in vita aeterna cum Christo beatus qui non est in hac vita in Christo sanctus That is He shall never be happy with Christ in the life to come and eternall who is not in this life holy and sanctified in Christ It is well observed That man hath a Threefold being as namely First Esse naturae a Naturall being by birth Secondly Bene esse gratiae a well-being by grace by his new birth And Thirdly Optime esse gloriae his glorious being by death the same being an entrance into a life of glory These three being all of them specified by this ensuing place of Scripture c. Jesus answered and said unto him John 3.3 5 6 8. Verily I say unto thee except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdome of God Verily verily I say unto thee except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdome of God That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit The wind bloweth where it listeth John 14.2 3. and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth so is every one that is born of the Spirit In my fathers house are many mansions I go to prepare a place for you And if I go and prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you unto my self that where I am there ye may be also Fourthly Gen. 2. the Old Testament or the law sheweth unto us our miserable estate and condition we are in by sin and by the fall of our first parents in Paradise The New Testament or the Gospel sheweth unto us our happy estate and condition we are in by grace by the merits death and passion Resurrection and ascension of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ For now is Christ risen from the dead 1 Cor. 15.20 21 22. and become the first fruits of them that slept For since by man came death by man came also the Resurrection of the dead For as in Adam all die even so in Christ shall all be made alive For the wages of sin is death Rom. 6.23 but the gift of God is eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord. And sin when it is finished James 1.15 bringeth forth death As by the offence of one Rom. 5.18 19 20 21. Iudgement came upon all men to condemnation even so by the righteousnesse of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life For as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous Moreover the Law entred that the offence might abound but where sin abounded grace did much more abound That as sin hath reigned unto death even so might grace reign through righteousnesse by lesus Christ our Lord. Fifthly In the Old Testament we have many Prophecies and foretellings of Christ our Saviour to come In the new Testament or Gospel we have the joyfull newes and glad tidings of the birth of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ And hereupon one well saith The Gospel or the good spel because the Gospel bringeth us good and glad tidings of salvation in and by Iesus Christ And there were in the same country shepheards abiding in the field Luke 2.8 9 10 11 12. keeping watch over their flock by night And lo the Angel of the Lord came upon them and the glory of the Lord shone round about them and they were sore afraid And the Angel said unto them fear not for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. And his name was called Jesus which was so named of the Angel before he was conceived in the wombe Behold Mat. 1.20 21 22 23. the Angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream saying Ioseph thou son of David fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wise for that which is conceived in her is of the holy Ghost And she shall bring forth a son and thou shalt call his name Iesus for he shall save his people from their sins Now all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the Prophet saying Behold Isaiah 7.14 a Virgin shall be with child and shall bring forth a son and shall call his name Emmanuel which being interpreted is God with us And the word was made flesh John 1.14 and dwelt among us and we beheld the glory as of the onely begotten son of the father full of grace and truth Who 1 Pet. 1.20 verily was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world but was manifest in these last times for you But when the fulnesse of time was come God sent forth his son made of a woman and made under the Law To redeem them that were under the Law Gal. 4.4 5. that we might receive the adoption of sons Sixthly The Law tyeth us to an active obedience and due performance of all which the Law requireth to be done by us Dicit Lex hoc fac vive that is do and perform all this which is commanded and live Now therefore hearken O Israel Deut. 4.1 2. unto the statutes and unto the judgements which I teach you for to do them that ye may live and go in and possesse the land which the Lord God of your fathers giveth you Ye shall not adde unto the word which I command you neither shall ye diminish ought from it that ye may keep the commandements of the Lord your God which I command you What thing soever I command you Deut. 12.32 observe to do it thou shalt not adde thereunto nor diminish from it Ye shall do my judgements and keep mine ordinances Levit. 18.4 5. to walk therein I am the Lord your God Ye shall therefore keep my statutes Levit. 20.8 and my judgements which if a man do he shall live in them I am the Lord. And ye shall keep my statutes and do them I am the Lord which sanctifie you Therefore shall ye keep my commandements Levit. 22.31 and do them I am the Lord. But if thou wilt enter into life Mat. 19.17 keep the commandements Onely Joshua 1.8 9. be thou couragious that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law which Moses my servant commanded thee turn not from it to the right hand or to the left that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth but thou shalt meditate therein day and night that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous then thou shalt have good successe Ye shall observe to do therefore Deut. 5.32 33. as the Lord your God
good to them that love God to them who are called according to his purpose Bonis bona malis mala Good things to good men and ill things to ill men as one observeth Tametsi non bonum tamen in bonum ut St. Augustin Nay St. Augustin though the things be not good yet they work for the good of the godly And as St. Bernard observeth Afflictions do make a man to be more humble wary S. Bernard and cautious in his wayes Afflictions and crosses though harmfull to others yet prove helpfull to the godly Yet even their sins though not not good yet they turn to their good as a means to make them more lowly more wary Yea death it self though in it self it be evil and the punishment of sin yet it is a means to free them both from sin and from all the fruits and effects of it and to restore them to that life again which by sin once they lost But now Rom. 6.22 23. being made free from sin and become servants to God ye have your fruit unto holinesse and the end everlasting life For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternall life through Jesus Christ our Lord. For thou wilt save the afflicted people Psal 18.27 but wilt bring down high looks For he hath not despised Psal 22.24 nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted neither hath he hid his face from him but when he cried unto him he heard him Afflictions do make us fit vessels for Gods choice I have chosen thee Isaiah 48.10 in the furnace of affliction Whatsoever is brought upon thee Ecclus 2.4 5 6 take cheerfully and be patient when thou art changed to a low estate For gold is tried in the fire and acceptable men in the surnace of adversity Believe in him and he will help thee order thy way aright and trust in him As gold in the furnace hath he tried them Wisd 3.6 and 4.5 and received them as a burnt-offering For though they be punished in the sight of men yet is their hope full of immortality And having been a little chastised they shall be greatly rewarded for God proved them and found them worthy for himself For we know 2 Cor. 5.1 2. that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved We have a building of God a house not made with hands eternall in the heavens For in this we groan earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven With my soul have I desired thee in the night yea Isaiah 26.9 with my spirit within me will I seek thee early in the morning for when thy Judgements are in the earth the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousnesse Meaning Exposition That by afflictions men will learn to fear God as the exposition is Afflictions are chastisements for our sins Jesus said unto him John 5.14 Behold thou art made whole sin no more lest a worse thing come unto thee Thereby shewing that the afflictions which we endure The marginall note and observation Nehem. 9.38 are chastisements for our sins as the marginall note and observation is Now because of all this we make a sure covenant and write it and our Princes and our Levites and our priests seal unto it Thus by affliction they promise to keep Gods commandements The marginall note and observation whereunto they would not be brought by Gods great benefits as the marginall note and observation is Wo unto him that striveth with his maker Isaiah 45.9 the potsherd with the potsherds of the earth shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it what makest thou Hereby he bridleth their impatiency Exposition which in adversity and trouble murmure against God and will not tarry his pleasure willing that man should march with his like and not contend against God as the Exposition is But Hezekiah the king 2 Chro. 32.20 and the prophet Isaiah the son of Amos prayed against this or for this cause and cried to heaven This sheweth what is the best refuge in all troubles and dangers Exposition as the Exposition is After troubles and afflictions God comforteth his afflicted children with his blessings God useth to comfort his children and servants which do cry unto him with his blessings powred down upon them And many brought offerings unto the Lord to Ierusalem 2 Chro. 32.23 and presents to Hezekiah king of Iudah so that he was magnified in the sight of all Nations from thenceforth Thus after trouble Exposition God sendeth comfort to all them that patiently wait on him and constantly put their trust in his mercies as the exposition is Misery and afflictions are of this good use as that they do excite Afflâ—ctions work in a man repentance and humiliation and stirr up a man to repentance as a Father observeth and that punishments with afflictions will open the eyes of a mans understanding and draw him to God by repentance and humiliation when nothing else will And when he was in tribulation 2 Chron. 33.12 13. he prayed unto the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers And prayed unto him and God was entreated of him and heard his prayer and brought him again to Ierusalem into his kingdome Then Manasseh knew that the Lord he was God Thus Affliction giveth understanding Exposition for he that hated God in his prosperity now in his misery he seeketh unto him as the exposition is The due consideration hereof will be a continuall comfort unto us and as our souls cordiall in all times of affliction and even then most of all when all other comforts fail us CHAP. VI. A Meditation upon Life and Death and how we are at all times and upon all occasions to fit and prepare our selves for death that so it seize not upon us at unawares FIrst of our life First Of our life here and the due consideration thereof Our life here is a sea-fare a way-fare and a warr-fare First Our life is a sea-fare They that go down to the sea Our life here is a sea-fare Psal 107.23 24 25 26 28 29 30 31. in ships that do businesse in great waters These see the works of the Lord and his wonders in the deep For he commandeth and raiseth the stormy wind which lifteth up the waves thereof They mount up to the heaven they go down again to the depths their soul is melted because of trouble Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble and he bringeth them out of their distresse He maketh the storm a calm so that the waves thereof are still Then are they glad because they be quiet so he bringeth them to their desired haven Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodnesse and for his wonderfull works to the children of men Secondly Our life here is a way-fare full of troubles Our life here
same we have no moving cause to make us to desire the long continuance thereof here in this vale of misery but earnestly to desire and hope for the fruition of a better life hereafter and even to say with St. Paul Cupio dissolvi et esse cum Christo I desire to be dissolved Philip. 1.23 and to be with Christ And as touching this our life here and all the enjoyments we have therein we may well conclude all and say with the Preacher Vanity of Vanities Eccles 12.8 all is vanity And with this to sum up the whole duty of Man being this Fear God Eccles 12.13 and keep his Commandements for this is the whole duty of Man Of life eternal Of life eternal of the Giver thereof and the manner of the gift the giver thereof and the manner of the Gift with the great and unexpressible benefits that doth redound thereby unto the dear and elect Children of God Bless the Lord O my Soul Ps 103.1 4. and all that is within me blesse his holy name Who redeemeth thy life from destruction who crowneth Thee with loving kindnesse and tender mercies My Sheep hear my voice Io. 10.27.28 and I know them and they follow me And I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand Iesus said unto her Io. 11.25.26 I am the resurrection and the life he that believeth in me though he were dead yet shall he live And whosoever liveth and beliein me shall never dye And this is life eternal Io. 17.3 That they might know Thee the only true God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent God that made the World Acts 17.24 25 26. and all things therein He giveth to all life and breath and all things For in him we live move and have our being But now being made free from sin Rom. 6.22 23. and become Servants to God ye have your fruit unto holiness and the end everlasting Life For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Iesus Christ our Lord. If in this life only we have hope in Christ 1 Cor. 15.19 we are of all men most miserable The Letter killeth 2 Cor. 3.8 but the Spirit giveth life If ye then be risen with Christ Collos 3.1 seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God Set your Affections on things above Collos 3.2 3 4. not on things on the earth For ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God When Christ who is your life shall appear then shall ye also appear with him in glory Fight the good fight of Faith 1 Tim. 6.12 lay hold on eternal life whereunto thou art called Hereby perceive we the love of God Jo. 3.16 because he laid down his life for us And this is the record Jo. 5.11 12 13 20. That God hath given to us eternal life and this life is in his Son He that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life These things have I written unto you That ye believe on the name of the Son of God that ye may know that ye have eternal life and that ye may believe on the Son of God And we know that the Son of God is come and hath given us an understanding that we may know him that is true and we are in him that is true even in his Son Iesus Christ this is the true God and eternal life S. Bernard Duo animi à Deo dati custodes domestici pudor et timor Qui pudorem amisit bestiae par est qui timorem excuâ—â—t bestia pejor est God hath given us two Domestick Keepers of our Souls as namely Shamefastness and Fear He which casteth away all Shamefastness from him may well by way of comparison be accounted equal unto the very beast and he which shaketh off from him all manner of Fear is in a far worse manner than the beasts as St. Bernard observeth And for our better distinction in the whole course of our lives here we ought alwaies to have these two props or Pillars like the stern of a ship to stear and govern all our action aright as namely Care and Fear Actions First Carefulnesse to serve and please God according to his Will revealed unto us in and by his holy Word Teach me thy way O Lord Ps 86.11 and I will walk in thy Truth O knit my heart unto thee that I may fear thy name I will run the way of thy Commandements Ps 119.32 when thou shalt enlarge my heart Teach me O Lord the way of thy Statutes Ps 119.33 34 35. and I shall keep it unto the end Give me understanding and I shall keep thy Law yea I shall observe it with my whole heart Make me to go in the path of thy Commandements for therein do I delight Secondly Fearfullnesse of offending God And being thus armed with these 2 good supporters With this constant and continual care and fear They will make us wary in all our actions of this life and will cause us to walk carefully in all our proceedings in the whole course of our life here the which will doubtlesse be a very great comfort to us hereafter For that as one very well observeth A good life is alwaies the cause of a happy and of a comfortable death Secondly Of Death and how we are at all times and upon all occasions to fit and prepare our selves for the same Of our Death and preparatifor the same that so Death take us not unawares and unprepared for the same O Death how bitter is the remembrance of Thee to a man that liveth at rest in his Possessions Ecclus. 41 1 2 3 4. unto the Man that hath nothing to vex him and that hath Prosperity in all things yea unto him that is yet able to receive meat O Death acceptable is thy sentence unto the Needy and unto him whose strength faileth that is now in the last age and is vexed with all things and to him that despaireth and hath lost patience Fear not the sentence of Death remember them that have been before thee and that come after thee for this is the sentence of the Lord over all flesh And why art thou against the pleasure of the most high there is no inquisition in the Grave whether thou hast lived ten or an hundred or a thousand years Men of the World Ps 17.14 which have their portion here in this life even to them the remembrance of death is bitter But of the Tree of the good and evill Gen. 2.17 thou shalt not eat of it for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die And the Serpent did say unto the Woman Gen. 3.4 Ye shall not surely dye The Devill in his tempting of
