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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A17397	The marrovv of the oracles of God. Or, diuers treatises containing directions about sixe of the waightiest things can concerne a Christian in this life. by N. Bifield, late preacher of Gods Word at Isleworth in Middlesex.	Byfield, Nicholas, 1579-1622.; Byfield, Nicholas, 1579-1622. Beginning of the doctrine of Christ. aut; Byfield, Nicholas, 1579-1622. Spirituall touchstone. aut; Byfield, Nicholas, 1579-1622. Signes of the wicked man. aut; Byfield, Nicholas, 1579-1622. Promises. aut; Rules of a holy life. aut; Byfield, Nicholas, 1579-1622. Cure of the feare of death. aut	1630 (1630)	STC 4222; ESTC S120511	234,877	800

might haue abundant consolation whensoeuer they make recourse vnto the promises Heb. 6. 17 18. 6 Wee haue these promises preached vnto vs by Ambassadours sent of purpose at the com●…andement of God who hath enioyned them to make it manifest that God will bee as good as his word in all those Tit. 1. 3. 7. Yea Christ Iesus himselfe did employ his ministery to assure and confirme the promises made before to the Fathers as the Apostle shewes Rem 15. 8. Yet more wee haue the blood of Christ and the death of the Testator to confirme this New Testament and all the promises contained therin Hebr. 9. 16. so as in Christ they are now all Yea and Amen there can bee no nay nor deniall of them they well may bee now pleaded in any Court of the Iustice of God 6 The Ano●…uting that is vpon vs may assure vs and establish vs. Was there euer any king anointed of God to bee a King that made doubt of the kingdome why the anointing of God is vpō our harts the graces of the Spirit poured out vpon vs are our assurāce that God wil not with hold from vs our regall pri●…edges if we seeke them 2 Cor. 1. 20 21. 10 It is some settling to vs to consider the exte●… of the right to those promises For God hath excepted no sort of men but in Christ they may get to haue their part in those promises as the Apostle shewes Galatians 3. 27 28 29. 11 The Law was the onely thing that might hinder vs of the enioying of the promises And the Apostle hath proued that the Law cannot disanull the Promises in which the Nations of the earth should be blessed made foure hundred yeeres before the Law was giuen on Mount Sinai Gal. 3. 17 21. 12 We haue the Seale of God to this Writing Now God hath sealed foure wayes First in his Councell The Book of his eternall councell was written within and without it had seuen Seales to signifie that it was perfectly ratified and though none in Heauen and Earth could reade it yet for our comforts wee know●… that the Lyon of the Tribe of Iuda the Lord Iesus Christ our Sauiour hath opened it now and made it manifest Reu. 1 2 c. 2. In his Sonne For him hath God the Father sealed Iohn 6. 27. God made all sure when he sent out Christ He sealed his Commission in all things that concerned the happinesse both of Iewes and Gentiles 3. In his Spirit And thus all the beleeuers are said to be sealed by the Spirit of Promise And this is Gods Priuy Seale 4. God hath sealed to all his promises in the Sacraments which are giuen vs as Gods Broad Seales and outward tokens and pledges to confirme our faith 13. We haue the experience also of al the Saints who in all ages found God as good as his Word and had euer reason to say as Dauid did In the Lord will wee prayse his Word Psalme 56. 10. The Patriarches embraced the Promises as the chiefe stay of their liues in their pilgrimage on earth Heb. 11. 24. Thus of the fourth point 5. A fifth thing I would preface about is concerning certain rules to be obserued if we would euer receiue the sound profit of these promises and so we must looke to sixe directions 1. When wee come to these promises we must renounce our owne merits and all opinion of our owne worthinesse and acknowledge from our hearts that all the grace we find in the promises is in and through Iesus Christ All the promises are yea and Amen through him and onely in him 2. When we haue the promises laid open before vs wee must beleeue them and apply them to our selues or else they will do vs no good 3. We must be further carefull to hide them in our hearts and to commit them to memorie that wee may bee often thinking of them and musing vpon them It will not serue the turne that wee haue them written in the Bible or in our Note-bookes but wee must get them written in our hearts too Wee must be at the paines to acquaint our selues distinctly with them and to fill our heads with store of them 4 When any thing ayleth vs we must fly to them for-refuge and cast the anchor of hope vpō them that God himselfe may see that our hearts are bent to trust vpon his Word 5 We must neuer cast away our confidence in them but waite with patience and not limit God to the time or manner or meanes of accomplishment but hold fast to his promises and leaue the rest to God as in many places of Scripture may appeare especially Hebr. 10. 