third is at the day of judgement when soule and body re-united enjoy God as he is in eternall glory Secondly because the union between Christ and the Christian lasteth and cannot be dissolved when death dissolveth all naturall bonds for the bond is mysticall and spirituall neither knitteth the soule onely to Christ the Head but the body also even the whole person so as the bodies of the faithfull being dead and turned into dust many thousand yeres agoe remaine the members of Christ still cared for by the Head and preserved to be made like to his glorious body by that mighty power whereby hee is able to subdue all things to him selfe Phil. 3. 21. In the winter all the sap being in the root there appeares no difference betweene a living tree and a dead but in the spring there is a sap which will ascend and revive the decayed branches So our bodies turned not to nothing but to dust and devoured by beasts fishes or the elements seeme to bee perished but by reason of the former union must bee raised and partake of the glorious life of Christ Thirdly as the death of the god ly is a quiet sleep so the grave is a resting chamber yea a sweet bed perfumed by Christs buriall for the bodies of all the Elect out of which they must awake for the earth and sea must give up their dead and bee admitted into the presence of God and of Christ Neither can the grave ever hold under the members of Christ no more then it could their Head but as he gloriously rose againe from the dead so shall they in glory and immortality Much lesse can the grave destroy the body of which Christ hath said O grave I will bee thy destruction nor so disguise it but that with these eyes wee shall see the Lord and in that glorious vision shall become glorious Iob 19. 25. The darknesse of the grave makes it the fitter for sleep Fourthly the Beleever need not feate the last judgement 1 Seeing Christ is the Iudge If the kinde husuand may bee the Wives Iudge sheee need not feare 2 The Iudge of all the world cannot but do righteously He cannot condemne those whom himselfe hath by his bloud redeemed and justified Rom. 8. 1. there is now no condemnation to them that are in Christ 3 It is the wicked man that cannot stand in judgement his wicked conscience covers him with confusion But the godly on that day attaine their full redemption Luke 21. 28. When yee see these â—â—ings then lift up your heads for the day of your redemption draweth neere The day of Pharaohs drowning was Israels deliverance The day of hanging Pharaohs Baker was the lifting up of the Butlers head 4 Christ did not therefore carry our sinnes to lay them againe upon us He was not made a curse for us to returne the curse upon us Hee was not condemned to death to condemne us nor made himselfe a sacrifice for sinne that we should remaine guilty but that we might receive the sentence of absolution and blessednesse Mat. 25. 34. Come yee blessed of my Father possesse the Kingdome prepared for you from the beginâ—ing of the world Where is to be observed that Christ makes mention of many good workes performed by the Saints Yee gave mee to eat and to drinke yee clothed mee and visited mee but never reckons up any of their sinnes for that they are washed away in his bloud and covered with the robe of his mercy CHAP. XX Of Means and Motives to work Contentment COutentment being so excellent and beneficiall a grace as we have seene it were good we laboured for it with all diligence Whereunto the Meanes and Motives are of three sorts In respect of God In respect of our selves In respect of the Saints For the first of these 1 Consider the affection of God If thou beest as thou professest Gods childe he is thy father and thou if thou beest a good childe wilt relye on him and content thy selfe with his allowance Every master of a family may dispose his goods as he pleaseth 2 Consider his wisedome The childe must thinke that the Fathers discretion exceedeth his And herein the Lord manifesteth his wisedome in that he doth not alwayes actually bestow these outward things so largely on his children as on others because hee nurtereth them and will have them wholly depend vpon him And both these our Saviour Mat. 6. 32. coucheth together to worke contentment your heavenly Father knoweth what ye stand in need of He that can give riches without contentment knowes also to give contentment without riches And cap. 7. 11. if ye which are evill can give good things to your children c. 3 Consider his promise that the righteous shall never bee forsaken nor will hee ever faile or leave them and if we feare God no good thing shall bee wanting Psal. 34. 9. And from hence Heb. 13. 5. the Apostle perswades to be content with the things we have because he hath said I will not leave thee nor forsake thee Ob. But for all this I see I want many comforts I feele such and such wants c. Answ. Every thing good in it selfe is not good for thee If this bee thy case thou wantest not want and affliction which now God seeth good for thee and so shall be if thou beest not more wanting to thy selfe then other things be And the more thy crosses be and the greater the more greater love by vertue of the promise is wrapped up in them 4 Consider his powerfull providence who provides for sparrows and hath care of beasts fowles flowers and haires of the head yea hee created light before Sunne Moone and starres hee made grasse grow before raine or dew hee can preserve Israehtes forty yeares in a bar ren wildernesse can bring Mannâ— from the clouds water from a rocke yea without all these can preserve Moses and Elias forty dayes What an unmovable foundation of godly Contentment is this 5 Consider his rich supply God hath given himselfe to thee to become thy portion hee hath given his Sonne to thee and for thee and the holy Spirit to seale up to thy heart this gift Now if he give the greater will hee deny the lesse 〈◊〉 he give his Christ how will he not with him give all things also Is the Lord my portion and are not my lines fallen into a good ground shall I beleeve him for salvation and not for preservation for eternall and not for temporary life Next if we looke at our selvts 1 All of us enjoy much more then wee can deserve if we have bread and breath this is forseited and lost therefore wee must crave our daily bread and wee must as well looke upon our receipts to be thankfull as on our wants to repâ—ne and looke upon them behind us as well as them before us 2 If wee want outward things it is very just