Eve First began with a Nequaquam moriamini ye shall not dye Hereupon Saint Augustine after the Serpent was accursed by God from the Earth saith thus unto the Serpent O n quam ubi jam esi tua nequaquam O thou wicked serpent Where are now thy lying words Ye shall not dye at all For the wages of sin is death Rom. 6.23 but the gift of God is eternall life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Mors fructus à fruendo dicitur as one observeth of it Death is the fruit so called from the enjoying of it and so death is the fruit or wages of sin Quotidie morimur S. Bernard quotidie enim demitur pars vitae tunc quoque cum crescimus vita decrescit ut S. Bernard That is We do dye daily and even every day a part of our life is cut off as St. Bernard observeth Homo est fatuus usque ad quadraginta annorum deinde Luther ubi agnovit se esse fatuum vita consumpta est ut Luther That is A man is as a fool and full of ignorance till he attain unto the age of forty yeares and then so soon as he comes to know and so to acknowledge himself to be a fool to be ignorant and to know nothing of himself even then and at that very time his life here is as it were ended gone and spent as Luther observeth Mors tua mors Christi fraus mundi gloria coeli Et dolor inferni sint meditanda tibi That is These things thou oughtest to take into thy serious consideration and duely for to meditate thereon as namely On thy own death on the death of Christ of the fraud and deceit of the world of the great glory of heaven and on the unsufferable paines and torments of Hell as one observeth It is well observed by one That death in Christ killed life for a time that afterwards life in him might kil death for ever For since by man came death 1 Cor. 15.21 22 25 26 55 56 57. by man came also the resurrection of the dead For as in Adam all die even so in Christ shall all be made alive For he must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the law But thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ Death as one observeth is a quiet sleep The soul when death comes puts off the body and the body buried lives in the earth the grave being the bed thereof there to remain till the morning of our resurrection at the day of Iudgement appearing It is observed by one That the true servants of God are so farr from being any wayes discontented or troubled with the thinking of death as that they rather earnestly desire and thirst after it with a Cupio dissolvi Philip. 1.23 a desire with St. Paul to be dissolved and to be with Christ For death as a Father well observeth is but provectio a journey or a laying down of this our earthly tabernacle Nihil certius quod quilibet debet mori sed tempore quando quo leco vel quomodo uihil incertius There is nothing more certain then this that every one must die but when in what place or the manner how nothing is more uncertain Statutum est omnibus semel mori It is dereed that all men must once die Rom. 5.14 As by one man sin entred into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned For this is the sentence of the Lord over all flesh Eccles 4.3 As by one mans disobedience Rom. 5.19 21. many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous That as sin hath reigned unto death even so might Grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. When Lust hath conceived it bringeth forth Sin Iames. 1.15 and Sin when it is finished bringeth forth Death Now nothing is more uncertain than the time when we shall die the place where or the manner how we shall die This was therefore the meditation of Seneca daily with himself as is recorded of him Dic tibi dormituro Seneca potes non expergisci Dic exerecto potes non dormire amplius Dic ereunti potes non reverti Dic revertenti potes non exire amplius VVhen thou liest down at night in thy Bed to sleep and to take thy rest say thou unto thy self It may be thou shalt never live to awake again to behold the light of the ensuing day When thou awakest in the morning and dost arise out of thy bed say then unto thy self It may be thou shalt never live to lye down in thy bed to take thy rest and sleep again When thou goest forth of thy house about thy necessary affaires say then unto thy self It may be thou shalt never live to return unto thy house again When thou doest return in safety to thy house say then unto thy self It may be thou shalt never live to go forth of thy house again These meditations ought to stirr us up unto a daily and continuall preparation for death that so death may never take us unawares and unprepared Mors sanctis refrigerium improbis autem supplicium Death to the godly is but as it were a refreshing but to the wicked death is a punishment Cujus vita est Christus mors ei lucrum maximum Sed Cujus vita est mundus mors ei damnum maximum ut Pater He who liveth like a Christian and maketh Christ his life here death unto him is the greatest gain that can be But he who liveth here like a worldling and maketh the world his life and chiefest delight here death unto him is the greatest detriment and dammage that can be Boni moriuntur bene etiamfi mors ipsa mala ut Pater Good and godly men do die well and make a happy end although death it self in it self be evil Num. 23.10 This made the prophet Balaam to cry out and say Let me dye the death of the righteous and let my last end be like his Upon which place one well observeth thus much as namely That he which desireth to die the death of the righteous must labour and strive here in this life to lead and live the life of the righteous and then his death will be happy like unto his Vita est vivere vitam Deo sed vivere vitam mundo mors est ut Pater To live here a godly and a Christian life and to devote our selves here wholly to the service of God this is the onely way for us after this our life here ended to attain unto the everlasting life of glory in the kingdome of heaven But He which
our life here is a way-fare 118 119. That our life here is full of troubles calamities and dangers from the highest even unto the lowest 118 119. That our life here is also as a race wherein we must be running and not stand at a stay 119 120. Thirdly that our life here is a warr-fare and our weapons spirituall 120 121. What this our spirituall armour is 120 121 122. Here is also set down the fourfold condition of man 122 123. Of the vanity and infelicity of man in his first entrance into this world and during the whole time of his continuance here nothing but full of misery 122 123 124. That man sucks misery even from his nurses teat with examples of this 123. That mans life is nothing but misery a pattern of infelicity miserable in his conception nothing but misery in his whole life 124. That afflictions come not forth of the dust 124. That man is born unto trouble 125. That no man can assure himself of living till the morrow 125. That man is to account of every day as his last day 125. That not to be born by some held to be best or being born soon to dye 126. Directory rules how to live 126 127. That man is to erect his thoughts to a higher pitch than that which is humane 127. Better for a man not to be born than not to be regenerated 127. That our life here is nothing without the happinesse of life eternall hereafter 128. S. Bernards prayer 128. That no Justification is by the works of the Law but by faith in Christ 129. That our life here is the way by which we do hasten to our end 130. That as the hour so our life passeth away 130. That we must be carefull how we live necessity enforceth us so to do with the reason thereof 130. We came into the world that we may go out of the world 130 131. That our life here ought to be a preparation for death 131. That every moment in our life is a motion towards death 131. Here is set down a Rule to be observed in the whole course of our life 131. That we are to come as near good men as we can 131. That we are to live in that condition in which we would not be afraid to die 131. A good life the cause of a happy death 132. Our life here ought to be a preparation for death in our life we are to foresee death 132. Here is also set forth the comparison of Death unto the Basilisk and the reason thereof 132. That in life we ought to foresee death if in death we desire to enjoy life everlasting 132. That the whole life of the wicked is sin 132 133. S. Augustins prayer to God to lay on him here in this life what torments he would so as he reserved for him life eternall after this life ended 133. Here is also set forth the life of man and whereunto the same is compared by reason of the frailty thereof 133 134 135 136 137. That we are to number our dayes that so we may learn to apply our hearts to wisdome 135. We ought not to conclude of any thing for the time to come without this saying if the Lord will and we live we will do this or that 136. That no man is sure of his life 137. Here is also set forth the frailty mutability and incertainty of the life of man here in this world being attended with so many miseries and calamities 137 138. That the consideration of this should make us not to desire any long continuance here but the contrary with the hope of the fruition of a better life hereafter 138. That all the enjoyments here in this life are nothing but vanity 138. That the whole duty of man is to fear God and keep his commandements 138. Here is also set forth life eternall and the giver thereof 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145. Touching the two Domestick keepers of our souls sc shamefastnesse and fear 141. Touching the two props or pillars of our lives here sc care and fear 141 142 143. Secondly concerning death and how we are to fit and prepare our selves for the same with the reasons thereof 143. To whom the remembrance of death is bitter and to whom not 143 144. Not to fear the sentence of death with the reason thereof 143 144. That the wages of sin is death 145. That every day a part of our life is cut off 145. The six things to be specially remembred by us 145 146. That in Adam all die but in Christ all are made alive 146. That the sting of death is sin 146. That death is compared to a quiet sleep and wherefore 146 147. Not to be troubled at the thought of death the reason thereos 147. Than death nothing more certain than the time when nothing more uncertain 147 148 149. The meditation of Seneca upon the certainty of death very observable with the fruits of the same 148 149. To whom death is as a refreshing and again to whom it is as a punshment and dammage 149 150. That to die the death of the righteous he who desires this ought to live the life of the righteous 150. The difference between the life of a godly man and the life of a worldling 150 151. That we ought at all times and in all places both young and old to fit and prepare our selves for death with the reason wherefore 152 153. That nothing is more available than the meditation of our mortality 153 154. That we ought so to live every day as if we were even then to come to Judgement and to account of every day as our last day 154 155. What it is to die well even to die willingly and not to fear death with the reason why 155 156 157. The saying of holy Hillarion on his death bed being fearfull to die 156. That death is a port or haven by which we passe to joy it is the way of all flesh hereupon the saying of Xerxes is observable 157. That we ought so to live here as that we may enjoy life eternall hereafter 157 158. That death is but as a passage to life and as a sleep not death 158. That all things by perishing are kept alive as the corn it dies and springs again with a comparison of this unto our death and resurrection death being as a passage unto our resurrection 158 159. S. Augustins observation touching the Resurrection of Christ 159. That death is the gate unto life a speedy course and passage to heaven and a happy sleep 160 161. That death to the godly is the port and haven of health and happinesse 161 162. That death conjoyns but life doth separate us from Christ 161 162. That the highest did ascend and descend the reason thereof and the fruits we have thereby 162 163. That it is the part of a wise man to prepare for death by continuall meditation thereon 163 164. To be
1.1 2 3 4. And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten Son of the Father full of grace and truth That which was from the beginning which we have heard which we have seen with our eyes which we have looked upon and our hands have handled of the word of life For the Life was manifested and we have seen it and bear witness and shew unto you that eternall life which was with the Father and was manifested unto us That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you that ye also might have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Iesus Christ And these things write we unto you that your joy may be full Exod. 20.2 Eighthly Again in the old Testament we have the Law given by Moses But in the new Testament we have Grace and Mercy brought unto us by Christ Iesus And of all his fulness have all we received Iohn 1.16 and grace for grace For the Law was given by Moses Iohn 1.17 but grace and truth came by Iesus Christ Ninthly Again by the Law we have the knowledge of Sin and of Gods curse which followed thereupon and of the Iudgements denounced against sinners and that not only of a death temporal but even of a death eternal both of body and soul And the Lord God took the Man Gen. 2.15 16 17. and put him into the Garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it And the Lord God commanded the Man saying of every Tree of the Garden thou mayest freely eat But of the Tree of knowledg of good and evill thou shalt not eat of it for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die And unto Adam he said Gen. 3.17 19. because thou hast hearkned unto the voice of thy Wife and hast eaten of the Tree of which I commanded thee saying Thou shalt not eat of it Cursed is the Ground for thy sake in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the daies of thy life In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread till thou return unto the ground for out of it was thou taken for Dust thou art and unto Dust shalt thou return For the wages of sin is death Rom. 6.23 For when we were in the flesh Rom. 7.5 the motions of sin which were by the Law did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death What shall I say then Rom. 7.7 8 9 10 11. is the Law sin God forbid Nay I had not known sin but by the Law for I had not known Lust except the Law had said Thou shalt not covet But sin taking occasion by the Commandement wrought in me all manner of concupiscence for without the Law sin was dead For I was alive without the Law once but when the Commandement came sin revived and I died And the Commandement which was ordaiued to life I found to be unto death For Sin taking occasion by the Commandement deceived me and by it slew me But by the Gospel we have the knowledge of the free Pardon and full forgiveness of our Sins purchased for us by the death and passion of Christ our Saviour and conferred unto us by his grace and favour he undergoing the full vial of Gods wrath and judgement denounced against sin and Sinners even the whole curse of the Law he endured for us who died for our Sins and rose again for our justification that we should dye unto sin and live unto righteousness Rom. 5.6 8. For then when we were yet without strength in due time Christ died for the ungodly God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were Sinners Christ died for us Who was delivered for our Offences Rom. 4.25 and was raised again for our justification Much more then being now justified by his blood Rom. 5.9 we shall be saved from wrath through him For if when we were enemies Rom. 5.10 we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life Who was delivered for our offences Rom. 4.2 and was raised again for our justification O Death where is thy sting O Grave where is thy victory 1 Cor. 15.55 56 57. The sting of Death is Sin and the strength of Sin is the Law But thanks be unto God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Iesus Christ Who his own self bare our sins 1 Pet. 2.24 in his own body on the Tree that we being dead to sin should live unto righteousness by whose stripes ye were healed But he was wounded for our transgressions Isaiah 53.5 6. he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our Peace was upon him and with his stripes are we healed All we like sheep have gone astray we have turned every one to his own way and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all If God be for us Rom. 8.31 32. who can be against us He that spared not his own son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect Rom. 8.33 34. it is God that justifyeth Who is he that condemneth it is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us Christ hath delivered us from the curse of the Law Gal. 3.13 being made a curse for us For it is written Cursed is every one that hangeth on a Tree For he that is hanged Deut. 21.23 is accursed of God Tenthly Again the Law was as our School-master to bring us unto Christ to shew us the way to him and to direct us therein aright But the Gospel bringeth Christ himself unto us who is the way the truth and the life offering of himself to be received by us by a true and lively faith Wherefore the Law was our Schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ that we might be justified by Faith But after that Faith is come Ga. 3.24 25. we are no longer under a Schoolmaster For ye are all the Children of God by faith Iohn 14.1 6. in Christ Iesus Let not your hearts be troubled ye believe in God believe also in me Iesus saith I am the way the truth and the life no man commeth unto the Father but by me Upon which place St. Chrysostome thus discourseth Quo vis ire ego sum via S. Chrysostom Quid vis scire ego sum veritas Ubi vis manere ego sum vita Whither wilt thou go I am the way What would'st thou know I am the Truth Where would'st thou remain I am the Life And again St. Bernard upon this place saith S. Bernard I am the way which leadeth to the Truth I am the Truth that
