the rich answereth roughlie Prov. 18 23. Wee count it our happinesse that our dead and gracelesse Nature is quickned and renewed by the free and powerfull Grace of Christ. All their pleading is for a priuiledge to Nature and when all is deepelie pressed that priuiledge is nothing but hardnesse of heart than which there is no greater plague in man a libertie to fall frō Grace and to resist it They shall neuer craue blessings to mee who take that for a priuiledge and blessing to man which is the heauiest but the just plague of God on man But both these pleaders are condignelie rewarded by their Clients Defenders of Grace haue not their gages to to seeke and Natures proctors haue such gaine as shee can giue The mater abideth not in questioning the persons are discerned before the question bee debated Magnifiers of Grace proue children o◠Grace and praisers of Nature sticke still in Nature It is kyndlie to euery thing to respect the owne originall and Benefactor as it is respected of them I content my selfe with Scripture to call Christ both the Author and the Finisher of Faith Heb. 12. 2. And to professe before men and Angels that I am saued by the Grace of Christ. Ephes. 2. 5. And with holy Antiquitie to be then most sure when I ascriue all the worke of Saluation to the mercie of God and the merite of Christ Iesus 44. Conceat of Wisedome is great folie COnceat of VVisedome is a dangerous Counseller while we intend our businesse wee thinke all is rypelie aduised but in the proceeding and at the end we find weakenes we thinke then both of our Witte and worke that we might haue aduised done better that with some close Resolutiō to see better to businesse following But the next affaires finde vs in that same folie and are a new matter of after-thinking and Repentance and our first Conceate misleadeth vs as of before Corrupt Counsellers haue neede of reformation there is no more corrupt Coūseller in our Soule than this conceat So long as it is Father to beget or Mother to bring foort◠and the Nurse to foster our businesse there can neither bee hope of good successe in our adoes or of amendement of our error Conscience of our weaknesse imploring of Gods assistance and warinesse in our proceedings are better Directors When wee distrust our selfe and relye and in call on God for a blessing we shall either finde that blessing which wee aske or contentment in the lacke of it But Conceat debarreth the blessing and doubleth our miscontentment in the lacke Hee cutteth himselfe off both from Gods direction and blessing in his adoes who conceateth strongely of his owne wisedome But he is compassed of both who resteth on God As his mercie offereth so his justice decerneth the saue-guyding of him who distrusteth himselfe trusteth in God But it is the worke of his justice to desert the selfe-conceated wise man Hee gaineth much who dependeth on God His businesse are begun sweyeth and accomplished by GODS wisedome whereas the other left to himselfe must wrestle with difficulties of affaires and of crossing Prouidence The best way to bee wise indeede is to be conscienciouslie humble vnder sense of folie but the strong conceate of Wisedome is extreame madnesse 45 Dead to the world THe world is wise in the owne generation but God turneth their wisedome to folie it affecteth men as they are sette towards it the Worldlings with loue and the godlie with hatred These affections it testifieth by answereable actions honouring the beloued worldlings and troubling the hated godlie But it is foolish in both and most in this second If it did not so vexe the godly it might possibly insnare them to byde in it The Worldes fowning and flatterie is more dangerous than her frowning and her open hostilitie is the securitie of the Sainctes It is Gods great mercie to vs who turneth their injuries to our mortification Wee are called to renounce the World and it rageth thereat and preassing either to retaine or recall or destroy vs it chaseth vs out of it selfe All their contesting with vs putteth vs further from them than wee were before their hatred and injuries worke a contempt of the worlde in vs This maketh a diuorce and in end a Death to the world I take this as a dying and crucifying to it when by the Grace of God my Soule doeth neither conceiue their folies nor account or receiue them beeing suggested When the heart neither willeth nor affecteth them the memorie remembreth them not the mouth cannot vtter them according to the worlds formalities and the whole man hath a vnfitnesse to walke in their fashions Hee is liuing to God and God liueth in him who is so dead to the World 46. The right placing of our affections HOw foolishlie are our affections actions placed Christ appointed the matter and order for them both Seeke first the Kingdome of God and all these earthlie thinges shall bee casten to you Matt. 6. 33. And the Apostle Set your affections on things aboue and not on things on earth Colos. 3. 2. Heauen is first and most to bee sought The Earth both least and last but man inverteth that order hee is not farre trauelled nor high minded The earth is at hand and hee goeth no further as an home borne child he bydeth in the house as a shell-snaile he sticketh to the wall The Heauen the great first thing scarcelie entreth in his heart the renting cares of the world doe so pester it that the thoughts of heauen cannot goe through that throng Earthly thoughts salute him first in the morning busie him all the day lay him downe in his bed and play in his fansie all night The thoughts of God and his Kingdome finde none accesse Hee is all where hee should bee least or rather nothing He is little or nothing where hee should bee most hee maketh that his taske which hee should but touch by the way and hee blenketh but a squint on that which hee should continually meditate Many are busied about impertinent thinges with Martha and farre moe about impious things but few with Marie choose the part that shall neuer bee taken from them Luke 10. 