righteous God the Law-giuer is infinit eternall and so his Iustice offended therefore his death by transgressing must be endlesse and euerlasting God is iust and cannot deny himselfe Hee hath said that if man breake his Law he should dye the death and therefore death shall hold him God is perfect and pure and therefore the satisfaction must be answerable to his nature His righteous Law bindes both soule and body to obedience euen euery mans thoughts words and workes and therefore let euery man performe this and hee shall liue section 8 These and many moe are the darts of the Diuel which hee casteth against our soules to wound vs to death the least of which assuredly would peirce vs through were it not that the strength of Iesus Christ rebounds them back and blunts them Hee alone is our shield and buckler our helmet of saluation our Castle and house of defence hee couereth vs with his wings and wee are safe vnder his feathers his faithfulnesse and his truth shall still preserue vs. For all these dangerous darts and a thousand moe are nothing to his power their force is lesse and their violence weaker then straw or stubble to the furnace But to hasten the answere Gods Iustice indeede is section 9 gone out it cannot be reuersed Man must keepe his Law or man must dye eternall death Whereupon it pleased the onely Sonne of God to become the sonne of man for our sakes and so as man to satisfie the Law of God for our sinnes that Gods truth might not be altered No Angell nor Saint could be our Sauiour in this case but man who had offended God Now man of himselfe being too weake to beare this heauy weight Christ being God became also man as we haue heard that so hee might suffer as man and saue as God Our Mediator was God and man Man and God were foes and therefore being God and man hee reconciled man to God And as the first Adam by transgressing brought death vpon all men so Christ the second Adam by obaying brought life to all beleeuers Gods purest Iustice could not exact the thing which he fulfilled not It required the performance of the Law this hee accomplished being the end of the Law and the Prophets Hee was the substance of all the old Ceremonies and the very body of all the shadowes of the Law Hee was circumcised and baptised and so fulfilled all righteousnesse hee paid tribute and was obedient in all things and was vnder the Law so his comming was not to breake the Law but to fulfill the Law As it required perfect holinesse in man so hee was a man without sinne conceiued by the holy Ghost therefore hee was not afraid to say to the faces of his foes Which of you can rebuke mee of sinne Yea the Iudge himselfe that condemned him washed his hands as a witnesse of his cleannesse I finde no fault in this iust man True therefore is the saying of the Apostle that hee was made sinne for vs which knew no sinne that wee might be made the righteousnesse of God through him He is truely called the Paschall Lambe most pure and vnspotted which taketh away the sinnes of the world To him all the Prophets beare witnesse that iustly through his name is preached remission of sinne and that there is no other name vnder heauen by which we can be saued Thus hee fulfilled the Law for man which had broke section 10 the Law being man himselfe His obedience was most perfect he left nothing vnfulfilled And as hee kept the Law which man had broken so likewise did he beare the punishment which hee deserued The breach of the Law was the curse of God and eternall death He therefore became accursed and sustained death euen the death of the Crosse accursed of God and so by death ouercame death and by his curse brought the blessing of God vpon vs. Hee cancelled the hand-writing that the Diuell had against vs hee nayled it to his Crosse and made it void so that now the faithfull may triumph through Christ Death being swallowed vp in victory they may boldly exclaime and say O Death where is thy sting O Graue where is thy victory for the sting of Death being Sinne and the strength of Sin being the Law and both Sin and Law being abolished through Christ there is now no condemnation that remaineth and therefore thankes be to God who hath giuen vs the victory through Iesus Christ for hee hath taken our sinnes vpon his backe hee hath satisfied the Law of God not for himselfe but for vs hee dyed that wee might liue hee was accursed that wee might be blessed he was buryed and rose againe that wee might rise from our graues and liue for euer hee descended into hell that wee might ascend to heauen his righteousnesse is our righteousnesse and our sinnes are his this exchange did hee make for our sakes And therefore through Faith by him wee are reuiued quickened and strengthened All his merits are imputed vnto vs as though they were our owne and our sinnes are truely his for which he suffered and satisfied to the vtmost section 11 Christ Iesus I say is our onely satisfaction and sacrifice the fountaine of grace and vertue the portion of our inheritance our righteousnesse wisedome sanctification and redemption our hope of glory our doore to heauen the way the truth and the light our attonement vnto God our Shepheard Master Lord and King To be short hee is all in all to vs that are nothing This our Sauiour Christ hath abrogated the Law and hath redeemed those that were vnder the Law and hee himselfe is the end of the Law and that which the Law could not doe hee hath accomplished in his person And therefore O Diuell let Gods people goe for the Law cannot hold them And therefore O death resigne thy power thy sting and strength is nothing the Law being fulfilled and Sinne remoued The seede of the woman hath bruised the Serpents head Christ hath ledde captiuitie captiue and giuen gifts vnto men He hath reconciled and made as one all things both in heauen and earth Hee hath quite plucked downe the partition wall in abrogating through his flesh the hatred that remayned There is now neyther Iew nor Gentile bond nor free Scythian nor Barbarian man nor woman all that beleeue are one in Christ Hee hath made the Wolfe to dwell with the Lambe and the Leopard to lye with the Kid he hath made the Calfe the fat beasts and the Lyon so tame that a little childe may lead them the Cow and the Beare with their young ones not onely feede but lye together the sucking childe doth play vpon the hole of the Aspe yea euen the weaned childe most safely putteth his hand into the hole of the Cockatrice Christ hath now dissolued the workes of the Diuell and broken his snares asunder that all beleeuing sinners might
are as corrupt by nature as the rest vntill they be reformed by the santified meanes ordained of God 15. Mans sinne maketh his life a due debt to death 17. The Diuell is the father of Sinne and Sinne the mother of Death ibid. The corruption of our flesh did not make our soules sinfull but the sinne of our soule did make the flesh corruptible ibid. CHAP. V. DEath is threefold corporall spirituall and that which is common both to body and soule Sect. 2. The description of Death according to the seuerall parts 3. The soule cannot properly dye being life it selfe illustrated by examples 4. How the soule is said to dye 5. The seperation from God is the death of the soule as the departing of the soule is the death of the body ibid. The nature of Death 6. Gods Spirit is the soule of our soules ibid. Man by sinne lost his life and found out death 7. It is agreeable to Gods iustice that a spirituall death should beget a corporall ibid. So soone as man had sinned so soone did the armies of death besiege his life 8. The very life of sinners is a death 9. Gods spirit must quicken and reuiue the soule or else it must needes dye and be damned 10. The degrees of the spirit in Gods elect 11. The wicked in this life doe liue in death and conuersing in earth they are bondslaues of hell 12. An effectuall faith in Christ is the life of the soule 13. What it is to be dead in sinne 14. Death is diuersly deriued with the reasons thereof 15. CHAP. VI. IT is enacted in heauen that all men must dye Sect. 1. The Registers of the death and buriall of men from the beginning witnesse the execution of Gods decree herein 2. Death is the way of all the world and the house of all men liuing ibid. Death is the Lady and Empresse of all the world 3. Balthasers Embleme is written vpon euery mans wall 4. Death respecteth no mans person place or qualities 3. Dayes and yeares and times no plea against the graue but a fitter prey for Death ibid. Death as Dan the gathering hoast sweepes all away 4. Mercilesse Death doth exercise her cruelty vpon all alike 5. Nothing can preuaile against Death or ransome our life 6. Gods hand a man may escape but Deaths dart no man can shunne 7. No force can resist it nor meanes preuent it ibid. Death is the common road-way of all the world 8. We must needes yeeld our selues to the law of Death ibid. Men may be distinguished by times but all are equall in the issue 9. As we grow our life decreaseth This whole life is but a death ibid. Man cannot be ignorant of his death since all creatures and actions proclaime his mortalitie 10. Experiments of death on euery side most apparant 11. The law of Nature conuinceth it amongst all nations 12. Our liues as our garments weare of themselues they are eaten with the Moaths we with the Time ibid. The course of our life runneth without pause to the period and end 13. An exclamation against Death most hideous and pittifull 14. 15. The Christian vse of our mortalitie with a reproofe of the carelesse Christian 16. 17. Death to the faithfull is as an hackney to carry and hasten them from earth to heauen ibid. CHAP. VII SInne brought in a sea of miseries Sect. 1. Life and misery are two twinnes which were borne together and must dye together 2. A description of infancy and old age with their miseries 3. The miserie of all estates Here death is liuing and life dying 4. There is no contentment in this wretched life 5. A description of mans sinfull mortall body 6. The frailty and brittlenesse of mans body with the reason thereof 7. See the manifold dangers of our life and how easily it is lost 8. The mutabilitie and inconstancie of mans life 9. This life is little better then hell were it not for the hope of heauen 10. This world is an Ocean sea of troubles See how fitly it resembleth it hauing a mercilesse maw to swallow vp all 11. It is a dungeon of ill sauours and a puddle of vices 12. Mans life is short and swift like a poste a ship and a shadow ibid. Our dayes passe swiftly as the Eagle to her prey and all mortall men are a prey to death 14. We are as flowers and grasse and Death in the hand of God as a sythe to cut vs downe ibid. All things dye but our sinnes which reuiue and grow young againe in despight of nature ibid. The cares of this life are like the Flyes of Egypt which giue men no rest neither day nor night 15. They are like mercilesse Tyrants which take away our peace ibid. Man and his labour are fitly resembled to the Spider and her web 16. All things are as snares to sinners to draw them to destruction 17. The meanes for Christians to auoid the snares of this life 18. It is as naturall for corrupt man to sinne as for water to run downe the channell or a Coach downe a hill 19. The best men liuing amongst the wicked are aptly resembled to Colliers and Millers ibid. The manifold engins of Sathan to enthrall vs. 20. No man can liue peaceably in this world among so many enemies of peace ibid. The warfare of Christians both outward and intestine with the occasions thereof 21. 22. Our life is as a tempestuos sea and death the onely port of tranquilitie and rest 23. CHAP. VIII MEN by dying proue they had sinned and sinne conuinceth there is a Law Sect. 1. The Law conuinceth man of sinne who without it knew not sinne 2. Sinne by the Law grew out of measure sinful with the reason thereof 3. The Law detecteth sinne as a hidden sicknesse that so we may seeke to Christ the Physitian 4. It is holy and righteous in it selfe though an occasion of euill to those that are corrupt ibid. How sinne is said to be dead without the Law 5. The Law anatomiseth sinfull man and setteth him out in his colours 6. The Law slayeth the sinner before Gods Spirit quicken him 7. Sinne and the Law are the strength and sting of Death 8. The Law not onely conuinceth man of sinne but iustifieth God in the punishment thereof 9. The horror of death with the reason thereof 10. CHAP. IX GReat and heauy was the tribute which God imposed vpon man for sinne Sect. 1. The death of the body is nothing to the damnation of body and soule in hell 2. As diseases are the maladies of the body so death is the maladie of diseases ibid. The death of the reprobate is a liuing death and a dying life 3. The life of the damned is an immortalitie of torments and euill 4. The torments of hell are vnspeakable 5. They are euerlasting and endlesse 6. Death to the vnregenerate is the very gate of hell 7. Death cannot be so feared as it ought of wicked men 8. CHAP. X.
