able to succour those that are tempted So this our Authour in that hee was himselfe afflicted in spirit and troubled in conscience through the suggestions of Satan and the temptations of the Deuill doubtlesse hee was inabled thereby as well out of his more vigilant and carefull obseruation of Satans practices as the sense and feeling of his owne extremities the better to discerne and discouer his Wiles and Stratagemes neither so alone but withall to apply vnto himselfe and to prescribe to others such comforts and remedies as out of his owne experience hee found to yeeld most ease and helpe And thus good Reader to detaine thee no longer from the perusall of the same beseeching the Lord to blesse it vnto thee I cease and shall euer rest Thine in the Lord Iesus I. M. The Contents of the seuerall CHAPTERS CHAP. I. OF the extremities and griefes of a troubled conscience FOL 1 CHAP. II. Wherein is contained the principall causes of a troubled conscience FOL 12 CHAP. III. Of the second or Assistant causes of a troubled conscience FOL 23 CHAP. IIII. A Cordiall against the assault of sinne FOL 28 CHAP. V. Soueraigne remedies against the wound of sin FOL 41 CHAP. VI. Against the assault of the weaknesse and want of faith FOL 60 CHAP. VII Of speciall things in mans conuersion FOL 81 CHAP. VIII Of another person troubled with the doubt of faith FOL 101 CHAP. IX Against the assault of the weaknes of repentance FOL 123 CHAP. X. Of the markes of true Repentance FOL 127 CHAP. XI An Admonition to the sorrowfull soule FOL 141 CHAP. XII Of loathing of sin the second marke of repentance FOL 145 CHAP. XIII Of the application of the former things to the comfort of the sorrowfull soule FOL 153 CHAP. XIIII How the man disquieted in conscience should in the same behaue himselfe FOL 168 CHAP. XV. Against afflictions and outward euents FOL 188 CHAP. XVI Of the first Position and the Obiections against the same FOL 119 CHAP. XVII Satans obiection against the former doctrine answered FOL 204 CHAP. XVIII Of the second Position and the Obiections against the doctrine thereof FOL 214 CHAP. XIX Satans Obiection against necessitie of afflictions ouerthrowne FOL 128 CHAP. XX. Other Obiections of Satan against the former doctrine confuted FOL 243 CHAP. XXI Of the third Position FOL 251 CHAP. XXII Of the fourth Position FOL 269 CHAP. XXIII Of the fift Position FOL 292 CHAP. XXIIII Against the feare of death and vnwillingnesse to die FOL 301 CHAP. XXV Of the first part of the preparation vnto death FOL 316 CHAP. XXVI Of the second part of the preparation vnto death FOL 326 CHAP. XXVII Of the preparation concerning the time of sicknesse and death FOL 343 CHAP. XXVIII That the Elect in time bee assured of their Election and how FOL 352 CHAP. XXIX Of the second Argument whereby the certainety of a mans election is proued FOL 359 CHAP. XXX Of the third Argument whereby the certainty of mans Election is proued FOL 366 CHAP. XXXI Of the Obiections against this doctrine of Assurance and knowledge of our Election FOL 370 CHAP. XXXII Of the essects whereby the truth of faith may bee knowne FOL 379 CHAP. XXXIII How the faithfull shall know that they haue the Spirit of Adoption FOL 397 CHAP. XXXIIII Of the true markes whereby the Spirit of Adoption may be knowne FOL 405 CHAP. XXXV Of the outward fruits of Regeneration FOL 415 CHAP. XXXVI Of the second Obiection FOL 423 A SOVERAIGNE COMFORT FOR A TROVBLED Conscience CHAP. I. Of the extremities and griefes of a troubled conscience INfinite and intolerable for the time seeme the extremities of a troubled and distressed mind that is throughly humbled and abased by reason of sinne In so much that were it possible that all temporall griefes whatsoeuer and paines arising from bodily diseases No temporall griefes like the distresses of a troubled conscience might or could bee heaped vpon one and the selfe same person yet would they bee found too light to weigh in the ballance with these perplexed agonies For as all riuers runne into the sea and as the man that is indebted if once hee fall into pouerty is so farre from comfort that hee hath all his creditors ready to tread and presse him downe neuer ceasing vntill they haue brought him to the Gaole and prison So likewise is the troubled minde A troubled mind is a receptacle for all griefes a receptacle for all griefes the enemies therof viz. Sinne Sathan Death and Hell are continually rushing in vpon it and triumphing ouer it writ vpon writ to attach this silly troubled conscience and by force and violence to draw it to the seat of Iudgement The multitude of sinnes doe amaze it and the intolerable weight of iudgement and of the anger of God doe continually affright it Within nothing but a most infinite masse and confused Chaos of despairing thoughts and without euery obiect is so terrible and full of feares that all things seeme to haue ioyned hands and giuen consent to increase his griefes and adde vnto his woes and miseries Great no doubt was the