42. By this I know the right situation of my Soule when God and his thoughts take vp all the roumes of it It is best to set the earth and her trash at as base an account as in situation it is vnder our feete 47. Contemplation and practise ought to bee joyned COntemplation and Practise make vp compleete Christianitie God hath joyned them as the Soule and bodie requireth them joyntlie and he who separateth them offereth a lame sacrifice to God and is scarce halfe a Christian The first as the eyes directeth vs the second as the hands and feet performeth that direction Theorie alone is as the eyes without feete and hands and practise without a solide knowledge is as strong legges and nimble handes
sinne in Christ and in a good Conscience What wonder that the godlie and wicked vpon so contrare grounds and respects haue so contrare thoughts and desires of Death Thou hast builded my Soule vpon these best grounds and filled it with consideration of the best respects of Death therefore it is that I loue it and desire it as thy Messenger in mercie for mine eternall good As Laban welcomed Abrahams seruant and said Come in thou blessed of the Lord so I sette mee not to flee but occure to it not to shune it but to welcome it Nothing affrayeth man more at the sight of Death than vncertaintie of his estate after it Euerie one at death is as a man on an edge of an high Hill all must leepe but euerie one knoweth not where he shall light To the wicked the valley is darke and mistie they know not what shall become of them after Death dulefull is the parting of that Soule and bodie that part vnder sinne and wrath At best they are in this confused vncertaintie not knowing their future estate and if they haue any knowledge it is all spent in mutuall accusing coÌ„demning at the last day and mutuall tormenting in Hell as authors and furtherers of sin Their Soule curseth their bodie because it was too readie an instrument to execute the wicked desires of it And the bodie shall curse the Soule because it was an euill guide to misleede it in sin They liue now in coÌ„cord mutuall flatterie of other which is nothing but their conspiracie against God But when both are sensible of their estate they shall curse other mutuallie As they part at Death so shall they bee joyned at the last day and curse other eternallie in the Hell vpon the same grounds But to the godlie all things are contrare They know whither they goe after Death and their Soules and Bodies at their parting blesse one another for their joynt happinesse in the state of Grace and in mutuall testifying of their seuerall labour in the Lord for attaining that happinesse They part full of the peace of God full of the desire of their reunion and full of the hope of it and eternall Glorie thereafter Thou hast blessed mee with this certainetie For my bygone condition thou perswadest me of my Calling and Election and hast made them sure in me by thy constant working since thou called mee to Grace For my present estate I finde my selfe vnder thy fauour in Christ reconcealed to thee in him as one of thy called and chosen Ones For my future estate I know that my Redeemer liueth and that hee shall stand at the latter day vpon the Earth And though after my skinne wormes consume this bodie yet in my flesh shall I see God whom I shall see for my selfe and not another for mee though my reines bee consumed within mee Iob. 19. 25. I know that if the earthlie house of this Tabernacle were dissolued I haue a building of God an house not made of hands in Heauen 2. Cor. 5. 1. Many seeke certaintie of vncertainties to secure their worldlie state on Earth and neglect their spirituall state in thee But all fastening in the world is loosnesse and a losing of a better But I seeke for a certaintie of that better substance By the Grace working Faith in mee thou hast made mee more certaine what shall become of my Soule and bodie after Death than I am of my goods in the world I haue no promise of their particular state thy Prouidence will secure it selfe of them and they may possiblie fall in the hand of mine enemies But as for my Bodie I know it shall rest in hope in the dust till the Resurrection and my Soule shall bee carried to Abrahams bosome Thou hast tolde mee whither I shall goe when I die euen to that Land of Light and Libertie to these Mansions which Christ in the Heauen hath prepared for mee And for thy loue and desire to bee with thee in them I visite them daylie When at euening morning and midday yea seuen times a day I call on thee my Father in Heauen then am I visiting these Mansions I cannot bow my knee religiouslie to thee but mine heart is then with thee adoring thee in the Heauen of heauens In the time of thy worshippe when I seeke thy face though my Bodie bee on the Earth yet my Soule is beholding thy face thereby acquainting my selfe with the light of thy countenance which I hope to enjoye for euer Thou knowest I counted not these for dayes of my life wherein I did not often draw neare to thee on the throne of Grace almost continuallie setting thee before mee and disposing my Soule and bodie as worthie of thy sight Shall I not then know that way after Death which I daylie haue troden in my life Or shall that light which now leadeth mee in the darknesse of this life be put out at Death I must die but it will not die to mee Thy face that now inlightneth mee shall send out a more glorious splendour in the houre of my Death than euer it sent in this life There is no feare of darknesse in