the Eies of them that sit in darknesse and in the shadow of Death Then shal I bee able with blessed Stephen Actes 7 55. euen in the heat and fury of the skirmish to behold through al the heauens the glory of the Lorde for which I doe contend and my Redeemer Iesus standing at his right hand ready to succour me if need require and then with an vndaunted courage will I abide the fight and die vpon the place ere I giue ground in any fainting manner to the raging of his might Christ is my second who I know wil witnesse my valour and reuenge my quarrell Why should I feare the powers and principalities of Hel When God is with vs who shal stand against vs XXXV BEhold saith the Prophet the day commeth rhat shall flame like an Ouen Mal. 4.1 and they that sweare by the sinne of Samaria and say Amos 8.14 Thy God O Dan liueth and the manner of Beer-Sheba liueth yea the proud with all such as doe wickedly shall bee Stubble the day that commeth shall cleane consume them it shal leaue them neither root nor branch The Lorde will hast him from Teman Hab. 3.3 and the holy one from Mount Paran His Maiesty shall couer the Heauens and the Earth shall be full of his glorie Consuming fire shall march before him and burning coales shall coÌ„passe him about Hee will summon all the Nations of the Earth to make their appearaunce before his Tribunall seat and giue to euery one according to what he hath don 1. Pet. 4.17 whether it be good or euill To put the wicked out of al comfort he will begin his iudgments in his owne house and call euen the righteous according to that of Iob vnto a strict account of euery idle word Thou writest bitter thinges saith he against me Iob. 13 26. and makest mee possesse the iniquity of my youth Thou puttest my feete into the Stockes and lookest narrowly vnto my pathes The printes thereof are in the heeles of my feet Now if the Caedar of Lebanon be shakeÌ„ thus Luke 23.31 what shal becom of the bramble in the Wildernesse If this bee doone to the greene Spring what is remaining for the dry Stumpe If the iust man be so hardly saued wher is the hope of the vngodly I will high me therefore to the lord my God with al the speede I can I will not deferre my going to him by repentance till the seting of the Sun Ibid. 24.25 O fooles and slow of heart saith he to such and will not stay with them but with great constraint Nor will I put it of vntill the euening Ibid. 24 37. least hauing found him I should bee doubtfull and think I see a Spirit when I looke on him No no I will rise betimes with Mary Magdalen Math. 28.1 and with the Mother of Iames will I seek for Iesus of Nazareth before the dawning of the day Prou. 8 17. Hee loueth those that loue him and they that seeke him early shal sind him XXXVI GOD is no respecter of persons Ephe. 6 9. Iohn 4.47 The Ruler entreated him to come vnto his Sonne he would not Luke 7.2 The Centurion did but sende vnto him for his Seruant and immediatly hee went It is not the beauty of outward obiectes that attractes his Eye nor the quality of ambitious Titles that stirres vp his respect When he past thorough Iericho Ibid. 17 5. there were many that came foorth to see him moâ—â— specious to the viewe of weaker sence of higâ—er place and ranke in the Cittie then Zacheus was yet he alone was grace by him aboue the reâ—â— Ibid. 7.25 The Baptist was not clâ—thed in soft rayment Math. 3.4 noâ— fed with delicates Hâ—â— meat was Locustes with wilde Hony and his gaâ—ment of Camels Hayre yet did hee make him greater then a Prophet Peter was not arrayed it Purple Ibid. 16.18 nor did hee liue deliciously in Courtes of Kinges and yet he made him Prince of his Apostles So the body bee sound hee cares not for the bark If the liuing be good let the outside bee as ragged as it will I wil not therefore greatly eie my present condition Though I bee rich I will not presume vppon my wealth though I be poore I wil not despaire for my want He that called vnto the Fisher-men that were in their Ship Mat. 4.21 mending their Nets not minding him and sayde vnto them Come followe me will out of question giue kind and courteous entertainment vnto him who out of loue and of his owne accord doâ— humbly sue vnto him fâ—â— his Liuery Againe I know that Diues was 〈◊〉 torments Luke 16 23 when Lazâ—râ— was in Abrahams boson XXXVII Esay 21.28 IVstice is a worke when with the Lord is scare acquainted It is a straâ—ger and an alien to him he knowes not how no which way to begin iâ— In Sodom there was noâ— righteous but only â—a or he would neuer haue wasted it with fire none in the whole world saue onely Noah or he would neuer haue destroyed it with the floud Till the Tree bee past hope hee applyeth not his Axe No nor then but with much vnwillingnesse and great commiseration He looketh at Hierusalem Luke 19.41 weepes to thinke on the destruction that shoulde come vpon it He