to have a Luk. 24.20 suffered these things and so to enter into his glory Hath the Father made b Heb. 2.10 the Captain of our Salvation perfect through sufferings and will he not the same way bring many sons to glory Shall this High-priâ—st after the order of Melchizedek drink c Ps 110.7 of the Brook of Kidron in the way to Olivet before he lift up the head in a glorious Ascention And shall Saints the inferior Levites think much to taste it Zebedees Children do but taste a few drops at the bottome of d Mat. 20.22 23. the Cup of Kidrons water Christ hath drunk it off Saints do but sip of e Num. 5.27 c. these bitter waters not for satssfaction but submission to the Law they shall not cause their thighs to rot but conceive to glory What 's fabled of the Unicorn that he takes away the poyson by dipping his horn in the waters before the Beasts of the Forrests do drink after him Is true of our Lord he hath sweetned these waters of Marah with this Tree of Life for true Israelites to pledg him His holy body washed the waters of Jordan by his Baptism and healed the waters of Kidron by his Passion Christ that pure prolifick f Joh. 12 24 Corn of Wheat fell into the ground and died and bringeth forth much fruit The grave is made fertile by his death that Saints lying by his dead body may be impregnated and spring up in a green Resurrection and grow ripe to the harvest of glory They are implanted into the g Rom. 6.5 similitude of his death and shall be raised in the likeness of his Resurrection As that heavenly grain did rise so shall Saints sprout upon his stalk without Chaffe for the Garner of Paradise A. 4 A. 4. Again Saints dye not only in conformity to their head but to magnifie the glory of divine Grace in Salvation by the New-Covenant Christ takes away the radicall and fundamentall guilt of sin but not the totall in being thereof during this Life None shal go to heaven by the law of perfection according to the tenor of the first Covenant None shall boast of h Eph. 2.8 9. Tit. 3.5 work or merit for by grace are we saved None shall climbe to heaven but by i Gen. 28.11 12. Joh. 1.51 Jacobs Ladder whose foot is fixt upon the son of man We are saved by grace to k Rom. 3.27 exclude boasting we are saved l Act. 15.11 by faith that Christ may be m Phil. 1.20 magnified whether in life or death we are saved n Tit. 3.4 7. by mercy that the kindness and love of God our Saviour may appear we are not born but made heirs according to the hope of eternall life Nay we are saved by a Rom. 8.24 hope and with patience we wait for it Were we perfect here our faith would be clambering into vision and our hope into fruition our resting waiting panting frame would be swallowed up in preliminary injoyments of heaven our love would cast out all fear and torment and ride triumphant before resurrection to the capitol of glory But God hath an eye to that new and living way of salvation paved with the precious blood of the second Covenant wherefore though Christ be b Ro. 10.4 the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth yet he restores us not in this life to the beauty and perfection of holiness So that if sin remain in a Saint death must needs be its issue For sin when 't is finisht c Jam. 1.16 bringeth forth death Though death in all its circumstances be not the proper d Ro. 6.23 wages of sin unto a Saint because Christ hath satisfied and made us free from the Law e Rev. 8.2 of sin and of death Though death be not the f Ib. c. 6.22 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the stipendiary supper of a believer yet 't is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the four sauce wherewith the remnants and leavings of originall and the too great improvement thereof in actuall sins and infirmities are disht up Warm Bernard starts this question If Christ have delivered us g Bern. ad milit Templ f. 98. a. Ed. Pari 517. Utquid adhuc morimur non statim immortalitate vestimur Sane ut Dei veritas impleatur c. Why do we yet dye and are not presently clothed with immortality Verily that the truth of God might be fulfilled For because God loveth mercy and truth its necessary that man should dye because God had foredoom'd it but yet that he should also rise from the dead lest God should seem to forget his mercy So then though Death Lords it not over a Saint perpetually yet it remains a while upon us because of the truth of God Even as Sin though it reign not in our mortall bodies yet is it not totally taken from us Thus Bernard layes the burden of a Saints death upon the primitive fall the curse of God the veracity of his threatnings and fulfilling of that word to Adam in the day thou catest thereof thou shalt dye and a little before Adae delictum merito contrahimus quouiam cum peccavit in ipso eramus ex ejus carne per carnis concupisentiam genite sumus We are deservedly involved in Adams guilt because we all sinned in him for when he sinned we were in him and were begotten of his flesh by carnall concupiscence And is not this the very Doctrin of Paul a Ro. 5.11 As by one man sin entred into the world and death by sin So death passed upon all men for that all have sinned This is the guilt that carries those that have not sin'd after b V. 14. the similitude of Adams transgression into the grave Yea Infants Embryo's such as never saw the light from one dark grave to another Insomuch That though the second and glorious Covenant of free grace be c Ps 89.37 establisht as the Moon and as a faithfull witness in heaven yet it receives not its full accomplishment in all its promises till the Saints set down in the bosome of Christ after the great Tribunall and 't is not any the least impair or reflection upon the divine justice on this side the resurrection to visit the Saints transgressions with this Rod and their iniquity with these stripes d 1 Cor. 11.30 For this cause sayes Paul treating of some violations respecting our Lords Supper many are weak and sickly among you and many sleep Wherefore though the guilt of sin be removed by justification through the merit of Christ and the dominion of sin by sanctification through the Spirit yet the totall remainders of originall or actuall sin are not stub'd out of the heart but some fibres and strings will stick behind in the best during this present life In like manner though e 1 Cor. 15.55 c. the
1. c. 51 the e Camden in Glamorganshire eternales domus those smoaky and fulsome Huts about which the leves animae the separate Ghosts do keep their residence here the sprightly Satyrs tread their measures and paint green circles in the Elysian Fields till the blushing dawn of eternity d Ps 22.29 None can keep alive his soul from death nor ransome his e Job 13.6 lamp from darkness The martiall Commander creeps under his Bed f Sueton in Coleg c. 51. with Caligula at the râ—â—â—ing of this Thunderbolt no Marble Palaces cau dazle the eyes or daunt the approaches of Death no iron bars can repell his force his aquafortis burns all afunder he stands not agast at the pale and wan looks of quivering Princes but like a gyant fluster'd with the wine of blood looks terrible on the proud Nimrods of the World Kings Edicts that Death be not whispered in their Courts are sullied on waste Paper they but daub their Royall Parchments with fond flourishes Their strongest Towers are but the spinstry of Spider-webs Death's too great a Flesh-fly to be catcht in such Tiffany Walls hee 'l hum in their ears with hatefull buzzing will they nill they There 's no Canon or Decree against him can stand inviolable Should Medes and Persians twist Laws as strong as Cables this Sampson snaps them asunder like raw Flax or twined threads If all Justinians pandects were cramb'd with severe penalties that death presume not to touch an Emperor or be rude with his Lady or Children hee 'l send a Phocas to find them out and hale them to his Slaughter-house The Captains of their Guard with their Halberdiers fling down their Arms and cry craven This old Leviathan g Job 41.29 counts their Darts as Stubble and laughs to scorn the shaking of their Spears When this storm rises this furious blast be takes down the top-gallants and the Flags of Admirals he cuts their Masts by the Board the wisest Pilot he flings over-board no Anchor holds they run adrift and are shattered upon the Rocks The cunning Lawyer with all his shirks and querks and Writs of Error cant hook out a Habeas Corpus from this unbribed Barr. Death has too subtle a Pate to be overmatcht he has Presidents and rul'd Cases and Records as high as Adam There 's no Chancery refuge or Appeal from the Club-law of this Kings-Bench he 's Lord Chief-Justice and Jaylor he 's Sheriff and Executioner But what sayes Hipocrates with his Coan Aphorisms and Galen with his long winded Method Can't he open a Vein in the Arm of this raging Adversary that his Sword may fall and the Galenture of his fury abate against Mankind Is there no inchanted Potion nor amorous Cup can lull him asleep O Physitians Are there no Recipe's in all your Dispensatories against the crack of Heart-strings Must his deadly Ague shake both you and your Patients into the Grave Must his dropsie drown you his Feaver burn you to Ashes his Consumption emaciate and waste you to Skelitons and set up your Bones in his Anatomy School What is there no Antidote no Treacle against the needle-teeth of this black Adder No! he turns a deaf ear to all your Siren-Lectures This Serpent a Eccles. 10 11. will bite for all your inchantments Such bablers are no better But alas for this day of darkness b Irel. 2.2 this gloomy morning that 's spread upon the Mountains Can we track no comfort in this thick Fog of Ignorance Are there no Trees of Life to be found in Lebanon Alas is Eden lost Is that Tree free among the dead did the venemous breath of the old Serpent wither it did he hack it down did he pluck it up by the roots Are there no sprouts from its chips nor no healing atomes that flew from its wounds into other shrubs or plants Is there no drug in Arabia no balm in Gilead no Spice in India can revive a languishing mortal What no Etheriall Spirits nor irradiating Sulfurs nor Minerall tinctures nor Elixirs of Life to cure this stroke Won't potable Gold snatch back the flying Spirit and intreat that noble guest to stay a while within its old Cloister new plaistred and gilt with this restorative Won't the limpid Alcahest make the blood volatile and circulate it nimbly against the cold congealing blast of death Won't the great red-powder cure it Then farewell all their empty notions and unpracticable maximes their clogging Syrups ill digesting Powders their life-exhausting blood-lets and their cold mortal Juleps O vain man Nullis mors est medicabilis herbis No Plant in natures garden springs To heal or swage these deadly stings Use the Physitian that 's a duty trust not in him for that 's a sin Good Asa had this mournful title upon his a 2 Chron. 