frighted with the name of terrible things and at the sight of some disguised person but when they come to riper age and yeares of discretion contemne them Wee are frighted as the Midianites with the sound of broken pitchers voyces and lamps and cowardly fly before we see any apparent danger 2 It seeth the death of Beleevers not onely altered but sanctified by Christs death that it becomes of a curse a blessing and as a stage whereon a Christian manifesteth his faith fortitude love patience and constancy and openly triumpheth over death as his Head hath done before him 3 It seeth Christ in Heaven in glory who is our Head and Husband from whom while wee live here we are strangers and pilgrims separate from that happy society which wee shall enjoy with Him and all our fellow members in the Kingdome of Heaven Whereupon it doth desire his presence and is not onely contented but willing to bee dissolved and bee with Christ Paul considered that he was now absent from the Lord and desired to bee present Simeon having Christ in his armes said Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace Steven in the middest of the stones saw the Heavens open and the Son of man standing at Gods right hand and so slept quietly A sweet death if Christ be in sight Let him feare death that would not goe to Christ So of the second ground 3 It looketh upon death it selfe and seeth in it First the necessity of it It is appointed for all men once to dye a statute-law of Heaven inevitable Heb. 9. 27. And seeing it knowes it to be so it rather fits it selfe cheerefully to beare it then fearefully to decline it Quest How may that bee done Answ. 1 We must deal with this Giant and mighty Sampson who slayes heapes upon heapes as the Philistims did with him 1 Sift out where his strength lyes and finding it lye in his lockes cut them off The strength of thy death is thy sinne these are his strong lockes cut them off by repentance and death shall be too weak to hurt thee 2 Labour to dye in faith as the Saints Heb. 11. 13. all these dyed in faith Let thy faith fasten upon Christ as himselfe did in his extreme agony fixe his confidence upon his Father saying My God my God and Father into thy hands I commend my spirit Another necessity of death is because without it wee can never attaine immortality and eternall life The seed is not quickened unlesse it dye first neither can eternall life be had but by the passage of this wicket Wee have here no abiding City our houses are rather Innes in which wee sojourne our bodies Tabernacles ready for removall and shifting And the condition is that when this earthly house shall bee dissolved wee shall have a building eternall in the heavens Secondly godlinesse seeth the advantage and gaine by death that it is no detriment to the faithfull but a gaine as saith the Apostle Christ is my life and death is to mee advantage Phil. 1. 21. And it is a great gaine in two respects 1 Because it is an end of all evils and wretchednesse 2 Because it is a beginning of heaven and happinesse For the former 1 It is an end of misery sorrowes cares feares teares an end of sicknesse paine poverty shame persecution and the like for in death attended with teares God wipeth away all teares from the eyes of his children and then shall bee no more death neither sorrow nor wecping nor paine Rev. 21. 4. 2 It is an end of temptations by Satan The soule in this world is in the bonds and snares of temptations and the law of sinne in the members ministreth strength to Satan against our selves But in death the soul is loosed from that bondage and the body ceaseth to be an instrument either active or passive in sin What a gaine is it never to sin more against God yea to be wholly out of danger of sinning 3 It is an end of wicked mens molestation for death delivers the godly out of this evill world 〈◊〉 Lot out of Sodome whose righteous soule was vexed amongst them day by day They are safe from seducers and deceivers who in these last ages come so armed as if it were possible they would deceive the very Elect. They are got without the reach of Persecutors and those enemies their eyes shall never see more 4 It is an end of our owne pilgrimage and absence from the Lord wherein wee stand in so doubtfull and dangerous a battell not onely with enemies without us but within our owne bosome our owne covetousnesse wrath ambition voluptuousnesse lust envy and not a head can bee cut off from this Hydra but another riseth in the roome and no watch can be sufficient against them Now what man being absent from his owne house doth not long to dispatch his businesse so to returne home And thus the Saints 2 Cor. 5. 2. Wee sigh desiring to bee clothed with our house which is from heaven It is our haven and an end of our dangerous voyage upon the troubled sea of this world a passage from corruption and mortality to immortality and incorruption a sweet sleepe after our travell and labours and an end of all the toyles of our lives Ioh. 11. 11. our friend Lazarus sleepeth But more then this It is a beginning of happinesse the entrance to Heaven the Evening wherein the Labourers receive the penny of perpetuall joy and glory a repossessing of Paradise lost by the first Adam won againe by the second By it wee come to the company of Saints and the first borne written in heaven Wee come into the bosome of Abraham even to our deare friends who are gone before us to Heaven But above all wee come to Iesus Christ the Mediator into the house of our heavenly Father wherein heâ—e hath prepared us mansions whither the forerunner is for us entred in Even Iesus Heb. 6. 20. And wee have boldnesse to enter into the holy place by the new and living way which hee hath prepared for us through the vayle that is his flesh cap. 10. 20. And by Iesus Christ wee come to behold the face of God being made like unto Christ in holinesse and honour and shall for ever with him inherite the Kingdome prepared from the beginning of the World CHAP. XIX Of Grave and Iudgâ—ment and Contentment therein THe last personall evill which is horrible to nature is the grave and last judgement But godlinesse quieteth the heart against all such terrors thus First that by these two wee are raised as by two stayres to the fruition of full happinesse For whereas there be three degrees of life eternall The first when wee begin to repent and beleeve which is the beginning of it The second at the day of death which entreth the soule into eternall happinesse and prepareth the body to be partaker also of it The
