Righteousnes we are discharged of transgressions besides Christ our Redeemer there is no other Sauiour Hosea 13. ver 4. Dearely beloued brethren wee are all by vicinity and cohabitation but Christs by Faith and hope our Habitation is by Christ in Heauen He is the guide of our loues in the true loue and feare of Almighty GOD in whose loue if our heartes bee guided feare we not for the waiting and last comming of Christ wee are now each one of vs to learne to seperate and withdraw our selues from still walking inordinately seeke wee all to become ensamples to be followed for sanctified liues and not of sloath and idlenesse aske your soules my Christian brethren with what price and from what misery you are now Redeemed and ransomed not others but thou and I also must warn our selues from each loath-some and haynous sinne and carefully all our liues hereafter weane our soules and senses both from each former sinne and transgression and future sense alike So seperate thy selfe from sin that of a sinner thou mayest become a a Saint and a true seruant of the liuing GOD. Admit a King take to Wife a woman of a low estate and birth making her Queene of all his Dominions will not hee both looke and commaund of her to cast off her olde attire and to leaue her former both company and behauiour composing her selfe to a most Court-like carriage Now tell me hath not the King both of Heauen and Earth Iesus Christ married our soules vnto himselfe in Truth and Righteousnesse Many haue in their hope health and happinesse and in a night all quite vanished before morning wee poore miserable and dispised wretches must all consider this that our goodnesse reacheth not GOD but his Goodnesses reach and extend vnto vs in that our hearts are raysed to haue still our confidence and onely trust in our Redemer and All-sufficient Sauiour Christ Iesus without whom we haue neyther safety nor sure comfort nor confidence GOD must haue keepe and still retayne in his owne custody Gouernment and prerogatiue in keeping each thing in its due order and nature both small and great Our goodnesse reacheth not vnto God but his louing kindnesse to vs and Fatherly compassions doe farre exceed the drops of water in the Sea or the minutes of time Be still doing good in your liues that you may haue comfort in your very end and poynt of Death and a glorious Crowne of Eternall glory peace and comfort bee this day and euer with vs who are the Children and chosen ones of GOD. Lord bee mercifull vnto vs in our Afflictions and let it not bee thine holy will to destroy vs But looke vpon vs that still cry vnto thee in our manifold afflictions Let your assurance of Heauenly things make you the more willing to part with Earthly trash VVhy should wee feare or doubt in our selues when Almighty God sendeth for vs to take possession of a Kingdome Passe we chearefully through the blacke gates of Death who although he looke grim on vs at the first yet will helpe vs passe cheerefully through the blacke Gates vnto our glory God had not loued you if he had not made you poore To some it is aduantage to loose and to haue rather eyes full of teares then purses full of gold A Christian may not thinke it enough to endure the thought of death with patience but when it is obtruded vpon him by necessity then must he call it into his minde with ioy still wayting vntill it come It can bee none but a Diuine power that can vphold the minde of man or woman agaynst the rage of many afflictions wee must not account the best things of this life any other things then chaynes and burdens to as many as haue them still acknowledging that the greatest on earth are but Tennants at will to day liuing by and by dead Thinke we oft on Christ Iesus which suffered for vs all hee payed all hee did it for vs in loue Where shall we begin to admire and wonder but at Christ Iesus our Diuine and Eternall Peace-maker the Sauiour of men the Annoynted of GOD the Mediator betweene GOD and Man in whom there is nothing that doth not exceed not onely the conceite but the wonder of Angels who saw thee in thy Humiliation with silence adore thee in thy Glory with perpetuall prayses and reioycing Sooner would be no Summer if Winter did not lead it in and follow it We may not eyther hope or striue to escape all Crosses some we may that we cannot flye from and what we cannot allay and mittigate in crosses Vniuersally let this be thy rule make thy selfe none escape some beare the rest sweeten all We must consider whence afflictions come by whose prouidence they are guided and tempered with our Heauenly Fathers loue All our miseries are stinted good things challenging more then bare contentment Our crosses come commonly for our good we must all of vs resolue to fight stoutly for our Heauen that after all sighes and sorrowes we may resolue to perfect in suffering till we ouer-come and be Crowned in Glory and a few groanings vpon earth end our afflictions be they neuer so many tedious or troublesome choose rather to