would haue lurked in secret And as the beames in the Sunne are not euill though they descry and lay open things deformed or filthy which the wicked desire and as the knowledge of Physicke is not to be condemned which acquainteth vs with poyson and venemous things that are in themselues dangerous and abused by some to their owne destruction So the law is not euill in it selfe though it be abused as an occasion of euill to corrupt and wicked men Without the law sinne is dead not as though there was no sinne in the world before the publishing of the law for euen the Gentiles themselues which had not the law written shewed the effect of the law in their hearts the conscience also bearing witnesse and their thoughts accusing one another or excusing and therefore being conuinced in their soules of sinne without the Law written are a law vnto themselues and sinning without law shall perish without the law written by the law of nature that was grafted in their hearts This is confirmed by many Morall vertues which they naturally followed and by many vices which they naturally hated This knowledge of the light of Nature though vnperfect yet is sufficient to confound them albeit sinne indeede was then hidden in respect which is the meaning of the Apostle and their best knowledge of the Law ouer-shadowed and well-nigh blotted out that sinne could not appeare in his nature But when the Law was renewed sinne that seemed to be dead reuiued and shewed it selfe All the spots did then appeare which before were darkened by the ignorance of Gods Law which Man gained by his fall The Law then conuinced vs of sinne and reuealed our nakednesse which our figge leaues had hidden it opened the inward man with all his concupiscence it shewed vs our shame and confusion our vglesome shape most monstrous to beholde how wee were transformed from the image of God to the similitude of the Diuell It put vs in remembrance of our diuine nature which we had lost it shewed vs hell and the wrath of God nothing but condemnation appeared by it It let vs vnderstand how farre we were led from God how all things within vs and without vs were corrupted and out of course It painted our God in his nature according to his most pure holinesse and iustice how he requireth all our hearts all our soules all our mindes all our strength that is to say the whole man and euery part of him in his seruice The least sinne could not so shroude it selfe but the law discouer it not condemning onely all our outward acts but giuing sentence against all our wicked thoughts yea all our idle motions without consent And therefore since all flesh created of God is corrupted so that all the imaginations of mans heart are onely euill continually since all men by the law are conuinced of sinne all included vnder sinne and subiect vnto the same guilt of condemnation since by the Law commeth the knowledge of sinne which leaueth euery man without excuse since it was added because of transgression and that our sins might more appeare and abound therefore it is called to the vnregenerate man an importable yoke the occasion of sinne the law of sinne and of wrath the administration of condemnation the oldnesse of the letter which cannot giue life but pronounce all our workes accursed The law is a hammer not only to bruise the conscience but to breake it into powder which if it be not done we shall neuer haue the spirit of adoption to seize vpon vs The law commandeth but giueth no power to obey It is but a dead letter and hath but a dolefull and dreadfull sound vntill the spirit come and arme vs with power to performe what the law requireth And now behold the strength and sting of Death How did Death enter by sinne How did sin appeare and what is the strength of the same euen the law of God which giueth sentence of condemation against all flesh and leaueth not one iustified in Gods sight And yet notwithstanding all this the law of God is holy iust and good opening vnto vs his very will which is goodnesse it selfe setting a blessing before our eyes as well as a curse It was not contrary to our nature before it was corrupted but agreeable to the image of man in which hee was first created it sheweth the very perfect patterne of true obedience what is agreeable to God and his nature how much he hateth sinne and delighteth in goodnesse it offereth both life and death life to the obayers death to the breakers Therefore let vs all glorifie God in this behalfe let euery mans mouth be stopt from accusing God or his law let vs confesse against our selues our manifold sinnes and say vnto him Shame and confusion appertaineth vnto vs Death and condemnation are our due Thy heauy anger wrath and hell be our deserts and thou O blessed God art iust righteous good and gracious in all thy doings for euer Let vs thus I say giue sentence against our selues that God may be iustified and praised euen before the most wickedest men when he is iudged Well then let vs beare in minde that God is not rigorous in punishing sinfull man with euerlasting Death by reason of his innumerable sinnes conuinced by his Law and that Gods infinite iustice thus broken and disobeyed could not otherwise be answered of man but by the infinite sustaining of eternall Death And now I pray you marke the whole power of Sathan and kingdome of the Diuell first hee fighteth and warreth with temptations which are as darts to wound our soules to Death which if we resist not being so tempted but yeeld to sinne then comes the Law against vs with his force and by vertue of the Law Death entreth and triumpheth for the sting of Death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the Law for it sheweth vs hell which is the pallace of Death and leaueth vs in perdition See I say what Prince Death hath and what strong souldiers to keepe his kingdome to wit the Diuell himselfe sinne law wrath of God and all to vphold it Wherefore it is no maruell if the remembrance of Death be bitter vnto many and that they abhorre and hate it I say it is no wonder if all their ioynts doe quake and tremble yea and shake a sunder since the horrour thereof made the sonne of God to pray against it to sweate drops of blood for the agony of it and to cry out to his father as a man forlorne why hast thou forsaken me Neither was this so strange a wonder to see the sonne of God so amased at Death for it set both Diuell law sinne hell graue and wrath of God against him All these were armed to ouerthrow him and any or the least of these without this our Captaine Christ will quite destroy vs. CHAP. IX Of
consolation And seeing that God my louing Father tempered this Potion for mee and Iesus Christ his Sonne hath begunne vnto mee shall I not drinke it with thankfulnesse and comfort But why will hee haue thy death so bitter and sharpe It is my Lord who can and will wish me nothing but good and why should I his poore and vnprofitable seruant refuse to suffer that which the Lord of glory and my blessed Sauiour sustained himselfe But it is a miserable thing to die No the death of Gods Saints is precious in the sight of of God and the ready way to eternall life Blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord for so saith the Spirit they shall rest from their labours But the death of sinners is damnable Yea but he is no more a sinner that truely repenteth and is pardoned Let not Sathan tell Gods children what they haue beene but what they would be for such we are by imputation section 16 as we are in affection and he is now no sinner which for the loue he beareth to righteousnesse would be no sinner Such as we be in desire and purpose such wee be in reckoning and accompt with God who giueth that true desire and holy purpose to none but to his children whom he iustifieth Neither vndoubtedly can the guiltinesse of sinne breake the true peace of conscience seeing it is the worke of another who hath commended vs as righteous before God and saued vs. It must needes be graunted that in our selues we are weaker then that we can resist the least sinne so farre off is it that we can encounter with the Law Sinne Death Hell and Diuell and yet in Iesus Christ we are more then conquerours ouer them all If Sathan summon thee therefore to answere for thy section 17 debt send him straight to Christ thy pledge and say that the wife is not sueable but the husband therefore enter thy action Sathan against Christ my husband and he will answere thee Who then shall condemne vs or what Iudge shall daunt vs sith God hath acquitted vs and Christ that was condemned hath iustified vs He is our Iudge that willeth not the death of a sinner hee is our man of law that to excuse vs suffered himselfe to be accused for vs. O gluttenous hell where is thy defence O cruell sinne where is thy tyrannous power O rauening death where is thy bloody sting O roaring Lyon why doest thou fret and fume Christ my law fighteth against thee O law and is my libertie Christ my sinne against thee O sinne and is my righteousnesse Christ warreth against thee O Diuell and is my Sauiour Christs Death is against thee O Death and is my life Thou diddest desire to paue my way to the burning lake of damned soules but contrary to thy will thou art constrained to lift vp the Ladder whereby I must ascend to euerlasting happinesse and ioy In our tryals and temptations we must first search out section 18 the cause and ascend to God pleading guilty and crauing mercy at his hand and not so much stand quarrelling with the corruption of our nature and Sathans malice against vs. For as it were no good wisedome for a man condemned to die to make any long suite to the Iaylour or hangman for they be but vnder-officers and can doe nothing of themselues but must rather labour to the Iudge himselfe who can either repriue or release him so it is no good pollicie to stand reasoning so long with Sathan in our temptations who doth all by constraint and restraint vnder God our Lord in whose onely hands are both the entrance and issues of all afflictions and Death it selfe section 19 Whatsoeuer scruple therefore ariseth from our selues or is inferred of Sathan from any imperfection that is in vs it neede not at all dismay vs because wee saue not our selues but are saued by him who is made vnto vs from God wisedome righteousnes Sanctification and redemption that who so glorieth should glorie in him Thus we must send Sathan to Christ who is our aduocate to pleade and defend our cause which yet is not so much ours as his owne because the question is not of our merits or satisfactions which we freely renounce but of the merits of his obedience and of the value of his Death vnto the saluation of the soules of all the faithfull Thus shall we at once for euer stop the mouth of this our cruell enemie when refusing to pleade our owne cause we referre our selues vnto Christ whom we know to be the wisedome of God and sufficient to answere what possibly can or shall be obiected against vs. When Dauid comes to fight with Goliah he casteth away Sauls armour all confidence in the world or man is laid aside and he onely trusteth in God section 20 Doth the Law indite vs of transgression we must make our appeale to the court of Conscience in heauen and there get a Supersede as to stay the course of Law and so appeale to the throne of grace from the Law of feare to the Law of loue as Augustine speaketh Doth the aduersarie vrge our debt our answer is the obligation is cancelled and the booke is crossed and the whole sum discharged Christ hath passed his word nay he hath paid all that is due for vs to the vtmost farthing Let vs shew him our generall acquittance vnder hand and seale giuen vs by God himselfe with whom it is as proper to shew pittie as mercie to helpe misery This is my wel beloued Son in whom I am wel pleased Here is the creditours owne word his owne handwriting vnder seale this is a very good quietus est in Law it is proclaimed from heauen and therefore sufficient to comfort poore distressed sinners vpon earth The house built vpon a rocke was not moued when the stormes beate and the windes blew Christ is our sure rocke let vs builde our faith vpon him and we shall be safe Men cannot be more sinfull then God is mercifull if section 21 with penitent hearts they faithfully call vpon him If wee come to Christ the fountaine of all mercies there shall we finde God in his mediation great without quantitie and good without quality as an auncient speaketh When the wandring Sonne had consumed his fathers substance yet returning sorrowfull his father receiued him and though we sometime loose the nature of children yet God doth neuer loose the name and nature of a father To conclude the Diuell once ouercome giues a fresh assault againe he will neuer giue vs ouer till death end the battell and then he shall be foyled As it comes to passe amongst warriours if the one die in the field and fight the other getteth the vpper hand Here is the difference the faithfull at the last euer get a finall conquest then ascend to heauen as triumphers there the Diuell can assaile them no further he may compasse the earth but he cannot enter
members 24. CHAP. IIII. THE life of Christians is a continuall warfare nothing but death can end the combat Sect. 1. 2. Sathan especially assaulteth Christ and his members with the reasons why 3. The Diuell as a cunning fisher fitteth his baites as he findeth men affected 4. Out of the nature of mens qualities he worketh his malignities 5. Sathan most eagerly assayleth the faithfull at the houre of death and why 6. Sathans arguments from the Law of God against the faithfull 7. 8. The answere of Sathans obiections 9. All the breaches of the Law are made vp in Christ who perfectly fulfilled the same for all beleeuers 10. The Law being fulfilled Sathan Sinne and Death must needs be vanquished 11. The particular conflicts of Sathan with the faithfull with their comfortable conquest 13. 14. Soueraigne Antidotes of comfort against afflictions 15. Such we are by imputation with God as we are in purpose and affection 16. An excellent course to silence Sathan in his varietie of temptations 18. We must send him to Christ our aduocate who both pleadeth and defendeth our cause 19. Wee must shew him our generall acquittance sealed by God himselfe and proclaymed from heauen 20. Men cannot be more sinfull then God is mercifull 21. As Death entred by Sinne so it extinguisheth Sinne and endeth our warfare 22. CHAP. V. DEath must giue vs our last purgation and end our corruption Sect. 1. The dearest Saints of God are here subiect to all afflictions and Death it selfe as the vilest sinners with the reason thereof 2. The nature of Death is altered through Christ to the faithfull 3. Sinne brought in Death and Death must driue out Sinne. 4. There is no prescription against Death earth cannot redresse that which is enacted in heauen 5. Paine sicknesse c. with Death it selfe are as Gods Souldiers to come and goe at his pleasure 6. Afflictions are preuentions of sinne to the godly and plaisters to cure the sores thereof ibid. God doth diet his children in this world that they surfet not vpon pleasures and profits ibid. Wee as children cannot order our selues Gods wisedome and will are our best guides 7. Our worldly desires and lusts are inordinate and endlesse except the Lord restraine them 8. The excellent fruits of afflictions when they are sanctified to Gods elect 9. Afflictions are necessary trials of our Christian estate 10. Afflictions in this life are both punishers and purgers of Gods elect 11. They are both sufferings and instructions 12. Christ is the true patterne of Christians to whom they are conformable by their sufferings 13. Crosses and calamities are the Harbingers and Purueyers of Death 14. Whom God most loues those he most proues 15. The fire tryes the gold and misery men of courage ibid. The troubles of Gods children shall neuer cease till the world be without hatred the Diuell without malice and our nature without corruption 16. Afflictions may tire the flesh but neuer be able to extinguish the hope of a Christian 17. Sinne and Death haue lost their sting in Christs death 18. They cannot separate vs from God though they be fearefull to the flesh ibid. Death through Christ is the key of Gods Kingdome and gate of glory 19. CHAP. VI. CHristians are strangers in the world the bread of aduersitie and water of affliction is commonly their dyet Sect. 1. Being strangers they must be content with their vsage and prepare for their iourney 2. This world is restlesse there is no contentment in it 3. The world deales with men as the Rauen with the Sheepe picking out the eye that it may not see her tyranny 4. See the Anatomie of the World 5. The world is no proper element to Christians it rather feedeth then slaketh their appetites as oyle doth the fire 6. All Creatures haue their rest from God he is the centre of the faithfull 7. God hath set the earth vnder our feet that it should not be too much esteemed 8. Euery Christian with his crosse must be content to accompany Christ to his kingdome 9. Whilest we set our affections on earthly things we seeke for no better for we looke no higher 10. God giues his children here but an assay of his goodnesse the maine sea of his bountie and store is hourded vp in heauen 11. CHAP. VII AS man rebelled against his maker so all things while he liueth rebell against him euen man against himselfe the flesh against the spirit Sect. 1. Our manifold infirmities are as gyues and fetters about our legs to shew our guilty condition 2. The flesh as a subiect should obay the soule as her soueraigne 3. Though it be infused into the body it must not be confounded therewith ibid. Worldly and fleshly imployments dull the soules edge 4. Death to the faithfull is the funerall of their vices and the resurrection of their vertues 5. How we may discerne the state of our soules 6. Death endeth the combat of Christians when the flesh shall be dead and the spirit fully liue our passions buried and our reason freed in perfection 7. The body is but the barke and shell of the soule which must needes be broken if we will truly liue and see the light 8. The nature of the earth and earthly men 9. Sinne in the regenerate hath a deadly wound but in the wicked it hath a full and violent course 10. The Lord cureth our grosse sinnes by our infirmities ibid. Great are the troubles of the faithfull but saluation will one day make ameds for all 11. The glorified body shall obay the soule with admirable facilitie 12. The difference betweene a mortall man liuing and the faithfull deliuered by death 13. Sinne with all misery affliction and Death it selfe shall hereafter be shut vp in hell as in their proper place 14. This world to all Gods Israel is an Egypt of slauery 15. See the royall exchange of the faithfull who for a mortall and miserable life shall enioy a blessed and immortall 16. As the sufferings of Christ doe abound so doe the consolations increase to Gods elect 17. CHAP. VIII THE faithfull redeemed by Christ grow euery day to be spirituall and heauenly Sect. 1. Prayer and holy deuotion as precious perfumes take away the euill sauour of sinne and vncleannesse 2. There is no Iustification without the vnfayned sanctification of Gods spirit 3. The way to become spirituall and diuine 4. The nearer we approach to death the more we should be inflamed with the loue of God and all good workes 5. If wee will dye the death wee must liue the life of the righteous 6. Our deuotion must not be like the morning dewe and leaues of Autumne 7. The soule without grace is as the ground without moysture 8. Christians should not feare death but accustome themselues to hope for it 9. Death to the godly is no end of their liues but an end of their sinnes and miseries 10. The graue of the faithfull is sweetned by Christs funerall 11. When wee
