them And often times those thinges which are taken for punishmentes are rather profitable medecins For euen as the Nurse by annointing her brest with Aloes doth weane hir Infant from sucking so doth God by tribulation and aduersity weane his Children from sensuall delightes And as Moses by striking the hard stonie Rocke with his Rodde brought forth plenty of Water euen so GOD by stryking the stony Hart of Man with affliction bringeth foorth teares of contrition And as in the Gold-smithes Forge the golde is fined while the Coales are burned so in the Forge of temptation and trouble the faithfull are tryed and fined while the wicked are hardned and consumed And as the seed which is cast vpon the land vnlesse it indure the coldnesse of raine frost and snowe can bring forth no fruit no more can man vnlesse he do patiently beare the crosse of tribulation and aduersity bring forth true fruites of the Gospell The patient abiding of the righteous saith Salomon shall be turned into gladnesse The Lorde correcteth all those whom he loueth and scourgeth euery sonne that he receiueth So as there is no greater temptation then neuer to be tempted nor sorer whip then neuer to be scourged Yet such is the naturall infirmitie of man that it God beginne a little to chastice wee sorow and lament as though there were none other hell And if we florish a little in prosperity we laugh and sing as though there were none othâ—r heauen Hauing more respect how the world is inclined then what the Lorde hath commaunded Whereas wee shoulde not so much regard what we are here as what here after wee shall bee Not what we haue now but what we shall haue in time to come For all that Christ dyed for is yet behinde His kingdome is not of this world The effect of his death is not to make vs florish in this life The ioy of Gods children and sorrow of his enimies beginneth not till after death Hoc momentum vnde pendet eternitas This is a place of temptation and triall a moment of time whereof dependeth eternity of life to come The figure of this life withall the glory pompe and vanity thereof shall vanish and passe away and all thinges must be new New heauen new earth new bodies new mindes and all thinges new such as neither eye hath seene eare hath heard nor heart hath vnderstand before Chapter XVI Of the ioyfull state of Gods children after the laste iudgement AS the worlde had a beginning so shall it haue an ending The heauens saith the Apostle shal passe away in manner of a tempest the eliments shall melt with heat and the earth with all thinges therein contained shall burne with fier and be consumed But the Lord will creaâ—e newe heauens and a new earth and the former saith the prophet shall not bee remembred nor come to minde I saw saith the Euangelist a newe heauen and a newe earth for the first heauens and the first earth were passed away and there was no more sea And I saw the holy citie new Ierusalem come downe from God out of heauen prepared as a bride trimmed for her husband And I heard a great voyce out of heauen saying beholde the tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and he himselfe shall bee their God with them and shall wipe awaye all teares from their eies And there shall bee no more death neither sorrow neither crying neither shall there bee any more paine for the first things are gone And there shall be no night there and they neede no candle neither light of the sunne for the Lorde God giueth them light and they shall raigne for euermore Thy sonne shall neuer go downe saith the Prophet and thy name shall not be taken away for the Lorde himselfe shall be thine euerlasting light and thy sorrowfull daies shall be ended The moue saith he shall then be as light as the sunne and the sunne light shall be increased seauen folde and haue as much shine as in seauen daies besides And as the newe heauens and newe earth which I will make shall remaine before mee saith the Lorde so shall your seede and your name continue and from moneth to moneth and from Saboth to Saboth shall all fleshe come and worshippe before me saith the Lord and they shall go forth and looke vpon the karcases of the men which haue transgressed against me for their worme shall not die neither shall their fire be quenched and they shall be an abhorring vnto all flesh As the gold is desolued in the fire saith S. Augustine not to perish but to make it more fine and pure so the first heauen defiled with the pride of Angels and the first earth corrupted with the wickednesse of man shall vanish passe away and be no more seene Not altered in verity and substance but changed in fashion forme and shape So as the nature qualitie and complexion of corruptible Elemenâ—s agreeable to these our mortall bodies shall then be transformed to agree with our immortall and purified bodies and so remaine for euer And as we are now clothed with the Image of Adams corruptible bodie subiect to death and miserie so shall wee then bee clothed with the Image of Christes