mourne for a while then for euer Christ our Sauiour tasting a bitter portion teacheth vs to smart ere wee raigne It is no matter how vile you seeme now bee content to be called to the Cup now of tryall pledge we our Redeemer in drinking Vinegar and Gall for so shall wee drinke new Wine with him in the Kingdome of glory honour and eternall happinesse Lord season your wills and sanctifie each one of all our hearts so as wee may spend our daies and strength to glorifie our Redeemer Acquaint your selfe with GOD now in your life time intreate him with teares to become the Guardian of your soules in your death and dayes of your carefullest calamities So walke in true holinesse as you stil may rest in euerlasting felicity If you would not haue GOD to despise your soules vpon your death-bed then must you in the dayes of your health fit and fyle your soule with diuine grace Inure your selfe to be furnished with the Gospell of Grace so neede you not feare the malice of any mortall man not raging Creature Set Christ Iesus betweene God and your sinnes and God cannot see our debt Let Sinne Sathan Hell and Death with the world and her worst Enemies doe what they can Christ hauing risen and become our Surety his blood rests for satisfaction Remember wee all how wee haue God the Father for our Gouernour and his Word for our Guide who would liue that knoweth his Master died and in his life suffered so many bitterstormes and temptations Temptations are the common maladies of the best Seruants of GOD. You may read how Sathan came to Christ and tempted him in a high manner saying if thou be Christ if thou be the Son of God doe this and this euen when hee
the Word of God standeth not in bare Knowledge but in the practise of life It 's not an halfe seruice but our full obedience that GOD looketh for hee often promiseth vs rewards not for our merrites but to incourage that our labour shal not be lost It is the Lords manner in our greatest weaknes to manifest his power and in deepest danger make knowne vnto vs our saluation Content thy selfe a while with the water of teares and thou shalt be refreshed with the Wine of comfort Acknowledge Christ Iesus to bee now thy Sauiour and thou shalt not once feare him to become thy Iudge After trouble God sendeth comfort to all them which patiently waite on him and constantly put their trust in his mercies The Almighty put Iobs soule in bitternesse but it was to teach him to keepe righteousnesse and not forsake it God dealeth with some as hee did with Iob hee turned his Harpe vnto mourning and his Organs into the Voyce of them that weepes As often as God striketh vs with any kinde of troubles or afflictions whether inward in outward in our goods It is to beate downe our pride and to free vs from afflictions that wee feele not the weight of them nor the heauinesse of his VVrathfull hand or iudgements when he rests angry Sickenesse is GODS Herald which he sendeth to thy house home and heart Our louing God will not afflict thee aboue measure that thou shouldest haue occasion to contend with him It belongeth vnto God to moderate your Corrections and not man Can you pray with vehemency feare not but that both your secret complaynts and sighings are seene of God and sealed vp with Christ in your deepest temptations God both can and will deliuer you Although your deedes haue deserued destruction yet doth God in mercy pitty your frailty The more your Conscience is touched with the feare of GODS iudgements the more hope may you haue to prayse God in the Congregation of the faithfull who sendeth comfort and boldnesse in time of our afflictions who else were ready to drop downe to destruction Howsoeuer eyther sorrowes or sicknesse may somewhat discourage vs yet rest our miseries good meanes to cause vs to feele Gods present care ouer vs. When the Lord afflicteth vs and we crye vnto him we thinke by and by that hee should helpe vs but that is not his due time he hath some worke to worke with vs wee must waite and stay the time before we be comforted and then Physicke and all humane meanes fayling God helpeth that we may learne euer after to looke still to Heauen knowing that not onely our sickly bodies but our sinfull soules and vnsanctified senses such as all ours be must hence be purified or else perplexed Say O my God let neither Man nor misery driue thy Seruant from his Hope of Gods promise and ioy in the highest Heauens and also Eternall felicity Lord be mooued with the complaint of thy poore Seruant and d liuer me in the end from all manner of fearefull dangers Remember that the Lords word and promise is true and vnchangeable hee preserueth the poore from the peeuish and maintayneth the pyous agaynst the proud Crye mightily to our God for this one thing that whilst your afflictions last your faith may not faint Desire the Lord to comfort you both in soule and in body without whose fauour there is no perfect felicity nor hope of blessed immortality What though Sathan hath many wayes to hurt