36. Rom. 4. 21 22. 6 In short Wee must looke to it that we be not slothfull and idle and such as will not bee at the paines to study and commit to memorie and rest vpon these glorious comforts but wee must follow them which through faith and patience doe inherite the promises Thus of the Preface CHAP. II. The diuision of the Promises THe promises may be diuided into three parts The first may containe such places of Scripture as shew the Priuiledges of the godly aboue other men and that is one chiefe way by which the Lord doth refresh the hearts of his people by assuring them in generall of such such prerogatiues which he will confirme vpon them and vpon none but them The second may containe comforts that is places of Scripture which doe foretell what goodnesse the Lord will shew to his people in affliction For hither-vnto belong all those promises which are giuen of purpose for the comforting and supporting of the godly in all their tryals The third part may containe such Promises as are made to certaine particular graces in the godly as promises made to prayer faith trusting in God or such like It is the second part of promises which I intend here more at large to intreate of I should shew what variety of comforts they are with which a godly man may inflame his hart according to the seuerall distresses may fall vpon him and these may bee thus subdiuided All afflictions are either outward or inward For outward afflictions it were too tedious and to little purpose to gather comforts against euery particular crosse and therefore one head may suffice for the generall viz. the promises or consolations against all outward afflictions Now because godly people are oftentimes more troubled with the stormes and reproaches of the world which are cast vpon them for well-doing then with the ordinary afflictions of life therefore I would in the second place gather the comforts against reproaches and withall I would adde in the third place consolations against aduersaries Now for inward afflictions they are the afflictions of the spirit of man and arise either from the temptations of Satan or from the trouble

haue what hee will aske of him that is able to giue what hee can aske Marke 11. 24. Ephes. 2. 10. The ninth priuiledge is The seruice and attendance of the Angels The Angels doe pitch their tents about those that feare God Psal. 34. 7. and are ministring spirits to euery heire of saluation Heb. 1. vlt. Oh the dignity and safety of that man whom the glorious Angels do guard and attend vpon The poorest Christian hath a better guard vpon him then the greatest Monarch in the world that is not a Christian. The tenth priuiledge is the Communion of Saints he is mystically vnited in one body to all the worthies that are in heauen or earth and doth effectually enioy the benefit of communion of Saints too large to be here reckoned vp If it were no more but the profit he hath by the prayers of the godly all ouer the world were it not a great fauour Eph. 2. 19 3. 6. Phil. 1. 5. Col. 2. 19. besides all the comforts hee hath in the fellowship with the godly The eleuenth priuiledge is the inheritance of the earth which is restored to him in Christ so as he now possesseth that which he hath of the earth by as good a title as euer Adam held Paradise yea so as whatsoeuer in the whole earth is good for him shall not be withheld from him Math. 5. 5. Psal. 84 11 12. Outward prosperity he is sure of so farre as it is good for him Iob 8. 7. Psal. 37. 5. The last priuiledge is that Inheritance immortall incorruptible and that fadeth not reserued for him in heauen which for excellency passeth all that which euer the eye of m saw or the eare of man heard or the heart of man can conceiue 1 Pet. 1. 