Linguistic DNA - Concept Modelling Demonstrator

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
life_n	death_n	sin_n	sin_v	6,726	5	9.1768	5	false

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A08812	Meditations of death wherein a Christian is taught how to remember and prepare for his latter end: by the late able & faithfull minister of the Gospel, Iohn Paget.	Paget, John, d. 1640.; Paget, Robert.	1639 (1639)	STC 19099; ESTC S113906	110,470	273

Six speciall degrees of mortification 1. In severall passions of the minde troubled at the apprehension of sinne 2. In resisting refraining of sinfull actions 3. of wicked purposes 4. tickling desires 5. wandring imaginations 6. habituall concupiscence b The sayd acts of mortification like so many battels in our spirituall warfare as many parts of that contrition which is acceptable unto God hath the promises c The example of David mortifying sinne in each of the particulars afore named d The chiefe evils of sinne that are to be mortifyed The lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes the pride of life e By these Satan workes his temptations by the mortifying of these he is conquered as it is shewed in the examples of Adam f Christ g Antichrist HAving heard of the love of God which is the spring of life of the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ who is the way unto that life it remaines that we seeke the communion of the H. Spirit as the conclusion of our comfort for the assurance of that life 2. Cor. 13.14 Hereby we know that we have fellowship with God that he abideth in us because he hath given us of his Spirit 1. Ioh. 3.24 shall be comforted Matt. 5.4 II. After this followes an other degree of Mortification whereby the faithfull according to the measure of grace given doe turne from the practise of sinne which they have bewayled They doe not live any longer therein Rom. 6.2 they cease to doe evill Esa 1.16 and eschew evill Iob 1.1.8 they forsake their owne wayes and courses and breake of their sinnes Esa 55.7 and refraine their feet from every evill way Psalm 119.101 By this resisting of wicked actions men are sayd to mortify or kill the deeds of the body and thereupon is life promised unto them Rom. 8.13 They therefore that love life everlasting must every day die this death also in casting off the workes of darkenes Though it be a death to the flesh to leave them yet must this death also be undergone els is there no hope of life no assurance that God dwelleth in us by his Spirit III. An other death of the old man is when not onely the outward act of sinne but the will and purpose of sinning is mortifyed The will of the flesh and the will of man is noted as a thing opposite to God and his Spirit procuring his wrath making men the children of wrath Ioh. 1.13 Eph. 2.3 1. Pet. 4. 2.3 and many that want the power to performe many evils doe not yet want the will thereunto and therefore this will is to be mortifyed If he that had no staine in his will could yet say unto his Father Not as I vvill but as thou vvilt Not my will but thy will be done Matt. 26.39 Luk. 22.42 and againe I seek not mine owne will but the will of him that sent me Iohn 5.30 6.38 how much more should we make it our dayly exercise to break our owne corrupt willes to cast away our owne purposes and to wait on God all the day long saying and praying continually Not my will but thy will be done At the first act of Pauls conversion so soone as Christ was made knowne unto him we see this mortification of his will which he renounced resigning himselfe to the will of God sayd Lord vvhat vvilt thou that I doe Act. 9.6 When the will is thus mortifyed though men doe sometimes the things that they would not yet then is this comfort afforded it is no more they that doe it but sinne that dwelleth in them Rom. 7 15.16.17.19-20 It shall not be imputed unto them IV. Besides this it comes to passe many times that when the will is subdued restrained from some evill yet the affections are not mortifyed though a sinner in the purpose of his will will not consent to the practise of some evill yet the heart is tickled with delight therein and could wish it were lawfull and it is a paine unto them that they may not consent to seek it This evill concupiscence lust of the heart these affections of the flesh are distinctly condemned we are commanded to mortify to avoyd such inordinate passions even as they are lusts though consent of the will be not with them Gal. 5.24 Coll. 3.5 Rom. 7.5 Exo. 20.17 In the killing abandoning of these lusts the faithfull endure many deathes from day to day the acts of Mortification are multiplyed according to the strength of the spirit ministred unto them V. Againe the minde of man is dayly annoyed pestred with evill thoughts wandring imaginations arising partly from the flesh partly from the suggestion of Satan and these though they neither be delighted in nor approoved of yet the very entertainment of them and their residence in the minde though for a short while doth pollute the soule with sinne For God requireth the whole soule and the whole minde with all the strength thereof Deut. 6.5 Luk. 10.27 he requireth a pure heart free from all stragling conceits Matt. 5.8 Our eyes should ever be towards the Lord his glory Psal 25.15 Lots wife for looking backward was smitten of God and turned into a pillar of salt Gen. 19.17.26 though more evill might be in her minde yet that very look alone being forbidden of God made her culpable and so for a side look unto vanity when the eye of the minde rolles up and downe we become guilty of condemnation These idle thoughts take up the place in the soule even the seat wherein God should sit and while they keepe out the thought of God though but for a moment they are in that respect condemnable And therefore these motions of the minde are to be resisted repelled mortifyed As Abraham hushed away the foules that came downe upon his sacrifice Gen. 15.11 so are these flying thoughts to be dispelled and driven away from our mindes God requireth that the wicked should forsake his imaginations Esa 55.7 God would have his children to cast downe imaginations and to bring every thought captive unto the obedience of Christ 2. Cor. 10.5 which cannot fully and perfectly be done without this mortification of them By mortification of them the heart is purged then the promise of mercy multiplyed Iam. 4.8 VI. Lastly the faithfull doe yet in a further degree die unto sinne when as that habituall concupiscence which is the seedplot and root of all other sinnes is mortifyed and subdued within them For besides all the motions affections and other fruits of sinne before noted there is in man a corrupt disposition whereby he is enclined to all evill This disposition pronenes to sinne considered apart from the fruits thereof is condemned in the Scripture is called the old man the body of sin the law of sin the law of the members Rom. 6.6 Eph. 4.22 Col. 3.2 Rom. 7.23 it is called the flesh which lusteth against the spirit

wisedome power goodnes of God shining in his creatures even the least of them the many profitable lessons which may be learned from them whereabout he had many singular observations and secondly the blessed condition of the Saints glorifyed touching which he had many divine and heavenly speculations towards his end spake so effectually of these things what appertaines thereunto that to them that were with him he seemed to be in heaven already insomuch as they wished themselves in the same way wherein he was carried on so cheerfully His sufficiency abilities for the worke of the ministery wherein he laboured above fourty yeares how mighty he was in the Scriptures how skilfully profound in expounding difficult places applying them to the benefit of soules with what evidence and power his preaching wrought into the consciences of his hearers how cleerly and fully he could refute convince an adversary of the trueth how prudent and judicious he was in mannaging Church affaires giving counsel advise in weighty businesses these the like pearles shining in that crowne of pastorall endowments wherewith he was qualifyed above many others are abundantly testifyed by those that have bene most interessed therein doe in great measure appeare in what is here and elswhere published may be in like manner further manifested as occasion serves if need were could be confirmed by the testimonies of the learnedest of our age For other maine helpes whereby men are fitted for the ministery his skill was rare in the languages that conduce unto the understanding of the Originall text of the Scriptures the severall interpreters thereof Besides what is ordinarily required in this kinde he could to good purpose with much ease make use of the Chaldean Syriack Rabbinicall Thalmudicall Arabick Persian versions commentaries Now whereas the station which God had appointed unto him was for the chiefe latter part of his time at Amsterdam yet as the godly learned have professed none hath more soundly oppugned that insolent sect for which that place hath bene so much reproached by many in our native country Witnesse his Arrow against the Separation of the Brownists which yet stickes in the sides heart of their cause though some impeniteÌ„t of their Schisme gnaw their tongues and cease not to blaspheme the Churches of Christ If he had bene as forward to send forth what he had done in those controversies as they are to trouble the presse with their pamphlets the world had seen at least thrice so much as it hath already of his paines in this kinde As for the unhappy differences raysed of later yeares in about the Church committed to his charge what ever some have deemed they that have bene rightly informed and impartially weighed what hath bene done have approoved his wisedome faithfulnes uprightnes in the whole carriage of those businesses We that have in great part bene privy to his retiredest thoughts demeanour at those times have had assured evidence of the integrity of his heart therein which he hath also witnessed unto the end For the controversies themselves God hath therein greatly pleaded his cause sundry wayes both at the very time of their rising since especially And as opportunity shall require others may in due time behold what he hath done in defence of himselfe the trueth against that which is published by others But of those and the like his paines in their season now somewhat must be sayd of this Treatise which is here put into thy hands It containes the summe of that which was delivered in divers sermoÌ„s to his owne flock in the yeare 1628. At the same time it was penned in such manner as we found it after his decease Divers passages especially towards the end were reserved for second thoughts when he might returne to a further survey Though he had bene often importuned by others to publish these his Meditations yet partly by his owne slownes to come abroad in that manner partly by the urgency of other occasions their desires could not then take place But being moved againe when his end drew neere his weaknes would not suffer him to review it and perfect what was wanting he was content I should set it forth in such manner as I could Albeit I have had some trouble in bringing together what was scatteredly set downe in some places extending into plaine words what was left in concise notes and short intimations yet I have purposely avoyded the adding of any thing that was not in the Authors Manuscripts though I should leave some abruptnes in the discourse and harshnes in the phrase I have onely adventured to set downe the contents at the beginning of every Chapter so as thou mayest with ease possesse thy minde with the whole matter of it readily turne unto what thou desirest I need not here discourse of the excellency usefulnes of this Treatise When thou hast read it attentively without prejudice then judge whether the matter intended be not carried along with all soundnes of judgement and demonstration of the spirit of life power whether here be not pithily comprised the summe of what the Scriptures afford of life death whether most poynts of Christian Religion be not here illustrated with some singular observations and in a word whether the whole doe not argue that he was a Scribe excellently instructed unto the kingdome of God The God of all grace glory make thee wise in closing thy thoughts with these Meditations happy in the enjoyment of that blessed end unto which they give directions Thine in the Lord R. PAGET The order observed in this Treatise The first part declareth How God calleth men to Remember Death in generall by the memorials of it in Gods shortening the dayes of man Cha. I. pa. 1 Persons times places of all sorts Cha. II. pa. 18 Man himself what appertaines to him Cha. III. pa. 44 The approch of death about the dead Cha IV. pa. 72 Particularly the death latter end of the Godly the happines of their condition Cha. V. pa. 93 compared with the primitive estate of the old world Cha. VI. pa. 112 Vngodly their woefull wretched end Cha. VII pa. 154 beheld in the visible memorials of Hell Cha. VIII pa. 188 The second part prepareth for death by Generall instructions touching Life and happines the Well fountaine of it in God Cha. I. pa. 229 Sure onely way unto it by Christ Cha. II. pa. 269 The motions of grace in the exercise of Mortification the Nature acts enemies of it Cha. III. pa. 303 Meanes whereby it is wrought Inward the Spirit of grace Cha. IV. pa. 326 Outward the Ordinances Workes of God Cha. V. pa. 349 VivificatioÌ„ the nature working of it Cha. VI. pa. 377 Particular directions concerning Peculiar preparatives unto death Cha. VII pa. 395 The feare of death helpes against it Cha. VIII