you yet hath our heauenly Father many millions more to saue out of his meere mercy The great power of Christs Kingdome against all Aduersaries thereof teach vs all patiently to indure the Crosse till God destroy the Aduersaries The more your afflictions do increase the more neere shall you feele the helping hand of God assisting you with his spirit of comfort Be not perswaded but that God loueth you farre better then euer your Parents did which very thought should pacifie and bridle your rage Depending vpon the Lord who neuer brake promise with any of his seruants Content your selfe for the treasures of Gods mercies are alwaies layd vp in store for his Children albeit at all times they do not feelingly inioy them How many seeme to be swallowed vp of grieuous afflictions yet rests God at hand to deliuer you And it is our heauenly Fathers loue to cause vs all to feele that wee are mortall and that there is no estate wherein we can liue to haue perfect quietnesse in this world Christ Iesus is come to redeeme the soules of his seruants that put trust in him how then shall the darts of Death endanger vs when death hauing done his worst Christ himselfe then becomes our Redeemer giuing vs for a poore Cottage a rich Kingdome God knoweth what dangers hang ouer our heads and by what meanes to deliuer vs from them Stay his leasure and the LORD will content your minde with that which is most necessary remember how our Faith must bee exercised with diuers temptations Though the iust man dye yet Gods blessings are extended to his posterity and though God suffer some iust man to want temporall benefits yet hee recompenceth him with spirituall treasures such shal bee continually preserued vnder GODS VVings and haue at last inward peace and rest in their mindes The patient hope of the Godly is neuer in vayne but in the end hath good successe though for a time God prooue them with sundry temptations why doth God visite any one with sicknesse but to put both your selfe and others in mind of his chastisments for sinne desire not to be exempted from Gods rod but that he would so moderate his hand that you might be able to beare it let prayer therefore become your refuge yeeld vnto God and not to your own desire Let vs not dispayre be our torments neuer so great but crye we to God with sure trust for our deliuerance doth humane meanes faile waite we for the helpe of God the weaker in body striue we with crying sighes to bee stronger in soule by Faith to the conquering of diseases Death Diuels and danger crye still for Patience to indure the punishments and chastisements which the Almighty sendeth and intreate the Lord not to be seuere against his poore creature neither to wrappe him vp with the wicked to be put to shame This know that it is a very hard thing for the Saints themselues to keepe measure in Words thoughts and gesture when Death and Dispayre assayles them though God deferre helpe yet must we learne to abide with Patience till he heare and helpe vs still remembring that such soules as please him God hasteneth to take them from wickednesse Howsoeuer you feele Gods hand to lye heauy vpon you yet rest vpon his promise and comfort your selfe and soule therein Account it Gods mercy to bee touched with his fatherly hand for each one of vs all is like an vntamed Calfe till the vse of Gods rod call vs home to Heauen Wee are
Christ Iesus For a time the Father hid his face from him but with euerlasting Compassion did hee most graciously looke vpon him at last God resteth our Father hauing a care ouer his Church and Children preseruing vs from fire and water and each other eminent danger God is faithfull who will not suffer you to be tempted aboue that you are not able but will euen giue you the issue with the temptation that you may bee able to beare it You are the Lords workemanship and hee will vndoubtedly prouide for you both sheltering and comforting you and that euen then when you finde the heate of afflictions to shine most hottest vpon you Forget not to goe and come vnto the Lord in the time of your trouble and deepest distresses knowing Christ to be our Shepheard and preseruer in each danger Wee cannot honour God more then to depend on him in our dangers and fly vnto him in our extremities as our onely helper hope and fortresse This rests a matter of endlesse comfort that our Lord Iesus Christ will bee a place of comfort and refreshing vnto vs and as a shadow at noone-day in the greatest heate of bloody persecutions You are now cast downe as the Children of God to the disquieting of your soule within you yet for all that waite you still vpon God Let no feare or danger make you deny Christ and his Gospell who comforteth vs in his Church refresheth vs in our troubles and freeeth vs from the dread and dangers of Hells horrours if wee faithfully call vpon him for pardon of our sinnes as once did Manasses Bee you still thirsting for life and panting for Paradise powre out your hearts before him that keepeth Heauen