are their thoughts are upon Jerusalem they cannot forget Syon It was the greatest griefe that ever Tully had to be banished from his native Country though he met with many friends in Greece yet still did he cast his eye towards Italy here was some comfort to meet with a friend in Roma relinqaenda est c. trouble but miserable is the case to be sent with Ovid from Rome to Scythia from heaven to hell from the company of Saints and Angels to the society of Devils and damned spirits this is the losse of all losses and then for aggravation of the punishment to see others sporting themselves toyling the Saints rejoycing themselves mourning their concord their owne discord them exalted above the highest heavens their selves cast downe into the nethermost hell and therefore unto them who in old time were condemned ad lapidiciv as this was some comfort that they neither saw so much their owne misery nor the happinesse of others thus shall the wicked be turâ—ed into hell and all they that forget God but how long shall this state of the damned continue for ever that must needs be a long day that hath no end Eternity of punishment is the hell of hell to all men in misery there is some hopes of an end The marriner when he hath The paines of hell end lesse beene long weatherbeaten hopes for a safe arrivall the Prisoner after much durance for a Goale delivery the Apprentice after a hard service for a freedome the Souldier after much bickering lookes for victory but in hell nulla res nulla spes no hope no comfort at all the bondage there is not like that of Israel in Egypt Exod. 12. 40. to last onely 430 yeares nor like that of the Captivity in Babilon to last but 70 yeares but like that of Israel in Syria never to returne againe from thence there 's no Redemption the greatest crosse that can befall a man in this life is to be cast in prison to loose lands and goods to want the Company of wife and children yet he lives in hope to come out at last or that God will raise up some comfortable supply of mony meate or good counsell but in hell there 's no hope of any end of Punishment if a barne were full of corne and a bird should every yeare fetch one Kernell there were some comfort that in time it would be emptied if a Mountaine twenty miles about should have one shovel fâ—â—ll every yeare taken away it would at last though long first be made a Molehill but hellish torments never have an end their yeares never come out the longer they continue the lesser hope when as many yeares are expired as men in the world starres in heaven as many thousand yeares as there are stones and sands by the sea shore yet still there be ten thousand more to come for the misery shall last as long as God himselfe forever and ever world without end Is that day of the Lord so 1. Cor. 15. terrible in judgment then judge thy selfe betiâ—es that thou maist not in that day be judged is that place of the damned so horrible the society of Devils so comfortlesse the paines to be endured so remedilesse so endlesse what then remaines but to buckle on thy Armour set the world the flesh and the Devill at defiance beate them off keepe them at a distance they are all of them marked out for judgment the world shall with the frame thereof be consumed neither flesh nor blood shall enter into the Kingdome of beaven as for the Devill he is bound in everlasting chaines of darkenesse till the judgement of the great Jude 7. day then shall both he and they and all such as adhere unto them or march under their colours in this life taste of the fulnesse of Gods wrath in torments for evermore joyne thy selfe therfore unto the Church militant strive not so much to know what manner of fire that of â—ell is as how to shun it in all thy doings remember thy end and Eccles 7. then thou shalt never doe amisse in this thy spiritual warfare follow closse thy leader Christ Jesus the Captaine of thy salvation and in all thy prayers joyne in the huâ—ble voyce of the Church In all time of tribulation in all time of wealth in the houre of death and in the day of judgement good Lord deliver mee Even so come Lord Jesus come quickly If the certainty of death Letany and the uncertainty of the houre doth not move thee to buckle on thy Armour yet let the horrors of that great and terrible day and the judgements to be denounced against all faint-hearted Renegado's inforce thee to enter the field if none of these will do it looke up wards there 's a Crowne layd up for every Conqueror let that allure thee this if any thing will doe it Reward is the PluÌ„met that sets all Actions a going especially the Reward of Heaven a crowne of life not that Heaven is a Reward in a proper but analogicall sense it is a great dignation when God doth call that a Reward which is his owne free gift if a man should fulfill all the Commandements yet heaven is more then he hath deserved if saith Macarius I should play the souldier in the Christian combat yet the Reward is far above the tryall if a man should afflict his body a thousand yeares yet one day in heaven goeth farre beyond all his troubles heaven is therefore not of debt but of grace non Remuuer at iâ— laborumsed merces liberalit at is if it be of grace it is no more of workes Rom. 11. 6. doth God then propose heaven as the wages of his bountifull grace what will not a man do to enjoy it what toyle will not the husband-man undergo for a plentifull crop at harvest will not the Souldier march up to the very mouth of a Canon enter a breach lye upon the cold ground pâ—r dieu stand Sentinell exposed to wind and weather and all this to get renowne and credit but what is a good harvest to the Labourer or credit to the Souldier things meerely momentary here to day gone to morrow but whosoever he be that shall but fight the Christian fight and therein vanquish the world the flesh and the Devill with all their temptations provocations and assaults here 's a Heaven is the Conquerors Reward kingdome and Crowne too prepared for him which as it is immutable so it is immortall even a Kingdome Luk. 1. 33. eternall in the heavens 2 Cor. 5. 1. â— Kingdome whereof there shall be no end a Crowne of Righteoâ—sâ—esse no earthly thing comes within the 2 Tim. 4. 8 compasse of it they are not to be found in the texture of this Crowne it is Eternity that makes it up temporals come in only by way of superaddition it is in this life reposita layd up onely for S. Paul but it shall in that