16.12 13. Tomb that he sought not to the Lord but to the Physitians and slept with his Fathers Though the skilfulst Physitian and the holiest Saint do meet together yet both should count upon a last day a last hour and a last moment that they cannot passe b Isay 3.2 The mighty man and man of war the Captain of Fifty the honourable the Counsellor the cunning Artificer and the eloquent Orator Death takes them all by the hand and leads them into this gloomy Valley He reverences not the gray hairs he rises not up to the milk-white brow of the grave and ancient nor layes down his crooked Sith at the foot of aged and hoary head he strains no courtesies with the weaker sex nor gives it the upper hand the pitifull cries of tender Infants pierce not his Adamantine breast This tearlesse Moloch hugs them mortally in his brazen arms he hath Urns proportion'd to all their Ashes and Graves of every size But what though riches and honour though sweet natures virtuous minds prevail for no reprivall Must holy bones also see corruption Can't Faith Prayer wrestle a fall with this mighty King of terrors No no though the wicked twice fall under the dint of this Goliahs Sword yet 't is appointed for all a Heb. 9.17 ence to dye and after that to Judgment For as by one man sin entred into the world b Ro. 5.12 and Death by sin So death passeth upon all men for that all have sinned Faithfull Abraham must lye down in the Cave of Machpeloh Patient Job after all his Arabian Tragedies must act one Scene more and say to Corruption c Job 17.14 thou art my Father to the Worm thou art my Mother and Sister Strong Sampson must fall by this Jaw-bone in the Vineyards of Zorah and meek Moses though he dye in a d Deut. 32.50 Mountain must walk down this deep e c. 34.6 Valley of Abarim Wise Solomon by all his prudent and pollitick maximes of Government can't tame and rule this ferocious Behemoth nor tye this wild Bull at his Figtree But his sage breath must out at the dore
of his lips he returns to his earth f Ps 146.4 and that very day his thoughts and his reasons of State must perish All his skill in Botanicks could not extract such an ens primum or a quintessence from his Cedars in Lebanon to prolong his life a moment beyond the appointed g Job 14.5 moneths and the bounds which he could not passe No nor holy Poul could not strengthen the stakes of his Tabernacle or keep its curtains from trembling but an East wind from the Roman wildernesse h smites it down to the ground Act. 18.3 and all his i skill in Tent-work could not raise it He therefore counts upon his house with God not made with hands k 2 Cor. 5. â— eternal in the Heavens and groans earnestly to be clothed upon that mortality might be swallowed up of Life Q. But why must Saints dye hath not Christ paid a ransome to purchase them from death Must Daniel the man of desires be led into this second Captivity Must John the beloved Disciple though he scape the boiling Oyl and rocky Patmos come down to his Tomb at Ephesus and walk in this six-foot Valley yes even he that lay in the bosome of Christ must also sleep in the bosome of the grave A. 1 To this may be replyed 1 Downam of Justifie p. 6. Edit fol. Lond. 1639. That Justification is a continued act of divine grace terminative quoad 1 nos in respect to us it lasts from our first conversion to the declarative sentence of absolution at the day of Judgment Indeed in respect to God who is actus purissimus a most pure and absolute act and sits down without any succession of times in the glorious noon of Eternity our justification admits no degrees It is not instill'd into us drop by drop in respect to him but so soon as a man doth truly believe he stands truly and perfectly righteous in the sight of God The Covenant of Grace is ratified simul semel together and at once at the Throne of God in the name and vertue of Christs righteousness so soon as ever we truly believe but 't is applied manifested and compleated to us in the successive methods of effectual vocation sanctification and finall redemption at the great day For while we continue sinners we have continuall need of justifying grace David as to fresh Commissions stood in need of a Ps 51.7 purging with Hysop from his leprous sins to receive an atonement Lev 14.6 19. and to have the Seal of the b Ps 32.5 forgiveness of the iniquity of his sin upon his acknowledgment and confession For as to us God is not said to remit those sins that are not yet committed but such c Rom. 3.25 as are past We are taught therefore by our Lord to pray d Mat. 6.11 12. Act. 5.31 every day forgive us our trespasses We sin dayly and must confess dayly and pray dayly for repentance and pardon Yea God himself in that Evangelicall promise by Esay assures us e Isay 43.25 I even I 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 delens am blotting out your trangressions for mine own sake and will not remember your fins to comfort us against tentations about daily infirmities Do we sin every day and is the truth not in him nay does he make him a lyar that saith f 1 Joh. 1.10.8.2.1 he hath no sin then we have need of a dayly Advocate to plead for us at the right hand of the Father a high Priest that g Heb. 7.24 continueth evir and h V. 25. liveth â—vâ—â— to i Heb. 9 24 appear in the presence of God and to make intercession for us By virtue whereof he k Joh. 14.2 3. prepares the heavenly Mansions in the Temple of Glory for us and us for them Then he will come again and receive us unto himself that where he is we may be with him and behold his glory And when this Prince of life the Judg of quick and dead shall appear he will pronounce that finall justifying and glorifying sentence l Mat. 25.34 Come ye blessed of my Father m Ps 32.1 2. for blessed are they indeed to whom the Lord then imputeth not iniquity come and inherit the Kingdome prepared for you Then shall our justification be compleat in all its points at that joyfull declaration of Christ upon his Tribunall in Judgment No marvell then a Rom. 8.10 11. If the bodies even of Saints shall dye 'T is because of sin though the spirit be life because of righteousnesse But then shall all our sins be finally blotted our and cast behind his back in the b Mic. 7.19 depths of the Sea when those times of b Act. 3.19.20.21 refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord when he shall send Jesus Christ at the great Restitution whereof he hath spoken by all his holy Prophets since the world began Then shall Onesiphorus according to the prayer of Paul c 2 Tim. 1.18 find mercy in that day at the hand of Christ That day of full d Eph. 1.14 and 4.30 Redemption hath not yet appeared when the e Mat. 13.43 righteous shall shine forth in the Kingdome of their Father with everlasting joy upon their heads A. 2 Again Death was decreed and determin'd of God to seize upon faln sinners in all it kinds and yet we never find that doleful sentence repeal'd as to temporall dissolution in any promise f Joh. 11.25 I am the Resurrection and the Life saies Christ he that believeth in me though he were dead yet shall he live Yea our blessed Lord in his Sermon at Capernaum no less g Joh. 6. then four terms comforts his Disciples with the Doctrin of the Resurrection not that they should not dye but that he would raise them up at the last day Nay even to John himself Jesus h Joh. 21.23 said not that he should not dye But if I will that he tarry till I come what 's that to thee Peter No! both holy Peter and holy John Death is ordain'd as a means to purge and cleanse their bodies from the soil and filth of sin and to fit those sanctified Vessels for the life of glory A. 3 Saints therefore must look upon death with no other aspect then as the greatest bodily affliction which shall or can befall them and that it hath the same ingrediency though in a deeper measure with all the bitter Cups of triall which the Father is pleased to put into their hands They have one common reason and one common end to make them partakers of his holiness Sickness of the holinesse of Grace and Death of the holiness of Glory But are not Saints the members of Christs body Is the head glorified and must the Members pass this State of exinanition Must believers dye Yes and good reason too Should not the members be conformable to their head Ought Christ
from the hony-comb Keep up thy feeling fellowship with God in the closest and choicest reflections upon his love and the fear of death will vanish Make conscience of secret sins and secret duties this will make way for secret communion and sweetly encrease it The more frequent and humbly familiar you are with God in holy reverence the more divine and soul-fainting emanations will flow from his heart to replenish thy soul and enlarge it for glory our a Ps 90.8 secret sins saies Moses are in the light in the broad day light of thy countenance Let 's consider a he sees the least aberration and wandering of our thoughts from his love let 's be as tender to avoid his displeasure as we would be joyfull in the beams of his face let 's b Ps 63 6. remember him upon our beds and meditate on him in the night watches Let 's c Ps 4.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 commune with our own hearts and be still that we may commune with his and be joyfull Silete vacate be still from all passions and hurries give a vacancy to thy Soul to meditate on God and it will still thy fears The more our Souls are wrapt up in this communion the more they dye to the world and live to God Our life is a vapor to dying mortalls but death is a vapor to a living to a lively Saint But now let me end with a caution that 's mixt with a Cordiall A very holy Saint may set in a cloud and arrive at the haven in a storm God's tyed to believers by promise to save them but not to carry them in a Song 3.9 Solomons Chariot of the wood of Lebanon into Heaven Yet it stands firm what David sings in this present Psalm Thou art with me and therefore I 'le fear no evill When the Soul from feeling can chear up its spirits that God is with it It fears not who 's against it God for secret reasons b Luk. 24.16 may hold the eyes of some disciples that they may not know him to shew that all from grace to glory is from free love and that we can challenge neither grace to close with his Covenant nor assurance to discern our adherence The sprinkling of the Conscience from dead works the peace of God that passeth all understanding c Col. 3.15 to rule in our hearts and the joyes of the holy spirit all flow from the same Fountain All our springs are in Zion and bubble up from under the Throne of the Mercy-Seat Yea at the state of Death some ordinary Christians If meek and humble may injoy greater Visions then many gracious holy and sweetly gifted Ministers 'T is not alwayes the strength of Grace but the gift of influence that breeds and nourishes strong and bright assurance A Mary Magdalen shall call Jesus by the name of Rabboni When two experienc'd Disciples shall walk and talk with him many a mile and not see him nor taste him till the evening till the c Luk. 24 29. Supper of Glory But yet 't is rare for holy hearts to want these heavenly Visions The pure in heart shall see him in the Glasse of assurance as well as behold him hereafter face to face CHAP. IX Holy Appeals to God in Prayer great Comforts against