for your house assure your selfe of Gods helpe bee you neuer so grieuously tormented the Saints of God haue still waited vpon him to teach vs all to be constant and to waite still for our seuerall deliuerances We knowing the Lord God to be the Author of each calamity may not murmure but seeke remedy at his hands who woundeth vs lift we vp our hands in hope not boasting of our vertues but declaring that wee still rest vpon God in the middest of all our afflictions It is a bad seruant that will not waite on his Master God doth not alwayes punish our sinnes but by hard afflictions calleth vs to the consideration of the heauenly Ioyes Wee doe not honour our God aright vntill wee trust in him alone taking his Maiesty to witnesse that wee hunger in heart to bee vpright towards God still crying when wee are grieued This God is my God for euer and euer and hee shal be my guide euen vnto death Psa 48.14 Psal 48.14 Life and death are in Gods hands and no man can liue for euer howsoeuer therefore you dreame of Immortality it is not to bee founded vpon earth although your disease is grieuous and dangerous yet know you this that God hath infinite wayes to deliuer you Did not God deliuer his people from Og King of Basan and other Tyrants and his owne people from the the Red sea when they were in great extremity and danger Let not your present crosses rest an occasion of your falling from God but rather a Cause of cleauing faster vnto him Howsoeuer you doe yet suffer troubles yet hath God his time wherein hee hath appointed your deliuerance A liuely faith assureth the soule that God is fauourable vnto him when hee seemeth to bee angry and then at hand when hee seemeth to be farre off Feare you not but God will heare you though Care make you thinke that the Lord long deferreth you What though to day you seeme as a Sheepe beset with many Wolues yet put your trust in God and depend still on his prouidence and you shall assuredly bee comforted at the last Vnder the temporall punishment of the Land of Canaan is comprehended the promise of life euerlasting to all the faithfull and their posterity In the time of our distresse wee must learne to pray earnestly and although God stay as if hee heard vs not yet is then our deliuerance neerest when wee seeme voide of reliefe and succour Are you in distresse God hath millions of meanes to free you from miseries and preserue you from troubles Acknowledge our heauenly Father to bee the onely Authour of all your deliuerances from dangers and death and that by his prouidence you are still enfranchised from troubles God will recompence his long tarrying with double and vndoubted comfort to your soules There rests no true praysing of God except it come from the heart Promise therefore to delight in nothing if henceforth God send you life and health but onely that wherein God may bee glorified Remember that sicknesse is Deaths messenger teaching vs to reioyce in nothing but in the Lord. The faithfull must learne to depend vpon Gods hand in the time of their miseries knowing that when things are euer at worst then will God come and set them in order and so bridle the rage of the enemy as hee shall become mightlesse were he neuer so strong before Wee may not looke to bee deliuered at our first cry our eyes may bee kept waiting for our comming with our deceitfull hearts and searching out of our owne spirits crying vnto GOD to know the Causes why wee are chastened and when our sorrowes shall haue an end Desire you to know the way from Earth to Heauen wee must ascend by Faith vp thither if wee will know the waies of the LORD or the secrets of his diuine Word and Will Then must wee learne what extremities God will suffer vs now and then to fall into and why to exercise our faith before hee set to his hands to deliuer vs. God for a time will exercise vs with his rods yet vnder the Kingdome of Christ shall wee rest assured both of our peace ioy and comfort I beseech you learne so to call and cry vpon God as you neuer become weary though GOD grant not forthwith your requests but learne rather to be more earnest with God and to call the more oâ—tâ—er vpon him Though your state rest not so glorious as you wish yet waite with patience and GOD will accomplish his most comfortable promises Acknowledge and confesse God himselfe to be the author of our saluation who very oft in loue calleth vs by his rods to consider the shortnesse of our liues and how that for our sinnes sake hee abridgeth our dayes lest that his wrathfull Iudgements should fall the more heauily vpon vs. Let this be the comfort of your heart that as God is all sufficient to defend you from dangers so resteth hee most willing to comfort you in your most perillous agonies Content your selfe with that life which God giueth you for by Death the shortnesse of this Life is recompenced with Immortality Know should wee all that God hath care ouer his and oft chastiseth them for their wealth that they should not perish for euer with the