so long time served and having thus said he quietly died as St. Jerome observeth Death as one observeth is Succisio non occisio portus non orcus A cutting down not a cutting quite off A port or haven by which we pass to joy and not a gulf to swallow us up And this is via universae carnis the way of all flesh It is written of Xerxes That he having gathered together a million of Men went up into a high Mountain and there looking down upon them he presently wept and he being demanded why he did so answered Quia infra centum annos Because that within these hundred years all these so goodly Souldiers who now do as it were shew their strength and bravery will yet within that time be all of them dead For that Abraham is dead John 8.52 and the Prophets Therefore certain it is we must all dye and this is by no means to be avoided therefore we ought to labour and endeavour our selves so to live here as that in the end we dye not the death eternal But may enjoy after this life ended the unspeakable blessedness of the life to come and so being assured hereof the thought of the death temporal will never be grievous or troublesome unto us St. S. Hierome Hierome saith thus of Nepotian being dead That he did rather Migrare quam mori rather pass to an other place than die St. S. Bernard Bernard writes thus of one Hubertus being dead That he did rather abire quam obire fall asleep than dye And St. S. Chrysostom Chrysostome upon the death of a godly man saith Dormit non mortuus est quiescit non periit He is asleep not dead he doth rest and not perish Omnia pereundo servantur Tertullian All things by perishing are kept alive The Corn it dies and springs again as Tertullian observeth From hence ariseth unto us a great comfort in our death But some men will say 1 Cor. 15.35 to 44. How are the dead raised up and with what body do they come Thou Fool that which thou sowest is not quickned except it die And that which thou sowest thou sowest not that body that shall be but bear grain it may chance of Wheat or of some other grain But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him and to every seed his own body So also is the resurrection of the dead it is sown in corruption it is raised in incorruption It is sown in dishonor it is raised in glory it is sown in weakness it is raised in power It is sown a natural body it is raised a splritual boby there is a natural body Tertu lian and there is a spiritual body Mors est provectio ad resurrectionem non mors est janua qua intremur in Coelum et mors est via ad resurrectionem Death is as it were a Journey or a passage unto our Resurrection and not a Death and our Resurrection is the Gate or Way by which we enter into Heaven and Death is the ready way unto our Resurrection as Tertullian well observeth S. Augustine Therefore well saith Augustine hereupon Tolle articulum de resurrectione Christi et sublata est omnis spes vitae aeterna Take away the Article of the Resurrection of Christ and all our hope of life eternal is then also taken away Mors est Janua vitae Augustin Death is the Gate unto Life as St. Augustin observeth Petrus Damianus de Stephano mortuo Peter Damianus of Stephen being dead Petrus Damianus writeth thus Foelix somnus cum requie requies cum voluptate voluptas cum aeternitate O happy sleep with rest and rest with pleasure and pleasure with the enjoyment of eternity Whereupon St. S. Gregory Gregory writing upon the same saith Dulcis simul beatus somnus O sweet and also happy sleep Mors est cursus ad Coelum S. Chrysostom Death is a speedy course race or way to Heaven as St. Chrysostome observeth Again we are here in this World as Pilgrims Whereupon saith Augustine S. Augustin Cui peregrinatio dulcis est non amat patriam He whose Pilgrimage here is sweet unto him cannot be in love with his Country with this life Mors non est exitus sed transitus ad Coelum via ad Regnum Death doth not put a final end and period unto us but the same is as a passage for us unto Heaven and the ready way by which we must enter into the Kingdom of Heaven even into eternity as a Father well observeth And in this so troublesome a Sea of of this World Seneca and exposed unto all the surges and tempestuous waves that can arise there is no Port or Haven that doth appear unto the Navigators in this Sea for them to land or arive at but only the Port or Haven of Death as Seneca observeth Justo mors salutis est portus S. Ambrose ut St. Ambrose de bono morte To the Iust and godly Men death is the Port and Haven of Health and of Happiness It is our life here which doth keep and sever us from our Saviour but it is a happy death which doth conjoyn us unto Christ our head Non est mors sed vita quae morientem Christo societ Non est vita sed mors quae viventem Christo seperat It is not death but life which doth as it were conjoyn and associate the soul of the dying Christian unto Christ And it is not to be called a life but rather death which doth as it were seperate the Soul of the living Christian from Christ his Saviour Quod interim morimur S. Ciprian de mortalitate ad immortalitatum morte transgradimur Nec potest vita aeterna succedere nisi hinc contigerit exire Non est exitus sed transitus et temporali itinere de cursa ad aeterna transgressus ut Ciprian in tractatu de mortalitate For as much as we do here die suddenly we do pass by death unto immortality neither can life eternal succeed unless it happen unto us first to leave this Life It is not a final end but a passage and by the course of a temporal journey a passing unto Heaven Descendit altissimus S. Bernard et sua nobis descensa suavem ac salubrem dedicavit ascensum ut S. Bernard The highest did descend from Heaven and so by his descending he did dedicate his ascension to be good and profitable unto us Ascendit qui descendit S. Augustine descendit nt sanaret te ascendit ut levaret te ut St. Augustine He which ascended is the same which descended he descended that so he might heal and cure thee of all thy malladies he ascended that so he might by the virtue of his powerfull ascension lift thee up and make thee to ascend likewise Iohn 14.2 3. In my Fathers House are many mansions if it were not
election unto salvation working in us for our greater comfort 70 71 72 73. As also wherein our chiefest cause of rejoycing should consist being in this because our names are written in heaven 72 73. CHAP. IIII. Of prayer and the force thereof and how necessary and needfull a duty the same is Fol. 64. Herein is set forth and shewed the ten properties of Prayer 74 75 76 77 78. How that Prayer is the key that opens the Scripture unto us and enlightens our understandings therein with some directions to be observed in reading of the Scriptures 75 76. Here is also set forth six necessary observations touching prayer and the use thereof 78 79 80 81 82. As also the necessity of prayer and that in four regards occasioned by our enemies the Devil the world the flesh and the wicked 78 79. Here is also shewed that we must pray in all places at all times and that without ceasing for all persons even for our enemies 79 80. Also we must pray to God alone with examples of this so doing 81 82. Also that we must pray with knowledge and with understanding 82 83. As also touching publick or Church-prayers shewing how needfull they are and in what respects and for whom we are there to pray even for all persons of what estate and condition soever they be of 83. Here also is the prayer set down which the ancient Christians used to make for their Emperours 83 84. That prayer is like unto Jacobs Ladder reaching up to heaven whereby we fly a high pitch and do thereby as it were mount up to heaven as it were with the wings of the dove 84 85. That by the wings of the dove is meant Meditation and Prayer 85. Here also is set down for our imitation the Prayer of St. Augustin and of St. Bernard 85. That our prayers ascend up to heaven and grace and mercy descend down upon us 85. Three sorts of Prayers observed by S. Bernard that do never ascend up unto heaven 85 86. That he which prayes to God and presently offends again doth not pray as he ought to do unto God but doth as it were mock and delude him 86. That watching and prayer ought to go hand in hand together with the Emperour his Pages memento unto him every morning putting him in mind to be watchfull 86 87. That all our worth and worthinesse is onely from God and grace to us nothing of or from our selves 87. The great benefit of constant and frequent prayer and that in three regards 87 88. Of the powerfulnesse of prayer prevailing with God himself and that in three regards 88 89 90. No better deliverance in time of distresse than by prayer unto God 88 89. That God caused a house to be made for the performance of the duty and service of prayer unto himself styling the same by the name of the house of prayer 89 90. That the house of prayer and prayers therein used with private prayer also the best means to remove Gods Judgments from us 90. Of the great and powerfull effect of prayer prevailing with God himself with divers examples thereof by way of instance what hath been wrought and effected by divers of the true and faithfull servants of God and all by prayer 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102. That prayer is as a strong City of refuge for us thereby to fly unto God in our greatest need 103. In prayer we ought to be carefull what we ask and how lest we fail in obtaining of our desires as the mother of Zebedeus children did 103. That in regard we are continually in danger we are therefore continually to pray unto God for deliverance from all dangers and herein we are to observe S. Bernards rules as touching the use of prayer the same being ever to accompany us going forth and returning lying down and rising again and for all Gods blessings on us to shew our thankfulnesse to him in prayer 103 104. Together with a threefold rule to be observed by us in our prayers to God 104 105. That we are to pray with humblenesse of mind for that God resisteth the proud but gives grace to the humble 104 105. That we must pray with zeal and fervency for that the prayer of the spirit and soul is the spirit soul and life of prayer 105. That we are to pray to God to teach us to pray 105 106. CHAP. V. As touching afflictions how necessary they are for us here in this life and what good use we are to make of them to our selves 107 108. Of the true use of afflictions and wherefore God layeth afflictions on us in this world together with four speciall causes wherefore God layeth afflictions here upon us all of them tending to our good 108 109. That through tribulation we are to enter into the kingdome of God and that afflictions are inseparable but not infallible notes of salvation 110. That it is the cause not martyrdome which maketh men happy 110. That the depth of Affliction is the chiefest stirrer up of devotion witnessed by some examples by way of instance as of the children of Israel David Daniel Jonah Manasseh the three children 110. That a temporall affliction is a spirituall medicine 111. That none can passe from pleasures here to everlasting delights in heaven 111. That good things are for good men and ill things for ill men though the things not good yet turn to the good of the godly 111. That afflictions make a man more humble wary and cautious in his wayes and they prove helpfull to the godly yea all things turn to their good 111. 112. That afflictions do make us fit vessels for Gods choice 112 113 How that by afflictions men will learn to fear God 114. That afflictions are chastisements for our sins 114. That by afflictions men are brought to keep Gods commandements which they would not be brought unto by Gods benefits 114. Not to strive with our maker the potsherd with the potsherds of the earth nor the clay with him that fashioneth it 114. Not to be impatient and murmure against God in time of adversity 114 115. That in time of troubles and dangers prayer is the best refuge 115. How that God comforteth his afflicted children with his blessings 115. How that after trouble God sendeth comfort to them that wait patiently on him and trust in his mercies 115. That afflictions work in a man repentance and humiliation 115. That afflictions stirr up a man to repentance and will open the eyes of a mans understanding and will draw him to repentance when nothing else will 115 116. CHAP. VI. A Meditation upon life and death and how we are at all times and upon all occasions to fit and prepare our selves for death that so it seize not upon us at unawares 117. Herein is set forth First the condition of our life here what the same is 117. That our life here is a sea-fare 117 118. Secondly that
willing to die considering that the godly by death are called to rest but the wicked to punishment 164. The difference between the hope of the wicked and of the godly 164 165. Nothing more profitable than the thought of mortality 165 166. Why the day of our death is kept from us 166. That a mans death shall be as his life is 166 167. That the day of Judgement may be long before it come but the day of death not so and the reason 167. By meditation on death to make the same familiar to us 167. That our whole life ought to be a learning to die 167. That death puts an end to all sorrows 168 169 170. That life is a passage to death and death a return to life 168 169. Touching our comfort in death by Christ his overcoming of death 169. That sleep is a resemblance of death the bed of the grave our rising again of our resurrection 169 170. That the day of our death is as our everlasting birth day 170. We are not to grieve at the thought of death but rather to rejoyce 170 171. The Sacrament called viaticum Aeternitatis or morientis 171. The desire of Nazianzen to die with some sentence of piety by him uttered at that time 171. That death is a passage from earth to heaven 171 172. That death is a separation of the soul from the body a location of the body in the earth and a translation of the soul to God 172 173. That man is of the dust and to dust to return 172 173. That the thought of death ought to be comfortable in regard of Gods mercy promised 173 174 175 176. CHAP. VII Of the day of Judgement the same described with the fruits and effects thereof 177. The severall appellations of the day of Judgement 177 178 179. The terriblenesse of the day of Judgement with the manner thereof 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189. Touching the manner of our change at the day of Judgement 187 188. That God will deliver his in the day of Judgement 188. That because man was so wicked God made the dumb creatures to take part of the punishment with him 189 190. A Sermon preached upon this text 2 Cor. 5.10 For we must all appear before the Judgement-seat of Christ 195. ERRATA Fol. 31. line 1. these words omitted nisi introspieere in mentem suam 51. l. 29. that for the 54. l. 1. the first all too much 83. l. 6. that too much 87. l. 16. dignitio tua for est dignatio tua 88. l. 1. serio for serious 112. l. 1. not too much 121. l. last word for sword 124. l. 7.8.9 read morbidus putridus cassus auspicatus 125. l. 3. dives for dies and l. 13. is to be left out 128. l. 3 4. melior for melius 136. l. 7. shall too much 141. l. 28. distinction for direction 144. l. 22 moriamini for moriâ—mini l. 27. O nqnom for O nequam 148. l. 21. ereunti for exennti 156. l. 24. quod for quid 159. l. 14. provectio for profectio 161. l. 17. bono for bona l. 26. sciet for sociat 162. l. 7. transgradimur for trunsgredimur and l. 10. temporali itinere de cursa for temporalis itineris decursu 165. l. 20. jubat for jubet 170. l. 5. somnum for somnus or somnium In the Sermon 2. division the generality of the Judgement we must all appear here to be left on t the 3. division the severity of the Judgement in this word appear here to be added CHAP. I. Touching the sacred word of God with certain directory Rules and observations by way of Caveats to be made use of for the more profitable and better understanding of the holy Scriptures and sacred word of God whensoever we do either read or hear the same preached unto us FIrst the constant and frequent reading and hearing of the Word of God and the due meditation thereon is a duty and service commanded us by God himself and by him enjoyned to be duely and carefully performed by us with his good blessings promised if we so do and his ensuing judgements threatned if we neglect the same all which appeareth by many places of Scripture Deut. chap. 11. vers 18.19.20.21 Ye shall lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul and bind them for a signe upon your hand that they may be as frontlets between your eyes And ye shall teach them your children speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house and when thou walkest by the way when thou liest down and when thou risest up And thou shalt write them upon the doore posts of thine house and upon thy gates That your dayes may be multiplied and the dayes of your children in the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers to give them as the dayes of heaven upon the earth Observe Deuteronomie chap. 12. vers 28. and hear all these words which I command thee that it may go well with thee and with thy children after thee for ever when thou doest that which is good and right in the sight of the Lord thy God And it shall be Deuteronomie chap 17. vers 18.19 when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdome that he shall write him a copy of this Law in a book And it shall be with him and he shall read therein all the dayes of his life that he may learn to fear the Lord his God to keep all the words of this law and these statutes to do them And Moses wrote this law Deuteronomie chap. 31. vers 9 10 11 12. and delivered it unto the priests the sons of Levi. And Moses commanded them saying Gather the people together men and women and children and the stranger that is within thy gates that they may hear and that they may learn and fear the Lord your God and observe to do all the words of this law But the word is very nigh unto thee Deuteronomie ch 30. vers 14. in thy mouth and in thy heart that thou mayest do it The word is nigh thee Romans ch 10. ver 8. even in thy mouth and in thy heart that is the word of faith which we preach This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth Joshua chap. 8. vers 8. but thou shalt meditate therein night and day that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous and then thou shalt have good successe Whoso despiseth the word Prov. 13.13 shall be destroyed but he that feareth the commandement shall be rewarded I have sent unto you all my servants the prophets Jeremiah cha 7. ver 25 26. daily rising up early and sending them Yet they hearkened not nor enclined their eare but hardened their neck they did worse than their fathers How do ye say Jeremiah cha 8. ver 8.9 we are wise and