Death DAvid was now at Prayer applying and appealing to God at owning and appropriating work telling God that he was with him Did not God know that he was with David Yet but God loves to hear from a Saint that he feels it A Saint must tell God that he feels it not to satisfie him as unacquainted with it For the Lord fills the Soul with himself and known unto the Lord are all his works from the beginning But because God delights to hear that we thankfully own and acknowledge it Thou art with me David speaks it upon his knees and with his Harp in his hands he sings it This Lesson Lord I learnt of thee wilt thou please to hear it Thou art with me in me and thou within me comest unto thy self I am full of thee and therefore my Soul over-flowes to thee Thy love is a fire which hath inflamed my heart and a Excellens sensibile laedit sensum being pent it preyes upon my spirits let it have it 's holy vent into thy bosome It multiplies upon it self and out it must wilt thou accept it For a while let it warm the strings of my Harp as well as of my affection and touch every tone with a flame of love as if a Seraphim had quickened it with a coal from the Altar Then let my Soul like fire ascend before thy Throne winged with that love from whence it came Prayer what is it but a flight of the Soul from it self to God A Soul affected with divine love hath Doves eyes its prayers hath Doves wings and flies with Letters of credence at its feet from the spirit within our Temples unto the holy Oracle within the Vail 'T is in Prayer that David pours out his Soul and sings Thou art with me he sayes not thou wilt be with me but inferres that God would be with him because he was so and therefore I shall fear no evill This God is our God a Ps 48.14 for ever and ever he will be our guide unto death and through death and after b Ps 73.24 death receive us to glory Faith carries the foot of prayer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 b Rev. 14.6 into the midst of Heaven as with Angels wings And as the Lord said to Joshua so may we say to praying Saints a Josh 1.3 every place that the soal of your foot shall tread upon that hath he given you the good land is before you go in and possesse it When we pray we enter the Court of Heaven where the Lord b Exod. 24.10 Ezek. 1.26 sits on a Saphire Throne embellisht with the morning Stars and the Rain-Bow of the Covenant round about him and thousands of Legions of Cherubims to minister to him We are taught by our blessed Saviour to pray Our Father which art in Heaven as if a Saint in prayer should account himself as it were assum'd into Heaven The Father sees us at all times but in prayer we doe Sistere nos coram present our Souls to be seen by him Should our hearts be in heaven when our souls are in prayer what heavenly hearts become so heavenly a presence as God's and so heavenly a quire as the Angells round about him Let 's pray that his will be done as it is in heaven that we be like a kind of earthly Angells that in all our prayers our wills may be hallowed into his d 1 Joh. 5.14 as when we shall come to heaven Then if we ask any thing e according to his will he heareth us To have our wills the best way is to have his holy will to be ours and then we may pray with reverence
behold the upright for the b Ps 37.37 end of that man is peace He 'l give grace and glory and no good thing will he withhold If there be any choicer thing than grace and glory and truly that 's God himself he 'l keep back nothing From whom from such as walk c Ps 84.11 uprightly He 'l shew d Ps 16.11 Ps 23 3 the path of Life but 't is to such as first have been lead by him in the paths of righteousnesse Happy man that can unfeignedly and skilfully tune Hezekiahs Song Remember e Isay 38.3 now now at the point of death O Lord how I have walkt before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight Integrity of hearr and the goodness of his doings are his double appeal at the appearance of death Though the good we have done be very little yet if that little fruit grow from a sanctified root God graciously accepts it because 't is of his own planting As David spake of his royall preparations for the Temple So must we of all our graces duties services f 1 Chron. 29 14. All things come of thee and of thine own have we given thee Do any fragrant spices perfume the air of a Saints discourse Or any pleasant fruits garnish the garden of a Saints life We must invite as the Spouse doth Let g Song 4.16 my beloved come into his garden and eat his pleasant fruits The trees of righteousnesse are h Isai 61.3 of his planting that he may be glorified like the Trees of Lign-Aloes like the Cedars of Lebanon which the Lord hath planted and not man Numb 24.6 and Psal 104.16 i Phil. 2.13 To will and to doe to think and to act the hearts integrity and the lifes sanctity are all from his good pleasure Whoso can enter his appeal at the throne of grace with the testimony of his conscience that k 2 Cor. 1.12 in simplicity and godly sincerity he hath had his conversation in this world may rejoyce at the remembrance of the day of the Lord Jesus and long for its approach Section 3. A third Appeal concerns our love to God Opticks teach us that lines and raies of light come from all parts of a luminous body and traverse and cut one another at innumerable angles but some are centrall from the midst All the affections are but emanations beamings from the heart and will but love is the cardinall centrall ray What we love that sets all the wheels of the Soul in motion Love 's the commandresse of all our forces It a Ps 86.11 unites all the powers under its banner and leads all the squadrons of the soul into the fortress of Gods name The Soul before acquaintance with God was like a bird wandring from its nest but now she hath found where to lay her a Ps 84.3 young even all its unfledg'd desires upon thine altars O Lord of Hosts my King and my God The Soul that 's in love with God loves him only thirsts pants cries after him Whom b Ps 73.25 have I in heaven but thee and none upon earth do I desire beside thee Are there no Saints there no Angels there Yes but they move in the stated inferior Orbs both of their own essence and his affection he mounts higher and the glory of the Sun of Gods countenance eclipses all these Stars that a Saint sees none in heaven to love like God All these he loves in the order of his ascension to the bosome of God A Saint passes by the Angells ascending and descending on Jacobs Ladder till he comes to the embraces of the c Gen. 28.12 13. Lord above at the top of all Non aliud tanquam illum as d Bernard f. 94. b. Bernard heavenly non aliud praeter illum non aliud post illum A Saint loves none like him none besides him none after he hath tasted of his loveliness And again Nec pro illo aliud nec cum illo aliud neâ— ab illo ad aliud convertamur The Soul embraces none in stead of him none in competition with him neither turns about from him to any besides him Bern. p. 77. b. Bonum est magis in camino habere te mecum quam esse sine te vel in coelo It 's better to be with thee in a Furnace then in Heaven without thee A Saint loves heaven for God not God for heaven Heaven is heaven because God is there and where ever God is that place is a Saints heaven As a faithfull Spouse is not taken with the Jewells Bracelets and Ear-rings but the lovely person that gives them 'T is not the place but the person not the Palace but the Prince not the glorious Throne but the Father of Mercies upon it God lov'd first and kindled these holy flames and whither doe they towre but upward into the element of love within his bosome O let my prayer saies David a Ps 141.2 Dirigatur instar coâ—umâ—â— be directed as incense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the love of my heart like a pillar of incense No incense was fragrant to God but what smoaked in the fire that first came down from heaven no love but that which first flasht from God O let our love stream straight upright into heaven in perfumy and spicy pillars not waved by chill blasts of the worlds tentations The Torch of our affections was first kindled from b Ezec. 10.6 between the wheels of the chariot of Cherubims and it lights our winged feet into the Chamber of Presence We have none in heaven to love and none in earth to desire but God Here upon earth there 's nothing desireable but God In heaven there are things desireable but nothing so lovely as God He is the only prime and ultimate object of the Souls satiety Hearken to this c Ps 45.10 O daughter consider his lovely and beautifull glory incline thine ear and forget thy fathers house The memorable relish of the song of divine love inchants the Soul with a holy forgerfulness of old terrene relations So shall the King greatly desire thy beauty O Queen of Zion forget thy black Egyptian Father and all his tawny-moor Princes of the adust race of Cham. Run to the arms of thy Solomon desire him upon earth and love none besides him in heaven and he will greâ—tly desire thy beauty Thy beauty a Alas 't is his beauty that shines upon thee First thy beloved is thine and then thou art his he plants his Lillies and then feeds among them But let 's descend a little and try the pretended love of mortalls by these higher than Lydian touchstones Dost thou love any thing in the world more then God above God beyond God without God and not in order to him How then can d 1 Joh. 3 17. the love of the Father dwell in you Dost thou love him