which is to come be impositae set upon the head of S. Paul and not upon his head only but upon all their heads that shall with him fight the good fight of faith then shall be imposed the golden Crowne of Christs approbation Euge bone serve well done thou good and faithfull servant enter into thy Maisters joy joy unspeakeable there is no diving into the depth of it the felicity cannot be imagined the blessings cannot be numbred so incomparable that they admit No joy like that of heaven of no equality the tongve may expresse much the eare may heare more then the eye can see and the heart of man conceive more then all of them yet put all together they cannot apprehend the greatnesse of those joyes eternall here only it is bare Earth that is enioyed under the first Adam but in the second Adam Christ Jesus there 's Earth enlarged every thing that wee enjoy is an essentiall heaven our meate and drinke is manna our cloathing white Robes our Company Angels the Place Heaven there the King is verity the lawes Charity the honor Equity the Peace Felicity the life Eternity there 's joy without sadnesse health without sicknesse light with out darknesse life without death ease without labour wealth without wam an Ocean of all selicity without the least drop of misery Joyes of Heaven in utterable many and glorious things are spoken of thee ô thou City of God whilst I am thus describing the Kingdome of heaven oh that I might with the holy Apostle be taken up into the third heaven and whilst that I shall endeavour to blazon out the blisse of that caelestiall place oh that the light of that glory might shine into my sinfull soule that my thoughts being winged with the contemplations of Angels I might in some sort comprehend the excellency of that glorious place which farre surmounteth every humane estimate oh that I were to parley with those blessed Spirits above those vessels of glory the Saints departed tell mee oh tell mee ye noble Army of Martyrs what is that joy whereof ye are now made partakers that my soule being ravished with the glory thereof my pen might distill the Nectar of comfort to enflame the hearts of all those that shall at this time joyne with mee in this sweete meditation but alas how shall he that ever was in darkenesse be able to describe that light that is so inaccessible how can he that is of the Earth measure the heavens no more surely then he which is a slave by birth and base by his continuall habitation is able ingeniously to describe the mâ—jestick state of Princes if Nichodemus understand not the manner of Regeneration how shall he be able to conceive the excellency of glorification of the infinite happinesse in that coelestiall life how shall I then speake Earthly Jerusalem was pourtrayed by Ezekiel upon a tile so cannot the heavenly Ezech. 41 be the joyes prepared for the Elect do exceedingly surpasse all humane apprehension obtayned they may be valued I am sure they cannot he in Tully said truly that it is an easier matter to know what God is not then to tell what he is Tully de Nat. deorum lib. 1 so may I say it is much easier to tell what is not in heaven then what is there S. Augustine wrote two and twenty bookes of the City of God how shall I then bring into the last gasp of these my Meditations the unity the plenty the beauty the holinesse the felicity thereof when he himself confessed after all his endeavours all that can be sayd is but a drop to the Sea and a sparke to the fire what is this world to heaven a man may go Sr. Fr. Drake round about it in three yeares and odde dayes it is lesse then a poynt in comparison what is an acre of Land to the world the light of a candle to that of the sunne the life of a child to the yeares of Methusalah what 's the conceyt of a foole to the expeience of Noah who saw two worlds such is the world to heaven such our life to Eternity a thousand yeares in heaven are but as one day O while I write of those joyes eternall how am I silenced faine would I declare them but cannot conceive them I am in a maze when I beginne to thinke of them what then shall I say what shall I write Haven is a place of Rest a City of excellent beauty a Jerem. 6. 16. Rev. 2. 1. 4. 15. Luk. 22. 30 2 Pet. 5. 4 rare Paradice of Pleasure a kingdome of Majesty a crowne of glory and life everlasting O ioy unspeakeable O happinesse unconceiveable O pleasures indurable O triumphs admirable what shal not such a prize as this make thee to fight why dost thou stand still hath the glimmering pleasures and delights of the fading world so benumbd thy limbs and bewitched thy senses that thou can'st not see paine from pleasure misery from majesty deceits from delights for such and no better is the worlds cheifest ioy compared with that of heaven buckle on thy Armour labour very earnestly to conquer subdue thy owne corruptions the words allurements and the Devils temptations he that will reigne must conquer and he that will conquer must fight valiantly then for thy comfort S. John hath chalked out thy way to the Heavenly Jerusalem he hath Rev. 21. found twelve gates in it open day and night to entertaine departing soules repairing thither in the true faith there shalt thou be entertained by the Patriarches Abraham Isaack and Jacob by the Prophets Moses and Elias by the Kings David Hezekiah and Josias by the Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul by S. Stephen and the noble Army of Martyrs by the innumerable society of Saints and Angels a multitude of Heavenly Souldieâ—s shall giue a volley of acclamations at thy entertainment then shall be great ioy in heaven then shall the wedding garment be The Christian Souldiers welcome to Heaven put upon thy body the Ring upon thy finger a crowne upon thy head thus shalt thou be led out to the supper of the Lambe God the Father shall take thee by the hand God the Sonne shall place thee at his owne right hand and God the holy ghost shall fill thee with the graces of his spirit thus shalt thou see the goodnesse of the Lord in the Land of the liâ—ing and thus shall it be with all those that have fought the good fight finished their course kept the faith they shall with S. Paul and all these heavenly spirits receive the Crowne of Righteousnesse which God the Righteous Judg shall give them in that day Thus I haue set before thee life and death blessing and cursing therefore choose life that thou and thy seede may live here 's the horror ofhel Deut. 30. 19. for thy terror the ioyes of heaven for thy encouragement if the intollerable paines of the one will not enforce thee let the unspeakeable happinesse of the other allure thee to fight O the Joyes of the heavenly Canaan O the Riches of those Diamonds that are set in that Crowne which shall impale the brow of every Conquerer loose not then the hold of such a Crowne for a rappe on the fingers vincenti dabitur doe but overcome and thou shalt surely have it to shut up all looke behind thee there is hâ—ll looke before thee there is heaven if thou goest backeward hell will receive thee and if thou stand still hell will overtake thee but if thou runne forward Jehovah will crowne thee which he grant for his mercye's sake for Christ Jesus sake the Captayne of thy salvation and hereunto let all the Church militant throughout the whole face of the Earth say AMEN AMEN Glory be to God on high FINIS Mens workes had faults since Adam first offended And those in these are thus to bee amended ERRATA Epist Dedicat. line 12. read these ibid. l. 34. r. your Counsell Epist Reader l. 10. read I put ibid. l. 43. read from tâ—â—t Pag. 7. line ult read thus pag. 16. lin 21. r. estis p. 18. l. 23. r. him p. 30. l. 15. r. thy wages ibid. l. 18. r. â—et p. 31. l. ult r. hard pag. 32. l. 23. r. Confession p. III. l. 4. r. wine p. 121. l. 14. r. him pag. 125. l. 7. r. inveneris p. 145. l. 3. r. keepe thy selfe p. 162. l. 14 r. forth IMPRIMATUR Octob. 4. 1638. GUIL BRAY.
