fleeing about the Arke of Noe but not entring in it In the next they are as the Doue returning wearie at Euening with the fatnesse and peaceablnesse of the Oliue 4. Gods peace a sweete Vade-mecum HEalth of Bodie and peace of Conscience are two substantiall blessings Without them other blessinges are not pleasant to vs and this Peace is better than Health as the Soule is better than the bodie The ground of it is Gods free loue the price of it Christs satisfaction the worker of it Gods owne Spirit the mettell vpon which he stampeth it is a good Conscience the fruite of it the joye of the holie Ghost It cannot bee keeped but by great circumspectnesse Sathan cannot endure such a Iewell in the midst of his kingdome It is vineger to his teeth and smoak to his eyes to see Gods children full of this peace in the midst of all his snares wee haue it in the world but not of it neither can the world know it nor giue it nor take it from vs. It sweetneth the bitternesse of our afflictions and doubleth the sweetnesse of prosperitie Goe with it whither wee will we haue a better jewell in our heatrs than all the treasures on earth O what comfort is it when wee lift vp our heartes to GOD and hee meeteth vs with softnesse of heart and joye in Spirit when hee maketh the beames of his face in Christ to strike on our Soule to warme and quicken them and doubleth his grace in vs in the conscience of these things It is Gods seale in the godlie but the wicked neither haue it nor care for it A wonder it is howe men can liue in the world without this Peace Non can well liue in a Kings Court or Countrie without his Peace And how shall they liue in the world his great familie and not care for his fauour And yet men vnder their Kinges wrath may lurke in their Dominions but no place can hide them from God There is small appearance that they who care not for this Peace doe know God strangers taste
not of this Ioye but Gods children who know the worth of it will not value it with all the world For worth it passeth all vnderstanding and for use it guardeth the heart and mind in the sauing knowledge of the Lord Iesus Christ. It is sweete in our life but shall bee more sweete at our death then we shall see his face not frowning but smiling on vs wee shall not bee amazed but rejoyce when hee commeth with his messenger death to loose our bands Who can conceiue Simeons joye when hee song Now letteth thou thy seruant depart in peace Hee could neuer haue so spoken of death without this Peace and a sure ground had hee for his eyes did see his armes did carrie and his heart was full of the Saluation of God the Prince and pryce of this Peace It is a guard in our life and a bridge at Death to set vs safe ouer the gulfe of miserie and enter vs in Heauen 5. Wee are fooles about Happinesse OUr greatest folie is where wisedome should bee greatest euen in the choose and pursute of true Happinesse Wee cannot heere possesse all thinges and yet confusedlie wee couet them when wee choose one of them it is not the best but the worst of all in so farre as wee make it our best God is to bee sought aboue all hee may bee seene and found of all yet the most part knoweth him not and seeketh him not They professe wisedome but they practise folie herein they are not spiritually daintie either in choose or their affection any thing contenteth them The base lump of the earth and vanities of it are felicitie to them And though there be some choyse blessings in the world they light rather on the trash than on the good substance As they passe by God himselfe to his gifts so among his gifts they misse the corne and choose the chaffe Neither doeth their folie stand heere it can imagine to it selfe an happinesse in this miserable miscarrying This is indeede a fooles Paradise a conceate plat-formed by our selues we are delighted with these vanities and captiued by them which proueth our naughtinesse Raw and racklesse choosing maketh faint pursuing True Happinesse as all true good hath an alluring and drawing vertue and the godly by their inclining yeelding dispositioÌ„ to it are made partakers of it to their happines Their care about it is as far aboue other cares as it selfe excelleth other things If this rule bee applyed to mankinde how few shall bee found in the way of true Happinesse Professe with men and imagine with themselues as they will there is none appearance that either they haue found the alluring power of it or rendred themselues in their greatest desire and care for the obtaining of it It deserueth the flower and prime of all our labours and their smallest remaines may serue other trifles But when this order is inverted such men lye as fast in miserie as they are blinde and lazie in the pursute of true Happinesse If true good haue drawen vs forceblie to it selfe then wee cannot but seeke it earnestlie This is true Wisedome to passe by all thinges that wee may finde God To count these deceiuing imaginations about Happinesse to bee tyrranous foolries in the midst of so manie euils in the world to find out the good and among so manie goods to finde out the true and best good euen our good God and rest on him 6. Death surpriseth the most part of mankind MAnie are on their death-bed before they thinke rightlie of life They are going out of the world while they begin to know wherefore they came in it Wee come in it for this great businesse to saue our Soules in the Faith and obedience of God but when wee haue time to doe it we forget that busines and then begin to thinke of it when the time appointed is gone We spend much time in doing nothing and more in doing euill but little or none in that great matter wherefore wee were borne The life of sinne is in vs before the life of God and fearing the owne ejection preoccupyeth the other and taketh all time to it selfe And mortalitie seasing on vs in our conception before our perfect life subjecteth vs to inevitable death before wee liue the life of God The Soule must bee in perplexitie at the houre of death that seeth the day spent and that assigned businesse not begun A Traueller that seeth the Sun setting when hee is entring on the journey must bee agast the Euening of the day and morning of the taske doe not well agree together All the time that remaineth is too short for lamenting the losse of bygone time and if Gods mercie did not infinitelie exceed our euil none could be saued after such a neglect Time bygone cannot returne but may be redeemed and this redemption is not in the extent of the worke but in the equiualence of it God worketh not by such lent proceeding as hee doth in them that spend their time well but at-once hee perfecteth them as hee pardoneth their sinne so he perfecteth their sanctification Though God doe this in some yet he biddeth all use their time well while it goeth The fruitfull use of it may cost vs the losse of manie trifling joyes but that shall bee recompenced with solide fruite Fearfull will that encounter be when grimme Death findeth a man in sinne carelesnesse he must cry in the bitternes of his heart Hast thou found me mine enemie But when it findeth vs in our worke and at peace with God pleasant will bee that meeting It is Gods messenger to loose vs out of the yoake and bring vs to our promised and exspected reward How joyfullie shall that Soule goe to God that hath so liued as euer in the worke wherefore it came in the world When the Conscienâ—e at death saith to God Lord I beare this man record that hee hath worne himselfe and spent his time in seruing and obeying thee This testimonie is sweetâ— in our life when wee lye downe at night wearie of our labour ryse earlie to it againe and are crossed for our fidelitie in it but more sweete in our death That man is blessed whose way and journey time busines breath goe altogether The Apostle closeth all sweetlie I haue run my race I haue keeped the faith hencefoorth is laid for mee the Crowne of Glorie Hee who liueth the life of the righteous shall die the death of the righteous and shall not bee surprysed of Death 7 The great profite of prayer SOme spirituall exercises augment light as Reading Hearing conference other augment life and affection as Meditation and Praise but Prayer is for both It openeth the minde to see more clearelie and softneth the heart to bee more sensible the light of God shineth then most fullie when wee see our God and our selues in his light and the fixing of our minde on him cannot but draw our heart to him the more clearelie wee see