with us his Crook and his Staffe shall comfort us d Bochar◠de animal l. 2. c. 44. col 459. part 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His Shebet pedum pastorale e Mich. 7.14 Lev. 27.32 his Shepheards Crook to guide and conduct to the Pastures of Glory his Mishgnan his staffe to beat off wild beasts and enemies that might assault and annoy us CHAP. II. Of the Valley of Death DEath 't is compar'd to a Valley to a Valley of shadow to a walk in a Valley to a night walk in this shady Valley of Kidron 1. Death is compared to a Valley While men are alive their feet are set upon a Rock on a high Mountain on the towring Pinnacle of a Temple and oh how hard it is for any to perswade themselves that they shall once step down the precipice into this Valley Every one thinks he may live to morrow be he never so old and the morrow of his thoughts can see no evening But down he must and visit the dark land of his forefathers mansions In the Valley of Kidron were the a Jer 31 40. Jewish Sepulchres on the East-side of the City between the aspiring Mountains of Moriah and Olivet Here the Ravens of the Valley pickt out the b Prov. 30.17 Eyes of disobedient Children Did Jews or Romans who had also their Tombes in the c Liv. Dec. 3. l. 6. Esquilian Mountains on the East of Rome turn their faces to the rising Sun in hope of a resurrection to a future life whatever glances might in spirit their Customes Into this Valley they must all descend and run their appointed race Into this Valley of Kidron through the water-gate was conveyed the Soil and Offall and Filth of the City probably most of their Sewers and Drains had here their vent Here all the d Ashes and refuse of the Sacrifices Jea 31.40 all the recrements and purgations of the Temple found a Lay-stall Death and the grave cover all It s a high pitch of Grace to be humbled unto the death to mingle the dust of our noble bodies with such off-scourings and sullage to converse with the records of rottennesse But so 't is with a Saint he submits his will and yields up his spirit to God To putrifie a while in the Valley of Hinnom that by Heavens Chymistry he may spring up into a Tree of Life in the Garden of Gethsemany Wicked men fret and fume at death and curse the Aple that poysoned nature and some would seem to cheat death by a violent seicide O fool ne moriare mori by a choosing a violent to avoid a natural death by cutting off present terrors to hasten eternall But a Saint like a man in a dark Cavern under a mineral Mountain sees light at the other end by the Eye of Faith He goes down into this Valley leaning upon the Staffe of hope of Christ in him the hope c Col. 1.27 of glory he spies Mount Olivet and the foot-steps of Christs Ascention a Cor. 5.2 He groans to be uncloathed of his filthy garments expecting change of raiment and places to walk among Angels b Zach. 3.7 that stand by and wait upon the Prince of the Covenant He knows that his vile body this c Phil. 3.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 body of humiliation must once be a body of exaltation and fashioned like his glorious body who is able to subdue all things to himself and to carve our bodies into his own image Secondly Death is a valley of shadow a Valley of darknesse Here are Lions Dens and Mountains of Leopards Here be Akrabbims ascents of Scorpions and d Fons Draconis prope Jerusalem Fountains of Dragons and yet f Cant. 4.8 the holy Spouse will go hand in hand with Christ e 1 Cor. 15.57 from the fleeting pleasures of this mortall Lebanon to view and walk in the midst of these tremendous Dungeons The Valley of Kidron of old likely was a dark Valley not only for Rocks and Mountains but pitchy shades and thence might yield a lively symbol of death here might be Trees and Shrubs which not only shut out the healing beams of the Sun but also by their opiate vapors and the exhaling of deadly atomes might lull the brains asleep in the Cradle of Death here might grow the funestous Yew the strong-scented Box that makes the head to fume the melancholy Cypress the soporous Juniper with the Firre here the dark greens of deadly night-shade the grosse Savin and Dulcamara might entwine together and cover many an Asp many a Cockatrice and a Basilisk and plump them with their direfull poysons Does a Saint fear to trace these Regions and to measure the Land of his Captivity No! Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ who gives him victory e 1 Cor. 15.57 His feet are shod with Gospel promises the Iron and Brazen a Deut. 33. shoes of happy Asher fence him from the stings of these b Haseraphim Num. 21.6 Seraphims these fiery Serpents he shall tread upon the Lion and Adder the young Lion and the Dragon shall he trample under foot c Ps 91.13 nay he shrinks not though let down into this Den of Lions seeing the Lion of the Tribe of Judah is with his Daniels And yet darkness this Egyptian darkness carries a load of fear and sadness upon its back it exhales and breaths out terror from every dim hole within the Valley behind every bush lurks a glaring Leopard from the cleft of every Rock the young Dragons hisse out fire and belch venome upon a carnal man He that 's alive to sin may tremble to dye to nature and shrink out and stream to think of the old Serpent sliding through the marrow of his back-bone and upbraid him with bitter scoffs about the forbidden fruit O ye Sons of Men how long will ye love d Ps 2.2 vanity and forget your latter end The length of their love to vanity keeps pace with the line of Life they turn not from it till they turn into it become vanity it self their place know them no more In time of some rowzing Sickness the Bell of Eternity tolls dolefully in their Ears then they say By and by Lord wee 'l come to worship to repent and amend but if a good Crisis lengthen the hopes of life theit gyant-promises sink into Dwarss and their By and by lengthens out its Tenor through many a morrow till the last hour approaches and then the day of invitation from divine grace turns into a day of provocation to the divine anger he that swears in his e Heb. 6.17 love to the Heirs of promise for their strong consolation will f Heb. 3.11 sware in his wrath to the Children of disobedience that delay repentance and harden their hearts at the voice of God they shall never enter into his rest Alas what 's the life of man but a g Jam. 4.14 vapour
appearing for a little while and then vanisheth away Man walks in a vain h shadow while he lives even the shadow of a vapor e Job 8.9 every wind puffs it away and man is not a short lived vapour that lives to be but lives no longer no sooner in being but it flies away and who can gather it what 's all time from the Suns first motion till he turns to sack-cloth but a perishing cut out of the bosome of Eternity scarce worth the name of a point or a moment to it And what then are the few and evill dayes of mans life upon earth like a spark gives a snap and perishes but when he dyes the shadows of a dark of a long a Jer. 6.4 evening are stretcht upon him How wholsome is it to meditate under these shadows By these things b Is 33.16 men live and in all these is the life of our spirit let 's catch these vapours by the hand of contemplation and distill some spiritual Cordials Is life so c Job 7.7 vain a meteor O vainer soul to build castles upon it here 's d Heb. 11.10 no City that hath foundations that 's in heaven men trade and buy and build and plant as if Noah's second flood of fire and brimstone would never come All former ages are wrapt up in the short breath of a history and yet most men live as if they thought their forefathers were by the Art of Magick stept aside in a mist and the story of death but a Poets fable But as e Dion Cass l. 53. p. V 34. Tiberius said of Scaurus that reviv'd an old Tragedy against the Emperor he himself should be Ajax Thou lookst upon Death only as the Tragicall Theam of some sickly over-studied Minister till thou become the Tragedy it self and be invelop't in eternall darknesse to which the shadow of death is but the shadow of missery What makes night but the shadow of the earth and what 's death but the shadow of the grave every night is the shadow of death and every sleep in the bed is next of kin to that in the dust and should raise up the holy seed of meditation to his brother While man lives he walks in a shadow and when he dies he lies down in it A carnall man dies once and rises to judgment but after that to a second death and never rises more A Saint indeed steps down into this first Valley but walks through it to glory The Vale of Kidron was also called the Valley of Tophet and the Valley of a Gehenna Ge-hennon the Valley of Hell From the Valley of the grave wicked men sink into the bottom of Hell But a Saint ascends from Kidron to Olivet Thirdly Death is a Saints walk in this shady Valley King David might but Saint David would fear no evill though he trod this dismall path Christ is gone before b Act. 2.29 the Patriarch and hath left behind him the lustre of his footsteps to inlighten Davids feet in the c Ps 16.11 path to life 'T was not his royall Diadem could dazle the eyes of Death and fright him attaching his Ermine Robes or guard him from appalement at the wan looks of Death Scepters as well as Sheephooks lye snapt in that Valley Purple and Sackcloth are a like begrim'd with the soil of the grave the Worms Table-cloth is spread with the fine Linnen of Egypt no less then the coursest Woollen not greatness but goodness not highness but holiness gains Letters of safe conduct through this Valley All passe through it but a Saint walks through it to the Mountains of Spices Fourthly Death is a night-walk through this shady Valley a Saint is to pass not to stay there 't is a night-walk and there he must walk till the bright morning springs So many Suns must rowl over his body till the Resurrection Then he that d Dan. 12.2 slept in the dust of the earth shall awake to everlasting life When his mouldring Clay being well digested in the Sepulchrall urn shall attain maturity it shall then shine forth a diaphanous splendid and glorious body The sleep of the ancient Heroe-Saints for some thousands of years shall seem but as the sleep of one night Wicked mens souls may be terrified with dreams and visions of horror in that dismall night but a Saint sleeps quiet and sound and with Christs dead body shal he arise he tosses e Ifay 26.19 he tumbles not in this bed of Roses 't is but one fast sleep to a labouring and resting Saint the worm shall suck the nerves of the wicked and feed f Job 25.20 sweetly on him but a Saint feeds sweetly on death 'T is but his refreshment from all the sorrows and toil of his heart hands that he found under the Sun and his works follow him to glory Saints indeed are noctam bulones night walkers in this Valley but 't is not the fruit of undigested Suppers on the worlds Dainties but as a happy pleasure in the bosome of Christ The separate Soul watches his lovely bed-fellow and sings a requiem an Epithalamium a Song of Love towards it Marriage-morning Nay Angels in shining garments sit at the head and feet of a Saints grave When holy David a Ps 8.3 considered Gods Heavens the work of his fingers the Moon and the Stars which he had ordained he considers Man too that God should remember him and the Son of Man that he should visit him what 's Man to a Star to the Sun to the Heavens yet a Saint's of more value to God then numerous Stars or the manifold Orbes of Heaven Was not David now on the Roof of his House by night gazing on that spangled Canopy and pondering on the greatness of the Stars their motion lustre and influence May not a Saint thus meditate upon the night-watches of the grave and look up to the b Gen. 15.5 Stars as so many promises c Ps 89.37 and faithfull witnesses in Heaven When he views the Zodiack he traces the course of the Sun of righteousness he looks upon the Milky Way as the future path of his glorified feet He counts what if each Saint shall have a Star for his Kingdome and yet that all the Stars are but the paintings of the out-houses of that eternal Palace wherein he shall dwell with God When his Fathers face shall visit him with the day-spring from on high and the bright morning Star shall glitter upon the Eastern-Mountains of the Resurrection and proclaim the Suns arising to an eternall Jubile CHAP. III. Of the persons walking in the Valley of Death IN this Valley of Kidron David and Jonathans little Lad must gather up the mortall arrows together Princes and Skullions must do their homage alike in Deaths Kitchin There 's the homely House the Straw Hovell appointed a Job 30. for all living There be the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 b Diodor. Sic. l.