Christ who by their oathes and wicked practices crucify the Lord of life againe Math 24. 25. These are the nobility or rather ignobolity of this great Princes Court subordinate unto these are many infernall Officers all children of disobedience too many have advanced Ephes 2. 3. his diabolicall throne in their hearts two shall be in a bed two in the feild two at the mill there 's halfe in half for the Devill one taken the Luke 8. 15. other forsaken Matth. 16. The seede of Gods sacred word fell upon foure sorts of ground and but one of them good that 's great oddes three to one three for that infernall Cur one for Gods kingdome The Devil hath too many Servants three to be tyed up in sheaves and burnt with fire unquencheable one to be gathered into Gods granary Luke 8. again there was tenne Lepers cleansed nine of them clave to their ingratefull Mr. one onely returned thankfully to his heavenly preserver here 's nine to one Luke 17. 15. Nay Solomon found not one in a thousand nay there was not found in all Jerusalem one man that executed Judgement and sought the truth Jerem. 5. 1. there was once but eight persons in all the world yet there was one that set up the Devils throne in that smal company Gen. 7. Nay the whole world lyeth in wickednes Joh 5. 19. So potent so great so large a jurisdiction hath this blacke prince of the aire this prince of the world and darknesse Ephe. 8. Lastly as the Devill is a roaring Lyon a Murtherer a Prince So he is also an accuser of the faithfull Rev 12. 10. The Devil an accuser of the faith full he spares no time from accusing for sinne but that which hee employeth in temptation to sinne or inflicting punishment on the sinne committed he is the first mover to sinne and the first accuser for sinne he busieth himselfe only in preferring bils of inditement against sinne to the Judge of heaven and earth who will not suffer it to go unpunishe how like an Informer doth he lye sculking and prying into the closest of mans heart that he might be able to lay that sinne to his charge which he himselfe tempted unto thus dealt he with our first parents and this is his dealing with all the world at this time thus did he accuse Job unto God Doth Job serve God for nought Job 2. There is none that can be free from his most unjust accusations Is it so then Is the Devill a roaring Lyon Doth he compasse the earth seeking whom he may devoure well for all that he is but can is eaten a ligatus a dogg tyed up in a chayne latrare potest mor dere non potest well may he barke bite I am sure he cannot All the world was indeede cowd out by his power till Christ first broke his head in the wildernesse but now the meanest Christian through Christ that helpes him is able to make a jest of him Phil. 4. 13 and hell too One of the sages of Greece said that it was better to have an army of sheepe with a Lyon for their Captaine then a Company of Lyons with a sheep for their leader what though thou art a filly sheepe thou hast the Lyon of the of Judah for thy Commander it is he that hath broken both the head of his power and policy at once I am sure he cannot hurt thee Is the Devill a Murtherer doth he by sinne seeke to take away thy life spirituall doth he by Scandalous defamatory reports go about to deprive thee of thy life morall doth he by some malicious plot or other labour to put out thy life naturall feare him not what though he kill thy body he shall not kill thy Math. 10. 28. Soule the Lord of life will deliver thee and blessed shalt thou bee when men speak al manner of evill of thee for his name sake Math. 8. 7. Is the Devill a Prince of the ayre God of Heaven is above him hath he a large power what though it be so it is for all that limited hath he many sworne slaves attendant on him doth he rule in the children of disobedience both he and they are at Gods command and when they have dominered to the height then will that King of Kings and Lord of Lords by his unlimited power clap them up in Everlasting chaynes of darkenesse Jud. 7. Lastly is the Devill an accusar of the faithful what though God is the God of truth he is a lyar Job 8. 44. cannot the children of God come to stand before the Lord but he must stand perking up amongst them ready to upbraide them Job 1. 6. Doth he never rest from Gods elbow to give information and to file up bills of accusation what of all this Christ sitteth at the right hand of God interceding for thee cancelling those hand writings of sinne and Sathan who then shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect Marke 16 15. it is God that justifieth Rom. 8. 33. and for this accuser Col. 2. 14 Psalm 68. 8. prâ—jectus est he is cast out by the bloud of the Lambe Rev. 12 11. Death and the Devill are now swallowed up into victory 1 Cor. 15. captivity is now led captive that Leviathan who maketh the deepe to boyle Death Sinne and the Devill conquered by Christ like a pot hath now an bâ—oke cast in his nose and his jawes are pearced with the angle Job 40 21. Christs humanity was the bait which he nibled at many a time in the wildernesse and Isid Hispal Sent. lib. 1. elsewhere but not perceiving the hooke little thinking of his Divinity was catcht in the conclusion nay Christ did not leave him so but chaced him downe to those chambers of death the grave they are not now any longer prisons but dormitoryes sweete places of repose for the Saynts departed thus by the death of Câ—rist the last Enemy is destroyed too thou art not now captive to death the sting is taken out the death of Saynts 1 Cor. 15. 1 Thes 3. 14. Phil. 3. 11. Gen. 5. 24. Phil. 1. 23. is called a sleepe a change that of Enoch was a translation that of Eliâ—h an assumption S. Paul called it a dissolution every thing altereth its property where Christ sanctifyeth hee by the bitternesse of his death hath sweetned the extremity of ours the life gave himselfe to death where as men are usually buryed after they are dead Christ after his death layd death in the grave and hell in hell the lake was buried in the lake now hâ—ll where is thy victory thankes bee given to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 15. 57. I have now shewed thee what the Devill is how ravenous for his prey how cruell in his intendments how potent in mischeife and how false in his accusations what neede hast thou then to stand upon thy guard doe but guird