draw neare to death wee approach to the very gate of life 12. The faithfull departing see their Sauiour with Simeon eyther in soule or spirit 13. The hope of eternitie is the reuenge of iniquitie ibid. CHAP. IX THe ioyes of heauen are vnspeakable and farre beyond our thoughts Sect. 1. They farre exceede our prison-ioyes on earth 2. There is neyther end number nor measure of them being infinite and endlesse 3. The glorious estate of Gods Saints with their happinesse what it is 4. Gods Saints shall haue fulnesse of ioy which they shall still affect and in affecting shall be satisfied and yet neuer be cloyed with fulnesse or feeling of want 5. The sight of God is the full beatitude and totall glory of the Saints 6. The soule is made capable of God and therefore whatsoeuer is lesse then God cannot suffice it 7. The ioyes of heauen are ioyes aboue all ioyes besides which there is no ioy 8. Wee may sooner tell what there is not in that blessed life then what there is 9. If the ioyes of heauen be so great let vs lift vp our eyes to heauen our eares to God and our hearts to Paradise ibid. Hee which is in loue with heauen is neyther proud with prosperitie nor cast downe with aduersitie for as hee hath nothing in this world that hee loueth so is there no losse of any thing in this life that he feareth 10. CHAP. X. IT is not the bare knowledge of heauen and happy estate but the assured euidence thereof that bringeth comfort to the conscience Sect. 1. So sure as there is a God so sure there is another life in which he will reward the good and punish the wicked 2. As our Faith reioyceth in Gods fauour so our Hope reioyceth in Gods glory 3. God giueth his children the plaister of Patience to support their Hope for he is sure that hath promised 4. The ground of Faith and Hope is Gods word and promise 5. A faithfull heart is furnished like a shippe of warre against all hellish Pirots and worldly force ibid. We can haue no certaine knowledge of heauenly things but by Faith 6. God alone is to be beleeued touching himselfe as wee credit a mortall man with his owne secrets ibid. We can desire nothing which we know not and this knowledge of heauenly things is onely by faith grounded vpon the word of God 7. Our saluation in Christ is alwayes fresh and new sure and certaine 8. Our Faith is not extinguished our Loue cannot be quenched nor our Hope faile vs nor the holy Spirit taken from vs which sealeth our saluation ibid. The wicked shall be as well able to saue themselues without God as to hurt vs hauing God and the worst they can doe is but to send vs to God 9. God doth not choose the worthy but in choosing them maketh them worthy 10. The head will haue his members God his elect and Christ his redeemed and where will hee haue them but in heauen where he is ibid. The third BOOKE CHAP. I. THE crowne of glory will not be got without conquest Sect. 1. Wee must striue to enter in at the narrow gate we must so run that we may obtaine 2. Wee ought to liue in such sort as at the day of death wee wish we had for looke how death leaueth a man so shall the last day finde him 3. It is too late then to beginne to liue well when we must leaue the world 4. With this penalty a sinner is punished that when he dyeth he forgetteth himselfe who in his life time neuer thought vpon God 5 Many men are ready to take their farewell of the world before they know of their condition in the world 6. As our whole life is a passage to death so should we make it a preparation to death 7. Wee ought still to be prepared and watchfull not knowing the time of death 8. Sathan laboureth by his subtilty to make vs to forget our latter end 9. Some count it death to meditate of death ibid. Wicked men cannot abide to heare of death because they liue a sinfull life 10. Remembrance of death to Christians must serue as a sounding bell to awaken them from the sleepe of sinne 11. Christians must take the time and good opportunitie to prouide against death 12. Wee then best know our selues when we haue throughly learned our mortall estate 13. There is nothing so glorious as to order aright the vpshot of our time 14. Who feares God feares not death for what can he feare whose death is his hope 15. Since death watcheth for vs on euery side let vs watch for him that he take vs not tardy 16. Death to Christians should serue as a key to open the day and shut the night ibid. Christians must be as birds on a bough to remoue at Gods pleasure 17. It is absurd to feare that which we cannot shun 18. Christians must haue temporall things in vse but eternall in desire ibid. Mans life is a small thing but the contempt of life is a great thing 19. The manifold commodities of death to the faithfull ibid. See the folly and absurditie of men so to hate death and to loue this sinfull life 20 21. The presumption of long life causeth the greater negligence of our death 22. Selfe-loue causeth men to hate and abhorre Death ibid. Death bringeth an equall law ouer all for the chiefest point of equitie is equalitie 23. CHAP. II. CHristians knowing Death with his forces ought throughly to be prepared against it Sect. 1. Death is so farre from the destruction of a Christian that it brings him to perfection 2. No man knoweth in what place Death attendeth therefore in all places we must be prouided 3. If we prouide not before death there is no prouision after 4. When we seeme to stand in greatest securitie we then doe dwell in greatest danger and when we least feare we soonest fall 5. It is a dangerous course neuer to begin to liue well till we be a dying 6. He that repenteth when he can sinne no longer leaueth not sinne till his sinne leaue him 7. Many neuer thinke of death nor their sinnes till they cannot liue Sicke they are but their repentance is sicker 8. CHAP. III. SAthan hath an host and armie of enemies to hinder vs in our Christian voyage towards Death Sect. 1. Through Christ alone we get the conquest ouer him and his forces 2. The felicitie of the world is fained his loue counterfeit and his promises deceitfull to Gods children 3. There are no worldly comforts but may be kept and desired so that God being aboue all things be not lost 4. Comforts against losse of friends and kinsfolkes 5. Our life is very short for all good things but too long we may thinke in regard of our miseries 6. All worldly delights finish their course in the salt brine sea of sorrowes 7. How much better is it to want a little hony then to be swolne vp with
the flesh the law of the members the nourishment of sinne the feeblenesse of nature and the food of death Oh grieuous necessitie and fearefull state of man before wee can sinne wee are lincked to sinne and before we offend we are bound with offence By one man sinne entered into the world and through sinne death hath gone ouer all Did not our Fathers eate the sowre grapes and are not the teeth of their children set on edge CHAP. IIII. Of the originall and entrance of Death and how iustly it was imposed vpon Adam and all his brood by the propagation of Sinne deriued vnto them THE Nature of man being thus wholly corrupted by Adams sinne Death presently followed him at the heeles to pay him his hyre As Death at first was threatned so speedily vpon his fall was it executed both vpon him and his Yet touching the originall of Death though the cause thereof be iust it seemeth doubtfull from whence it came and what author it had For although the issues thereof be in the hand of God and that it is his handmaide to execute his will as hee also fetters the very Diuels themselues who can doe nothing without him yet all the creatures that God did make were very good and as he is the very goodnesse it selfe so nothing but good proceedes from God Since therefore Death and the Diuell be enemies to God and goodnesse destroyers and corrupters of Nature which he hath made they are none of his creatures hee is neyther their author nor they of his off-spring All things which were made were made by the word and all things which were made by the word were exceeding good Euill then in generall and Death in particular which is euill in it selfe were not made of God and nothing can be good without the soueraigne goodnesse which is God himselfe And whereas good is not there is euill which in effect is nothing else but the priuation of good as death is the want of life and blindnesse the want of sight Lord saith Augustine thou hast not made death neyther hast thou pleasure in the destruction of the liuing therefore suffer not that which thou hast not made to haue dominion ouer me whom thou hast made God made not Death but man after hee fell to sinne receiued the sentence of his disloyaltie and reuolt that he should returne to dust of which he was framed The Diuell hath the power of Death that is hee is the author of Death who by his malicious nature brought it into the world for God made it not neyther hath any delight therein neyther is it good in his eyes nor euer mentioned amongst his workes but from the Diuell and of the Diuell and in the Diuell it beganne and is and abideth and therefore his name is rightly giuen him Abaddon that is a destroyer And as death is of him so for this cause also hee is said to haue the power of it because through his manifold temptations hee maketh men sinne by which Death raigneth For so saith S. Paul of Adam seduced by the Diuell Christ then vanquished him that had the power of Death that is hee abolished sinne and the condemnation of sinne which was the Kingdome of the Diuell and thereby triumphed ouer him For this cause saith S. Iohn the Sonne of God appeared that he might loose the workes of the Deuill that is Sinne and Death which are both of the Diuell for Sinne God condemneth and of Death hee saith I will be thy destruction protesting thereby that hee is author of neyther If God had made Death why did Christ weepe for Lazarus his death for he ought not to mourne for that himselfe had made but by this sorrow hee shewed that those that God had made to liue the Diuell by sinne had made to dye and therefore he raised him from the graue that Sathan might know he should little gaine by mans death I will not the death of a sinner saith the Lord. If God were the author of Death how could hee but be the willer of the same Not God then but the Diuell is the author of Death God made Adam without corruption and created him after his owne Image yet thorow enuy of the Diuell came Death and they that hold of his side proue it so that the Father of Death is the Diuell and as he is euill by nature so likewise is Death in it selfe issuing and proceeding from such a fountaine The Diuell is the author of Sinne and consequently of Death for by Sinne Death entered and Death is the wages thereof Hee that committeth sinne is of the Diuell for the Diuell sinneth from the beginning hee is a murtherer from the beginning hee is both a lyer and the father thereof not by creation but by corruption God made him an Angell hee made himselfe a Diuell so falling from God hee fell from goodnesse and became the father of sinne and wickednes Non stetit in veritate he stood not in the truth Hee that caused Sin caused Death for sinne The third part of the waters became Wormewood and many men dyed of the waters because they were made bitter Bitternes caused death but whence came the bitternesse from the Starre that fell into the waters called by the name of Wormewood And albeit that Death proceeded of the Diuell as wee haue heard yet is it also attributed vnto man himselfe to leaue him inexcusable as plainely appeareth by Paul his comparison betweene Christ and Adam As by the offence of one man saith hee death raigned ouer all and sinne came ouer all to condemnation so by Christ which is one the benefit of grace abounded towards all men to Iustification of life In which Antithesis wee may see Death seazing vpon all men through Adam and that very iustly so that Man and Diuell are partners in sinne and so in death Here two things concurre together the tempter and the obeyer Sathan tempted and man consented He tempted and perswaded of enuy intermingling the matter with belying and slandering of the truth to haue man breake Gods commandement notwithstanding all this Sathan had nothing preuailed had man resisted and not consented to his temptation Therefore wee may conclude that in respect of Sathans enuy lying and other euill attempts tending all to mans destruction hee may be called as hee is indeede the author of death yet in regard of mans consent in transgressing Gods Law Death may duely be imputed to himselfe although there were none other cause for that he was created to the likenesse of God himselfe and flourished with Free-will which as then hee possessed The Diuell then is not the proper and absolute cause of sin because that the nature of the absolute proper cause is such that it going before the effect cannot choose but follow after But it falleth not out so alwayes in man prouoked of the Diuell who
borne a man and not an Angell Death is the common road-way of all the world there is no by-paths any nearer or nearer way no not for Kings and Emperours themselues What worlds of men are gone before vs yea how many thousands out of one field How many Crownes and Scepters lye pyled vp at the gates of Death Men are here as in a voyage the which wee must one day finish yesterday we came into this vale of teares and to morrow if our Maker will we shall goe out One goes before another followes one man rots in the graue and makes it empty that he which is yet aliue may haue place therein Or if we should continue here long yet can wee not escape for that all mortall men are enclosed in Deaths Parke Whether wee goe softly or runne swiftly whether wee dye willingly or end our dayes grudgingly when the appointed time is come wee must yeeld our selues to the Law of Death Doe wee flye Death yet followes vs and catcheth vs behinde in retyring backe shee approacheth neare vs turning from her shee surpriseth vs sodainely and ceaseth not like a greedy Beare and hungry Lyon vntill shee hath broken our bones and torne our flesh in sunder Death equally drags away all men which haue beene are or shall be We are distinguished by times but made equall in the Issue Some are sent before others come after but all goe the same way without exception In all these reuolutions of humane things there is nothing certaine but Death and yet euery one complaineth of that which neuer yet failed any Wee dye hourely and as we grow our life decreaseth for what is the beginning of Youth but the death of Infancie the entrance of Manhood but the end of Youth and what is the beginning of to morrow but the death of to day Wee are no sooner entered into the earth but wee are constrained to returne to the earth againe as it were from one sepulchre to another euen from the wombe to a beginning to liue and die together so as the most part of the time Death giues vs no warning but by the blow it selfe Many thinke they neuer dye but when they yeeld vp the last gaspe of Death but if wee marke it wee dye euery day and moment for our very liuing as I said is a continuall dying wee no sooner set a step into life but wee enter a step into death Of our life all the time past is dead the present liues and dyes at once and the future likewise shall perish The time past is no more the future is not yet the present onely is and no more This whole life I say is but a death It is like a candle lighted in our bodies in one the winde maketh it melt away in another blowes it cleane out ere halfe it be burned in others it endureth vnto the end but looke how much soeuer it shineth so much it burneth her shining is her burning her light a