3 4. Now then to summe vp all this let a Christian tell his owne soule plainly and vpon cleare proofe by the signes of a childe of God that he is in fauour with God and that Christ is his and that he hath obtained strange deliuerance and that all his sinnes are forgiuen and that the holy Ghost dwels in him and that the image of God is restored in him and that he is free to Gods house and that he may beg any thing of God and that he hath Angels to waite vpon him and that he is neere of kinne to all the Saints in the world and that he is Lord of the earth and that hee shall certainly goe to heauen when he dieth Let this I say be told to his soule can he be dismaid will not the Peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding keepe his heart and minde and that constantly for euer CHAP. IIII. Shewing how the godly may support their hearts against all outward afflictions HItherto of the Priuiledges Now it followeth that I should open those consolations that may support the hearts of men against all the distresses of this life And first I would shew how the Lord is pleased to comfort his seruants in seuerall Scriptures against all the outward afflictions may befall his seruants in this world By outward afflictions I meane such as these wants losses wrongs troubles exile imprisonment sicknesse feares pouerty or any other thing wherewith the life of man is molested in any condition Now there are many excellent wayes of abundant comforts against these or any of these as First if wee consider by the commonnesse of them All thing●… fall alike in these things Eccles. 9. 2 3. Euery man that is borne of a woman hath but few dayes and is full of trouble Iob 14. 1. Christ had no Disciple but he is told afore hand Hee must take vp his crosse and that daily Luke 9. 23. There can be no affliction but what accompanieth or may accompany the nature of man 1 Cor. 10. 13. The same afflictions are accomplished vpon our brethren which are through the world 1 Pet. 5. 9. And we haue the Prophets and greatest worthies of the Lord for an example of suffering Iam. 5. 10. And 〈◊〉 the godly must through many tribulations enter into the kingdome of God Acts 14. 22. Secondly if wee consider that God takes notice of vs and of all our trials The Lord knowes the way of the righteous Psal. 1. 6 None of our 〈◊〉 are hid from him All our desires are before him and our groaning is not hid from him Psal. 8. 9. he knowes our soule is in aduersity Psal. 31. 7. And as he takes notice of all our troubles so he takes notice of all that is good in vs Hee knowes them that are patient and trust in him Na●…um 7. Thirdly if wee consider the wonderfull compassion of God in the afflictions of his people he doth not willingly afflict but regards vs with pitie with loue thinkes of redeeming vs and sends the Angell of his presence to comfort and saue vs and in all our afflictions is afflicted with vs Esay 63. 8 9. Fourthly i●… wee consider the high estimation that God holds of his seruants notwithstanding their afflictions Crosses may make men loue vs the lesse but they doe not a i●… discommend vs before God Hee can take notice of his seruants in their distresses as well as if they did shine in the greatest outward splendor in the world This is the consolation that GOD speakes to vs euen when he corrects as to his children and for that reason wee should not refuse his chastening Heb. 12. 6. Prou. 3. 11. We may bee honourable in Gods sight though wee be in a most forlorne and despised condition in the world we may I say bee precious in Gods sight greatly beloued Esay 43. 4 5 6. The Apostle Peter shewes that a poore seruant when he suffers hard words and ill vsage from his master doth herein finde acceptation with God 1 Peter 2. 19 20. Now this is an instance beyond exception For what condition more vile then of a seruant and what crosses were likely to be disregarded of God sooner then these domesticall indignities yet we see a proofe of the regard and loue of God euen in those things 5. Fifthly if we consider the victory of Christ ouer the world Our Sauiour vseth this as a consolation he tels his Disciples In the world they shall haue trouble but hee would haue them bee of good comfort hee hath ouercome the world so as now they shall neuer bee hurt by their troubles Their crosses may bee too hard for thē to master but Christ can order them so as in him they shal haue victorie ouer them But of this more afterwards Ioh. 16. 33 Sixthly if wee consider the presence of the holy Ghost hee is giuen of Christ and the Father to bee our Comforter and as our afflictions abound so shall our consolations also Ioh. 14. 16. 2 Cor. 1. 4. Now how shall a man be dismayed that hath Gods Spirit within him to hearten him and assist him and refresh him and make glad

