will I hide my selfe from him 6. Suspect not thy friend unjust suspition overthroweth freindships fundamentall lawes if thou count thy freind faithfull thou shalt thereby make him such Nor is this against the rule of wisedome which bids thee keepe the power of that which may nourish freindship in thine own hand Give not saith the wise man thy sonne and wife thy brother and friend power over thee while thou livest give not thy selfe over unto any Yet no man loveth those whom hee cannot beleeve nor beleeve those he cannot love as hatred and suspect so love and confidence are indivisibly united 7. Be constant to thy freind in every estate prosperous and adverse in presence and absence Thine own friend and thy fathers freind forsake not levity and inconstancy of mind is inconsistent with friendship That the prosperous man may reckon many freinds the afflicted but few sheweth that among many acquaintance there are but very few freinds that many love thy fortune not thee freindship which can change with externall estate was never true a freind loveth at all times and a brother is borne for adversity in prosperity 't is hard to judge whether the person or estate be loved prosperity findeth friends but adversity tryeth them a true friend therefore is neither knowne in prosperity nor hid in adversity Like the starre of a cleare heaven neither seen in the day nor concealed in the darkest shades of night as the wise man saith there is a freind that sticketh closer then a brother a false freind like Jobs brooke in the winter when wee have no need of him overfloweth with tenders of his service and shews of kindnesse but when it is hot they are consumed out of their place the troupes of Tema looked the companies of Sheba waited for them and were ashamed as are they who finde contempt neglect where they looked for the love of a constant freind there are shadowes of freinds which will goe with you in all your actions you cannot shake them off which yet vanish so soone as your prosperitie commeth under the clowd there are some vaine â—iphers whom place only brings to some accompt whose honours so much change their manners that they cannot looke so low as an old freind which concludeth levity weaknesse of minde selfe-love foolish pride and ignorance of the rules of wisdome piety and true honour which knoweth a faithfull compliance in every estate and like the sun to shine with the same unchanged though more perfect light in his exaltation or heigth and in his rising on the mole-banke and on the mountaine on the smooth and on the troubled waters it was a rare piety in Ruth to resolve concerning the afflicted Naomi entreat me not to leave thee for whether thou goest I will goe where thou dyest I will dye and there will I bee buried the Lord doe so to me and more also if ought but death depart thee and mee and it was a patterne of the most noble freindship which was betweene Jonathan and David there was a nexus animarum more then the love of women the soule of Jonathan was knit with the soule of David he loved him as his owne soule which he demonstrated in his constant fidelity to him on all occasions 8. Beare with the seeming injuries which proceed from thy freinds weaknesse considering that we yet converse not with Angells of heaven but imperfect men and that our selves must have the same favour of candid interpretations in many of our actions wherein we may bee misunderstood or possibly besides our intentions hurt our freind 't is wisdome to passe by offences love to cover faults and piety to beare each others burden where all are infirme without this we can hold no amity with men but shal be foolish freinds overcaptioâ—s querulous or like Jobs miserable comforters injuriously bitterly censorious ever finding fault displeased withall of bitter spirits like contentious Ismaël our hand against every man and every mans against us or rugged Nabal living to none but himselfe this vanity of impatience drave that humane monster the times prodigie nature's paradox man-hating man the dogged Timon from the society of men 9. Reveale no secret of thy freind he that is of a faithfull spirit concealeth the matter rehearse not unto another that which is told unto thee if thou hast heard a word let it dy with thee and be told it will not hurt thee a foole travaileth with a word his minde who useth to tell newes is like the breaches in water banks you shall hardly make it hold but who sodiscovereth a secret looseth his credit and shall never finde a freind to his minde love thy freind and be faithfull unto him but if thou bewraiest his secrets follow no more after him a wound may be bound up and after reviling there may bee reconcilement but he that bewraieth secrets is without hope 10. Conceale not thy frends vertues if by speaking thou maist encourage him therein or wherein thou maist laudando praecipere teach him by praising him neither his faults if thou maist by detection amend or better him least thy silence make them thine Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart thou shalt rebuke him and not suffer sinne upon him or that thou beare not sinne for him hee loveth not who had rather venture his freinds soule then his favour in case he should distast a reproofe every one that spareth is not a freind nor every one that smiteth an enemie it is better to love with severitie then to deceive with lenity the wounds of a lover are faithfull but flattery in evill is treason against the soule of thy freind by so much worse then any other but how much greater heaven is then earth eternity then time a wise man will be glad to be reprooved and amended by any and take him to be a freind by whose tongue hee may cleanse the spots of his soule