houles for Moab he cries out for it his heart doth mourn for them of Kirhareseth Iere. 40.31 He weepeth for the vine of Sibmah as he wept for Iazer he watereth Hesâ—bon with his teares Esay 16.9 are Elaleh is drunke with thâ— showers of his coÌ„plain because of the destroye which is to fall vppoâ— their Summer fruites vpon their Vintage Hâ—â— wrath and indignatioâ— hath many Motiues tâ— incite it Iob. 64 6. but his mercy none For all our righteousnesse is as a filthy Cloute wee fade like a leafe and our iniquities like the windes doe carry vs away yet notwithstanding he lookes down vpon vs from the throne of his heauenly grace with the eye of Pitty compassion he remembers that wee are the workemanshippe of his handes and in the ende out of the zeale of his affection towardes vs he crieth out Ose 13.9 Thy iniquities O Israell haue destroyed thee but thy help is in me He doth not onely tolerate our imperfections but oftentims he dissembleth the knowledge hee hath of them he turneth away his face and will not see the sinne because he would not punish the Sinner There is no daie wherein to fauour the transgressour hee doth not breake the Tables of the Law Our GOD is a iealous God Exod. 20 5. he visiteth the sinnes of the Father vpon the Children vnto the third and fourth generation of them that hate him but sheweth mercy vnto thousands of them that loue him and keepe his Commaundements The Kingly Prophet therefore speaking of them both saieth of the one Thy mercy ó Lorde
ende it brought forth nothing but sower Grapes in steade of iudgment it gaue oppression in stead of righteousnes it affoorded crying The Nettle growes where the Rose was looked for and out of the Egge a Chicken is expected but beholde a Cockatrice The stock is often good but without continuall pruning the Plantes degenerate Out of the lodge of ADAM came murderous Caine out of the Arke of Noah impious Cham out of the House of reuerend Eli Ophni and Phinees the Sonnes of Belial out of the Court of Dauid came trayterous Absalon out of the Schoole of Iesus perfideous Iudas out of the company of the Deacons Nicholas the Hereticke So that Vertues are not maintained by propagation nor is a vertuous habite purchased but with much sweat It will cost vs the breathing ere we can actually possesse it as our own Free-hold There is not an Elijah nowe to graunt so hard difficult a suite at the redoubling of his Spirite 2. King 2.9 nor is there an Elisha residing heere that is worthy to obtaine it I will not therefore brag that I haue Abraham for my Father but I will labour to doe the workes of Abraham and when I glory Iere. 9.24 I will glory in this alone that I vnderstand know the Lord to bee the only very God who sheweth mercy iudgement and righteousnes in the Earth and Iesus Christ whom hee hath sent to be his onely Son Luke 11.28 begot before all worlds which who so doth shal remaine for euer For indeede it is not the womb that bare him nor the Paps that gaue him suck which are blessed but rather they that hear the word of his Father and do thereafter Little had it auailed the Virgin to haue conceiued him in hir Wombe or Simeon to haue receiued him in his Armes if by the Eye of Fayth they had not both perceiued that hee was sent from heauen to redeeme the world XL. SAthan is a bolde Intruder Hee resides not alwayes in the Graues nor is hee still abyding in the Desertes You shall finde him somtimes in the company of Gods electe and chosen Children On a day when they came and stood before the Lord Iob. 1.6 he likewise came and stood among theÌ„ Somtimes among his Ministers Iehoshua Zacha. 3.1 the High Priest standes before the Angell and loe the Deceiuer is at his right hand to resist him Sometimes again with his Apostles Haue I not chosen twelue Iohn 6.70 saith Christ and one of you is a deuil He is a guest that will come without great bidding the least cast of our eie doth serue him for an inuitation the slightest complemeÌ„t will embolden him to be insolent If we make him our Companion he will be presently our Master If he get but a foot within our doores hee will cast vs out like a merciles disseisour put vs by our right nor shall it ought auaile vs to plead our Title when hee is in possession I will bee alwaies therefore verye carefull how I suffer him to approch me If I canot barre him my presence I wil deny him my countenance and make him knowne by my lookes that he shall not lodge in my heart XLI VNhallowed thoghts are the Scouts of Sathan He sildome suffers them to lye idle in theyr Tentes but sendes them alwaies forth vppon discouery Hee fashioneth his attempts by their aduertisements and as hee vnderstandes their passage he restes assured of his own Themselues delight in pillage and are therefore glad of theyr imployment They leaue not a corner about the heart vnsearched to find out an entrance If