men euen of his neighbours and familiar acquaintance It is enough to him that his best and next neighbour and friend respects him Psal. 31. 11 12 16. Thirdly Thou maiest comfort thy selfe by opposing the good report thou hast amongst the godly against the reproaches with which wicked men pursue thee As thou goest through ill report so doest thou through good report thou hast honour as well as dishonour and it is a great recompence to obtaine good report amongst the godly 2. Cor. 6. 8. Heb. 11. 2. Fourthly were it so that thou hadst no honour in thy name on earth and that well-doing were in no respect at all yet this should comfort thee aboundantly that thy faith and sinceritie and innocency will be found vnto praise and honour and glory in the reuelation of Iesus Christ. Thou shalt haue vnspeakeable praise at that day 1. Pet. 1. 7. Fiftly the same persons that now reproach thee may bee so turned about by the power and grace of God that in the day of their visitation they will admire thee and glorifie God for thee 1. Pet. 2. 12. Sixtly we should bee the lesse troubled with our reproaches because this is not to resist vnto blood God deales fauourably with vs. If wee had liued in the dayes of our fathers when to professe the Gospell of Christ had beene occasion of terrible death then we might haue had some pretence of grieuance but now in these dayes when the hurt is done only with the tongue of infamous men it is a great weakenesse to bee disquieted Heb. 12. 3 4. Seuenthly let vs looke vpon the author and finisher of our faith ●…en He was exposed to these indignities and yet for the glory set before him despised the shame and endured the dr●…sse and is now crowned in heauen Heb. 12. 2 What should the seruant complaine of when the Lord and Master is called Beelzebub Eightly Dauid easeth himselfe by considering the cause of his suffering For thy sake saith he to God haue I borne reproach shame hath couered my face The zeale of thy house hath eaten mee vp and the reproches of them that reproached thee haue fallen vpon me When I wept and chastened my soule with sasting that was to my reproach Psa. 69. 7 9 10. Ninthly Why should we be ●…oubled at that which is the Lot of all the Saints We haue heard of Dauid before how hee was standered by many and on euery side Psal. 31. 12 13. Ieremy complaines That they consulted how to deuise deuises against him and how they might smite him with the tongue I●…r 18. 18. False witnesses were suborned against Stephen and in that case of Religion Acts 6. 11 13 14 Many and grieuous complaints were laid against Paul Acts 25. 7. Yea it was the condition of all the Apostles and the principall men of the Christian world to be made a A spectacle to men and Angels and to bee accounted forlorne and as the off-scouring of all t●…ings 1. Cor. 4. 9 10 13. And our Sauiour Christ supposeth it the case of any blessed man that men may say all manner of euill sayings of them Matth. 5. 12 c. Tenthly The Spirit of God and of glory doth rest vpon you 1 Peter 4. 14. Ye haue the Spirit of God in you what neede you care what the world accounts of you You haue aboundant treasure in your hearts and you haue an heroicall or diuine Spirit in you And therefore why are yee troubled about such mean things And your patience their rage is a signe you are in a happy condition and haue Gods Spirit and the Spirit of God which is in you is a Spirit of Glory and leades you to a better life And therefore seeing you are but trauellers here why turne you againe at the barking of euery dog Yea these reproaches signifie that wicked men doe s●…e some glory of God shining in you which they striue by all meanes to vilifie and despise being vext in their hearts at it 11. God will certainely take an order with all that reproach his people For first he will recken all their reproaches as cast out against himselfe and therefore will indite them of blasphemie Psal. 74. Colos. 3. 8. 1. Peter 4. 14. 1. Cor. 4. 13. Secondly in his due time he will put to silence those lying lips which speake grieuous things proudly contemptuously against the righteous Psal. 31. 18. Thirdly all that were incensed against the godly shall be rewarded with shame which God will powre vpon them for the contempt with which they haue dishonored his seruants Esay 41. 11 14. And to conclude God will certainely bring them to iudgement for these things they must make their accounts before the Iudge of the quicke and dead that speake euill of other men because they will not run with them into the same excesse of riot 1 Pet. 44 5. 12. Lastly God will prouide for his owne innocent Seruants His thoughts are not to let his people be ashamed Mic. 4. 11 12 And besides he will bring forth their righteousnesse as the the light they shall be cleared Psal. 37. 6. Iob 5. 15. and they shall receiue double for all their shame Esay 61 7. and their reward shall be great in Heauen Mat. 5. 12. For which reason Moses accounted the reproaches of Gods people to be greater riches then the treasures of Aegypt Hebr. 11. 26. And in the meane time there is an hiding place with God from the strife of tongues Ps. 31. 