before the appearance of the strict judge A faithfull freind like a true glasse will shew thee to thy selfe as thou art how many men are unhappy only in the want hereof who having in them many excellent parts imitable qualities mixed as 't is with men with some apparent blemishes taking much off from the opinion of their worth were easily mended because wise had they but a prudent frend to discover their failings to them I beleeve hence was the complaint of the Philosopher so frequent in his mouth O freinds there 's none to freind we easily discover others faults but our owne hardly with inconvenience we owe to our native selfe-love herein we ought to helpe one another not fearing how that will be taken which is our freinds advantage and our duty Certainly if thou rebuke a wise man hee will love thee for it seeing thy sincerity which if he be not hee is better lost then
Act 1. 3. Wee are next to beleeve his ascension into heaven the third heaven where God manifesteth his glory to the Angels and blessed spirits this was in the sight of his Disciples when he had sufficiently instructed them and confirmed them by his often appearing to them and conversing with them He ascended from the Mount of Olives neere Bethanie when he had lifted up his eyes and blessed them hee went apart from his Disciples and while they beheld was taken up and a cloud received him out of their sight to teach us no more to seeke him with carnall eyes The ancient Prophecies foretold this Psal 68. 18. Thou hast ascended up on high thou hast led captivity captive The high Priest entering into the holy of holies prefigured it It demonstrateth the Justice of God fully satisfied and our sinnes discharged Heb 9. 12. If any one sinne of the elect had beene unexpiated hee had still remained in death but he not only rose againe for our justification but is ascended into heaven the first fruits and earnest of our ascenâ—ion carrying up with him a portion of our flesh blood as it were to take livery and seison for us as he gave us the earnest of his Spirit thereby to make us secure of inheriting the kingdome of God Thus he declared himselfe the very Son of God who came from heaven ascending who before had descended from thence Eph 4. 10. Thus became he our faithfull high Priest to appeare before God for us to open to us the way to the holy of holies to prepare vs place and give us confidence against all Satans machinations Who shall condemne us It is Christ who is dead for us yea rather who is raised againe who also sitteth at the right hand of God and intercedeth for us which was prefigured in the high Priests bearing the names of the people engraven on the stones upon the shoulder of the Ephod for a mâ—moriall of the children of Israel which he was to beare before the Lord. Next we must beleeve that Christ now sitteth at the right hand of God the Father So Mark 16. 19. so was it foretold Psal 110. 1. Math 22. so the Scriptures evidently speak yet must we not with the foolish Anthropomorphites dreame that God is like man that he hath a right hand and a left this is a translatitious and borrowed manner of speaking sitted to our understanding God pleasing thus to descend to our infirmitie Men give honour by setting others at their right hand as Solomon set his mother 1. King 2. 19. but there is indeed no leâ—t hand or inferiour place betweene the Father and the Sonne all is equall he is neither lesse then the Father nor inferiour to him It is said at his right hand in respect of the order of divine power not humane honour God is not circumscribed in place nor hath the Deity any left hand â—importeth here a wonderfull exaltation to power authoritie and majestie so the Apostle expresseth it Phil 2. 9 He hath highly exalted him and given him a name above every name as also 1 Cor 15. 25. He must reigne till he hath put all his enemies under his fect It importeth an entrance into and full possession of his kingdome over all as he saith Luk 24. 26. Ought not Christ to suffer these things and so to enter into his glory So Act 5. 31. This Jesus hath God lifted up by his right hand to be a Prince and Saviour farre above all principalities and power and might and dominion and every name that is named not only in this world but also in that which is to come and hath put all things under his feet and gave him to bee the head over all things the meaning is that Christ doth actually reigne in heaven with the Father in infinite glory and majestie And this honour is thus peculiar to him that God the Father will governe all things by him and that because he onely and none other is able thus to performe all parts of King and Saviour of his Church yet must we know that in his severall acts the Father and holy Ghost unite and worke by him All serves to terrifie the enemies of Christ and obstinate sinners by his present power to destroy them could not malitious Haman prevaile against Esther and her allies because of her interest in the kings favour and shall the enemies of Christ and his ever prevaile against them And to comfort the afflicted could Joseph being exalted and set next unto Pharaoh in the kingdome of Egypt provide for all his Fathers family and preserve them in the famin and shall not Christ much more be able to save and deliver us in all our necessities when he was in his state of humiliation and forme of a servant who ever came unto him for helpe and went away unrelieved sicknesse lamenesse deafnesse blindnesse wants stormes devils death no difficulty could intercept his mercy shall we feare he hath lesse power or will to helpe and succur us now he sitts at the right hand of God in heaven no no make thy requests to him feare not he that hath had experience