the doores bee barred they will assay to climbe the Walles and get in at the Windowes They doe with cunning mannage their Captaines busines and husband the least occasions to his best aduantage It falleth out sometimes that these stragling Aramites happen vpon some little Maide oâ— the land of Israell 2 Kings 5.2 to wit some simple and vntutored Soule that strayeth from the way of Truth and is altogether destitute of that heauenlie Conuoy of spiritual graces which should protect it from the craft and fury of the Aduersarie and hauing suddainely surprized it lead it away Captiue to their leprous Generall Sometimes againe these sons of Remmon 2 Sam. 4 6 these wicked Berothites finding the minde vnfurnished of a Gaurd and snoaring euen at Noone with honest Ishbosheth in her owne security doe enter stealingly vpon it and in an instant cut the throat of it I wil not therefore with the reprobate put far awaie the euill day nor promise safety to my selfe where nothing can bee looked for but Death Danger Mans life is a continual Warfare The Prince of darknesse is his Enemy who if need require hath wherewithal to piece out the Lyons skinne and when he cannot preuaile by open battery will neuer sticke to compasse his designes by hidden treacherie I wil endeauour therefore alwaies Mat. 24 43 as much as in me lyeth to bee well prouided for the comming of the Thiefe Let it bee at what houre in the night he will he shall finde me wakefull if not watching neuer sleeping though sometimes peraduenture slumbring I wil bruise the Serpent in the head I will breake it in the shell I wil not suffer a sinfull cogitation to come to perfect groth It shal die in the conception and ere it neede the Cradle possesse the Toombe The Soule in cases criminall saith â—sidore hath the precedency of weaker flesh I wil driue it therefore from thence that this may noâ— offend Cant. 2.15 I will striue to catch the Foxes the litle Foxes that destroy the Vines Blessed I knowe assuredly is hee Psal 137 9. that taketh and dasheth these against the stones XLII THE life of the iust is a continual day It is not troubled at any time with stormes nor ouercast with Cloudes buâ— is altogether calme and cleare The Morning oâ— it is when Christ the Sunne of righteousnesse doth shine out vpon the heart of one regenerate and by the influence of his beames doth scatter dispierce those mistie vapours and exhalations of ignorance stinking errour which Sathan himselfe had belched forth to hinder the soule from finding out the way of truth the noon therof is that hourely progresse and ascent of spirituall grace which brings them to the Zenith of all true perfection The way of the godly shineth as the light saith Salomon beholde the Morne Prou. 4 18. It encreaseth more and more vnto the perfect day beholde the Noone After the iustification of wretched Sinners by the Law of Faith there is a continued augmentation supply of guifts whereby their mindes are by degrees made fitter for the knowledge and vnderstanding of the loue of GOD and by which afterwards they are entituled Children of the light and Children of the day 1. Thes 5.3 They are gone out of Aegypt and dwell now in the Land of Goshen they neede no
Torch-light to direct their steps there is a pillar of celestiall fire in their bosome which like a Taper giueth light vnto their feete and maketh them treade aright the paths of Gods commaundements But alas With the wicked it is nothing so Their waies are as the darknesse nor do they know into what daungerous places they may fal Iob. 5.14 They meet with blindnesse in the Morne and grope at noone as in the night they feele for the wall Esay 59.10 as men that had no Eyes and in the day their feet doe stumble as in the twilight The greater Luminaries to them are alwaies in Eclipse the lesser so obscured as help them little or not at all I will study therefore continually for holines for purenesse and sobriety The night is past the day is come Rom. 13.12 and nowe will I cast away the workes of darknesse and put on the Armour of light I will cloath my selfe with the Lord Iesus Christ take no thoght at all to satisfie the lustfull desires of the Flesh XLIII THe true Souldiour of Christ is known by nothing better then this valour He that is faint and of a fearefull Spirit is but a false vsurper of that name Deut. 20.8 The Lord of hoasts will none of so soft an edge of such an yeilding temper vnder his pay Cant. 3 8. Those of his band are strong and â—aliant they all handle the Sword and are expert in warre euery one hath his Fauchion on his Thigh for the feare by night They see the heauenly Hierusalem for which they fight before them and had rather die one foot forwards then adde many years to their life by one foote of retraite They had rather faile in good and vertuous ends for the publike then obtaine all that can be wished