griefe of the wife of Phineas who hearing that the Arke of God was taken 1. Sam. 4. Ely her father in law was dead and Phineas her husband slaine with extremity of anguish fell in trauell and in her paines deceased And how was Dauid perplexed when hearing of the death of Absolon 2. Sam. 18.33 hee withdrew himselfe into his chamber howling out weeping and saying O my sonne Absolon my sonne my sonne Absolon would to God I had died for thee O Absolon my sonne my sonne But alas what is the wife of Phineas and who is Dauid that they should bee set forth as patternes to expresse this agony and distresse of a troubled soule The losses from whence these sorrowes of Phineas his wife and King Dauid did rise are farre inferiour and how is it then possible that their dolors should bee equall It is not the losse of the Arke of God that troubleth them but the losse of heauen and of all the ioyes prepared for Gods elect children Not the death of Ely but the departure of God himselfe in whose presence is the fulnesse of ioy Psal 16.11 and at whose right hand are pleasures for euermore They see him frowne which was sometime fauourable him terrible from whom they receiued comfort and him a Iudge who sometime was a louing Father It is not the death of Phineas an earthly husband but the losse of Christ the Spirituall Spouse euen that Iesus which saueth his people from their sinnes and is the onely Mediator betwixt God and Man Neither is it the death of Absolon a sonne but of a soule then the which what can be to a man more precious No maruell then if it sometime fare with these as it doth with persons lunatike For what is it that the terror of Gods eternall wrath and iudgement except
our fraile and vveake flesh that so hee might deliuer vs from hell and crowne vs with an vnspeakeable weight of glory And what though we call and cry yea and that often and very earnestly and yet as we suppose God doth not regard it for the time are wee therefore thus to iudge or thinke either of God or of our selues as Satan would haue vs if he might preuaile God forbid It is our parts rather to rest our selues satisfied and contented with this that the Lord as I haue said both knoweth what is most conuement and behoouefull for vs his children and that hee is both able and also ready and willing in his appointed time fully to accomplish and performe the same Let not this seeme any strange thing vnto thee For GOD herein sheweth himselfe no otherwise affected towards vs then euen thou thy selfe art affected towards thine owne child whom thou most tenderly louest and in whom thou takest some great pleasure If this thy child had some grieuous sore or wound inflicted vpon him which by none other cunning of Physick could be cured but by the dayly applying of some sharp and byting medicine thereunto if the child tormented with this Physick should cry vnto thee make pitifull mone and plaint and that with abundance of teares trickling downe his tender cheekes crauing instantly that thou wouldest cease and giue ouer in this manner to vexe him by applying vnto his sore such a byting corrosiue Wouldest thou therefore cease giue ouer thy course or wouldest thou not rather all the cryes and teares of thy child notwithstanding continue still in the same because thou seest and knowest it to bee the hest and safest way to worke recouerie yea and yet withall also thinkest that therein thou shewest an vndoubted argument and token of thy great and fatherly loue towards him If it may be thus betwixt thee and thy child what reason is it that GOD should be abridged of his Prerogatiue that it should not bee in such manner betwixt God and his Children Why may not God continue his corrections vpon his seruants and therein as well as thou declare his loue and hold on still to apply vnto the sores of sinne these byting medicines of afflictions notwithstanding that thou continually callest and cryest to haue him cease and yet not withall as thou vnto thy child shew forth his mercy and compassion towards thee Let this therefore be holden as a certaine and vndoubted truth according to the sense and meaning of this my fourth Position that no miseries and afflictions in regard of their greatnes and continuance can be any sufficient cause or reason to make a difference in this life betwixt the Chosen of the Lord and Castawayes the Elect and Reprobate Because God powreth downe his corrections oftentimes vpon the one in as great a measure both in quantitie and continuance as he doth his Iudgements vpon the other And though some differences are indeed betwixt them as hath been before declared yet they are such and so hard for man to sound into that for mine owne part I dare not say no not of those that haue spent their liues very dissolutely and dying to the outward appearance very miserably that therefore these were iudgements proceeding of Gods hatred and tokens of his eternall resection of them Wee may read of many both in the older later times in foraine and also in our