vanishing smoake her last fire her last wyke and her last drop of moysture So is it in the life of man his life and death are all one But how should man be ignorant of his death vnto whom all creatures and actions preach his mortalitie We see it by experience that all earthly things haue their end our yeares are limited God hath measured out our months the daies of our liues are dated how long wee haue to liue so that the first lesson that we haue to learne is to think of our end We see that the longest day passeth and the night succeedeth how Sommer followeth Winter and Winter Sommer the Sunne hath both his rising and his setting his shining and his shading the Spring couers and cloathes the ground with fruits Sommer ripeneth them Haruest gathers them and Winter spends them Thus one thing followes another and both one and another passe swiftly to their end The generation of one thing is the destruction of another and the death of one thing is the life of another First is our generation then our conception after comes our birth in wonderfull weakenesse The cradle at the first is our castle when we are crept out of that we come to a little strength yet long is the time ere we come to our ripenesse And here behold we neuer continue in one state for as our strength increased at the first so by little and little it diminisheth at the last as Youth succeedeth childehood and age youth so childehood youth and age haue all their end Wee see by obseruation that the freshest and sweetest flower soone fadeth our garments waxe olde be they neuer so gay our buildings become ruinous be they neuer so stately and as our life is vpholden by the death of Gods creatures so death shall be the end as well of vs as of them The Sunne towards his setting and the Moone towards her wayning haue dimmer beames and light And this is the vniuersall sentence of the world and Gods decree which needes must stand that all things flourishing shall fade all things of force and might shall be feebled all great things lessened and so by little and little being weakened shall at the last dissolue into the first substance and matter whereof it came as the cloudes in the skie into dewes and showers Ice and Snow into water all earthly things that are of the earth shall turne to earth againe and they that are of the waters shall turne into the sea So shall Adam being dust to dust againe returne with all his brood The law of Nature established amongst all nations and people of the world is this that all men come into the world with condition to retire out of it againe He is no great man saith one that thinketh it a great matter for Trees and stones to fall and for mortall men to die I knew saith Anaxagoras hauing intelligence of the death of his sonne that hee was mortall and subiect to die For as it is impossible for any man to die that liued not before so none can possibly liue that shall not die hereafter Our life is as a garment that weares of it selfe and by it selfe for we weare out our life in liuing the more we liue the lesse we haue to liue and still approach nearer death whatsoeuer we are cloathed with is a mortall and perishing merchandise our garments weare vpon our backs and we in our garments they are eaten with mothes and wee with time So in our meates as in a looking-glasse we may learne our owne mortalitie for let vs put our hand into the dish and what doe we take but the foode of a dead thing which is either the flesh of beasts or of birds or of fishes with which foode wee so long fill our bodies vntill they themselues be meate for wormes All this we see by experience we feele it and we taste it daily we see death as it were before our eyes we feele it betwixt our teeth and yet can wee
heauenly Canaan wee shall haue a spirituall Pharaoh with his Captaines like Grassehoppers to feed vpon vs yea the libertie which wee haue in Christ the corruption of our heart will labour to inuert to voluptuousnesse the sweetnesse which wee taste in his word the vanity of our mindes will endeuour to ouer-cast with drowsinesse the Faith which we ground on his promises the subtiltie of the Serpent will seeke to vndermine with doubtfulnesse the conscience wee make to offend the lusts of our flesh will contend for to couer with hypocrisie the detestation wee haue of sinne the concupiscence of our eyes will striue to ouer-reach with prophanenesse and the interest wee haue to heauen the pride of our liues will perswade vs to change for trifles Being freed from outward warre ciuill and intestine ariseth vp against vs our Affections against Reason and Will Earth troubleth Heauen and the World in our selues although wee greatly shunne it doe what wee can will haue a pauilion and tent in our hearts Yea those oftentimes who with tragicall and vehement words seem most to detest it are yet made so blinde with the glory thereof that the very shadow of ambition affecteth them Many I dare boldly say seeme to defie the World which meet and welcome the same with the kindest embracings This masking World in her strange disguised vizour not seldome flourisheth among such as seeme most to ahhorre her For alas wee are resident in the World and the World in vs so that wee cannot be free from the World except wee depart from our selues and what is this departure but death Some in flying the contagion of others are corrupted of themselues and in with-drawing from the societie of men yet deny not the olde man possessing them In the great deluge of this life Gods Children are tossed with raging stormes on euery side where no good footing or high place can be found for the Doue of Christ to rest her selfe Here is no sure peace nor secure quietnesse but warres on euery side and in all places contention and deadly foes The tempestuous sea torments vs wee are grieued at the heart and desirous to vomit and to be discharged thereof we remoue out of one ship to another from a greater to a lesse wee promise vnto our selues rest in vaine they being alwayes the same windes that blow the same waues that swell the same humours that are stirred to all there is no other port no other meanes of tranquilitie but onely death See the foolishnesse of the world and the infirmity of our flesh When God saith trouble shall come they say wee would haue ease when God saith be merry and reioyce in trouble wee lament and mourne as though wee were cast-awayes But this flesh which is neuer merry with vertue nor sorry with vice which neuer laugheth with grace nor weepeth with sinne holdeth fast with the world and giueth God the slip Thus wee may see our wretched estate in the flesh still crossing God and the saluation of our soules All our affections and wils with the whole force of Nature helpeth forward our destruction fightings without and terrours within World Flesh and Diuell ioyne together with Death for our damnation CHAP. VIII Of the power strength and sting of Death by meanes of the Law whose nature is here vnfoulded THe originall of Death we haue heard as also what it is who be subiect to it with the fearefull estate wherein they stand Now let vs further obserue that as the Diuell and man together brought in Death by sinne so it now being entred is become the very kingdome of the Diuell wherein hee raigneth By Death he triumphed ouer man whom hee seduced holding him fast in his owne fetters and shackles of sin which himselfe first found out and so leadeth him as his slaue and ruleth ouer him as his head for God did renounce man although hee created him and cast him off by meanes of sinne whom first he had made like vnto himselfe In that men die it proues they had sinned and sinne proues there is a law which law being broken bringeth Death for the wages of sinne is Death Now to conuince sinfull man the better of this his cursed estate God renewed his law first ingrafted in his nature but blotted out by his fall in Tables of Stone to shew the hardnesse of his heart that so as in a glasse hee might see his fearfull fall For amiddest the heapes of all other sins pride so possessed his heart that although he was nothing else but sin yet stil he deemed himselfe as innocent and righteous He was so blinded in his corruption that he knew not sinne in his colours vntill the law descried it And this is the common error of all his lynage that without the publishing of the law wee had not knowne our sinne I knew not sinne saith Paul but by the Law I had not knowne lust except the law had said thou shalt not lust but sinne tooke occasion by the Law and wrought in me all manner of lust so sinne by the Law grew out of measure sinnefull Such is the corruption of mans nature that it most eagerly desireth things that are most straightly denied which if they had not beene mentioned should not so much as haue beene dreamed of For though the flame of concupiscence be restrained by the damme and wall of Gods law yet is it not dryed vp in our mortall nature When the law was giuen to man in whom there is no grace sinne abounded three waies first seeing the law of God giuen vnto him as an helpe sinne laboureth to turne it to his hurt whom it securely before possessing lesse assaulted secondly Man naturally desireth liberty and freedome and flyeth seruitude and bondage by nature mans minde is crosse and peeuish and is swayed to contraries Stolne waters are the sweetest hid bread is pleasant So that by the prohibitions of the law charity in man being decayed the desire of euil increased which once increased made the things forbidden by the law more sweet and pleasant Thirdly for that the inhibition of euill things puts them more in remembrance of the things forbidden which very remembrance to nature corrupted is a prouoker and stirrer vp of filthy lust and desire Againe in that sinne abounded when the law entred it is to be vnderstood by an accidentall consequent for God sent not his law in cruelty and rigour but vpon good aduise and sound iudgement Sometime man seemeth to be whole and is sicke and because he feeleth not the sicknesse hee seeketh not for the Physition but the disease increasing with the griefe the Physition is sought by whose meanes the sicke and sore body may be cured So the law was giuen to such as were infirme and sicke in sinne that so they may seeke to the Physitian Iesus Christ to be healed Againe it entred the better to discouer sinne which without the light thereof
earth with as great violence as Ioab from the hornes of the altar whither he fled for a refuge to saue his life What will the wicked doe in the extremity of Gods iudgement whither will they turne them whose helpe will they craue when all things shall cause them to feare and proclaime open vengeance against them Aboue them shall be their Iudge offended with their sinnes beneath hell gaping to deuoure them on their right hand shall be their sinnes accusing them on the left hand the Diuels as tormentours ready to receiue them within them their conscience grieuing without them infinite damned soules wailing weeping and gnashing their teeth Good Lord what will wretched sinners doe inuironed with all these miseries how will their hearts sustaine these anguishes what way will they take to goe backe is impossible to goe forward is intollerable What then shall they doe but as Christ foretold desperately seeke for Death and shall not finde it cry to the Mountaines to couer them who yet shall not stirre to hide them they shall stand forlorne as miserable caitifes to their dreadfull and deadly doome Goe yee cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the Diuell and his Angels For in that man offendeth the Lord and creatour of all things he offendeth also all the creatures together in him whither therefore may he goe for as much as he hath made all things become enemies vnto him There is nothing now left to take his part euen so much as his owne conscience within him barketh out against him yea it is the duetie also of the faithfull to reioyce in the damnation of the wicked as well as to be glad for the saluation of Gods elect and howsoeuer to magnifie the righteousnesse of God The Rauens must haue Hogges garbages Partridges must be set vpon the board before Lords and great men A Murtherer must be laid vpon a Hurdle And it is as meete for Iudas to sit in Hell as for Saint Peter to sit in Heauen And vessels of dishonour are as necessarie for the glory of Gods house as precious vessels of gold for the honour of his seruice Yet this is the height of their horrour when the wicked had rather be tormented in hell then to see the face of Christ their fearefull Iudge wishing the very Mountaines to hide them and the Hils and Rockes to couer them from the glory of his presence Hitherto what Death is in it selfe Now it followeth to shew what it is through Christ to the faithfull The end of the first Booke THE SECOND BOOKE What DEATH is in Christ CHAP. I. Christ alone and none other can and doth redeeme vs from death and damnation WHat our fearefull estate is without Christ we haue heard before being holden in the shadow of death by the chaines of our sins the weight and burthen whereof is the law of God laid vpon vs Hell is our prison and Death is our Gaolor to hold vs. See how fast we are locked from God and his Saints in the dungeon of Death by the meanes of sinne which is a sword to the heart a serpent in the bosome poyson in the stomacke a thiefe in the house It woundeth Nature stingeth the conscience killeth charitie and depriueth vs of Gods fauour which is the worst of all Now in this distresse Christ came to visite vs in his due time euen God and man a right redeemer for vs he tooke our cause vpon him and wrestled with the Diuell that held vs by our sinnes in Death This mighty Sauiour tooke flesh and blood to take our part none could be our Mediatour but he alone none amongst the Angels for they are no men not any amongst the Saints for they were all sinners neither any amongst the other creatures for they were all corruptible so that we can neither giue gold nor siluer for the redemption of our soules neither can wee trust in the merits of Angels and Saints who all want vertue for this worke but onely in Christ the Sonne of God and man a meete redeemer for vs who is our Priest alone abiding for euer because he liueth for euer neither can his Priesthood be translated to another and as the sacrifice is his owne so hee is Priest alone to offer it to his Father which he did once for all vpon the Crosse for all belieuers All promise and hope of life is in Christ alone who hath alone the word of life who is alone the bread of life the water of life the author of life yea life it selfe he that beleeueth in him hath euerlasting life and hee that dwelleth not in him shall neuer see life but abideth still in death Take hold of Christ and take hold of life if thou reach out thy hand to any other thing thou catchest for the winde Looke not for life but where it dwelleth in the flesh of Christ alone there it resteth Death hath reigned in all the world beside and ledde euery creature into bondage If thou lookest to the heauens there is but clouds and darknes if to the earth there is but sorrow and sadnesse If thou callest to Abraham he knoweth thee not if thou cry to Angels they cannot comfort thee if thou looke into thy workes they are vncleane if thou trust in thy prayers the Lord hath no pleasure in them call for the helpe of all creatures they are subiect to vanitie there is no life nor rest but in Christ alone The elders and Angels the beasts and all creatures they giue this honour vnto Christ alone Saluation is to him that sitteth vpon the throne and of the Lambe and they all shoute together and say Amen He that would not wander and goe astray should know both whither and which way to goe Now both of those we haue in Christ alone very God and very man for in that he is God and consequently life to him wee must goe and in that he is man by him wee must come vnto God and be vnited with him that we may obtaine euerlasting life and be freed from death If he be the life then is he the place to whom we must goe if he be the way by him we must trauell to attaine eternall life and if he be the truth that is the accomplishment of the law and Prophets concerning both the shadowes and substance of Gods promises then also is he the onely meanes of our redemption God was so gracious and mercifull vnto mankinde that he bestowed not onely his goods but himselfe to redeeme vs and that not so much for his owne sake as for mans behoofe That man might be borne of God God was first borne of Man Who can hate man whose nature and likenesse hee beholdeth in the humanity of God Doubtlesse who so loueth not man hateth God and so abideth in death God became man for mans sake that he might be a redeemer as he was before a creatour that men not