their worth A world of advantage above men of the world Fiftly godlinesse doth two things about earthly matters which are the ordinary causes of discontent One to shew the vanity of them that they are the slenderest and slightest favours which God bestowes on his children and many times thinkes good to bestow most largely on his very enemies Which if we shall often and earnestly thinke of we shall be the better contented either to want them or be scanted in them The like of cSmon gifts of illumination memory utterance eloquence courtlinesse and the like The other to teach us to accustome our selves to have what we have as if we possessed not and to use the world as not using it namely with much weignednesse and retyrednesse as those that are forced to make use of them and not those that come willingly and eagerly to an enjoyment 1 Cor. 7. 30 31. Contempt of the world brought some of the Philosophers to a strange kinde of resolution for quieting their mindes in all sad accidents Pitty it should not doe the like for true Christians who have better Principles better Evidences and matters of comfort and better assurance of the glory and felicity of heaven Sixtly godlinesse teacheth that we must goe farther then Contentment namely to be thankefull and blesse God even for afflictions to rejoyce in the Lord alwayes to count it a mercy that we are not consumed and already in hell to esteeme our selves lesse then the least of all Gods mercies to rejoyce in tribulations and account it all joy when we fall into divers temptations to make our selves equall to them of the lower sort who though they deserve as much as we or more yet fare not so well and How many deare children hath God in sundry places who would be glad of our scraps together with the peace of our Sion and prosperity of the Gospell And finally to suffer persecutions with Ioy and Contentment as did the Martyrs and Confessors in those bitter dayes which how shall they doe who have not attained Contentment in a better and quieter condition they that cannot runne with a footman how can they thinke to keepe company with an Horseman Consider learne to be godly and thereby learne to be contented There is a mystery in godlinesse and a mystery in Contentment In both we must become schollers and be instructed Both Arts to be had in the schoole of Christ and by the power of Christ I can doe all things through Christ which strengtheneth me saith the Apostle where he speakes of learning Contentment It is thine own fault if thou obtaine not this grace as well as other and thou must not complain of crosses but of thy selfe who makest not use of the grace that is offered He that gave commandment to be content with such things as we have is ready also to give power thereunto And it is pitty but hee should be eaten up of discontent who respecteth neither the one nor the other No marvell if men wonder at him asking how it comes to passe and if himselfe finde no quietnesse in any calling or condition nor die contented with his terme of life and that portiō of goods wch the most wise God thought fit to cōmit unto him He that observeth lying vanities forsaketh his owne mercies To say nothing of those whom discontent hath brought to selfe-murder to the mudering of others to take counsell of the Devill to change their religion to prostitute their consciences to Antiachrist c. Had they not been crost discontented they had never done as now they have done nor should we ever have heard of such dolefull conclusions and confusions LUKE 3. 14. Be content with your wages 1 TIM. 6. 8. Having food and rayment let us be therewith content FINIS A TREATISE OF THE IMPROVEMENT OF TIME CHAP. I. Every part of our time may and must be improved for good THere is no part of time which the Lord hath not specially fitted for some good use and by wise application may not be a season either to doe good or receive good One way or other in the generall or speciall calling a Christian may be profitably diligent even every day and houre Numbers for want of skill or care in the midst of great meanes are very beggers and bankrupts in grace finde nothing to doe and all the day long stand idle in the market-place For whose better direction I will in few words shew that the LORD ordereth such a multitude of good occasions to waite on every part of our life for doing good to our selves or others that if we were wise to apprehend and take them up no houre of our many daies could passeus without accomplishing some notable good First what time is there in which the Lord holds not out one benefit or other to us spirituall or temporall wherwith he stretcheth out his hands all the day long Where can a man goe but he enjoyes the creatures of God the Sunne the ayre meate drinke or the like helpes of nature or of grace Where may he not observe these benefits to provoke himselfe to thankfulnesse Lord what is man that thou art mindefull of him or the sonne of man that thou visitest him Psal. 8. 4. Secondly where shall a man goe but he may finde an altar to offer the sacrifice of almes even some object of mercy and with such sacrifices God is well pleased Heb. 13. Oh how might an able man that is willing withall be ever furthering his reckoning and drawing on himselfe the prayers of poore Saints and resemble God himselfe who is ever communicating his goodnesse to the creature and in conclusion helpe himselfe into everlasting habitations Thirdly through the day a man may meet with some rubbes crosses afflictions And how should these help to keep him humble lowly in his owne eyes and set him a new on examining his owne heart and turne all other sorrow into godly sorrow for sinne which is the cause of affliction Fourthly at other times God offereth cause of rejoycing for some blessing on a mans selfe or his or some speciall worke of mercy to the land to the countrey where he lives to the Church to the Churches abroad c And now a Psalme would relish well David would rather rise at midnight to praise the Lord then slip such a season and would ask himselfe What shall I render unto the Lord Psalme 116. 12. Fiftly sometimes through the day a Christian may heare of or see the misery and affliction of others in their soules or bodies And now if he would goe into the house of mourning hee might come forth wiser more mortified more weined from the world more fit for death and for giving up his accounts with joy And to put on bowels of compassion remembring the afflictions of Ioseph and be affected as true and feeling members use to be would argue him a sound and living member of that