of our miseries is both willing and able to succour us t is he that helpeth our infirmities we know not what to pray us we ought our best prayers are dull and inactive but he is our faithfull high Priest to intercede for us When Adoniah knew he could not of himselfe prevaile he intreated Bathsheba to speake for him in assurance that the king would deny her nothing how much more may we be assured of attaining seeing we have such an high Priest if we draw neere with a true heart in full assurance of faith to the throne of grace by this new and living way Court friends like Pharaohs butler eftsoone forget the afflictions of Joseph but Christ can never he prayed that Peters faith might not faile him and professed I pray not for these alone but for them also which shall beleeve in me through thy word I have many times feared that I have cryed and lifted up my hands in vaine and effectlesse votes till I remember that my Saviour â—itteth at Gods right hand able to helpe how and when he knoweth best I want faith patience and the spirit of prayer but therefore hee is ascended up on high that he may give these gifts unto men and he will supply me he will keepe me from evill When he was in the forme of a servant the devill could not enter into the heard of Swine before he gained leave and shall all the powers of hell be able to hurt me while he now in the state of glory protecteth me he to whom all power in heaven and earth is given Lord only give me a faithfull heart to depend on thee and thy saving health and I shall not
the Lord see it and it displease him David mourned when his enemies were sick There are that can please themselves in that Pseudocharity which displeaseth God which is indeed but conspiracy in evill 10. Lastly it beleeveth and hopeth all things it is hard to possesse it of any evill opinion and in case of evident failings it will give men some hope of the offenders amendment We are next to consider love as it falleth under the peculiarity of friendship The bond of charity uniteth all but friendship some few 1. True friendship among men is loves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 flower and vigour affections jewell amities quintessence societies perfection and sympathy of holy soules it is a mutuall love good will betweene two or more endeavouring each others good and safety expressed in performance of all lawfull offices so uniting friends in mutuall communications and similitude of affections as that some have stiled a friend anotherselfe such was betweene Jonathan and David David and Hushai the Archite a friend is he who loveth and is beloved The Philosopher said friendship is of all things divine and humane a supreame consent in love and good will next after wisedome the chiefe gift of God to man said the Oratour it is the rich mans security the poore mans riches the banished mans native soile the inâ—irme mans strength Physicke for the sick counsaile for the irresolute and doubtfull prosperities counseller and adversities comforter the solace of company reliefe of solitude the bond of society and life of life a friend is a jewell long sought rarely found hardly kept there is no pleasant possession of any thing without a partner The best most pleasant commodious and secure possession of all the earth was Paradise and yet there God who best knew man said it is not good that the man should be alone Gen 2. 18. man then in his happy innocency Wisdome is beyond all earthly goods but what were it to me more then a burden if I should receave it on this condition that I could not communicate it but must for ever keepe it shut up in mine owne minde I would not be troubled with that good which none might share with me I would not bee in heaven alone heaven it selfe is happy for its company the most blessed being which made heaven and earth subsisteth in an incomprehensible society which said in the beginning let us make man in our image after our likenesse who made him a sociable creature insomuch as that without friends all thoughts are tedious every worke a toile every land a peregrination every life a torment a death Friendship is a divine content of men the necessitie of whose neere conjunction and indissoluble unity that God might declare he made all of one flesh and appointed their propagation by united two Friendship is the comfort of this life if you take it away you should seeme to take the sun from heaven a friend is an excellent riches what were all the treasures in the world to me if there were none with whom I might communicate them Nothing doth countervaile a faithfull freind and his excellency is unvalewable I wonder not at the rate which the great Monarch Darius set on his Zopyrus whose free wish could pitch upon nothing in the world like many such friends Many and excellent are the fruits of freindship as some have noted for the easing and unlading our mindes multiplying our joyes extenuation of sorrowes by that sympathy of affections which is among true friends sharing in every estate Our prosperity is the more comfortable to us by how much more it is communicable to freinds who rejoyce in our good as we also doe in their rejoycing our adversity is made lighter by dividing the burden We ease our hearts when wee impart our griefe to a faithfull and prudent freind of whom wee may receive counsaile and assistance the advantage hereof our Saviour intimated to his Disciples when to comfort them against the sad apprehension of his approaching passion hee said I have called you freinds besides or above that love wherewith he loved all his he had some more peculiar relation among the elect to his Disciples and among them to a favorite or more intimate freind the beloved disciple