the path of Death when the discouered face of God in mercie shineth on mee and perfectlie inlighteneth mee in that glorious light When bodilie senses doe faile the spirituall sense and sight succeed in their perfection I haue in this life but a small candle lighted at the meanes of Grace in reading hearing and meditation But when these meanes end and mine outward senses doe cease from their work I shall take light immediatelie from God himselfe hee worketh by his ordinance so long as their necessitie or vse remaineth but when these end he commeth in himselfe and worketh more fullie I neede not bee grieued nor my friends cry out in the bitternes of heart when my senses faile The light that I looke for in Death shall as farre exceed my present light as the Sunne in his full beautie at mid-day exceedeth the light of a small candle I shall finde no darknesse in the passage of Death since I am in Christ Hee who is in him shall not walke in darknesse but shall haue the light of Life The immediate â—ight of God needeth not the use of outward meanes It shall bee no losse to mee when perfection supplieth and succeedeth imperfection Thou hast also acquainted mee with Death and made mee feele in some beginnings and resemblance that same which I will finde at his dint that sentence of Death putteth mee to the hight of Resolution and I am vnder thine hand as Isaak vnder the hand of Abraham bound and layed on the Altar and know nothing but that the stroke will come I am readie for it and looke for none other than dissolution But thou knowest thy thoughts concerning mee If thou spare mee at this time this lesson is profitable that thou hast shewed mee the face of Death and yet brought mee backe againe As tender and louing
it with man The first is both a corrupted and corrupting mind the next a senslesse heart the third a shamelesse face Such Furniture is neither to bee enuyed nor coueted It is a witlesse Witte that is wittie to warppe a mischiefe to it selfe Achitopheâ—s policie put his house in order and himselfe out of order Hee gained by it nothing but a roppe to his necke and confusion to himselfe and his estate This is true Wisedome to feare God and to depart from sinne is good vnderstanding 63. The life of the Soule THe Soule is the life of the bodie but it selfe must liue by some other life and that not from within but from without Euery one seeketh not that same thing for the life of it It is a second life in time but should bee better than the first because it is the life of the first euen of the Soule it selfe and should as farre excell the Soule as the Soule doeth the body But the multitude chooseth a worse and a baser life to their Soule Some liue by their riches some by their fame others by their pleasures and others by their conceates This is not an exalting but a debasing of their Soule not a quickening but a killing of it It is Gods worke to quicken our earthlie lumppe by an heauenlie substance but to destroy that Soule by a lumppe of earth and vanitie is Sathans destroying worke It were extreame senslesnesse to liue a day or an houre and not know if our Soule were in vs and yet many put off long time and neuer try if they haue this spirituall life They lacke it who know it not a speciall worke of it is to reueale it selfe to them who haue it It is a vigorous life all in action and cannot lurke Holie Motions Operations and assiduous Care to keepe it are euidencies that wee haue it I will seeke nothing for the life of my Soule but that which is infinitelie better than it and that is God himselfe When hee dwelleth in the Soule hee maketh both Soule body liue in him and exciteth them to an higher degree than they had before There is no food so sweete to the mouth as the sense of Gods loue to the heart when it is warmed by that heauenly sweetnesse then the body is refreshed by a wondefull presence The life that is of God and is himselfe liuing in mee both giueth mee life and telleth mee what that life is and by the sense and conscience of it selfe redoubleth that life in the aboundance of peace and joye Hencefoorth I liue not but Christ liueth in mee and the life that I liue I liue by the Faith of the Sonne of God who hath loued mee and giuen himselfe for me yea hath giuen himselfe to mee and taken mee to himselfe Galat. 2. 20. 64. Sense of weaknesse IT is absolutely necessar to bee keeped vnder the sense of our weaknesse but all meanes for it are not alike Some learne it by falling in great temptations as Dauid in his sin other find it in smaller and trifling ouersights as rashnesse in words or out-breaking in passions Both grieuous falls and small ouer-sights discouereth our weakenesse but this last hath neither such guiltines before God nor such slander before man nor such a wound to our conscience as the first It is a great mercie of God to bee schooled by lesser infirmities and it is the blessing of that mercie to make use of it This is a point of heauenly wisedome to bee made as conscious of our weakenesse by small slippes as by grieuous sinnes if it worke in vs a distrust of our selues a constant adherence to God wee are brought to a guarde for our weaknesse It is extreame weakenesse or rather death to bee ignorant of our weaknes And it is both strength restored increased to feele it Death feeleth no disease but life the integritie of it maketh vs sensible of any thing that hurteth vs. The tryall of it is to enterpryse nothing without earnest incalling of God for wisedome and direction Neuer to proceede in any thing without imploring his assistance and blessing and that not in greater businesse onely but in our smallest adoes The watch-man of Israel will then preserue our going out and comming in When we absolutelie relye on him in euery thing Hee