sting of death its venome and poyson be pull'd out by the death of Christ yet our mortality is not abolished Although our Lord hath brought f 2 Tim. 1.10 life and immortality to light through the Gospel in its revelation and consignation to every believer yet not as to its compleat fruition till the day of Christ Then shall this mortall put on immortality and death shall be swallowed up in victory and then shall we render eternall thanks to the Father for giving us this victory g 1 Cor. 15.57 through our Lord Jesus Christ For reign he must till this last enemy also be put under his feet To conquer over death by rising brings more honour to God then to keep our foot from the grave or else Divine Wisdome would not run that course One's th' effect of powerfull manutenency But the other of creating omnipotency Hence as Christ the Naturall so shall Saints be declared the Adopted sons of God a Rom. 1.4 with power by the resurrection from the dead by reason of which union God will also raise them up like their glorious and mysticall head b Act. 2.24 by loosing the pains of death it being impossible for them likewise to be held by it For Christ being risen from the dead is become c 1 Cor. 15.20 the first fruits of them that sleep Our blessed Lord rose at the Passe-over and they shall rise at the day of Pentecost He rose as the head they as members all in their own order shall rise to glory Obj. But some may say Did not Enoch and Elias leap over this Valley of death into heaven Ans True but their translation moved upon the wheels of transmutation equivalent to death as they also who are found alive at the coming of Christ Though they passe not through the strainer of the grave yet they undergo the percolation of a change As the heavens shall d Ps 102.26 perish when they be changed and passe e 2 Pet. 3.10 away with a great noise and the Elements melt with fervent heat neverthelesse we look for new heavens and a new earth not in substance but in quality Even so Elijah though riding to heaven in a chariot of fire and the living f 2 Cor. 15.51 1 Thes 4.17 Saints at our Lords coming in a chariot of aire yet are all by a marvellous change 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 11.5 translated to the vision of God CHAP. VI. Of the Formidable evills in the Valley of Death AS in a Land-skip let us take a quick prospect of those fatall and tremendous evills which cock their Helmets and make bare their Gorgon faces at the entrance in the passage and the utmost end of this direfull Valley 1. At the Entrance when these brazen gates flee open The soul bewitching comforts to which we must bid a longum vale an eternal farewell and those wracking pains which must be felt not on a Palate of Ivory but a Bed of Iron in which this Gyant Procrustes tortures all he catches must needs shoot barbed arrows into the Livers of all impenitent sinners The Phylosopher teaches h Aristot Rhet. l. 7. c. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that change is the sweetest of all things It must be in things to the better or equall at least in goodness to precedent injoyments else 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the bitterest of all To have been fair strong healthfull rich and happy sharpness the edge of present misery cuts the deeper Is not this a dead fly in the box of oyntment a gourd in the pot a snake in the grasse that poysons the joy of all thy comforts Must the amorous smiles of all thy sinfull pleasures corrupt into doleful howlings Here 's the parting style when the sweet embraces of the dearest conjugall relations must surrender up to mortall gripings Here livid and fainty kisses must take leave of pretty children his own bowels pignora chara nepotes those choice pledges of a mans survivall unto himself The friend that 's nearer than a brother must now shake hands and look back to little purpose at this dolesome and dark good-night His fine houses and fair possessions his fruitfull orchards of his own planting and his pleasant gardens with all its rills and fishponds his flowry meadows and beautifull prospects his gamefull parks and woody forrests his dutifull and toiling tenants must all come to his bedside and shake their heads and with dry eyes bid good-even to their old foolish rent-wracking covetous Landlord Then all these flashy thorny joyes that made so great a crackling under his pot having shot some splinters in his eyes and more in 's heart will leave him in thick darkness Then all his false parasites and trencher-guests for a sorry ring else hardly will march with him to the pits side and forsake his memory when closed in a cold stone Besides 't will gawl him to the heart in that hour to think what a feather cap fool a Eccles. 2.19 he leaves for his heir that will turn upon his left heel and twit the miser when he sees his chests all lined with gold and sorrow for nothing but that he shall never more have so true a drudge Then out goes the young Ruffian with the fork upon his shoulder to France and Venice to learn carriage among Whores Banditos and riotous persons till penury forces his belly to fellow common with a Luk. 15.30 16. Swine and quatrell with hogs for their husks and at length can hardly crawl home to the Surgeons Shop Are not these sweet Flowers for his memory to smell to And a soveraign Cordiall against the assaults of Death But were this all 'T were no match for a Roman Spirit No no! proud worldlings before departure often conflict with fearfull torments Agags b 1 Sam. 15 32. bitternesse of death arrests their souls and make their Spirits stagger The c Ps 18.4 116.3 pains of Death and of Hell get hold upon them These deadly sorrows switch them with such smart lashes Ut se sentiant mori as to leave lingring pains with strong and biding Convulsions Like Tiherius that cruell Tyrant when tormenting of Asinius Gallus told him he was not yet reconciled and therefore would not permit him to dye d Dion .. Cass in Tiber p. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That he might count life a punishment and death a great benefaction Like the stroke of these c Rev. 9.6 Scorpions when men shall seek death but not find it and shall desire to dye but Death shall flee from them So sharp and pungent are these invenomed shafts f Job 7.15 that the soul chooses Strangling and death rather then life They are called g Act. 2.24 12. the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the pains of death the acute pains of a woman in travell when God shall h Job 33.19 chasten men with pains upon their Beds and the multitude of
their bones with strong pain when every bone shall have its pang and every pang from the strong arm of God oh how dreadfull to fall into the hands i Heb. 10.31 of the living God They are pains indeed which God calls pains when the soul shall be torn and rent from its beloved twin oh the tendons crack and the nerves with startling dolour snap in sunder We read of one but sick of the Palsie and yet k Mat. 8.6 grievously tormented When the Lord smites persons l Deut. 28.22 with Consumptions Feavers Inflamations and extream burnings oh what tossings and tumblings and pinings with wearisome hours when torn and grinded by the Stone or wrackt by the gout what tongue can express their miseries For a Herod to be eaten up of a Act. 12 23. Worms and such little wretches to pull a Prince piece-meal and to run away unquestioned For Jehorams b 2 Chron. 21.19 bowels to fall out by reason of his sickness and poyson his Courtiers For Asa to lye howling of the Gout and make all Jerusalem ring with his roaring Should not these tidings of three miserable Monarchs cool the fury and tame the madness of the Bedlam Hectors of our age To ruminate upon these terrors of death these painfull throws when men pour out their souls in dreadfull agonies methinks should take them a peg lower and put their carier in sin to a pause They who taste of the Cup of Death find it more bitter than Wormwood more venemous then the poyson of Asps all squeez'd into it Such as are under the gastly view of Death behold a griefly fearfull Monster that scares the bloody Heroes and vainglorious Gallants into exquisite horrors Obriguere comae vox faucibus haesit Their hait stands an end and their tongue faulters with amazing fears It has a direfull sting more horrid then a Scorpion or a Dragon This Cup unlesse sweetned with a lively sense of a gracious promise there 's no laying of your lips to it This fiery flying Serpent unlesse eased of his sting there 's no dallying with it in their bosomes for fool-hardy sinners Well might c Sueton. in Cas c. 87. Caesar wish a sudden and Augustus d Id. in Aug. c. 99. an easie Death who had beheld many astonishing spectacles in their long and bloody wars which might pierce hearts of Adamant and melt the most brawny and flinty breast and run down the most stoical Apathies into Rivers of mournfull Sympathies and compassions Methinks it should awaken snorting formalists to admit into the Hall of Conscience the Ecchoes of the roaring Elegies of such who dye as the historian phrases e Id. in Cas c. 88. non morte sua not a natural but a violent death when this Lion rampant rends the Soul from the body as he would the f Hos 13.8 Caul of a Kids heart When death shall meet them as a Bear bereaved of her Whelps or an evening Wolf that hath lurkt close in g Ps 104.20 her Den all the day long of a sinners life and comes forth barking at night and sharp set for her prey Then they are forc'd to drink deep of the wine of violence and to sup up the Cup of the avenger Then they a Job 15.33 shake off their unripe Grapes as the Vine and cast off their Flower as the Olive But alas the pains of naturall or the pangs of violent death are but the stinging of Gnats or Flea-bites to a scorched conscience and inflamed by the wrath of God When men come to dye and have trifled away pretious hours with Rattles and childish Baubles and the silly jingling Hobby-horses of Court or Country and at that turning point of Eternity have forgotten to make their peace with God then Conscience rowzes up like a Gyant refresht with the wine of Sodom and the Grapes of Gomorrah When the grinning Furies lasht the goatish Soul of Tiberius for all his Villanies within the dark and dismall Dungeon of his unclean breast Oh! who would not tremble to think of those goring wounds those secret and invisible tortures which wrackt his Soul and stretcht his tormenting imaginations upon the Devils Tenter-Hooks See how a Tacit. An nal l. 5. p. 107. Edit Basil 1544 Tacitus breaks forth upon the Theme Si recludantur Tyrannorum mentes posse aspici laniatus ictus had we Casements into the hearts of Tyrants the dreadfull marks of the Steel whips of Conscience would appear with bloody gashes And as b Dio. in Nerone l. 63. Dion the Historian speaking of the horrors of Nero neer the time of his death for the assasination of his Mother and other brutish crimes sayes that if a Whelp did but howl or a Hen cackle or the arm of a Tree creak by a strong wind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was in a wofull anguish Oh how the wires of Megaerae fetcht blood and gobbets at every stroak from his Soul When God shall pour the scalding Lead