owne countrey which haue tyrannously oppressed and cruelly persecuted the poore members and faithfull seruants of our Sauiour Iesus Christ which dyed strange and vnwonted deaths and suffered in their ends most terrible and vnspeakle torments Yet since the time and manner of Gods Calling is so secret and vnknowne vnto vs shall I say that therefore they were condemned Let others vse their iudgements I dare not doe it For mine opinion is that extremities are no reasons and strange torments are no Arguments to conuince so great a matter They rest vnto the iudgement of the Lord to whom they either stand or fall And yet for the comfort of all Gods children be it also added that oftentimes in these extremities and Agonies euen in the very suffering and enduring of them the Elect of God shal finde many vndoubted Reasous whereupon they may certainly and vvithout all doubt conclude their saluation and that they are in the number of Gods Elect and Chosen And this is by the fruits and effects of true and liuely faith working and mouing in them Which effects sometimes againe are so supprest and sinothered vnder the violence of their paines and miseries that they seeme oftentimes yea and many of them also euen in the very point of death and being ready to yeeld vp the Ghost vnto the iudgement of man to haue no feeling of comfort in Christ and to sauour onely of despayre and yet for all this depart hence the Elect of God and in the number of his faithfull seruants CHAP. XXIII Of the fift Position THese things being thus concluded as wee haue answered Satans obiections and in answering remoued his discomforts whereinto hee seeketh to cast the Children of God So now let vs gather as it were into a brief summe the comforts before intreated of and also further see what comforts more we can make against this temptation and what spirituall dyet is herein fittest and most conueuient for the afflicted distressed soule to vse for the preseruation of his soules health The first comfort 1. Comfort is the consideration of the motiue cause in God of these afflictions and that is loue and mercy which hee beareth vnto these his seruants whom hee doth vouchsafe thus to afflict and chasten For this serueth if it bee well considered as a reyne to hold backe and restraine the violence of despayring thoughts When as wee call to minde and remember that hee that layeth and inflicteth these things vpon vs is louingly affected and disposed towards vs and therefore wil surely herein proceed no further then shall be for our good and benefit 2. Comfort Vnto this let vs adde for the second cōfort the consideration of the sinall cause or end wherefore God doth thus correct and chasten his children And that is to worke in them amendment to quicken stirre vp increase his graces in them that they may shine appeare more bright and cleere and to deliuer vs from the danger of those things as sinne and death whereinto by reason of the weaknesse and exceeding frailtie of our nature wee are ready euery day to slip and fall if by these his Fatherly and gentle corrections wee vvere not restrained Oftentimes also 3. Comfort we must herein call to minde the great care of God which he hath for his seruants in inflicting laying these corrections vpon them in that at all times and in euery seuerall person hee hath a speciall respect and regard that they exceed not measure but still doth limit and order them according to our abilitie in tolerating the
mee thou doest account it also that to bee prosperitie which is voyd of all trouble and disquiet so that no longer then peace quietnesse continue no longer he accounteth it to be prosperity Whereas God would not haue thee to consider so much the very instant and time present but the issue and end of all The Scriptures doe testifie vnto vs yea and experience also doth teach vs that the wicked are seene to bee in this worldly peace and to bee without troubles when as on the other side the godly are in great troubles yet cannot the wicked ones bee iustly said to enioy prosperitie nor the godly to bee out of prosperitie vntill the end of the one and the other bee manifestly knowne and then that will sufficiently proue that the wicked this peace notwithstanding is void of prosperity and the godly their troubles notwithstanding are yet prosperous And therefore the Prophet Dauid in the 37. Psal hauing discoursed at large of the flourishing estate and prosperitie of the Righteous in the end to shew how we may truely iudge determine of it referreth vs not to the beginning or iniddle but vnto the end thereof saying Marke the vpright man Psal 37.37 and consider the iust for the end of that man is peace The good Souldier doth not determine of his good successe by the heate of the skirmish or by the strokes and wounds giuen and receiued betwixt him and his enemy but by the ssue and euent of the battell For if then hee put his foes to foyle he thinketh the victory to be his and his fight to haue beene good and prosperous