plague of pestilence in the yeare 1625 and in the last yeares 1636. 1637. besides many others so that now this kingdome sitteth like the Queene of nations every man in peace Rev. 17. 8. under his owne vine and under his owne figtree this is the Lords doings and it is wonderfull in our eyes but to come yet nearer home to our selves I appeale unto any man living that hath not at one time or other had a large taste of Gods protection and deliverance from some danger or other how many had beene swallowed up quick whilst men rose up against them if God had not beene on their side what shall I say then Our fathers saith David Ps 22. 4. trusted in God they trusted and hee delivered them they called upon him and were delivered they trusted on him and were not confounded goe thou thy wayes and doe likewise depend on Gods protection recount what he hath done for thy soule blesse the Lord god of thy salvation who leadeth thee thus with his benefits Ps 68. 19. blesse him in his infinite essence and power blesse him in his unbounded and just soveraignty blesse him in his preservations blesse him in his deliverances take heed of offering hollow observances to the searcher of hearts they that proclamed Christ at Jerusalem had not onely Advice to blesse God for al his deliverances Hosanna in their mouths but palmes in their hands too if thy hand blesse not the Lord thy tongue is an Hypocrite away with the vast complements of vaine formalityes let thy lowd actions drowne the language of thy words for God is thy deliverance hee is the God of thy salvation thus the bitter waters of Mara shall bee made as sweete as hony crosses shall bee made blessings corrections made instructions to fortifie thy selfe against all the deceipts of the world the flesh and the Devill when thou lookest to thy owne fleshly hands there is nothing but discouragement when thou lookest to thy Spirituall enemyes there is nothing but terror but when thou castest up thy eyes to thy mighty God there is nothing but confidence nothing but comfort comfort thee comfort thee therefore ô thou feeble soule send thy bold defiâ—nces to the Prince of Darkenesse heaven is high and hard to reach hell is steepe and slippery thy Flesh is earthly and impotent Sathan strong and rancorous sinne subtle the world aluring all those yet God is the God of thy salvation let those infernall Lyons roare and rampe upon thee let the gates of hell doe their worst let the world be a cheater thy flesh a Traytor the Devill a Tyrant faithfull is hee that hath promised who will also doe it God is the God of thy Salvation blessed bee his holy name world without end AMEN Thus having shewed the use of every peece of Armor belonging to the Christian warfare the furious assaults and subtle carriage of the severall Enemyes the time of their onset and the meanes how to come off with credit I will now use three motives that may stirre thee up to take armes and being in the field to lay about thee First the consideration of death that thou must dye then there wil be no time to fight Secondly to consider the cruell torments of hell that Motives to take up armes they may enforce thee to fight Lastly to consider the Crowne and Reward the joyes of heaven that they may allure thee to fight There is an Act of Parliament First motive in heaven never to be repealed Statutum est omnibus semel mori dye thou must death knocks equally at the hatch of a cottage and the gates of a Palace hee can top the highest Cedar as well as the lowest shrub there is no man but is naturally walking downe to the chambers of death every sinne is a pace thither only Death unavoyable the gracious hand of God stayes him every man living must bee reduced to the first principles of dust and ashes from whence hee was first taken dust thou art and to dust thou must return Is there not an oppoynted time Gen. 3. 19. for man on the earth yea but when is that time hora nihil incertius nothing more uncertaine that 's in Gods hand hee that is the Lord of life hath set the period of thine his omnipotence so contrives all events that neyther Enemy nor casualty nor disease can prevent the houre of his appoyntment there is no holding of the breath if God call for it a Nothing more uncertaine then the houre of death man may have some power over his outward members but none at all over the inward hee may command the eye to see the eare to heare the hand to worke but hee cannot command the heart to move the liver to sanguine the longues to blow breath hee may swallow downe meate but cannot make the stomack to digest it that 's Gods peculiar a payre of bellowes will fall of themselves but never rise to blow againe without assistance the houre glasse will God is the Lord of life runne out of it selfe but never runne againe except it bee turned a man may send out his breath at his pleasure but not take it in againe without God for in his hand is the breath of all mankind Job 12. 10. if that King of feare death bee charged with a warrant from God hee doth not returne with a non est inventus sometimes hee is sent in the night when man is most secure thus hee came upon all the first borne in the Land of Egipt at midnight Exod. 12. 29. sometimes in the height of power thus he came also upon the Egyptians in the midst of all strength whilst they were pursuing the poore Israelites even then when they were in the ruffe of all their glory their charriot wheeles drew heavy and they were all choaked in the red Sea Exod. 14. 27. Sometimes death comes whilst a man is at his Table he comes indeed to many great mens tables but he is welcome to a few thus did he salute Belshazar in the midst of his Cups quaffing in the bowles of the sanctuary Dan. 5. 3. as a surgeon hides his lancet in a sponge or his sleeve that he may the more secretly use it so death hides himselfe sometimes in meate other whiles in drinke sometimes Gen. 7. he lyes under the Table when they of the old world were eating and drinking then came the floud and overwhelmed them in the morning was the King of Israel destroyed Hos 10. 25. the shunamites child dyed at noone 2 King 4. 20. Ezekiels wife dyed in the Evening Ezek. 24. 18. Sometimes death comes as he did upon the Rich foole witha Stulte hac nocte so whether it be in the day or night in the morning or evening in prosperity or Adversity whether full or fasting the time is still uncertayne some are taken away sodainely many in their infancy some in their youth others in age many dye younge