procurement of life but by suffering of death Now when God commeth to obay hee must needes be humbled and when hee comes to deserue he must needes serue which God alone could not doe and when he comes to dye hee must needes be mortall which God could not be therefore hee was man to be bound himselfe and God to free others Man to suffer God to vanquish Man to become mortall God to triumph ouer death Christ thus fitted to be our Sauiour proceeded to the worke of our redemption Now in our sins from which hee saueth vs wee must consider three things first our disobedience to the Law secondly our originall corruption thirdly our condemnation for this corruption The first of these is double eyther in breaking the Law or not fulfilling it The second is the originall cause of this disobedience which is the euill inclination of our heart and our corrupt affections The third is the punishment of this disobedience hell fire itselfe These being as three running soares are healed and cured by three running streames in Christ For our rebellion to the Law is satisfied in him who not onely paid the penaltie for that wee had broken it but actually fulfilled euery poynt thereof to the full For the second which is our originall corruption wee haue the holinesse and sanctification of his nature which was euer seperate from all vncleannesse so that now in Christ our redeemer our estate is farre better then euer it was in Adam in his first creation for though he was made good yet was he changeably good as hath beene said before but those that are in Christ are absolutely good and vnmoueable euen as the strongest mountaines that cannot be stirred Thirdly wee haue Christ by his passion to deliuer vs from condemnation Euen as in the sacrifice vnder the Law the blood of the innocent beast was shed for him that had sinned who worthily by sinne deserued to dye himselfe so we by the shedding of Christs blood that immaculate Lambe are purged from the guilt of all our sinnes for by his stripes we are healed and by suffering in his flesh hee hath prepared a ready way for vs to heauen hauing rendred in the same most perfect obedience for vs and by his death fully satisfied his Father for our sinnes and through the remission thereof obtayned righteousnesse and by righteousnesse the grace and fauour of God and by grace euerlasting life that wee may boldly present our selues before the throne of God But here obserue the wonderfull wisedome of God in the worke of our redemption prouiding such remedy which none could haue deuised but God alone for what else is death but the power of the Diuell and the vtter euersion of all the world Now to make the death of Christ as an antidote against the death of man and the very meanes to vanquish Diuell and Hell as also the high way to heauen and happinesse it selfe what was it else but the excellent vertue and admirable wisedome of him alone who calleth all things that are not as though they were bringing light out of darknesse good out of euill and death out of life And surely if all men and Angels should haue conspired together in study and deuise to wish a plague to haue fallen vpon Diuell and Death it selfe they could not haue determined such another course to wit that their glory should be their shame their power should be their plague and their kingdom of pride their vtter confusion What could the Prophet Dauid in all the hottest zeale he boare to God wish more against the wretched reprobates so traiterous to Christ his sonne and to his Gospell then to pray that their dainty tables might be as snares to take themselues withall and that their great prosperitie might be their greatest ruine Euen thus hath Christ ouercome the Diuell and Death and albeit they still doe warre against the Church yet their strength is so weakened and their power so abated that they cannot hurt it And where the Apostle saith that by death Christ ouercame him that had the power of death it is clearely manifest what manner of death our Sauiour Christ sustayned euen that ouer which the Diuell had his power the same death which is the reward of sinne by bearing it he ouercame it and hee conquered no more then hee submitted himselfe vnto for by death hee ouercame death If hee suffered no more but a bodily death hee ouercame also but a bodily death and so though wee all rise againe yet should wee arise in the condemnation of the sinne of our soules or if hee haue ouercome death and the power of it both in our bodies and soules then Christ hath suffered the paines of it both in body and soule that wee might rise againe from the bands of death and liue with him for euer for hee hath broken the force of it no further then hee hath felt the sting of it himselfe Therefore let vs beleeue that Christ both body and soule was made a sacrifice for our sinnes for so hee said himselfe My soule is exceeding sorrowfull euen vnto death And Marke saith Hee beganne to be astonished with his griefe and was ouerwhelmed with his sorrow And S. Luke declareth that in his Agonie his sweate was as droppes of bloud distilling from his face and that God sent an Angell from heauen to comfort him And can wee thinke that all this was for the feare of bodily death which many of Gods children yea many wicked men haue desperately despised Did the Apostles sing in Prison and went away reioycing being whipped and scourged Did Paul glory in so many tribulations which hee reckoneth vp and should our Sauiour Christ in the like paine with a fainting heart cry out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me No no if could not be saith a godly man but that which hath made Christ to tremble would haue torne his Apostles and dearest Saints a sunder that which made him to sweat blood so plentifully would haue made all other creatures to haue sunke to the bottome of hell most sodainly and that which forced him to cry would haue held both men and Angels in euerlasting woe and hellish howlings without all end Which comfortable poynt serueth to confute the hereticall doctrine of all such which say that the soule of Christ suffred nothing but only for the bodies sake as our soules suffer when our bodies are weake sicke or a dying But how then should wee be saued from the death of sinne and condemnation Doe they know that hee bore our sinnes in his body and submitted himselfe to the death of the Crosse and that by the wounds of his stripes wee are healed And did our sinnes deserue onely a bodily death and not a spirituall also which is the wrath of God holding body and soule in the euerlasting fire of hell This also maketh for the exceeding comfort
of victorie to all the true Israelites of God He hath fought the fight and got the conquest for vs that being deliuered from our enemies wee may serue him without feare in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life Faith sheweth to Christian Souldiers the blood of Christ to whet them on in their spirituall warfare to win the field as the blood of Grapes and Mulberries shewed to the Elephants in warre prouoke them to fight For Christians indeede ouercome through the blood of the Lambe By the righteousnesse of Christ alone apprehended by faith we are reconciled vnto God hee hath paid our debts by suffering Death and satisfying the Law who is the end of the Law and the Prophets But they that giue neuer so little to their owne deseruings in the worke of their redemption doe wrongfully keepe to themselues the praise of grace passing by them as if a wall should say it bringeth forth light when it receiueth it through a window We are of our selues but diuels and sathans euen aduersaries to God enemies to his Lawes and foes of all vertues neither is there any other difference betwixt vs and them but the onely pittie and gracious fauour of God our Father The grace of Christ must be our onely cloathing before the iudgement seate of God for there is nothing in vs that can please and content him but onely his goodnesse in Christ that he hath put within vs. Much it is I grant which wickednesse hath deserued yet farre much more it is which the loue of my redeemer challengeth For though great be mine vnrighteousnesse yet is the righteousnesse of my redeemer greater Because how much God is better then man by so much is my wickednesse inferiour to his goodnesse both in qualitie and quantitie For what hath man committed which the Sonne of God made man hath not redeemed Surely had wee the knowledge and power of the holy Angels yet could our amends be nothing correspondent to thy mercy and goodnesse and were all our members conuerted into tongues yet could we neuer extoll thee sufficiently All our strength is in humilitie the humble man is an vnmoueable rocke built vpon Christ There is none so hard to be healed as hee that thinketh himselfe to be whole such a one careth not for the Physitian nor keeping of good diet Men commonly ioyne with their equals in riches dignity and greatnesse But God which is the soueraigne maiestie and height it selfe consorts himselfe with none but those that be poore and meeke It is best therefore before our God to confesse our selues banckrupts and as the prouerbe is to lay the keyes vnder the dore forsaking all when it commeth to satisfie God In this we should resemble the couetous men who alwaies thinke themselues poore what riches so euer they haue because they still more regard what they desire then what they haue God pardoneth where he loueth and he is mercifull where he hath iust cause to hate so that he is mercifull and hateth not he pardoneth and loueth where he findeth a fault and seeth who hath neede of compassion that both he and we may be knowne hee by his mercy we by our desart that to him might all praise be giuen and we when we would reioyce might reioyce onely in the Lord. If I wholly owe my selfe to my God for my first making what shall I then further giue him for my reforming and new making after I was marred with sinne In the first he gaue me to my selfe in the second himselfe to me and giuing himselfe to me he restored me againe to my selfe therefore both giuen and restored I owe my selfe to God for my selfe and shall be indebted still What therefore shall I render to the Lord for himselfe For although I should giue my selfe a thousand times what am I to God that redeemed mee and wholly gaue himselfe for my sinnes and saluation Christs power is made perfect in our weakenesse for where the flesh carrieth a confidence in it selfe there is no roome for the spirit of God for the spirit onely helpeth those that be infirme Christ is a Physitian to those that be sicke As all waters come from the sea as from the well-head and returne thither againe boyling out of the vaines of the earth so God sending out the streames of his law into our hearts it must euen from the very bottome of of our hearts returne to him againe for wee haue nothing but what we haue receiued Christ is all things to vs that haue nothing he is our bread being hungry our drinke being thirstie our light being blinde our health being sicke the life of our desires the heauen of our mindes a guide to our wandring steppes our succour in necessitie all in all things to be beleeuers As life is conueied from the heart through the vaines to all the vitall parts so is saluation from the Father through Christ to all his liuing members As out of Eden went a riuer to water the garden which being deriued into foure heads compassed the whole world so out of heauen flowed the streame of Gods mercie in and through our Sauiour Christ whose graces deriued diuersely cause all the earth to be filled with his glorie Christ is a mutuall helpe to the Father and to vs. He is a hand to the Father by which he reacheth vs and a hand to vs by which we reach him The Fathers mouth by which he speaketh to vs and our mouth to the Father by which we speake to him Our God is a consuming fire without Christ our vaile wee cannot endure him For what is our miserie but to meete with his maiestie except it be onely in the temple of mercie which mercies seate all is Christ As then our words are messengers of our mindes and semblance of our soules to parley with our friends so is Christ the Sonne of God the image of the Father and mouth to instruct his dearest Saints and not onely a mouth to speake by but an eye to see by and the foote-way to goe by Christ is the life of the world and the heire of all things without whom I can possesse nothing that is good either in grace or glory Hee is the true Salt Eliza threw in to sweeten the bitter waters of Iericho Hee hath healed this water Death shall no more come thereof to men nor barrennesse to the ground And for the Law it now leadeth vs out of our tents as Moses brought the people to trembling Sinai It bringeth vs from rest and quietnesse and haileth vs before the iudgement seate of God to receiue his wrath and sentence of condemnation for our sinnes Then wee are affraid with the poore Israelites and cry let not the Lord speake vnto vs least we die but speake thou O Moses as a mediatour speake thou O Christ When we flie to Christ Moses and his law vanisheth away so that his
Sepulchre can no where be found So that Sinne and Death can hurt vs no more for Christ is Lord ouer the Law Sinne and Death to all beleeuers Moses must giue place to Christ Death and Sinne can haue no roome but grace ioy righteousnesse life faith and peace must haue place with all true happinesse and heauenly rest The Law now cannot condemne nor saue it restraineth vs from sinning as the bonds and chaines the Lion and Beare from tearing and deuouring The Law is the Hammer of Death the thundring of Hell and lightning of Gods wrath that beateth to powder the obstinate and senselesse Hypocrites and hard-harted reprobates This is the true vse of the Law by fearefull tempests and sound of a Trumpet as in Synai to terrifie and by thunder to beate downe and rent in peeces that cruell monster of mans righteousnesse The Schoole-maister chastiseth his Schollers not to hurt them but to reforme them The rod is sharpe but correction is necessarie and the heart of the correctour louing The Physitian giueth a bitter potion to his patient to cure him the bitternesse is not to be imputed to the Physitian but to the medicine and maladie The Law condemneth the faithfull to death no more but teacheth and instructeth them in their duetie exhorteth and reproueth them and procureth them by all meanes to goe to the Schoole of Christ The Law and Christ are as the Physitian and Surgean comming to a sicke man to heale him The Surgean openeth the veine and taketh away the corrupt blood not to kill him but to recouer him to his health The Law peirceth our impostumes and corruptions of sinne and Christ healeth the wound But to seeke to be iustified by the Law is as if one hauing the Falling-sicknesse would ioyne to it the Pestilence for his recouery Or as if a Leper should come to one that had the leprosie to heale him or as one begger to another to enrich them So that they that seeke to be righteous by the Law are twise more vnrighteous weake and beggerly If a man now could fulfill all the Law of God yet could he not be saued because he was borne corrupt and could not possibly pay for that was past and in performing the Law afterward he should doe nothing but his duetie but this is our comfort that the Lord seeing our weakenesse hath in his loue passed by it and seeing our thoughts alwaies to be euill taketh no accompt or reckoning of vs but we resembling the Image of his Sonne the Lord reckoneth with him and striketh off our debts in setting them on his score who hath paid the Lord his full due euen to the vtmost farthing being in his birth cleane in his life holy and in his death obedient We therefore that haue no goodnesse of our owne haue iust cause highly to extoll the goodnesse of God freely giuen to vs in Iesus Christ For the trusting to our owne merites is the reioycing of Sathan the serpent that would sting vs. But the fastening of the firme Anchor of our hope vpon Christ alone is his ouerthrow and baine For as the Apostle exulteth If God be on our side who will be against vs. This is the onely victorie that ouercommeth the world euen our faith fixed on Christ This is the sling of Dauid to throw that mightie Goliah to the ground yea euen the weapon that slayeth him Neither the Law then nor merits of men nor any other meanes whatsoeuer but onely the deserts of Christ take place in the worke of our redemption The death and passion of Iesus Christ is a soueraigne medicine against all diseases of soule and body the remembrance whereof doth much mitigate the feare and horrour of death for hee that beleeueth in this crucified Sauiour is already passed from death to life By his vniust condemnation which we onely haue deserued we are deliuered and absolued at the iudgement seate of God and by the death which he suffered wee haue life and our death is abolished Christ suffered for our sinnes the iust for the vniust he hath borne our sinnes and God hath laid our sorrowes vpon him and by his stripes wee are healed He hath died for vs that wee might liue no more to our selues but to him which died for vs which we must doe by faith For faith presenteth Christ before our eyes It seeketh him out as a mighty Sampson which breaketh the gates of his enemies and carrieth them away vpon his shoulders who killed and destroyed more by his death then by his life So that Christ alone being crucified did conquer the Diuell being nailed to the crosse he cancelled the enditement of the law laid against vs and by dying he slaue Death and Sinne with their owne swords as Dauid did Goliah and broke the Serpents head Hee opened the Sepulchre and gaue life vnto the dead yea he entred into the house of Death and Hell and like a strong armed man bereaued them of their forces No sooner was Ionah cast into the Sea but the tempest ceased no sooner was the paschall Lambe slaine but the Israelites were deliuered no sooner was the high-Priests dead but all banished men returned home into their country What was this but a figure of Christ by whose Death we haue all returne into our country and deliuerance from all danger and destruction Who would not lay his burden vpon him that so desireth to giue him ease God would not haue the sinner to die and be damned but to liue and be saued Haue wee had so many experiments of his loue and should wee now doubt thereof Is the Iudge become our Aduocate and shall wee feare to goe forward to the throne of grace One deepe calleth another and what is that saith one There is a depth of mans miserie now at the gates of death and there is a depth of Gods mercie which is ready to heare and helpe all that call vpon him Now miserie calleth vpon mercie wee may cry Helpe Lord for besides him there is none to helpe It is not the peeces and patches of our owne deserts that can make vs a garment to couer our nakednesse and sinne but it is the Scarlet-roabe that tooke so deepe a double dye in the bloud of Christ that must now alone stand vs all in stead CHAP. III. The faithfull onely and such as are vnited to Christ are redeemed from death and restored to euerlasting life with the singular priuiledges and effects thereof NOW as the benefit of our Redemption section 1 by Christ is great and vnspeakable performed onely by Christ himselfe and his onely meanes so none but his members are partakers thereof Hee is the head the Church is his body and euery faithfull man is a member for his part And as there is no life in the body but as it is vnited to the head nor any motion in the