mouth The word of God is quick and powerfull Hebrews chap. 4. ver 52. and sharper than any two edged sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and of the joynts and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart And he was clothed with a vesture dipt in bloud Revelation chap. 19. ver 13. and his name is called the word of God As for me Isaiah cha 29. ver 21. this is my covenant with them saith the Lord my spirit that is upon thee and my words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed saith the Lord from henceforth and for ever Blessed are they that hear the word of God Luke chap. 11. ver 28. and keep it Receive with meeknesse James chap. 1. ver 21. the engrafted word of God which is able to save your souls Keep therefore Deuteronomy chap. 29. ver 9. the words of this covenant and do them that so ye may prosper in all that ye do As new born babes 1 Peter chap. 2. ver 2. desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby Verily John chap. 5. ver 24. verily I say unto you he that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death to life The word of God The word of God the word of Reconciliation 2 Corinthians chap. 5. ver 18.19 called the word of Reconciliation And all things are of God who hath reconciled us to himself by Iesus Christ and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation To wit that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto them and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation The word of God called the word of truth The word of God the word of Truth Ephesians cha 1. ver 13. In whom ye also trusted after that ye heard the word of truth the gospel of your salvation in whom also after that ye believed ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise The word of God called the word of life The word of God the word of life Philippians chap. 2. ver 16. Holding forth the word of life that I may rejoyce in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain neither laboured in vain The word called the word of Christ The word called the word of Christ Collossians chap. 3. ver 16. The word called the faithfull word of God Titus chap. 1. ver 9. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdome The word called the faithfull word of God Holding fast the faithfull word of God as he hath been taught that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers Thy word have I hid in my heart Psal 119. ver 11. and 42. that I might not sin against thee So shall I have wherewith to answer him that reprocheth me for I trust in thy word So then faith cometh by hearing Romans ch 10. ver 17. and hearing by the word of God Fourthly In our reading and hearing of the word of God and in our meditations thereon the due consideration of all this ought to stirre up in us a love unto the same and a rejoycing therein as by these ensuing places of Scripture may appear I rejoyce at thy word Psal 119. ver 162. Jeremiah cha 15. ver 16. as one that findeth great spoil Thy words were sound and I did eat them and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoycing of my heart for I am called by thy name O Lord God of hosts Lord Psal 26. ver 8. I have loved the habitation of thy house and the place where thine honour dwelleth I was glad when they said unto me Psal 122. ver 1. Let us go into the house of the Lord. For a day in thy Courts is better than a thousand Psalm 84. ver 10. I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of my God than to dwell in the tents of wickednesse O how I love thy law Psalm 119. ver 97.127 it is my meditation all the day Therefore I love thy commandements above gold yea above fine gold I delight to do thy will Psal 40. ver 8. O my God yea thy law is within my heart Fifthly These precedent observations being thus made use of by us the word of God which we have thus read heard and meditated on will then doubtlesse be a constant and a perpetuall comfort unto us at all times both in life and death Be thou faithfull unto death Revelation chap. 2. ver 10. and I will give thee a crown of life CHAP. II. Of the severall Books mentioned in the Scriptures THine eyes did see my substance Psal 139. ver 16. yet being unperfect and in thy Book all my members were written which in continuance were fashioned when as yet there was none of them Then they that feared the Lord Malachie chap. 3. ver 16 17 18. spake often one to another and the Lord hearkened and heard it and a Book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and that thought upon his name And they shall be mine The difference between the wicked and the righteous in the day of Judgment saith the Lord of hosts when I make up my Iewels and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him Then shall ye return and discern between the righteous and the wicked between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not Thou tellest my wandrings Psal 56. ver 8. put thou my teares into thy bottle are they not in thy book And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book Isaiah cha 29. ver 18. Seek ye out of the book of the Lord and read Isaiah cha 34. ver 16. And at that time shall Michael stand up the great prince Daniel cha 12. ver 1. which standeth for the children of thy people and there shall be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a Nation even to that same time and at that time thy people shall be delivered every one that shall be found written in the book And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake Daniel cha 12. ver 2 3. some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt And they that be wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament and they that turn many to righteousnesse as the starres for ever and ever A fiery stream issued Daniel cha 7. ver 10. and came forth from before him thousand thousands ministred unto him and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him the Iudgement was
set and the books were opened But thou O Daniel Daniel cha 12. ver 4. shut up the words and seal the book even to the time of the end many shall run to and fro and knowledge shall be increased And these shall go away into everlasting punishment Matthew cha 25. ver 46. but the righteous into life eternall For the hour is coming John chap. 5. ver 28 29. in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice And shall come forth they that have done good unto the Resurrection of life and they that have done evil unto the Resurrection of damnation Let them be blotted out of the book of the living Psalm 69. ver 28. and not be written with the righteous He that overcometh Revelation chap. 3. ver 5. the same shall be clothed in white raiment and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life but I will confesse his name before my father and before his angels And I entreat thee also Philippians ch 4. ver 3. true yoke-fellow help these women which laboured with me in the Gospel with Clement also and with other my fellow labourers whose names are in the book of life And it was given unto him Revelation ch 13. ver 7 8. to make war with the Saints and to overcome them and power was given him over all kindreds and tongues and nations And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lambe slain from the foundation of the world The beast that thou sawest was Revelation chap. 17. ver 8. and is not and shall ascend out of the bottomlesse pit and go into perdition and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder and whose names are not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world when they behold the beast that was and is not and yet is And I saw the dead small Revelation ch 20. ver 12 13. and great stand before God and the books were opened and another book was opened which is the book of life and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works And the sea gave up the dead which were in it and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them and they were judged every man according to their works And death Revelat. chap. 20. ver 14 15. and hell were cast into the lake of fire And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecie Revelat. chap. 2 r 2. ve 19. God shall take away his part out of the book of life and out of the holy City and from the things which are written in this book Books named in the Scripture and not to be found as namely Is not this written in the book of Iasher the marginall note of an old Bible Ioshua chap. 10. ver 13. being as some read it In the book of the righteous meaning Moses The Chaldee text reading In the book of the Law But it is like that it was a book thus named which is now lost All this in the marginall notes of an old Bible As it is written in the book of Iasher 2 Samuel cha 11. ver 18. or righteous as the marginall note is Wherefore it is said in the book of the warres of the Lord Numbers chap. 21. ver 14. or of the battels which by a marginall note in an old Bible seemeth to be the book of the Iudges or a book which is lost Concerning the acts of David the king behold 1 Chron. chap. 29. ver 29. they are written in the book of Samuel the Seer and in the book of Nathan the prophet and in the book of Gad the Seer The marginall note in an old Bible is that the books of Nathan and Gad are thought to have been lost in the captivity And there shall in no wise Revelation ch 21. ver 27. enter into it any thing that defileth neither whatsoever worketh abomination nor maketh a lye but they which are written in the Lambes book of life There is as One well observeth a two fold Book of God as namely First there is Liber Providentiae that is the Book of Gods Providence whereby we are taught to know our duties to God and to referre our selves and all our actions to his Divine Providence and mercy and to use his good blessings on us bestowed to his glory All which if we thus do we shall then receive all things necessary in this world and life eternall in the world to come But if we are disobedient and do contrary to all this then there is a second Book which will be opened against us as namely Secondly there is Liber Judicii the Book of Gods Judgement whereby we shall receive all the Judgements of God therein mentioned and pronounced against the wicked and disobedient Then shall the king say unto them Matthew cha 25. ver 34. on his right hand Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world Then shall he say also unto those Matthew cha 25. ver 41. on the left hand Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his angels It is observed by a Father That there is another book and that is called Codex Conscientiae the book of a mans conscience St. Chrysostome observeth thus much S. Chrysostom sc That Conscientia est codex in quo quotidiana nostra peccata rescribuntur The Conscience is a book in the which our daily sinnes and offences are writ down registred and recorded against us as S. Chrysostome observeth And as touching Conscience There is a Threefold quality of the Conscience Of Conscience as One observeth as namely First Testificare de praeterito that is to bear testimony and witnesse of what is done by us and past Secondly Accusare vel excusare to accuse us of what we have done or else to excuse us Thirdly Solvere vel ligare That is either to let us loose or else to bind us fast up For when the Gentiles Romans chap. 2. ver 14.15.16 which have not the Law do by nature the things contained in the Law these having not the Law are a Law unto themselves Which shew the work of the Law written in their hearts their Conscience also bearing witnesse and their thoughts mean while accusing or else excusing one another In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel Conscientia est quasi cordis scientia S. Bernard ut S. Bernard The conscience is as it were the very knowledge of the heart By strength stratagems and policy men do overcome their enemies But God
be saved And they said Acts. 16.41 Believe on the Lord Iesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and thy house For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ Rom. 1.16 17 18. for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth For therein is the righteousnesse of God revealed from faith to faith as it is written The just shall live by faith But the just shall live by his faith Habakkuk 2.4 Hebrews 10.38 Gal. 3.11 Now the just shall live by faith But that no man is justified by the Law in the sight of God it is evident for the just shall live by faith But the Scripture hath concluded all under sin Gal. 3 22 23. that the promise by faith of Christ Iesus might be given to them that believe But before faith came we were kept under the law shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed By the deeds of the law Rom. 3.20 21 22. there shall no flesh be justified in his fight for by the Law is the knowledge of sin But now the righteousnesse of God without the Law is manifested by the Law and the prophets Even the righteousnesse of God which is by faith of Iesus Christ unto all and upon all that believe For all have sinned Rom. 3.23 24 25 26. and come short of the glory of God Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his bloud to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past through the forbearance of God That he might be just and the justifier of him which believeth in Iesus To him that worketh nor Rom. 4.5 but beliveth on him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousnesse Being justified by faith Rom. 5.1 2. we have peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ By whom also we have accesse by faith into this grace wherein we stand and rejoyce in hope of the glory of God There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus Rem 8.1 2. Who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit For the Law of the spirit of life in Christ Iesus hath made me free from the lâ—w of sin and death For Christ is the end of the law Rom. 10.4 for righteousness to every one that believeth The Word is nigh thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart Rom. 10.8 9 10 11. that is the Word of Faith which we preach That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and shalt believe in thy heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness and with the mouth Confession is made unto salvation For the Scripture saith Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed Whatsoever is not of Faith Rom. 14.23 is sin And whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed Rom. 9.33 It pleased God 1 Cor. 1.21 by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe For we walk by faith 2 Cor. 5.7 not by sight I live yet not I Gal. 2.20 but Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me They which be of faith are blessed Gal. 3.9 26. with faithfull Abraham For ye are all the Children of God by faith in Christ Iesus In whom also Ephes 1.13 14. after that ye believed ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of Promise which is the earnest of our Inheritance For by Grace are ye saved through Faith Ephes 2.8 and not of your selves it is the gift of God For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again 1 Thess 4.14 even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him Above all things take the shield of Faith Wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery Darts of the wicked Ephes 1.16 17. Watch ye 1 Cor. 16.13 stand fast in the Faith quit you like men be strong And to whom swore he Heb. 3.18 19 that they should not enter into his rest but to them that believed not So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief Let us draw near with a true heart Heb. 10.22.23 in full assurance of Faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evill Conscience and our Bodies washed with pure water Let us hold fast the Profession of our Faith without wavering for he is faithfull that promised Now Faith is the substance of things hoped for Heb. 11.1 the evidence of things not seen But without Faith it is impossible to please him Heb. 11.6 for he that commeth to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him The whole Chapter being special instances of Faith Of the great Power of faith in the true Servants of God who shewed the powerfullnesse of Faith in general and of their Faith in particular Looking unto Jesus Heb. 12.2 the Author and finisher of our Faith Receiving the end of your Faith 1 Pet. 1.9 20. even the salvation of your Souls Who by him do believe in God that raised him from the dead and gave him glory that your faith and hope might be in God Be thou faithfull unto the death Rev. 2.10 and I will give thee the Crown of life Hence is the patience of the Saints Rev. 14.12 here are they that keep that Commandements of God and the faith of Iesus Seventhly Again Christus in veteri Testamaento est velatus Sed in novo Testamento Christus est nobis revelatus Christ in the Old Testament was hid and covered as it were under a veil and was only shadowed out unto us But in the New Testament Christ is there manisestly revealed unto us and the veil of the old Testament by him taken away 2 Cor. 3.13 14 15. And not as Moses which put a veil over his face that the Children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished But their minds were blinded for untill this day remaineth the same veil untaken away in the reading of the old Testament which veil is done away in Christ But even to this day when Moses is read the veil is upon their hearts Nevertheless where they shall turn to the Lord the veil shall be taken away And without controversie 1 Tim. 3.16 great is the mystery of Godliness God was manifest in the flesh justified in the Spirit seen of Angels preached unto the Gentiles believed on in the world and received up into glory In the beginning was the Word Iohn 1.1 2 14. and the Word was with God And the same was in the beginning with God 1 Iohn