vniuersal most vncureable disease of the world It is a coūtersconce erected by Satā against the Gospel to elude the force of it and to hold men still in the bandes of sinne It goeth vnder one name but hath many branches some more open and some more secrete and in their worke some more dangerous than other A dissolute man is not so powerfull to perswad his opinions as he who colloureth his profannesse Open Atheisme almost refuteth it selfe but couert Atheisme may deceiue the wise There is neither such a ground nor couerture for Atheisme as to maintaine that men of all Religions may be safe To make so many doores to Heauen is to cast wyde open the gates of Hell Christ hath tolde vs that the way to heauen is narrow and few finde it and hee calleth himselfe the VVay but not the wayes As there is but one God so there is but one way to him by Faith and Obedience in Christ. The signes of it are an humane officious carriage to man but licentious and irreligious before God a praise of all other religious and a carping of the Religion professed in the place of their dwelling And if necessitie draw them to the publicke worship their behauiour bewrayeth an absence of their soule from that exercise They jest at Sermons and make none other use of holy Scripture than profanlie to apply it to euery profane purpose trifling occasion at their meales their vnhalowed morsels must be set ouer with the sauce of some abused sentence of Scripture they care not to offend God for pleasing their companie who partak of their profannes if they be not offēded at y◠offēce of God As mettals are known by their sound so their grosse Atheisme is discouered by their profane noyse They who feare God dare not carie themselues so before him And they who haue found sacred Scripture the seed of their regeneration the foode of their soule and their comfort in trouble will neuer turne so heauenly Oracles to the matter of their sporting But they are not long vnpunished and their damnation sleepeth not Nature in Athiests findeth it selfe vexed with the dumbe choppe of conscience crying vnto them that there is a God But this surmyse is out-cryed and Conscience out-faced by this when they thinke any course is a way to heauen Such men are not so much justifying their course before men as prouyding libertie of sinning against the cheeke of their owne conscience There is no such compendious way to libertie as the lacke of Gods feare And that heart is voyde of his feare who sayeth That there is no God Though hee be most glorious in himselfe and gracious to them that know him yet hee is nothing to the hart that denyeth him But Athiests will finde a fearefull wakning God whom they deny hath his witnesse in them and in ende will testifie his trueth to their destruction except they amend It turneth men in beastes yea in Deuils While their heart is saying There is not a God their Conscience giueth them the lie and by secrete checks both arreasteth them before and tormenteth them in the Name of that God whom they denye They can neither destroy GOD in himselfe though they desire it neither in the hearts of the godly All the fruites of their godlesse spurring is to moue him to destroy themselfe It is good to soften our heartes in the feare of God and to seeke out and follow that straite way of life Blessed is hee who feareth alwayes but hee that hardeneth his heart shall fall in mischiefe Prov. 28. 14. 28. Sinne is an euill guest SInne is the worst Guest that commeth in any place It bringeth double destruction One in the beeing of it the other in the fruite It is plaine that the wages of it is death but euen the being of it such as it hath is destruction of the thing wherein it is Men Angels Thoughts Words and deedes are good in themselues but sinne in them maketh them euill It hath no being of it selfe and is nothing but the breake of Gods Law a discord and deformitie a priuation of good deprauation of its owne dwelling the beeing it hath is in these thinges and so soone as it commeth in them it spoileth them they become euill Men Angels Thoughts Words and deedes by it He is an euill Guest who for his reckoning putteth the Pest or a fire in his lodging I wonder not so much at the euill recompense it giueth as at our selues who welcome it againe No receiuer will welcome him who put his house on fire Yet wee receiue sinne and welcome it though wee were euen now smerting for the worke of it Some doe marke the second worke of sinne the punishment of it but fewe marke the first destruction by the beeing of it so as to abhor it be like it so destroyeth vs that wee haue not a sound minde to make its destroying Nature O! what ods in Grace It both changeth vs by renovation and bringeth vs to glorie the verie beeing of it is the health of Soule and body next to God himselfe there came neuer a better Guest in man than sauing Grace Of Adams Sonnes it maketh vs the Sonnes of God Of Naturall men spirituall And of vile Sinners it turneth vs in Sainctes It is extreame miserie to bee desirous and patient of sinne But a token of a renewed Nature to abhorre sinne and thirst for Grace 29. Fittes of Insolencie THeir is no Spirit so modest which hath not some fittes of Insolencie If any odde thing appeare in them they are puffed vp in a conceat of wrath and as farre transported from their wonted modestie as they conceate of that supposed worthinesse These fits are more marked of other than themselues their humour blindeth them so that they cannot obserue that change others remembereth their former dejection and foresee it to come againe so marketh that startling as insolent indeede An Equable cariage proueth an well fraughted Soule Our true worthinesse is in Gods fauour our dignitie is his dignation and the exalting or downe-cast of our heart is from the sense of his fauour or lacke of it If wee bee sure of his fauour wee shall then alike euenlie carrie our selues in all other things But fits of insolencie bewray a double weaknesse one of little true worth that seemeth so great to vs another of a racked judgement making vs to passe boundes vpon so small occasion The wise man is euer like himselfe And at any odky thing he is rather dejected thā puffed vp If the speeches of other make him ouerweene himselfe he chasteneth himselfe in secrete for it seuerly When hee returneth to his wonted thoughts he abhorreth that insolencie and guardeth himselfe that they surprysse him not thereafter 30. Constant Inconstancie THe vpright heart must encounter with many thorters When it meeteth with vprightnesse there is no difficultie but such are as rare as a whyte Rauen in the world When it meeteth with
Many times wee are in torture resoluing but in the Action wee finde peace A solide and masculus Resolution giueth vs no rest till it put vs ouer in the hand of Practise yea it resolueth for doing and turneth all the resoluing powers to execution These are twinnes of a rype Spirit both to resolue and doe to doe without ResolutioÌ„ is rashnesse to resolue without doing is faintnesse He who doeth without Resolution dreameth of none impediment but hee who resolueth and delayeth execution waiteth vpon impediments and rather than hee lacke them hee will faine a thousand in his owne fansie Euen fansied difficulties doe terrifie the lazie as much as reall difficulties doe the wise and diligent The Sluggard sayeth There is a Lyon in the way I dare not goe foorth least I bee killed Prov. 26. 13. 35. Callings are our tryals AS Callings are Gods taske appointed for vs so are they his Tryalls to proue what is in vs Hee hath ordained many callings for mans good but many turne these meanes of good in a snare There is no lawfull Calling without the owne good end and right way to come by that end But the most part passeth that good and chooseth the wrong Equitie Honestie Humanitie Vprightnes are Gods ordinance for Callinges Deceat Circumvention Doublenesse and such like are Sathans inuention and yet many shift the first as a vyce and follow the second as the vertue of their Calling God setteth before them the good of mankind but they set nothing but their owne priuate good and care not for obtaining of it to hurt their neighbour How can God blesse the breach of his owne ordinance They may scrap together a state to themselues but God will blow vpon it They thinke that Callings are not Gods ordinance nor themselues lyable to reckoning And exerce them as though they were of their owne vptaking and had none other end than to make them great in the Earth But O miserable greatnes that diminisheth Grace and destroyeth them that haue it The losse is heere incomparablie greater than the conceated gaine What profite is it to gaine the world and loose their soule To conquesh Hell to themselus for enriching their posteritie It is a pittie to see men forsake honey and sucke Venome greedily but greater pittie to see men of an euill cariage in their Calling counted the onely men and these who are consciencious to bee counted no men I wonder not to see that same error which misleadeth men to approue them in their wrong but I wonder that mankynd injured by them doeth honour them for their euill It is a just thing with God to make them hurt man more who so foolishlie alloweth them whome hee disdaineth They cannot complaine to him of their wrong since they approue it This is a saifer course to honour God by following his will in an honest and faythfull discharge of our Calling It is good for mankynde and for our selfe and acceptable to GOD. Heereby hee proueth to other and sealeth it in our owne conscience that hee hath placed vs in our Calling in meâ—cie both to mankynde and to our selfe 36. Foode of our Soule OUr care for the bodie condemneth our brutishnesse about our Soule both are substances and haue neede of entertainment but wee are more sensible of the bodies necessities and carefull to supplie them The Soules necessities are both greater and more urging than the bodies Our bodies lye vnder colde and heate and the decay of our naturall moystnesse which must bee duelie supplyed by nurishment But the necessitie of entertaining the life of God and the sparke of Grace in the midst of our corruption is daylie and hourely It is senslesnes and death when these greater necessities are not felt and supplyed No man is so foolish as to feede his body with imaginations or if he would doe so it will not bee so deceiued it is a substance and must haue substance to maintaine it How many know not what their soule is and what necessitie it hath and how to supplie it And other who thinke they know all those doe content themselues with imaginations They doe worse to their