A TREATISE OF CONTENTMENT Leading a Christian with much patience through all afflicted Conditions By sundry Rules of heavenly wisedome Whereunto is annexed First a Treatise of the Improvement of Time Secondly The Holy Warre in a Visitation Sermon Greg. Moral. l. 5. Si mens forti intentione in Deum dirigiter quicquid in hac vitâ sibi amarum sit dulce aestimat omne quod affligit requiem putat By T. T. D. D. c. LONDON Printed by R. H. for Iohn Bartlet and are to be sold at the Signe of the Gilt Cup neere S. Austins Gate in Pauls Church-yard 1641. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL Sir FRANCIS DARCY Knight my much honoured friend All happinesse in Christ IESUS SIR not having of mine owne wherewith I might tell the world of your great and continuall favours unto me by such a pubâ—ke testimony I thought good to doe it by publishing this worke of another whose Person and Doctrine you well knew and respected Which I doe the more willingly because it is sutable to the Contentment here treated of I am well contented with that mediocrity of gifts and abilities which God hath bestowed on me I hold it better in this life to be faithfull in a little then ruler over much No doubt but some are Masters of great parts and estates and faithfull too rich in this world and rich in good workes too high in place and respect among men and high in the favour of God too But both such have their hazzards and temptations against which they need to be watchfull and the brother of low degree hath cause in God and his love to rejoyce and be contented And oh how happy were it with godly Christians if they had taken forth this lesson of Contentment How comfortlesse would their lives then be How blessedly free from those torturing passions of emulation envie murmuring impatience and the like wherewith the spirit is too often and too much disquieted Godlinesse with Contentment is great gaine saith the Apostle as if the purchase were small where Contentment is wanting And indeed much of the benefit and advantage is taken away where this lesson of Contentation is not taken forth perfectly And how unbeseeming is it to an heire of the promises to be Malecontent for worldly wants or afflictions How thwarting to the wisedome of God as if he knew not best to make allowance to his children How terrible to lie disconsolate in death or any deadly trouble moaning as that great Emperour when he lay dying at Yorke In my life time I have been all things and now nothing doth me good I wâ—sh to your Worship all the comforts and mercies of God in Christ both in life and death and therunto at this time I commend to your reading this little Treatise of Contentment resting ever Your Worships much obliged W. JEMMAT A Table Alphabeticall of the chiefe things in this Booke A ADaâ—s sin had many sinnes in it pag 35 Afflictions foyled by Contentment 3. the necessity of them in three respects 6 disposed of God for time measure and end 4 Age the incommodities of it 114 priviledges of it 115 comforts of it 116 Aged people called on to prove time well 179 B Barrennesse to bee quietly endured how 105 Bernards discription of worldly pleasure 92 C Callings crosses in them to be borne contentedly how 77 Common-wealth evills in it how to be borne 24 Comparisons two fold use of them 192. Contempt of the world how to be born contentedly 52 Contentation the daughter of godlinesse Praef. meanes and motives to work it 131 power of godlines to breed it whence 139 Countrey and friends left comfort in it 62 D Death terrible 118 comforts in it 119 necessity of dying 121 utility 123 Death of friends comfort in it 73 Deformity of body to be borne quietly how 100 E Estates we live in yeelds discontents yet be comforted in them how 85 Examples of holy men perswading Contentment 136 Experience without grace availeth not 107 F Friends unkindnesse comfort in it 70 and in their death 73 G Glory obtained by afflictions how 14 Godlinesse what it doth to breed Contentment 145 Goods lost comfort in it 64 Graces bred beautified and exercised by afflictions 8 Grave terrible comfort in it 127 Great sins should not overtrouble the soule 38 H Happinesse of Saints raised by certaine staires 127 Heavenly happinesse attained in death 125 Honor from above how to be getten 98 Honor due to Ministers threefold 210 Honors of the world lost or not had comfort in it 94 I Iudgement at the last day not dreadfull to beleevers why 129 all imperfections and blemishes then done away 101 Iustification the ground of Contentment 143 L Liberty lost comfort in it 61 Life lost comfort in it 66 Lingring sicknesse how to be borne contentedly 111 why suffered by God 113 M Martyrs very forward to suffer 69 Ministers calling most crost comfort for them 83 they are Christs souldiers in two respects 197 their weapons 198 204 their enemies 199 cause of warre 200 Ministery no easie calling but dangerous 201 Misery all ended in death foure wayes 123 Molestation Satanicall how to be borne quietly 28 Multitude of sinnes should not too much trouble 32 Mystery in godlinesse and in Contentment 152 N Nature content with little Grace with lesse 136 Nature teacheth not the price of time 168 O Opportunities of good nine Instances 156 Orbity uncomfortable comforts in it 105 P Persecution to be endured contentedly how 57 Pleasures lost or lacking comfort therein 90 Poore men how profitable in their times 184 Preparation to death what and how 121 R Redeeming of time what 161 Relapses comfort in case of them 44 Repentance two effects of it furthered by afflictions 10 Rich men should be specially carefull of spending their time 182 S Scandals and Schismes foretold turned to good c. 18 Sicknes to be born coÌ„tentedly how 107 Sinnes merit afflictions and are purged by them 6 Sinnes multitude greatnesse relapse how answered 32 T Temporals mercifully withholden 137 Time to be wholly improoved for good 155. Motives 185 preciousnesse of time in six things 162. 165 skill to prize it comes of God 168 be sparing of time 7 Motives 172 Theeves that steale time away 174 V Vnion with Christ not dissolved in the grave 128 Unite forces against the common enemy 208 Uses of sicknesse sanctified six 108 W Warre of Christians especially of Ministers 193 Wealth lost or not had comfort in it 85 Works good mentioned to the Saints in the last judgement not bad 131 Worlds hatred contentment in it 47 Y. Yong people admonished to spend their time well 177 FINIS THE AVTHORS PREFACE AFter we have shewed the gaine of godlinesse out of 1 Tim. 6. 6. now we come to speake of the priviledge of it that it brings Contentment with it whereby the heart of a godly man is stayed and resteth in God well apaid with that estate and measure of goods which the Lord