20. CHAP. VI. Wherein many principall Obiections of the godly are answered NOw for the better establishment of mens hearts in the former comforts it will not bee amisse to take off the obiections with which many times godly men doe aggrauate their distresse aboue the respect of the former consolations 1 Ob. If they were ordinarie reproaches it would not so much trouble mee but they are vile things which are obiected against me Sol. They cannot bee viler things then haue beene obiected against Christ and the godly For there haue beene obiected Grieuous things Acts 25. 7. Gluttony Math. 11. 18 19. Madnesse Iohn 10. 20. Blasphemie Math. 26. 65. Act. 6. 11 13 14 Deceiuing Iohn 7. 12. Rebellion Acts 17. 6 7. Rayling Acts 23. 4. Schisme Acts 28. 22. Wickednesse of life 1 Pet. 2. 12. 2 Ob. But base persons doe reuile me the verie scum of the people doe scorne me Sol. This is no strange thing The abiects gathered themselues together against Dauid they did teare and ceassed not Psal. 35. 15. The drunkards sang of him Psalm 69. 12. Those that der●…ded Iob were such whose fathers he would haue disdained to set with the dogs of of his Flocke Iob 30. 1. 3 Ob. But I haue liued long vnder such disgraces Sol. Rest thy selfe and fret not at the man that prospereth in his way the Lord will find a time to bring forth thy

the diligent Christian. In death they rest in their beds from the hand labours of this life Esay 38. Reuel 14. 13. And was euer the wearie labourer afraid of the time when hee must lie downe and take his rest 3. The day of Death is the day of receiuing wages wherin God payes to euery godly man his penny And doth not the hireling long for the time wherein hee shall receiue wages for his worke Iob 7. 2. And the rather should wee long for this time because we shall receiue wages infinitely aboue our worke such wages as was neuer giuen by man nor can be if all this visible world were giuen vs. 4. In death the seruant comes to his freedome and the heire is at his full age and it is such a liberty as is glorious neuer such a freedome in the world Rom. 8. 21. Shall the heire desire to bee still vnder age and so still vnder Tutors and Gouernours or shall the seruant feare the day of his freedome 5. In death the banished returne and the Pilgrims enter into their Fathers house In this life we are exiled men banished from Paradise and Pilgrims and Strangers in a farre countrey absent from God and heauen In death wee are receiued to Paradise and settled at home in those euerlasting habitations in our Fathers house Luk. 17. Ioh. 14. 2. Hebrewes 11. 13. And can we be so senslesse as to bee afraid of this 6. Death is our birth-day we say falsly when wee call Death the last day For it is indeed the beginning of an euerlasting day and is there any grieuance in that 7. Death is the funerall of our vices the resurrection of our graces Death was the daughter of Sinne and in death shall that be fulfilled The daughter shall destroy the mother We shall neuer more be infected with sinne nor troubled with ill natures nor be terrified for offending Death shall deliuer vs perfectly whole of all our diseases that were impossible to bee cured in this life and so shall there bee at that day a glorious resurrection of graces Our gifts shall shine as the Stars in the firmament And can wee bee so sottish as still to bee afraid of death 8. In death the soule is deliuered out of prison For the body in this life is but a loathsome and darke prison of restraint I say the soule is restrained as it were in a prison while it is in the body because it cannot bee free to the exercise of it selfe either in naturall or supernaturall things For the body so rules by senses and it is so fiercely carried by appetites that the soule is compelled to giue a way to the satisfying of the body and cannot freely follow the light either of Nature or Religion The truth as the Apostle saith is with-held or shut vp through vnrighteousnesse Romanes 1. 28. I say it is a loathsome prison because the soule is annoyed with so many loathsome smels of sin and filthinesse which by the body are committed And it is a darke prison For the soule looking through the bodie can see but by little holes or small casements The body shuts vp the light of the soule as a darke Cloud doth hide the light of the Sunne or as the interposition of the earth doth make it night Now death doth nothing but as it were a strong wind dissolue this cloud that the Sunne may shine clearely and puls downe the walles of the prison that the soule may come into the open light 9. The liberty of the soule in death may be set out by another similitude The world is the Sea our liues are like to many Gallies at Sea tost with continuall Tides or Stormes our bodies