Christ Except yee shall eate the flesh of the Sonne of man you shall haue no life in you Againe Hee that eateth my flesh dwelleth in mee and I in him Now it is all one to say that Christ is in vs and that hee abideth in vs and to say with the Apostle that Christ dwelleth in our harts by faith Hee is therefore in vs and abideth in vs and is vnited to vs by a liuely Faith And as wee eate the true and naturall flesh of Christ so wee are vnited to the true flesh of Christ but the former is by Faith therefore the latter also section 14 Againe wee are not vnited but to a liuely and quickening flesh and this is the end why wee are vnited thereto that being quickened thereby wee may liue eternally But the flesh of Christ is not a quickening flesh of it selfe but so far forth as it was taken of the Son of God into the vnitie of the person Our soule is ioyned to the soule of Christ and our naturall flesh with the flesh of Christ and therefore like vnto ours in all things sinne only excepted which teacheth vs to fasten the eyes of our mindes immediately and first of all vpon the humane flesh of Christ as it were vpon the vayle by which the entrance was into the most holy place where the glory of God most clearly shined and then after that to enter into the Sanctuary it selfe to behold his Deity section 15 Furthermore as Christ by the communication of his Spirit vniteth himselfe vnto vs so we by Faith are ioyned to him For the first By this wee know saith S. Iohn that Christ is in vs euen by the Spirit which hee hath giuen vs. Hee that hath not the Spirit of Christ saith S. Paul hee is none of his For the second saith the same Apostle that Christ dwelleth in our hearts by Faith Hee that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood saith Christ abideth in me and I in him but hee is eaten and drunke by faith as in the same place Christ expoundeth He that beleeueth in me shall neuer thirst We therefore are vnited to Christ by a liuely faith The knowledge and apprehension of which vnion with Christ by a true and liuely faith not onely ministreth a section 16 true euidence of our right and interest in Iesus Christ but putteth vs in possession of all his benefits purchased to mankinde Hence commeth assured remission and forgiuenesse of sinnes and by a necessary consequence perfect deliuerance from eternall Death by Christs obedience in Death and likewise full and perfect possession of eternall life following his obedience in fulfilling the Law For both the parts of that obedience which was really performed by Christ is communicated to vs by imputation and is truely made ours by the right of this spirituall vnion seeing while Christ how great soeuer hee be is made one flesh with vs and we with him and in regard thereof by imputation also we as the members together with Christ the head are now crucified are dead are buried are raised from death haue ascended into heauen doe sit with him in the highest heauens are blessed with Christ with all spirituall blessings and that not onely in hope but already in Christ our head wee are reputed for such in heauen with God the Father Againe two things necessarily concurre to the iustification section 17 of life First remission of our sinnes that we be not found guilty of eternall death Secondly the imputation of the righteousnesse of Christ that we may be thought worthy of eternall life and neither of these can be without the other and both of them we haue of Christ For the Lord Iesus of his grace and fauour towards vs maketh that what things soeuer wee doe by this his inherent righteousnesse communicated vnto vs to make vs continually fruitfull both to our selues and others although they be most imperfect workes and stained with the corruption of the flesh yet hee I say maketh that they be pleasing and acceptable to God all our spots and blemishes being couered in the robes of Christs righteousnesse And as Adams eating of the forbidden tree was imputed to all his posteritie though they neuer tasted of the fruit with their lippes So the righteousnesse and obedience of Christ shall make all faithfull men righteous before God though they themselues as yet haue tasted no righteousnesse For God hath made him sinne for vs that knew no sinne that wee should be made the righteousnesse of God in him As therefore Christ was made sinne for vs not by infusion of sinne into his person but by imputation of our sinnes vnto him so must wee be made righteous before God not by infusion of righteousnesse into our owne persons but by imputation of Christs righteousnesse vnto vs. As the Moone and Starres borrow all their light from the Sunne so the Church and euery member of the same borrow all their righteousnesse from Christ the Sonne of righteousnesse And as for the sinnes of the faithfull howsoeuer they section 18 cleaue vnto their bones yet if they hate them as hell from whence they are the Diuell working them they neede not care for them being heauy in waight and many in number for they haue their hope not in their own person but in the body of Christ into which they are grafted and in which there is no spot but perfection of righteousnesse euen before God himselfe Their sinnes by his meanes are put vnder their feete and they are rulers ouer them They are not imputed vnto them but vnto Christ The punishment of them is forgiuen vnto the faithfull but not forgiuen to Christ Righteousnesse is freely giuen vnto vs but it was not freely giuen vnto him he obeyed the law of his Father euery iot and tittle that he might fulfill all righteousnesse He bore the condemnation of hell and death that he might abolish it So that in him is life in him is righteousnesse in him is immortalitie and in him is the reconciled good will of God to man And that excellent wisedome which hath made vs by faith one with him the same hath made vs partakers of all his honour and blessed immortalitie If we be ingrafted into the body of Christ wee be his section 19 and he liueth in vs his victory ouer all is ours we see it by faith and all things are in subiection vnder our feete The Diuels doe challenge no good by Christ but disclaime his mercies person and all his meanes Oh what haue wee to doe with thee but euery good Christian may claime him as his due with blessed Paul and say that Christ is his righteousnesse wisedome sanctification and redemption and be bolde to affirme that though his body be in heauen yet shall I there finde it mine his diuinity on earth yet there shall I feele it mine c. All is for mee since Christ is mine
Things present things to come Life Death the world it selfe all is ours and we are Christs Christ in regard of this our vnion with him is not ashamed to call vs Brethren who yet made heauen and earth section 20 and is an immortall and glorious God one with his Father to whom all Angels doe obeysance and the most glorious Princes are but dust and ashes It was a rare thing in Moses being so high in fauour with Pharao that hee would vouchsafe to visite his poore brethren such slaues and bond-men It was singular loue in Ioseph being next to the King in honour and place yet not to be ashamed of his Fathers house being herd-men and sheepe-herds But this is nothing to the kindenesse of Iesus Christ the very shining brightnesse of that most glorious God and his onely begotten Sonne before all eternitie who yet was not ashamed of vs miserable wretched sinners but of his free grace acknowledged vs that were his very enemies in whose person he should suffer a most shamefull and slanderous Death And is it not trow you a iust condemnation if wee wretched men should be ashamed of him who being the God of glory was not ashamed of vs And as they are naturall brethren which are borne of the same Parents so all wee are brethren with Christ which are borne of God through the same spirit by which we cry Abba Father and exercise our loue one towards another in the vnitie of Christian faith section 21 Wee wrastle here with sin as though the steppes of our strength were restrained and looke euen fully vpon death as the Ialour that committeth vs to our graue as a dungeon how be it euen in this doth the Lord reach forth a most approued cordiall to reuiue the faintnesse of our hearts for through the vnion and communion we haue with Christ the vncleanenesse of our birth is washed away in the sanctification of his nature Our transgression remoued in his innocencie our rebellion discharged in his obedience and the vtmost farthing paid in his sufferings And hauing the Image of God which we lost in Adam not renewed onely but a fairer and deeper stampe thereof ingrauen and set vpon vs we may in a Christian resolution challenge at the gates of Hell and Death that nothing can be charged vpon vs as a debt and therefore nothing can light vpon vs as a punishment Wherefore though we mingle here our bread with care and drinke with weeping and haue our lodging in the bed of darkenesse and discomfort it is but to weane vs from the flesh-pots of Egypt till in the heauenly land of Canaan we haue our hearts desire section 22 And though our bodies seeme to perish for euer in in the iudgement of men yet still they haue a being in the sight of God and are members of Christ For the vnion as I haue said betweene Christ and the faithfull is not onely of our soules but of our bodies also all the bodies of the faithfull being vnited to the bodie of Christ And this is such a coniunction as Death can neuer dissolue For though it doth breake the knot betweene Man and Wife yet cannot it infringe the bond betwixt Christ and the faithfull As Death did not make a separation betwixt the two natures of Christ at the time of his suffering though his soule and body were then farre distant in regard of place the one being in heauen and the other in the graue yet were they at that time and in that case personally vnited vnto his god-head no more can Death make a diuision betwixt Christ and the faithfull though there bodies putrifie and rot in their graues yet still they remaine true members of his body And as the Husbandman doth make as great reckoning section 23 of that corne which he hath sowen in his Field and lieth vnder clods as hee doth of that which lieth safe in his barne or garner because he assureth himselfe it will come vp againe and yeelde encrease So Christ our Sauiour doth as highly esteeme of those bodies which are dead and buried as of those which remaine aliue because hee knowes that one day they shall rise againe in honour Their life is but hid for a time and will be found out againe for Christ is able to restore that which nature hath destroyed And God doth deale herein no otherwise with the bodies of his children then Goldsmiths with their old peeces of plate long agoe out of fashion who cast them in the Furnace to refine them and to bring them to a better forme according to his minde Therefore let not the wofull condition of our bodies discourage vs any whit or lessen our hope being ready to die For though the graue deuoure them wormes doe eate section 24 them fire consume them or sea swallow them vp yet being ioyned to Christ in his death and resurrection as Christ and Christians are made one indiuisible body by the bond of Gods spirit they can neuer be seuered from him And although their bodies be as it were rent from the soule by the violence of Death yet in regard of this coniunction with Christ their head neither death nor the graue can separate them from their head For though our bodie be buried in the earth yet our head is in heauen And as one that swimmeth though his body diue and sinke vnder the water yet his head being aboue the streames the whole man is sure and safe from perishing So sure are the faithfull from euerlasting death and destruction though their bodies be entrenched and enterred in their graues being members of their head Iesus Christ ascended aloft aboue the highest heauens to whom they are vnited still by an inseparable bond of his spirit which death can neuer breake CHAP. IIII. The combat and conflict of Christians with Sinne Flesh Death Law and Diuell with their heauenly conquest and triumph ouer them all through Iesus Christ section 1 SVch is the enmitie of the old Serpent in the iust iudgement of God set betweene him and Adams seede that though his head be broken yet still he will labour to bruise their heele Like a coward ouercome he lags behinde for aduantage and not daring to shew his face any more in the field hee dragges in the way and lieth aloofe vpon euery occasion to take them in a trappe Though he cannot preuaile yet prouoke vs still hee will to fight and try our manhood neither can wee otherwise be conquerours then was Christ our Captaine and head who by dying in the field recouered life both for himselfe and his Souldiers for nothing but Death can end this combat Our life is a warfare and that most strange for any section 2 other warre may haue an end either by a conclusion of peace with the enemie or by flying farre from him or by ouercomming him in fight But in this spirituall warre we cannot lawfully make any peace with these our enemies the
Diuell World and Flesh c. For so it would proue our ouerthrow and destruction they being vnto vs so many traitours and irreconcileable murtherers It would be worse for vs then for the silly Sheepe to make peace with the Wolues Neither yet can we flee and so get from them for the Diuell will pursue vs into euery place with his whole armies and huge hoasts of his olde tryed and trayned Souldiers to inuade vs within vs are our corrupt affections and couetous lusts as his hirelings And wheresoeuer we become in this life these our enemies will finde vs out therefore we must fight or be foyled wee must ouercome or be conquered This warre resembles the battels of the Israelites against the Kings and inhabitants of Canaan they must destroy them peace they might not make or admit them tributaries yet Gods people were commanded not to feare them nor to retire into Egypt therefore of necessitie they must fight to ouercome them True it is considering our owne nature that wee haue iust cause to feare so strong and mighty enemies but as God in old time encouraged Iosuah that he should not be affraide in assuring him of his presence so must we manfully stand in this combat and in Christ our true Iosuah and captaine Iesus wee shall be more then conquerours And as the Diuill with his armies maketh war against all mankinde so especially he fighteth against Christ the section 3 head and his faithfull members The woman with her Son he seeketh to drowne and ouerwhelme with a flood sea of temptations As Sathan tempted Christ when hee was baptised and filled with the holy Ghost so will hee still pursue the best Christians which haue receiued of God the greatest graces and gifts As Theeues rob not beggers but rich men and Pyrats pursue those Ships the most that are of dearest prise so the Diuell would make a prey of such especially as are furnished with faith and other heauenly pearles of greatest value In any commotion whom doe rebels most indeauour to kill and spoyle but those especially that are faithfull to their Prince and will fight for their Country Now the Diuell is a rebell in the Lords kingdome whom then will hee most trouble but the godly which are Gods faithfull souldiers to fight his battels against him He that will raigne with Christ in heauen must ouercome the Diuell on earth The Diuell is a Peripateticke saith one alwaies walking section 4 and going about seeking whom he may ensnare and all is fish that comes to his net Our hearts being as deepe riuers and the Diuell being no more able to discerne the thoughts thereof then the Angler can descry what fish is in the water for the secrets of all hearts are onely knowne to God hee baiteth a hooke for vs and by the going downe of the line he knoweth we are sped If he see any couetously giuen he setteth riches before him if any be ambitious he offereth titles and preferments c. He hath manifold nets of temptations sometimes besetting vs with vaine pleasures and sometimes incirkling vs with inordinate sorrow and care now fetching vs in with feare and anone pricking vs forward with pride and presumption As he findeth vs affected so he fitteth his baites and by our ready and greedy apprehension of his temptations he effecteth our destruction And as a cunning Fisher knowing how to hold the fish he hath hooked he will giue them line and libertie but yet they shall walke no further then he list that he may draw them backe againe at his pleasure as the childe playeth with the bird tyed by the legge not suffering her to flye but the length of the thread Therefore the baite that he layeth for vs being our bane let vs not come within the length of his line or within the compasse of his nets Let Gods word rather be our baite and hooke to catch vs which being taken taketh vs and happy is he that is taken therewith no to his slaughter