of his wrath into these fresh wounds when the Law thunders from Mount Sinai and the lightnings of Paran glitter about him Then c Hab. 3.16 their bellies tremble their lips quiver at the voice and rottennesse enters into their bones When sin comes home to the Soul on a death-bed and accosts him as the Souldier did d Pollio in Mario p. 538. Ed. Lug. B. Marius the Black-smith and Triduan Emperor Hic est gladius quem ipse fecisti Here 's the Sword of thine own hammering and shaking it in the face of a sinner cries look how it shines 't is thine own furbishing Then wo to him who hath enlarg'd his desire as Hell and encreased that which is not his and laden himself with thick clay Then fain would he vomit up his sweet morsells but no Emetick of the shop can help him no Squills no Roots in Nicander can fetch them up Then they abhor to remember what they cannot forget and the eyes of their fancy are as quick and venemous as a Bafilisk Then with their robberies of Peter they would pay off Paul and for their defrauding of Ministers would give tenfold Tithes and with the ruins of old Abbayes and Mannors by oppression depopulations of Villages that they may a Isa 5.8 be alone in the midst of the earth in all haste they patch up Chappell 's Schoolls and Work-houses But God hates the Sacrifices of dying and putrilaginous bodies the Incense that oppressors offer proves the savour of death unto death he counts the sighs of their fleeting Spirits like the steams of rancid dung-hills which the fire of Hell sends up not the beams of his countenance who is now departed No warning pieces before could alarm them No blazing Comets could awaken or startle them though b Mantil Astrinom l. 1. p. 27. that of Mantilius be true in all ages Nunquam futilibus excanduit ignibus aether Never did blazing Comets shine in vain
in Innocency and round about the Throne in this Majesticall Temple-Session angelicall Cherubims full of eyes cry night and day f Rev. 4.8 Holy holy holy Lord God Almighty who was and is V. 5. and is to come and from out of the Throne proceed lightnings and thunderings and voices At so radiant and tremendous a Spectacle in such a glorious and orient Theatre how can the direfull persecutors of the Church look up O how they creep to the Rocks for some hole some cleft to pitty them O Nimrod Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezar O Nero Trojan and Dioclesian whither will ye run from the face of the Lamb that sits on the Throne who with his fulgent Eyes searches and pierces to the Center of the Universe O Pope of Rome and thy cursed Shavelings It s in vain now to stand poring on g Bern. de Consid ad Eugen f. 237. h. Bernards good monitions to thy stubborn Predecessor Eugenius O Bonner and Gardiner what will become of you and your â—ccessâ—râ— for pushing and goring and letting out the blood of Saints all in the Book of Martyrs Remember James Abbes and the a Fox Martyrs Vol. 3. p. 956 c. Ed. 1641. Sheriffs Servant at Bury who railing at that faithfull Martyr was strook with madnesse and cried out James Abbes is the Servant of God and is saved but I am damn'd and inveighed at the Priest that brought him the Hoste that he and such were the cause of his damnation Is it so terrible before hand in the presentiments and preaccusations of Conscience before that great and fearfull Day of the Lord come What will be the horror of execution when the blood which is dryed up in prisons as well as drawn forth by whips and flames shall be weighed to a drop and a grain in the ballance of this righteous Judg. So much b Rev. 18.7 torment and sorrow give them Then the Beast shall be taken and with him that false Prophet the Pope that wrought Miracles before him Both these shall be cast alive into the Lake of Fire burning with Brimstone Then they that c Rev. 14.10 c. worship the Beast and his Image and receiv'd his Mark in Hand or Forehead shall be tormented with Fire and Brimstone in the presence of the holy Angells and in the presence of the Lamb the smoak of their torment shall ascend for ever and ever They shall have no rest day nor night who ador'd the Beast or his Image or received the Mark of his Name And this brings me to the last Consideration and that 's Eternity The misery of Hell could I speak it properly were it to end but a moment on this side Eternity either in blisse or abatement of pain or compleat annihilation 't were a soveraign Cordiall The memory of it would be a cooling drop day by day upon the tongue of every Dives to keep it from blistering into blasphemy But to ponder upon this dreadfull Ever and to champ upon it to Eternity it s a thousand times more bitter then Wormwood Aloes or Coloquintida 'T is to swallow down the wine of astonishment and to pledg one another d Deut. 30.33 with the poyson of Dragons and the cruell venome of Aspes I dare any wicked man in the world to run on in their follies with any serious apprehensions of Eternity Clem Alexandr Strom. l. 1. p. 222. Edit Lug. B. or calm convictions of it upon their Spirits Poor Heathens have highly asserted the Souls immortally and common reason evinces that there can be no communion between God and Belial light and darkness can't associate If the Soul be immortall and its union to â—od be the life of the Soul must it not when God's absent absent for ever from all unholy persons lye down in Eternall death He that walketh in light 1 John 1.6 7 c. dwelleth and hath fellowship with the Father and with the Son But he that lives and dies in darkness can never come to or abide in Eternall Light But must be cast out into utter darkness where is weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth I know there be such in our daies or else I should not mention it who would fain tamper with the false doctrin of Origen and like his weak Disciples would perswade themselves that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Hebr. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Greek often note but a stated determination of time and therefore may be so understood in this case Poor wretches will they hazard their all upon a pittifull conjecture a jejune criticism in Grammar and run fool-hardy upon the pikes of divine vengeance and the thick bosses of his Bucklers under the thin covert of a words acceptation sometimes in that sense in Scripture when the nature of the matter and the force of the context obliges should you not rather deeply weigh and ponder upon those places where the damnation of the wicked is opposed to the eternall salvation b Dan. 12.2 Mat. 25.46 Jude 7 21 22. of the Godly Do you believe eternall life for the Saints and shall the wicked who come not into a life of grace shal they after a set race of years be raised to glory Such as never repent never close with Christ never fly to the promise while here and is there any repentance in the grave or remission of sins O fool twice dyed in grain that darest to venture thy Soul upon the punctilio of a word Nay is not that very word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used and applyed to the divine c Rom. 16.26 Heb. 9.24 Majesty who inhabits eternity and dwelleth in the inaccessible light Nay are there not other cogent expressions setting out the perpetuity of that estate in misery where their word is absent with which they play their lives at stake Is there not a dolefull d Mat. 5.26 Rev. 1.18 prison which no man can unlock or break through or be let forth till he pay the utmost farthing Is there not a place where the a Mark 9.44 46 48. worm of Conscience dies not and the fire shall never be quencht Are these but dry metaphors Take heed thy Soul be not the dreadfull fiery comment that thou sinck not into b Luk. 16.26 that great gulf c Riv. 20.3 that bottomless-pit If thou wilt be d Pro. 9.12 wise be wise for thy self and believe on the Son e Joh. 3.36 to everlasting life he that beliveth not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him O Souls will you warm your thoughts and unfreeze your security at that fearfull fire will you open your eyes at the sight of that horrible darkness Fire that yields no light and flames that are thick with darkness O monstrous misery A cohabitation with Devills The Drum of the Ears even tingles and is broken in pieces with distracted roarings of men and devills and
Ps 23.1 my shepherd I shall not want a full Table trickling Oil a running Cup are Davids portion Such a child that hath a God to his Father V. 5 fears no want Such a Lamb that hath a God to his Shepheard fears no evill His crook and his staffe shall comfort him Here 's green Pastures and pleasant Rivers in the very Valley of Death Faiths prospect of Heaven transports a Saint He sees Deaths Valley but 't is a Gilden Vale. 'T is a narrow Valley he leaps it over with his Shepheards staffe Faiths eyes are strong and its legs nimble He takes his rise from the promise and no sooner dies but is over Kidron At death carnall mens eyes are dim no spectacle no optick Glasse can help them to spie Jerusalem A Saint like Moses hath b Deut. 34.7 strong eyes nor is his natural moisture fled He stands upon the Pisgah of his own Tomb and sees crosse the whole Land of Canaan to the utmost c V. 2. even the Mediterranean Sea Others at death how feeble are d Eccl. 12.3 the knees of their Souls their hands the keepers of their house tremble and their thigh-bones the strong men bow themselves But the feeblest of the inhabitants of Zion I speak of such as stand in specula visionis e Zach. 12.8 in the watch-tower of Faith and look through the glasse of assurance they shall be as David in that day and the house of David shall be as God as the Angell of the Lord before them As David but why as David Sure strong was the faith and piercing the eye of David that saw glory so clearly through all the thick Fogs Mists of the Valley 'T was God was with him that cleared his eyes and pointed with his hands as he did to Moses and f Deut. 34.1 4. caused him to see it But neither Moses nor Aaron must enter to shew that the ceremoniall no nor the morall Law can't waft us over the Brook to Canaan But David the Prince of the new Covenant he shall tread down the Cananites and on his head shall his Crown flourish David the Subject had Daved the g Ps 84.3 King with him David the Servant had David the Son the Son of Jesse had the Son of God for h Ps 110.1 his Lord and Captain And whose Faith shall not flowre by Christs watering and whose fear shall not wither at his presence who fears death when this Shepherd sustains who fears his arriving to Heaven if a God if a God in Covenant if my God and my Father lead me Thou art now with me saies David I 'le not fear for shortly I shall be with thee Gods with us here but we are with him in heaven here drops of Heaven slide into us there we shall swim in heavens Ocean Here a little of the oil of joy trickles into our hearts from a Ps 133.2 the head of Christ there we shall b Mat. 25.21 enter into the fulness of our Lord and Masters joy here it enters into us and there we enter into it But still by virtue of his presence thou art with me and the vigor of his conduct thou shalt lead me Thou art with me to bring me to thee Thy Crook and thy Staffe they comfort me and why For they