and the old cannot live long hence it is that mans life is compared to a flower not for the stalk it growes on that 's too strong a simile but to the flower which the breath of a child may blow off nay not every flower neither as the blossome Mans life compared to a flower of a tree that may stick fast two or three dayes nor the flower of sonie strong herb which may continue longer nor the flower of the garden that may be preserved but the flower of the fieldâ— subject to all wind and weather Psalm 103. 15. Such is the brittlenesse of mans nature if hee were made of glasse saith S. Augustine there were more security let him be never so charily Mans life more brittle then glasse kept he must dye a glasse is subject to nothing but a fall it feares no feaver nor age nor plague but man is subject to a thousand accidents he finds but one way to come into the world but may easily see a thousand dores to goe out at It is not policy nor Riches nor strength that will carry it out Goliah had an helmet of brasse upon his head a Coate of brasse upon his body weighing five thousand shekels of brasse a burthen fitter for an asse then a man he had also bootes of brasse upon his legges a sheild of brasse upon his shoulders when this beast was thus set out 1 Sam. 17. 15. with all his Caparisons hee might be rather tearmed homo aereus then homo carneus a man of brasse then a man of flesh yet David found out a place in his fore head where there was no brasse so kild him if death come with a Commission to breake up this house of clay no man can say to him as hee saith to his Neighbour come againe tomorrow is death thus unavoydeable is the time so uncertaine do men so number Ps 90. 12. their dâ—yes that they apply their hearts unto wisedome Alas men live as though there were no death at all like those that go to the India's never take notice how many have beene swallowed up in the waves but what some few have got by the voyage looke onely upon those that are now surviving not upon the many Millions that are gone downe into the grave before them they thinke on death as the Athenians did treate of peace never but when they are in blacks It is a Custome in Constantinople that on that day the Emperor is crowned one presents unto him many stones out of which hee is to choose his tombestone Philip of Macedon had a boy to say unto him on all occasions Memento Philippi c. Remember Philip thou art but a man shall Turkes and Heathens do this and shall not Christians remember their end It is reported that the birds of Norwey fly faster then any others birds of the ayre not that nature hath given any agility to their wings more then others but they knowing the day to be very short in that climate make the greater hast to their nests this is that which God himselfe complaynes of the storcke knoweth her appointed time and the Turtle and the Crane and the Swallow observe the time of their comming but my people know not the judgements of the Lord. Jerem. 8. 7. Strange that birds shall make such practicall use of their knowledge and that man who is the Lord over all the Creatures should not make use of his time and so Psalm 8. 5 mend his pace to his long home the house appoynted for all living hee that hath a great journey to ride and a short time to ride it in must needes ride the faster hee that hath a great taske of worke to doe and but a small time to worke in must worke the harder here 's no abiding place where then the Heavenly Jerusalem Heb. 13. 14. that 's a great Pilgrimage a long way thither many rubs in the way and but a very short time to go it in a short life which in the twinckling of an eye may be taken away there is need then to pluck up the heeles and to mend the pace thither and as it is a longe way and but a short time allotted so there must be a great deale of worke done in the way too that great worke of salvation the greatest worke of all other a worke that will make that a man sweate at it a worke that must not be done by starts not be wrought onely but worked out not easily Phil. 2. 12. neither but with feare and trembling set on then upon this great worke the time wil come when there shall be no working boc est momentum unde pendet aeternit as the time past thou canst not recall the time to come thou art not sure of the time present is that thou must make use of Christ that good man of the house hath not yet shut too the doore yet it stands open doe but knock and it shall be opened unto thee now is the time to day if thou wilt heare his voyce this present houre this very instant is the faire kept as I may say of forgiving of sinnes It Time present to be used may be now had at an easy rate onely for forgiving them that trespasse against thee but if thou tarry till the faire be ended and who knowes how soone it may bee seeing it hath lasted so long already there will then be no pardons to be purchased at any rate but thou must pay for thy improvidence with the uttermost farthing put not off then from day to day least thou come as it is said a day after the faire but while it is called to day call thy selfe to an accompt let not the Sunne go downe upon thy impenitency to God or upon thine anger to thy neighbour deferre not til the last and hope to creepe into heaven with a Lord haue mercy upon me there was never but one that leaped so soone thither he was one that no man might dispaire but one that no man might presume at that time there will be but a little sand left in the glasse the houre of mortality will be soone runne out then will the Devill like a subtle Logician come upon thee with his best argumeÌ„t casting such a mist of darkenesse betwixt God and thy soule that thou wilt hardly discerne the throne of grace would'st thou not then sell all that thou hast to buy that pretious pearle of time the Rich man tooke care for the enlarging his barnes but God would not stay the building of them yet it is not certaine that thou shalt haue the warning that foole had doe not the weekely bils informe thee of sodaine death ther 's thunder without lightning death without a warning A great manlying on his deathâ—bed sent first for his Phisition to advise with him about the recovery of his health no meanes was left untryed but all in vaine the Phisition gaue him up for a