Ointment and perfume rejoyce the heart so doth the sweetnesse of a mans freind by hearty counsaile saith Salomon a faithfull freind is a strong defence he that hath found such a one hath found a treasure better are two then one if they fall one will lift up the other but woe to him that is alone By a true freind wee are solaced in presence and comforted in absence no distance of place separateth the mind which loves our thoughts are with our absent freinds and therâ—in wee confer with them they are the joy of our health and comfort of our sicknesse me think's said the Philosopher I dye not while I leave them safe I live by them though not with them 2. Now because on the one side the best things corrupted become worst and the most dangerous vailes of treachery are shewes of love and freindship because there is no comfort of this present life which Satan more endeavoureth to poison and embitter then this while envying us the blessing he striveth to pervert and make it a curse by impropriating and abusing it to his own service in working his designe thereby making man a tempter and deputie-devill to man in those things which he could never effect but under the shewes and sacred name of friendship it behoveth us to beware of the serpent which lurketh under the sweet flowers And because on the other part if suspect of all men or neglect of seeking or gaining it deprive us of so admirable an advantage as is herein to be enjoyed wee thereby loose the comfort of this life of which without the use of friendship we may not only doubt whether it be humane but whether vitall he lives not who lives only to himselfe or but a brutish life onely acquaintance and familiarity with some without tasting the diviner fruits of freindship rendreth the Churlish Nabals no better then beasts which seeme affected with something analogicall to amitie in that after familiarity and much using together they will hardly obey their masters will to part them it behooveth us therefore seriously to consider what is herein to be done that we may neither loose nor abuse so great a blessing of God for want of providence to finde it or wisedome to use it that we may neither be deprived of the good nor deceaved by the evill that which is necessarily to be considered is 1. What is the centre of this friendship least wee erre in the proposition of the ende 2. What are the Lawes thereof least we abuse it or be abused by it 3. What choice we ought to make of freinds 4.
painter did when he borrowed all the perfections of beauty he possibly could to furnish his pourtraict of Venus so that these nations made them of such proportion and colour as they thought most beautiful which sheweth that beauty is not in white and red or so much in any sixed standart as to be weighed by his affection who likes and loves whence it commeth to passe that affection being Clarke of the Market making or at least determining the true value and price of beauty yea beauty it selfe there is almost no face but some can like and love it best I might say therefore if beauty were not so much in opinion yet is it fading flowers are the emblemes thereof Favor is deceitfull and beauty is vaine but a woman that feareth the Lord shee shall be praised love which only beauty enflames is like fire in stubble soon going out except it finde some more solid fuel to preserve it The ancient Heathens in their fable of Pygmalion falling in love with the image which he made and obteining a metamorphosis thereof into a woman and his wife quickly disliked under a false vaile as oft they did understood this morall trueth That such is the mutability of mans minde that if he might be permitted according to his desire to make himselfe a fortune hee would not long like his own option and â—igment specially that which is grounded on so fraile a good as beauty every day subject to change by the power of sicknesse if no worse corruption Regard riches and beauty in thy choice that thou maist subsist and love but choose not for either or both but principally for vertue not subject to the lawes of time or age 5. If thou art under parents or governers match not without their consent 6. Lastly so far as by diligent enquiry thou canst discern take heed of 1. An impious Athaliah or false Delilah likewise of a tempter hee or shee who will not be good toward so good a God what hope is there they will or can be good to thee what mischiefe what curse maist thou not reasonably expect from such company as God hateth and will finally destroy 2. A proud and expensive Jezabel such must needs prove thy families calamity pride goeth before ruine the spendthrift is more devouring then the sea that is sometimes long devouring a patrimony this quickly swalloweth up all there may be some defence found against that but if Solomon himselfe were tutor to this foole his instruction should finde no capacity in him 3. A curst and intractable nature a provoking Miriam a sullen Vashti a jeering Nichol a scolding Zipporah a stingie Peninnah and a revengeful Herodias why any one should be in love with a bear it must seem strange to us but some are of an affection so paradoxical that they can because they are of the like ungentle rough disposition for parity of manners begeteth liking but if thou love comity affability and that sweetnesse of behaviour which becometh the people of God avoid a churlish Nabal and a d Xâ—ntippe quà m in Socratem prius convitia maledicta ingessisset post verò sordidis aquis perâ—udisset inquit Nonne dicebam Xantippem tonantem quandoque pluituram Laert. l. â— Socrat. shrill Xantippe whose thunder will not only startle thee by day but like an importune gnat she will be singing about thy eares when thou wouldst â—leep