pa. 413 Meditations of Death THE FIRST PART Of the remembrance of Death CHAP. I. How God calleth men to remember Death How God is sayd to wish the efficacy of this wish a Three Songs of Moses the arguments of them to reach men their end b in Paradise man called to remember death before in after the fall c The dayes of man shortened by halves at foure severall times d Why since Moses his time they continue at a stay e The multitude of violent untimely deaths in the old world the middle world this last age of the world O That they were wise that they understood this that they would consider their latter end Deu. 32.29 O what love and tender mercies doth the blessed God declare in this affectionate speech concerning miserable man Though to speake properly God be without affections passions for whatsorver he willes in heaven or in earth that he doth that he hath Psal 115.3 1. Chro. 29. 11. he needs not wish for any thing he wants yet to shew us what we most waÌ„t what we should chiefly wish for what most pleaseth him in us he speakes as men according to their sense capacity He useth a passionate phrase of longing wishing which in propriety of speech agrees not with the Deity to shew there is an unspeakable matter in it which proper words cannot expresse to our understanding and therefore stooping downe unto us and as it were putting on our humanity speakes after the manner of men propoundes his wish to shew thereby what is principally to be wished for and what men would desire if they had the minde of God Looke what respect God shewes for the keeping of all his Commandements by wishing men had a heart to observe them alwayes Deut. 5.29 such respect he sheweth by the like wish expresseth for the remembrance of their latter end as being the way meanes to bring them to a more diligent observation of them all He sayth not simply Oh that they would thinke on their end but withall he sheweth their wisedome happines if they hearken by wishing that they vvere wise to doe it And by such an argument of comming to be accounted wise in the sight of God men he labours to draw his people even unto all obedience Deut. 4.6.7.8 Neither is the Lord content to speake once but doubling trebling his words with a loud voyce he calles them to be wise to understand to consider as if he had sayd be wise be wise be wise remember remember remember your latter end As the sheet was thrise let downe from heaven to shew the vision more plainly to imprint it more deeply in the minde of Peter Act. 10 16. so is the call of God inculcate upon Israel in this place Neither is the act onely but the object of this consideration is likewise repeated and poynted at by the finger of God with a double demonstrative even this their latter end a Three speciall Songs were written by Moses the man of God The maine argument of each of them is a remembrance of the latter end The first at the red sea entring into the wildernes shewes the latter end of their enemies both from whence they came Pharaoh the Egyptians perishing in the waters to whome they went the Canaanites others melting away for feare with the latter end of Jsrael to be planted in the mountaine of Gods inheritance Exod. 15. 1-20 And this triumphant Song was heard againe from heaven sung by them that had got the victory of the beast whereunto the remembrance of our end may bring us also to rejoyce among theÌ„ that have the harpes of God Rev. 15.1.2.3 The second Song shewes the vaine estate of all the shortnes of this present life how they hasten to their end that all might number their dayes apply their hearts to wisedome Psal 90. This is probably supposed to have bene written when Israel being come to the borders of Canaan for their murmuring were turned back againe into the wildernes till their carcasses were fallen their dayes consumed by the wrath of God Numb 13. 14. This third last was Moses Swan-song spoken written that selfe same day that he was commanded to goe up dye in the mount Nebo for his farewell when he had one foot in the wildernes an other in heaven Deu. 32.48.49 â—0 and is by many arguments commended unto us both before it was set downe Deut. 31 14-30 and in the preface Chap. 32.1.2 and after at the conclusion of it vers 46.47 And yet above all the sentences of this Song this streyne especially that calles us to the remembrance of our latter end is commeÌ„ded unto us by the most earnest wish of God himself And therefore if either the wish of God and such a wish as is made for keeping all the commandemeÌ„ts together or if the finding of true wisedome or if so many repetitions like so many knockes of the Lord upon our breast be of any regard in our eyes let us hereby conceive our owne blindenes negligence in this poynt let us awaken at this loud call and double treble our care in the remembrance of our latter end to finde that comfort which the Lord sees is to be gotten thereby b If we had no other call such a divine wish might suffice to make us remember our end And what godly heart would not answer to this call say Lord it is enough I will never ceasse to thinke of my end Yet the Lord sees it is not enough and therefore besides this his wish he calles againe an hundred wayes by his word his workes his ordinances proclaimes this lesson Remember your latter end And first of all Man was called of God even in paradise to remember his end before the fall Death was set before his eyes in the Tree of Death as well as life in the Tree of life Gen. 2.17 The first day he was called to thinke on the last day So soone as sinne was forbidden death was shewed before it was to keepe from sinne the tree of death was a visible frontlet hung before the eyes of man to preserve him in the feare of God Jf in the state of innocency a law of mortality was made and a memoriall of death was needfull before it came how much more in the state of corruption when death is come into the world walkes on every side have we need now to remember it to watch In the fall while Evah yet stood she resisted the temptation by remembring of the death that was threatned Gen. 3.3 but when the serpent insisted removed the remeÌ„braÌ„ce of death out of her minde then she fell The voyce of the serpent was Ye shall not surely dye vers 4. they remembred not their latter end came downe wonderfully So the very fall it selfe being on this manner serves for an other Call to

warne every one that would stand in the evill day never to forget their latter end After the fall then God calles againe by a Sentence of mortality which he pronounced on man Dust thou art to dust thou shalt returne Gen. 3.19 to make men with new care to thinke upon death And this was a generall day of judgment in the beginning of the world as there shall be an other Generall judgment in the end of the world Then were we all in Adam Evah presented before the Tribunall judgment-seat of God receyved the sentence of the first death universally pronounced upon all men righteous or unrighteous elect or reprobate as there shal be a sentence of second death pronounced on the reprobate at last After this Sentence the Lord calles againe by the execution thereof from time to time while death being entred into the world reignes among men devouring all bringing all to dust yet so that the execution of this Sentence is revealed in manifold diverse degrees according to the great patience long their language but cut of their dayes from foure or five hundred to two hundred od yeares Gen. 11 18-32 And so with the ruine of Babel the life of man was ruinated The lofty tower of mans age that before ascended to so great an height by the steps of so many yeares was now throwne downe made lower by the halfe The noyse crash of this downefall sounded through many generations from Peleg to Terah warning all to be more watchfull because the execution of this sentence of death with double speed was brought upon them After this in the time of Abraham the generations following from two hundred od we finde the yeares of the Patriarkes brought to an hundred od Gen. 25.7 35.28 47.28 c. So was the reprive of man shortned againe And wheÌ„ the Lord called Abraham his seed into his covenant he withall called both him the world by a new summoÌ„s as by sound of trumpet to repentance amendment of life by remembrance of their latter end which now pressed upon them with double hast to that it had done And lastly in the time of Moses the Lord being provoked by a new rebellion did againe halfe the age of man reduced the number of his yeares to seventy or eighty Psal 90.10 Then was the execution of the Sentence of death hastned more then ever before thereby the Lord called them still calleth us to remember our end Lord let thy call be effectuall unto us bring our hearts to true wisedome establish thou the worke of our hands fill us with thy mercy in the morning that we may seeke thee early be glad in thee all our dayes d If God should once more have halfed the age of man as he did before then can we not conceive how the world should have subsisted If our dayes upon a new provocation had bene shortned from seventy to five thirty if weaknes of old age had prevayled as much upon us at thirty as now it doth at sixty if at fifteene yeares men should have bene at their full strength then have begun to decline as now many doe at thirty being then in the height vigour of their age how manifold defects in learning practising would theÌ„ have ensued what wisedome experience could men have learned in so short a time how could liberall or mechanicall arts sciences have bene learned or what continuance of streÌ„gth could have bene to have wrought exercised such trades sciences what a world of children old folkes yea what a world of fooles impotent persons should we have had though it be so already yet how much more then But the Lord will not conteÌ„d for ever though he be now provoked as much as ever before for the spirit would faile before him the soules that he hath made Esa 57.16 Therefore hath the terme of mans age continued at this stay from Moses to our time for about three thousand yeares together so as it was never settled in the former generations And therefore in speciall is this worke of God to be considered of us as being the last call warning of God in this kinde to make us remember our latter end Now though God doe not againe shorten halfe the dayes of man by such certaine determinate limits as formerly he hath done yet after another manner he doth not ceasse to cut them off prevent the course of nature for our warning as effectually as in the former judgemeÌ„ts For still the Lord being provoked by the wicked cutts them off before their time they are brought downe to the pit they live not out halfe their dayes Psal 55.23 the number of their moneths is cut off in the middest Iob 21.21 as the vine shakes off his unripe grape the olive his flower Iob 15.33 And not the wicked alone but the elect the beloved of God as Henoch Gen. 5.23.24 are also taken away in the midst of their dayes though sometime they live to seventy or eighty yeares come to their grave in a full age as a shock of corne commeth in in his season Iob 5.26 yet oft they are taken away before Esa 57.1 in infancy childhood youth middle age c. Vpon every step of life death waites and thousaÌ„ds are dayly translated on every yeare of mans life some the first yeare that they are borne some in the second some in the third so forward every yeare thousands ten thousands even to the last and so a thousand calles hereby we receyve from God to remember our latter end with greater hast e The multitude number of these uncertaine untimely deaths are innumerable We may observe it in three worlds The old world perished all together strong men with their women children were smitten with the sword of Ioshuah Ios 11.4 How many did the sword of Gideon of David other Kings of Israel devoure Who can recount how much flesh those foure beasts or Monarchies devoured Dan. 7.3 c. Not to speake more of the heathens what untimely deaths did overtake Israel their infants were drowned in Egypt Exo. 1.22 Six hundred thousaÌ„d of their carcasses fell in the wildernes And as the childreÌ„ especially were before destroyed in Egypt so now in the wildernes the meÌ„ especially A decree was made a bound set unto the murmurers that they which were tweÌ„ty yeares old should not live longer then sixty yeares accordingly for the rest whereas their childreÌ„ might live to seveÌ„ty or eighty yeares Num. 14 29-33 How many were slaine in the time of their Iudges Kings In Ahaz his time an hundred tweÌ„ty thousand valiant men were slaine in one day two hundred thousand captived 2. Chron. 28.6.8 In Ieroboams time five hundred thousand chosen men fell downe slaine at once 2. Chro. 13.17 And by innumerable such examples hath death