soule than to their bodie and their Soule is more blokish than their bodie in standing content with these conceats Aske them what certaintie they haue of happinesse and securitie from miserie they haue no more reason of both than their apprehension and yet that supposed absent euill is as neere to them as that conceated good is farre from them What man can bee seased in a worldlie inheritance by imagination and yet the most part haue no more warrand for their Saluation The estate of our Soule heere and eternall Saluation heereafter is too great a pointe to hazard vpon a fansie It is a wholesome body that findeth the owne necessitie craueth good foode and turneth it in it owne substance It is a wholesome Soule that alwayes desireth God findeth sensiblie his union and by a continuall communion paâ—taketh of the diuine Nature When I finde my Soule burnt vp with the desire of him paunting like the Hart for water and gaping like the thirstie ground for raine I am sure that is of the life of God It is not fedde with fansies that is filled with God himselfe it is filled with him that cannot rest on any thing beside him and finding him in it selfe doth sweetelie rest on him who only filleth it and resteth in it Nothing can fill the Soule but that which is greater than it Though in substance it bee finite yet it is infinite in the desires And God alone doth infinitely exceed it both in substance desires It would bee counted frenesie in a man who would prease to driue himselfe in a Nut shell So is hee who seeketh contentment in the world alone 37. A constant dyet of Gods Worshippe APpetite is a good preparation for meate so is a zealous affection for the worshippe of God It is good to haue our appointed tymes for Spirituall exercises and to keepe them But withall to striue for the spirituall Appetite How sweete is that Exercise to the Soule wherein our necessitie wakeneth our desire Our desire sharpneth our Appetite and our Appetite thrusteth our heart to God and GOD pulleth both our heart and our selfe to him In one instant it is both pressed with sense of miserie and burnt with a desire of God And sweetly allured and drawen by him to himselfe These are wonderfull actions betweene God and vs and all wrought in vs by his Spirit to carie vs vp to him Though I tye mee not superstitioussie to houres of holy Exercise yet religiouslie I will keepe them These houres are sweete to mee when God draweth my Soule by strong desires and fayth to him It is pleasant when either these Exercises doe tryst with our desires or God in them bringeth vs to an holy disposition and great is the fruite of these Exercises Thereby our Soules euen at other times are keeped if not vnder the sense
warrand of their doing or comfort in their trouble And I wonder at many Châ—istians whoÌ„ God hath blessed with this Booke but they know not their blâ—ssing hereein they find more delight in other books thaÌ„ in this And some affect such Treatises as may be instrumeÌ„ts of their vncleannesse or ambition and trifling complementing Filthie and obscene Pamphlets are bought and reade more greedilie than this sacred VVryte But this is a discouerie of mens profane disposition It is a token of profannesse to loath Scripture but a note of true Grace to delight into it And of a growing grace to grow in that delight The happie man that walketh not in the way of the wicked nor standeth in the way of sinners nor sitteth in the seate of the scornefull commeth to all this blessednesse because his delight is in the Law of God and hee meditateth therein night and day Let good Christians choose our these Pearles while the Swine eat vp their husks It seasoneth the heart with an heauenly taste and inducth it with diuine pâ—operties If the Iewes did receiâ—e an odde temper of body and Spirite because of Manna shall wee not haue a greater excellencie by this heauenlie Manna and Iesus Christ in it If wee would be sure of the life of God in vs let vs continually drink in these heauenly Oracles The daylie seasoning of our Soules by holy Scripture keepeth in vs the vigour of that life and fostereth our Soule constantlie in a spirituall taste 66. The fearfull calamitie of Warres AS the Earth-quake to Earth so is VVarre to Mankinde a fearefull commotion The calamities of it destroyeth Ciuilitie Libertie Lawes Religigion and Humanitie it selfe It is a grieuous thing to see man made for the good of man so earnestly to destroy his neighbour and that with the hazard of himselfe For the desire of the life and blood of his Brother to be prodigal of his own And for the opinion of most manfull men to turne beastes voyd of humanitie in destroying their owne kynde and deuils in defacing the Image of God God commanded man to increase and multiplie but they turne it in diminishing of mankynde and make a craft of it to destroy one another I cannot thinke but mankinde mourne more to finde such rent in her bowels than the persons so disposed It is one worke but hath diuerse respects in it Some thereby ambitiously seeketh preferment some avaritiouslie hunt for gaine Others cruelly seeke the sythment of a reuengfull heart and others in that loosing of all order seeke a licence to all wickednesse But God both intendeth and worketh his good ends into it It is his Chirurgrie to draw some superfluous blood of mankynde And his discipline to such as are dissolute Doubtlesse God hath some as Cornelius warriours fearing God but it is as sure that many are voyde of the feare God they initiate themselues for warres in the Aile house and Bordell And so soone as as they are girded with the Souldiers girdle they loose themselues to all profannesse God disciplineth them with the Muscat Canon and Sword in the fielde who would neither abide the admonition nor censure of Pastors at home It is his ehastening of his Church she abuseth her peace in warring against him by sin therfore he maketh maÌ„ to war against her to bring her to repentance No warres are so cruell as these for Religion In ciuill jarres it is but as one Deuill smiting another the strokes will bee soft But heere Sathan is smiting the Light and the bearers of it and that with certaine victorie to Gods enemies so long as Gods quarell remaineth against his Church It is a parte of his processe against her and his enemies are a scourge in his hand therefore they must preuaile till his Church be sufficiently humbled Heere the case of the victor is worse than of these who are ouercome for the one are corrected in a wrath mixed with mercie but the other is imployed in that seruice in a simple wrath And while they are Gods instruments to punish the sinnes of his Church they are filling vp the cup of their owne sinnes that full vengeance may ouertake them It is our best not to fight against God in our peace and if hee bring warre on vs not to rest till wee bee at peace with him The rage of Warre is bounded if wee bee one with him hee will either giue vs our Soule for a prey or take vs to a better life All deaths are sanctified to the Elect and to die for Religion is a most glorious death Souldiers call it the bedde of honour to die in the battell though many of them bee dead in sinne but to die in the Lord is the bedde of honour indeede to lay downe our life for his cause who gaue it and to turne the naturall debt of Death in so glorious a sacrifice It is a token of Gods honourable accompt of vs to charge vs with such a seruice of his presence with vs in so triumphing a Grace and a pledge of the greatest degree of Glorie in Heauen 67. God seeth the heart THat GOD seeth the secretes of our heart is a point terrible to the wicked but joyfull to the godly The wicked are sorie that their heart is so open It is a boyling potte of all mischiefe a fornace and Forge-house for euill It grieueth them that man should heare and see their wordes and actions But what a terrour is this that their Iudge whom they hate seeth their thought If they could deny this they would But so many of them as are convinced and forced to acknowledge a God are shaken bee times with this also that hee is All-seeing Other proceed more summarlie and atonce deny a God-heade in their heart and so destroy this conscience of his All-knowledge But it is in vaine the more they harden their heart on this godlesse thought the more feare in them while they chock and charme their conscience that it crow not against them It checketh them with fore-sight of fearefull vengeance and for the present conuinceth them of the conscience of a God-head the more they preasse to suppresse it But the godly rejoyce heerein it is to them a rule to square their thoughtes there is no libertie of Thinking VVilling VVishing Affecting in the heart where that candle shineth all are framed as worthie of him and his sight whom they see seeing their heart This worke is all secrete and knowne of them alone in whom it is The stranger shall not meddle with the joye of that Soule It seeth GOD All-eye looking on it and layeth it selfe open both to see him and to bee seene of him And that not onely for to bee directed but to bee allowed The first is the warrand to doe The second is the seale that it is well done It is their comfort against man traducing their words and actions When man that seeth not their heart expoundeth them contrare to their heart they solace themselues in