the living God This blood is never dry the vertue of it never wasted the good Samaritan will pay all 3 The promise of God is that upon our repentance the multitude of our sinnes shall be no barre to his mercy Ezek. 18. 21. If the wicked man shall turne from all his wickednesse all his transgressions shall not be mentioned unto him Nay rather where sin abounds grace shall superabound Rom. 5. 20. 4 Mercy pleaseth him yea unstinted mercy when Peter asked our Saviour how oft his brother offending should be pardoned whether unto seven times our Saviour answered I say not unto thee till seven times but unto seventy times seven times that is so oft as he repenteth If God require in man in whom is but a drop of mercy that he should not pardon by tale and number but so oft as the brother returneth he must have all forgiven how much more must the Lord whose wayes are above mans and with whom is the Ocean of mercy and who delighteth in nothing more then mercy be infinite and unstinted in pardoning when we truely returne Indeed the number of our sinnes is such as may well set us in a maze and astonish us and when wee see them grow to so great a reckoning if the Lord did pardon by number and not beyond such a number wee might sinke under them But when when we see him a Chirurgion that hath salve enough for all wounds and infinite playsters of compassion to heale all our sinnes this upholds us and make us sue to him for pardon We have a sea of rebellions but he hath a farre more bottomelesse sea of compassions to drowne them in 5 Oppose the examples of great sinners readily received to mercy As of Adam in whose one sinne were couched many first contempt of Gods Commandement who charged him not to eat of the forbidden fruit secondly incredulity not beleeving that word In the day thou eatest thou shalt dye thirdly unthankfulnesse not contented with their good estate fourthly pride desiring to be like unto God and know good and evill fiftly presumption that they should not die though they did eate sixtly murder and homicide bringing death upon themselves and all their posterity In a word this one sinne was the breach of all Gods Commandements and was a sinne out of measure sinfull First in regard of the fruits of it the contagion of all mankinde secondly of Adams person whose excellent gifts might easily have resisted thirdly of the facility of the Commandement it was no hard one fourthly of the place Paradise where he wanted no content and had no provocation And yet Adam thus tumbling in a multitude of sinnes had mercy offered before he required and a gracious promise of the like to all his posterity Here we see the father of the Prodigall childe running to meet his sonne a farre off even before he say I will returne to my father Consider also the example of David who sinned grievously 1 Against God who had done many things for him above other as he confesseth Against thee against thee have I sinned Psal. 51. 4. 2 Against Uriah by defiling and dishonesting his wife more deare to him then all his substance by making him drunke and taking away his sobriety and by taking away his life being so faithfull and good a subject adventuring his life for the safety and honour of his Countrey A bloody sinne 3 Against Bathsheba whose sober and formerly chaste minde hee had corrupted and whose body hee defiled 4 Against his owne house and family by bringing into it dishonor uncleannesse death and sword Dishonour by bringâ—â—g in a bastard by which he made the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God to blaspheme Vncleannâ—sse and fâ—â—lenesse by the sinne so much the fâ—uler as the person was higher Death of the childe borne in adultery and the sword which never departed out of his house This sin was every way odious and yet see the readinesse of God to pardon this multitude of sinnes Nathan comes and tels David of it David said I have sinned and Nathan saith presently The Lord hath put away thy sinne 2 Sam. 12. Whereunto adde that God by forgiving many sinnes as to Mary will be loved so much the more Luke 7. 47. And let this stay and content the heart laden with many sinnes if repenting beleeving and saying There is mercy with thee that thou mayest be feared CHAP. VI Of the greatnesse of sinne trouble and Contentment AGainst the greatnesse of sinne a penitent and godly heart quieteth it selfe by these Meditations 1 The promise of God to them that returne and repent Esay 1. 18. If your sinnes be as red as scarlet and as crimson I will make theâ— as white as snow What offences can be more hainous or enormities more capitall then these bloody scarlet sinnes and yet God offereth mercy for them But that Text hath more comfort for he doubles the words scarlet and crimson sins which notes the reigne and dominion of sinne and the doubling of their sinnes for these colours are not made without a double tincture in the wooll and cloath of a double die and deeper colour So though a man be died in grain with a double die of sin originall and actuall and so resemble scarlet yet upon his repentance here is an offer of free grace Beside the doubling of the promise should double our hope and confidence in the certainty of this grace and favour of God that our sinnes of a double dye seeming hard to be washed out yet shall not foyle the gracious promise of mercy The like is that of Christ Matth. 12. 31. Every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men onely excepting the sinne against the Holy Ghost which is joyned with finall impenitency 2 The merit and price of Redemption which is the Blood of Christ the Sonne of God God shed his Blood and was this onely to get remission of smaller sinnes that had beene but a small thing to us and not of greater But herein is this blood preferred above al the blood of Buls and Goats that what that could not put away this precious blood of the unspotted Lambe washeth as white as snow This was notably figured in the sacrifice of the red Cow offered for a sinne-offering for the Congregation of Israel Numb. 19. 6. The Cow must be red whole burnt and in the â—urning the Priest must cast into the midst of the fire Cedar-wood Hyssope and Scarlet Lâ—ce Christ was figured by this Cow red as shee strong and fresh without blemish as she or spot of sin on Wch never came yoake as she not subject to any commandement of men slaine without the gate as she that is crucified without Ierusalem Hebr. 13. 12. burnt whole as she that is as it were consumed with the hoâ—e wrath of God due to sinne an Holocaust With Cedar-wood and Hyssope as shee to be a sacrifice of sweet smell