whose impudent barbarismes will render thee ridiculous to thy acquaintance and pitied of thy friends whose spirit of contradiction will embitter all that which should sweeten an happy society neither let some calmes deceive thee the sea is lovely when no breath of winde moveth it to rage the fiercest are kinde in their times of love consider well what men and women are when they are angry and how thou canst change bridle or bear that nature he that keepeth salvage beasts may render up his charge when hee will but the unhappy married covenant till death us depart Take heed of objects too great for thy power or patience 4. An intemperate luxurious or drunken mate e Pascitur â—ibido conviviis nutritur deliciis c. Amb. de poen l. 1. cap. 14. Lust is fed at full tables which beggery and misery attend to take away the intemperate and drunken is the devils anvile on which hee can forge any sinne when Satan with large promises tempted the yong man to kill his father hee abhorred the suggestion likewise when he proposed in the second place that hee should commit adultery he refused it when hee brought him into company and exhorted him to doe as others did drinking he became drunken and in that madnesse slew his father and committed adultery drunkennesse is broker to any sin 5. A bold and familiar behaviour in women is a dangerous symptom of immodesty Lascivious gesture impudent discourse and affectation of strange attire are but the bush to shew what is vendible within take heed of a gadding Dinah and a tame woman I deny not but such may be chaste but it seemeth hardly probable that they would be such Of all domestick miseries the adulterous wiâ—e is incomparably worst and most of all such calamities to be abhorred of those that are to choose and to be pitied in all that have made such choice except in those that have made them or suspected them before to be such f Pro. 6 25 26. lust not after her beauty in thine heart neither let her take thee with her eie-lids for by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a morsel of bread and the adulteresse will hunt for the precious life g Prov. 5. 8. Remove thy way farre from her and come not nigh the door of her house 6. Take heed of matching into an infamous family it is true God can call and so doth h Luke 7. some infamous sinners home to wash the feet of Christ with teares of repentance he can and doth take some out of the most sinful families to make them instances of his mercy but commonly partus ventrem sequitur an adulterous Herodias hath a dancing daughter easily infected with her mothers sicknesse it is a desperate adventure to choose there Concerning the mutual Dueties of the married these duties are observable 1. That they serve God together with one heart and consent §. III. so Abraham and Sarah Isaac and Rebecca Zacharie and Elisabeth so all the children of God in that state do 2. That both hold the bond of conjugal love entire pure and unpolluted while Solomon chargeth the man i Prov. 5. 18 c. rejoice with the wife of thy youth let her breasts satisfie thee at all times he enjoineth the woman the same duety let both ever remember the covenant they have made before God and that dreadful word 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. Be not deceived neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers shall inherit the kingdom of God 3. That they live together in love peace
Rebecca cry I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth. Now though it be true he that doubteth whether he ought to worship God and honour his parents rather wanteth stripes then arguments yet seeing the corrupt nature of man is prone to all impiety I will hereto adde some motives to this duety 1. It is the only commandement with promise of reward Honour thy father and thy mother that thy dayes may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee that it may goe well with thee the son of Sirach saith Honour thy father and thy mother that a blessing may come upon thee from them 2. This is just before God and pleasing to him releeving thy father shall not be forgotten in the day of thy affliction it shall be remembred 3. A third motive may be taken from the contrary curse to him that any way dishonoreth father or mother 1. Cursed is he that setteth light by his father or his mother there is no more evident signe of an impious minde then contempt of parents 2. He that wasteth his father and chaseth away his mother is a son that causeth shame and whosoever robbeth father or mother and saith it is no transgression the same is the companion of a destroyer 3. The eie that mocketh at his father and despiseth to obey his mother the ravens of the valley shall pick it out 4. Whoso curseth his father or his mother his lamp shall be put out in obscure darknesse every one that curseth his father or his mother shall surely be put to death his blood shall be upon him so he that smiteth father or mother there is no lesse punishment severe enough for such an unnatural prodigie as a parricide or hee that retributeth injury where he oweth highest gratitude 5. Lastly I wish all disobedient children to read Deut. 21. 