is most secure and safe from his weaknes who by many proofes is made conscious of it and by that conscience doeth euer depend on GOD he shall ouercome great difficulties to his owne others admiration But he who presumeth in his owne strength is ouerthrowne of smaller businesse Humilitie in the one grippeth God to be led of him But Presumption in the other is Sathans snare to entrappe him Humilitie is both a degree of Gods present assistance and a presage of his accomplishing presence But Presumption in the other is both a just desertion of God and a surrendring of the presumptuous man to fearefull inconuenients Conscience of weaknesse findeth want within and seeketh supplie in God But Conceate of strength holdeth them within The first is blessed with helpe of God the other is coÌ„vinced by grieuous losses 65. The Scriptures vnspeakable profite IT is impossible to liue either Christianlie or comfortablie without the daylie vse of Scripture It is absolutelie necessar for our direction in all our wayes before wee beginne them and for the tryall of our wayes when we haue done For the warrand of our approbation of them for resoluâ—ng of our doubts and comforting vs in our griefes Without it our conscience is a blinde guide and leadeth vs in mist of ignorance error and confusion Therein wee heare God speaking to vs declaring his will to vs concerning our Saluation and the way of our obedience to meete him in that his good will What Booke can wee read with such profite and comfort For matter it is Wisedome For authoritie it is diuine and absolute For Majestie GOD himselfe vnder common wordes and Letters expressing an vnspeakable power to stamp our heart And where shall wee find our mindes so enlightned our heartes so deepelie affected our Conscience so moued both for casting vs downe and raising vs vp I cannot finde in all the Bookes of the worlde such an one speak to me as in Scripture with so absolute a conquesh of all the powers of my soule Contemners of Scriptures want food for their soule a light for their life and the sword of their spirituall warre-fare But the louers of Scripture haue all that Furniture Therein wee heare the voyce of our Beloued wee smell the sauour of his Oyntments and haue daylie accesse vnto the Arke of propitiation If in our knowledge wee desire Diuinitie Excellencie Antiquitie and Efficacie wee cannot finde it but in Gods Worde alone It is the extract of heauenly Wisedome which Christ the eternall Word of God brought out of the bosome of his Father Oft-times on this Meditation I doe both pittie the Pagans who haue not this sacred Booke and were without
weake meanes Clay layed to Clay Dust vnto Dust and the shaddow of Death a refreshment of wearines Our nourishment is but dust and our sleepe an image of Death and Death in end must dissolue that dust that standeth vpon so base pillers and is so oft wrapped vp in the image of it Though the first worke of our nourishment bee to susteene the bodie in life yet in a second worke it furnisheth matter of diseases and so of Death And though our Sleepe in it selfe refresh vs yet it is a presage and an earnest of a longer sleepe in Death If Sicknesse fasten on the Body for remeede thereof I take on another disease Medicine is indeede a gift of God a necessitie to Nature an enemie to the corruption of it and haâ—sh and vnpleasant to the integritie of it yet when I render my selfe to it I embrace a lesser Death for avoyding a greater One dolour is a remeede to another dolour And all is but an off-putting for a time Mortalitie is so seased in the bodie that our life is stollen through innumerable diseases and deathes and in end a yeelding to Death This is the miserie of a mortall bodie in the circle of daylie and vnavoydable necessities and at last in despite of all their supplies a necessitie of Death The Soule is more burdensome in this lumpish bodie rent asunder with corruption and passions their distresses more oppressing it than these paines did the bodie It is now forced with temptation if it bee strenthened it is in danger of pride for deliuerie The remeede of one temptation is turned in the matter of a worse The naturall powers in their worke doe trouble it the ImaginatioÌ„ runneth out in phansies the Mind in inquiring is vexed and tortured by scruples The Will in inclyning declining and suspending is not so much delighted with good as crossed with the euill object and that work of it is a toyle to it selfe and to vs The Affections sette contrare Feare Sorrow Hatred tormenting vs and Hope Ioy and Loue busying vs more in their object suspended remoued hurt or destroyed than they doe in the enjoying of it Neuer any of these sweete affections in vs alone but their coÌ„trare is fixed on them while wee are in hope or joye and enjoying of God wee feare to lose that joye and sorrow commeth in with that feare But the torment of temptatioÌ„ is intolerable that Satan doth so far preuaile in vs as to stir vp our inbred corâ—uptioÌ„ that our corruption doth yeeld to him we our selues in a perpetuall trouble either watching ouer temptions that they surprise vs not or resisting them when they are moued or repenting for them when they haue preuailed to our insnaring And the Conscience aboue all sette on a continuall worke to direct vs aright in all our wayes to try our obedience to her direction and if wee haue failed to torment vs in our arriegning before Gods Tribunall and the feare and sense of his wrath to come How can I either delight to dwell in this Bodie or carrie about so grieuous a burden as this A vile prison an hole of Serpents and Coâ—katrices A body of earth and a bodie of sinne and death in it a masse of corruption euer stirred of Sathan and breaking out of it selfe Heere is a burthen