bin better for them to have been perpetually lame or bed-rid then have enjoyed that blessing which not being able to weild hath proved their overthrow CHAP. XV Of Orbity or Barrennesse and Contentment therein THe second personall evill in which godlinesse no lesse contenteth then in the former is Orbity or Barrennesse Thus First promotion of children makes none blessed Secondly children are not simply blessings nor alwayes given for a blessing but often prove a curse Iob 27. 15 16. Wee read of children multiplied for the sword and for famine Wee often see some one childe not onely the sorrow and shame of godly Parents but the ruine and overthrow of the whole family Wee have heard of Absaloms that have risen in rebellion against their parents according to our Saviours prophecy Matthew 10. 21. children shall rise up against their Parents Better were it to bee without Children then to be parents of such as for whom the Lord made a Law that the Parents should follow them to the stoning and cast the first stone at them Deut. 21. 18 19 20. Numbers of such roiotous sons are every where at this day Thirdly the case often so fals out that they are at best â—ase who have no children especially if troubles and persecutions arise for the Gospell When Ierusalem was to bee besieged woe was to them that gave sucke in those dayes And in ordinary times the Parent charged with children must have trouble in the flesh for the godly educating and also providing for them And such as have none have lesse care and more liberty and opportunity to serve God to care for the things of God how he may please him the Apostles reason 1 Cor. 7. 32 34. Fourthly children are the gift of God The fruit of the wombe is a blessing from God whose wisedome is such as he disposeth them where he knoweth it is fit for his glory and good for his children and where it would make for neither he withholdeth them Elkanah was not God to give Annah children And a good heart will rest in Gods wise disposition who openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth the wombe and no man can open it Fifthly though sometimes it was a curse to be childelesse and inflicted for sinne as Coniah was written destitute of children yet to the godly it is not so nor a signe of Gods anger no more then it was in Abel Melchizâ—dâ—â—k Elias Paul others CHAP. XVI Of Sicknesse and Contentment therein THe third personall evill is Sicknesse and diseases which often infect the mind with heavinesse and impatience especially if they bee more tedious and lingring and so much the more burthensome by how much health ' which is next to life the best earthly blessing of God is overprized But godlinesse suggesteth many motives to contentment in this estate 1 It looketh up unto the hand of our Father lovingly chastening in measure not above our strength in mercy not to our desert and to a good end for his own glory as Lazarus his sicknesse was Iohn 11. 4. and for our glory too even as our Head Christ must first suffer and so enter into his glory Luke 24. 2 Sicknesse is the Lords schoole wherin we learne not only the knowledge but the practise of many Christian vertues First it telleth us that wee carry about with us a body subject to death upon which sentence is past that being dust it must returne to dust It sheweth the frailty of man by bringing downe the lustiest bodies abating the strength and abolishing the beauty of them Secondly it humbles men by drawing a confession from them that all flesh is but as grasse and the grace thereof as the flower of the field Thirdly it abates selfe love in men and tames the ranke flesh when health strength and prosperity lift up the minde and make men overweane themselves and kicke against the Lord Fourthly sicknesse of the body is the medicine of the soule which labours more with weaknesse of faith hope love then the body with diseases And therefore as physick though it be unpleasant to the Patient yet is profitable so is it with the sicknesse of the body to the soule For then as all men can witnesse of themselves they are most wise most humble most sorrowfull for sinne most earnest for pardon most fervent in prayer most watchfull against sinne and in one word best affected in soule in the sicknesse of the body Did not Naamans sicknesse of lepâ—osie bring him to the Prophet Elisha where being healed he confesseth there was no God in the world but in Israel 2 Kings 5. 15 16. Was not that a most notable prayer of Ezekiah in his sicknesse Esa. 38. 9. How many hearty prayers did David poure out to the Lord in his sicknesse Psal. 6. and 32. and 38. Looke upon Iob in his sicknesse a mirrour of patience confidence humility other holy vertues and as a modell of grace he came tryed and refined out of the furnace Fifthly sicknesse is a preservative against many sinnes in that it makes us thinke of the cause of sickenesse which is sinne and of earnest repentance the waster of sinne and of seeking to the Physitian of soules which is Christ himselfe who maketh a confection of his owne heart-bloud to cure all our sinnes which are our spirituall diseases and sickenesse Sixthly in that it lets us see that the house of this Tabernacle must be dissolved it moveth us to bid adieu to the world and seeke for that life which is everlasting not capable of age sickenesse or any grievance The nurse in weaning the childe layeth mustard on her breast And this life must have some bitter tang to make us seeke for a better Were not my sicknesse so lingring and tedious I could be better contented 1 Thou lingrest in the cause which is thy sinne Hasten thy repentance 2 See thou get soundnesse of soule so much the more and the spirit of a man will beare his infirmities Make sure remission of sins get faith c. 3 Christ hath not taken away the lingring of diseases but the malignity and poison of them It may long exercise and molest thee it shall not hurt thee nay bee turned to the best neither can the sicknesse belong where the life is so short 4 Perhaps thou hast abused or forfeited thy health or wouldst abuse it to Gods dishonour See wee not numbers it were better for them to be bound on their beds and be perpetually sicke or bedrid then continually to pursue wickednesse with high hand as they doe And assure thy selfe were health as good for thee as it is in it selfe thou shouldest have it Better to bee broken with griefe to salvation then enjoy health to condemnation 5 Thinke not God hath forgotten thee if hee longer hold thee under Looke upon that godly woman that laboured of a bloudy issue eighteene yeares and was bowed together