not so wonder at their course folie in judging it as at the world that counteth them great Spirits Alexanders Courtiers mocked Diogenes but hee in his Hodged was a greater Monarch than Alexander For he commanded Pride Ambition and Lust wherevnto Alexander was a slaue I will leaue reasoning with those Spirits till they come home to themselues They are not brought home usuallie but by some great calamitie and many not till their death Moderate Spirits proue best With little businesse they doe much and holding themselues within their reach they come softlie to their just and desired ends But the other take great libertie ouer their Spirites and States and outreach them both But Prouidence will not bee commanded of them It câ—osseth their desires and breaketh their purposes in shiuers What euer Spirit wee haue in naturall partes it is good to haue it sanctified our care shall be helped with heauenly prudence furthered by Gods prouidence These shall bring to our hand more than euer wee could dreame The supposed base Spirites of this holie temper doe infinitely exceede these falslie named great Spirits Their greatnesse is more in the worldes style than in the thing it selfe but the event will proue them great in miserie they are great only in humane things in mans account True greatnes is in true goodnesse It is a base and bastard greatnesse that is separate from goodnesse These two are infinitelie and joyntlie in God who is both Optimus Maximus thee Goodest and Greatest There is more true greatnesse in the meanest degree of sauing Grace than in all the humane greatnesse in the world How euer the world count of their owne greatnesse and of the basenesse of the godly yet the Saints are Gods excellent Ones on Earth Psal. 16. 3. 79. The worke of Conscience THE Conscience is the most wonderfull power in our Soule it is both a parte of it and a Partie in it a power created in vs by God set ouer vs with diuine authority An eye looking out on all and most on God and returning againe and reflecting on our selfe it hath in it atonce both a light to see God and to see him looking on vs The worke of it is 1. to direct vs in the right 2. to watch ouer vs in obedience of that direction 3. To witnesse how wee obey 4. To judge our obedience estate with God If wee obey to gladen vs with a sweete testimonie if wee disobey to grieue vs with a fearefull checke These offices are fruitefull but the last is the strength and force of the other There may bee Watching Direction and Witnessing and yet but slow and weake judging in it But when the conscience is brought to some odde exercise in that judging part the other offices are more conscientiouslie discharged After that exercise her watching is more particular her directing more forcible and her witnessing more sincere GOD vseth a great varietie in this exercise For the Measure some are more heauily pressed down in their sense to the lower Hell other more easilie passe that burning fire For Matter some tremble before that fire for supposed or small sinne where other are scarcely touched for grosse offences For Tyme some know it not to their middle or olde Age others are preuented by it in their Youth It is in it selfe a fruite of sin a processe of Gods justice a worke of the Law and a crosse of crosses when the Charter of our peace with God is turned in a bill of diuorcement from him And the ordinar applyer of our comfort applyeth nothing but wrath to vs Yet it bringeth foorth a glorious fruite in the Sainctes and the sooner wee bee schooled in it the greater fruite In our Youth it is a notable preparatioÌ„ for our effectuall Calling And when Grace is weake and corruption strong to breake foorth at euery occasion and Sathan busie to leade vs in all sinne it is then a great blessing to bee bridled by these terrors Thereby sinne is restrained and a way prepared both for obedience and sinceritie in it The Soule that hath beene burnt with that fire will neuer doe that which will kendle it againe Hee who hath seene an angrie God and beareth the markes of his anger dare not bourd with him Thereafter our Reading Hearing Thinking and all occasions are turned to a consciencious knoâ—â—edge and that knowledge is set on worke to keepe the peace and approbation of GOD and GOD in them both The sooner wee finde that Exercise wee are the sooner schooled for keeping our Conscience in walking with God There goeth nothing to oddes in our deedes or wordes or thoughts but all is called to the Touch-stone and tried how it may stand with the will of God and peace of our Conscience It is good for a man to beare the yoke of God from his youth Lament 3. 27. Hee who so judgeth himselfe daylie and keepeth himselfe cleane shall find at the last day a friendly Iudge a fauourable reckoning and the greater and sweeter Glorie by resenting his former terrours Though Heauen bee infinitelie pleasant in it selfe it shall bee the more pleasant to them who haue tasted the sorrowes of Hell in this life Happie is hee who is conscious of his owne Conscience and both setteth it to worke and reporteth the daylie fruite of that worke And more happie is hee who knowing the weaknesse of his Conscience suteth Gods presence to ouerrule his Conscience It is indeed our Watch but that watch hath neede of a better Watch-man and this is Gods Spirit who is that Conscience of consciences WheÌ„ our bodie waiteth on our Soule our Soule on our Conscience and our Conscience dependeth on God Then God by our Conscience will direct our Soule and Bodie in the good way and blesse vs with happie successe therein And in end eternallie sease on our Conscience Soule and Bodie with his full and perfect Ioyes 80. Tendernesse of Body a Blessing to the godly A Tender Body is an heauie burden yet it is profitable to the renewed man Health is Gods blessing in it selfe but sanctified infirmities bringeth health to the Soule Constant health in many is taken for a naturall gift as it is not sought of God so neither is it holden of him as his blessing nor vsed to his Glorie Their mindes doe neither mark the course of it with joy nor turne them to God for it It may seeme grieuous to bee night day perplexed with a weake body but the fruite of it is better than all these paines God giueth not health in a constant tenour but by partes hee tapes it so peece and peece that euerie houre he giueth vs both matter of prayer and praise When I finde daylie the sentence of death I haue dayly recouse to God for life and euerie deliuerie of euerie on-set is a new gift and taker of the life It is not sought for it selfe but for God that it may be imployed to his honour A godlie Soule
hath more fruitfull remarkes in one day about his tendernesse than a secure Soule in a constant health in all his lifetime I had rather vndergoe the bodilie infirmitie than want the daylie spirituall profite It is a sort of spiritualizing our bodilie life when all the hours of it are sought obtained possessed and spent on God and these frequent infirmities are tolerable that bring so spirituall a life both to Soule and bodie Profane men abuse the strength and health of their bodies to sinne They take it as an instrument and measure of their iniquitie So long and so farre doe they offend as their bodie serueth them This is a giuing of their bodie to bee a weapon of vnrighteousnesse and a sacrificing of themselues to the Deuill Heereafter they will wish that their strong body had beene tyed to the bed continuallie But tendernesse in the godlie turneth all their thoughts and care to immortalitie Strength and health of body is Gods blessing but our corruption abuseth it either to needlesse businesse or in grosse actes of sin Tendernesse is a crosâ—e but where it is sanctified it is a bridle to hold vs from sinfull workes and a spurre to Deuotion It sendeth vs oft-ten to God when possiblie wee would bee worse exercised as oft as it humbleth it selfe to God among other sutes it putteth in the hand of our Spirit the supplication for health and sanctification of that tendernesse There is no crosse that either more occasioneth or causeth a serious preparation for death than bodilie weaknes WheÌ„ they find daylie the coards of their tabernacle loosing and the pillers of it bowing they deale with God for a Mansion in heauen That weaknesse may possiblie hinder them from some bodilie worke in their calling but it stayeth them also from many bodilie sinne and holdeth them euer vpon the maine point how they may be cloathed after this life with glorious immortalitie As abused strength posteth to Hell so sanctified terdernesse creepeth to Heauen 81. Matter of continuall ejaculations NOne obseruing Spirit can want new matter of continuall prayer to God If hee be secret he filleth his heart in reteardnesse If he goe abroad it is forced on him What difficultie shall wee find to converse with men What ignorance in our selfe to foresee and weakenesse to eschew foreseene or secret inconvenients When God may desert vs for a time and leaue vs to the counsell of our heart like Ezechiah or Sathan surpryse vs by passion or deceiue vs by allurement These and the like shall giue vs matter with Nehemiah to send vp pearcing ejaculations to God It is necessar wee euer bee requesting God that wee neither offend nor bee offended of other The least libertie of our thoughts may draw vs to grieuous inconuenients There is no sure Guarde to vs our heart but by a speciall guarding Grace and that guard is most close about vs when wee feele the neede of it and are earnest with God for it So long as there is euill in the world malice in Sathan weakenesse in our selfe and goodnesse in God wee cannot want matter of continuall prayer That same light that seeth the necessitie directeth vs to the Fountaine where it may bee helped And the