raigned raged in those times In this last age of the world violeÌ„t bloody deathes seeme to have abounded more then ever before both on Iew GeÌ„tile PagaÌ„ ChristiaÌ„ What destruction massacre from the beginning of the world unto that time might be coÌ„pared with that of the Iewes by the Romanes for the contempt of Christ his Gospell Mat. 24.21 How many rivers of ChristiaÌ„ blood have bene shed by Romane authority of Heathenish Emperours Antichristian Popes The Harlot drunkeÌ„ with the blood of the Saints is still blood-thirsty Rev. 17.6 The Kings of the earth drunkeÌ„ with the wine of her fornication do give their strength power unto her even to this day and are become her butchers to kill slay for her Rev. 17.2.13 Whereas there are foure beasts mentioned in Dan. 7.4.7 a lyon beare leopard monster with ten hornes the beast Rev. 13.1.2 is compounded of all foure so devoureth as many as all the former what should we speake of Turkes Tartares other Barbarous nations among whome by whome death reignes so stroÌ„gly Rev. 9.17 18. This all is well knowne but not well regarded In all this we have a cal froÌ„ God to remember our latter end But we have eyes see not eares yet heare not his call resist sinners by threatning death by executing death on malefactours Gen. 3.24 with Rom. 13.4 The Princes Iudges of the earth are as Angels of God set to keepe the garden watch the city of God to cut off the workers of wickednes Psal 101.8 and so become the messengers of death unto wicked men Prov. 16.14 Every IudgmeÌ„t Hall is the Tabernacle of death there Death dwelles there he oft shewes his terrible countenance from thence utters his voyce roares as a Lyon There be the monuments of death in many already dead in others threatned Every such place is a pillar of remembrance whereon Deaths name is engraven And if in time of peace the house of Iustice be such a monument of Death much more is the Campe in time of War as Hazarmaveth the Court of Death There Death displayes his banner the sound of Drumme Trumpet are the proclamations of death the Mounts Bulwarkes Batteries are the scaffolds where Death actes his part the Trenches Approches Galleries Mines are the vallies of the shadow of death and all the weapons warlike Engines are so many darts of death whereby the dead are multiplyed And seing by divine providence besides the many armies marching abroad in other countries the Camp is now preseÌ„tly so neere unto us in our borders by s' Hertogen-Bosch our duety is to observe this Alarum of death from theÌ„ce to hearken unto the speciall calling of God for remembrance of our latter end The Lords voyce cryes unto the City Heare the Rod who hath appointed it Mic. 6.9 and not onely to the City beseeged that it may shake off the yoke of Antichrist but unto us our cities that are within the souÌ„d that we may walke more worthy of Christ his Gospell which we professe He that regards not this call of God shall beare his iniquity b In the calling of Ministers we have an other Memoriall of death that many wayes Ministers are called of God to call others to remember their latter end And this is noted as a maine worke of their calling Esa 40.6.7.8 A voyce sayd Cry And he sayd what shall I cry All flesh is grasse all the goodlines thereof is as the flovver of the field The grasse withereth the flovver fadeth because the spirit of the Lord blovveth upon it surely drawing out shaking that sword against the breast of sinners by making life or death to be evermore the foot or burden of their song and the effect of all is they are the savour of life or the savour of death to all that heare them 2. Cor. 2.16 c And this which hitherto we have heard of Angels Magistrates Ministers is spoken of the good come we now to speake of the evill The Lord calles us as lowd by them to remember our end that we may gather good out of evill Evill angels what are they els but professed murderers murderers from the beginning going about as roaring lyons seeking whome they may devoure Ioh. 8.44 1. Pet. 5.8 They have power of death Heb. 2.14 dayly bring thousands to death of body soule for ever Wicked Magistrates persecuting rulers that compell men to Idolatry false religion force men to take the marke of the beast as also the false teachers blinde guides that bring in damnable errours even both these are like the servaÌ„ts that dance on the threshold fill their masters house with spoyle prey Zeph. 1 9. Both these are the blood-hounds of the Divell by which he hunteth soules Hos 5.1 Both these are as ranging beares ravenous woolves that wory yong old drive them into the slaughterhouse of Satan Prov. 28.15 Mat. 7.15 These help him dayly to thrust sinfull men into the ditch into the bottomles pit of Hell All these therefore are the Grand-champions standard-bearers of death have Death written in their foreheads The sight of these or the mention of them their enterprises should cause men with horrour to thinke of death And seing the world is full of these how many are the calles warnings that God by them gives us to thinke of death to stand upon our watch d As for the times severall also are the warnings which are thereby given us to remember our end sometimes by the red horse marching in our borders trotting galloping rushing into battell sometimes the pale horse ambling up downe in our streets Rev. 6.4.8 both warre pestilence bringing massacre upon massacre calamity upon calamity Ier. 9.21 Ezek. 7.25.26 are as so many proclamations of death in our eares sounding at some times more louder then other according as these judgments are more grievous universall Who doth not see the axe layd unto the root of the tree in these dayes both the bloody axe of warre black axe of pestilence in some times places continued in others threatned Besides time it selfe is a sythe an axe Night day are two axes at the root of our life when one is up the other is downe without rest every day a chip flyes away and every night a chip and so our bones ly scattered at the graves mouth as when one cutteth or heweth wood on the earth Psalm 141.7 Though every day giving us so manifold examples of death do thereby serve to put us in minde thereof yet in a speciall manner is the Sabbath-day set apart by the ordinance of God that on it we should consider the latter end of man That is the time especially when the voyce cryeth in the Congregation All flesh is grasse c. And therefore in the Psalme that is entitled

of the Sabbath Psa 92. title wherein the exercises of the Sabbath are described there God calleth teacheth his people to remeÌ„ber the latter ends both the end of all the workers of iniquity who though they spring as grasse flourish for a season shall yet in the end be destroyed perish for ever ibid. vers 7.9 and againe the latter end of the godly whose horne though it be abased to the dust for a while yet in the end shall be exalted like the horne of an unicorne their heads anoynted with fresh oyle c. vers 10. c. On the Sabbath therefore are we called of God to sit downe consider talke sing of our latter end and mutually to exhort and comfort ourselves with the remembrance of it e Now for the place where we live this whole world and every part thereof doth fitly represent unto us our transitory estate for the fashion of this world passeth away 1. Cor. 7.31 and we passe away with it The mooveable heavens that are above us are tossed and swong round about the world every day both the firmament of the fixed starres the spheres of the seveÌ„ planets one under another are rolled about with their manifold variety of motions The Sunne in the middest of them goeth forth as a giant to runne his race from one end of heaven to an other Psa 19.5.6 Eccl. 1.5 the circle of the earth which he dayly compasseth f And as the heavens so all under the heavens runnes on wheeles also The comets fiery meteores in the highest regioÌ„s of the ayre are caryed about the earth according to the motion of the Sunne The wind whirleth about continually returneth according to his circuits Eccl. 1.6 The waters of sea rivers run their courses as in a circle from land to sea from sea to their springs againe vers 7. the sea in it self is tossed up downe ebbing flowing according to the course of the Moone or violence of the windes The earth though it remaine in her station change not her place yet is it changed in estate more then the rest insomuch that God hath made the sundry rankes of the creatures therein to be so many mappes of mortality pictures of our vanity similitudes of our transitory estate that by the sight of ech of them he might call us to remeÌ„ber our latter end And which way so ever we turne us the monuments of our vanity are presented unto us of God g Stay we in the house sit by the fire side the sparkes that fly up are presently extinct Iob 18 5. 2. Sam. 14 7. the smoke that goes out of the chimney suddenly vanisheth Hos 13.3 the ashes that remaine are streightway cast out on the dunghill Iob. 13.12 Gen. 18.27 are ech of them appoynted of God to shew us what we are how soone we come to our end while he hath compared our lives to ech of these The candle that is set upon the table to give light unto them that are in the house is also ordained of God to represent our life that shines for a time untill it have coÌ„sumed our native moysture and then goeth out of it selfe Iob 18.6 And as we see the oyle of this lamp decaying the more are we to seek that oyle of grace that will not decay before the comming of the Bridegroome Matt. 25.4 The earthen pots wherein our meat is sod prepared at the fire the eartheÌ„ pots dishes out of which we eat drink at the table for preservation of our life are noted by the holy Ghost to be types and similitudes of our brittle fraile life Ier 19.1.11 Lam. 4.2 that so oft as we use them eat drink out of theÌ„ we might remember our end The shelfs or benches wheron women for ornament of their kitchin do set up these pots dishes are like faire pourtraiturs of humane fragility the whole houshold it self all the persons Esa 37.27 hath thereby bound them as in a bundle for a wholesome posie or nosegay that from thence we might learne to smell our mortality Go we forth againe from the garden into the corne-fields looke upon the corne every part of it by the roote that comes of seede which is not quickened except it dye God teacheth us to thinke of death to looke for death before true life be found 1. Cor. 15.36 Ioh 12.14 By the top of the eares of corne cut downe with sickles the Lord calles us to consider of Death by whose sickle we are all cut downe in like manner Iob 24.24 Rev. 14.15 By the stubble which is the middle of the stalke betwixt the roote the eare of corne as being a most vaine thing easily scattered by the winde Ier. 13.24 Esa 40.24 and devoured by fire whereunto it is reserved Ioel. 2.5 Esa 5.24 the vanity of man perishing as stubble is often described unto us And above the rest when the Lord calles sinners to thinke of their end he takes the light chaffe upon the graines of corne in the eare shewes that unto theÌ„ affirming that they also are but as chaffe before the whirlewind or the fire Psa 1.4 Iob 21.18 Esa 17.13 yea the multitude of them their princes as the chaffe of the summer threshing-floores where it most abouÌ„deth Da. 2.35 i From the lesser plants let us go to the greater from herbes to trees The trees of the orchyard those in speciall that were in election above others to reigne as kings over the rest Iudg. 9.8 c. are called of God to call us to think of our latter end In them by them the Lord teacheth us how we passe away as the vine shakes of his unripe grape as the olive casts of his flower Iob 15.33 as the figtree casteth her untimely figs being shaken of a mighty winde Rev. 6 13. as the bramble or thornes in the hedge of the orchyard greene or dry are taken away by force Psa 58.9 as the crackling of thornes under the pot a flash and presently out Eccl. 7.6 Psa 118.12 so is the life and glory of sinners suddenly at an end and these plants are memorialles thereof unto us From the trees of the orchyard proceed we on to the trees of the forrest and by the way consider the mists and morning cloudes above our heads and the morning dew under our feet both suddenly vanishing away Hose 13.3 by them the swift when she hasteth to the prey serves by the counsell of God herein to represeÌ„t the swiftnes of our dayes how we hast to our end to be a prey for the grave Iob 9.26 The Moth as little weake as the Eagle is great strong serves yet to teach us the same lesson as well as the king of birds Though the moth be so fraile that by touching it is coÌ„sumed the substaÌ„ce left behinde upon the fingers yet mortall meÌ„ are crushed before