insupportable a labour without end The sense of it selfe is enough to the sensible Soule to mourne for abyding in it and to cry VVoe is mee that I abide so long in Mesech or dwell in the tents of Kedar And miserable man that I am who shall deliuer mee from this bodie of Death It is impossible that perfect happinesse can lodge in so miserable a creature It craueth a Soule and bodie perfect and free of all euill therefore I must bee dissolued ere I bee perfected the Soule purified in God from all sinfulnesse and the bodie refined in the earth from all frailtie and so the whole man freed of all miserie Though fleshly Selfe-loue sometimes blind mee to desire to abide in this body yet a bettâ—r loue of my selfe in GOD biddeth mee desire to bee dissolued that I may bee perfected The greater light the greater libertie in visiting these Mansions in Heauen and adoring my God who hath prepared them for mee The greater libertie the gearter desire to bee out of this bodie wherein so long as I dwell I am absent from God and these Mansions where I long to enjoy him This is the miserie of a sinfull Soule And though our Soâ—le had peace our bodie constant health yet our Lot is vnder continuall changes Our Husband and Wife Parents and Children Friendes and Familiars are subject to Sicknesse and Death Our name is subject to Infamie and Calumnies Our goods layed open to mans deceit or violence and to Gods most free and just Providence They are either with holden from vs or taken from vs or if they remaine with vs they decay So wee are either chastened with a simple want of them or a losse or a change Our Lotte in it selfe is a blessing of God but this change and decay is a matter of griefe and feare As though God did augment our Lot for this end to augment the marke for his Arrowes and the matter of our griefe There is nothing whereof wee can say that either wee shall haue it long or in that same state wherein it is now It is either subject to want in measure or change in standing There is none houre wherein we are not either vnder a sorrowfull remembrance of bygone Calamities or vnder sense of some present or vnder a fearefull foresight of Calamities to come This is the miserie of a changeable Lotte All these miseries God hath layed vpon man to humble him thereby Ecclesi 1. 13. and to make him wearie of this present life For man that is borne of a woman is of a short continuance and full of trouble Iob. 14. 1. Hee is borne to trouble as sparkes flee vpward Iob. 5. 7. If wee found full and constant prosperitie heere wee would desire to remaine in this life There is neither necessitie nor desire of a better life in them who find all things according to their heart in this life But God hath so tempered the Cup to his dearest Children that it hath more gall and worme-wood than honie and more sowre than sweete Our life is short in it selfe and made shorter by grieuous Calamities If wee count onlie that tyme for our life wherin we haue beene free of Feare of Sense or memorie of euill it will bee shorter than the naturall course of life if all bee well examined scarcelie shall the best liuing finde so many peaceable houres as his naturall life hath dayes God knoweth that naturallie wee are giuen to nest in the world as birds To roote in it as Trees sit fast in it as Rockes Therefore hee changeth our Lotte and crosseth our contentment that hee may both loose vs and keepe vs loose
from the Earth But for all these miseries in this life God hath prepared a remeede Our life in Heauen shall relieue vs of them all There shall bee no tempter nor temptation without nor corruption within No passion nor perturbation for any occurrent There shall bee none ignorance nor errour to leade vs wrong No perplexitie or feare or sorrow neither any thing that may trouble the peace or joy of the heart The Soule shall see God immediatelie and perfectlie and bee filled with loue and heauenly affection with that sight it shall enjoy God and rejoyce in that perfect enjoying and rest as in the desired end in a a glorious Peace This is the happinesse of a glorified Spirit This fraile bodie shall bee no more mortall but cloathed with immortalitie It shall bee no more grosse and earthlie but spirituall and pure No more lumpish and heauie but light and nimble as the Eagle in her flight No more darke and obscure but shining in glorie as the Heauen and Starres No sicknesse death but a continuall and constant health There shall be no need of meate to sustaine it or of Physick to restore our hurt health but all necessities remoued As they shall bee cleare as the Heauen so more enduring than the Heauē according to the Body of Christ who shall change our vile bodies and make them conforme to his glorious Bodie Phillipp 3. 21. This is the happinesse of a glorious Bodie Our Lotte shall bee then secured because it is all in God and is God himselfe There shall neither be lack of any conuenient good no sorrow for losses no feare of change and decay of our estate No Theefe shall be there to steale no Cousner to deceiue no tyrrant to oppresse God who hath blessed vs with it shall maintaine our Lotte and that in a place most secure from violence or changes Vanitie and changes are only vnder the Heauen but aboue it there is no change at all This is the happines of an vnchangeable Lot Then all things shall agree well A glorious person invested in a glorious estate a glorious place and that eternallie Thy worke in me about these things is wonderfull O LORD thou hast not suffered mee to bee a stranger either in the miseries of this life or in the joyes of Heauen Thou knowest that feeling is more forcible than speculation and Experience more strong than consideration and therefore hast acquainted mee with them Oft-ten haue I found the frailtie of my bodie but now more than euer for now my reines are full of burning there is nothing sound in my flesh I am weakned and sore broken I roare for the verie griefe of mine heart Lord I powre my whole desire before thee and my sighing is not hid from thee Mine heart panteth and my strength faileth mee and the light of mine eyes euen they are not mine owne Psal. 38. 