The Merchant-venturer doth not iudge of the good successe of his Aduentures by the present tempests and stormes beating vpon him and whereby he is tossed to and fro and often in danger of losing all but if in the end he arriue safely at home without disparagement of his life and substance he then thinketh all to be well and his voyage to be worthily accounted prosperous So that which God speaketh of thy life and whole life considered altogether doe not thou thus minsingly with Satan diuide and part asunder by piece-meale for so thou mayst bee soone deceiued but ioyne the beginning with the proceeding and consider both these vvith the issue and end thereof and thou shalt finde that whatsoeuer Satan shall reason to the contrarie yet the godly mans life euen in the middest of all Aduersitie is a most happy and blessed life and full of all prosperitie because that the end thereof assuredly is blessed and prosperous Here perhaps you will maruell and demand how it can bee that these so contrary things should possibly concurre and meet together at one time and in the same subiect To remoue this maruell and to satisfie this demand not I but the Apostle Paul shall come in place who is bold to vtter as maruellous doctrine as this As dying saith he and yet behold 2. Cor. 6.9 10. we liue as chastened and yet not killed as sorrowing and yet alway reioycing as poore and yet making many rich as hauing nothing and yet possessing all things And what now are these in death life in afflictions comforts in sorrowing abundance of reioycing in pouertie plentie and in exceeding penury the possession of all things but euen in aduersitie the greatest gale of all prosperitie CHAP. XX. Other Obiections of Satan against the former doctrine confuted IF this which I haue somwhat largely discoursed be thought to be too little and insufficient for confirmation of mine assertion neither wil content your minde take I pray you a little paine wade on w th me a litle further in this matter I trust by the assistance of the Spirit of God euen by a very familiar example to make the case so plaine that you shall euen as it were of force bee brought to confesse my Position to bee true whatsoeuer the enemy of mankind will seeme to blatter out to the contrarie It is not to be denyed but that Satan the better to ouerthrow the seruants of God is busie to take many exceptions against the Truth proposed and vseth many reasons for confirmation of his doings But when all are thorowly skanned they will euidently appeare to be more presumptuously vttered then duely proued as now shall bee easily seene Let it be granted for disputations cause but not that it is true indeed that the promises of God doe concerne this present life onely I meane the promises of prosperitie and that they shall be here performed also Say that the righteous shall not fall for euer that is shall neuer fall but shall euer flourish Let Satan vpon these two grounds beginne to settle his mayne conclusions yet I doubt not but that vpon the examination of his reason it will cleerely appeare that his conclusions are but vaine light and of no weight or importance This is Satans reason The righteous men and children of God doe in this life enioy continuall prosperitie Satans Reason For so God hath said and promised who is true in his word faithfull of his promise and therefore surely wil perform it But thou hast not this prosperitie For thou continually liuest in trouble and aduersitie And therefore questionlesse thou art none of Gods children Answ The first Proposition with the reason I grant to be true but the second and the reason of the same I affirme to be most absurd if it be well considered Art thou therefore excluded from prosperitie because thou indurest troubles in this life Nay rather thou mayst with safety deny the consequence of this connexion For troubles and molestations are no vndoubted marke whereby to coniecture the absence of true prosperitie because that both these may very well concurre and come together as by this familiar example plainly doth appeare Example The Merchant the Husbandman the Artificer doe all take great paines one by Sea the others by Land they toyle and labour and are greatly for the time disquieted as men ouer-wearied with excessiue toyle yet in all this their paines are turned to a good euent they prosper for their wealth is thereby increased their labours and toyle are recompenced with great profit and aduantage Will you now say because these men haue such paines and troubles that therefore they doe not prosper I perswade my selfe thou wilt not say it And why Surely for this cause onely for that these their paines as is said are turned and conuerted to their gaine Euen so it is with the children of God they are in afflictions and troubles they are pressed with miseries in this life and yet still they prosper still they flourish because that all and euery one of these their troubles afflictions and miseries be they neuer so great and neuer so many are still conuerted and turned to their good For all things worke for the best and greatest commoditie and benefit to them that are elect of GOD. So that gaine is gaine to them how