nayle his hands and feet thus is the Lord of life daily crucified afresh Heb. 6. 6 The fourth day is that of easter- 4 easter-Easter-day his Resurrection that day whereon like a sunne of Righteousnesse he rose from the dead and by the vertue thereof to this day shineth in the harts of men regenerate did he not Psal 68. 18 on that day lead Captivity captive triumphantly insult over hell death and the grave 1 Cor. 15. 12 doth not the Sadduces deny the glory of this blessed day do not men lye sleeping in their sinne and not arise from the dead that Christ may give them light they lye groveling Ephes 5. 14 in the graves of Corruption not regarding that Christ dyed 1 Cor. 15. 3. for their sinnes and as on this blessed day rose againe for their Justification this is the rising of this sunne eclipsed the blessings of this glorious day abused The â—ifth day of Christ is 5 Holy-thursday that transcendent one of his Ascention when he was taken up into Heaven opened the kingdome thereof unto all belevers and now at this very instant sitteth at the right hand Magnificat of God the Father Almighty interposing himselfe betwixt his Fathers just conceived wrath and sinfull mans transgressions suing out pardons for poore repentant sinners and laboring by all meanes that they may become members of that misticall body whereof himselfe is the head blessed for ever what returne is made for the many benefits of Christs Ascention as on this day commenced and to this very day and moment of time continued Alas men do not lift up their eyes unto the hills from whence commeth their salvation their conversation is not there from whence they expecta Saviour their mind is not placed on the right object heaven and heavenly things they creep upon their bellies as though the curse of the Serpent had light upon them licking the dust of the Earth Gen. 2. 4. which will one day choake them their dunghill cogitations are setled onely upon the world and worldly things but let them know that as Christ ascended into heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God the father Almighty so from thence he shall come to judge both the quick and dead at whose comming all men shall rise againe with their bodies and shall give accompt for their own Athanaâ—ius Creede workes and they that have done good shall go into life everlasting and they that have done evill into everlasting fire this is the day of doome the day that will pay for all the day of Christs Nativity may be slighted the 6 Doomesday day of his Circumscision not regarded the day of his passion undervalued the day of his Resurrection lightly set by and that of his Ascention too much vilisied but the honour and Justice in the proceedings Doomesday a great day of this great day shall bee acknowledged both by Men and Angels nay the very damned soules in hell shall confesse saying Lord thou art holy and just in all thy wayes and wee are by reason of our sinnes deservedly punished Dan. 7. 9. This day is called agreat day first in respect of the Judge who is the Antient of al daies the King of Kings Rev. 19. 16 Lord of Lords the great Creator both of heaven earth hee that is faithfull and true that judgeth and fighteth righteously Secondly it is a great day in regard of the trayne that Dan. 7. 9. shall come along with this Why Doomes day called a great day great Judge thousand thousands of Angells shall stand before him ready to execute his just commands Thirdly it will be a great day in regard of the Prisoners that then shall be arraigned all must appeare none exempted the Kings of the earth and the great men and the rich men and the chiefe captaines and the mighty men Rev. 20. 12. and every bond man and every freeman all the sonnes and daughters of Adam from the highest to the lowest must then make an accompt for the workes they have done in the flesh it may very well be called a great day because of the great things that shall be in that day the great and universall judgment of the whol world the great division of the good from bad the glorification of the one the condemnation of the Mat. 25. 33 other then shall be the great separation of the sheep form the Luke 3. 17 goates wheat from chaffe one to the fold th' other to the slaughter one to the barne the other to the fire that day shall be the Horizon both of time and eternity time shall then cease and be no more eternity shall in that day justle out all time the joyes pronounced to the Godly shall not be temporall but eternall the paines assigned to the wicked not for a season but for ever time which hath been so much abused that hath brought such things to passe shall then surrender to Eternity beleeve it God hath sworne there shall be then no more time Rev. 10. 6. The proceedings of that great day the joyes pronounced the judgements denounced shall be recorded and dated but how not with the day of the month or month of the yeere but with Eternity for ever and ever lastly it must needes be a great day that shall be the close of all No day like that of Doomesday dayes no day like it in the day of Israels departure out of Egypt the course of nature was but inverted Jordane was turned back the mountaines leaped like Ramms the hills as Lambes in the day of Ps 114. 3. 4 Joshua the Sune stood stil in the middest of heaven and hasted not to go down for a whol day in the day of Hezekiah the Sun went backward ten degrees in the dyal Josh 10. 13 of Ahaz in the day of Christs Passion the vail of the Temple rit through the middest the earth shook the graves opened the dead arose the Sun was totally eclipsed 2 King 20 9. so that there was darknes over all the land for the space of three houres but in this great day there shal be neither Sun nor Moon nor Starres the Sunne of Righteousnesse but once appearing Mat. 27. 51 they shall all vanish terratremet mare mugiet the ayre shal ring the world burne the Sea roare if the whole Earth shal be shakâ—n then surely the Pillars shal tremble and if they stand not fast how shal man appeare who is but a clod of that earth if the powers of heaveÌ„ shal be shaken what shall become of those meÌ„ whose muddy minds Luk. 21. 26 haue not a thought of heaven if Angels shal be theÌ„ at a gaze how shall they be agast whose portion is with the deuil and his Angels if the righteous shall hardly be saved it must needes goe hard with the ungoldly S. CypriaÌ„ so much feared the day 1 Pet. 4. 18. of judgment that