Luk. 13. 8. Another whom Christ cured that had an issue twelve yeares c. 8. 43. Behold the man that was lame thirty eight yeres Iohn 5. 5. And Aeneas that was sick of the palsie eight yeares Act. 9. 33. and yet were respected and cured in due season But of all examples most comfortable is that of our Lord and Head Gods deare Sonne who was a man of sorrowes and his whole life nothing but a burthen of sorrowes and never was any sorrow like unto his and yet he ceased not to be deare to his Father And the same is the condition of the members Lastly God hath just causes to defer help and seem to hide himselfe 1 To try our faith love and patience and bring it forth into example as Iob David the woman of Canaan Mat. 15. 23. 2 To acknowledge the greatnesse and continuance in sin by continuance of his hand Were our correction alway short we would not be perswaded of the greatnesse of our sin 3 To make us more watchfull against sin for hereafter A disease soon cured is not much cared for 4 To keep our peace with God more carefully hardlier gotten surelier kept And to whet our prayers and means of fellowship with him 5 That we may acknowledge how heavy and continuall those torments are which be prepared for impenitent persons if repentant sinners bee layd under such lingring evils in this life 1 Pet. 4. 17. If judgement begin at the house of God what shall the end of the wicked be CHAP. XVII Of old Age and its evils and Contentment therein THe fourth personall evill is old age which is a continuall disease or dying and many burthens are in it which godlinesse perswadeth contentment in thus First although it must be granted that the incommodities of old Age are many both in respect of body and minde as the shaking of the head stouping of back trembling of joynts languishing of spirits decaying of vitall heat the lesse of all the senses the presence of many diseases which are the forerunners of death as palsies gouts cholickes and many moe Yet the weak and diseased body is no hinderance to the discreet and good mind Neither are these inconveniences alway appropriate to old Age but often the punishments of intemperate and disordered youth Abraham being 120 yeares old begate six children of Kâ—turah after Sarahs death Gen. 25. 2. Caleb was as strong in body and minde and as fit for want or government at eighty five yeares old as at forty Moses dyed at 120 yeares and yet his eyes were not dim nor his naturall force abatâ—d Deut 34. 7. Secondly old age is a thing which every one desireth and shall no man like it when it commeth Besides if a man live it is unavoydable for wee all waxe old as a garment the whole world all the parts and ages of it teach us this and the course of the yeare comming from Spring to Summer and from Summer to Autumne and ending in Winter is proofe enough Thirdly ther be sundry singular priviledges of yeares as 1 God hath commanded reverence unto it Levit. 19. 32. thou shalt rise up before the hoare head and honour the person of the old man 2 Their experience and yeares have set them above the younger in wisedome counsell and government and their counsell neglected hath been the overthrow of Kingdomes as in Rehoboam 1 King 12. whence God sometimes threatened a great judgement that he will take away the aged Hence also hath God given them the first place in speaking which Elihu well observed Iob 32. 11. and the younger are to reverence their counsell and instruction and cap. 25. 15. to heare and wait and hold their tongue at their counsell 3 God hath set them as Copies and patternes to the yonger that they should expresse all good vertues which they have learned by the word of God or their owne experience in their lives and conversations in which sense properly their gray haires shall be a crowne of glory to themselves being found in the way of righteousnesse 4 There be also sundry comforts of old age as First as ripe fruit is most pleasant and old wines the best so is old age seasoned with piety What a comfort is it to a mans heart that he can say Thus long have I served God if he can say with Polycarpe the Martyr fourescore and six yeares have I served Christ How rich is such a one in his grace how happy in his account and in his reward Beside we like antient coynes and make much of old pictures And can we set small by a godly old man who carries an expresse image and stamp of Gods â—tâ—rnity Secondly aged persons have passed the troublesome and dangerous time of their life and are even in the haven and therefore have great cause to praise God no lesse then the Israelites did when they were were come over Iordan and entred the land of Canaan Thirdly as the Husbandman rejoyceth in his harvest when hee gathers in his corne and layeth it up safely in his barne so the godly man may in his old age which is as the harvest of a good life immediately after which hee shall enjoy the fruits of his faith hope and holinesse in the Kingdome of heaven CHAP. XVIII Of death and its terrors and Contentment therein THe fifth personall evill is death which of all evils is most fearefull and dreadfull to nature because it is the extinction of it and in it selfe a curse of sinne a passage to hell But godlinesse leaveth not the heart destitute of true content and comfort even in this great combate but stayeth the mind thus First it lifteth up the eye of the soule unto God of whom we first had our life and in whose hands our life is We had not our life by chance nor part with it by chance but by the gracious disposition of God Hee saith to Moses Goe up into the mountaine and dye and Psal. 90. 3. hee saith Returne againe yee sonnes of man and saith David My times are in thine hands Againe looking up to God it seeth how precious to him is the death of all his holy ones Psal. 116. 15. And further in that by death the godly soule is more neerely united unto God and commeth to the fruition of that pure chiefe and immortall good it can be contented to commit it selfe unto him to keep as Paul I know he will keep what I have committed unto him Secondly it looketh to Christ and seeth in him 1 Death changed and qualified by Christs death being in it owne nature a curse and the very suburbes of hell now it is disarmed and the sting of death pulled out It is a fiery serpent stinging deadly but a looke toward the brazen serpent is a ready cure Immoderate feare of death is a daughter of ignorance it being with us as with children who are