discoursed of diuers temptations wherewith the afflicted soule by the Enemy is assaulted and in discoursing haue somewhat met with Satans obiections and to my power vsed some reason to preuent the euill which may come thereof and after these paines taken am now drawing neere to an end and conclusion of this matter yet there is still one temptation remaining which in no wise is to be omitted and let passe for that it is many times attendant euen vpon many of Gods deare children and at that time especially when they approch and draw neerest vnto their end And that is the feare of death and the vnwillingnesse which they finde in themselues to die Vpon which feare and vnwillingnesse Satan taketh no small aduantage to further his wicked purpose and that in most earnest manner knowing that his time wherein he is to shew forth his malice against such a party is but short and therefore it behooueth him now to exercise his wits and to vse some reasons whereby hee may with the more facility driue such distressed soules into despaire This hee knoweth may be the better more easily effected because he findeth men to be so terrified appaled with the feare of death as that they are loth and most vnwilling to taste of the cup therof but haue rather a desire still to abide and continue in this vale of miseries wherein vexations troubles and disquiets doe greatly abound euen as though there were none other heauen but heere no blessednesse to be looked for and found but in this life Whereupon Satan seeing men in such sort affected and hauing such opportunity offered taketh occasion in this or some such like manner to make assault vpon the distressed soule First hauing mustred into the minde and remembrance of such fearefull and vnwilling persons all those things wherewith they haue beene most delighted and wherein they haue taken some great pleasure in this life as wife children kindred friends acquaintance companions lands goods cattell and such like Satan presenteth this earthly state before them in the most pleasant beautifull shew that may be Again he razing out and defacing as much as possibly he can the hope of heauenly ioyes and comforts bringeth death before them in as terrible and vgly shape as may be Whereupon it commeth to passe that men are so haled and drawne with affection on the one side and so appaled with feare on the other that nothing seemeth more lothsome and vnsauoury vnto their taste then the cup of Death This being once brought to passe and the enemy finding our desire and affection to the ioyes of heauen to be so dull and weake and knowing also how fearefull the sight of death is euen to Gods Children especially at this last gaspe and closing vp of life hee is then most busie with them to cast in their way all such motions as possibly he can to driue them as I haue sayd into despaire Heerupon it is that many dangerous and doubting motions through this subtilty of Satan doe arise in their mindes whether they bee of the number of Gods children members of Christs body or not hauing such vnsauoury fruits proceeding from them These thoughts sometimes in many of them by the crafty working of the Enemy become so forcible that they are as it were continually thundring out words of maruellous great extremity assirming indeede that they are none of Gods seruants haue no faith no hope of saluation and doe not appertaine to the Kingdome of God And that because for a time they find their hearts to be as it were benummed and dull in the sense and feeling of the heauenly and eternall comforts As in other temptations of Satan wee haue labored both to lay open the dangers of the same and to shew by what meanes they might bee auoyded and haue also set downe such comforts whereby both the parties afflicted and others also might bee strengthened against such assaults of the Enemy So likewise I purpose by the assistance of Gods Spirit to doe in this temptation also that so the poyson of Satans perswasions being descryed the dangers thereof may be the more easily auoyded This therefore in this case commeth first to be obserued for the comfort of the afflicted both present and which shall heereafter through the subtilty of the Enemy fall into such danger that these are no strange and vnwonted things but vsuall and common and such as haue and doe befall the children of God Insomuch that although many haue most willingly shaken hands and bidden adue to life and as it were embraced and saluted death in most cheerefull and courteous manner yet others on the contrary haue been greatly terrified euen with the mention of death haue been very loth to vndergoe the stroke therof Examples of this great vnwillingnes to die wee haue in King Dauid who being pained with sicknesse and feeling the hand of the Lord to be sore vpon him prayeth