fainting verse 31. Are wee not by faith the Israel of God as his seruant Iacob whom hee hath chosen and the seed of Abraham his friend Chap. 41.8 listen to the Lord verse 9. Thou art my Seruant I haue chosen thee and not cast thee away verse 10. Feare not for I am with thee bee not afraide for I am thy God I will strengthen thee and helpe thee and will sustaine thee with the right hand of my Iustice Esay 41.14 I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand saying vnto thee feare not I will helpe thee verse 14. Feare not thou worme Iacob and yee men of Israel I will helpe thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer the holy one of Israel Esay 42.16 I will not forsake thee but make darknesse light and crooked things straight vnto thee Esay 43.1 Thus sayth the Lord that created thee O Iacob and he that formed thee O Israel Feare not for I haue redeemed thee I haue called thee by name thou art mine when thou passest thorow the water I will bee with thee thorow the floods that they doe not ouerflow thee When thou walkest thorow the very fire thou shalt not bee burnt neither shall the flame kindle vpon thee Feare not for I am with thee I wil bring thy seed from the East and gather thee from the West Esay 43.11 I euen I am the Lord besides mee there is no Sauiour And verse 25. I euen I am he that putteth away thine iniquities for mine owne Names sake and will not remember thy sinnes Math. 11.28 Come to mee all yee that are weary and heauy laden and I will ease you And learne this Lesson should wee all to suffer according to the will of God committing our soules to him in well doing as vnto a faithfull Creatour 1. Pet. 4.19 When our heauenly Fathers rods light vpon vs as it did vpon Iob 9.34 then must we intreate him with teares not so to astonish vs with feares but that we may speake vnto him when once hee hath clad vs with the roabs of his Righteousnesse and washed vs white in the blood of the Lambe Reuel 7.14 If wee be afflicted in body or minde cry mightily vnto God Reuel 14.15 saying Reuel 14.15 Reape O Lord thine owne Corne thrust in thy Sickle the time is come to reape I thy haruest-corne am ripe and ready for the Garner Yea a Cluster of thy Vineyard and a Grape for thy Presse yea in Christ Iesus a draught to delight thee gather mee O my Redeemer as wheate into thine owne Garner But why doe I cry so long vnto my God and gracious Father sure I am I shal not dye vntill my Lord and God speake the word saying vnto mee as once hee did vnto Israel You haue dwelt long enough in this place Deu. 1.16 Deutro 1.16 Let no pangs or paines fright vs from our heauenly Father we knowing that our eldest Brother Christ Iesus the very Authour of our life was condemned to death Mathew 20.18 and that euen then when hee came not to be serued but to serue and giue his life a Ransome for many The Lord Iesus so open your eyes that receiuing the true sight you may follow him that couragiously through Death went himselfe vnto life Feare no danger to bee in death it cannot bee but a good Entry that the faithfull passe vnto by deaths cruelty Dread not neither bee affraide for when wee renounce our owne strength and constantly follow our owne vocation and depend on the Lord this resteth the true boldnesse and most agreeable to God such Calebs rest fittest to enioy the land of promise as treading it with the feete both of themselues and of their Children doe most constantly still follow the LORD Deuteronomy 1.36 Know this there is no strength in our selues where the hand of God is not ready prest to yeeld helpe there is no standing but falling when wee fight without our Captaine You must know this and all such as now feare the Lord that God will euer helpe his beloued in their necessities marry the times and houres are best knowne to him who at his pleasure most mercifully reuealeth them vnto vs by his Spirit 2. Kings 7. verse 7. to teach vs both to looke stay and waite vpon his holy and deuine pleasure and will Be you not affraide God will comfort you you haue liued long like a Christian dye now like a Saint surely sanctified with Grace from on High Foelix somnus cum requie requies cum voluptate voluptas cum aeternitate Petrus Dauus de Stephan Pleasant and happy is that sleepe which commeth with rest rest with pleasure and pleasure with Eternity Send your thoughts before you into Heauen as holy Harbingers of your happy soule and see whether there bee not a desire in you to receiue the blessed Sacrament Viaticum aeternitatis a blessed baite for each deuoute soule ready to trauell for another life It is the mercies of our God to make death the way to life and by the way of mortality to cloath vs with Immortality Oh the ineffable Mercies and Wisedome of God to seuer our soules from the dregs of our bodies to enioy the presence of God and be invironed with troopes of Angels and soules of blessed Saints Let vs not with the old Arcadians mourne one night for the setting of the Sunne for wee shall be comforted