7. 8. 9. 10. Painefull nights haue beene appointed vnto mee If I layed mee downe I saide VVhen shall I arise and measuring the Euening I am full of tossings till the dawning of the day VVhen I say My Couch shall relieue mee and my bed shall bring comfort in my meditation Then fearest thou mee with Dreames and astonishest mee with visions Iob. 7. v. 3. 4. 13 14. The sorrowes of the Graue doe compasse mee about and the snares of Death ouertake mee Psal. 18. 5. As for my Spirit I haue found therein great exercise all my life-time Satan euer lying in wait to enter by his allurements my corruption readie to yeelde to him My Conscience at her best watcheth ouer Sathan to marke his machinations and ouer my corruption that it yeelde not And when I fall checking mee till I repent Since I knew thee O Lord and the power of thy Grace I haue beene rent by a continuall striuing 1. My passions fighting against other 2. My passions against my reason 3. And my Conscience against them all I know all these discords may be in the naturall man yet are they stronger in the renewed man because of greater light discouering and Sathans more bitter persute And the tendernesse of Grace impatient of sin 4. And aboue them all the battell betweene the flesh and the Spirit euerie one of them lusting against another This hath beene mine exercise since I renounced the world Because these three Childrē Faith Hope Loue doe not worship the image of Popularitie Vanitie that is adored by the world Therefore Sathan held them in the furnace and heateth it seuen folde both in the worlds reuenging humour an◠in the rage of my curbed corruption breaking out in passions As for the Lot wherewith thou hast blessed mee I haue beene continuallie exercised in it Scarcelie can I find any of thy blessinges wherein thou hast not afflicted mee There bee few sorts or degrees of crosses wherein thou hast not schooled mee What Solomon preached of the vanities of the world thou hast in some measure taught mee by deare Experience So that I may justlie euen in thy presence vse the words of thy deare Prophet Ieremiah I am the man that hath seene affliction in the rodde of his indignation My flesh and skinne hath hee caused to waxe olde and hee hath broken my bones hee hath hedged about mee that I cannot get out Hee hath made my chaines heauie Also when I cryed hee stopped out my prayer Hee hath bent his bow and made mee a marke for his arrow Hee caused the Quiuer of his arrow to enter in my reines He hath filled me with drunkennes made mee drunken with wormwood Thus my Soule was farre from peace I forgot prosperitie remembring mine affliction and my murning the wormwoode and the gall my Soule hath them in remembrance and is humbled in me I haue borne the yoke from my youth and sitten alone and keeped silence because I haue borne it Lament 3. v. 1. 4 7. 8. 12. 13. 14. 15. 17. 19. 20. 27. 28. And now I am afflicted and at the point of death From my youth haue I suffered thy terrors Psal. 88. 15. I protest by our rejoycing which we haue in the Lord Iesus Christ I die daylie 1. Cor. 15. 30. Alwayes bearing about in the bodie the dying of the Lord Iesus that the life also of Iesus might bee made manifest in our bodie 2. Cor. 4. 10. So thou hast fedde me with the dyet of thy dearest Children both to fitte mee to a publicke Ministerie that I might speake of thee and thy wayes not from any humane teaching or abstract speculation but as being taught of thee by dearest Experience And to worke in me a loathing of this life wherin euerie day bringeth a newe griefe to the godlie Heerein thou hast giuen mee the just Commentar of that Text which all of vs can reade or rehearse but fewe doe practise Hee vvho will bee my Disciple let him renounce himselfe and take vp his crosse daylie and follow mee Luc. 9. 23. Is not this enough to
of the whole man God hath chosen the mid way to translate the Soule the best part to dissolue the bodie so Gods threatning is keeped thou shalt die and thou shalt returne to dust the example of Christ in death is followed our best part is translated for our happinesse and the assurance of the bodies reunion and a way to all Death in this respect is not penall but premiall in a sort not of Gods anger for our sinne to punish vs but of his mercie for our well to perfect vs. Oft-times God giueth vs plaine documents heereof if wee would obserue them euery twenty foure hours we haue cleare proofes of foure things 1. Our Life in the day time when we are busied in our Calling 2. Our Death at Euen when wee rest from our labours 3. Our Buriall when wee goe to bedde wee are not casten in them nor our garâ—ments pulled off but wee goe in quietnesse and lay our garments downe in order intending to take them vp againe 4. Our Resurrection when wee rise in the morning more vigorous to our Calling than when we lay downe then wee shall behold his face in righteousnesse and when wee awake shall bee satisfied with his Image Psal. 17. The sentence of Death in bodilie paines hath taught mee many thinges 1. The mortalitie of my body which must once bee ouercome and yeelde to them and so turne to dust this Cottage of clay so oft and so hardlie beaten must once fall Many haue a strong desire to liue long and turneth this naturall desire in a conceate that as they would and may so they shall liue longer Though there bee necessitie of