glorified bodie chaunged into perfection and sincerity When Christ shall appeare saith the Apostle wee shall be like vnto him and see him as he is And though wee shall not then as now bee maintained and fed with elimentall foode but as the Angels in heauen Yet our bodies of the same humaine nature shape and fashion of flesh and bones with all partes and members of a man as in this life Not altered in substance but chaunged in property Behold my handes and my feete saith our Sauiour his Disciples for it is euen I my selfe handle mee and see for a spirite hath not flesh and bones as you see me haue Yet such was his bodie as he entred the chamber where they were assembled tâ—e dores being shut Anselmus affirmeth that y e glorifieâ— to ies of the iust shall be so pure and pâ—rfect as may easily pearce or penitrate any other body without resistance or danger and in beautâ—e shall shine as the sunne And as we shall be new men so shall we haue new sences to vnderstand thinges not as they seeme but as they are in deede And beholde the diuine mysterie of God face to face The fruition of whose glorious presence as the originall fountaine from whence all wisedome gladnes ioye vertue and true felicitie do proceede shall so rauish content and satisfie euery member power and sence of bodie and minde with fuâ—l perfection of pleasure and delight as neither eie hath seene eare hath heard tongue can expresse nor heart imagine In comparison whereof all the vaâ—ne pleasures of this world are
He is the prince of this world hauing all those which are without or against Christ either by ignorance not knowing him or by heathenish life not following him or by violence resistâ—ng him at his bâ—cke to take part against vs with tooth and naile The Lieutenants of the field are fleshly sensuality against spirâ—tuall reason The Sargeants of the band the cursed children of darknes against the faithful châ—ldren of light The common souldiers the law of our members against the law of our mind the effectes of the flesh agâ—iâ—st tâ—e fruites of the spirite oppression and wrong against right and iustice subtill craft and deceit against true simple meaning pride and presumption against humility and lowlines and all other vice against vertue Chapter VI. The armour and weapons of a Christian Soldiour NOw forasmuch as our enimies the children of the world are more subtill craftie and politicke in their generation then the children of God able to deceiue if it were possible euen the very elect Satan can transfoâ—me himselfe into an Angell of light Pharaos sorserers could work maruelous strange wonders turne a rod to a Serpent water into bloud and make quick Frogs It is written that Simon Magus could by sorserye flye in the aire turne stones into bread make quicke Serpents of brasse sicles to reaâ—e corne without hands Images of stone to laugh and dogges to sing And being so many in number as which way soeuer we turne be sure to haue one enimie or other to incounter with vs. At our right hand the world the flesh and the deuill watcheth to intice vs to our vtter distruction At our left hand aduersitie pouertie and affliction of bodie is readie to cast vs downe into the dungeon of dispaire Behinde vs our sinnes are at hand to bewray vs. Within vs our owne conscience belaieth to accuse vs. Before vs are Gods iudgements readâ—e to condemne vs and hell mouth open to deuour vs. And seeing also that the soldiours of Satan are so mightie in force and strongly armed against vs hauing on the brest plate of iniury the girdle of falshood the shoes of discord the sheeld of infidelity the helmet of mistrust the pearcing dartes of crueltie the cannon shotte of spitefull reproches the arrowes of lying slaunders and the sworde of the flesh which is the doctrine of man seeking continually to tempt peruert and vtterly confound vs. To resist their tyranny therefore it standeth vs in hand to be also well and strongly armed with the brestplate of equitie the shielde of vndoubted faith in Christ the helmet of assured hope the shoes of knowledge and peace in the holy Ghost the girdle of truth well buckled with patience and constancie the cannon shotte of deepe sighes proceeding from a true penitent heart the arrowes of bitter teares brought forth by remorse of conscience the pearcing dartes of humble fasting deuout praying charitable giuing and vertuous liuing and the two edged sworde of the eternall word of God which is liuely in operation entreth through euen to the diuiding of the soule and the spirite and the ioyntes and the marow Mighty and strong to cast downe holdes and ouerthrow the imaginations of euerye thing that exalteth it selfe against the knowledge of God and bring into captiuity euery thought to the obedience of Christ. In which spirituall conflicâ— are three kinds of soldiours Some painefull warriours placed for a time to be tryed in this irkesome vale of miserie on earth Some triumphat conquerours for whom is appointed a crowne of victorie in