state of mans owne person calling and condition calles him by the sight of himselfe to remember his latter end And first the Lord having made man of the dust of the earth Gen. 2.7 and thereupon after his fall shewed him his readines to return to dust Gen. 3.19 Eccl. 12.7 doth yet further call us to consider our frailety by ordaining that this house of clay is to be held upright by a puffe of the ayre continually breathed in and out and that this being stopt the house must presently fall downe Hereby our life hangs as it were loose before us going in and out every moment therefore is it called the breath of life Gen. 2.7 7.15.22 our life being carried in out upon the breath depending upon it And as God tyed life to our body by such a slender weake thread so he calles us oft to mark it think on it to remember our mortall estate by the breath of our nostrils so easily departing Esa 2.22 Psa 146.4 104.29 a An other fraile band of life like unto our breathing is the pulse which ariseth from the heart the arteries or beating veines this by a double motion of contraction dilatation whereby they are drawne in out both for the expelling of noxious fumes through the insensible pores of the flesh for the drawing in of coole ayre to refresh the heart to feed the vitall spirits From the variety of the pulse are taken many signes of health sicknes life death it is the character of our strength or weaknes are we provoked to watchfulnes And as in the necessity of food so in the quality thereof is our corruptible estate made evident unto us Our food before it come into the body is diversly prepared and the principall fruits for nourishment of man comfort of his life as corne wine figges the like are ripened made to grow more abundantly by the dung and excrements of beasts cast upon them Luke 13.8 from the juyce of the dung is the fatnes and sweetnes of the fruits increased And from hence is the strength of our corruptible life hence we may say to corruption Thou art my father As once the meat of the miserable Iewes in their distresse was prepared with dung Ezek. 4.12 13.15 so is our food dayly in the growth of it as it were seasoned baked and concocted with dung The earth accursed for our sinne is brought to this base condition that the fattest increase thereof is from excrements and it yeeldeth fruit unto the mouth of maÌ„ from the tayle of the beasts After it is in the body a great part of it by the alteration there is turned into corruption and receyved into divers lothsome sinkes and channels within the body till it be againe expelled By this perishing food Ioh. 6.27 God doth admonish us of our perishing estate shewes unto us that meats are for the belly and the belly for meats that he wlll destroy both it them 1. Cor. 6.13 Thus the staffe of our strength the very pillars of our life do carry in them the remembrance of destruction corruption for our warning c But this is not all Our food is not onely of corruption but we feed even of death it selfe that by the allowance of God Gen. 9.3 in taking away the life of other creatures to maintaine our owne especially in these last times when he hath said unto us of them all Rise kill eat Act. 10.13 Whatsoever is sold in the shaÌ„bles that eat asking no questioÌ„ for conscience sake 1 Cor. 10.25 herein we see death dayly preseÌ„ted to us set before us on our tables This is seriously to be thought upoÌ„ as a wonderfull work of God by the death of other creatures our life is preserved our living bodies are sustaind by their dead carcasses in their blood swimmes our life and from their pangs of death spring the pleasures of our life our feasts ordinary food As the savage CaÌ„niballes eat the flesh of men so we eat the flesh of beasts that that which any creature may serve to be a witnesse of for convincing of sinners that doth the Lord declare to be their cry a denunciation of woe from them Habac. 2.11 Iob. 31.38 Iam. 5.2.3 and in like manner that misery which the creature enthralled by sinne doth endure for man that doth the Apostle expressely call their groaning and travelling together in paine vvith us c. Rom. 8.22 These groanes cryes are then especially to sound in our eares while we are eating of them as the Hare newly taken cries in the mouth of the greyhound so should we be affected as if the same cry were made when we eat thereof have their flesh betwixt our teeth The Gentleman that sits at his table above in his dining chamber and was not present in the kitchin or butchery to see the execution the convulsions of death the sprinting gasping of the slaughtered creatures is yet by remembrance to represent the same and to make it present againe in his eating for eating burying of them in our bellies is more then killing of them a further meanes to strike the heart with thought of death procured for the eater Our stupidity blockishnes must needs be very great if we consider not this fearfull wonderfull providence of God and we shall be worse then the beasts themselves if we hearken not unto the call which God by them gives us to awaken us out of our security to make us remember our fraile condition d An other helpe to preserve our fraile bodies is our rayment and apparell which God hath given to cover and defend the body without as food within And from hence we have a double or treble memoriall of Death considering that our apparell was then first given unto us when by our sinne we first came into the state of death not before Gen. 2.25 with c. 3.7 And then when God first gave our garments unto us he tooke them out of Deaths wardrobe they being made with the death of the creatures from whence they were taken God made coates of skinnes for Adam his wife his posterity Gen. 3.21 Heb. 11.37 The skins of the poore creatures were pluckt over their eares torne from their backes to cover the shame of our skinnes to hide the nakednes of our hydes And what was sayd of Ioab in another case are swifter then a post Iob. 9.25 that we ride post as on dromedaries that runne by the way in all hast to their journeyes end And the travell that men have by sea in the most swift ships is mentioned of God to represent the swiftnes of our time that carries us night and day sleeping or waking to the haven of death Iob 9.26 And according to this wisedome of God and his example should men make right use of other trades and their labours therein to set

their latter end continually before their eyes thereby f As labour toyle in the day so sleep rest from labour in the night season is also a necessary help to preserve this mortall life This sleep is a lively image of death For in sleep men ly downe as dead men without sense and motion ceassing from their workes and taking no knowledge of the things that are done by others and therefore the holy Ghost often describeth death by the name of sleep or lying downe to sleepe Genes 47.30 Deuter. 31.16 1. King 2.10 Iob. 3.13 and ch 14.12 Psalm 76.5 Matt. 27.52 Iohn 11.11 Actes 7.60 1. Corinth 11.30 1. Thessal 4.13 By this marvellous work of God in breaking off the course of life and making Sleepe like an Half-death to invade us continually to come upon us like an unresistable Giant every day and to throw us downe and then by his manner of speech in calling death a Sleepe he calleth us by consideration of our sleepe to consider our death by the sight of our bed to remember our grave to looke upon it as a Tombe or Sepulchre every night before we goe into it to labour for reconciliation with God at the end of the day to seeke new sense of his love in Christ as we would doe at the end of our life that so we may lie downe sleep safely Had any man some speciall disease as of the falling sicknes Apoplexie Palsie Lethargie or the like terrible passion whereby at a certaine time of the day he should duely fall downe like a dead man and ly snorting at the gates of death for an houre or two untill the malignant humour were discussed and the force of the fit were over would we not thinke that man warned of God thereby to remember his end 7.8.9 but with the faythfull there is another remembrance of death by occasion of sinnes as comfortable to them as the former is terrible to the wicked For in sight of sinnes that greeve them they call to minde what shall quite free them from those sins and what is that but death Thereupon they set death before their eyes and are taught of God so to doe longing for their redemption and desiring to remoove out of the body which is by death Rom. 8.23 2. Cor. 5.8 And how many wayes then is death propounded unto us which way can we looke on the right hand or on the left before us or behinde us but every way the memorialles of death are before us Transgressions past sins present feares of the wicked desires of the godly all lead to the thought of death and to the remembrance of our latter end h Againe the afflictions sicknesses dangers wherein death is threatned unto men are likewise meanes of death and by them also we are called of God to remember our latter end It pleaseth God for the warning of secure men to bring men to the gates of death before they enter Psal 19.13 and though he bring them back againe yet is this done of God for a memoriall of death God brings men into such extremity that they make full account to die they receive the sentence of death in themselves despaire of life 2. Cor. 1.8.9 and are free among the dead in their owne and others judgement Psal 88.4.5 and this many times they are in deaths often 2. Corint 11.23 and such things God worketh oftentimes that men might renounce the world Iob. 33 22-29 and set their house in order their heart in order to die that being delivered they might then remember what thoughts desires what prayers purposes they had in their soules and recall them often for their preparation against the time of their finall departure out of this world Esa 38.1.15 c. As Iehosaphat having cryed out in the danger of death 2. Chron. 18.31 was bound to remember that very cry and disposition of his heart afterward so forasmuch as there is almost no man which hath not seene the face of Death and his dart shaken against him in being pale withered and wrinckled the shadow of death sitting upon their eye-lids and some in divers degrees betwixt both and especially in the sight of friends long absent and changed in that time we are called to thinke how the fashion of this world passeth away As the face so the stature of man growing up as a plant according to the divers measures and degrees of his growth appointed of God Psalm 144. 12. Luk. 1.80 and 2.52 is another testimony of his changeable estate even from the childe of a span long unto those that have their full growth Lam. 2.20 Though some be of low stature as Zaccheus Luke 19.3 and some againe higher then the common sort by the head as was Saul 1. Sam. 10.23.24 yet even in these compared with themselves the proportion of their growth is an evidence of their age to such as know them Though men being come to their full stature stand at a stay and loose not their stature by such degrees as they attained unto it in their youth yet many times we see in experience that crooked old age bowing downe their heads more more to the earthward they doe hereby after a sort loose their stature by degrees grow into the ground againe And thus the wheele of mans age visibly sensibly turning about according to the variation of his stature is another admonition to remember the latter end approching k Beside the face stature the Lord hath set sundry other markes upon the bodies of young and old for memorials of their time passing away at the changes of their age The younger people have the time of love described of God by divers markes and tokens thereof Ezech. 16.7.8 but especially old age hath the tokens of neere-approching death imprinted upon them whereby they are warned of God to prepare for it The decay of strength the decay of sense the decay of health are all forerunners of death and summon them to their end Through decay of strength the armes and hands the keepers of the house beginne to tremble Ecclesi 12.3 and the legges that are as pillars thereof do bow themselves and the help of a staffe as a third legge to rest on is sought of the aged person Zach. 8.4 and with that woodden legge at every step he goes he strikes upon the earth raps at the gate of the grave untill it be opened unto him By this weaknes death comes puts his manicles upon their hands his shackels upon their legges for remembrance of their end This weaknes is further signifyed by the ceassing of the grinders in the mill Eccles 12.3 both the upper the nether milstone which are called the life of man Deut. 24.6 These teeth fayling life begins to fayle From this weaknes the doores of the lips are shut without the sound of the grinding is low the voyce hoarse and so whether the old persons worke with

the Apostles time Act. 2.29 having bene preserved in the time of the Babylonian captivity even then when both city temple were destroyed with many the like These monuments are in Scripture called Memorialles Mnemeia Matth. 23.29 Iohn 11.38 and 19.41 and 20 1. by which whatsoever others intended the godly are taught to remember their latter end The garnished tombes and the sumptuous sepulchers are but so many scaffolds stages theaters of humane frailety and so many pulpits out of which our mortality is preached and all the common graves of the people are the coffers of death the sight whereof should teach us to lay up our treasure in heaven And thus though the touch of a grave defiled the body with a ceremoniall pollution in the time of the Law Numb 19.16 yet the sight of a grave may serve to cleanse the soule by a spirituall consideration of our end even as the sight of the Leviathan raised up did bring men to purify themselves fearing lest the whale might be their grave Iob. 41.25 with Iob 3.8 m The grave being prepared for the dead corps then men proceed with their may obtaine n Having bene at the grave performed the last duety to the person of the dead we then returne come from the dead to the living to the friends of the dead to mourne with them to comfort them and as the kinred speciall friends of old used to eat drink with them give them the cup of consolation Rom. 12.15 Ier. 16.7.8 Gen. 37.35 1. Chro. 7.22 Ioh. 11.19 and in this action we have an other call to remember our end While we minister consolation to others we are to take an exhortation to our selves The house of mourning is the schoole of mortification and therefore better to enter into it then into the house of feasting for there is the end of all men which the living will lay unto his heart so be made better in his heart by the consideration of the dead by the sadnes of the countenances waiting on that consideration Eccles 7.2.3.4 o When the comforters of them that mourne are departed from the mourning house gone every one to his owne yet still the friends of the dead even while they live on earth so often as they misse their friends departed want the help benefit which they were wont to enjoy from them so often are they called to remember death that makes such separatioÌ„s La. 4 18-20 The widowes orphanes desolate parents oppressed subjects scattered sheep that are deprived of their loving husbands parents children rulers pastours or any friend neighbour that misseth the company of an other are by this want called to remember both that death past which took away their friends that death to come which shall againe restore them bring them together 1. Thess 4.13.14 2. Sam. 12.23 And in this remembrance they are withal warned to make themselves ready for death not to be glewed unto this world from whence their comforts are taken away When the shepheard takes up the young lamb the ewe followes him of her selfe and needs no more calling or driving when the great shepheard of the sheep takes away the soules of young old of dearest friends from one another it is to make them runne after the Lord to long after his presence in whom they shall finde all more then all that ever they lost in this world So often as we thinke of a mother a father or other intire serve to make a deeper impressioÌ„ into the soule and to keep the memory of it self in the minde more then a thousand other memorials beside A strange thing it were if a man that were to be judged the next day of life death and to receive sentence eitheir of a most cruell shamefull death or of a rich honourable estate during his life if this man could not keep in minde the judgment approching untill the next morrow without tying stringes about his fingers for remembrance or writing some caveats upon the posts of the prison or procuring some watchmen to come every houre whispering in his eare to tell him of the danger imminent of life or death And as strange or more is it that these great maine matters of Eternall Salvation or Eternall Condemnation should not by their owne greatnes presse the heart of man with the weight thereof unto a continuall remembrance of them without other warnings when as we know not whether we shall have one dayes respite before they come a The last end of the godly is eternall life This life consists especially in fellowship with God the Saints By fellowship with God men come to see God Matt. 5.8 even to see him as he is 1. Ioh. 3.2 to see his face which living man was never able to see on earth Exo. 33.20 to see him before whom the glorious Seraphims doe cover their faces with their wings Esa 6.2 to see the holy Trinity the blessed Father Sonne H. Ghost clothed with the sacred robes of their severall beauty and majesty shining distinctly as the pure Iasper the carnation Sardine the greene Emerald Rev. 4.3 Then the Sonne will shew himselfe unto his elect Ioh. 14.21 and they shall see his glory Ioh. 17.24 and the Father shall be seene in him Ioh. 14.9.10 and with them both the seven Spirits which are before the throne even that one and the same Spirit enlightning with his sevenfold graces and gifts that bright sevenfold lamp of his Church Rev. 1.4 with 4.5 1. Cor. 12.11 With this vision shall the soule be satisfyed wheÌ„ they awake Psal 17.15 The pleasure of this surmounts the joy of all pleasant things seene by any eye If all the pleasure that all the most ardent lovers receyved at any or at all times from all the most beauteous amiable countenances of their dearest spouses fairest loves in the like promises Therefore is that end ever to be remeÌ„bred longed after TheÌ„ especially shal it appeare how the elect remaine as lambs in the bosome of the Lord their shepheard Esa 40.11 TheÌ„ will it be further revealed how God dwelleth in theÌ„ they in him 1. Ioh. 4.15.16 therefore need not feare being kept far off as meÌ„ on earth that were kept from the bodily presence of Christ being in the house because of the throÌ„g at the doore Mar. 2.2.4 The incomprehensible Lord filling heaven earth Ier. 23.24 is himself a house where they shall dwel and they a mansioÌ„ wherein he will make his abode Ioh. 14.23 By this heavenly conjunction cohabitation with God shall the elect be one even as the Father the Sonne are one Christ in them and the Father in him that they may be perfect in one Ioh. 17.22.23 This thrise blessed most glorious union is that greene bed of Christ his Spouse Sol. song 1.16 an eternall paradise of comfort and garden of pure delights Oh