Death in a decaying bodie and the spending of the life yet that desire and hope of life groweth euen with the decay of life But the holie desire of Immortalitie will eate out that fleshlie desire and the sense of daylie mortalitie will cut off that false hope 2. The immortalitie of my Soule in that vnder such paines it can haue the own free working on God If in a body so diseased it can seeke him and finde rest in him shall it not beeing separate from the bodie haue a more free working 3. The loue of God in deliuering mee from damnation How often haue I cryed in the midst of my paines O how farre am I bound to thee my Redeemer who hath deliuered mee from the fire of Hell If a short and light paine vnder thine hand in loue bee so heauie how intollerable is that paine of soule and bodie eternallie vnder thy wrath 4. That thy loue can stand well with affliction thou hast made light to arise to mee in darknesse and caused thy countenance to shine on mee in Christ and giuen me great peace in my Conscience in my greatest extremitie O what a Iewell is a good Conscience in affliction Though no man want his slips and infirmities yet he may eschew the grossest sinnes though none can attaine to a legall perfection yet hee may haue an Evangelicall perfection in Faith Repentance and begunne obedience When the Soule darre attest God as witnesse and appeale him as Iudge to its sinceritie In intending nothing but his Glorie In inquiring his will as the way to that Glorie And endeuouring to doe according to his knowledge for that good end Then in some measure wee may say with Ezechiah Remember O Lord how I haue walked before thee in trueth and with a perfect heart The conscience of these things haue so taken vp my Soule that my paines at the greatest are mitigate that holy and heauenly diuerting of my Spirit by so sweet and spirituall influence sometimes beguyleth my bodilie sense that it doeth but tolerablie affect mee The present sense of thy loue in mine acceptation in Christ and assurance of Glorie to come are strong ingredients to temper the greatest paines in this life And it is a profitable paine in the bodie that both occasioneth the seeking and bringeth out the feeling of the health of the Soule in thy sensible loue It hath also giuen mee a new Experience of Death surelie Death to the Sainctes is not as the most part take it 1 not a destruction but a deliuerie 2 It is both my last affliction and my last deliuerance from all miseries 3 It is both an end of this life and the beginning of my life of Glorie in Heauen 4 In it selfe it is a curse but to the Sainctes a blessing in him who hath ouercome it 5 I finde it both a dissolution from the world and of Soule and body and of euerie part of the bodie from other and my first great union with GOD the Sainctes and Angels 6 It is both my death and perfect birth day I haue now a seeming life but I liue not perfectlie till I die the New man shall then come foorth to a glorious libertie in the face of God 7 It is my last and greatest pollution my bodie is sometimes and by partes affected with weaknesse and Death turneth all in a lumppe of vyle and lifelesse clay and yet it is my first and greatest purgation Many purgations spirituall hast thou giuen mee in this life in Baptisme the Laver of Regeneration from sin in euerie act of Faith purifying the heart in euerie act of Repentance washing mee in the blood of Christ in euerie exercise of spirituall worship clensing mine handes in innocencie to compasse thine Altar But this is the great and last purgation when I am cleansed from all sinne In that same instant when my Soule and body doe separate all spiritual blemishes are separated from mee That is the worke of thy Spirit in mee hee knoweth no vncleane thing can enter in Heauen and therefore at my last breath he will giue me the last full cleansing and last degree of sanctification I tremble not at the fire of Purgatorie The enemies of the crosse of Christ are justlie so punished by that their errour when Christs Blood hath cleansed mee from all guiltinesse of all sinne and his sanctifying Spirit hath purged out the nature of it And his perfect obedience hath relieued mee from all punishment there is neither place nor use for that purging or rather tormenting fire after this life 8 Death is in it selfe the most terrible of all terrors but I find it in Christ most desireable The wicked doe tremble at the thoughts of it they see it onelie in the fearefull respects as a destructioÌ„ a curse an end a death a dissolution a pollution Therefore they abhorre it and the mention of it is to them as the hand-write on the wall was to Beltashar But thou shewest to mee these pleasant respects of death as a deliuerie a blessing a beginning a birth an union a purgation They haue none but fearefull grounds they are yet in Nature vnder the Law vnder sinne without Christ and vnder an euill conscience but thou hast layed better grounds in mee and put mee vnder Grace and vnder the Gospel vnder remission of