that the Lord would deliuer him and saue his soule from death adding also a reason Psal 6.5 For that In death there is no remembrance of the Lord and in the graue who shall praise him 2. Kin. 20.1 2 3 c. Ezekiah also that good and godly King when newes was brought vnto him by the Lords Propher that he should dy as one most loth and vnwilling heereunto he prayed sighed and that with many sobs and teares as the story mentioneth By the examples of these two such faithfull seruants of the Lord we may see that it is a thing euen by nature incident vnto man to feare death which is so contrary to his estate being the corruption of life whereof hee is so desirous For euery thing is naturally giuen to shun and flee his contrary And although it be so that very many of the Saints of God haue beene sayd most resolutely and willingly to haue yeelded themselues and to haue tasted of this cup by reason of certaine circumstances either attending on their liues as sicknesse pouerty and all kindes of crosses afflictions and miseries whereunto this life is subject and from the which men are found many times to be very desirous to bee eased and released although it be with death or els following and ensuing after death as the euerlasting and vnspeakable ioyes of heauen to the enioying whereof death is as a passage The earnest desire and longing that these haue to the enioying of these heauenly ioyes and this euerlasting blessednesse doth allay and qualifie very effectually the terrour and feare of death in them And yet if these two forts of men both the one and the other should consider death in it selfe without these circumstances being a thing so contrary to our nature it would clearely appeare that there would be found in them a certain feare vnwillingnes to die which fear and vnwillingnes is so much the rather the more increased in them when as it is in part attended with the cogitation or memory of those
things wherein men in this life doe take any delight and pleasure and in part bereaued of the feeling of these exceeding comforts reserued for vs in the life to come Obiect But thou wilt say Thus naturally to feare and to bee thus in some sort vnwilling and loth to die I lesse maruell at but this dulnesse in the feeling of heauenly ioyes and comforts in Christ being now euen at the poynt of death and ready to yeeld vp the last gasp that is a very strange thing and able to terrifie any Christian soule Answ It is I grant a fearefull thing indeede but yet nothing strange at all if we doe well consider of it For if Satan be so busie with vs at other times euen in the time of health and when wee are strongest that hee bringeth our faith to many foyles no maruell if hee shew forth his malice against vs now being so neere vnto our end He is not ignorant to take opportunity fittest for his purpose And therefore now aboue all other his desired times he will deuise and sound into the bottome of all his subtilties to entrap and so to make conquest of the Christian soules knowing that this is the last combate that he is like to make with such an one If now he lose it is lost for euer If now he preuaile and ouercome there is no recouery to bee hoped for afterward Assure thy selfe therefore that hee will prepare himselfe the best he can stretch euery limbe in this finall conflict to see if hee can by any possible meanes effect and bring to passe this his malicious bloudy purpose And therefore although the state of Gods Elect and Chosen be such that they cannot finally vtterly fal away Gods decreee being so firme sure immutable that Satan with al his policies shal neuer be able to infringe make void the same yet euē they also if they be not well appointed must make full account and looke to haue many foyles at Satans hands that shall bring their faith euen vpon her knees which thing being once effected no maruell if this subtill Satan to the greater daunting of Gods Children doe found out the triumph before the victory gotten casting in their teeth their sinnes past and bringing to their remembrance their former wickednesse and withall putting them in minde sometime of the delights and pleasures of this world that so by these such like practices he may the rather and the sooner driue men into despaire The case therefore of Christians being so dangerous it is good that wee doe consider what way is best for vs to take to cut Satan short of his purpose and to auoyd the danger and perill of this finall conflict One thing whereby Satan taketh so great aduantage and so farre preuaileth with a great number of men is for that in the time of life and health they neuer or very little as they should bethinke themselues of death So that when the time and houre thereof which is sudden and vncertaine doeth come vpon them they go like men naked and vnarmed into the field to encounter with this strong and mightie Aduersarie And then it is no matuell if they being so vnprouided and vnarmed and lying so open do receiue many grieuous and deadly