of Christian life we are taught every day continually to remeÌ„ber this our latter end All dueties both of doing good through faith hope and love or of suffering evill for doing good through patience are so many memorials thereof The end of faith is the salvation of our soules which it beleeveth 1. Pet. 1.9 the object of hope is life eternall which it embraceth Tit. 1.2 3.7 2.13 the comfort of love is translation from death unto life whereof it assureth us 1. Ioh. 3.14.18.19 the reward of patience is rest in the kingdome of heaven and an eternall weight of glory which it looketh for Matth. 5 10-12 2. Cor. 4.17 And thus the comfort of this blessed end is ever carried in the eye of faith in the armes of hope in the bosome of love borne as it were upon the shoulders of patience And as all that is done by meÌ„ being well considered should bring this latter end to their remembraÌ„ce so all the works of speciall grace that are wrought by God for his children before this world in this world or after this world if we looke upoÌ„ them with a right eye they doe every one carry in them a remembrance of this glorious end provoke us to thinke thereof We cannot be assured of our election but we see it as a booke of life wherein we reade our happy end Phil. 4.3 and behold the kingdome prepared for us before the foundation of the world Mat. 25.34 We cannot rightly thinke of our calling unles we behold that marvellous light glory where unto we are called 1. Pet. 2.9 5.10 2. Pet. 1.3 We doe not conceive sufficiently the coÌ„fort of our justificatioÌ„ by faith uÌ„les eye on this end and for the joy that was set before him endured the crosse and finished his course the work committed unto him Heb. 12.2 Oh let us not breake the band that drew on Christ himselfe Oh forgive us Lord that we have bene so profane carnall to forget this end so often from henceforth keep it in our mindes fix it in our memories that it never slip away CHAP. VI. The latter end of the faithfull compared vvith the primitive estate of the old vvorld Of the communion which man had with God being created after his likenesse a The image of God in the soule though perfectly beautifull excellent b yet inferiour to the image of Christ in the faithfull the perfection perpetuity thereof in the world to come c The body at first though naked yet without shame pain erect upright in all the senses fitted for communion with God d but hereafter endued with more noble heavenly qualities spirituall transparent light agile ever vigilant in feeing communicating with God e The dominion over the creatures given at first illustrated by the remnants thereof yet apparent f not to be compared with that which shall be in regard of heaven earth all that is therein Of their mutuall fellowship with one another g Marriage the first band of society ground of all other to that end instituted honoured of God for their mutual comfort h yet nothing like the glorious bands of communion with Saints Angels in heaven i What blessed communion Adam Evah might have had with their posterity living to this day if neither had sinned k In a right line descendent viewing the long race of their progeny with great joy to themselves l and no lesse happines to their childreÌ„ who though living at greatest distance might then with ease abundance of comfort have visited them and communicated with them m In the collaterall line extended on each side to brethren sisters all rejoycing in one another in their loving easy pleasant visitations n Yet all this comes short of the heavenly communion in the world to come the love of Christ the manifold rivolets of sweet fellowship the free glorious motions in the kingdome of heaven THat we may the better comprehend that happy communion wherewith the latter end of the faythfull shall be glorifyed let us somewhile leave our speech of the world to come as also of this present world and let us looke back into the world that is gone past let us behold the glory that is lost that by the greatnes thereof first considered in it selfe then compared with this to come the glory hereof may more evidently appeare That we may the better observe the difference we are to set ourselves as it were in a middle gate betwixt two worlds the old and the new where we may have an open and free prospect into them both and from thence we are to cast a look first into the old world then into the new with one eye to behold the first paradise in Eden and with another the second paradise in the third heavens with one look to view the first Adam his gifts his children and with an other look to behold the second Adam Christ Iesus his gifts his children and so to compare the glory of their estates together In such a middle gate or tower of prospect into these two worlds the Prophets Apostles did often set themselves when they compared them together as appeareth in those texts Old things are past away behold all things are become new 2. Cor. 5.17 Behold I create new heavens a new earth and the former shall not be remembred nor come into my minde Esa 65.17 The first man Adam vvas made a living soule the last Adam vvas made a quickening spirit 1. Cor. 15.45 so v. 49. c. a The glory of the old world in the primitive estate thereof consisted also in a blessed fellowship with God and fellowship with men This blessed fellowship of God with man appeared first in that he communicated his image and similitude with man the beauty of which image shined especially in that wisedome holines righteousnes which God imprinted in the soule Gen. 1.26.27 with Eph. 4.24 Coll. 3.10 Eccl. 7.29 By that wisedome he knew God saw his glory by that holines he did cleave unto him embrace him with love reverence confidence and so in both communicated with God At the bestowing of this image each Person in the holy Trinity did work together each gave precious excellent gifts unto man for the beautifying of his soule with variety of graces such as might make him a lovely creature in whom the Lord himselfe might take delight Rev. 4.10.11 with Ioh. 1.3 Coll. 1.16 Iob 33.4 and therefore is the Trinity described consulting about this work Let us make man in our image after our likenes all are noted with the title of creatours or makers Eccl. 12.1 boreÃªcha Iob. 35.10 ghnosai As upon the losse of this image when Adam begate a sonne in his owne likenes Gen. 5.3 all hatefull ugly deformity of sin succeeded every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was onely evill continually Gen. 6.5 so

make a prey of our soules 1. Pet. 5.8 Wheresoever the Devill his angels be there is an Hell they being still at our right hand Hell is in a manner alwayes about us Zacch 3.1 So long as meÌ„ converse walke in this aire so long doe they remaine in that park or chase where the Devill with his hell-hounds is continually hunting of soules to bring them to a miserable end for ever which end therfore is dayly to be thought on that they may prevent the enimy escape the snares of the hunter by putting on the whole armour of God praying incessantly Eph. 6.13 1. Pet. 5.8 The Watry Element Sea is another gulfe of destruction wherein multitudes have bene are dayly drowned swallowed up The dragons of the deep and the manifold uncouth monsters of the sea doe well declare what hell is there the great Leviathan according to that strange description of him Iob 41. may well appeare as Beelzebub the prince of the devils in that hell And if Ionas being swallowed up of one of them did account himselfe in the belly of hell Ion. 2.2 then must there be many hells in one sea Yea the very torments of Hell which our Saviour endured for us are represented by the deep whereinto he was plunged by the waters that entred into his soule Psa 69.1.2.15 further the Abysse or bottomlesse pit whereby Hell is named Rev. 9.1 20.1 is the same word whereby the deep sea is commonly expressed And thus is Hell resembled set before the eyes of men both in the name nature of this destroying element of the water The Earth also being the common grave of all mankinde while they are dayly resolved turned unto dust becomes another insatiable gulfe to represent Hell As in Corahs time the earth opened her mouth swallowed many at once Num. 16.31.32.33 so doth it still every day the difference is onely in the manner that there it opened of it selfe here it is opened by the grave-maker Yea further the deep pits of mire clay in the earth are likewise chosen by the holy Ghost to expresse the descending of our Redeemer into Hell the sorrowes of the second death that he endured therein Psa 40.2 69.2 insomuch that many doe conteÌ„d that the proper place of Hell is within the earth which though we neither affirme nor deny but reprove their presumption which without warrant will peremptorily maintaine the same yet in the pits of this earth we have an hell resembled unto us even by the Spirit of God in the Scriptures And thus in every one of the elements there is a mouth of Hell gaping upon sinners to make them remember consider what shal be the latter end of the wicked b After the materiall parts of the world we are now to consider of the divers places thereof in respect of their different situation estate And here againe the memorials of Hell of the latter end of the ungodly are either such as be more peculiar for some particular nations among whom he hath set his signes and wonders as in Egypt in Israel in divers others Ier. 32.20 or such as be more common to the world to many nations therein Among other particular nations countries above them all as the head crowne of the earth let us in the first place looke upon Eden the paradise therein from whence man was banished for his sinne The Lord as he had at first even in the state of innocency planted a tree of forbidden fruit within the garden as a memoriall of death eveÌ„ of the second death consequently of an Hell provided for transgressours Gen. 2.9.17 so after the fall without the gardeÌ„ in the border thereof he placed there on the East side a flaming sword which turned every way to keepe the way of the tree of life Gen. 3.24 This flame of destruction was like another visible Hell in the eyes of Adam his posterity by the dayly sight whereof they were warned not to presume against the commandement of God as they had done This present fire was unto them a monument of that eternall fire which should consume the transgressours As David was afraid when he saw the Angel of the Lord stand betweene the earth and the heaven having a drawne sword in his hand stretched out over Ierusalem 1. Chron. 21.16.30 so the children of Adam here seing the fiery chariot of the Cherubims Ezek. 1.13.14 and the flaming sword brandished and shaken about the garden were taught to feare remember the latter end threatned to the presumptuous offendours over all whose heads there hangeth continually a sword of vengeance ready to fall upon them Iob 19.29 Ezek. 21.9.10 c From the country of Eden let us come to the land of Canaan another Eden the pleasant land Dan. 8.9 where God planted another paradise set the second Adam to dresse the same for his Church is the garden of God Cant. 4.12.16 And here in like manner God gave speciall warnings to Israel set his markes in the holy land more then in others both round about in the borders thereof within the land also In the borders on the East side along the coast of the tribe of Iudah God placed as it were a visible on sinners whose latter end was set before their eyes for a warning to avoyd the sinnes that kindle such wrath From the East border come we to the South which was the border of Edom. Iosh 15.1 Num. 34.3 this land of Edom or Idumea is propounded by the H. Ghost as another Hell visible to the eye of faith being considered in the curse which God denounced against the same that the rivers therof should be turned into pitch not to be quenched night nor day the smoak ascending for ever that it should be an habitation of dragons Satyres scritch-owles Zijm Jijm c. Esa 34.5.9.10.13.14 c. In that South coast was also the wildernes of Zin Maaleh-hacrabbim or the ascent of the Scorpions Kadesh-barnÃ©a Ios 15.1.3 Num. 34.3.4 by the sight of which places they were called to the remembrance of Gods judgments both by the fiery serpents scorpions in the great terrible wildernes Deut. 8.15 by their turning back from Kadesh when they were ready to have entred into the land Numb 14.25 Deut. 2.1 Their Westerne border was the great Sea the store-house of Gods judgements compared unto the great deep Psal 36.6 Their North coast was Lebanon Hermon Iosh 1.4 with 11.17 12.7 13.5.6 there were the dens of the lyons the mountaines of the Leopards Sol. song 4.8 which creatures the Lord useth as instruments of his wrath Ier. 5.6 with Dan. 7.3.4.6 by them the Lord describeth his owne anger against sinners Hos 13.7 so from every coast roared upon them by a flaming sword on every side called them to remeÌ„ber his judgmeÌ„ts d From