by the breaking of the day when wee shall see him to shine againe in his Spheare The people that were enraged at the death of Romulus were quieted by Proculus his newes that hee saw him in Glory riding vp to Heauen Much more must wee Christians remaine full of hope at the death of the Righteous which are layd to sleepe with their Fathers Who amongst you doe not mourne to behold the manifold outrages of the Children of Beliall in this so glorious a Sun-shine of the Gospell Feare not death my deare Brethren but rather desire with hearty teares to bee remooued from the seate of sinners and scorners Where some rest so vnchaste that moderate and modest Christians may not safely consort with them Some so insolent and proud that you may not playnely rebuke them of their faults Some so vnsatiable and gluttonous that you may not long sit with them and generally amongst sinners of vnsanctified hearts was godlinesse neuer more vrged yet neuer lesse regarded though malice by euery mouth debased yet neuer did she beare more rule Godly Preachers were neuer more publickely paynefull yet publicke paynes did neuer lesse profite in priuate The Catholicke and Apostolicke faith was neuer since the Apostles times taught more truely yet seldome seene lesse to Fructifie Such is yet the Satanicall seminary of greene growing iniquity and sinnes amiddest the sonnes of men Few now in these dayes doe remember how that the Cherubins of golde vppon the two ends of the Mercy Seate were a Worke beaten with the Hammer Places of Prerogatiues and Honour are not easily come vnto Neyther can we passe to
Oh that wee would consider the profits that come vnto vs by our heauenly Fathers chastisements First of all sinne and the rebellious wickednesse of our flesh is by this meanes tamed Secondly the Lords lashes are true testimonies of his fatherly goodwill towards vs insomuch that they may shew themselues to be Bastards and no Sonnes which cannot abide to bee chastened of God Thirdly if all held this right to Fathers to whom next after God we owe this life that they may rightfully correct their Children Shall not we be much more subiect to that our Father who is the Authour of the spirituall and euerlasting life As many as will become the godly followers of Christ must as it were goe out of the world bearing their seuerall Crosses bee not faint-hearted knowing this that your faith must be tryed through manifold afflictions whether it bee pure as it ought to be we may not despise the Crosse of Christ which our heauenly Father vseth as an Instrument to polish and fine vs where we are to consider that the effect of afflictions is to polish and fit vs for the perfecting vs in Christ each seuerall moment of mans life depending vndoubtedly vpon God The knowledge of whose will doth not onely nothing at all profit vnlesse the life be answerable vnto it but rather maketh the sinner farre more grieuous Forget not to bee patient still expecting a most happy end of all your troubles because God is a most bountifull Father neuer forsaking his seruants Consider I beseech you by what way we come to eternall glory is it not by all kinde of afflictions wherein notwithstanding faith maketh vs so secure that we are not onely not ouercome with sorrow but also through the beholding of GOD himselfe with the eyes of Faith are vnspeakeably ioyfull because all such things as they are but for a time so are they not applyed vnto vs to destroy vs but as it were by fire purge vs and to make vs perfect that at the length we may obtayne saluation Art thou afflicted Christ goeth before in example and Vertue as one that suffered most grieuous torments euen vnto Death although but in one part only of him to wit in the flesh or mans Nature but yet became conquerour by the Vertue of his Diuinity Know this that GOD keepeth measure in his greatest seuerity bee not offended therefore neyther stumble at the vayne shaddow of the felicity of the wicked as though God were not the gouernour of the world nor thinke that the Wicked are in good case and the godly in Euill for we may perceiue an by Argument of comparison of them together in their last end That God who spareth not his owne but nurtureth them vnder the Crosse will at length in his time handle the rebellious and wicked farre otherwise whom he hath appoynted to vtter destruction Although that life be sayd to bee sweet yet is it chayned to a thousand miseries and the onely salue to cure affliction is to make vse of the ancient History Luke 13.3 Except you amende your liues you shall all likewse perish Thy sinnes deseruing scourges the iust hand of the Almighty striketh thee pray that thou mayest benefit thereby Christ healing of the sicke and diseased sheweth that Christ we recouer through Faith whatsoeuer we had lost by our frailty Let vs euer esteeme our diseases as whips wherewith GOD scourgeth vs for our sinnes for the bettering of our wils words and wayes Affliction doeth good vnto the Godly discerning at the length