wounds It is therefore very expedient and needefull for euery man in time of health to thinke of sickenesse and in time of life to be mindfull of death and continually to bee carefull that he may bee prepared for to die for it is an vneuitable thing it cannot bee auoided with all the power policie and cunning we can vse Therefore as we are borne to die so we should liue as men alwaies prepared and in a readinesse to die So that a Christian mans life should be a continuall meditation and a daily preparation vnto death When as I say it should bee a daily preparation I would be loth to bee mistaken I doe not meane such a kind of preparation as many of the great and mighty men of the world doe dreame of when as either in their life time in their owne persons or after their death by their Executors or others put in trust therewith they are carefull yea too carefull to prouide that a Tombo bee set vp and builded to shrowde their bodies in and that with most costly curious and cunning worke but neuer once thinke of this which is most needfull that is to prouide a Receptacle for the soule It may bee as it doth appeare that they thinke to die so I beseech the Lord they may bee prepared to die in the Lord so they shall bee sure howsocuer the bodie speed on earth for a time yet at the last Day both body and soule shall bee in blessed estate with Christ for euer in heauen This madnesse of men in preparing such costly Tombes or Sepulchres may very well bee accounted in the number of the vanities and follies wherewith the world is at this day ouer-flowed for the cost that is bestowed on them might a thousand times bee better bestowed on the poore afflicted members of Christ whereby some great gaine by the laying forth thereof if it bee done without hope of merit would redound to the soule The cunning workemanship is indeed matter rather for men to gaze vpon then for any other good When all is done both for charge and cunning in setting vp and beautifying of this thing so brauely yet it is but a Caue for a rotten and corrupted carkase beautified for polluted bones and carefully adorned for simple Guests euen the crawling wormes there to feed and gnaw vpon their sestred and stinking flesh The soule is the principall part of man let euery one apply himselfe therefore principally to prouide that it may bee harboured protected and defended against the violence and raging stormes of Satans fury Be carefull to prouide that shee may bee armed from top to toe with the Christian Armour whereof S. Paul speaketh Ephe. 6. so shalt thou be in safety Ephe. 6.13 14 15 16 17 18. This ought to be our Christian care vpon this should we bestow our costs But this of the most men is least regarded and it is to be feared of a great number vtterly neglected Obiect Here by the way it may haply bee obiected Is it a thing vtterly vnlawfull to prouide a Sepulchre or Tombe for the body Answ It is not the vse but the abuse thereof that I aime at I do not thinke it a thing altogether vnlawfull for that I do finde it to bee a thing of long continuance and vsed of godly persons Ioseph of Arimathea is said in the Gospell to haue prouided a Tombe for himselfe hewed out of a Rocke being yet in health wherein hee layed the Corps of Christ our Sauiour If in this manner thou prepare thee a Tomb and herein follow Iosephs example thou shalt not doe amisse For Ioseph did it not for vaine glory and any worldly ostentation nor to make it a thing
thou didst well consider of the thing indeed thou shouldst easily find that thou hast very small reason to moue thee to hope after this time thou dream'st of whē as if it were longer then commonly is allotted vnto any yet it would bee found little enough to be imployed for the good benefit of thy soule And why then shouldst thou thinke that God will bee thus gracious to bestow this thing vpon thee in a time that is most vnfit when thou so vnthankefully didst put off and neglect the same being offered vnto thee so often before in a time conuenient Doe not thinke that thou hast God at command take his offer with thankfulnes vse it as thou oughtest to his glory and thy good and do not in any wise presume to prescribe vnto him a time or a manner how hee shall deale with thee at thine end If thou marke well without flatterie of thy selfe what thou hast deserued thou hast a great and a iust cause also to feare lest for thy carelesse neglect of this which in mercy hee offereth thee in iustice hee strike thee suddenly and at vnawares If therefore I might giue counsell in this so dangerous a case I would aduise euery childe of GOD to lay aside this vnchristian hope and to renew his Testament yeerely nay monethly or oftner that so he may be in a readinesse when death commeth rather then to post off all to bee performed in the time of sicknesse for by this deferring it commeth oftentimes to passe which is a lamentable thing for euery Christian heart and eye to thinke vpon and see that the man pressed with sickenesse and