with the fish but to the saluation of his soule with the faithfull section 5 The Diuell wayeth well our old wants the course of our cares the fashion of our affections and out of the nature of our qualities worketh his malignities like a subtile Souldier trayned vp in the warres that layeth siege to that place of the wall that is weakest He obserueth our infirmities and taketh aduantage of them As a man when he would strike fire out of a flint marketh which end of it is fittest for the stroake of the Iron that it may sparkle the sooner So this subtile Serpent obserueth that affection that leaneth to sinne and that he smiteth with his iron of temptation that a sparke of our consent thereunto being added the flame of sinne may sooner be kindled to consume the whole man Hee seeth euery ones complection and so accordingly applyeth his temptation One man is giuen to solace another to sorrow one to feare another to pride c. Let vs therefore be as wise for our saluation as hee is wily to worke our damnation Sathan by worldly baites and sleights leadeth many thousand sinners blindefold to perdition as a Faulken or carryeth his Hawkes quietly on his fist being hooded which otherwise he could not so easily doe if they had they se and sight of their eyes And as Sathan assayleth vs all the dayes of our life section 6 so is hee and will be most busie at the houre of death who dealeth as Tenants doe when their Leases are ready to expire then they racke and take all things to the vtmost they make money of any commoditie they scrape to themselues by hooke and by crooke whatsoeuer they can so fareth it with Sathan The time of death is the last houre of the world and then hee playeth reakes hee ruffleth it apace as though hee were wood And no maruell why hee taketh the greatest aduantage at our death for then hee must ouercome at that instant or not at all then his rage is great because his time is short Thus being acquainted with Sathans wylinesse and watchfulnesse to doe vs hurt especially at our latter end let vs now further display his manner of fight in the field and his Souldiers and weapons that hee imployeth in this warre against vs. Now the Diuell in his Plea against vs for our iust condemnation section 7 and death bringeth in the Law euen the most righteous Law of God which man hath transgressed and by transgression thereof challengeth to hold him in his kingdome From whence he thus reasoneth against our saluation Whosoeuer breaketh the Law of God shall dye the death But euery man hath broken the Law of God Therefore shall euery man dye the death And by the vertue of the Law saith Sathan I will hold him in death The Law is according to Gods nature good holy and righteous and therefore the death of man ponounced by the Law is iust and his condemnation
be made righteous through him wayting for eternall life He hath opened the eyes of the blinde and brought the prisoners from the dungeon and him that sate in darknesse hath hee placed in light To conclude by his triumph on the Crosse hee destroyed section 12 Sinne and so was Death in the same victory maimed For Sinne as was said is the sting of Death and when Death had lost his sting and was conquered in Christs resurrection from death Sathan also lost his strength and power which rested vpon them which through sinne were in danger of death Finally because Hell onely deuoureth them which through Sinne and Death are slaues to Sathan it followeth that the other three by Christ being so mightily vanquished that hell also with all the torments thereof were vtterly subdued and the faithfull deliuered And so according to the saying of Zachary God hath performed the Oath which hee sware to deliuer vs from our enemies that wee might serue him without feare in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life Now then all wee which beleeue are freed from the slauery of Sinne kingdome of the Diuell gulfe of Hell and chaines of Death so that henceforth Death is no death to Gods Children through Christ but great aduantage and appoynted for a passage to a better life And therefore though cursed reprobates may tremble at the name of Death and Diuell to whom they are in thraldome yet Gods Children being conquerours through Christ may well triumph for now through him wee haue an entrance made to heauen and Death is the very doore of life a passage out of this world to the Father a freedome from the prison of this body to goe to Christ It is a returning to our heauenly Countrey from which wee were exiled This is the cause why the godly sigh and sorrow to be loosed and to be with Christ section 13 If Sathan therefore charge vs as surely hee will with the greatnesse of our crimes then turning to God let vs pray that hee will turne away his face from our sinnes and not looke vpon vs as wee are in our selues but in the face of Iesus Christ that redeemed vs from our sinnes If hee say that our sinnes are more then the sands of the sea let vs consider that his mercies are more and most infinite and looke what sinne can doe against Christ so much can it doe against me which beleeue in Christ for I am in him and hee in mee and therefore am righteous through Christ who is a condemning sinne to condemne thee O Sathan which art a condemned sinner If hee say it is absurd for an vniust and wicked man to expect the reward of righteousnesse let vs answere that Christ is our righteousnesse and redemption and that we shall neuer be without merits so long as Christ is not without mercies But from whence hast thou this hope Because I haue a good Lord an exorable Iudge and a gracious Aduocate But thou shalt be swallowed vp of death No my Redeemer liueth and my head is in heauen who I am sure will draw mee to him Christ hath ouercome Death and opened to mee the gate of Life O Death thou wouldest haue killed him with the sting of sinne but being of no force thy strength hath failed and hee being my life is become thy death And though Death like a proud Goliah dareth the whole world to match him with an equall Champion and whilest the whole hoast of worldlings shew him their backes for feare yet the true and humble Christian with Faith and resolution in Christ dare shew his face and stand to the fight till hee haue foyled him and wounded him in the fore-head as Dauid the great Gyant euen the wonted seate of terrour and feare and trampling him vnder foot can cut off his head with his owne sword victoriously triumphing ouer him A most admirable victory we dye and are not foyled yea we are conquerours in dying for we could not ouercome Death if we dyed not But thou shalt be damned saith the Diuell Sathan section 14 thou art a false accuser and no vpright Iudge one that art damned thy selfe and not a condemner of others But the Law of thy God accuseth and condemneth thee Sathan Christ hath fulfilled it and giuen his satisfaction vnto mee to him I onely cleaue who hath fulfilled it so that I my selfe haue nothing to doe with it I haue another Law which striketh it downe euen the Law of libertie which through Christ maketh mee free For my Conscience which henceforth serueth the Law of Grace is as a glorious Prince to triumph ouer the Law of Wrath. But see how many Legions of Diuels looke for thy soule as Death for thy body I denye it not and should therefore despayre but that I haue a strong protector who hath vanquished their tyrannie and hellish hatred against mee Yea but God is vniust if hee bestow eternall life vpon malefactors Nay hee is rather iust in keeping his promise and I haue long agoe appealed from his Iustice to his Mercy But thou flatterest thy selfe with vaine hope No the Truth cannot lye to mee Sathan and it is thy propertie to deceiue Oh but thou seest what thou leauest in the world but what after this life thou shalt inioy thou knowest not I tell thee Sathan these things that are seene are temporall and momentany but the things which as yet I see not yet hope assuredly to inioy are eternall and pearlesse Againe hee doth more then see which firmely beleeueth But alas thou goest hence laden with euill deedes and destitute of good Yet will I intreat my Christ to vnburden mee of the euill and to cloath mee with his good But God heareth not sinners I know hee heareth penitent sinners and for such hee dyed But thy repentance is too late No it is neuer too late in this life to turne to God as we truely learne by the theefe vpon the Crosse But thy Faith is weake and ready to fayle thee Yet I will pray to God for the increase and strengthening of it and then it shall neuer fayle mee section 15 But how canst thou be perswaded of Gods fauour who doth thus torment thee with sicknesse God doth it in fauour and loue Sathan as the good Physitian giueth the bitter Potion to cure his Patient and wee see that for the obtayning of bodily health we are content not onely to admit any loathsome Pils and vnsauory Receipts but also if neede require to spill and spare some part of our bloud how much more should wee hazard for the recouery of the eternall health and saluation of our soules But this cup of teares tribulations shall be so tempered in measure by our heauenly Physitian as that no man shall taste thereof aboue his strength This dose of Aloes and other bitter ingrediences I meane the very cup of death itselfe shall be qualified with heauenly Manna and sufficient sweetnesse of ioy and
both going out and comming in they might alwaies be mindefull of their death and latter end section 19 I cannot sufficiently wonder at the folly of our nature so abhorring the mention of Death yea euen the aged men whose spring is past whose summer is spent and are euen arriued at the fall of the leafe whose heads are dyed with snowie winter colours and whose ship begins to leake and grate vpon the grauell of their graues yet how fearefully are they amazed to heare the last sound of Deaths trumpet O foolish imbecilitie so fearing to be luld a sleepe in Deaths slumbering fits which is so ready to close vp this mortall day to bring their soules to an euerlasting morrow Mans life saith one is a small thing but the contempt of this wretched life is a great thing And why should Christians so loue this sinfull life and loath their death which is so gainefull First it killeth our familiar enemy the flesh which lusteth against the spirit and maketh vs that we cannot please God Now there is no enemie like vnto a domesticall and home-bred enemie that lieth in our bosome that rests and sleepes with vs and is alwayes a companion to the soule vrging and hailing it to sinne but Death openeth the doore of this filthy prison and stinking dungeon of this body of sinne in which we liue as slaues It freeth vs from this pannier and dungcart we carry about full of all corruption and vilenesse for this corruptible body is heauie vnto the soule and this earthly mansion keepeth downe the minde oppressing it with cares It putteth an end to this our painefull pilgrimage full of bitternesse and griefe For what is this life but a heauie mierie way clagging and tyring our feet and orher limbes Consider then how absurd it is for poore drudges so section 20 foyled and wearied to be yet vnwilling to haue such an irkesome life and way ended Our life is full of labour t' is led with sorrow and yet left with teares so that better is death then such a silly life We thinke not so much how neare Death we approach all of vs being reserued to die we complaine not so much of the thing it selfe as of the day of our death But would wee not thinke him a foole who amongst many other being condemned to die would craue it as a great benefit to be executed the last So foolish are many esteeming it such a matter to haue their death deferred and a little to prolong their dayes Malefactors hate nothing more then the giues and fetters barres and bolts of the prison doores wherewith they haue beene loaded and wherewith they haue beene inclosed and we foolish men feare nothing more then the opening of this prison doore for our egresse and deliuery we cannot abide it we cannot indure to haue the locks and shuts of this layle of our flesh to be broken and battered for our euerlasting manumission from this seruitude and slauerie of sinne section 21 Now then if our whole life be nothing else but a continuall trauell to death as wee haue heard if the houre of death be also the dreadfull houre of Iudgement what other thing is our whole life but a continuall walking towards the tribunall seate of God And what great madnesse is it for men going actually to be iudged thus in the way to prouoke their Iudge to anger by continuall sinne Let vs better open our eyes and consider the way wee take let vs fore-cast with our selues to what place wee are going and be ashamed of our euils or at the least to aduise with our selues how euill this that wee doe agreeth with that businesse wee haue in hand What a wonder is this that euery day we dye and yet perswade our selues to liue for euer wee are like the Megarenses of whom the Phylosopher speaketh in making proud and sumptuous buildings as though they should alwayes liue yet liuing as though they had but mortall soules section 22 But to hasten to an end Whereof commeth so great forgetfulnesse of almighty God such negligence of preparing our selues to die euen from hence that we presume our life shall last so long This false imagination perswadeth vs that we haue time inough for all things for the world for our pleasures for vanitie for vices for friuolous and curious exercises and that yet for all this we shall haue sufficient time to prouide our selues to die in so much as we dare dispose of our life as we will of a web of cloath for our family lying on a table appointing one piece for this purpose and another for that so we make account of our liues as though we had the signory and gouernment of times in our owne hands to order and our life at our owne will and pleasure to dispose of This fond conceit groweth and is grounded vpon selfe-loue which alwaies hateth and abhorreth Death to auoide the paine and griefe which otherwise it would conceiue Such a one is easily induced to beleeue that another shall die for as hee is not greatly in loue with others so is not the knowledge and beliefe of that truth so sowre and vnpleasant vnto him but as hee loueth himselfe exceedingly so is hee very loath to beleeue any thing that should increase his paine and griefe Yet see how such a one is deceiued hee first of all begins to lead the dance of death and others so censured long after doe follow him So that it fareth with these men as with yong sea-men and fresh-water-souldiers who when they come forth of the hauens mouth it seemeth vnto them that the land and houses depart away when they themselues indeede doe moue and passe away the land and houses standing still Of what impatiencie is it not to endure that euill section 23 which together with so many and mighty is common vnto all men Thou refusest to pay the debt with all Gods Saints which whether thou wilt or no must needs be discharged Hee which by nature could not die was for thy sake made mortall and subiect to death and thou being borne to dye and which so often for thy sinnes hast deserued death wouldest thou alone amongst all other be priuiledged from dying Remember therefore thy folly and pride and rather incourage thy selfe to die hauing so many fellowes and partners in this case For indeede wee haue no more cause to grieue that wee shall die then wee haue to be vexed that wee were borne or that wee were created mortall men and not Angels immortall Death bringeth an equall law and an ineuitable necessitie ouer all Now who can complaine for being of such a condition from which no man is excepted for the chiefest point of equitie is equalitie Let vs therefore pay our tribute chearefully since wee cannot be released and let vs second and follow the will of God without murmuring from whom all things are iustly deriued for Destinie leades him by the hand that goeth willingly and