18 c. If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son which will not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother and that when they have chastened him will not hearken unto them then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him and bring him unto the Elders of his city c. and the men of the city shall stone him with stones that he dye so shalt thou put away evil from among you A Praier for children to use O Lord God who hast ordained strength in the mouthes of babes and sucklings sanctifying them from the womb open our lips that wee may shew forth thy praise holy Lord Jesus who taking up children into thy sacred armes declaredst that unto such belongeth the kingdome of God who for our redemption becamest an infant and for our instruction obedient to humane parents who art the eternal son of God have mercy on us sanctify us bodies and soules unto thy kingdom and service keep us in our tender years by thy holy spirit from all the errors sins and pollutions of youth make us sincerely obedient to our God that in him wee may honor and obey our parents in all things in reverence and thankefulnesse for their tender care over us blesse their endeavours to provide for us spare them that they may live to bring us up in thy faith feare and love that thy great name may be glorified and they comforted in us and we with them preserved unto thine everlasting kingdom through Jesus Christ our ever blessed Lord and Saviour AMEN CHAP. XXVI Of the wounded spirit or conscience afflicted by the apprehension of Gods wrath against some great sinnes spiritual wants or fear of tentations § 1. What a wounded spirit is how great an affliction what the conscience is how comfortable the peace thereof why God afflicteth his § 2. What things principally wound the conscience § 3. What they who are afflicted with the apprehension of Gods wrath against them must consider § 4. What they must examine § 5. What they must practice 1. I Have spoken concerning the guidance of the Thoughts Words and Actions in generall and in some particular relations to external dueties I shall now endeavour to give directions suitable to some conditions first of the inward man and next of the outward The spirit of man will bear his infirmity but a wounded spirit who can beare saith Solomon The word signifieth a smitten contrite or broken spirit It is a manner of speaking borrowed from bodily afflictions by stripes contusions bruises or wounds wherein by cutting or hurting the sinews and veins the body weakened and endangered without cure to death disabled so that it cannot support it self is apt to inflammations and distempers every light touch hurteth it it depriveth a man of rest so that he is impatient of this present posture and more grieved at the change To expresse the intense sorrow of the soule weak confidence and enfeebled life of the spirit God calleth it a wounded spirit 2. This affliction is so great as it exceedeth all other temporal sorrows and is such as none can truely judge of but they who have with David seen confinia inferni as he saith Psal. 116. 3. The sorrowes of death compassed me and the paines of hell gat hold upon me or found me Other sorrowes may be eased by giving the afflicted something equivalent to that whose losse grieveth him as where one treasure is lost and another found or by some compensation and repair as Job had a second brood and encrease of wealth Elkanah intimated such a medium consolationis when hee said to afflicted Hannah Am not I better to thee then ten sonnes but so can this never be if you give a man of an afflicted spirit riches company of dearest friends or that which might relieve refresh or delight some others you do no more ease him then you could the broken bones by putting on some purple or rich robes no no the grief is within and there must be cured nothing external can do it in other griefes time will mitigate sunt verba voces excellent lenitives of sorrow in some other kindes wine merry company musick or the like meanes may have some part as the wise man saith Give strong drink to him that is ready to perish and wine to those that be of heavy hearts let him drinke and forget his poverty and remember his misery no more So Davids harp could for the time refresh Saul and charme the evil spirit but this grief admitteth of no efficacy in such comforts In other pressures wee may be eased or conveyed away from the evil as Paul was from the Jews conspiracy as David from Saul but there is no flight from a wounded spirit Whither ever we goe we carry our affliction with us our secret tormenter in us In fine as it is in sense of a separation from God the reality whereof is the second death so no creature in heaven or earth can cure it there can be
which grant us O good Lord for the same thy sonne our Sauiour Jesus Christ his sake who with thee and the holy spirit liveth and reigneth one glorious God for ever and ever AMEN CHAP. XXXVI Meditations concerning death § 1. Seeing all must dye how to prepare that death may not be terrible § 2. Meanes to comfort in the death of deare friends § 3. Comforts against death THat needeth no proofe whereof all are examples to themselves such is that easiest and hardest lesson that All must dye that death is the undoubted issue of sinne that it is a separation of the soule from the body for a time But because it stealeth on as they that sleepe in a ship undersaile arrive at their port while they thinke not of going so goe wee with a restlesse pace to that same terra incognita the unknowne limit of our present life consuming while we are not sensible thereof and because it is terrible to flesh and blood the maine care must be to knowe 1 What preparation we are to make that neither life may be tedious nor death terrible 2 How to comfort our selves against it in case of sorrow for others 3 How we must be comforted against feare of death We must prepare for death because in the place where the tree falleth there it shall be as death leaveth us judgement shall finde us now as the passage to the promised rest which was a type of heaven to the Israël of God was terrible so is this to heaven we are presently ripe though not ready for death all are subject to this pale prince to whom we are going every moment this