desired for themselues in their own proper Fortune The mouth of Wisdom hath taught them that A good heart is a continuall Feast Pro. 15.15 and that the Conscience of good intentions in themselues let their successe be what it will is a more continuall ioy to Nature then all the politicke prouision a man can make for still security and peaceable repose Such as haue wedded their affections to theyr owne particular or any way betrothed them to the things of this world and are backwardes eyther for that or other like respectes in the hazzarding of their life and liuing he vtterly cashiereth Gideon before hee doth encounter with the Midianites Iudg. 7 3. discardes the Cowards at Mount Gilead cleareth his camp of al such crackt and broken courages as fall to pieces before the presence of their enemy So likewise Iudas Maccabeus 1. Macca 3.56 before he meete the forces of Antiochus at Emmaus proclaimes a generall discharge to euery pale and milky liuer thoroughout his Army and with all willingnes doth license their departure I will at no time therefore giue place to any timorous conceit but fortifie my heart with such a setled and vnshaken confidence that Afflictioâ— come she neuer so hideously disguised shall not appale me The Lord Iesus is my Generall and the hire of my valour a Crowne of immortall glory Base were the resolution that would not wish to dye vnder the conduct of so braue a Prince for the purchase of so great a price Hee maketh himselfe my precedent and marketh out the way that I must march with the precious bloud that gusheth out of his owne wounds He calleth me after him and I will surely follow No Death nor Hell shaâ— driue me to a stand I wâ— suffer with him in th conflict that I may shaâ— with him in the Coâ—quest XLIIII TO murmure again God argueth a wâ— of Grace and to reâ— Affliction sheweth aâ—fect of heauenly consoâ—tion Eccl. 10 26 He that hath knoâ—ledge and is well instruâ—ted will vndergoe 〈◊〉 crosse with patience aâ— neither stamp nor storm to see himselfe reformed The Lord he knoweth when hee shootes his Darts doth leauell higher then at the downefall of a wretched Sinner and that howsoeuer hee bruise him it is not with a Rod of Iron Psal 2 9. howsoeuer he break him it is not like a Potters vessell but as the Gold-Smith doth his Plate to melt and fashion it anewe The Fast is as delightful to him as the Feast and the Vigile as welcome as the Holy-day it selfe Hee doth esteeme no otherwise of this Worlde then of an outward place 1. King 6.7 in which the hard stony mindes of such as God affecteth must be hammered and polished by the hands of Aduersity and Tribulation before they can bee fit to set in the Temple of that newe Hierusalem which is erected by one of greater power and Maiesty then Salomon But alasse The heart of the foolish cannot conceiue of this 'T is like the Wheele of a Cart the vaue thereof is not moistened with the Oyle of the Spirit Eccles 33 6 and doth nothing therefore but creak vnder the burthen It is a vessell which indeede is void of all good vertues and abilities It runneth only on the lees let God but strike it with his hand and the sounde it giueth will be the signall of his emptinesse In a word it is an Earthen Pipkin which wanting liquor in it Wis 1.11 is ready to cracke in pieces when it feeles the flame I will beware therfore of murmuring which auaileth nothing The eare of iealousie heareth all things and the noise of him that Num. 11 1. muttereth and repineth shall not bee hid The Children of Israell were consumed with the Fiâ—â— of the Lord Ibid. 14 30. for their vniust complaintes He would suffer none of thâ— to enter into the Land of Promise saue onelâ— Caleb the Son of Iephâ—nah and Ioshua the sonnâ— of Nun. Whatsoeueâ— therefore it shall pleaâ— his will to lay vpon me my will shall not refuâ— to beare it I cannot 〈◊〉 conscience but suffâ— somewhat for his saâ—â— that indured so much fâ—mine Let him deal witâ— me therefore as he thinketh good I will hold my toong with the Prophet Dauid and keepe silence because it is his doing XLV VErtue is great in grace and estimatioÌ„ with the king of heauen they that embrace it are his onely fauorites Hee dooth affect them wonderfully and vseth them at all times with great familiarity Fiue hundereth sixty fiue yeares did Henoch walke with him vppon the earth Gen. 5 24. and so delighted him with the softnesse of his carriage and the sweetnesse of his conuersation that hee took him wholly to himselfe and of a Pensioner made him one of his Chamber Hee sent a Charret of Fire from aboue to fetch Elijah to him 2. Kin. 2.11 and appointed a Guard of glorious Angels to attend it hee did so long to enioy his company that Death hee thought would bee to slow a Messenger to giue his desires a speedy satisfaction contentment and did therefore send a Whirlewinde foorth to hasten his