doe the Gobbelines resort the schrich-owles the night-raveÌ„s night-walkers together make a cage of uncleane birds When men passe by such houses they are to looke upon them as the very Types of Hell the dennes of destruction where many are dayly overthrowne They are as deep pits that swallow up soule body goods good name of their bewitched guests both health of body wealth of estate credit of name salvation of soule doe there consume perish together And therefore with many pluckes doth the Lord seeke to divert men from such places Enter not into the path of the vvicked goe not in the way of evill men Avoyd it passe not by it turne from it passe away Prov. 4.14.15 l From private houses come we to private particular persons to see how many Helles may be found among them If we looke upon Gods judgments for sinne we see some possessed with Devils persons that procure these judgements of God in them also there are many Hells to be seene Their thoughts their words their deeds practises doe represent the same unto us The large heart of man his capacious thoughts are like unto a huge vessel wide deep greater theÌ„ the whole Globe of the earth which caÌ„not fill the same The eye is not satisfyed with seeing nor the eare filled with hearing Eccles 1.8 Though a moate in the eye doe trouble it yet the world cannot fill it The reason is because the minde of man is an immeasurable gulfe the outward senses are but tunnels or conduits leading into it Immoderate desire whether it be the lust of the eyes the lust of the flesh or the pride of life is an insatiable whirlpoole that is still gaping devouring but never satisfyed Eccles 5.9.10 Hab. 2.5 Esa 56.11 The ignorance that is in the minde makes it to be as darke a dungeon as it is deep Eph 4.18 Matt. 6.23 wherein the thoughts doe blindely range roame up downe with pernicious wandrings The violence fervency of inordinate lust inflames the heart makes it to burne Rom. 1.27 like the bakers oven that is overheated till it burne as a flaming fire Hos 7.6.7 And to shew that the wicked heart is a more compleat Hell it is sayd that Satan enters into it Ioh. 13.27 filles the heart Act. 5.3 dwelles in it Matt. 12.45 reignes in it as a prince over his subjects Ioh. 14.30 or as a God over his people 2. Cor. 4.4 The mouth of a wicked man is like the mouth of Hell whiles the envy hatred lust that is kindled in the heart doth breake out in the words as it were flame out at the mouth The slanderous evill tongue is a fire is set on fire of Hell setteth on fire the whole course of nature Iam. 3.6 The body the whole person of wicked men is as it were the shop work-house of Satan wherein the uncleane spirits doe worke in the children of disobedience Eph. 2.2 all their members are the instruments tooles of the devils to worke all manner of sin unrighteousnes therewith Rom. 6.13.19 And now seeing the Lord hath set so many visions of Hell before us in this life whereby he calles men to remember the latter end let him that hath an eare to heare hearken to the call of God let him that hath an eye to see come open his ã€ˆâ€¦ã€‰ the godly would sometimes have him to be more severe He is more desirous of the salvation of them that are saved then they themselves AS God calles us many wayes to remember our latter end so the due remembrance of our end calles us to remember God the thought of death serves to urge admonish us of seeking the way of life True life is to be found with God alone He is the living God Iosh 3.10 Ier. 10.10 Hos 1.10 He giveth unto all life breath all things Act. 17.25 With him is the well of life Psa 36.9 From this well doe flow a thousand rivers of life of life naturall of life spirituall of life eternall in the heavens a With him is the fountaine of naturall vegetation the rivers of vegetative life are all propagated from him In every plaÌ„t in every least seed of tree or herb God hath planted a vitall juyce digged a welspring of life from which spring life floweth out flourisheth is spread abroad Gen. 1.11.12 Psa 104.14 the living things are multiplied according to their kinde in such unspeakable abundance that the increase thereof throughout the world might in few yeares serve to replenish an hundred worlds The seeds that one garden in one yeare affordeth are so many as might in short time serve to fill an hundred garden-plots while some one herb oft yeeldeth more then a thousand seedes at once So a thousand akehornes that fall from one Oake might serve to plant a whole grove of oakes The apples of some one tree yeeld more then a thousand kirnels therfore the kirnels together with the rootes graffes or shootes that one orchard affordeth in one yeare might well serve to be the seminary of an huÌ„dred more Thus have we yearely the matter of many worlds layd before us though more new worlds be not dayly formed yet the living God shewes us hereby how easily he could doe it The glory of this well of life is to be considered not onely in the abundance of life which gusheth out floweth from it but likewise in the excellency thereof while the living things the herbs fruits that are thence produced doe not onely live themselves but serve to sustaine uphold the life of other creatures both man beast both in the maine dayly Gen. 1.22.28 as by a seed of seeds hath multiplyed life as from a well of life hath made the streames of naturall life to flow forth with a continuall current of succession to runne freshly from the beginning of the world unto this day Hereby we see how the Lord powres life out of his treasure at his word life swimmes in the waters flyes in the aire walkes on the earth scralles in the dust turned into living creatures at his command Exo. â— 16.17 A cleare vision of this power of life that is in God is shewed unto us even in the least sort of creatures in the Bees the Flyes and in speciall in the manifold swarmes of innumerable Gnattes in summer-time suddainly produced in some countries as if they were so many drops of life flying abroad round about us as if the whole aire were dissolved into living creatures not onely living but all endued with a most lively life all nimble active mounting above our heads and every one of them carrying with them a Trumpet wherewith they humme aloud sound an Alarum to us to awaken us unto the praise of their Creatour the living God And because we are so

blinde dull to discerne acknowledge the living God the author of this life therefore they approach neere unto us bite us though it cost them their life for it they will have us by the face or hands sleeping or waking night day they will tast of our blood this by divine providence that by these little monitors we might be rowsed up out of our senseles behaviour to looke unto that welspring of life from whence they come Though these creatures be small contemptible in the eyes of many yet doe these small things carry in them the glorious evidences of the living God and as effectuall for our instruction as are to be found in the great Oxe Elephant or Leviathan Psa 104.25 Exo. 8.18.19 He that rayseth these living soules out of the ditches rotten ground sometimes maketh many of these lives to spring from one dead carcasse how easily can he rayse our dead bodies out of the grave restore one life to one body yea quickeÌ„ the soule from the mire of sinne He that longeth after life let him looke to this fountaine c Besides this ordinary flood of life flowing from that generall word com mall spirits with them the faculty both of sense motion over all To preserve our being he hath made the liver a fountaine of blood from thence drawne the veines dispersed them over the whole body to carry abroad the blood the naturall spirits therein to the nourishment of every part With these living threeds more precious then any golden wires theÌ„ fine twined linnen blue purple scarlet the ornaments of the Tabernacle hath God beautifyed the body of man which is also compared to a Tabernacle 2. Cor. 5.1.4 2. Pet. 1.13.14 With these feeling mooving nourishing strings hath the Lord covered embroydered curiously wrought the vaile of our flesh Psal 139.15 Iob 10.11 And each of these life-strings doth the living God still hold in his hand maintaining their faculties inspiring life quickening vertue into them And besides this in the very tunicles or coates of each of these hollow strings hath the Lord wrought a curious network woven together another sort of subtile threeds thousands of them more fine small then haires some of them drawne right along of an attractive power some round circular crossing the other with right angles of an expulsive vertue others drawne athwart both the other with oblique angles of a retentive faculty all for the service of life in great variety some draw some hold some drive out superfluities of nature all these held and upheld in their severall functions by the finger of God extending his quickening power unto every one of theÌ„ Neither are these particular streames and waves of the river of life flowing from God to be neglected of us the workes of God are to be sought out of all them that have pleasure therein Psal 111.2 Distinct knowledge and consideration hereof brings clearer comfort and it is great sinne unthankfulnes and contempt of Gods glorious wisedome to looke coÌ„fusedly over those things that God propounds distinctly in many severall formes and particular acts To proceed therefore from these faculties and functions of life sensitive common to the brute creatures with man we are to behold another well of life in that reasonable soule which God hath placed in men when as he formed the spirit of man within him Zacch 12.1 The stirrings motions and acts of life flowing with vers 30. the Lord even then offered unto him to have opened his well of life as wide for him to have made of him a greater mightier nation then Israel was Num. 14.12 Oh how great are the treasures of life which God hath in store for them that love him even worlds of life to give to every one of them Well might the Psalmist say of this God With him is the vvell of life and in his light we shall see light Psa 36.9 In which words David pointeth at two glorious workes gifts of God specially noted in the six dayes of the creation In three dayes God beautifyed the world with light the first day he created light the second day he created a pure transparent firmament or an expansion through which the beames of the heavenly light being diffused spread forth might so come to us without such a meane or middle passage our sight the light could not have met together the fourth day God created heavenly lights the Sunne Moone starres gathering abundance of light into them by their motion distributed that light unto the divers parts of the world successively for the greater benefit thereof Gen. 1.3.6 c. In three other dayes God created life in the divers degrees thereof the third day God opened a box of life powred out that vegetative life which appeareth in the growing plants herbes trees the fift day God opened another box powred out a streame of sensitive life such as appeared in the foules fishes the sixt day God opened againe another box beside the sensitive life in the beasts cattell powred out the treasure of an intellectuall life which appeared in the reasonable soule of man which he then created Gen. 1.11.12.20 c. And from that first week unto this day both the beames of light the streames of life have flowed out incessantly to his praise the comfort of man f And yet all this is but the little finger of God in respect of his mighty arme all this is but the power of life naturall vouchsafed even to his enimies to the reprobats There is a new life a more high precious life to be found in God even a well of spirituall life opened by him immediately after the fall Then was made the promise of this life of victory over death by breaking the serpents head Gen. 3.15 that word was the Gospell of Salvation preached instantly to Adam upon the kindes of life natural are made to serve as shadowes of the life spirituall which God giveth to his elect See it in the plants that doe live a vegetative life As the earth bringeth forth her bud as the garden causeth the things that are sowne therein to spring forth so the Lord God will cause righteousnes praise to spring forth before all the nations Esa 61.11 The Lord doth as easily make men to be trees of righteousnes as he maketh thorns or briers to grow Esa 61.3 with ch 55.13 Yea the plants that exceed others in growth the tall cedars the flourishing palme Psa 92.12 the greene olive the fruitfull lillies Hos 14.5 6. the willowes by the water-courses Esa 44.4 the flovving spices Sol. song 4.16 the trees that bring forth new fruit according to their moneths Ezek. 47.12 are all but shadowes of this grace of life flowing from the Lord. See it in the creatures that live a sensitive life The sheep that are