he quite forgot the day of his martirdom holy S. Hilary having spent 70 yeares in devout contemplation was yet afraid of the Judgment-day the Remembrance Job 23. 15. of that day was Jobs trouble and terrour if these be in such a case ad quos Index to whom the Judg appeares in mercy what shal they doe contra quos against whom he comes in Iudgment if starres of such a magnitude beginne to twincle what dimnesse will there be then in those of a lesser body if such pillars shrinke under the burthen what will become of slender tressles surely they'lbe crush't in pieces if this be done in the sappy greene tree what will be done in that which is more zere dry my advice shall be that of Moses to the Israelites be ready on the third day and on the third day when it was morning there was thunders and lightnings and a thick cloud upon the Mount and the sound of the Trumpet exceeding lowd so that all the People that were in the Campe were afraid though there be many dayes Exod. 19. 15. assigned to Man yet there are three dayes in especiall his birth life and death that of his ingresse into the world progresse in the world egresse out of the world but this last day is the third day looke to that day aboue all dayes stand ready for it then it is that God who formerly came as a loving Father will appeare as the great Judg both of heaven and earth then shall be heard the thunderings of accusations then shall be seene the very flashy lightning of hell fire in the consciences of most men then shall the thick Cloud of their sinnes interpose betwixt them and the throne of grace the Trumpet shall sound the aire shall rattle the noise shall be the awakening of all flesh in so much that the very elect who are within the campe of Gods predestination shall be afraid what then will become of them which are without the Campe such as never tooke up armes against the common Enemy they shâ—ll then stand amazed at the barre being accused by the Heavens and the Earth and all the Creatures therin coÌ„tained convicted by a Jury of Heavenly Earthly Inhabitants the blessed Saints and Angels their consciences pleading guilty in stead of a Conscintia mille testes thousand witnesses then doth the Devill sinne the world and the flesh cry out for sentence to be pronounced against the Offenders at the barre which is no sooner desired but performed Go ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devill and his Angels a sentece most fearefull because intolerable because irrevocable intolerable because of the quality of the punishment pinching cold scorching heat more greevious then the cursed water to the suspected woman that caused her thigh to rot her belly to swell and made her detestable to all the People ibi erit fletus c. there shall be Num 5. 18. weeping for the fire that shall never be quenched gnashing of teeth for the worme that never Paines of hell intollerable dyeth if wee be sick here in this life wee may haue soft beds to lie on Phisitions to advise our health friends and kindred to come by way of comfortable visits though all these faile yet there is to be had a good and gracious God to haue mercy on us one that will lay his hand under our heads and comfortably support us but there 's no soft beds but fire the most cruell of all other elements to wallow in and not a drop of cold water to coole the scorched tongue no Phisition to advize but Devils to torment no God to haue mercy on us but hell and dispaire to seaze upon us thus shall it be with them that forget God miserable shall they be at their first ingresse into hels torments there to heare the yelling the howling the crying of damned spirits there 's no comfort no solace no ease no helpe but horror and vexation on every side Bern. Med. cap. 19. alwayes burning yet never consumed alwayes dying and never dead the best sights and cheefest companions shall be Legions of damned ghosts and furies the dyet and fare shall be pinching hunger and famine the drinke shall be lakes of fire and brimstone Rev. 14. 10 mingled with the pure wine of Gods wrath and to make up the meale there shall be musick too curses shall he the Hymnes houling the tunes blasphemy the ditties lachrymae the notes lamentation shall be the song and shricking the straines sighs sobs and teares shall bee the dolefull descant and division the Purple Rayments shall there be flames of fire the hand shall there be seared the heart wounded the eyes blinded the eares dulled the feet scorched and Paena sensus all the body utterly confounded this shall be the state of the body in that day but shall the soule go free No It was to the body as Simeon to Levi a brother in iniquity and shall therefore participate of punishments with the body The memory shall call to mind that which is past the understanding shall consider that which is present and doth shall joyne together to disquit themselves then shall it be thought upon how many good motions have beene neglected how often God knocking at the doore hath beene disregarded what joyes are Paena damni lost what sorrowes are found how easily they might have beene avoyded and how impossible it is to abtayne the least mitigation this of all is the greevous punishment of the damned in hell hitherto I have shewed but the skirts and suburbs of hell but this is the entrance within the walls and the very gates of hell that punishment of the body was paena sensus a payne sensible enough but this of the soule paena damni though it be but a privative punishment yet it hath a miserable positive effect if ever misery deserved weeping of eyes if ever losse deserved Horresco referens gnashing of teeth this is the misery that there shall be No losse like the losse of Gods favour never any comfortable fight of the blessed face of God and this is the losse that there shall be an exclusion from all society with saints and Angels if when the Arke of God was taken old Eli was so overtaken with griefe that he fell backward and dyed what a losse shall they be at that have lost the presence 2 King 14. of God Adam did but Gen. 2. 15. see the apple to be good for the taste but to be turned out of Paradise he found it very distastfull what greater griefe even in this life then to live in Mâ—sheck and Psalm 84. sojourne in the tents of Kedar it was Davids well day so to do can the Israelites be merry in their Captivity there 's no musick with them Psalm 127 they cannot sing under a strange king their harpes hang upon the willowes as sad and silent as themselves