there is no vse of them But it directeth Loue Peace Ioy and other home graces that as they conveyed vs in the way so they attend vs at Death and enter in the Heauens with vs. The first sort beginneth endeth here their being vse The second of a more induring Nature doe beginne and grow here and shall abide in vs for euer in Heauen as a part of our perfectiō Marke the just man and consider the vpright for the end of that man is peace Ps. 37. 37. Moses after hee had beene all his dayes a faithfull Seruant in the house of God dyed peaceablie on the Mountaine in the Armes of God Hee liued all his time in Gods obedience dyed full of his fauour and peace God welcometh them kindlie to his joyfull Rest who serue him faithfullie in their life There is none so throughly sanctified who at Death shall not find some feare Nature is nature in the best men till Soule and bodie separate 1. The remembrance of bygane sinnes though pardoned 2. The sight of the great volumes of the compt Books of our Conscience though cancelled in the Blood of Christ. 3. The skarres and markes of our mortified corruption 4. And the weaknes of grace not yet fully perfected 5. And the paines of Death both then first felt and last to bee felt will worke some astonishment in them who are best prepared for Death But so soone as our Spirites gather themselues and seeth God in Christ with the Crowne of Glorie in his hand and the good Angels come to carrie our Soules to Heauen all that amazement shall euanish God in mercie both craueth and admitteth those our infirmities Hee giueth Grace in some things to correct Nature In some to cure it In other to sanctifie and perfect it All these workes of Grace doe heerein concure Natures moderate feares are sanctified her excesses preuented and corrected and her last worke closed by the succeeding glorious joyes Manie things giue vp their last worke at our death Sathan his last on-sette The Conscience if it be not fullie pacified her last accusation then turneth to be a continuall comforter The Body the last feeling of paine and all these are greatest because they are last and yet doe not argue strength or preuailing but decay Deadlie diseased bodies haue some sort of bettering immediatelie before Death It seemeth to some a recouerie of health but is indeede a dying So all these things at our Death cease from their worke by their last on-sette Pharaoh made his most fearefull assault on Israel at the red Sea but these men which now yee see yee shall see no more said Moses Wee may beare with Natures last assaulting and braids in Death it shall neuer molest vs againe I haue put mine house in order disposed all things that thou hast giuen me The world I leaue to the world thou knowest I neuer loued it nor counted of it since I saw thee The first worke of thy life in mee was the killing of the loue of the world Thy face the light of thy countenance and sweetnesse of thy Grace made mee disgust the world as gall and worme-wood My bodie I lay ouer to the dust in hope of a glorious resurrection My Soule I giue to thee who hath giuen it to mee since the dayes of mine effectuall calling it hath beene more in thee than in mee the desire of it is to thee and the delight of it in thee alone what then remaineth but that now it bee filled with thy selfe I haue not much to transport out of this world My Soule in the strongest affection is gone before and when I come away I shall bring nothing to Heauen but thy workes in me and with them a good Conscience my daylie obseruer As for things worldlie the baggage of this Earth I leaue it as the house sweepings to them who come after in this great house of the world I had none other accompt of it euen in the time of necessitie of the vse of it what shall I count of it now when that necessitie is ending As for my sinnes which thou hast pardoned in Christ I lay them ouer to Sathan as their Author they were mine in their Nature Action and Guiltinesse but they are his in Origination Hee spewed that poyson in Adam whereby all mankind are originallie defiled Thy sauing Grace I render to thee againe thou hast giuen it to me to bring mee out of Nature And the natiue course of it is to returne to thee and in that returning to carrie mee with it towards thee the Fountaine of Grace So in Death I desire to be as a Pitcher broken at the well while the potsheard turneth to the dust let my Soule with thy Grace runne backe to the well againe euen to thee from whom I receiued them Confirme this my Testament O Lord as thine owne worke and a part of the meeting of thy Testament to mee Nothing but my sinnes can hold mee out of Heauen which receiueth no vncleane thing Cast them behind thy backe and burie them in the bottome of the Sea Seale vp the discharge of them in my Conscience that when I goe out of this life I may present it as my warrand and thy token to bee admitted within the gates of Heauen assure mee more and more of that remission that I may also bee assured of all the following blessinges which thou hast purchased with thy blood Thou sanctified our Nature and assumed it in the Virgine to worke the worke of our Redemption thereby To make it a paterne and samplar of our sanctification A conduit pype to convey Grace to vs And a pledge that in due time thou wilt make vs like to it in a fellowshippe with thee Sanctifie me throughlie with thine holie Spirit that I may bee fullie receiued in thy fellowshippe and enjoye all these glorious priuiledges in thee This Saluation thou hast purchased for vs and promised to vs and hast wrought in mee both a desire of it and a particulare perswasion of it for my selfe This is a true saying and by all meanes to bee receiued that Christ Iesus came into the world to saue sinners of whom I am the chiefe 1. Timoth. 1. 15. Remember therefore thy promise to thy Seruant wherein thou hast made mee to trust This is my comfort in mine affliction for thy word hath quickened mee Ps. 119. 49. Now Lord I am taking vp the other Shore and the Land beyond the Riuer In mine effectuall calling thou brought mee through the red sea bring mee now safelie through Iordan Then thou drowned mine enemies in Baptisme These waters that washed me destroyed them Diuide likewise O Lord these waters of death that I may safelie enter into thine heauenlie Canaan Elias Mantle diuided Iordan wrap me vp in Christs righteousnesse that I may passe through Death For there is no damnation to them that are in Christ. Rome 8. 1. Set the Arke of the Couenant in the midst of it Where