promise Life I am the life which I lay down for the life of the World And again Clamat errantibus ego sum via S. Bernard Clamat dubitantibus ego sum veritas Clamat Lacescentibus ego sum vita Christ is the way for us to walk Truth us to direct And Life us to refresh And again St. Ambrose upon this place saith Ambulare vis ego sum via Falli non vis ego sum veritas Mori non vis ego sum vita Non est qua eas Nisi per me S. Ambro Non est quo eas Nisi ad me Surge igitur O homo quiae Via vita veritas veniunt at te Wilt thou walk then I am the way Wilt thou not be deceived then I am the Truth Wilt thou not die then I am the life There is no way in which thou canst walk but by me only There is no way whither thou canst go but only to me Arise therefore O man and that speedily because The way the life and the truth do come unto thee And again St. Bernard upon these words of the Evangelist Iohn 14.6 Christus est via S. Bernard Io. 14.6 veritas vita Christ is the way the truth and the life Christus est via sine errore Veritas sine falsitate Vita sine morte And again S. Bernard Christus est Via in exemple Ut homo Veritas in promisis Vita in remnneratione ut Deus Christ is the way without error The truth without falshood The life without death Again Christ is The way in his example as he was man The truth in his promises And the life in his free bestowing thereof on us as he is God And again St. Augustin upon these words saith Errare non vis ego sum via St. August Decipi non vis ego sum seritas Mori non vis ego sum vita Wilt thou not erre then I am the way Wilt thou not be deceived then I am the truth Wilt thou not die then I am the life From hence St. St. Bernard Bernards fourfold Venite is very observable Shewing us the difference between the call of the Devil and his Instruments inviting us to follow them and what reward they promise their followers for so doing And the call of Christ our Saviour and his invitation of us to follow him and what he promiseth us for our so doing Dicit mundus venite S. Bernard et ego Inficiam Dicit caro venite et ego Illiciam Dicit daemon venite et ego interficiam Dicit Christus ventte et ego reficiam The World saith to us come and follow me and my reward is this I will infect you The flesh saith to us come and follow me and my reward is this I will intice and allure you to ill The Devil saith to us come and follow me and my reward is this I will destroy you both body and soul in hel But Christ saith to us come and follow me and my reward is this I will new make you and supply all your defects whatsoever Come unto me all ye that labour Mat. 11.28 29 30. and are heavy laden and I will give you rest Take my Yoak upon you and learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest unto your souls For my yoke is easie and my burden is light For this is the love of God 1 Io. 5.3 that we keep his Commandements and his Commandements are not grievous And we know Rom. 8.28 that all things work together for good to them that love God to them who are called according to his purpose For whom he did foreknow Rom. 8.29 30. he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son that he might be the first born among many brethren Moreover whom he did predestinate them he also called and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ Ephes 1.3 4 5 7 9. who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ According as he hath chosen us in in him before the foundation of the World that we should be holy and without blame before him in love Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Iesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his Will In whom we have redemption through his bloud the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace Having made known unto us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ both which are in heaven and which are on earth even in him In whom also we have obtained an inheritance Ephes 1.11 12 13 14. being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the Counsell of his own will That we should be to the praise of his glory who first trusted in Christ In whom ye also trusted after that ye heard the word of Truth the Gospel of your salvation In whom also after that ye beleeved ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise which is the earnest of our Inheritance untill the redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of his glory According to his mercy Tit. 3.5 6.7 he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the holy Ghost which he shed on us aboundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour That being justiffed by his Grace we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life So then Rom. 9.16 it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy From these before-ment oned places of Scripture it doth appear unto us for our comfort that God doth hereby manifest unto us his free grace and bounty in the means of our salvation and that for the better grounding of our faith herein he observeth this course as namely First Noseligere ordinare praedestinare ad salvationem in praescientia sua divina aeterna To choose ordain and predestinate us unto salvation in his divine and eternall foreknowledge Secondly Nos inspirare renovare illuminare per Spiritum suum sacrosanctum To inspire to renew and to illuminate us by the heavenly operation of his holy Spirit in us Thirdly Nos ligare trahere dirigere stabilire adificare per verbum suum divenum per sacramenta sua sacra To biud draw direct establish and build us up in the heavenly building and knowledge of Christ by his divine and holy Word and by his holy and blessed Sacraments St. Augustines observation is this St. Augustin That God doth Inspirare per verbum God doth inspire us by his Word The due and serious consideration of all this ought not onely to raise
up in us a certain knowledge of our election but also to stirr up in us a Christian and a godly strife and so to strive to make this our calling and election sure Remembring without ceasing 1 Thess 1.3 4. your work of faith and labour of love and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of God and our father Knowing brethren beloved your election of God Wherefore the rather 2 Pet. 1.10 brethren give diligence to make your calling and election sure for if ye do these things ye shall never fall For so an entrance shall be ministred unto you abundantly 2 Pet. 1.11 into the everlasting kingdome of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ Neither must we be carelesse in this great weighty matter of our election to salvation as to say as some very prophanely use to say what need I be so mindfull and carefull hereof If I am elected I am elected if otherwise it be appointed of God all my study and endeavour cannot effect it Such prophane resolutions must be ever withstood by us beaten down and suppressed for we must be ever very active herein and know thus much as a Father well observeth being this namely Quod Deus qui elegit te ad salvationem elegit te etiam ad media salvationis That God which hath chosen and elected thee unto salvation hath also elected and chosen thee to use the means to come unto salvation And as another Father saith St. Augustin Qui creavit te sine te non salvabit te sine te He which hath created thee without thee will not save thee without thee St. Augustin Work out your own salvation Philip. 2.12 13. with fear and trembling For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure For God hath not called us unto uncleannesse but unto holinesse 1 Thess 4.7 Wherefore 1 Pet. 1.13 14 15 16. gird up the loyns of your mind be sober and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Iesus Christ As obedient children not fashioning your selves according to the former lusts in your ignorance But as he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation Because it is written Be ye holy for I am holy For I am the Lord your God Levit. 11.44 ye shall therefore sanctifie your selves and ye shall be holy for I am holy And the Lord spake unto Moses Levit. 19.1 2. saying Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel and say unto them Ye shall be holy for I the Lord your God am holy But ye are a chosen generation 1 Pet. 2.9 a royall priesthood an holy nation a peculiar people that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darknesse into his marvellous light Which in time past were not a people 1 Pet. 2.10 but are now the people of God which had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy As touching the election Rom. 11.28 29. they are beloved for the fathers sake For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance Who hath saved us 2 Tim. 1.9 10. and called us with an holy calling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Iesus before the world began But now is made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Iesus Christ who hath abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel The foundation of God standeth sure having this seal 2 Tim. 2.18 The Lord knoweth them that are his and let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity But this one thing I do Philip. 3.13 14 15. forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before I presse toward the mark for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus Let us therefore as many as be perfect be thus minded Put on therefore Collos 3.12 13 14 15. as the elect of God holy and beloved bowels of mercy kindnesse humblenesse of mind meeknesse long-suffering Forbearing one another and forgiving one another And above all things put on charity which is the bond of perfectnesse And let the peace of God rule in your hearts to the which also ye are called in one body and be ye thankfull God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise 1 Cor. 1.27 29 30 31. and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty That no flesh should glory in his presence But of him are ye in Christ Jesus who of God is made unto us wisdome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption That according as it is written He that glorieth let him glory in the Lord. Thus saith the Lord Jer. 9.23 24. Let not the wise man glory in his wisdome neither let the mighty man glory in his might nor let the rich man glory in his riches But let him that glorieth glory in this that he understandeth and knoweth me that I am the Lord which exercise loving kindnesse judgement and righteousnesse in the earth for in these things I delight saith the Lord. But some one may happily say How shall I come to have a knowledge of this my election unto salvation To such a one it may be thus answered Notes of our Election Observe with thy self whether thou feelest and findest in thy self the effectuall notes and signes of thy election unto salvation working in thee or not as namely First What powerfull effect the word of God which we have so often heard preached unto us by way of reformation change and alteration hath wrought in us Secondly How we find and feel our selves to decline from sin and sinfull courses and whether we find in our selves a hatred of sin a strife and an endeavour in our selves to shun and avoid the same and all occasions which may any wayes draw us thereinto Thirdly How we find our selves to stand affected to vertue vertuous actions and goodnesse and whether we find in our selves a delight therein whether there be such a progresse in us in the way of godlinesse as S. Peter maketh mention of According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godlineffe 2 Pet. 1.3 4 5 6 7 8 9. through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and vertue Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust And besides this giving all diligence adde to your faith vertue and to vertue knowledge And to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience and to patience godlinesse And to godlinesse brotherly kindnesse and to
and bind on thy sandals and so he did and he saith unto him Cast thy garment about thee and follow me And he went out and followed him By Prayer the 3 Children Dan. 3.16 17 18 19 21 24. Shadrach Meshack and Abednego being cast bound into the midst of the fiery furnace were by God preserved and delivered from the flames of fire Shadrach Meshack and Abednego answered and said to the King O Nebuchadnezzar we are not carefull to answer thee in this matter If it be so Be it known unto thee O King that we will not serve thy Gods nor worship the golden Image thou hast set up Then was Nebuchadnezzar ful of fury therefore he spake and commanded that they should heat the furnace one 7 times more that it was wont to be heat Then these men were bound in their coats their hosen and their hats and their other garments were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace Then the King was astonied and rose up in hast and spake and said unto his Counsellors Did not we cast 3 men bound into the midst of the fire they answered said to him True O King He answered and said Lo I see 4 men loose walking in the midst of the fire and they have no hurt and the form of the 4th is like the Son of God And the Princes governors and captains and the Kings Counsellors being gathered together saw these men upon whom the fire had no power nor was an hair of their head singed neither were their coats changed nor the smell of fire had passed on them When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee Isa 43 2 3 and 11. I even I am the Lord and besides me there is no Saviour and through the Rivers they shall not overflow thee when thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle upon thee For I am the Lord thy God the holy one of Israel thy Saviour All these were deliver'd by the powerfulness of prayer prevailing with God By Prayer Jacob the night before he did meet with his brother Esau wrestled with the Angel by his earnestness and importunity of his prayer he at the last therby so far prevailed with him as that he obtained a blessing from him and his Brother Esau was appeased towards him which made him greatly to rejoyce And Iacob was left alone Gen. 32.24 to 28. and there wrestled a man with him untill the breaking of the day and he said let me go for the day breaketh he said I wil not let thee go except thou bless me And he said unto him What is thy name and he said Jacob. And he said Thy name shall be called no more Jacob but Israel for as a Prince hast thou power with God and with man and hast prevailed And Esau ran to meet him and embraced him Gen. 33.4 10. and fell on his neck and kissed him and they wept And Iacob said I have seen thy face as though I had seen the face of God and thou wast pleased with me He took his Brother by the heel in the wombe Hos 12.3 4 5. and by his strength he had power with God Yea he had power over the Angel and prevailed he wept and made supplication unto him he found him in Bethel and there he spoke with us Even the Lord God of Hosts the Lord is his memorial By Prayer Moses for the children of Israel prevailed against Amalek and overehrew him And Moses said unto Joshua Exod. 17.9 10 11. chuse us out men and go out and fight with Amalek to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand So Joshua did as Moses had said unto him and fought with Aamalek and Moses Aaron and Hur went up to the top of the Hill And it came to pass when Moses held up his hand that Israel prevailed and when he let it down Amalek prevailed Ioshua obtained from the Lord that the Sun and Moon should stand still in the firmament Iosh 10.8 10 12 13 14. whiles that he avenged himself on his enemies the Amorites And the Lord said unto Joshua Fear them not for I have delivered them into thine hand And the Lord discomfited them before Israel Then Joshua spoke to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel and he said in the sight of Israel Sun stand still upon Gibeon and thou Moon in the Valley of Aialon And the sun stood still and the Moon stayed untill the People had avenged themselves So the sun stood still in the midst of Heaven and hasted not to go down about a whole day And there was no day like that before it or after it that the Lord hearkned unto the voice of a man for the Lord fought for Israel By Prayer Elijah brought down fire from Heaven which consumed the burnt-Sacrifice to the convincing of Baals Prophets Hear me O Lord Kings 18.17.38 39. Elijahs Prayer hear me that this people may know that thou art the Lord God and that thou hast turned their heart back again Then the fire of the Lord fell consumed the burnt sacrifice the wood and the stones the dust and licked up the water that was in the trench And when all the people saw it they fell on their faces and they said The Lord he is God the Lord he is God By Prayer Elijah brought down fire twice from Heaven and consumed the 2 Captains with their several fifties comming unto him with a message from Ahaziah King of Samaria Then the King sent unto him a Captain of fifty 2 Kings 1.9 11 12. with his fifty and he went up to him and behold he sate upon the top of an hill and he spoke unto him Thou man of God the King hath said come down And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty If I be a man of God then let fire come down from heaven and consume thee and thy fifty and there came down fire from heaven and consumed him and his fifty Again also he sent unto him another captain of fifty with his fifty and he answered and said unto him O man of God thus hath the king said come down quickly And Elijah answered and said unto them If I be a man of God let fire come down from heaven and consume thee and thy fifty and the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty By prayer 1 Kin. 17.21 22. Elijah raised the widows son from death to life again And he cried unto the Lord and said I pray thee let this childs soul come into him again And the Lord heard the voice of Elijah and the soul of the child came into him again and he revived By prayer Elisha caused the waters of Jordan to be divided smiting of them with the mantle which fell from