protect and guide me to thy holy Hill and to thy Tabernacles Thou wilt shew me the path of life At c Ps 16.11 thy tight hand are pleasures for evermore of all these five I hope to treat in their order If God permit CHAP. VIII Experimentall feelings of the Divine presence choice Comforts to a Saint at Death THou hast made known unto me the wayes of life and what followes Thou d Act. 2.28 shalt make me full of joy from thy countenance Gods face darts one beam of light on the path of a Saint to shine upon his way to glory another beam and that 's of joy upon the heart of a Saint to oil his motion And all but beams yet warming beams and experienc'd beams to hasten him to the Sun it felf A Saint ha's now but beams of joy and blessed be God for beams and such beams as direct and attract to the Sun it self to that Sun of joy to that fulness of joy in his countenance Saints look unto him and their c Ps 34 5. faces are enlightned our looking to God makes us look like him and the neerer to him the more we are like him Gods countenance is of a changing and transforming nature When God lookt upon Moses but through a chinck how did his face shine how lovely was it as well as glorious God smiles on a Saint in love and a Saint reflects upon God with joy But Saints have not only good looks from God but free entertainment He maketh me to lye down in green pastures he leadeth me beside the still waters he restoreth my soul he leadeth me in paths of righteousness for his Names sake oh how the cool Etesian gales from the rivers of the spirit in ordinances revive and refresh a Saint The experience of present mercies dispells the fears of future evills I will fear no evill for thou art with me God never forsakes a soul in covenant never withdraws his reall though sometimes his visible communion I foresaw the Lord alwaies a Act. 2 2◠27. before my face therefore my heart rejoices c. because thou wilt not leave my soul in the grave By nature Gods not with us but when once the day spring from on high doth visit us grace never sets in an evening whether we sleep or wake we are still with God Here 's the point to know aright that God is with us and we with him Whether we have walkt with God and he with us If Enoch walk with God then God will take him He that walks with God pleases God b Gen. 5.24 The Septuagint render the Hebrew word for walking by pleasing God and the Spirit of God delights in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and uses the same c Heb. 11.5 when treating of Enoch in the New Testament to shew what pleasure God takes in them that walk with him If we walk with God we have fellowship and communion with him God d 1 Joh. 1.6 7. is light and if we walk in light we walk with him Light is holiness and a holy person walks in light and dwells in God le ts not spot our garments and we shall walk with him in white e Rev. 3.4 The fine linnen of holiness alas what Saint doth keep it clean we must wash it daily in the Laver of the Spirit or else no company for a holy God The best of our linnen is but course and yellow it s well if it be sincere and true but then it shall shine with raies of glorious light and be laced and beautified with admirable gifts The Queen f Ps 45.14 shall be brought
in war warmth influenced into thy Soul by sitting under the b Ps 91.4 Feathers of the Almighty under the wings of the Cherubims in his holy Oracle Art rhou warm'd by Ordinances and inflamed in thy affections to God and through a holy cherishing vitall heat Can'st say with David thou art with me then humbly infer I will fear no evill He that walks in c Ps 89.15 the light of Gods face and under the warmth of his wings no evill frights him no Lion in the way turns him aside from the paths of holiness A righteous man under the sense of the flowings in upon him of the righteousness of Christ is as bold as a Lion and makes all the beasts of the forrest tremble He playes with that huge d Job 41.2.5 Leviathan of Death as with a Bird and bores his jaw with a thorne The head of this e Ps 74.14 Crocodile is meat for his Soul in the wilderness he spreads a banquet for his companions and parts him among his spirituall merchants he makes a gain of death and feeds upon the Destroyer For f 1. Cor. 3.21 death is his because he is Christs and Christ is Gods He carries the g Rev. 2.17 white stone of absolution in his bosome and fears not the day of Judgment Christ is h Gal. 1.16 revealed in him and so shall his glory The i Col. 1.27 Eph. 3.17 dwelling of Christ in his heart by faith is not only the bode of glory but roots and grounds him in love and inlarges his Soul to comprehehend with all Saints the interminable bounds the unmeasurable dimensions the unintelligible knowledge of the love of Christ till he be filled with all the fulness of God Though as yet he sees not Christ by the eye of sense yet he is enamour'd with him by the eye of love from the optick nerve of Faith and k 1 Pet. 1.8 rejoices with joy unspeakable and full of glory A Saint cannot conceive the greatness of Christs love nor utter the exuberancy of his own joy As the love of Christ flowes in so his joy swells overflowes and tides it into the bosome of Christ He is as full of heaven as he can hold and is ready to take his Phoenix-flight upon the wing of an extasie into Paradise But where 's the Saint that injoyes such heavenly feelings of the presence of God Did we search our experiments to feel our feelings and tast our tastings of God More would find the Well and drink the waters of assurance Ut nemo in sese tentet descendere nemo Will no man dive into his breast To seek the face of such a guest Hast thou a Well of living waters within thee and ne're a Bucket A Fountain and ne're a Bason of Meditation Be a worthy Souldier of Gideon a Judg. 7.5 6. lap with the hand of Faith b Bochart de animal parti col 674. hasten and conquer the Midian of tentation O how it strengthens the nerves inspirits and puts a new life in the sinews of these Champions of valour to fight the Lords Battails A sense a tast of the waters of divine love makes a conquering Saint Like Sampson at death slayes all his Philistins destroyes their God and their Temple together What the touch of God upon the heart is may be better felt then exprest and what ye can express none understands but he that feels None hear these Unison strokes but Virgin-Souls that have learnt b Rev. 14.3 the Song of the Lamb No stranger intermedles with a c Prov. 14 10. Saints bitterness at first conversion nor the sweet fruit of joy in assurance These spices grow in the d Song 4 12 enclosed garden bitter are they in the root and taste at first but send forth a fragrant scent when pounded in the Mortar of Meditation These waters flow from a Fountain sealed like the head of Nilus but at length by their nitrous streams impregnate all the champion plains of the Soul with fertile and teeming joyes A Saint distills them into Spirits of consolation and then like an expert Chymist circulates all his duties and graces in the closed glasse of experience at the Sun of Gods countenance into an oyl of joy 'T is etheriall and volatile and comforts all that mourn ' I is fragrant wine and highly balsamicall fit for a sick beloved it e Song 7.9 goes down sweetly causing the lips of those that are asleep to speak The love of God is a glorious object seen by the eyes of the Soul turn'd inward Experience is like the chrystalline humour through which and Meditation is like the tunica a Spigel Anat fol. p. 301. Bartholin 80. p. 351 Ed Lug. B. 1651. retina the Network-Coat of the Eye upon which the various kinds and species of divine love are cleerly discern'd Like as the curious varieties of all manner of objects are brought into darkned rooms by convex glasses So 't is with a Saint in the private room of contemplation when his glasse is placed in the roof of his Soul and all worldly objects are shut out a heavenly heart lets in only the admirable things that come from above All that 's in Heaven flowes in and paints the Chambers of the Soul like Solomons Temple within and adorns a holy heart in lively colours with Palm-Trees and Cherubims The Queen is all glorious b Psal 45.13 within Her clothing of wrought Gold from the Isle of Ophir her garments of Phrygian Needlework But all these ornaments beautifie the heart within The Kings c Song 7.5 Galleries within the Soul are hung with the Arras of Grace and Tapistry Stories of Gods love from Election to Salvation from Heaven to Heaven Lift up your heads ye everlasting d Ps 24.9 dores that the King of glory may enter and there e Song 7.12 receive his loves Naked innocency and godly simplicity holy integrity and unblameable purity of life are a Saints outward ornaments the choicest lustre and radiancy shines in the presence Chamber The Soul that has it beholds it with unsatiable delight enjoyes it and is even inebriated and scarce it self with the pleasant draughts of this cordiall Nectar It drinks abundantly of this holy anodyne to asswage its sorrows The joyes of Heaven pour'd in from the golden cup of assurance is a choice opiative against death It perverts not but exalts the intellectualls and translates a Saint in a trance to glory Hast thou then any spirituall senses are they f eâ—ercised to discern both good and evill Heb. 5.14 Canst thou tast the bitter evill of death in the forbidden fruit and cure that mortall gust with the g Rev. 2.7 Tree of Life in the midst of the Paradise of God Eph. 1.21 2. Hath the h Head of Principalities and Powers commanded away the Cherubims with their flaming Swords from the gates of Eden Has the Prince of Life called