goodnesse of God perswadeth vs of a supplie Our necessitie is great and God hath promised to heare when wee call his mercie and trueth in Christ are chiefe grounds of my perswasion But I am greatlie confirmed by a secondarie meane when I am conscious in all my doing with man that I seek nothing but Gods glorie mans good mine owne Saluation Wee draw neere to the Throne of Grace with boldnesse when our hearts are purged from euery euill Conscience The gift and libertie of feruent ejaculations are the worke of God in vs Hee will doubtlesse answere that desire which his owne Spirit worketh Wee neede not in such stratnesse of time and businesse looke so much to the shortnesse of our ejaculations as to their feruencie Pluralitie of businesse lacke of time and throng of companie seeme to cut off the possibilitie of these short prayers But indeede they beget and bring them foorth Gods intercourse with the godlie Soule knoweth no such impedimeÌ„t Moses distresse at the red Sea forced out these secret cryes and God answered him to his desire The searcher of hearts heareth these secret and pearcing prayers and will answere them openlie They are not so much in voice as in groanes and these groanes are not separate from the heart but in it and the heart in them immediatelie thrusting it selfe on God A free desire goeth out in words but a restrained and suppressed desire doubleth it selfe as a sparkle of fire is hotter when it is couered with colde ashes 82. Complementing is a windie fulnesse COmplementing in speach is a verball Idolatrie it is counted a perfection in talking but is indeed the quintessence of pratling and vnworhtie of a free and ingenuous minde The giuer and receiuer are both deceiued the first speaketh that which hee meaneth not and the other troweth that which he exspecteth not At titling men haue armes and facts of hostilitie without wrath they breake their speares on other intend none hurt so complementing hath friendly words without loue As jesters breake their jests on other so doe Polititians their smoakie wishes praise They liue by that smoake but modest Spirits are tormented with it That mist fleeth moste among men of least true worth Where that flatterie is mutuall then two birds of one feather â—lee together and two horse of one itch doe nippe other It is a pitie to see men teach their tongs to speake lies to labour to be trusted more than vnderstood But they trow not themselues how shall other men trust them No maÌ„ can justly craue more credite to his speach of other thaÌ„ himself giueth to it or if he doe he must conceat stronglie that hee dealeth with a foole Hee mindreh one thing and speaketh or rather soundeth the contrare Hee knoweth his Heart thinketh not what hee speaketh and therefore hee taketh the floorish of faire speech to supplie the want of trueth His heart must fetch the reasons of his owne perswasion from his mouth and measuring others by himselfe hee thinketh that many faire wordes shall beguile them as well as hee beguileth himselfe with them They are no more vexed to coyne their wordes than I am to keepe my countenance when I heare them Ingenuitie of affection goeth plainly to worke The more care to fill mine eares with officious offers the lesse credite they finde in mine heart I thinke their Spirit is so spent in that vapour that there is left neither spirit nor life in their affection This sort of lying is not vulgare but with a singular mode Poets haue libertie to lie and for keeping their Rythme they are licenced to quite Reason oft-times There is none odde veine of Poesie without some degree of abstractnes of Spirit the strictnesse of meeter looseth them from
vanities and that far more because her applause is her vainest vanities And others possiblie shift themselues both of her vanitie and loue and yet are not fastned on a better Hee is foolish who loseth one thing findeth not another But the truelie godly man seeth and followeth a better world in this wicked one wee haue in this visible world an Heauen and Starres Earth Aire and Creatures for our temporall vse But the spirituall eye taketh vp an higher one Hee seeth GOD for his Sunne and from his Face taketh his Light from his Loue his Warmenesse from his Presence his Seasons It is light and Day when he shyneth on our Soule in the Face of Christ It is Night horrible darknesse when he hydeth his Face The course of his times run not as in the world The heauenly Day may fall at the midst of the naturall night heauenly Summer and Haruest in the midst of the naturall winter Euen at mid-night it is mid-day in that Soule where God maketh our reines to teach vs knowledge All Seasons are numbered by his Fâ—ce allcaneâ—lie The earth of this world is the Rocke of Syon Iesus Christ. No stabilitie or rest to the Soule but in him The Aire is the sense of his Fauour and the comfortable Creatures are his Saintes who walke with him in righteousnesse and holinesse This heauenlie world is better than that visible one and will remaine when the other is destroyed It is a strange conceate in them who by an odde Prospect seeth an earth and cities and men in the Moone That fiction and fansie is verified in this Trueth The spirituall man seeth this heauenly world in the temporall one And with that same light hee seeth an hellish world in this visible one For what is Sathan abusing the world and leading it in euill but erecting of a world of his owne in the defacing of this created world These are solide groundes to make vs strangers on earth and Burgesses in Heauen when wee take vp these worlds distinctlie And the more cleerelie wee see them there will bee lesse difficultie to forsake the euill and â—eeke the good one Let the men of this world reckon their Seasons Tymes and Occasions by this world that they see Our reckoning is better and surer by that supernaturall one They change their Almanackes from time to times But our Sun of Righteousnesse shall distinguish our Seasons and shine vpon vs both in this life and in Heauen This sight is the worke of a new light and is to be found only in the new man whom God hath ordained for the new Heauen and for the new Earth His Calender is neither directed by Starres in heauen nor Tydes in the Sea nor Horologes on the Earth His Sunne and starres is Gods Face his Tydes are the ebbing and flowing of the influences of Grace And his Horologe the secret yet the strong motions of Gods Spirit showing the increase of Grace in the owne periods though the promouing of it bee oft-ten hid from vs. This Earth is a sort of mids betweene Heauen and Hell and yet both of them haue their image beginning in it We are called to forsake the euill and seeke the good and what worse than Satan and sinâ—e and the wicked And what better than GOD his Grace and his Sainctes If wee see these distinctlie we shal be the more enabled to moue our selfe from the euill to the good This sight is the worke of Grace but the naturall man taketh all confusedly he neither seeth nor seeketh better than the world And if he make any distinction it is false hee forsaketh good as an euill and cleeueth to euill as his happinesse 100 God is the dwelling place of the godly Soule EVerie Creature hath the owne element and rest for dwelling securitie and delight therein they are both frequentlie and pleasantlie It is a meanes to try our state by our resort and rest The Worldling is euer in the world there is no difference betweene him and the Earth but that the one liueth and the other doth not and this that liueth is worse than the other because hee liueth in sinne The godlie Soule resteth on God in all businesse it looketh to him and all the thoughts of it end in him to him aboue all it returneth resteth pleasantlie in him and from him it can not bee rent All beeing and businesse out of him is a vexation and our greatest labour is sweete by this onelie that it goeth to him and is acceptable to him God dwelleth in that Soule that cannot rest but in him hee hath loued it from eternall and called it in time to himselfe that is so taken with him and his delights No rendeuous is so known to any Creature and vsed of it as God is to that Soule that resteth in him A proofe of this rest is God resting in vs In all the world he found not rest but in man When he created the Heauen and the Earth all Beasts and Fowles he rested not til he created man his Benjamin his last Creature in worke but his first in affection there hee rested as in the end of his Creation His delight is to dwell with men and among men with the godlie for them onely of all mankinde hath hee assumed to union in Christ. If we find him dwell in vs then surely we dwell in him we may easilie know if Christ dwell in vs except we bee Reprobats 2. Cor. 5. There is great wisdome in choosing the best Lodging We lodge now conuenientlie in our Bodie but at Death it will cast vs out and the worlde our pleasant House will decay Wee rest now in our contentmentes but must flitte from them But God can neither decay nor cast vs out and at Death wee shall still abide in him We neede not then flitte from him but ascend and bee more joyned to him Wee cannot haue Tabernacles heere nor abide no not in the beginnings and growth of Grace which is now our contentment but shall bee receiued and bide in euerlasting Mansions that are in him Man naturallie inclineth to two things his beginning and end His beginning recalleth him by right of his Originall The fishes will visite the place of their spawning yeerelie And men of an hurte health returne to their natiue soyle as the aire which they took in at their birth gaue them the first outward matter of their naturall Spirits so the vse of it may bring them backe againe to their first integritie The end calleth vs to it by right of perfection the pryse of the runner the house of the Traueller are earnestlie desired So is it to the godly Our beginning in Grace is in God The Riuer of liuing waters flowe out from the Sanctuarie from vnder the Throne of GOD and the Lambe The Grace of election hath no latter beginning than eternitie nor lower discent than heauen and turneth vs vp to it againe The waters of life which Christ giueth vs