are Gally-slaues put to hard seruice by the great Turke the Diuell who tyrannically and by vsurpation doth forcibly command hard things Now the soule within like the heart of some ingenious Gally-slaue may be free so as to loath that seruitude and inwardly de●…est that tyran●… but yet so long as it is tyed to the body it cannot get away Now death comes like an vnresistable Gyant and carries the Gallies to the shore and dissolues them and sets the prisoners free And shall this glorious libertie of the soule be a matter of terror vnto vs Had we rather be in captiuitie still 10. In this life wee are cloathed with rotten ragged foule garments Now the Apostle shewes that death doth nothing else but pull off those ragged garments cloath vs with the glorious robes of saluation more rich then the robes of the greatest Monarch 2. Cor. 5. 2 3. It is true that the godly haue some kinde of desire to bee cloathed vpon They would haue those new garments without putting off their old but that is not decent for a Prince to weare without gorgeous attire and vnderneath base ragges To desire to goe to heauen and not to die is to desire to put on our new cloathes without putting off our old And is it any grieuance to shift vs by laying aside our old cloathes to put on such rich garments We are iust like such slothfull persons that loue well to haue good cloathes and cleane linnen but they are so sluggish they are loth to put off their old cloathes or foule linnen 11. In the same place the Apostle compares our bodies to an old mud-walled house and to a rotten tent and our estate and heauen to a most glorious and Princely palace made by the most curious workman that euer was and it is such a building too as will neuer bee out of repaire Now for a godly man to die is but to remoue from a rotten old house ready to fall on his head to a sumptuous palace 2. Cor. 5. 1. Doth that Landlord doe his Tenant wrong or offer him hard measure that will haue him out of his base cottage and bestow vpon him his own Mansion house No other thing doth God to vs when by death he remoues vs out of this earthly Tabernacle of our bodies to settle vs in those euerlasting habitations euen into that building made without hands in heauen Ioh. 14. 2. Luk. 17. 12. A man that had neuer seene the experience of it perhaps would haue thought that the seed cast into the ground had beene spoiled because it would rot there but Nature hauing shewed the returne of that graine with aduantage a man can easily be cured of that folly The Husbandman is neuer so simple as to pitty himselfe or his seede he saies not Alas is it not pitty to throw away and marre this good seed Why brethren what are your bodies but like the best graine The bodies of the Saints are Gods choisest corne And what doth death m●… vnto Gods graine then cast it into the earth Doe we not beleeue our bodies shall rise like the graine better then euer they were sowed and are we still afraid 13. Paul saith he would be

mournest because thou canst not liue an hundred yeeres hence 7. Thou hast no power of the morrow to make it happy to thee If thou die young thou art like one that hath lost a Die with which he might as well haue lost as wonne 8. Consider the proportion of time thou desirest to thy selfe reckon what will bee spent in sleepe care disgrace sickenesse trouble wearinesse emptinesse feare and vnto all this adde sinne and then thinke how smal a portion is left of this time and how small good it will doe thee What can that aduantage thee with such mixtures of euill It is certaine to liue long is but to be long troubled and to die quickly is quickly to be at rest 9. Lastly if there were nothing else to be said yet this may suffice that there is no comparison betweene time and eternity What is that space of time to eternity If thou loue life why doest thou not loue eternall life as was said before CHAP. XV. Of them that would liue to doe good BVt I would liue long to doe good and to doe God seruice and to benefit others by mine example Sol. First search thine owne heart it may be this pretence of doing good to others is pleaded onely because thou wouldest further thine owne good Thou wouldst not seeke the publike but to finde thine owne particular 2. God that set thee to do his worke knowes how long it is fit for thee to be at the same hee knowes how to make vse of the labors of his workmen He will not call thee from thy work till it bee prouided to dispatch his businesse without thee 3. It may be if thou be long at thy worke thou wouldst marre all thy last workes would not bee so good as thy first it is best to giue ouer while thou doest w●…ll c. 4. If God will pay thee as much for