Elijah He took up also the mantle of Elijah 2 Kin. 2.14 that fell from him and smote the waters and said Where is the Lord God of Elijah and when he also had smitten the waters they parted hither and thither and Elisha went over By prayer Elisha raised the Shunamites son from death to life again And when Elisha was come into the house 2 Kin. 4.32 33 35 36. behold the child was dead and laid upon his bed He went in therefore and shut the door upon them twain and prayed unto the Lord. And the child neesed seven times and the child opened his eyes And when she was come in unto him he said Take up thy son By prayer Sampson pulled the house down Judg. 16.30 and killed more at his death than in his life By prayer Ahijah obtained victory against Jeroboam king of Israel 2 Chron. 13. 14 15 16 17 18. with half the number because they did relye on God By prayer the great army of Sennacherib king of Assyria 2 Chron. 32.2 3 6 7 8 19 20 21. coming against Hezekiah king of Iudah was overthrown by the Angel of the Lord from heaven And they spake against the God of Ierusalem For this cause Hezekiah the king 2 Kin. 19.15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 34 35 37. Isaiah 39.37 the same and the prophet Isaiah the son of Amos prayed and cried to heaven And the Lord sent an Angel which cut off all the mighty men of valour and the leaders and the captains in the camp of the king of Assyria So he returned with shame to his own land And when he was come into the house of his god they that came out of his own bowels slew him there with the sword And Hezekiah prayed before the Lord and said O Lord God of Israel Hezekiahs prayer 2 Kin. 19.15 16 19 20 35. which dwellest between the Cherubims thou art the God even thou alone of all the kingdomes of the earth thou hast made heaven and earth Lord bow down thine ear and hear Isaiah 36.37 the same open Lord thine eyes and see and hear the words of Sennacherib which hath sent him to reproch the living God Now therefore O Lord our God I beseech thee save us out of his hand that all the kingdomes of the earth may know that thou art the Lord God even thou onely Then Isaiah the son of Amos sent to Hezekiah saying Thus saith the Lord God of Israel that which thou hast prayed to me against Sennacherib king of Assyria I have heard And it came to passe that night that the Angel of the Lord went out and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand and when they arose early in the morning behold they were all dead corpses By prayer Asa king of Iudah 2 Chron. 14.9 10 11 12. obtained victory against Zerah the Ethiopian who came against him with an host of a thousand thousand and three hundred chariots And Asa cried unto the Lord his God The prayer of king Asa And said Lord it is nothing with thee to help whether with many or with them that have no power Help us O Lord our God for we rest on thee and in thy name we go against this multitude O Lord thou art God let not man prevail against thee So the Lord smote the Ethiopians before Asa and before Iudah and the Ethiopians fled By prayer Iudeth prevailed against the Assyrians Judith 9.7 8 71. who trusted in their strength Judiths prayer force and power Her prayer to God to throw down their strength For thy power standeth not in multitude nor thy might in strong men for thou art the God of the afflicted an helper of the oppressed an upholder of the weak a protector of the forlorn a saviour of them that are without help By prayer Iudas Maccabeus obtained victory from God 2 Maccabees 8.20 36. against Nicanor and with eight thousand men obtained victory against an hundred and twenty thousand in Babylon because of the help they had from heaven and because the Jews had God to fight for them and therefore they could not be hurt By prayer Lazarus being dead and having been four dayes in the grave was raised up again from death to life And Jefus lift up his eyes and said John 11.4 42 43 44. Father I thank thee that thou hast heard me And I know that thou hearest me alwayes but because of the people which stand by I said it that they may believe that thou hast sent me And when he had thus spoken 〈…〉 he cried with a loud voice Lazarus come forth And he that was dead came forth bound hand and foot with his grave-clothes and his face was bound with a napkin Jesus saith unto them Loose him and let him go By prayer the Holy Ghost fell down upon those which believed And when they had prayed Acts 4.31 the place was shaken where they were assembled together and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and they spake the word of God with boldnesse By prayer Tabitha was raised by Peter from death to life again But Peter put them all forth Acts 9.40 41. and kneeled down and prayed and turning him to the body said Tabitha arise and she opened her eyes and when she saw Peter she sat up And he gave her his hand and lift her up and when he had called the saints and widows he presented her alive By prayer St. Paul healed the father of Publius and others of their diseases And it came to passe Acts 28.8 9. that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and of a bloudy flux to whom Paul entred and prayed and laid his hands on him and healed him So when this was done others also which had diseases in the Island came and were healed Prayer as a Father observeth is as a strong city of refuge for us thereby to fly unto God in our greatest need Some in prayer as one observeth never regard what they ask nor how whereupon a Father saith If in prayer we ask of God we care not what we shall then be heard of him we know not when and have one thing granted us for another Matth. 20.20 21 22 23. James 4.3 as the mother of Zebedeus children had Ye ask and receive not because ye ask amisse that ye may consume it upon your lusts We are often nay continually in great danger and therefore we must often nay continually pray unto God for preservation and deliverance from all dangers And as S. S. Bernards observation as touching the use of prayer Bernard observeth thus much of often prayer so we must duely and carefully follow the same rule by him prescribed as namely When we go out of our house let prayer alwayes arm us accompany us and ever attend upon us for Gods blessing and preservation of us And when we return home again let
any wayes assure himself of living till to morrow Tota vita dies unus as a Father observeth that is Our whole life here is but as one day Non potest praesentem diem recte vivere is qui se non eum quasi ultimum victurum esse cogitat ut Pater No man can live well and as he ought to do unlesse he think and account of every day to be as it were his very last day Nascentes morimur finisque ab origine pendes Et pubesceutes juncta senecta premit Nequities vitae non sinit esse senem Being born we dye and our end hangs upon our beginning And as we grow up in yeares old age presseth upon us And the evils of our life will not permit and suffer us to grow old Optima aliorum sententia quippe homini aiuut non nasci esse bonum aut natum cito morte perire ut Pater It was the opinion of some others for man not to be born was good or else being born then soon to dye Many there are Plin. Qui non nasci optimum censerent aut quam ocyssime emori Which have thought it the best not to be born or being born then suddenly to end his dayes as Plinie observeth Non nasci Cicero longe optimnm proximum quam primum mori This the very heathens thought That not to be born was farr the best the next very soon to dye as Cicero observeth Primum bonum non nasci secundum citius mori The first good is not to be born the second soon to die as a Father observeth Directory rules how we are to live Rules how to live Qualis vita finis ita that is as the life is so shall the end be In the place where the tree falleth Eccles 11.3 there it shall be Heu vivunt hamines tanquam mors nulla sequatur Aut tanquam infernum fabula vana foret Alas men do now live as if that no death were to follow And as if Hell were but a fable O quam contempta res est homo nisi supra numana se erexerit O how contemptible a thing is man if he do not erect his thoughts to a higher pitch than to that which is onely humane as a Father observeth Praestat homini nunquam nasci quam non renasci nunquam generari quam non regenerari ut Pater It had been farr better for a man never to have been born than not to be born again and never to have been begotten than not to be regenerated And Iesus answered John 3.3 5 6 7. and said unto him Verily verily I say unto thee Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdome of God Iesus answered Verily verily I say unto thee Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdome of God That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit Marvell not that I said unto you Ye must be born again Melior est non esse quam esse fine Jesu melior est non vivere quam vivere sine vita ut St. Bernard It is farr better for a man not to be at all S. Bernard than to be without Iesus Christ and better it were for a man not to live at all than to live here without enjoying the happinesse of life eternall hereafter as St. Bernard observeth And this it was which made that good Father St. S. Bernard Bernard to cry out and say Domine Jesu esto mihi Jesus O sweet Lord Iesus be thou unto me and unto my soul a Iesus a Saviour This likewise made another Father to say after this manner Non est vita nisi vera vita non est vera vita nisi aeterna vita There is no life here unlesse the same be a true life and there can be no true life here without the enjoying of life eternall hereafter as a Father observeth And this our life eternal proceedeth from our Iustification and Sanctification here the fruit and effect of our Glorification hereafter Knowing Gal. 2.16 17 19 20. that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but by the Faith of Jesus Christ even we have believed in Iesus Christ that we might be justified by the Faith of Christ and not by the works of the Law For by the works of the Law shall no Flesh be justified But if while we seek to be justified by Christ we our selves are found Sinners is therefoae Christ the Minister of sin God forbid For I through the Law am dead to the Law that I might live unto God I am crucified with Christ Nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me And the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the Faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me Vita vitae mortalis est vita vitae immortalitatis The life of our mortall life here is the life of our immortal life hereafter as a Father well observeth Viam vita dicitur per quam quilibet natus properat ad finem Our life here S. Basil is the way by which every one that is born doth hasten unto his end as St. Basil observeth Ut hora Sic fugit vita Sic in non homini vertitur omnis homo ut Poeta As the Hour so our life passeth away and so every Man is suddenly turned and changed and become no man We must therefore be carefull how we live And herein Boetius giveth us this good rule for Directions in our Life Boetius Incumbit nobis necessitas recte vivendi cum omnia quae facimus facta sunt coram oculis Judicis cuncta videntis Boetius Necessity lieth upon us to live well in this regard That all things which we do they are all of them acted and done before the eyes of that great Iudge of Heaven and Earth which seeth all things Intrasti ut exires as one saith Thou camest into the world that thou mightest go out of the world again And as an other well observeth Nostrum vivere è vita transire All our life here ought to be a preparation for death Considering this which one observeth as namely Non est vitae momentum sine motu ad mortem huc tendimus omnes huc primus huc ultimus ordo There is Not a moment in our Life without some Motion towards our Death and this is the true state and condition of all Mankind here And therefore one giveth us this good Rule to be observed by us in the whole course of our life Proximus esto bonis si non potes optimus esse Follow then the good example of good men and come as near to them as thou canst do if so be thou canst not be the best of all It is well observed by one Quam turpe est in eo statu vivere in in
quo non Statuas mori It is a very ill thing for any one to live in that state manner and condition of life in the which he would be afraid so to die Male vivit qui semper vivere incipit He liveth very ill that is alwaies but beginning to live well as one observeth A good life is alwaies the cause of a comfortable and of a happy Death While we live here we must not only see and behold Death but we must foresee it and duly prepare for it before it comes One compares Death unto the Basilisk The which Serpent if it see an other before the same be seen there is then much danger to the Party first seen by the Serpent but if a man doth first see and descrie the Basilisk then the Serpent presently dyeth and so no fear of danger Even so If Death be not seen and provided for before hand there is then great danger but if seen before hand and so provided for the danger is then past before death commeth Hereupon a Father well saith Qui non vult in vita praevidere mortem non potest in morte videre vitam He that in Life doth not foresee Death Prosper and S. Augustinr cannot in Death behold and enjoy everlasting Life Tota vita infidelium peccatum est et nihil bouum est absq summo bono ut Pater That is The whole lise of the Wicked is nothing but sin and there is nothing good in us unless we have it from him as Prosper and Augustine do both of them observe Whereupon saith St. Augustine S. Augustin Hic urat hic secat ut in posterum servat Et Domine Domine hic quicquid vis ut in aeternum parcas Burn me cut me flash me or lay here on me what tormenâ—s you will So as thou wilt heal me and cure me of all maladies hereafter and reserve for me everlasting life after this life ended Of the life of Man Of the life of Man and whereunto compared and whereunto the same is compared in regard of the frailty incertainty brevity misery and calamity attending even on the same And Jacob said unto Pharaoh Gen. 49.7 Few and evill have the daies of the years of my life been O remember that my life is wind Iob 7.7 Man that is born of a Woman Iob 14.1 2. is of few daies and full of Trouble He commeth forth like a flower and is cut down he fleeth also as a shadow and continueth not My daies are swifter than a Weavers shuttle Iob 7.6 and are spent without hope Now my daies are swifter than a Post Iob 9.25 26. they flee away they see no good They are passed away as the swift Ships as the Eagle that hasteth unto the prey For we are but of yesterday Iob 8.9 and know nothing because our daies upon Earth are a shadow When a few years are come Iob 16.22 then I shall go the way whence I shall not return For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past and as a watch in the night Thou carriest them away as with a flood Ps 90.4 5 9 10 12. they are as a sleep in the morning they are like grass which groweth up In the morning it flourisheth and groweth up in the evening it is cut down and withereth For all our daies are passed away in thy wrath we spend our years as a Tale that is told The daies of our years are threescore years and ten and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years yet is their strength labour and sorrow for it is soon cut off and we flye away So teach us to number our daies that we may apply our hearts unto wisdome For my daies are consumed like smoak Ps 102.3 4 11. and my bones are burnt as an hearth My heart is smitten and withered like grass My daies are like a shadow that declyneth Ps 103.14 15 16. I am whithered like grass For he knoweth our frame he remembreth that we are dust As for Man his daies are as grass as a flower of the field so he flourisheth For the wind passeth over it and it is gone and the place thereof shall know it no more Lord what is Man Ps 144.3 4. that thou takest knowledge of him or the Son of Man that thou makest account of him Man is like to vanity his daies are as as a shadow that passeth away The voyce said cry And I said Isaiah 40.6 7 8. What shall I cry All flesh is grass and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field The grass whithereth the flower fadeth because the spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it Surely the People is Grass The grass whithereth the flower fadeth But the Word of our God shall shall stand for ever Let the Brother of low Degree Ia. 1.9 10 11. rejoyce in that he is exalted But the Rich in that he is made low because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away For the Sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat but it withereth the grass and the flower therof falleth and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth So also shall the rich man fade away in his waies Go to now Ia. 4.13 14. ye that say To day or to morrow we will go into such a City and continue there a year and buy and sell and get gain Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow for what is your life it is even a vapour that appeareth for a little time and then vanisheth away For that ye ought to say Ia. 4.15 If the Lord will we shall live and do this or that Being born again 1 Pet. 1.23 24 25. not of corruptible food but of incorruptible by the Word of God which liveth and abideth for ever For all flesh is as grass and all the glory of Man as the flower of the grass the grass withereth and the slower thereof falleth away But the Word of the Lord endureth for ever No man is sure of his life Iob 24.22 What Man is he that desireth life Ps 34.12 13 14. and loveth many daies that he may see good Keep thy Tongue from evill and thy Lips from speaking guile Depart from evill and do good seek peace and pursue it How excellent is thy loving kindness O God Ps 36.7 9. therefore the Children of Men put their Trust under the shadow of thy Wings For with Thee is the Fountain of Life and in this Light shall we see light Come and see the works of God Ps 66.5 9. he is terrible in his doings towards the Sons of men Which holdeth our Soul in life and suffereth not our feet to be moved By all this the frailty mutability and incertainty of the life of Man here in this World doth evidently appear unto us and that by reason of the miseries and calamities attending of the