day wee now live wee divide with death that which is past thereof being unrecoverably gone rhe houre is uncertaine but they are certainly happy who are then provided thou wouldst watch against the comming of theeves who can take nothing from thee but only that which a little time must what a stupid security is it not to watch and provide against death which thou knowest will certainly and quickly come and take away body soule heaven and all to eternity from the secure sinner Thinkest thou of youth and strength Alas how many young and strong men have died before thee Doest thou in others funeralls thinke as the Pharise said I am not as other men What priviledge hast thou Let not Satan delude thee but prepare for the day that it may bee thy happiest To prepare so that thou maist not feare death it is necessary that thou 1 Put thy house in order so that when the houre is come that thou shalt be taken hence all secular cares falling off like Eliahs mantle thou maist quietly fix thy minde on those things which are above to which thou art going 2. That thou alwaies keepe innocency for so thy end shall be peace Psal. 37. 37. The sting of death is sinne 1. Cor. 15. 56. and more greivous then it into which when our first parents fell they became mortall and so death went over all for as much as all have sinned so that which was their punishment became naturall to all borne of them The best preparation against death is as much as we can to avoid the cause thereof but for which as it could never have prevailed so neither can it now be terrible what is the serpent when his venemous teeth are broken or his sting pulled out what is death to those who are fully assured of their sinnes remission death where is thy sting cryed Paul certaine of victory in Christ and insulting over death otherwise even Aristippus how excellently soever disputing of the contempt of death will looke pale in the storme at sea yea where some remaindes of the first Adam appeare and therein some degrees of unbeleefe the saints thinke of death as Jacob said of his Luz how dreadfull is this place this is the gate of heaven for the guilt of sin presenteth the conscience with apprehension and feare of Gods anger as faith doth with confidence of attonement in Christ hence is the conflict in the soule desiring to be with Christ and flesh and blood naturally fearing its owne destructiō look how Moses assured that the rod turn'd into a serpent should not sting him yet fled it with a kind of fearfull willingnesse tooke it up so is it here the guilt of sinne afflicting the conscience is the onely terrour of death therefore as the Philistins said of David we may say of it let him not goe downe into the battel with us lest he be an enemy to us sinne is the mother of unbeliefe feare and doubting it leaveth the conscience wounded and affrighted with feare of judgment whereof death is but the execution most embittred with present sorrow and apprehension of the future which maketh death evill that can be no evill death whith endeth a good life the heathen could say that they that will be immortall must live holily and justly if thou feare death so But why may some say is not death the punishment of sinne taken away from those who by the grace of regeneration are acquitted from the guilt of sinne We must know that if the bodies immortalitie should ever presently follow the sacrament of regeneration faith it selfe should be enervated which then hath being when it expecteth that in hope which is not yet actually seen also the feare of death must be overcome by the strength and conflict of faith in men of ripe yeares as it appeared in the Martyres wherein there could be neither victory nor glory if no conflict as there could not be if the Saints had present immunity from bodily death who would not then runne to the grace of Christ with infants to be baptised that they might not dye And so should faith not be tryed by an invisible reward nor indeed by faith in that it now sought and obtained reward But now by a greater and more admirable grace of our Savicur the punishment of sinne is converted to the use of righteousnesse for then it was said to man if thou sinne thou shalt dye but now it is said to the martyr dye that thou maist not sinne so by the unspeakable mercy of God the very punishment of sinne became the armour of vertue and so death which endeth this mortall and sinfull life becommeth a passage to the eternall in which shall be no sinne and so the punishment is turned into mercy and death become againe by which sinne and misery are cut off lest the evill should be immortall 3 It is necessary that thou strive to live an heavenly life in all godlinesse to set thy affections on things above to reckon that thou art here but a pilgrime and stranger not having in this world any continuing city that thou art a fellow citizen with the Saints and of the houshold of God that being here in this earthly