weake meanes Clay layed to Clay Dust vnto Dust and the shaddow of Death a refreshment of wearines Our nourishment is but dust and our sleepe an image of Death and Death in end must dissolue that dust that standeth vpon so base pillers and is so oft wrapped vp in the image of it Though the first worke of our nourishment bee to susteene the bodie in life yet in a second worke it furnisheth matter of diseases and so of Death And though our Sleepe in it selfe refresh vs yet it is a presage and an earnest of a longer sleepe in Death If Sicknesse fasten on the Body for remeede thereof I take on another disease Medicine is indeede a gift of God a necessitie to Nature an enemie to the corruption of it and haâ—sh and vnpleasant to the integritie of it yet when I render my selfe to it I embrace a lesser Death for avoyding a greater One dolour is a remeede to another dolour And all is but an off-putting for a time Mortalitie is so seased in the bodie that our life is stollen through innumerable diseases and deathes and in end a yeelding to Death This is the miserie of a mortall bodie in the circle of daylie and vnavoydable necessities and at last in despite of all their supplies a necessitie of Death The Soule is more burdensome in this lumpish bodie rent asunder with corruption and passions their distresses more oppressing it than these paines did the bodie It is now forced with temptation if it bee strenthened it is in danger of pride for deliuerie The remeede of one temptation is turned in the matter of a worse The naturall powers in their worke doe trouble it the ImaginatioÌ„ runneth out in phansies the Mind in inquiring is vexed and tortured by scruples The Will in inclyning declining and suspending is not so much delighted with good as crossed with the euill object and that work of it is a toyle to it selfe and to vs The Affections sette contrare Feare Sorrow Hatred tormenting vs and Hope Ioy and Loue busying vs more in their object suspended remoued hurt or destroyed than they doe in the enjoying of it Neuer any of these sweete affections in vs alone but their coÌ„trare is fixed on them while wee are in hope or joye and enjoying of God wee feare to lose that joye and sorrow commeth in with that feare But the torment of temptatioÌ„ is intolerable that Satan doth so far preuaile in vs as to stir vp our inbred corâ—uptioÌ„ that our corruption doth yeeld to him we our selues in a perpetuall trouble either watching ouer temptions that they surprise vs not or resisting them when they are moued or repenting for them when they haue preuailed to our insnaring And the Conscience aboue all sette on a continuall worke to direct vs aright in all our wayes to try our obedience to her direction and if wee haue failed to torment vs in our arriegning before Gods Tribunall and the feare and sense of his wrath to come How can I either delight to dwell in this Bodie or carrie about so grieuous a burden as this A vile prison an hole of Serpents and Coâ—katrices A body of earth and a bodie of sinne and death in it a masse of corruption euer stirred of Sathan and breaking out of it selfe Heere is a burthen insupportable a labour without end The sense of it selfe is enough to the sensible Soule to mourne for abyding in it and to cry VVoe is mee that I abide so long in Mesech or dwell in the tents of Kedar And miserable man that I am who shall deliuer mee from this bodie of Death It is impossible that perfect happinesse can lodge in so miserable a creature It craueth a Soule and bodie perfect and free of all euill therefore I must bee dissolued ere I bee perfected the Soule purified in God from all sinfulnesse and the bodie refined in the earth from all frailtie and so the whole man freed of all miserie Though fleshly Selfe-loue sometimes blind mee to desire to abide in this body yet a bettâ—r loue of my selfe in GOD biddeth mee desire to bee dissolued that I may bee perfected The greater light the greater libertie in visiting these Mansions in Heauen and adoring my God who hath prepared them for mee The greater libertie the gearter desire to bee out of this bodie wherein so long as I dwell I am absent from God and these Mansions where I long to enjoy him This is the miserie of a sinfull Soule And though our Soâ—le had peace our bodie constant health yet our Lot is vnder continuall changes Our Husband and Wife Parents and Children Friendes and Familiars are subject to Sicknesse and Death Our name is subject to Infamie and Calumnies Our goods layed open to mans deceit or violence and to Gods most free and just Providence They are either with holden from vs or taken from vs or if they remaine with vs they decay So wee are either chastened with a simple want of them or a losse or a change Our Lotte in it selfe is a blessing of God but this change and decay is a matter of griefe and feare As though God did augment our Lot for this end to augment the marke for his Arrowes and the matter of our griefe There is nothing whereof wee can say that either wee shall haue it long or in that same state wherein it is now It is either subject to want in measure or change in standing There is none houre wherein we are not either vnder a sorrowfull remembrance of bygone Calamities or vnder sense of some present or vnder a fearefull foresight of Calamities to come This is the miserie of a changeable Lotte All these miseries God hath layed vpon man to humble him thereby Ecclesi 1. 13. and to make him wearie of this present life For man that is borne of a woman is of a short continuance and full of trouble Iob. 14. 1. Hee is borne to trouble as sparkes flee vpward Iob. 5. 7. If wee found full and constant prosperitie heere wee would desire to remaine in this life There is neither necessitie nor desire of a better life in them who find all things according to their heart in this life But God hath so tempered the Cup to his dearest Children that it hath more gall and worme-wood than honie and more sowre than sweete Our life is short in it selfe and made shorter by grieuous Calamities If wee count onlie that tyme for our life wherin we haue beene free of Feare of Sense or memorie of euill it will bee shorter than the naturall course of life if all bee well examined scarcelie shall the best liuing finde so many peaceable houres as his naturall life hath dayes God knoweth that naturallie wee are giuen to nest in the world as birds To roote in it as Trees sit fast in it as Rockes Therefore hee changeth our Lotte and crosseth our contentment that hee may both loose vs and keepe vs loose
Parents in this Towne send their sicklie Children ouer this Firth not to leaue them on the other Shore but by Sea-sicknesse to purge their Stomacke and cure them of their infirmitie So thou can imbark thine owne in the Ship of the sentence of Death and Resolution for it and bring them back againe and cause them cast out some noysome corruption in renouncing the world Thou knowest O Searcher of hearts that I neither loue this life nor desire to abide in it for it selfe but for thy Glorie Though I bee full of dayes yet if I can honour thee in it I care not what miseries I vndergoe I had neuer greater contentment than when I was most injured for thy cause As I count of no life but in thee so I desire not to liue but for thee If thou bring mee backe againe serue thy selfe of mee in mercie and doe with mee as seemeth good in thine eyes If thou hast decreed that at this time I shall not die but liue then grant that I may declare the mercies of the Lord That in my lent and prolonged dayes I may magnifie thy glorious Grace in Christ in teaching sinners thy wayes turning them to thee That thy vowes may bee on mee O Lord and I may pay them in the sight of thy people in the great Congregation that when thou hast redeemed my Soule from Death mine eyes from teares and my feete from falling I may walke before the Lord in the Land of the liuing Psal. 116. And may both feele and say with thine holie Apostle Blessed bee God euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort Who comforteth vs in all our tribulation that wee may bee able to comfort them which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith wee our selues are comforted of God For as the sufferinges of Christ abound in vs so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. And whether wee bee afflicted it is for your consolation and saluation Or whether wee bee comforted it is for your consolation and saluation 2. Cor. 3. 4. 5. 