liveth here meerly as a worldly-minded man and doth here devote himself wholly to the service of the world and placeth his chief joy and delight in the pleasures of the world and so maketh this his chief happinesse he shall be sure after this life ended to gain unto himself everlasting death The first of these shall enjoy the happinesse of that blessed sentence in the last day of Come ye blessed of my Father Matth. 25.34 inherit the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world And the other shall enjoy the horrour of that fearfull sentence of malediction in the last day of Depart from me ye cursed Matth. 25.41 into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels Stulte cur te nan disponis ad moriendum cum sis pro certo moriturus ut Pater Thou miserable man or thou fool Why dost thou not fit and prepare thy self for death seeing it is most certain thou must die as a Father observeth Stat sua cuique dies Virgil. Every man hath the certain time or day of his death to him designed and appointed as the Poet Virgil observeth To every thing there is a season Eccles 3.1 2. and a time to every purpose under the heaven A time to be born and a time to die Fleres Sir Thomas Moor. si scires unum tua tempora mensem Rides quum non sit forsitan una dies Knew'st thou a moneth should end thy dayes It would give cause of sorrow And yet perhaps thou laugh'st to day When thou must dye to morrow As was observed by that learned Sir Thomas Moor. Mors tam juveni ante oculos esse debet quam seni ut Seneca Young men as well as old ought alwayes to be prepared for death Quis est adolescens cui exploratum sit Cicero se ad vesperum esse victurum ut Cicero What young man is there to whom it is made certainly known or revealed that he in the morning shall live untill night Senibus St. Bernard mors in januis adolescentibus mors in insidiis est ut St. Bernard To old men death is as it were alwayes knocking at their gates and ready to seize upon them but to young men death is alwayes ready with his wyles to ensnare and intrap them at unawares and therefore they ought at all times both young and old to be ready and prepared for the same Incertum est quo te loco mors inveniet Sencca itaque tu illum omni loce expecta ut Seneca It is altogether uncertain in what place death will look for thee therefore do thou expect and look for death in every place as Seneca observeth Mors ubique te expectat S. Bernard tu igitur si sapis eum ubique expectabis ut St. Bernard Death doth wait and look for thee every where and therefore if thou art wise thou wilt likewise look for death every where Quicquid facis respice ad mortem Seneca Whatsoever thou doest have an eye and a serious thought upon thy death as Seneca observeth Nulla res magis proderit Seueca quam cogitatio mortalitatis Nothing whatsoever thou doest shall more profit or avail thee than a serious thought and meditation by thee had of thy mortality as Seneca observeth Sive comedam sive bibam sive aliud aliquid faciam St. Hierom. semper vox illa terribilis auribus meis insonare videtur Surgite mortui venite ad judicium Whether I eat or whether I drink or what else soever I do it seemeth unto me that I do alwayes hear that terrible and fearfull voice resounding in mine eares Arise O ye dead and come unto judgement as St. Hierom observeth We shall not all sleep 1 Cor. 51.52 but we shall all be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye at the last trump for the trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed Sic quotidie vivamus St. Hierom. quasi die illa judicandi simus Let us so live every day as if we were every day to come unto Judgement as St. Hierom observeth Omnem crede diem supremum ut Seneca Let us so actibi Seneca diluxisse count of every day as if the same were for certain to be our very last day Dies omnis pro ultimo habeatur ut Seneca Seneca Every day ought to be accounted by us as our last day Quomodo de die in diem St. Augustin defenendo peccas cum extremum diem tuum nescias Wherefore doest thou still continue to sin and to offend deferring and putting off thy repentance from day to day when as thou art wholly ignorant which day of thy life shall be thy last day as St. Augustin observeth Id ago Seneca ut mibi instar totius vitae sit dies nec tanquam ultimum rapio sed sic illum aspicio tanquam esse vel ultimus possit I now do that as if that this very day were a resemblance of my whole life Neither do I take this day as my last day but I do so look upon it and behold the same as that the same either is or may be my last day as Seneca observeth Male vivit quisquis nescit bene mori Seneca He liveth very ill who knoweth not how to frame himself to dye well as Seneca observeth Bene mori est libenter mori To dye well is to dye willingly as Seneca observeth Timor mortis est desperatio vitae aeternae post mortem S. Chrysostom Fearfulnesse of death sheweth a kind of desperation of the happy enjoying of life eternall after death as St. Chrystostome observeth It is written of Charles the fifth that he coming to the Duke of Venice his court and there after royall entertainment the Duke shewed him all the Riches of his Dukedom and then demanded of him how he liked the same who answered him in this manner Haec sunt quae faciunt nos invites mori These and such like worldly pleasures contentments and delights are the only things and causes which make us so unwilling to die and to leave this world Non mori timeo quia bonum habeo Dominum I am not afraid to die S. Ambrose because I have a good and gracious Lord God to whom I am now going as St. Ambrose observeth It is memorably written of holy Hilarion who having lived fourscore years and being then visited with sickness and being somewhat fearfull to dye reasoning thus with himself at the last he passionately burst forth into these words saying Egredere quod times anima mea Octoginta annes servisti domine VVhy art thou afraid O my Soul to go forth unto him whom thou hast so long time served S. Jerome in vita Hilarionis Thou hast now served thy Lord God fourscore years therefore now O my Soul go forth chearfully unto him thou hast
so I would have told you it I go to prepare a place for you And if I go and prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you unto my self that where I am there ye may be also Sapientis est igitur totam in mortem Seneca prominere hoc velle hoc meditari hac semper cupidine ferri ut Seneca It is therefore the part of a wise man wholly to bend and prepare himself for and towards Death to be willing to dye to be alwaies meditating on death and to desire the same And not to be like unto those of whom Seneca complaineth in this manner Nemo sine quaerula moritur Seneca Quis non recusans Quis non gemens exit ut Seneca No man dyeth without complainings Who goeth willingly out of this World without expressing of some sorrow and lamentation for the same But for our greater comfort in Death St. Cyprian observeth thus much Ad refrigerium justi vocantur S. Cyprian ad supplicium rapiuntur injusti datur mors tutela fidentibus perfidis autem paena The just and godly by death are called unto rest and to a refreshing But the wicked and ungodly are suddenly snatched away by Death unto punishment And again Death to the godly is as a safe Custody and Protection But unto the Wicked Death is as a sharpe and severe punishment This difference is therefore observed between the hope of the Wicked The difference between the hope of the Wicked and the Godly and the Worldly-minded man and of the Godly and truly Religious man The Worldly-minded man Dum spirat sperat Whiles that he hath any breath left in him his hope still is to recover But the Godly and Religious man Dum expirat sperat When Life decaies and when his last breath is ready to go out of his body even then at that very instant hath he hope to enjoy a far better life The wicked is driven away in his wickedness Prov. 14.32 but the righteous hath hope in his death Nulla res magis proderit Seneca quam cogitatio mortalitatis ut Seneca Nothing can more profit and avail a man here in this life than a serious thought and meditation of his mortality Nullius rei meditatio tam necessaria est ut Seneca Seneca Meditari mortem qui hoc dicit meditari libertatem jubat ut Seneca The Meditation of nothing is so necessary as this meditation of Death is For to meditate on death he which adviseth us so to do commandeth us to meditate on that which introduceth our greatest liberty and happiness Mortem nemo hilaris excipit Seneca nisi quise ad istam diu composuerat ut Seneca No man doth entertain and welcome death chearfully unless he have well disposed fitted and prepared himself long before for that day Compone te igitur ad diem illum Seneca ut Seneca Therefore fit and prepare thy self for that day Dies ultimus salubriter ignoratur S. Gregory and S. Bernard ut semper proximus esse credatur ut St. Gregory St. Bernard Our last day or the day of our death is kept from our knowledge and that very profitably for our good that so we should believe and think every day to be our last day that so we may be alwaies ready fitted and prepared for the same accordingly Qualis vita finis ita As a mans life is so shall his death be Qualis quisque hinc exierit S. Augustine in suonovissimo die talis invenietur in novissimo seculi die ut St. Augustin Look in what state and condition a man is in when he departeth out of this World in his last day even in the day or time of his death In the self same state and condition shall he be found to be in in the last day of the World even in the day of Judgement If the clouds be full of rain they empty themselves upon the earth Eccles 11.3 and if the Tree fall towards the South or towards the North in the place where the Tree falleth there it shall be Longe est quidem dies judiecii sed unius cujusque hominis S. Augustine dies ultimus longe esse non potest quia brevis est vita vitae brevitas incerta ut St. Augustine The day of Iudgement may be long before it come but the last day or the day of death of every particular person cannot be long before it happen because that this our life is short and this shortness of our life uncertain Seneca Effice igitur mortem tibi cogitatione familiarem ut possis illi laetns alacer obviam exire ut Seneca Therefore strive and endeavour thou by the often thought and meditation of death to make the same familiar unto thee that so when death knocks at the door of thy heart thou mayest be then ready joyfully and chearfully to embrace the same Magna autem pars est Seneca et diu discenda cum adventat hora illa inevitabilis aequo animo exire ut Seneca But it is a very great and difficult thing and a long time in learning for a man to go out of this World with a quiet and with a contented mind when that inevitable day and hour of our death shall come Vivere tota vita discendum est Seneca de brevitatc vitae cap. 7. et quod magis fortasse miraberis tota vita discendum est mori ut Seneca de brevitate vitae cap. 7. During our whole life we must learn to live and which is more and it may be to be wondred at our whole life here must be a learning to die Mors omnium dolorum et solutio est et finis ut Seneca Death is the ful end and period of all our griefs and sorrows which are here endured Seneca Per vitam ad mortem transitus est S. Ambrose de bona morte per mortem ad vitam reditus est ut St. Ambrose de bona morte Our life is a passage unto death and by death we return to life Tota vita nihil aliud est quam ad mortem iter ut Seneca Our whole life here is nothing else but a Iourney unto death Death is the salve that ceaseth all annoy For our comfort in death Death is the Port by which we pass to joy For our further comfort in death Christus morte mortem destruxit vitamque reduxit ut Cyril Christ by his death destroyed death and the power thereof and thereby brought life unto us Mors est quae mundum redemit Leo St. Ambrose de bona morte ut Leo St. Ambrose de bona morte It was the death of Christ which redeemed the world Morte illa mors mortua est S. Bernard ut St. Bernard By the death of Christ was death killed Nothing doth more resemble death than sleep Nothing so like the Grave
as the bed Nothing more resembles our resurrection than our awaking and rising again in the morning This ought to put us daily in mind of our death and resurrection Et Lathi consanguineus sopor Virgil. ut Virgil. Sleep is a Cousin of death Speculum mortis somnnm Tertullian ut Tertullian Sleep is a very spectacle of death Quoties dormis vigilas toties morieris resurgis As often as thou sleepest and awakest again so often by way of resemblance dost thou dye and rise again as a Father observeth Dies iste Seneca quem tanquam extremum reformidas aeterni natalis est ut Seneca That day which thou so much fearest as being thy last day the same day for thy joy and comfort is thy everlasting birth-day Cur igitur doles Tertullian de patientia si periisse non credis ut Tertullian De patientia Why dost thou therefore grieve and lament to think of this thy last day if thou dost believe thou shalt not perish thereby We have rather cause of rejoycing when we think of this our last day of the day of our death the same being the day of our happy change All the daies of my appointed time Iob 14.14 will I wait till my change come Ultimus optimus medicus morberum etiam immedicabilium est mors Aeschilus ut Aeschilus Death is the last and the best Physitian and that of incurable diseases Mors aeterna quies ut Pater Aerumnarum requies mors Death brings us to our everlasting rest and puts an end unto all our miseries The antient Counsels termed the blessed Sacrament Or Viaticum morientis Viaticum Aeternitatis A blessed bate that the devout Soul useth to take in this life when he is even ready to travell for the other life It is very memorably observed by Nazianzen of St. Basil Nazianzen of S. Basil that in his life time he desired that when death came he might be so happy as in the ending of his daies to die with some divine sentence of piety in his mouth at the instant before his death Death is as a Father observeth a passage from Earth to Heaven from a World of endless miseries here to a happy Heaven of everlasting happiness in Heaven And he said unto Iesus Luke 23.42 43. Lord remember me when thou commest into thy Kingdom And Iesus said unto him Verily I say unto thee to day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Death as one observeth is a temporary separation of the Soul from the body A location or placing of the body in the Earth from whence it was taken and there to remain till the last day the day of Iudgement being the day of the happy re-uniting of the Soul and Body together again And a translation of the Soul and Spirit of man unto God that gave it who at the first breathed into him the breath of life And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground Gen. 2 7. and breathed into his Nostrils the breath of life and man became a living Soul All in whose Nostrils was the breath of life Gen. 7.22 In the sweat of thy face Gen. 3.19 shalt thou eat bread till thou return unto the Ground for out of it was thou taken for dust thou art and unto dust shalt thou teturn Cease ye from man Isaiah 2.22 whose breath is in his Nostrils All flesh shall perish together Iob 34.15 and Man shall turn again unto the dust His breath goeth forth Psal 146.4 he returneth to his earth All are of the dust Eccles 3.20 and all turn to dust again Thou takest away their breath Ps 104 29. they dye and return to their dust The Lord created man Ecclus. 7.8 of the earth and turned him into it again Then shall the Dust return to the earth as it was Eccles 12.7 and the Spirit shall return unto GOd who gave it I also am formed out of the clay Iob 33.6 But now O Lord Isaiah 64.8 thou art our Father and we are the clay These and such like meditations cannot choose but make the thought of death to be very happy and comfortable unto us A good name is better than pretious ointment Eccles 12.1 and the day of death than the day of ones birth A promise of Gods mercy A Promise of Gods mercy to comfort us against the day of our death For thou hast delivered my Soul from death Psalm 56.13 I will ransome them from the power of the grave Hosea 13.14 I will redeem them from death O death I will be thy plague O grave I will be thy destruction Verily Iohn 5.24 verily I say unto you He that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death unto life He will swallow me up in victory Isaiah 25.8 9. and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth for the Lord hath spoken it And it shall be said in that day Lo this is our God we have waited for him and he will save us This is the Lord we have waited for him we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation For thou hast delivered my Soul from death Psal 116.8 mine eyes from tears and my feet from falling For the Lambe which is in the midst of the Throne shall feed them Rev. 7 17. and shall lead them unto living Fountains of waters and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes Rev. 21.4 and there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more pain for the former things are passed away But we had the sentence of death in our selves 2 Cor. 1.9 10. that we should not trust in our selves but in God which raised the dead who delivered us from so great a death and doth deliver in whom we trust that he will deliver us 2 Tim. 2.19 The Lord knoweth them that are his Who hath saved us 2 Tim. 1.9 10. and called us with an holy calling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Iesus before the world began But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Iesus Christ who hath abolished death and hath brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel Forasmuch then as the Chlidren are partakers of flesh and blood Heb. 2.14 15. he also himself took part of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of Death that is the Devil And deliver them who through fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage We know that we have passed from death unto life
1 Iohn 3.14 because we love the Brethren He that loveth not his Brother abideth in death Be thou faithfull unto the death Rev. 2.10.11 and I will give Thee the Crown of life He that overcommeth shall not be hurt of the second death CHAP. VII Of the day of Judgement the same described with the fruits and effects thereof the same being called FIrst The day of the Lord. Secondly A day of Recompence Thirdly The great day of the Lord. Fourthly A day or time of Jacobs troubles Fifthly The evil day Sixthly The day of the Lords wrath Seventhly A day of wrath of trouble destruction and of desolation Eighthly A day in which the whole land shall be devoured with the fire of Gods jealousie Ninthly A day of darknesse of gloominesse of clouds and thick darknesse Tenthly A great and terrible day who can abide it Eleventhly A day from the which nothing can deliver us neither silver nor gold nor any thing else Twelfthly A day that will cause all the inhabitants of the land to tremble for the day of the Lord cometh it is nigh at hand Thirteenthly A terrible and a fearfull day to the wicked by reason of the sentence of malediction and condemnation then to be pronounced against them of Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire But Fourteenthly A day of joy and happinesse unto the godly and elect by reason of the sentence of approbation and benediction then to be pronounced for their endlesse comfort of Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the kingdome prepared for you The great day of the Lord is near Zeph. 1.14 15. and hasteth greatly even the voice of the day of the Lord. That day is a day of wrath a day of trouble and distresse a day of wastnesse and desolation a day of darknesse and of gloominesse a day of clouds and thick darknesse Alas Jer. 30.7 for that day is great so that none is like it it is even the time of Jacobs trouble but he shall be saved out of it Let all the inhabitants of the land Joel 2.1 tremble for the day of the Lord cometh it is nigh at hand Behold the day of the Lord cometh Isaiah 13.9 cruel both with wrath and fierce anger to lay the land desolate he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it For the starrs of heaven Isaiah 13.10 13. and the constellations thereof shall not give their light the sun shall be darkened in his going forth and the moon shall not cause her light to shine I will shake the heavens and the earth shall remove out of her place in the wrath of the Lord of hosts and in the day of his fierce anger A voice of noise from the city Isaiah 66.6 a voice from the temple a voice of the Lord that rendreth recompence to his enemies The dayes of visitation are come Hosea 9.7 the dayes of recompence are come A day of darkness and of gloominess Joel 2.2 11. a day of clouds and thick darknesse And the Lord shall utter his voice before his army for his camp is very great for he is strong that executeth his word for the day of the Lord is great and very terrible and who can abide it Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God