true godlinesse from fayned fashood and filthy flattery In thy greatest weaknesse reioyce in remembring Christ power ouer sinne Death and Hell We haue no cause to promise our selues rest peace and quietnesse in the world seeing they themselues which seemed to fawne vpon Christ doe shortly after crucifie him Be of good cheere being weake and sicke for Christ is come to deliuer vs from the bonds of Sathan who though once hee had bound a woman as in Chaines for 10. yeares space so that shee could not so much as hold vp her head Yet come Christ at the last saying Woman thou art loosed from thy infirmities Luke 13.12 Luke 13.12 Marke and consider how that Christ maketh death acceptable vnto vs by ouercomming in our name all the terrours of death which had ioyned with them the curse of God and the fearefull Iudgements of an angry Father For Christ our Redeemer tooke the burden of our sins vpon himselfe and was willingly betrayed and taken that by his obedience hee might deliuer vs which were guilty for the betraying of Gods glory Remember and forget not what you are a peece of worke made of the slime of the Earth sauouring of nothing but corruption ignorance dulnesse and death Forget wee not how Christ left the proud Pharisees and communicated the treasures of euerlasting life with a poore sinfull woman and stranger refelling the grosse errours of the Samarians and defending the true worship of God deliuered to the Iewes yet so that hee calleth both of them backe to himselfe as one whom onely all the Fathers and also whom all the Ceremonies of the Law had respect vnto Wee must all haue an eye to this high and soueraigne power of God which gouerneth all things insomuch that hee hath power of life and death so that we liue dye at the pleasure of God and not of men Therefore this one thing remaineth that we goe forward constantly in our vocation to Gods praise and our owne peace God seemeth now then to linger in helping vs which he doth for his owne glory and for our saluation Iohn 11 as he did once in raising vp Lazarus Ioh. 11. He beleeueth in God that beleeueth in Christ and there is no other way to confirme our mindes in our greatest distresses but that Christ is not gone away from vs to the end to forsake vs but rather that hee might at length take vs vp with him into Heauen It is a miserable thing to be subiect vnto sinne which of it owne nature maketh vs guilty of Death But wee must crye to the Lord who will by Death it selfe at length make vs conquerours As we are already in Iesus Christ wearied we may bee with continuall conflicts yet recouer our selues agayne resting in our Redeemer who is the true perfection of our soules You are in Christ doubt nothing of the happy successe of your combate because the Spirit of grace and Fruites of Righteousnesse and Seedes of Life remayne in you for you hauing the self-same Spirit which Christ hath all infirmities layed aside and Death ouer-come you shall bee cloathed with Heauenly Glory You haue already receiued the Grace of the Gospell wherein God sheweth himselfe not as before the publishing of the Law terrible and fearefull But a most benigne and louing Father in Christ so that with great boldnesse wee call him Father the Holy Ghost sealing his Adoption in our hearts by Faith Remember wee all the great
Gods Children passed before feare wee not therefore to follow after them Christ himselfe is gone before by a farre harder passage then his meaning is to leade any of vs by Thinke it no strange thing for the perfect to suffer neither be you discomforted or dismayed at it knowing that afflictions happen by heapes to all Gods Children in this world Learne both you and I to suffer patiently with Christ then shall we be sure to be crowne gloriously with him When you are tempted most with fierce aduersaries mighty enemies the Deuill with his lost and forsaken traine The world is full of bayts and allurements vnto Euill the flesh euer ready and greedy to take them What though you be heauy laden for a while yet comfort your selfe knowing that your anguishes griefes and molestations shall haue an end your teares shall be wiped away and dryed vp but the ioyes that shall be giuen you are euerlasting Those seede-teares which you sowe now are nothing to that Haruest of ioy which hereafter shall be reaped Consider I beseech you well that nothing commeth vnto vs by happe or chance but all is disposed by the will prouidence of Almighty God It is the meere loue and absolute righteousnesse of God that we are corrected it is not for our harme but to our good either for the tryall of our faith or for the reformation of our life So that either man or woman fearing God walking vprightly in his sight hauing the testimony of a good conscience cannot want matter of consolation hauing still in the Lord whereof to be comforted make we not our hearts heauy and our liues most vncomfortable shake we off rather our causelesse teares and we shal finde matter enough for glorious and vnspeakeable