of my impure affections that my Soul may appear like glittering gold seven times purg'd by the fire of thy love Nay Lord thus David appeals thou c V. 1. hast searched and known me and oh how precious are thy d V. 17. thoughts unto me O God how great is the sum of them Thy thoughts of me and my thoughts of thee how precious to me O God how great is the sum of them Thy thoughts of electing love of justifying and sanctifying grace Nay thou hast thoughts for e 2 Sam. 7.19 a great while to come A great while indeed for they are thoughts of eternall f Jer. 31.3 love Thy thoughts in number transcend the sands on the Sea-shore the hairs of my head and the stars of heaven Archimedes may number the sands Spigelius the hairs and Hipparchus the visible stars But who can expend thoughts commensurate to the love of God The circle of his love cannot be squared nor its cubick root extracted We may study and pray g Eph 3.18 to comprehend with all Saints the glorious love of God in Christ But still it passeth knowledge and surmounts our numbers Well might David when waking h Ps 139.18 be still with God In the morning watches when his Soul was freshest his thoughts warmest his parts quickest while the yet-remaining darknesse presented no diverting objects to his eyes and the deep silence of the night distracted not his audience with various clamours Then David hath his Songs in the night Ps 30.29 as in the holy Solemnities Then does he meditate on the divine love and remember God i Ps 63.6 upon his Bed His wonderfull works and the thoughts of God concerning him he professes they could not be reckoned up in order before him Though he was stil with God searching and following after him yet l Joh 11.7 could not find out the Almighty to perfection But yet the holy man holds fast his confidence For thou art with me and I with thee God with us keeps us with him Doe our desires and affections hast after him they 'le bring in the food of assurance that he is ours Talem illum invenies saies Gerson a Gerson de Mendicitate spiritual f. 75. a. Op. 3. part qualis tu fueris in tuis desideriis Our spirituall desires longing and panting after God interpret and manifest the gracious motions of the divine love to us The more we seek him the sweeter we find him and the more we trust him the more he loves us Let us with David in all our straits make to him as our rock our refuge our strong Castle our Fortresse our City of Defence and Munition of Rocks b our Waters shall never fail and our bread shall be sure is 33.6 Appeals to God To Appeal to the Majesty of Heaven is a matter of most important moment because of his omniscience omnipresence his exactnesse in justice and judgment If our hearts c 1 Joh. 3.10 condemn us God is greater and knoweth all things but if our heart acquit us then have we confidence towards God yea d And 4.17 in the day of Judgment To be scalded with condemnation from conscience and from God too is double judgment and our hearts condemnation is but the harbinger to Gods Conscience is but the Prison till execution and if the earthly Prison be so noisome and dismall what 's the eternall It behoves all therefore that dare appeal to God to examine and try their hearts with impartiall strictnesse before they turn about their faces to heaven David spends the largest part of an excellent Psalm in choice ruminations upon the divine attributes and the works of God on his former experiences and deep meditations upon the all-searching eye of God before he dares to make an essay of a reverent e Ps 139.23 appeal unto him Holy Paul makes small account of being judg'd by the Church or by morall men or his own conscience in comparison with f 1 Cor. 4.3 4. divine judgment Our heart is g Jer. 17.9 deceitfull above all things who can know it But the Lord is a God of knowledg and by him h 1 Sam. 2.3 actions are weighed The ballances of the Sanctuary will turn at a grain of the least action yea at the thousandth part of a thought His 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his piercing and searching eye enters the innermost parts of the belly His eyes doe behold his eye-lids i Ps 11.4 try the children of men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Explorabunt They search into the hearts and pry into the reins of men The Lord sits in specula aeternitatis upon the watch-tower of glorious Majesty and discerns all the secrer recesses and caverns of the hearts of Men and Angells The Metaphor seems to be taken from Souldiers that stand upon the guard on a high Tower to observe and ken the approaching enemy When men doe connivere oculis even close their eyes and make as it were a small portion of a Tube with their eye-lids to exclude the light and discern objects the clearer or like refiners that look narrowly into the Crucible or Cople to discern when the melted Gold gathers into a clear and pure circle and hath cast out all its drosse All this is to shew with what nicenesse and accuratenesse the Lord doth pierce into the hearts of men When we consider the excellency of the searcher the curiosity of his observation that nothing escapes the Eagle eye of his Omnisciency when we ponder upon the purity of his Judgment and the equity of his tremendous tribunall who should not fear before him and tremble at his imperiall Majesty For who can stand If he doe but a Ps 143.2 enter into Judgment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ne veniat let him not come toward the work saies the Psalmist unlesse we can stand before him To impose upon men is base hypocrisie but to impose upon the Maker and searcher of hearts is cursed Atheism abominable impudence b Ps 14.1 2 4. and corrupt folly of the works of iniquity When we enter our appeals before God we imply his all-searching providence his avenging hand his acquitting justice his pardoning grace the resurrection of the dead and the dreadfull Judgment-Seat of Christ ' Ev 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon this account c Act. 24.16 2 Cor. 5.2 saies Paul we exercise our selves in having a conscience void of offence in the sight of God that the d Ps 19 14 meditation of our heart may be acceptable in his sight our Strength and our Redeemer As to the matter of our appeals in prayer there are but four cases whereof I would treat in respect to our comforts at death Isa 33.16 Section 1. Our first Appeal may be about the integrity and sincerity of our hearts Not that we have escap'd all outward sins or perform'd all inward duties or can absolve our selves from a Ps
19 12. secret faults or are purely cleansed from all the stains of hypocrisie But that the bent of the heart is to God that the constant pointing of the needle of our love is to heaven that we approve no sin not the least intumescence fermentation or rising of an evill thought without actuall combate or at least a serious inward habituall displicency of heart against it springing from that radicall hatred which is in us through grace against the least concupiscence Though when we b Rom. 7.22 would doe good evill be present with us yet there is a chrystall fountain of delight in the Law of God bubbling from the inward man that cleanses and carries away the very soil of our thoughts This holiness of heart conformity of will to the Law of God flowes from the grace that dwelleth in us Thou art with me saies David A holy God makes the heart holy the heart of a Saint by the light of holiness sees God a holy God to be with it In c Ps 36.9 thy light we doe see light the light of grace and we shal see light even the light of glory Many infirmities are and will lurk in the choicest of Saints The Ivy of sin will shoot its roots and fibres into the joints and cracks of our Mud-walls but when these fall that shall wither A Saint is alwaies hacking at the boughs of actual and stubbing at the root of originall sin His sincerity makes him to lay about him and though he can't appeal Lord I have no sin yet thus he can Lord be mercifull to me a sinner d Ps 51.9 Hide thy face from my sins the face of thy justice the face of thine anger and look upon the e Ps 84. â— face of thine anointed within the vail f Ps 55.1 hide not thy self from my supplications g Ps 119.19 hide not thy commandments from me O h Ps 69.17 hide not thy face from thy Servant I am i Ps 119.94 thine Lord save me for I have sought thy Precepts I have kept the waies of the Lord and have not k Ps 18.21 wickedly departed from my God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have not dealt so wickedly as to go away from God and his holy wayes through the tentation of any wickednesse Not as if there were any departure from God that were not wicked but I have not committed so great a wickednesse as to fall away from the wayes of God His Judgments a Ps 18.22 were before my face and I did not put away his Statutes from me Neither his Statutes in respect to purity of worship nor his judgments that is his judiciall Law in respect to morall obedience Therefore the Lord hath recompensed me according to the cleannesse of my hands in his b V. 24. eye sight To wash our hands in the Laver of the Sanctuary before his eyes because he sees them not because men see their impurity David would not rake in any foul dunghill of sin or pollute his fingers with the pitch of bribery or the sanies the ulcerous matter of any corruption because God saw him Nay I was upright c V. 23 before him and have kept my self from mine iniquity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have guarded watcht and strictly observed my self as to mine own iniquity whatever it were ambition lying or any fruits of a sanguine complexion Can'st thou thus appeal to God in Prayer that thou keepest thine eye upon God and that the eying of his face guards thy heart from sin Thou may'st then cheerfully infer that God is with thee that he will enlighten the lamp of thy Soul with the light of his love and thus lift up thy Soul with David The Lord my God will enlighten my darknesse and though I walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death I will fear no evill for thou wilt be my guid to glory Section 2. A second Appeal may flow from a retrospect a reflection on a well spent life He that hath faithfully appealed about the sincerity of his heart may doubtlesse reap his Sheaves with joy from the Harvest of a holy life For out of the abundance of the heart d Mat. 12.34 the mouth speaketh the hand worketh and the foot runneth In whose hearts are the a Ps 84.5 waies of them that passe through the Valley of Bacah up to the Temple of Beracah Such as have Gods holy waies in their hearts want not feet to walk and run in them when the heart is in the foot it runs nimbly like a Roe or a young Hart upon the Mountains of Bether They goe from strongth to strength till they all appear before him in Zion Thy law is in b Ps 40.7 8 my heart that 's the root of obedience and therefore lo I come to thee When the heart believes the c Rom. 10.10 mouth confesses unto Salvation when the heart is fixed settled and calmed from carnall fears then d Ps 57.7 108.1 the tongue praises the harp warbles and the ten-string'd Instruments of the Soul make the Temple-Marbles to ring aloud of his glory When the heart bubbles up with a good matter e Ps 45.1 then the tongue becomes the pen of a ready writer The body alas is but the f Rom. 6.13 weapon the organ and altar of the soul When some persons are impeacht of an ungodly life they retort let every one answer for himself their hearts are good and that they are no hypocrites But can hearts be good when lives be naught or can lives be unholy when hearts be gracious Such as the vein is such will the metall prove that 's melted from it as the fountain such is the stream as the root such the fruit like star like influence The Pleiades will soften with showres and Orion will bind with frost The cause and its effects are of the same blood and kindred Out g Pro. 4.23 of the heart are the issues of life naturall carnall and spirituall Whoever can look back on a well ordered conversation to him shall be shewn h â—s 50.23 the Salvation of God He that hath his Quiver full of holy works may shoot at this enemy Death in the gates The ungodly cannot i Ps 1.5 stand in Judgment but he that delights in the Law of the Lord whatever he doth shall prosper when holinesse hath taken root in the heart it blossomes and flowers in peace of conscience and joy of the Spirit and brings forth pleasant fruits in the conversation and goodly spices in the hour of death Like the Psalmist in his affliction so a Saint at death comforts himself with the holy Songs he had warbled in his youth The end of the wicked is to be cut off Ps 77.6 and a Prov. 14 32. he is driven away in his wickednesse but the righteous he that hath walkt uprightly hath hope in his death Mark the perfect and