Ephes 6.13 that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day The day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night 1 Thess 5.2 For the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night 2 Pet. 3.10 in the which the heavens shall passe away with a great noise and the elements shall melt with heat the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up The angels which kept not their first state Jude 6. he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darknesse unto the Judgement of the great day Behold Revel 1.7 he cometh with clouds and every eye shall see him and they also which have pierced him Neither their silver Zeph. 1.18 nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lords wrath but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousie for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land They shall cast their silver in the streets Ezek. 7.19 and their gold shall be removed their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the Lord. For all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousie Zeph. 3.8 Again Of the day of Iudgement or the last day the same described Of the day of Judgement or the last day by wonders shewed in the heavens and in the earth Bloud and fire and pillars of smoke The sun turned into darknesse the moon into bloud Joel 2.30 31 32. Called the great and terrible day of the Lord with the joy and comfort then of Gods elect and they which call upon the name of the Lord they shall be then saved and delivered And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth bloud and fire and pillars of smoke The sun shall be turned into darknesse and the moon into bloud before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come And it shall come to passe that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered Thrust in thy sickle and reap Revel 14 15. for the time is come for thee to reap for the harvest of the earth is ripe Put ye in the sickle Joel 3.13 14 15 16 17. for the harvest is ripe come get you down for the presse is full the fats overflow for their wickednesse is great Multitudes multitudes in the valley of decision for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision The sun and the moon shall be darkned and the starrs shall withdraw their shining The Lord also shall rore out of Zion and utter his voice from Jerusalem and the heavens and the earth shall shake but the Lord will be the hope of his people and the strength of the children of Israel So shall ye know that I am the Lord your God dwelling in Zion my holy mountain The Lord will rore from Zion Amos 1.2 and utter his voice from Jerusalem Therefore prophesie thou against them all these words Jer. 25.30 31. and say unto them The Lord shall rore from on high and utter his voice from his holy habitation he shall mightily rore upon his habitation he shall give a shout as they that tread the grapes against all the inhabitants of the earth A noise shall come even to the ends of the earth for the Lord hath a controversie with the Nations he will plead with all flesh he will give them that are wicked to the sword saith the Lord. For I will call for a sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth Jer. 25.29 saith
the Lord of hosts For as the lightning cometh out of Matth. 24.27 the east and shineth even unto the west so shall also the coming of the Son of man be Immediately after the tribulation of those dayes shall the sun be darkened Matth. 24.29 30 31 33 36. the moon shall not give her light the stars shall fall from heaven the powers of the heaven shall be shaken And then shall appear the sign of the son of man in heaven Mark 13.24 25 26 27 29 32 33. and Luke 21.25 26 27 31 32 33. the same with St. Matthew and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn and they shall see the son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds from the one end of heaven to the other When ye shall see all these things know that it is near even at the doors But of that day and hour knoweth no man no nor the angels of heaven but my Father onely By these preceding places of Scripture it appears That the day of Iudgement or the day the Lord is called by the name of the harvest being ripe The harvest of the earth is ripe and therefore to be reaped with the sickle By the name of a noise that shall come even to the ends of the earth and that the Lord hath a controversie with the Nations that he will plead with all flesh and give them that are wicked to the sword Again Of the day of Judgement a farther description and of the effects of it The day of Iudgement further described with full expressions in the Scripture how fearfull and terrible the same shall be and what men shall do for to avoid the same And they shall go into the holes of the rocks Isaiah 2.19 and 10.11 12. all to the same purpose and into the caves of the earth for fear of the Lord and for the glory of his majesty when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth Or then shall they go into the holes of the rocks from before the fear of the Lord and from the glory of his majesty when he shall arise to destroy the earth as another Translation is In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver Isaiah 2.20 and his idols of gold which they made each one for himself to worship to the moles to the bats Or at that day shall a man cast away his silver idols and and his golden idols which they had made themselves to worship them to the moles and to the batts as another Translation is That is Exposition They shall cast them into most vile and filthy places when they perceive that they are not able to help them as the exposition is To go into the clefts of the rocks Isai 2.20 21. and into the tops of the ragged rocks for fear of the Lord and for the glory of his majesty when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth And they shall say to the mountains Cover us and to the hills Hosea 10.8 Fall on us Then shall they begin to say to the mountains Fall on us and to the hills Luke 23.30 Cover us And the kings of the earth Rev. 6.15 16. and the great men and the rich men and the chief captains and the mighty men and every bond-man and every freeman hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains and said to the mountains and rocks Fall on us And hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb For the great day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand And in those dayes shall men seek death and shall not find it and shall desire to dye and death shall flee from them Riches Prov. 11.4 profit or avail not in the day of wrath but righteousnesse delivereth from death Trust not in wicked riches Ecclus 5.8 for they shall not help or profit thee in the day of punishment or vengeance Wo unto you that desire the day of the Lord Amos 5.18 to what end is it for you the day of the Lord is darknesse and not light Or what have you to do with it as another Translation is Thus he speaketh because the wicked and hypocrites said they were content to abide Gods Iudgements whereas the godly tremble and fear as the exposition is As if a man did flee from a lion Amos 5.19 20. and a bear met him or went into the house and leaned hard on the wall and a serpent bit him Shall not the day of the Lord be darknesse and not light even very dark and no brightnesse in it Or and no light in it as another Translation is Behold 1 Cor. 15.51 I shew you a mystery or a secret thing we shall not all sleep but we shall all be changed when the Lord cometh to Iudgement some of the saints shall be alive whom he will change even as if they were dead so that this change is instead of death to them as the Exposition is Exposition For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout 1 Thess 4.16 17. with the voice of the Archangel and with the Trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Meaning them which shall be found alive as the exposition is In this sudden taking up Exposition there shall be a kind of mutation of the qualities of our bodies which shall be as a kind of death as the exposition is And it shall be said in that day Lo Isaiah 25.9 this is our God we have waited for him and he will save us This is the Lord we have waited for him we will be glad and rejoyce in his salvation In a moment 1 Cor. 15.52 in the twinckling of an eye at the last trump or trumpet for the trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed For this corruptible must put on incorruption 1 Cor. 15.53 and this mortall must put on immortality I will ransome them from the power of the grave Hosea 13.14 I will redeem them from death O death I will be thy plagues O grave I will be thy destruction Meaning Exposition that no power shall resist God when he will deliver his but even in death he will give them life as the exposition is Therefore be ye ready Matth. 24.44 for in such an hour as you think not the son of man cometh or will come Ye that put farr away the evil day Amos 6.3 and cause the seat of violence to come near
even all our actions words and thoughts not only which in darkness but also the abscondita tenebrarū even the very hidden and secret things of darknesse shall be then clearly manifested Gods books shall then be laid open as appeareth Revelation 20.12 Rev. 20.12 The severall books of God The book of his knowledge and the book of our own consciences and the book of his covenant they shall all be then laid open by which all our words actions and thoughts shall be laid open before us And then our only appeal will be to the book of the covenant or of Gods mercy in and through Christ Jesus And this may serve for an Answer to an Objection how our thoughts should then be manifested Again a reason of the necessity of the second Judgement when the righteous shall not onely receive the sentence of joy of Come ye blessed c. but of praise likewise Well done good and faithfull servant And the wicked shall not onely then receive the sentence of torment of Go ye cursed c. but also of shame as bad as the torment And so to this end That the praise with the joy of the righteous and the shame with the torment of the wicked might be both manifested for this end a second Iudgement must be As touching this day of Iudgement Use fro similitude drawn from thunder and applied to the day of Judgement it is observed That as thunder strikeing one being asleep killeth him leaving his eyes open but those it striketh waking it killeth them leaving their eyes shut even so in the day of Iudgment those which are then found securely sleeping in their sins and in the pleasures of this world they shall then have their naturall life taken from them that is by sentence and Iudgement pronounced against them they shall be cast into Hell fire yet with their eyes open that is They shall perpetually see feel and enjoy the endlesse torments of hell fire But those contrariwise which are then found waking that is those elect children of God continually expecting the same being alwaies ready and prepared with oyl in their lamps the oyl of faith to attend the bridegroom at his coming evermore rejoycing at the expectation of the last sound of the trumpet those I say although they be deprived of this their naturall life yet they shall have their eyes shut that is They shall be for ever freed from those perpetuall Hell torments pronounced against the wicked of Go ye cursed c. but shall contrariwise perpetually enjoy endless joy happiness Next as touching the Iudge before whom we must appear being Christ our Saviour For as he came first in humility to be judged so then shall he come triumphing in his glory to be a Iudge both of quick and dead And then shall they which were his judges and executioners behold him in all his glory who despised him in his humility and they shall then be all judged by him St. Augustin Of Christs coming to Judgment the manner how And as St. Augustin observeth Veniet Judicaturus Christus eadem carne qua judicatus sed non eadem infirmitate carnis Christ our Saviour shall come to Iudge the world in the last day in the same flesh as he himself was judged but not in the same infirmity of the flesh From hence Objection Why Christ shall come to Judge the world an Objection may be made why Christ the second person in the Trinity rather than the Father or the Holy Ghost shall come in Iudgement at the last day Resp The Answer hereunto is this First For the comfort of the faithfull and elect children of God That he which suffered for them being flesh of their flesh and bone of their bone shall come in the end to be their Iudge And so by way of Simillitude Similitude as Joseph making himself known to his brethren saying to them I am Joseph your brother whom ye sold This was a very comfortable saying to them being in great fear and especially unto Benjamin his beloved brother even so it is with us in Christ his coming to be then our Iudge being also our Saviour and Redeemer Secondly For the greater torment and terrifying to the wicked his executioners saying to them I am he whom ye tortured and crucified and so that he which they had so judged might be their Iudge and they might be judged by him Thirdly That as they had been unjust Iudges in their condemning of him so he might sit in Iudgement pronouncing the just sentence of condemnation against them The reason why God the Father hath given all Iudgement unto his son is this that he might be honoured of all as he is honoured and so to come at the last day to sit in Iudgement It appeareth in Matthew 25.33 Mat. 25.33 34. That there is and then shall be a twofold Iudgement that is to say First Judicium separationis vers 33. the Iudgement of separation for the righteous and Secondly Judicium condemnationis the Iudgement of condemnation vers 34. for the wicked God hath right unto us by Creation the Devil by usurpation and by his seducing of us And Christ our Saviour to loose us out of the hands and bonds of the devil he hath right unto us by purchase and redemption and that by the shedding of his own most precious bloud for us Object Hence an Objection may be made That Christ is not then to be the sole and onely Iudge seeing that in one of the Psalms it is said that the Saints shall judge the earth Dan. 7.22 and so in Daniel 7.22 And Judgement was given to the Saints of the most High Answ The answer hereunto is this That the Saints may then be Iudices aggravantes amplifying Judices aggravantes the Saints and enforcing the matter against us and righteous men may be Iudices approbantes Judices approbantes the righteous approving of the Iudgement of the wicked and the Apostles they are Iudices assistentes Judices assistentes the Apostles Matt. 19.28 assisting of Christ in his Iudgment And though it be said Matth. 19.28 And Iesus said unto his Apostles Ye shall sit upon twelve thrones and Iudge the twelve tribes of Israel this is not to have a literall construction but was spoken by way of similitude Propter similitudinem Judicii dicuntur Judicare quia post corum separationem sedentur cum Christo in throno suo per eos Iudicia sua approbantur laetantur in illis and so interpretativè Quia consentire ad cum facere interpretantur ipsi facere sic sunt coadjutores cum illo in Iudiciis suis For the likenesse and similitude of his Iudgement and by way of interpretation they are said to Iudge because that after their separation they shall sit with Christ in his throne and by them his Iudgements shall be approved of and they shall rejoyce in them and so by way of interpretation because they do consent agree and approve of the Iudgement of Christ for this cause they are said to Iudge and so they are Coadjutors with him in his Iudgements and not otherwise are these words to be taken Christus Iudex Iudicans But Christ alone shall be then Iudex Iudicans he onely shall pronounce the Iudgement and sentence and this appeareth Matth. 25.31 32 33 34. Mat. 25.31 32 33 34. The righteous come not into that Iudgement of condemnation but into that of dissolution or separation The use of all this is The use of all That seeing it is certain that there will be a second Iudgement and that we all must of necessity whether we will or no appear then before the throne of Christ Let us therefore not onely leave off to mind the world and worldly things but let us have all our thoughts affections and desires mounted and elevated up to heaven and there let us settle all our affections and so let us live here in this world that when at the last we shall be summoned by death and then by the Angels to appear before the Tribunall throne of Christ let us so lead our lives here that when we shall appear we may there for ever remain and have the full fruition of everlasting joy and happinesse and not be thrust out amongst the number of those which shall then receive this fearfull doom and sentence of Go ye cursed into everlasting fire Matth. 25.41 Matt. 25.41 But that we may be then embraced with the arms of grace and mercy and may be and remain amongst the number of those which shall receive the happy and joyfull sentence Matth. 25.34 of Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the kingdome prepared for you Matth. 25.34 And then by way of Exhortation he advised all to be carefull and diligent in their due preparation for this last day in regard that morte nihil certius tempore mortis nihil incertius nothing is more certain than death and nothing more uncertain than the time when or the manner how we shall die and the rather ought we for to be carefull in the whole course of our lives in regard that all our actions are registred For there is the book of Gods knowledge in which book there is registred all our proceedings in our sins whether the same be through infirmity wittingly or willingly Nay therein is likewise recorded all our sighs and grones for our sins And the book of our own Consciences shall be then laid open which is now shut and we do here labour by all the means we can through our own obstinacy and rebellion to keep the same still shut but then in despite of us it shall be laid open before us The due consideration hereof ought to make us the more wary and carefull of all our actions and seriously to think of Solomons advise in Ecclesiastes 11.9 Rejoyce O young man Eccles 11.9 in thy youth and let thy heart chear thee in the dayes of thy youth and walk in the wayes of thy heart and in the sight of thy eyes But know then that for all these things God will bring thee into Iudgement And so he concluded with this Rule to be by all observed that is Do violence to none accuse no man unjustly and be content with thy wages Fear God and keep his commandements this is the whole duty of man Ecclesiastes 12.13 Eccles 12.13 FINIS