day doe thy worke and doe it to the uttermost while the day of Gods grace and thy life lasteth walke and worke Now is the Sun-shine of the Gospell to day heare his voyce Thy Sunne also yet lasteth while thou hast life health youth memory and strength of body treasure up instructions and comforts Earthly men care for age and naturall contentments but doe thou get a better stocke to spend upon which will never faile thee then shall the latter dayes and dayes of sicknesse be passed with more content and quietnesse and an happy death must needs succeed a godly and carefull course of life Fiftly consider how much of thy life thou hast wasted out already and that the patience of God still spareth thee to recover what thou hast lost Think it now too much that thouhast spent so much time in the lusts of the Gentiles and now enjoyne thy selfe a constant taske of prayer reading meditating reckoning and doe it to purpose not by halves not for forme for then thy other practises will bee answerable And for time to come labour to set before thee in every particle of time an image of eternity this life being but as a moment on which eternity dependeth Sixtly great is the danger of omitting and slipping this season How can they be acceptable to God who refuse his acceptable time Is not his Axe laid to the root of the Tree to hew it downe if it be still unprofitable And doth not the Master of the evill servant come in an houre which he knoweth not Oh thinke often of the reckoning and account of your time and thus resolve Oh how farre am I behinde with God for my time such an unthrift I have beene of it as I cannot give account of one day among a thousand Now therefore while I have time I will live every day as if it were my last day and doe that every day which I would have found in my hands on my dying day I will forget that which is behinde and hasten to that which is before and after the example of the Saints the nearer I know I am to lay downe this Tabernacle the more diligent will I be to doe my selfe and others good that as the good servant my Master may never come but finde me well-doing and so take me up into his owne joy FINIS THE HOLY WARRE Proclaimed in a Visitation Sermon 2 TIM. 2. 4. No man that warreth entangleth himselfe with the affaires of this life because he would please him who hath chosen him to be a souldier THe parts of the Chapter are two one hortatory to the 16 verse The other dehortatory thence to the end In the third verse the Apostle exhorteth Timothy to suffer affliction and addeth a reason drawne from his calling because he was a Souldier a place of paines of perill and molestation Vpon which occasion he makes a description of a souldier by two properties in the verse read unto you including two duties more which secretly he commendeth to Timothies practise and in him to every faithfull Minister 1 Not to entangle himselfe with secular affaires 2 To please his Captaine But what have we to do with war we are men of Peace Ministers of the Gospell of peace and expected not this day an Herald of Armes or a Trumpet to call us into the field and doth not your Text forbid us to be entangled with such secular affaires First Comparisons serve for illustration and conviction For the first high points are made plaine by them for we cannot see the Sun in his own body in water we may and therfore it is that Christ makes us understand our spirituall union by the Vine branches For the second high spirits are plained and checked by them and therefore Christ when he saw that neither Iohns austerity nor his owne lenity would a whit move the Iewes to amendment especially the Scribes and Pharisees hee compares them to little froward and sullen children whom neither piping nor mourning could prevaile withall Mat. 11. 17. This serves notably for both and it is an argument à minori ad majus If earthly souldiers doe thus a shame for spirituall not to lay aside distractions and seeke to please their Captaine Secondly our Warre is a most honourable Warre We warre not after the flesh 2 Cor. 10. 3. We are souldiers of Iesus Christ as may be seene in the former verse We are not pressed into the field by a temporall Commander nor stand in the face of bodily enemies nor arme our selves with carnall weapons verse 4. But wee fight the Lords battels stand under CHRISTS Colours contend against spirituall wickednesses covered with Gods armor of proofe and having our Captaine in the field before us for encouragement and with us for victory Why should we be heavy to be led out after him Good Vriah would not goe home to his house because his Lord Ioab did lie in the field and if our Lord Iesus be in the field what should wee doe at home Thirdly Peace is dulce nomen but especially that peace with God and men and our own consciences whereof we are Preachers But as peace is procured by warre and the end of warre is peace so we can never procure or preserve this peace unlesse by warre we keepe under the enemies of peace so that preaching of warre I ayme at peace and to heare of a rumour of warre which hath no other hurt then to establish our peace is profitable Fourthly a good and teachable heart will learne something from every thing Christ frō earthly things taught heavenly and not any thing but it ministred him matter of instruction the sun bread water other And so must we as frō this day of Visitation consider the day of Gods Visitation wherein we shal be countable of that we heare or speake or doe this day No man that warreth entangleth himselfe Souldiers must be free from distraction Not according to the glossses of Papists who say First tstat Ministers must be free from marriage If marriage be a distraction or defilement as they say it is then is it not a Sacrament Besides the Prophets Aposties Bishops Presbyters in and after the Apostles time were married Secondly That they must bee Monkes and live a part shut up from the world But how then shall they bee examples to the flocke 1 Pet. 5. 3. Thirdly that they must be voluntary beggars which is a state of perfection and freedome from encombrance But with greater encumbrances the Apostles had famililies and Bishops must be such as can rule their owne families wives and children and in old Canons the proper goods of a Minister must be distinct from the Churches goods Fourthly it is not meant that hee must not have any knowledge in humane affaires for then how shall hee resolve Cases of Conscience and compound Controversies which are Appendices of his calling But this is the