lying as yee would say at the point of death when hee should haue his heart and minde wholly set and fixed on heauen and heauenly things is so clogged and fettered in the cares of this life and such as concerne his house and Family that though his will be made according to his meaning his goods ordered and disposed accordingly and all things finished and ended to the knowledge of men yet with this sick man himselfe it is not so fully dispatched but that these worldly affaires wherewith his head hath been thus of late busied wil not so be rooted out but that a man shall heare him often euen in his greatest agonies to mutter and to talke of nothing else but these as though his head and thoughts were bent vpon nothing else And this many do with such vehemencie and earnestnesse that thereby they giue occasion vnto many that heare them to iudge that not onely the taste and feeling but also the very thought and inward meditation of heauenly ioyes and comforts seeme for the time to bee barred and excluded from hauing any place of rest and harbour in his heart and soule Wherefore if thou wilt not bee hindred from this taste of heauenly ioyes and pleasures at thy death and end of this thy naturall life haue a care in health in this sort to prouide for death lest the cares of this life bee a cause to hold and keepe these endlesse comforts from thee Follow the example of Abraham who in his life time when hee was in strength and health disposed of his goods While thou art yet sound and lustie haue thy Scpulchre in a readinesse with Ioseph of Arimathea that is let all things be prouided and set in such a readinesse as though alwayes and euery houre thou wert prepared and readie to descend into the graue Let neither thy youthfull yeeres nor yet thy strength flatter thee two deceitfull baites to breed securitie as though thou hadst long to liue and mightst continue yet many yeeres and so thou put off the time to make this preparation But while it is to day while thou hast time and season deferre it not but accept and vse well the time that God hath offered and giuen vnto thee CHAP. XXVI Of the second part of the preparation vnto death THE other and as I may well call it the Spirituall preparation vnto death belonging vnto the soule is found to be of two sorts that is either such as is to bee had and vsed at all times and throughout the whole course order of our life or such as concerneth the time of our sickenesse and death Of the first sort Salomon warneth vs very wisely 〈◊〉 1◠1 bidding vs Remember our Creator in the dayes of our youth while the euill dayes come not and the yeeres approach wherein wee shall say I haue no pleasure in them And our Sauiour Christ lesus putteth vs in minde hereof also both by diuers exhortations in the Scriptures and also by the Parable of the ten Virgines Mat. 25.1 c. bidding vs to watch and pray that wee may bee alwaies in a readinesse with Oyle in our Lampes to enter with the Bridegroom into the Wedding whensoeuer hee shall come In this Preparation the first thing required is alwaies to thinke with our selues and to remember that wee must die according to that saying Remember thy end and thou shalt neuer doe amisse This is an incuitable necessity imposed vpon all estates and conditions of men and of all to bee had in continuall remembrance This the Prophet Dauid calleth a numbring of our dayes saying Psal 90.12 Teach vs so to number our dayes that wee may apply our hearts vnto wisedome Where is to bee noted what a serious cogitation and remembrance this must bee euen so and such an one as may breed in vs a wise and a carefull heart and minde to doe the will of God for that is it which heere the Prophet meaneth by applying our hearts to wisedome or as the Hebrew hath it by bringing a wise heart into vs. For they that liue lewdly and loosely giuing themselues ouer as slaues vnto sinne howsoeuer they seeme wise in their owne conceit or in the iudgement of men yet in the sight and iudgement of God they are accounted for no better then fooles and as men that walke vnwisely But this is too generall for our purpose for this remembrance of our death as a preparation vnto this last and finall combate must not onely thinke of death and meditate thereof but must thinke of it as of such a time wherein wee must haue a dangerous and fierce assault made vpon vs and that by all these great and perillous Enemies Satan the World and the Flesh ioyning hand in hand and force with force against vs. If this doe once sinke deepely into our hearts it will make vs to haue a speciall care indeed and to look well about vs that we may be throughly prouided and in all parts well furnished and appointed against this heauy Day and time of Tryall And that so much the rather also if withall we consider and remember that the time when this assault shall bee is short and sudden vncertaine and vnknowne and therefore it lyeth vs vpon to watch continually that wee may be alwaies and euery moment in a readinesse that