6. I looke for a glorious Resurrection and eternall day of light and comfort after it all my deliueries in this life hath some night of affliction following and the verie day of prosperitie may both haue gloumie cloudes of miscontentment and the eclypses of thy face in some desertion But that day in Heauen shall haue no night following none obscuritie by raines or cloudes of affliction None eclypse by desertion but the constant enjoying of thy face for euer Thou will wype all teares from mine eyes both the teares of sorrow vnder temptation to sinne and vnder guiltinesse for sinne committed and vnder affliction As also the teares of joy I shall then rejoyce without teares for my bodie shall haue none excrementitious humour to cast out at mine eyes And that joye shall not bee by way of passion as now but of a glorified affection it shall not bee mixed with feare of ending but endure eternallie Who can refuse to die for to obtaine such a Glorie Death is but short and that Glorie beyond it is euerlasting and shall wype away all sorowes both of this life death Dauids Worthies for a litle water of the well Bethlehem brak throgh the Armie and shall not we for the well it selfe of liuing waters aduenture vpon Death Men sicke of Ambition cast away there life in battells or combats where the victorie is vncertaine and the following fame is but smooke And shall wee not combat with Death where the victorie is certaine and the following glorie is weightie and eternall I haue had an longsome toyle in the world now I am called to the Lords Rest I had no rest heere but in him and it is kindlie that I finde it more in him in the Heauen There I shall rest from my labours There thy wearisome journey shall end in the owne home O my wearie Soule thou needeth goe no further than thine home and thy growth shall end in that thy perfection There is no way beyond the end nor growth aboue perfection Though there bee sundrie degree of of Glorie in Heauen yet the least degree if perfection can bee little shall haue fulnesse It can neither desire more nor receiue more When desire is satisâ—ied and capacitie filled that is absolute perfection Goe then to this rest and sute it of God vpon all these rights which his mercie hath furnished to thee Thou hast his right of the promise in the Couenant Of his acquisition in the purchase of Christ Of his Legacie in the Testament Father I will that these which thou hast giuen mee bee where I am Of Infeftment by the earnest of the Spirit Of begunne possession by the first fruites and of perfection by so many fulnesses Thou art full of dayes and full of labour both of Gods worke in thee and by thee in other in thy calling and full of desire of dissolution and of that better life What then can hold thee out of it God is the Donatour and hath it in his hand Since he hath made thee all these rights hee will maintaine them and put thee fullie in the possession Goe and claime it of his mercie thy claime will bee admitted of him who hath both founded and fraimed it in himselfe How can I but expect the happie end of thy worke in mee O Lord who haue found thee so mercifull in the bygone course of it As thou beginnest in thine own so thou proceedest till thou crown it with glorie My feeling of it is by parts and degrees but in it selfe and in thee it is a continued and compleete worke Thou didst begin in it my free election and seeing mee lye in the lost masse of mankinde didst choose mee in Christ Thou broughtest mee in the world in a time and place where the Gospel was preached and Grace offered And scearcely was I borne when thou washed mee in Baptisme in the blood and renewed mee by the Spirit of Christ. When I was offered to thee in that Sacrament little did I knowe what grounds of Grace thou was laying in mee Thou broughtest mee vp in humane learning vnder good Masters and hemmed in the folie of my youth with the care and proficience in learning With these good occasions thou blessed mee with the hearing of godlie Pastors who did sow the seed of godlinesse in mine heart so that in the verie throng of Schoole-studies thou drew me to a set dyet of priuate deuotion in reading thy word in calling on thy Name So soone as I could discerne any thing thou inclined mine heart to the sacred Ministerie and made mee desire to serue thee in it aboue all callings And sweyed all my thoughts and studies for the obtaining of the abilities of that worke In the verie course of humane learning thou put thine hand in mine heart and entred mee in the grieuous exercise of Conscience to prepare mee for thy seruice and
gaue me no solide peace till I tooke on mee both the yocke of Christ in mine effectuall calling to grace and of the Ministerie of the Word By this doing thou drew all my thoughts to practick Diuinitie as to the best sort holding mee euer about the end and the use the fruite of the best meanes to it for keeping of a good Conscience Thou hast joyned foure things in me that furnisheth daylie exercise to my Spirit 1. A naturall disposition inclining to pensiuenesse so that my greatest rest is in the multitude and throng of enquiring thoughts 2. The worke of Grace in the sanctified exercise of Conscience 3. And thy prouidence without euerie day furnishing a new crosse as mine ordinary dyet a matter both to my naturall disposition Conscience 4. And with all these the assiduous labour of a painefull Ministerie changing the nature of rest and labour in mee So that my greatest rest is in greatest labour and a short relaxation doeth wearie mee more than long bending of my Spirit As thou didst separate me to the Gospel of thy Son and counted mee faithfull and put mee in the Ministerie thou possest me with a care to bee faithfull in it and to approue my selfe to thee in preaching thy word as thy word and in partaking of that Grace which in thy Name I offer to other Thou made mee thinke it a fearefull judgement to feede others and sterue my selfe To builde the Arke of Noe to saue others and perish in the waters my selfe but to striue to this compleat fruite of the Ministerie by faithfull discharge of my duetie to saue my selfe and them that heare mee 1. Timoth 16. I caÌ„not but count this among thy greatest mercies to mee that in the midst of my trouble thou fillest my Soule with thy peace that in the multitude of the thoughts of mine heart thy comfortes delight mee Psal. 94. 19. While I am thy prisoner in this bed of disease cannot declare thy mercies in publicke to thy people Thou giuest mee libertie to speake of thy wondrous workes to them that visite mee to exhort them to liue the life of the righteous and in as great confidence in thy Name to assure them that in that case they shall die the death of the righteous And to say with thy Prophet Come and heare all yee that feare the Lord and I will declare what hee hath done to my Soule I cryed vnto him with my mouth and hee was exalted with my tongue If I regarded iniquitie in mine heart the Lord will not heare mee But truelie God hath heard me and hath hearkened to the voyce of my prayer Ps 66. 16 17 18 19. For hee seeth no sinne in Iaacob nor transgression in Israel Numb 23 21. But as manie as walke according to this rule his peace is on them and his mercie and vpon the Israel of God Galat. 6. 16. This I take as a seale of thy loue that thou hast both accepted mee and my former endeâ—ours and pardoned all my sinnes in the Sonne of thy loue What would be my case if in those paines my wonted terrours had possessed mee But thou who comforteth the abject knowest my weaknesse layest no more on mee than I can beare Thou makest thy Grace sufficient for mee to giâ—e mee the out gate with the temptation that thy power may bee manifested in my weakenesse 1. Cor. 12. 7. 9. Blessed bee God who hath not turned away my prayers nor his mercies from mee Psal. 66. 20. How precious are thy thoughts to mee O God how great is the summe of them If I should count them they are moe in number than the sand Psal. 139. 17. 18. Many O Lord my God are thy wonderous vvorkes which thou hast done and thy thoughts vvhich are towards vs they cannot hee reckoned vp in order to thee If I would declare and speake of them they are moe than can bee numbred Psal. 40. 5. But this is a small summe of a greater roll that I may both testifie to the world my thankfulnesse to thee who hast ladened mee daylie with thy blessings And stirre vp others to marke thy mercifull dealing with them in their youth That finding thy goodnesse in good occasions and education and the blessing of both in learning and godlinesse they may bee thankefull to thee O what a mercie is it in so dangerous a time as Youth to bee brought by thy Spirit to true Wisedome and godlines Then Witte is weakest and corruption is strongest and we readie euery houre to cast our selfe in sinnes which may cost vs eternall murning But thou preuentest Sathan and ingageth vs in thy Grace and obedience before either hee can abuse vs in iniquitie or wee doe know what good thou art working in vs. Thou knowest how forcible the sense and conscience of thy mercie is both to make vs thankefull for it and desirous and confident of more None can feele thy loue in thy Fatherlie care ouer him in his Youth but his heart must dissolue in loue to thee and powring out it selfe on thee waite vpon the due accomplishment of such good beginnings When I remember these thy mercies I finde them mine obligements to thee How thou didst beare more with mee than all the world or I could beare with my selfe I both wonder at thy vnspeakable loue pursuing with kindnesse so vile a worme And am confident that thou who hath begunne thy good worke in mee will also finish it till the day of the Lord Iesus WhoÌ„ thou louest thou louest to the end Thy calling and gifts are vvithout Repentance VVho shall separate vs from the loue of Christ For I am perswaded that neither Death nor Life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things preseÌ„t nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall bee able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Rom. 8. 38. 39. Vnder this acquaintance with Death and certaintie of these glorious thinges after it the bitternesse of Death is disgested As the godlie and wicked haue contrare respects of Death and contrare grounds and contrare desires so also contrare disposition and practice when it commeth I leaue the horrors of it to them that are vnder sinne Their death is like a Malefactors execution when hee is pannaled and justlie convicted one pulleth the Hatte doggedlie from him another his bond a third bindeth his hands behind his backe and the poore man ouercome with griefe and feare is dead before hee die But I looke for the Death of the Righteous and a peaceable ende that it shall bee as a going to bed of an honest man His seruants with respect take off his cloathes and lay them downe in order A good Conscience then playing the Page ordereth all so that it confirmeth and increaseth his peace It biddeth good-night to Faith Hope and such other attending graces and giftes in the way When wee are come home to Heauen