halfe a day as for the whole art thou not so much the more to praise him 5. It is true that the best comfort of our life here is a religious conuersation but thy Religion is not hindered by going to heauen but perfected There is no comparison betweene thy goodnesse on earth and that in heauen For though thou mayest doe much good here yet it is certaine thou doest much euill heere too 6. Whereas thou perswadest thy selfe that by example thou maiest mend others thou art much mistaken A thousand men may sooner catch the plague in an infected Towne then one be healed It is but to tempt God to desire continuance in this infectious world longer then our time for the best way is to get farre from the contagion I●… diuers fresh waters fal into the sea what doth that to take away the saltnesse of the sea No more can two or three Lots reforme a world of Sodomites CHAP. XVI Why men may not make away themselues to be rid of the miseries of life Ob. 5. BVt then it seemes by this that it were a mans best course to take away life seeing so much euill is in life and so much good to bee had in death Sol. 1. I thinke the most of vs may bee trusted of that danger For though the soule aspire to the good to come yet the body tends vnto the earth and like an heauie clog weighs men downewards 2. That is not the course we must cast the world out of our hearts not cast our selues out of the world It is both vnseemely and extremely vnlawfull It is vnseemely for it is true we ought willingly to depart out of this world but it is monstrous base like cowards to runne away out of the battell Thou art Gods souldier and appointed to thy standing and it is a miserable shame to runne out of thy place When Christ the great Captaine sounds a retrait then it is honorable for thee to giue place Besides thou art Gods tenant and doest hold thy selfe as a tenant at will the Landlord may take it from thee but thou canst not without disgrace surrender at thy pleasure and it is extre●…me slothfulnesse to hate life onely for the toyles that are in it Secondly and as it is vnseemely so it is vnlawfull yea damnable It is vnlawfull for the souldier that runnes away from his Captaine offends highly so doth the Christian that makes away himselfe and therefore the commandement is not onely Thou shalt not kill other men but generally Thou shalt not kill meaning neither thy selfe nor other men Besides wee haue no example in Scripture of any that did so but such as were notorious wicked men as Sa●…l Achitophel Iudas and the like Yea it is damnable for hee that leaueth his worke before God calls him loseth it and besides incurres eternall death As the souldier that runneth away dyeth for it when he is taken so the Christian that murdereth himselfe perisheth I say that murdereth himselfe being himselfe CHAP. XVII Why we should not bee troubled to part with our friends MIght some other say I could more willingly dye but mee thinkes it is grieuous vnto mee to part with friends and acquaintance I cannot willingly goe from my kind●…ed and my familiars life is sweete in respect of their presence and loue and societie Sol. It is true that vnto some mindes this is the greatest contentment of life of any thing but yet many things must bee considered For First amongst an 100. men scarce one can by good reason pleade that I meane cannot say that hee hath so much as one sound friend in the whole world worthy to be reckoned as the stay of his life Secondly those that can plead felicitie in their friends yet what is it one pleasing dreame hath more in it then a moneths contentment which can bee reaped from thy friends Alas it is not the thousandth part of thy life which is satisfied with delight from them 3. Thou s●…st thy friend●… drop away from thee from day to day for either they dye or they are so farre remoo●…d from thee that they are as it w●…e dead to thee and sith they are gone who would not long to go after them 4. The friends that are left are not sure to thee men are mutable as well as mortall they may turne t●… be thy foes that now are dearest vnto thee or if they fall not into tearmes of flat enmitie they 〈◊〉 grow full and wea●…e of thee and so carelesse of thee 5. If none of these would satisfie thee yet what are thy friends on earth to thy friends thou shalt finde in heauen This is an answer beyond all exception 6. Lastly by death thou doest not lose thy friends neither for thou shalt finde them and enioy them in another world to all eternity and therefore thou hast no reason forthy friends sake to be loth to dye 7. But might some one say All my griefe is to part with my wife and children and to leaue them especially in an vnsettled estate 1. Hast