dead man then he sends for his Advocate or Lawyer much time was spent with him in the making of his will where A true story of the misery of these times in the neglect of spirituall meanes in the first place he bequeath his soule unto god a legacy usually left to God but he doth not many times claime it then he settles his estate on freinds and kinred strives to make the Inheritance of his Land sure to his heire and in the Interim neglegct his owne inheritance in heaven yet however if it be but for fashion sake he will not seeme to be utterly carelesse in that point therfore in the last place he sends for the Phisition of his soule to consult about his spirituall estate even then when he was hardly capable of any advice at al his foole standing by desired him to give him the staffe he usually walked with abroad his Master gaue it him but on conditioÌ„ that he should giue it backe again to the next hee met that was a veryer foole then himselfe nay then said the foole Master here take the staffe againe for a veryer foole then you are shall I never meete againe that did first send for the Phisition to strengthen your body then for a Lawyer to settle you estate and in the last place for the Preist to comfort your poore soule which should have been the first worke of all what the foole put on his Master may be verifyed in too many who ravell out their pretious time tormented with the cares of this world putting the evill day from them till it come to the last pinch when they are not able to disgest the bitter pill of Repentance or take the potion of humility A man that keepes an Accompt booke Advice to use time present having written it quite through lookes it over and finds many blots and blurres and crooked lines so they having past their lives to the point of Death then in taking a survey of their whole life they perceive many blots of sinnes many blurres of Iniquity many crooked lines of transgressions but what booke is that which shall be found thus obliterated the booke of conscience that booke which shall be one day laid open when both great and Dan. 12. 12 small shall stand before God all the bookes thou readest are to reforme this one booke no booke shall be carryed along but this booke what care had there need to be then to keepe it fayre to looke it over every day not to post the accompt from day to day least thou prove a Bankrupt in grace and there be no time left to compose the great differences betwixt God and thy poore engaged soule when thou seest the sunne going downe say as people â—se at the departure of a freind God knowes whether I shall ever so you againe and God indeed onely knowes whether thou shalt ever see that sunne rise againe let then the present light of that sunne move thee to mend thy pace not like the sunne on the dyall of Ahaz to go 2 King 20. 10. Josh 10. 12. S. Ambrose backwards not like the sunne in Joshna's time to stand still but like the sunne that David mentioneth as a gyant delighting to runne thy course now is the time or never adhuc constitit theatrum adhuc instat certamen adhuc pendet praemixm thou art yet upon the stage thou mayst come off with comfort thou art yet in the race the Reward is yet before thee cry aloud unto God that in this thy Christiâ—n Combat he would teach thee the wayes wherein thou shouldst walke call unto the Captaine of thy salvation Christ Jesus that hee would teach thy hands to warre and thy fingers to fight implore the holy Ghost to give a gracious assistance to all meanes undertaken therein and lastly that thou mayst have a breathing time to lay about thee speake out in the voyce of the Church from battle murther and from sodayne death good Lord deliver me One branch of that unrepealeable statute of Heaven is that all men must dye but that 's not all there 's yet another branch of the statute bebehinde a bitter one but after death the Judgement Heb. 9. 27. there 's more followes after death then the body friends After death judgement kindred and acquaintance to see it layd in the dust there 's workes that will be followers Rev. 14. 13 too whether good or evill the good ones to justifie the bad ones to condemne one pleades through Christ for justification the other sues for condemnation one stands ready at the throne of grace the other at the barre of Justice then shall there be a reward There is a general day of doome to be expected proposed according to the worke but that 's not all neither there is a generall day of judgement too that 's the day that shall pay for all Christ hath but six memorable dayes to be remembred and he is cozend in the honor that belongs to five of them who is it that truly values Christ hath 6 memorable dayes that great day of his Nativity as it ought that great that splendent that glorious day that day aboue thousand of dayes ever to be renued never to be forgotten worthy to be set in the almanack not 1 Christmas day with red but with golden letters are there not some that would raze out the blessed memoriall of this day and chuse rather to be held foolish then not to be singular profane are there not too many that make the honor of this day seeme rather an Heaâ—henish Bacchanall then a Christian Festivall whereas every day to a Saint of God is a Christmasse day and it is to be doubted that such will hardly keep every day that so much stumble and vilifie one day The second day of Christ is that of his circumscision now it was that he made Col. 2. 14. himselfe a debtor to the law and by this meanes hath cancalled 2 New-yeeres day the Chyrographum the hand writing of Ordinances against us the knife of Circumsicion was on this dulled take a knife and cut a stone the edge will soone be off petra erat Christus Christ was the Rock having once touched him it would never out againe if this day were regarded there would not be so many uncircumsized hearts as there are amongst us The third remarkable 3 Good-friday day is that of his passion that day when the price of mans Redemption was tendered downe and the summe payd on the Crosse not with crosses of silver but with drops of blood that issued from his precious side but how is the Memoriall of this day regarded how is this great love of Christ â—equited The drunkard and the glutton give him vinegar and gall to drinke the proud ambitious man sets a crowne of Thornes upon his head the swearer pearceth his side the scorner buffets him and they that abuse his Saints do