that Couenant commeth these waters diuide themselues Let mee see the high Priest of my profession who is the Arke himselfe carying that Arke before mee Where hee setteth his feete there is dry ground to passe through the midst of dangers O Sonne of God shew thy propitiation to the Father to appease him To me to encourage mee To these waters that they may flee away and to mine enemies that they may bee destroyed Let mee see thee as I did long since at the like sentence of Death interponing thy selfe betwixt the wrath of God and mee securing me from sinne punishment and all that worke of Iustice When thou turned wrath in mercie and the Iustice Seate in a Throne of Grace And setting thy selfe as a sconse between GODS wrath and mee made mee as posedlie and calmelie to stand before God vnder the sentence of Death as euer I did in the sweetest meditations motions of thy Spirit That former proofe yet fresh in my minde confirmeth mine hope in the expectation of the like peace when Death shall come indeede All this I know this I beleeue and hope for and feele alreadie begunne in mee in some measure and perswade my selfe as now I thinke it and write it that in due time I shall finde it and praise thee in Heauen eternallie for it when thou hast crowned thy mercies in mee The sense of thy presence doth now delight mee but I rest not on it As it giueth mee vnspeakable contentment so it pouseth mee fordward to thy perfect presence I must euer bee in mouing till I bee perfected in thee Though thy presence coÌ„fort me now in these my Soules-speaches with thee aâ—d refresh my wearie heart both vnder present paine and foreseene paines of death yet I stay not there These cooling tastes doe rather inflame my desire than quench it and increase my longing for the Well it selfe That I may bee satisfied aboundantlie with the fatnesse of thine House and drinke of the Riuer of thy pleasures For with thee is the Fountaine of Life and in thy Light I shall see light Psal. 36. 8. 9. All my joyes in the way cannot satisfie mee till I bee in that Citie whereof the Lord God Almightie the Lambe is the Temple That new Ierusalem that hath no neede of the Sunne nor of the Moone for the Glorie of GOD doeth inlighten it and the Lambe is the Light of it Reuelat. 21. 22. 23. I long for that pure Riuer of the water of Life cleare as crystall proceeding out of the Throne of God and the Lambe I long for the fruite of the Tree of Life that bringeth fruite euery Moneth euer constant and new joyes that I may see the face of the Lambe and haue his Name written in my forehead and follow him vvhither soeuer hee goeth Revelat. 22. 1. 2. 4. Till I come to this estate my Soule will euer thirst for thee more than the thirstie land doth for raine or the chased Hart panteth for the riuer of vvaters My Soule thirsteth for God euen for the liuing God Oh vvhen shall I come and appeare before God Psal. 42. 2. None hath wrought or can worke this great Desire in me but thou onelie none can or shall satisfie it but thou and that by none of thy giftes but by thy selfe alone It is a desire of thy selfe aboue all and cannot rest without thy selfe It is stronger than all other desires in mee they are all silent when it raigneth they cease willinglie and quite their priuate contentment and seeke it in the satisfaction of this greatest One. Come therefore O thou whom my Soule loueth and satisfie my Soule in her greatest desire of thee This is for the present by the worke of thy Spirit I trust shall be my last ardent affection to thee in the houre of my Death mine eternall condition in the Heauens Then the greatest satisfactioÌ„ of my greatest desire shall work my greatest delight Sight and Sense and FruitioÌ„ shall then teach mee that which now the eye hath not seene not the eare heard nor the heart of man conceiued But when I shall see thee as thou art shall know thee as I am known then I shall see that which now I beleeue and hope for euen mine happinesse in thee perfectlie When the end of thy loue to mee and of my desire of thee doe meete in that glorious perfection there shall neither be matter nor place for more desire The infinite weight of Glorie The eternall indurance of it The constant freshnesse and continuall newnesse of it in my neuer-loathing nor decaying feeling excludeth both the increase and beeing of any desire WheÌ„ thy delight in mee and my delight in thee doe concurre then my glorified delight shall rest on thee and thy delights contentedlie I cease now to write but not to think of and affect thee as mine onelie happines Let thy good Spirit O Lord keepe my Soule vnder the sense of these delights or vnder the memorie of them or the fruite of them that I may walk in the strength of their coÌ„solations delighting my selfe in thee and in that mine happinesse which is thy selfe till I perfectlie enjoy Thee Into thine Hands I commit my Spirit for Thou hast redemed mee O LORD GOD of Trueth COME LORD IESVS AND TARIE NOT. AMEN FINIS The Table of these OBSERVATIONS A ACcidents rare make many Prophets Obser. 51 Affections right placed 46 Afflictions great profite 69 Athiesmes poyson 27 Ambitious men die of their disease 48 B Our Bodies spiritualitie 40 The Bodies tendernesse a blessing to the godlie 80 C Callings are our tryall 35 Gods Calling a sufficient warrand 26 Fruitefull labour in our Calling 8 Calumnies Comfort 87 Christian Furniture 1 Combat betweene the Earth the Wretch 17 Companie usuallie hurtfull 15 Complementing is a windie fulnesse 82 Contemplation and practise ought to bee ioyned 47 Conceate of VVisedome is great folie 44 Conscience Exercise 79 Conscientious Knowledge 83 Constant inconstancie 30 Corruptions Danger 56 Corruptions Remeede 90 Credulitie and Confidence 41 D Death surpriseth the most part of men 6 Deuotion and Obedience are twinnes 12 E Eiaculations continuall 81 Experience fruitfull 14 F Phantasies Tyrannie and Remeede 94 Faults with the World but not with God 23 Feares needlesse are fruitfull to the godlie 85 Flesh and Spirit discerned 58 G God alone better than all 50 God mercifull presence 59 The sight of a present God-head 42 Gods best giftes 57 God seeth the Heart 67 Gods Beggers are best heard 72 How to please God and man 33 God the dwelling place of the godlie 100 God and Sathan contrare in ends wayes 60 The godlies warre in peace 91 H Concerning happines we are greatest fooles 5 Hearts discouerie 10 Hearts hardnesse 75 I Iniuries inflame our corruption 32 Insolent fittes 29 Iudging wrong 31 L Short life ought a short care 20 Loue of good and hatred of euill 54 The best Lotte hath some want 55 M Mans threefold perfection 97 Man most disobedient of all creatures 70 Man both blind and quicke sighted in his owne cause 88 Mankinds wise temper 84 Best men most iniured 71 Mankinds threefolde respect 96 Meditations profite 39 The Merchant wise and foolish 53 Good Motions are of God 73 N Holie Necessities are no distractions 13 Thirst of News 86 O Obseruations right vse 74 Operations of the holie Spirit 2 P Particulars are mixed with common causes 89 Passions disease and Remeede 22 Patrons of Grace and Nature 43 Peace of God a sweete Vade-mecum 4 Perplexities disease and Remeede 21 Politickes secrecie is open 62 Predominant vertue and vice 93 Prayers great profite 7 Prouidence particular to the godlie 98 Rest on Prouidence 68 R Religious Religion 82 Refuge of the Christian. 95 Resolution performed 34 S Saluation of God alone 24 Scriptures vnspeakable profite 65 Securitie in God 38 Selvishnesse damnable 52 Sense of weaknesse 62 Sinne an euill Guest 28 Proud Sinners post to Hell 25 Soules life 63 Soules Foode 36 The stamppe of God in the Soule 77 Great worldlie Spirits 78 Good Spirits most free of Passions 49 T Our Thoughts fruitfull worke 3 The godlie Traueller 16 Tryall of Trueth 61 Tryall of our Tyme 19 W VVarres fearefull calamities 66 VVayes of God well expounded 18 VVorld worse and worse 9 Dead to the world 45 A new better world in this old bad one 99 VVorship of God done as his worship 76 Constant dyet in Gods worship 37 Y Youth and olde Age. 11 FINIS Faults escaped in the printing in the Obseruations Page Line Fault Corrected 53. 1. delate deleete 57. 1. friend frrine 68. 2. adde Post. 79. 5. wrath worth 87. 17. craueth carueth 111. 21. coÌ„uersatioÌ„ couersioÌ„ 113. 1. craue carue 152. 14. to in 157. ult dele him 180. 10. calamities calumnies 212. 19. taker tacke 218. 11. titling tilting In the Resolution 2. 3. reproach approach 39. 10. it is 49. 2 secure serue