bring us on in this journey to the well of life wheÌ„ we like wandring sheep had gone astray perniciously he sought us found us laid us on his shoulders 1. Pet. 2.25 Luk. 15.4 He hath borne our griefes carried our sorrowes Esa 53.4 he bore our sinnes in his body on the tree 1. Pet. 2.24 under the burden of our iniquities he was bruised Esa 53.5.10 he was sore amazed he groaned Mark 14.38 cryed out with strong cryes supplications Matt. 27.46 Heb. 5.7 he did sweat great drops of blood that trickled downe to the ground Luk. 22.44 and there was no remedy but that to save others he must goe downe to the gates of death he was abased unto the death of the crosse as Moses lift up the serpent in the wildernes so was our Mediatour lift up Ioh. 3.14.15 as men deale with a toad or serpent so they hanged him upon a stake stauros set him upon a pole he became as it were a monster unto many Psa 71.7 22.13 that he might make us glorious by deliverance bring us unto life He was further abased when he was left for a time under the condition of death free among the dead Psa 88.5 while he made his grave with the wicked Esa 53.9 hereby was as it were swallowed up of the whale in the heart of the earth Matt. 12.40 And yet above all this before his buriall he descended into Hell to the gates of the second death into the deepest degree of humiliation in his agony both in the garden and upon the crosse Matt. 27.46 Psal 88.6 there the sorrowes of hell compassed him about there he drunk the cup of the red wine of the wrath of God Matt. 20.22 26.39.42.44 a cup whereinto all our vile and deadly sinnes were grated God laying upon him the iniquities of us all Esa 53.6 At the tasting of this cup his strength was powred out like water his heart did melt like wax in the middes of his bowels Psa 22.14 a greater matter then if the whole world beside had melted away to nothing for ever The very thought of this filled the heart of our Mediatour with perplexity feare long before it came I have a baptisme saith he to be baptised withall how am I pained untill it be ended Luk. 12.50 And how was he then pained in the finishing of it But hereby are many sons brought unto God delivered from the bondage feare of death for ever Heb. 2.9.10.14.15 Having passed himselfe and led us through the first gate of justice by suffering there remained a second by fulfilling the law for us this also necessary for our entrance into life therefore besides the sacrifice of his death he also offered up himselfe in a holy life unto God sanctifyed himself for us Ioh. 17.19 For being made under the Law Gal. 4.4 he fulfilled all righteousnes Matt. 3.15 was an immaculate lambe 1. Pet. 1.19 holy harmelesse undefiled Heb. 7.26 whom no man could convince of sinne Ioh. 8.46 even in the midst of his sufferings his active obedieÌ„ce willing subjection to the will of his Father Phi. 2.8.9 Ioh. 10.17.18 18.6.11 was for us a sacrifice of sweet odour as well as the suffering it selfe so led us through the second gate of Gods justice Thus by the obedieÌ„ce righteousnes of one many are made righteous eveÌ„ partakers of the righteousnes of God in Christ Rom. 5.17.18.19 1. Pet. 1.2 2. Cor. 5.21 And further as all that he did then on earth was for our comfort so all that he now doth in heaveÌ„ is also for the increase of our comfort for he is still a priest and sacrificer in heaven As Aaron bore the names of the children of Israel both upon his two shoulders ingraven in two Onix stones set in ouches of gold Exod. 28 9-12 likewise in the breastplate of judgment upon his heart in twelve other precious stones when he went into the holy place for a memoriall continually before the Lord vers 17-29 so our Mediatour hath not onely carried us on his of the promised inheritance in Canaan we see what enimies in the way rose up against them to hinder them to destroy them Pharaoh his host with charets horsmen pursues after them to bring them back againe into bondage or to destroy them utterly Exod. 14.5.9 15.9 Then Amalek when Israel was faint weary in the way came out and smote the feeblest hinmost of them Deut. 25.17.18 Exod. 17.8 Edom their brother denyed them passage Num. 20.21 King Arad tooke some of them prisoners Numb 21.1 Balak the King of Moab calles Balaam the southsayer to curse Israel Numb 22.4 and 23.13 The Midianites vexed them with their wiles and brought thousands of them to destruction Num. 25.4.9.17.18 Sihon and Og the giant with all their forces came out to stop them in their way Deut. 2.32 3.1 And the Kings of Canaan with an host like the sand upon the sea shore in multitude were gathered together to fight against Israel and to keepe them from their inheritance promised Iosh 11.4.5 And in like manner to stop and hinder the faithfull in the way of life armies of enimies rise up on every side The world generally hates them Ioh. 15.19 Matt. 24.9 The nations rage the princes conspire against the Lord and his anoynted Psal 2.1.2 The mighty men the Giants of our time cease not to warre against them The Romish Balaam much worse then the old southsayer curseth them incessantly The Babilonian harlot is drunken with the blood of the Saints Rev. 17.6 The manyheaded Beast blasphemes God and his Tabernacle Rev. 13.6 and the second Beast forceth men for feare to receyve his mark vers 16. The Dragon and his angels fight Rev. 12.3.7 The Devill goes about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devoure and cast out from the inheritance of the Lord. 1. Pet. 5.8 And our owne flesh like a serpent in the bosome lusteth and fighteth against the soule Gal. 5.17 1. Pet. 2.11 Now for the resisting and conquering of all these Christ is given unto us as a victorious King and Prince of peace He is exalted above every name that is named in this world or in the world to come Eph. 1.21 He hath overcome the world Ioh. 16.33 cast out the wicked spirit confirme his afflicted people in their exspectation of future glory and dignity by Christ the Branch God appointed his Prophet to take silver gold from them of the captivity to make Crownes to set them first upon the head of Jehoshua and then to keepe them for a memoriall in the Temple of the Lord Zach. 6 9-15 so in the use of these ordinances of Baptisme the Lords-Supper given to his Church left for memorials of our glory in Christ we ought to be affected as if there were two goldeÌ„ crownes hung up in the congregation before our

and therefore is to be crucifyed as well as the lusts and affections thereof Gal. 5.17.24 This is that hatefull and poysonous Cockatrice egge to be crushed before serpents creep out of it The godly therefore knowing this their owne corrupt disposition must labour to have it changed and weakened dayly within them and to this end they are to watch their heart with all diligence Prover 4.23 and even before they feele any stirring or motion of the flesh to be exercising of themselves in all godlines and in all holy meditations and prayer to keepe under their rebellious nature and by the help of the Spirit to bring it into subjection 1. Corint 9.27 to binde the very stumpe of this tree with an yron band of mortification that the forbidden fruits doe not bud forth b The life of a Christian in this world is a continuall warfare in which they fight the battailes of the Lord every day and houre 2. Cor. 10.4 1. Tim. 6.12 These spirituall combates according to the actes and degrees before named are six in speciall First they conquer the Adamantine Rock Zach. 7.12 when their hard hearts are softened to againe by the banishment of wandring thoughts motions most of all broken wheÌ„ the sinfull disposition of the flesh is broken mortifyed All these contritions breakings are so many pleasant sacrifices of sweet odour unto God to them that undergoe so many deathes he hath made many precious promises that he will revive the spirit of the humble give life unto the contrite ones that he who is high excellent inhabiting eternity on high will dwell here below with him that is lowly that he whose name is the Holy One will dwell with the contrite sinner Esa 57.15 66.1.2 and therefore if the presence conversation of God with us be of any regard with us if the glory life that God gives be of any account in our eyes let us give ourselves dayly to these workes of mortification that by these foregoing deathes we may be made ready to leave this world may in the end finde him with comfort come before him that is the well of life c For the illustration of this poynt to omit others consider we the example of David alone how he was exercised in all these acts of contrition thereby dyed unto sinne The divers degrees of mortification were so many steppes of the staires by which he descended into the death of sinne dying as it were a severall death upon each one of them 1. After knowledge conviction of sinne committed as for the numbring of the people his heart smote him for it 2. Sam. 24.10 and that was a blow or stroak of mortification which the spirit gave unto the flesh he mourned exceedingly and in a revengefull indignation against his owne sinne was content desired that the hand of God might be against him against his fathers house that he might beare the smart of his owne transgression vers 17. this was a death of sinne in him And so it was also with the sinne he conmitted in the matter of Vrias for which his bones were broken Psal 51.8 and for which he made himselfe a publick example by the confession of his sinne making a dolefull song thereof to the shaming of himselfe warning of others The title of Psal 51.11 David went a step lower when he mortifyed resisted the act of sinne though occasion opportunity of revenge was given unto him though counsell was given him by others to that If I say I vvill judge thus Behold I should offend against the generation of thy children vers 15. VI. Lastly David came downe to the lowest step of the staires when in the mortification of his sinne he stroke upon the root thereof by bewailing his originall corruption seeking to subdue that sinfull disposition received from his parents while he complaineth Behold I vvas borne in iniquity in sinne hath my mother conceived me Psalm 51.5 This old nature he labours to mortify when he desires to be renewed in the spirit of his minde vers 10. for as the Apostle reasoned in respect of the covenant Heb. 8.13 in that he mentioneth a new estate he desires the abolishing decay of the old Thus true mortification never ceaseth till it bring men from by the hatred of actual sinnes to finde out the original the cause mother of all by which all men together are become unprofitable filthy Psal 53.3 vvith Rom. 3.12 that they may kill crucifye the same This mortification of the old man is also comprehended in that speech of David when he saith I kept me from mine iniquity Psal 18.23 for though it be true that he kept himselfe from his wickednes from his sinne that dwelt in him by bewailing sins already committed by resisting the present actions by breaking his will by renouncing his affections by casting downe his imaginations yet in speciall manner he kept himselfe from his wickednes by mortifying his very disposition to evill while he laboured to change his nature to have a new disposition created within him These are the deathes that David dyed these are the deathes to be undergone of all that would not dye eternally This dayly dying unto sinne by so many lesser deathes is a maine preparative unto the great day of our translation out of this world which ought evermore to be remembred of us d After the actes of mortification the divers degrees thereof it is expedient that we consider the speciall enimies or evills of sinne that are to be mortifyed These the holy Ghost informes us to be the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes the pride of life 1. Ioh. 2.16 that is to say voluptuousnes covetousnes ambition or vaine-glory To these three may be reduced the principall workes of the flesh or old man considering that for these and from these doe arise the contentions hatred envy lying slandering manifold other iniquities Iam. 4.1.2 which are therefore noted described as companions waiting upon the forenamed lusts which are the three seditious captaines leaders unto all mischiefe Gal. 5.19.20.21 Col. 3.5.8.9 Eph. 5.22.31 These lusts are the root of all evill not onely of all wrong injustice cruell dealing towards men but of all irreligion impiety against God The cares of this world the deceitfulnes of riches the lusts of other things as the pleasures of this life choke the word of God make it unfruitfull Mark 4.19 Luk. 8.14 the fruits of holines righteousnes are blasted and destroyed thereby And some through these lusts have erred from the faith being insnared with foolish and absurd conceits noysome also and hurtfull in respect of all graces weakned by them piercing the heart with present sorrowes and finally casting men into eternall destruction and perdition 1. Tim. 6.9.10 These are of the world not of God and if any man be a