and all assaults It will oppose to this our deadly foe life for death holinesse for sinne obedience for the Law yea all Christs satisfactions to make the whole summe But of this poynt wee haue sufficiently discoursed Then commeth the World and will set abroach his section 3 baites What wilt thou dye O man I pray thee behold thy goodly buildings and stately roomes thy lands and reuenues thy rents and treasures thy credit wealth and fame thy pleasures and delights and all that thy heart desireth But alas O World this thy felicitie is fayned thy loue is counterfeit and thy promise is deceitfull These things I confesse to be good in their kinde and for my vse so long as they stand with Gods fauour Kept they may be so that wee loose not God who now doth call vs and therefore may not keepe vs from him Yet I know O World the vanitie of thy pleasures the frailty of thy glory and the ficklenesse of thy goods and that all these are nothing in respect of the riches of heauen and happy life which after death I am sure to haue wherefore I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ in whom indeede are hid all the treasures of God who also is the keeper of our true life for this our wretched life which now we lead is no life indeede but a very death For we are dead and our life is hid with God in Christ wee walke by faith and not by sight yea so long as wee are at home in this body wee wander and goe astray from God our Lord. And thou O World which bewitchest so many to loue this life what should I gaine if I should serue thee I am sure to be a foe to Christ who loues thee not who prayeth not for thee whose Kingdome is not of thee and therefore to loue thee is to hate my God which to doe is worse then death Thy reward I know is nothing but nakednesse for naked I came vnto thee and naked I shall goe from thee therefore I am willing to forgoe thee and desire to be freed to dwell with Christ section 4 Lastly comes the Flesh with trembling and quaking Why wilt thou dye O man see here thy friends and thy family thy Wife and thy Children thy Father thy Mother weepe and waile cry and call vnto thee and wilt thou thus depart wilt thou needes goe from them It is good no doubt to tarry still among our friends with Gods good will and there is nothing vnder God but it may be kept so that God being aboue all things which we haue be not lost For hee that loueth father or Mother Wife or Children c. better then Christ is not worthy of his presence And though my friends lament the losse of my life yet can they not redeeme it for what man is hee that liueth and shall not see death and shall hee deliuer his soule from the hand of the graue No no neyther riches nor strength neyther power nor policie can preuaile in this poynt Death neyther spareth pouerty nor regardeth wealth it esteemes neyther manners age nor time but walketh in the gates of old men and setteth snares continually for young men no worldly practise can escape the bands of death It alwayes pursueth vs and wheresoeuer we goe it layeth hands vpon vs And though men labor to liue long and desire that they might neuer come to the terme of their dayes yet indeede it is no other thing to liue then to make haste to death Wherefore men doe walke whither they would not come and willingly runne to the end of that course which euermore they haue abhorred for death is the punishment of all men the tribute of all men the rule of all men and the receiuer of all men God hath set vs our bounds which wee cannot passe section 5 And as the greene leaues in a thicke tree some fall and some grow so is the generation of flesh and bloud one comes to an end and another is borne Wee came not altogether neyther must wee goe altogether therefore O Flesh be content O my friends be quiet needes wee must depart though to meete againe wee are full sure And in going from you my earthly friends I shall not yet be destitute of friends but make a good exchange for I goe to the Saints of heauen to the liuing God who is Iudge of all to Iesus Christ my Redeemer to the celestiall Ierusalem to my abiding Citie to the company of Angels to the Congregation of the first borne to the spirits of the righteous and to ioyes vnspeakable beyond all mans conceit Such be the comforts the rewards heritages and exceeding priuiledges that God hath before all worlds prepared and alwayes had in store for his elect And therefore still I desire to be freed from the flesh to liue with Christ Wee haue here no continuing Citie wee looke for one of God And I know that so long as I am in the flesh I cannot please God and that if once this earthly house of this tabernacle were destroyed I shall haue a building giuen me of God a house not made with hands but euerlasting with God in the heauens Not to liue said one but to passe the life well is life section 6 indeede Our life is very short for all good things yet long enough and too long may we thinke it in regard of our miseries A dangerous straite in which the lesse time thou hast to passe the more perill and danger thou hast in the passage But this is a miserie of miseries that being in such a miserable case we liue like men in a phrensie not knowing our misery Heraclitus and Democritus could better discerne this poynt then many Christians of whom it is reported that the one past his life in laughing and the other alwayes in weeping seeing as it seemeth that all our life is nothing else but ridiculous vanitie and lamentable misery Moreouer if this life be a vale of teares a prison of guilty persons and a banishment of them that be condemned how canst thou place such great pompe and pride such gay ornaments and stately furniture of houses and families in such a wretched place how canst thou take here thy pastimes and pleasures how canst thou delight thy selfe in feasting and banketting how canst thou desire so greedily to gather the prouision of this world and be so forgetfull for the life to come As though thou wert onely borne to liue alwayes here with bruite beasts and hadst no portion with the Angels in heauen Such wretchednesse sheweth of what a miserable stocke thou commest if nothing can perswade thee to behold this thy great and palpable blindnesse section 7 Wee maruell much at the rude and ignorant Indians who for glasses and trifles are said to part from their purest gold but wee neuer thinke of our owne folly who forgoe the treasures of heauen for very bables
it But on the contrary such as want this good testimonie section 9 of the conscience purified by faith in the blood of Christ their case is very dangerous lying still in their sinnes which in the time of Gods visiting hand will sting them deadly and in this world if they be not awakened by repentance but lye snorting in the same till their dying day their conscience that hath furfeited of sinne in this life will vomit all in their faces when they come once to their reckoning For as a good conscience is a continuall feast and paradise to him that hath it so an euill one is a perpetuall plague and prison to the soule and like the raging sea that casts vp mire and durt A pure conscience saith one is as the sweetest sugar to delay the bitternesse of all afflictions it is as marrow in the bones and good blood in the veynes as sound health to the body fitting and inabling it to sustaine all blustering stormes and winter blasts It is as a watch-tower and Beacon on a hill to giue vs warning and word of all danger imminent to our life As a Trumpet to awaken vs from our sinnes It is as the match and tinder to kindle the fire and zeale of all holy deuotion faith and obedience still pricking vs forward to all vertue and godlinesse till wee end our daies in peace We may say of the conscience as Zeno the Philosopher of a Wife that shee is a continuall comfort or a perpetuall crosse A good conscience is an inuincible Tower it may be besieged but neuer battered and raced to the ground It will neither be borrowed nor bought nor sould yet if it should be set a sale few would buy it The bed of a good Conscience flourisheth alwayes as the greene borders in a Garden If our hearts be setled in loue and obedience to the section 10 Lord all the world besides cannot defile vs. Our heart is the safest Tower of defence that wee haue in all our life take heede therefore of thy heart for if it accuse thee it will kill thee If it be on thy side let the heauens fall yet the ruines thereof shall not affright thee let thy foes be what they will let their counsell be what it can and destruction that is conspired neuer so cruell yet if thy heart be faithfull to God thy enemies shall feare more then thou for Innocencie assisteth thee which is strengthened with the arme of God and cannot be conquered by any meanes of Man Death or Diuell Though nature be weake to raise vp it selfe and aduersities and temptations strong to cast it downe yet both troubles and temptations flye fast away before the face of our trust in God O Lord take from mee saith one if thou wilt my goods and riches my pleasures c. yea my life to so thou leaue mee my heart which way neuer cease to loue thee trust in thee and call vpon thy name Thou canst not be friends with thy selfe till thou be with God for thy Conscience like an honest seruant taketh his masters part against thee when thou hast sinned and will not countenance thee till thou be reconciled to God neyther dare it be kinde to thee and vnfaithfull to her Maker God doth commit men to their Conscience as vnto a Tutor which vigilantly attends vpon them and a man may better flye from any thing then from his owne heart And therefore this hath alwayes beene the ioy and reioycing of the faithfull to haue the witnesse of a good conscience that they haue simply and honestly walked with men in this world This is their Crowne and comfort to thinke how holily and vnblameably they haue behaued themselues that they haue fought a good fight and finished their course and kept the faith that they haue kept the profession of their hope without fainting still with a good Conscience making their request to God This oyle of gladnesse hath cheared their countenance and this pure wine of a good Conscience hath gladed their heart amidst all their griefe it hath sweetned their sorrowes hauing the loue of God shed in their hearts through the holy Ghost And therefore our greatest care must be to haue alwayes a cleare Conscience towards God and man which will greatly cheare vs against our death section 11 Christians must be daily practicioners of Faith and Repentance they must not onely by mortification of the flesh dye to sinne but being renewed in the spirit rise againe vnto righteousnesse and amendment of life They must hate euill and doe good pursue after peace and holinesse without the which no man can see God For as hee that hath a hope to liue againe when he is dead must dye while hee is aliue to sinne and wickednesse So hee that will escape the second death must be made pertaker of the first resurrection to newnesse of life And those that are deliuered from darknesse must be translated into the Kingdome of Christ and being dead in themselues must liue the life of Christ And this is the end why they are freed from their deadly foes to serue God in holinesse and righteousnesse all their dayes So shall they come to peace of Conscience and ioy in the holy Ghost section 12 Repentance and amendment of life serue vs as the Cannon shot to scatter the cruell bands of Death and Diuell and ioyning Faith with Repentance wee shall be sure to winne the field by the safe conduct of Christ our Captaine vnconquerable who as wee haue heard hath satisfied for our sinnes fulfilled the Law and foyled all our foes If the day of our death finde vs a sleepe in our sinne woe be vnto vs for then wee shall hardly awake The end of all things saith Saint Peter is at hand therefore be sober and watch in prayer Euery one in his death shall finde this end of all things when men are once dead and carryed out of dores all is at an end with them neyther hath their body any more then their length of ground One being demanded when it was time to repent answered section 13 One day before our death but when it was replyed that no man knew that day hee said Beginne then to day for feare of fayling and boast not of to morrow for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth It is a folly to dissemble our sores whilst they are cureable and after make them knowne when there is no remedie Many pretend to amend all in time and this time is so deferred from day to day vntill God in whose hands onely all times consist doth shut them out of all time and send them to paines eternall without time for that they abuse the speciall benefit of time in this world For custome groweth to another nature and old diseases are hardly cured Wilt thou goe to heauen liuing in sinne as thou dost It is impossible As soone thou maist driue God
course To cure our owne stubbornnesse and rebellions we must not with the vnbeleeuing Israelites harden our hearts or tempt the Lord in our troubles neither lift vp our selues with Pharaoh in such variety of iudgements to haue our hearts harder and harder and so to striue against our Maker which is the high way to increase his plagues and bring vs to destruction but rather be humbled and tremble at his word with melting hearts and not still to exasperate the Lord and sharpen his face against vs but rather while it is called to day to heare his voyce and be reclaimed This also reproueth all such as are so mightily distracted vse 2 and distempered in their troubles and afflictions that grow so violent outragious in word and deed and fall to be desperate they say they are weary of their liues they cannot tell what to do they would pardon them that would ridde them out of the way most truely discerning Sathans censure which to holy Iob and Gods children is nothing but a slander they cease from blessing God and fall to blaspheme him to his face Therefore Gods children must be warie from yeelding to such infirmities to which they are also subiect and pray for true patience whereby they may possesse their soules and for a true and a liuely faith whereby they shall be able to ouercome the diuell the world and the flesh and get the conquest ouer themselues and such vnruly affections If they search the Scriptures they shall see a cloude of Witnesses who by the shield of faith and sword of the spirit haue fought the fight and got the conquest in their greatest feares and doubts Thus God hath comforted vs saith Paul of himselfe and the faithfull that we may be able to comfort them which are in any afflictions by the comfort wherewith we our selues are comforted of God Let vs remember the time past with Dauid and thinke vpon all his wondrous workes We must not bee carelesse and cast away the medicine when once weare healed for the time of our olde disease and sores may come againe but still write in our note-Bookes such soueraigne receipts and approoued remedies to remember afresh when our infirmities newly assaile vs At such a time I prayed and was deliuered from the pricks of the flesh from such and such buffetings of Sathan did the Lord defend me therefore will I pray againe being newly assaulted Such a day and yeare I humbled my soule by fasting and prayer and was saued from such a iudgement At another time in my melancholy moode and the strong temptations and delusions of Sathan I conferred with godly men and diligently resorted to holy assemblies and this relieued and restored me I will neuer therfore forget this comfortable meanes but will for euer remember them yea daily practise them vpon euery good occasion and iust respect Thus good things must be pondered with blessed Marie and not onely conceiued but readily brought forth against the time of neede Such treasure of heauenly store must heedfully be locked vp in the treasury of our soules I haue hid thy promise within my heart that I might not sinne against thee So wisedome counselleth to hide his commandements within vs and to keepe them in the middest of our heart And the Apostle exhorteth vs not to let them slippe out of our mindes or not to haue our soules as crazed vessels receiuing much and holding nothing Where the Prophet seemeth to distinguish betweene law and law precept and precept word and word saying Except thy law thy precepts and so in the rest of the Psalme thy word thy iudgements thy statutes thy ceremonies thy commaundements c. q. d. They and they onely doe this and that and euery thing They and none other haue this vertue and operation of comforting conuerting and sauing This may teach vs that Gods word alone and no other doctrine 6 ioyeth the heart in affliction reioyceth the soule in temptation and quickeneth and reuiueth vs in the greatest extremities and distresses Moses speaking but of the law and commandements deliuered from God inforceth obedience to the same in telling them that it is the word of Life that it setteth before them life and death life to the obeyers death to the breakers And Paul calleth the Gospell The word of life which indeed quickeneth vs by faith in beleeuing the promises when the law for want of obedience slayeth vs therefore he preferreth the righteousnesse of faith before the righteousnesse of the law which is a killing letter to vnregenerate men when the Gospell to all belieuers becomes a quickening spirit This is the word that is able to conuert our soules which is mighty in operation sharper then any sword The weapons of our warfare which we fetch from hence able through God to cast downe strong holds euery high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God and to bring into captiuity euery thought to the obedience of Christ The powerfull preaching whereof is The power of God to saluation to all that beleiue This forceth the very infidell through the working of Gods spirit in the heart being rebuked in holy assemblies to fall downe on his face and worship God and plainely to acknowledge that God is in his messengers This powerfull word of Christ raised Lazarus from the graue of corruption and is able to reuiue vs being dead in our sinnes and to raise vs from the death of sinne to the life of righteousnesse The reasons why Gods word in the holy ministerie thereof is of such efficacy to quicken vs are the same with doctrine the second Besides Gods word is the speciall instrument by which he worketh and effecteth his purpose and decree By his word he created all things and by his word they are vpholden and preserued By and according to his word he saueth and condemneth disposeth and ordereth all persons and actions yea all creatures with their motions referring them to their ends appoynted and making them all to serue his glory God and his word are in a league vnseparable he neuer crosseth it being his good will and pleasure He that heareth it and the messengers thereof heareth him and he that despiseth it and them despiseth him where it is not receaued he accounteth himselfe reiected Which serueth first to teach vs to honour God in this vse 1 his high and incomparable ordinance to yeeld obedience to his will reuealed in his word if we will not be accounted as rebellious against him If we will not effectually heare in the holy ministery thereof we cannot beleeue if we beleeue not we cannot be saued If we contemne and despise it it shall be our iudge at the latter day Hee that resisteth it striueth with his Maker Without the comfort of Gods word we must needs perish in our afflictions if Gods precepts quicken vs not we