ioyes Am I regenerate God is my father Christ resteth my elder brother Heauen my house and habitation and the Glory thereof mine inheritance none can be poore that haue Heauen for their portion neyther any deiected much that haue the comfortes thereof belonging to them Whilest God giueth vs assurance of a better Life what matter is it if hee shall depriue vs of this If Angels and Saints be with vs what care wee though sinners bee agaynst vs Doe people on earth seeke to make you ignominous we are not in their power but in Gods who will make vs glorious Your comfort may bee departed and yet not vtterly lost we may feare we are cut of and yet not perish for therein the power of God is seene in our weakenesse and imperfection Lord pitty our soares and sicknes rather then proceede in seuerity against vs. The assurance of the sufferings of Christ in his death for vs should take away the horrour of death from vs For he is that Lambe of GOD which taketh away the sinnes of the world Which now is our aduocate with his father to whom be all glory Amen Saterday Meditations IT beeing euident that the greatest part of good people are most of all and oftnest afflicted grieuously yea many times slayne by wicked and seditious Tyrants this dealing of God thus with his Children assureth vs that he reserueth vs some Port of safety for his children where after their troubles here they may arriue at some Hauen of perpetuall rest after their Death No happier then such Christians as will suffer no sinnes to wrestle in their soules nor Viper like vices to dwell or continue in their heartes Neyther doe I suppose the Lord to loue any better then those whom hee most scourgeth and correcteth making the end of our sorrow to be as the beginning of another like the droppes of Raine distilling from the top of the house as soone as one is gone another followeth or a ship at the Sea neuer safe till wee come into the Hauen and harbour of Heauen by the death and blood-shedding of Iesus Christ are wee sanctified and cleansed from our sins Our heauenly Father is both pacified and pleased with vs through the death of Christ who forgiuing and pardoning our sinnes imputeth vnto vs his owne righteousnesse so that through beleeuing in the Lord Iesus Christ we shal be saued and haue life euerlasting and shall neuer come into condemnation Through the name of our Redeemer are the inestimable benefits of Christ wrought in vs and brought vnto vs for by faith onely in Christ without any workes of our owne either concurring or furthering we are freely iustified No punishment discharged but by that perfect man Christ Iesus who hath vanquished death and swallowed vp the paires of Hell yea satisfied the seuerity of Gods euerlasting Iudgment Looke wee all vpon the Sun-set of our seuerall ages and wee may soone behold how the rotten house wherein our soule dwelleth rests euen ready to fall vpon our head We dwell as in a ship that most dangerously leaketh very like to drowne vs ere we get to the shoare which still causeth vs to long for the house and hauen of our euerlasting security Although death be a sting to the wicked piercing them to the heart yet to the Elect deaths sting is pulled out and they are freed from terror by the death of our Sauiour The death of a faithfull friend yeelds rather cause of comfort then of sorrow of mirth then of mourning of reioycing rather then of weeping and lamenting death is to the godly like sleepe whereby we are refreshed Vnfit is it therefore to celebrate the funerals of the faithfull with weeping wayling when we doe well know our friends haue liued religiously dyed vertuously Let your passed misery yeeld your selues some soulerellish to future ioy What is our Inheritance on Earth but monthes of vanity and paynefulnes as our allotted parts and portions here Who is he that knoweth not Iob. 17.13 That the graue shal be his house and how hee shall make his bed in the darke Our hearts must pitty those whom the hand of GOD toucheth Do not thinke but that God is able to defend and carry you free from danger yea to keepe you in the time of the greatest suffering It is none but God that keepeth the Keyes of the prison that open and shuts when hee pleaseth It is the LORD that maketh whole and maketh sicke the issues of Life and Death doe belong to him We rise daily agaynst sinne as did Ioshua against the Cananites not because wee are able to ouer-come sin of our selues but in assurance that our heauenly Father will not fayle vs but giue vs ability to vanquish it in our mortall bodies Forget not Iesus Christ to be your shield and buckler of defence whose promise is to free vs all from our streights and extreamities Lay wee hold by Faith on Gods promises and as a childe sucketh milke from his mothers breast So when wee are ready to faynt wee must sucke the milke of consolation out of the promises of God in his VVord that rest full of comfort Art thou euen at Deaths doore there rests milke of consolation enough if thou wilt