the glorious kingdome of heauen And some cowardly fugitiues for whoÌ„ are reserued most greeuous torments in the lothsome prison of hell For as that professed soldiour which in time of battaile doth flye the field and suffer his captaine amongst his enimies to be buffited and beaten downe is but a dastardlye coward worthy of death so that professed christian which in time of persecution and trouble doth flye the spirituall combat and suffer Christ his louing redeemer amongst his enimies to be buffited and borne downe is but a dastardly hipocrite worthy of eternall torments Forasmuch therefore as he is nowe readie comming in maiâ—stie and honor to muster reward and crowne with glorie his conquering soldiours and punish with seuerity all cowardly fugitiues whose signes and tokens as messengers being alreadie come before to shewe that himselfe is not farre behind It standeth vs vpon to keepe our battle ray orderly fight valiantly watch carefully pray hartily belieue faithfully hope assuredly indure constantly and march on charitably to stand fast perseuer and quite our selues like men the quarrell is Gods the victorie ours the ende the saluation of our soules Let vs keep amâ—ane course as it were betwixt Silla and Caribdes presumption and desperation traueling our painefull pilgrimage in humble obedience with feare and trembling alwaies ready to do our best and trusting in Christ to performe the rest Chapter VII He that in Paradise will come to ioy with Christ must trauell with patience vnder the crosse of Christ. AS the Israelits could not come to the land of promise but by long painefull trauell through the wildernes no more can we come to the promised land of rest but by long painefull trauel through the wildernes of tribulation The law of Adams children is to liue in labor and the curse of Eues brats to suffer affliction yea all mankinde do feele the biting of the serpent Our elders in times past before they learned their A B.C. to put them in mind of their calling began alwaies their fyrst lesson with Christs crosse Who in building their churches did imitat the fashion of Salomons temple so as the bodies thereof might seeme to represent the church militant and the chancell the church triumphant And in the time of ignorance was placed right ouer the doore betweene theÌ„ a Rood or crosse of wood to signify that there is no way left vs to passe from the one to the other but onely vnder the crosse of our louing Redeemer He that will tast of his glory in heauen must first be partaker of his cuppe vpon earth Hee that after death will reioyce at his presence must first in his life time mourne for his absence Hee that will imbrace him in his diuine robes of honor must thinke no skorne of his earthly ragges of contempt Whosoeuer is ashamed of his crosse in this life he will bee ashamed of him in the life to come Hee can not passe from ioy to ioy but ether from earthly misery to heauenly felicity or else from earthly felicity to infernall extremity There is no other way left for the members then to follow their head The Disciple is not aboue his maister nor the seruant aboue his Lord. Seeing the good man of the house hath beene called Belsabub glutton and a companion of the wicked how can the seruants looke for
but fained shewes or darke shadowes There was in the temple at Ierusalem and so in the tabernacle two vales The first in the sanctuarie and the second in sanctum sanctorum The outward vale did signifye the couering and concealing of those mysteries glad tydings of the Gospell or doctrine of grace pertaining to the church militant Which at the death of christ to shewe that the same was then reueiled the fierie sword which kept the gate of Paradise remoued and the way to God the Father vnto all true beleeuers laid open did rent and teare in sunder The inwarde vale did signify the couering and concealing of those diuine mysteries which after the generall iudgement shall bee reuealed when we shall see his glorious maiestie face to face as he is Which vale had foure colours signifying the foure Elements being impediments and lets to keepe vs from the sight of those heauenly substances which our immortall and glorifyed bodies shall then behold And as our Sauiour Christ laide aside the paâ—t of maiestie tooke vpon him the forme of a seruant and hauing performed due obedience and subiection vnto his father is now aduanced to the highest dominion and crowned with honor and glorie that all knees shall bow vnto him So after the last day when he hath performed the officâ— of a mediator hee shall yeelde vp into the handes of his Father both the kingdome name and crowne of glorie and bee content with that same glorie which he inioyed before the creation of the world that God may be all in all A Meditation of the Lords prayer Our Father which art in heauen halowed bee thy name THy sacred word oh heauenly father wherby thou art knowne the onely Lorde of mercy and iudgement bee halowed and saÌ„ctified in vs. That