read hee cast himselfe into the sea what ever other speculations they had with Adrian Caesars uncertainty what should become of the soule after death there could be no solid and true comfort in it nor can any thing be so infallible as to comfort an afflicted soule in death but that onely which God saith where that pronounceth blessed are the dead their spirits rest in Christ they shall rise againe and see God in the same flesh we may rest assured of those comforts heaven and earth shall passe away but no tittle of Gods Word shall faile 10 Repent and turne unto the Lord quickly deferre not with the foolish virgins untill the bridegroome come it will be too late to knocke when the doore of mercy is shut up remember that profane Esau sought the blessing too late he that hath promised mercy to the penitent hath not promised thee to morrow nor to give thee an heart to repent then Fly youthfull lusts 2 Tim. 2. 22. but as the Angell said to Lot going out of Sodome Genes 19. 22. Hast thee now while thou art in health fly from the wrath to come in death thy slight will be heavy after death impossible the evill thou wilt not now fly thou canst not then those things which thou here committest with delight shall there follow thee with revenge Ever feare least this day may be the last because thou art not sure thou shalt live to morrow how many seeming healthfull how many young and strong hast thou knowne sodainly taken away If thy youth be past in sinne yet amend thy age Happy shall he be who under the stroke of death can with the penitent theefe turne unto the Lord. 11 So ever behave thy selfe towards men that thou needest not be ashamed to live longer and so make thy peace with God that thou maist not feare to dye As dying Ambrose said because we have a good God Knowing the strict examination of Gods justice he saith he trusted in the good God not in any merits of his own though men knew nothing of him whereof he might be ashamed It is an happy temper of the minde wherein we neither wish nor feare to dye The misery of the unbeleever is that being weary of life he is yet afraid of death Only assurance of thy sinnes remission and eternall salvation in Christ can give thee comfort against and in death seeke thy peace with God through him To comfort our selves in our deare friends death the rule is that we sorrow not as men without hope sorrow we may that is humane sorrow hath its place in man and justification in Christs teares at Lazarus grave but it must hold a mean the Saints have mourned for the dead but moderatly and not without the resolution which David expressed 2. Sam. 12. 23. I shall goe to him but he shall not returne to me least too much affection should be mistaken and piety toward the dead misconstrued by unbeleevers for dispaire in God The apathie of Pericles Zenophon and others in their sonnes deaths are not examples for us The meanes to comfort herein is 1 To consider and firmely beleeve that they are but gone before us they are not lost that the living body which thou now sowest with teares shall rise againe with joy a glorified creature that we shall meet in heaven and never part againe and that with greater advantage of love and perfection the most perfect secular amity hath some bitternesse because the best have some imperfection but there shall bee nothing in friends to grieve and discontent each other because no sinne nor imperfection Now if wee are indeed confident of such a resurrection why should we bewaile the dead Why too much if we believe they are not lost Why should wee impatiently take it that they are withdrawne for a time whom we beleeve returning to eternity Why should we immoderatly grieve that our friends goe before us seeing wee must quickly followe them 2 To consider that thou lamentest thine own losse not thy good friends wherein as I said thou shouldst rationally rejoyce rather that thou hadst such a one then mourne that hee is gone to God could the deceased Saint for whom thou grievest but heare and speake from heaven to thee what would he else say then that which our blessed Saviour going to overcome death by dying said to the daughters of Jerusalem weepe not for mee but weepe for your selves They need not ever sorrow who are arrived there where there can be no sorrow 3 To consider what state wee have in any thing secular and for what terme what canst thou so call thine as being certaine thou shalt enjoy it one day more and shal we for want of wisedome to hold these temporall blessings with a loose hand ready to let goe when God will resume make them bitter to us also did our deare friends qualities therefore delight us when they lived with us that their memory might afflict us when they are deceased Telamon and Anaxagoras knew but they had mortall children and shall not wee know that our immortality is not here but in the world to come It is a shame to Christians if their faith come short of others infidelity Heathens could say that we ought not to bewaile that death which immortalitie followeth that the deceased lived a more happy life that the soule is divine and heavenly how unexcusable is it for us to thinke the Saints were made for earth onely and to be imprisoned in these houses of clay for ever They condemned immoderate sorrow for the dead how doe we bewray our carnall dissidence or perverse affections in our excesse when we grieve for them who are incomparably more happy then we They stand on the blessed shore expecting our arrivall from this sea of glasse mingled with â—ire And who can say that those new inhabitants of the heavenly Jerusalem doe not daily looke for us among the happy soules as Joseph and Mary sought Christ at the earthly The old Massilians buried their dead without mourning The Easterne people with musick some bewailed their births and rejoyced in their funerals others crowned their dead as then victorious it is enough to comfort us concerning them did not flesh and blood beare too great a part that God pronounceth them blessed There are three things which are counted sorrowes lenitives Time Reason and Religion the first will prevaile to asswage sorrow even in bruits The first and second in carnall men and why then dost thou immoderately mourne who hast the helpe of religion the comfort of knowledge and Gods oracles to allay thy griefe Why should not rather sanctified reason then time asswage thy sorrow To conclude remember these three things 1. That it is no extraordinary thing to loose a deare frrend and why then should'st