by meanes of hearing thine euerlasting truth And viewing thy wondrous worâ—es most glorious in their kind all states and degrees of people may continually be moued with humble thankfull and obedient heartes to extâ—ll praise and magnify thy infynite goodnes for euer That all may turne to thy glory and our saluation Thy kingdome come INcrease most louing Father thy faithfull family vpon earth and make hast to deliuer vs from this present euill world Come Lord quickly to shorten these our sinfull daies and bring our miserable pilgrimage to an end That all may turne to thy glorie and our saluation Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen OH mercifull God whose eternall will and pleasure is to glorify them that glorify thee in themselues We beseech thy fatherly goodnes so to frame our hartes in due obedience to thy heauenly wil as our cheefe study care and delight may be wholly applyed to the suppressing of falshod and vice th' aduauncing of truth and vertue and bearing with patience the crosse of our louing Redeemer after him That al may turn to thy glory and our saluation Giue vs this day our daily bread OH most bountifull and gratious Soueraigne at whose mercyes seat all mankind must call and cry for grace at whose almes-basket both King and Keaser are driuen to begge their bread at whose bountifull handes all liuing creatures in due season expect theâ—r food We humbly beseech thee so to coÌ„fort norish and releeue our soules with thy true and holesome bread of life as the promise of remission of sinnes and redemption in Christ may assuredly bee sealed in our hartes and conscience And at thy good will and pleasure giue vs thy daily blessing of food and raiment with all thinges needfull for our bodily sustinance in this life Not desyring with couetous worldlings to wallow in superfluity but with Salomon a meane contented liuing to aide necessity That all may turne to thy glory and our saluation Forgiue vs our trespasses as wee forgiue them that trespasse against vs. OH mercifull Father who hast promised free pardon and forgiuenes of synnes coÌ„ditionally that we do humbly acknowledge our faultes amend our liues and shew like pity and compassion to our bretheren that offend vs. We humbly beseech thee so to relent and mollify our hard stony harts with the piercyng oile of thy interior grace as our loue and charity towards them may declare the same promise to bee thankfully receiued of vs. That all may turne to thy glory and our saluation Lead vs not into temptation but deliuer vs from euill WE pray and beseech thee most gratious Soueraigne to bridle and restraine the furious rage of Sathan our mortall enemy Who like a ramping and roring Lyon seeketh continually to seduce and lead vs into errâ—r sinne and vtter distruction Strengthen our weakenesse quicken our dulnesse pardoÌ„ our neglâ—gence increase our faith and keepe vs in all truth godlinesse and vertue That we may alwâ—ies render vnto thy glorious maiesty wâ—thout beginning change or end all honor power and dominion for euer Amen A most godly and comfortable prayer in time of aduersity OH eternall and most louing father thou God of mercy and iudgement to whom all thinges in heauen and earth do bow and obay At tâ—e countinance of whose glorious maiesty the whole woâ—ld doth tremble and quake Who hath fashioned man of slime earth couered him in his mothers wombe and redeemed him from death and hell Who seeth the very secrets of mans harte vnderstandeth his thoughtes and spiest out all his wayes To thee oh heauenly king I humbly bowe the knees of my hart beseeching thy fatherly goodnes in Iesus Christ to heare me poore wretched child of Adam begotten and borne in sin disquieted with troubles wrapt in aduersity oppressed with misery Yet by thy secret purpose pertaine to thy kingdome An vnruly sheepe of thy fold by election and calling an vnprofitable seruant of thy houshold by obedience and duty And vnworthy sonne of thy family by adoption and grace I will call mine owne waies to remembrance confesse mine iniquities against my selfe and power out my complaint before thee Gâ—ue eare to my prayer O Lord consider my distresse and ponder the voice of my humble desires Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my hart be alwaies acceptable in thy sight O Lord my strength and my redemer I haue sinned most greeuously Oh mercifull God against heauen and before thee I haue sore prouoked thyne anger oh Lord thy wrath is waxen hot thy heauy displeasure is sore kindled against me And now in the vexation of my spirit and the anguish of my soule Remembring thy fatherly kindnes towards penitent sinners I appeale to thy eternall mercy acknowledge my wickednes and lament my greuous offences My hart is broken with sorrows my life waxeÌ„ old with heauines and my yeares with mourning How long wilt thou be angry with thy seruant to Lord how loâ—g shall I seeke counsell in my soul and be so vexed in my spirit How long shall I poore sinfull wretch be