if we performe the like offices of love respect unto the poore servants of Christ we shal be fitter to goe with comfort into the society of Angels They that thus goe out of the world beforehand by leaving the fashions thereof become childreÌ„ againe shall have a more comfortable entrance into the kingdome of heaven Matt. 18.3 As new borne babes here on earth are first taken up by one then by another are delivered from one friends armes to another every one striving to have them in their armes to kisse them so the souls that are borne into heaven are translated by death first into the bosome of Angels carying theÌ„ then into the bosome of Abraham the Saints receiving them every one imbracing them with kisses of heavenly love above all into the bosome of the Lord of glory there to be satisfyed with his love in fulnesse of joy for evermore Esa 40.11 Psal 16. l. VI. Another work whereby men are prepared to die with comfort is the visitatioÌ„ of the sick others that are in misery For the promise is that he that considers the poore or visits the afflicted shall himself be preserved and delivered in time of trouble the Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing he wil make all his bed in his sicknes Psal 41.1.2.3 By visiting the sick men both minister comfort unto others receive comfort themselves First they give comfort and minister a blessing unto those that are in distresse Thus to visit the fatherlesse the widowes in their affliction is pure religion undefiled before God and the Father Iam. 1.27 Onesiphorus is commeÌ„ded for this Paul prayes heartily for him because he sought him out when he was in prison refreshed him ministred many things unto him 2. Tim. 1.16.17.18 Iob noteth the excellency of this wheÌ„ he joineth him that coÌ„forteth the mourners with a king even in the army when he useth greatest authority Iob 29.25 Whatsoever is done unto the least member of Christ in this kinde he takes it as done unto himself therefore such shall be remembred honoured by him at the last day Matt. 25 34-40 Secondly by visiting those that stand in need of comfort men doe also receive instruction comfort unto themselves Eccl. 7.2.3.4 2. Kin. 13.14.15 c. Though we may not inquire at the dead Deut. 18.11 yet at the dying we may learne many wholesome lessons as of repentance from their complaints of their sins bewailed of faith from their joyfull professions of their hope the examples of their constancy and of our owne mortality frailety from their strength languishing their pale countenances their dimme eyes their faltering tongue their ratling throat their panting heart their short breaths their painfull convulsions the last pangs sneckes of death all the symptomes of death are so many warnings unto the living to watch and prepare for their end Whosoever would be well prepared for death let them often repaire to such mourning houses let them so visit others in these cases that withall they see learne themselves that which God doth there so plainely teach them That which Elias sayd unto Elisha wheÌ„ he had prayed for a double portion of his spirit If thou see me when I am taken from thee it shall be so unto thee 2. Kin. 2.9.10 may in some measure in another respect be sayd unto us wheÌ„ seeing others taken away that very act with the circumstances of their departure is a meanes to increase the spirit in us yea to double our care comfort in looking for our end VII Lastly it is also a work preparatory unto death to have our testament Wil in readines that we need not be troubled therewith at last When the message of death was sent unto Hezekias he was called upon to set his house in order Esa 38.1 Abraham was carefull to settle the affaires of his house and family before his death as appeares by his disposing of Isaak in marriage Gen. 24.1.2 c. his giving gifts to the sonnes of Keturah his second wife sending them away Gen. 25.6 But the cheef part of testaments legacies are godly exhortations charges and blessings which parents give unto their children This was Isaaks care long before his death though he forgot the oracle that had assigned the blessing unto the younger Gen. 27 1-4 Isaak was then an hundred yeares old Gen. 25.26 with ch 26.34 he lived in all an hundred fourscore yeares Gen. 35.28 so that his testament his blessing was giveÌ„ fourescore yeares before he dyed Iacob gave speciall charges blessings unto his sonnes before he died Gen. 47.29 48. 49. ch Thus did Moses with the children of Israel Deut. 33.1 c. and Ioshua Iosh 23. 24. ch Thus David also in a solemne assembly exhorteth the people especially his sonne Solomon to feare the Lord encourageth him unto the work that was to be done after him 1. Chron. 28.1.8.9.10 Solomon had also received instructions from his mother to the same purpose which he himself hath recorded Prov. 31. ch In speciall the more to affect children friends by exhortations promises and comforts I would commend unto fathers friends the example of Elijah the Prophet who in his life time made a writing which he procured to be delivered unto Iehoram after his death 2. Chron. 21 12-15 with 2. King 3.11 thus there may still be a prophesying after death though not by way of foretelling things to come yet by charges admonitions consolations which being left with executours or speciall friends together with other devises noted in the Scriptures together with the grounds thereof their faith hope love Simeon rejoyceth at the approch of his end Luk. 2.29.30 where we may observe the reasons before named mooving him thereunto his faith in having seen the salvation of the Lord which was grounded upoÌ„ the word of promise produced peace of conscience his hope when he calleth death a departing or loosing froÌ„ bonds for it is the same word that elswhere signifyes to loose or release a prisoner Mat. 27.15.17 his love of God when he calles himself his servant Paul also had a desire to depart upon these three grounds his hope Phil. 1.23 his faith love 2. Tim. 4 6.7.8 And as these so other faithfull servants of Christ have also for the same causes earnestly desired to be absent from the body to be present with the Lord. 2. Cor. 5.1.2.8 2. Tim. 4.8 with Rev. 22.20.17 a Yet for the better understanding of this poynt somewhat must be further coÌ„sidered to prevent a double danger both of some that seeme not to feare death of others that confesse they feare it The first sort are those that despise their life cast it away without being calld of God These deny the Lordship of Christ because that as no man should live to himself so none should die to himself but to the

Lord that whether we live or die we may be the Lords Rom. 14.7.8.9 This murder of a maÌ„s self is a grievous sin of which are guilty not onely such as lay violent hands on themselves but even those also that rashly expose themselves to unnecessary dangers combatants rash adventurers such as without a calling or any necessity goe to infectious places which are as the shadow of death As souldiers set to keep watch may not leave their station till the time appointed of their Captaine no more may we offer to depart hence untill we be dismissed or called away of our Commander Every man is bound to preserve life so long as by good meanes he can doe it or els he breakes the sixth coÌ„mandemeÌ„t In like manner doe many offend by impatience vaine wishes of death Ion. 4.3.8.9 whether they doe it without sense having obdurate and feared coÌ„sciences or with extremity of seÌ„se without faith as in thoughts of despaire b Secondly this poynt of doctrine touching the feare of death is wisely to be considered in respect of many weake and infirme persons which have true faith hope love and yet are not so ready to selves feeling some present unpreparednes for the recovery of their strength that they may in better manner be fitted to appeare before God Psa 39.13 As a faithfull loving wife having had her husband long absent in a farre countrey or a spouse her bridegroome though she cannot but long for his returne yet if it should so fall out that about the time of his returne she should have the yellow jaundies or some greevous sore and deformity in the face would wish that her bridegroome might stay a week or two loÌ„ger till her sores were healed her strength recovered or as a Nobleman that unfainedly desires that his Prince should come to his house may yet in respect of some want of reparations in his house desire and wish in his heart that the Kings comming might be deferred a while till his house were repaired even so the spouse of Christ and his faythfull servants though they love him dearely desire nothing so much as to enjoy his presence to the full may yet sometimes wish that his comming might be prolonged for some space of time till they be in better plight to entertaine him Secondly they may be loth to depart this life in respect of others for their benefit insomuch that though for their owne part they have an unfained desire to be dissolved yet for the good of others they are content desirous to live as a parent for his childrens education a Prince for the reformation a Minister for the instruction of the people in dangerous times Thus it was with Hezekiah Esa 38.18.19 Paul Phill. 1 21-24 d And yet even in all these distresses when death approcheth God calles meÌ„ away there is comfort against every want Christ makes supply of all if there be any blemish sore or deformity he is such a bridegroome as suddenly heales all and presents us to himself without spot or wrinckle or any such thing Eph. 5.27 He is the father of the fatherlesse the great Shepheard of the sheep Heb. 13.20 he will gather feed defend his flock he hath abundance of spirit whereby to fulfill all his good pleasure he is all in all Hezekias had great desire to live to see his children to teach them and yet behold when God had prolonged his life added unto his dayes fifteen yeares presently he offeÌ„ds heares a woeful threatning of judgmeÌ„t Esa 39.6.7 Yea Manasses his sonne whom he got three yeares after his recovery and who entred into the kingdome when he was twelve yeares old Hezekias his fifteeÌ„ yeares being expired became a most abominable Idolater murderer witch c. 2. Kin. 21.1.2 c. Had Hezekias knowne so much wheÌ„ he desird to live loÌ„ger to teach his children it is not likely that he would have bene so desirous of life Therefore if God call us away we must be content to depart whatsoever inconveniences be in the way consider how great a fault sin it is to be unwilling to goe at his call e To this end it will be profitable to think often of the greatest hindrances and encumbrances in death yea to consider of them as if we were now upon our death-bed lay presently a dying gasping for breath that we may learne to arme ourselves against all lets difficulties that make men unwilling to leave this world For example Obj. I. Some are happily loth to leave the world because of their friends kinred children acquaintance c. whose company they still desire to enjoy Ans For one friend whom we leave here we finde a thousand in heaven For I. Of men in this world we see but one as it were our owne generation and of this generation not the thousandth person we never saw all the countries of the world scarce heard of them much lesse their cities townes particular persons II. Of those we have seen we know not one city much lesse are we acquainted with all the inhabitants there are many from whom we receive no love nor any fruits of love yea some that proove our enimies from whom much evill is received III. For that small number of those that are our true friends indeed how weake are they in comparison not so amiable in soule or body by an hundred degrees as those to whom we goe IV. If men on earth were as gracious vertuous unblameable as in heaven yet in this earthly condition our communion with them is most imperfect defective lame in respect of present necessities layd upon us as 1. Our drossy nature whereby we are like snailes cannot travell about the world in such swift and glorious motions as in heaven 2. Our many trades and vocations binding men like prisoners to sit the whole week at their work confining them to their severall imployments The world is like a Rasp-house or Bridewell where by the rod of necessity men are made to work the twigs or cords of this whip are hunger thirst cold nakednes the smart and shame of these doth scourge force men to labour thus it is with men here in respect of heaveÌ„ where there is no hindrance from continuall making of acquaintance 3. Our wearines sleepy nature making us spend our nights in the shadow of death as dead men whereas in heaven there is no night no shadow of the earth which reacheth little further theÌ„ the sphere of the Moone and therefore is farre from causing any darknes in the third heaveÌ„s in the paradise of God What darknes or night can approch thither where al the righteous shine as the Sun for ever Matt. 13.43 4. The weaknes of our senses bodily communion whereas here two soules sitting together caÌ„not impart their mindes to one another without the outward organs instruments of sense there the spirits

without the body are like angels goe without feet embrace without hands see without eyes heare without eares speak without tongues for al these we leave in the grave But above all friends we then see God face to face whom here we could not behold Exod. 33.20 here we are as in a dungeon then we begin to looke about us Is there any losse in this change Ob. II. Others are troubled to thinke that they must leave house lands Ans He that teacheth bees to make such cabines closets for themselves will not suffer his owne children to be destitute of comfortable mansioÌ„s nay the Lord hath promised they know it to be so that glorious pavilions chambers are provided for them Ioh. 14.1.2 2. Cor. 5.1 Every heart shall then be a pavilion chamber of rest delight unto each other yea the Lord himselfe shal be their house mansion for ever 1. Ioh. 4.15 Ob. III. Another sayth happily I care not so much for any outward things as to see the good of Gods Church in the accoÌ„plishment of his promises Among these there are three special things which a ChristiaÌ„ might wel desire above all other things to be seen enjoyed in this world viz. 1. The fall of Babylon destruction of Antichrist Rev. 18.20 2. The destructioÌ„ of Gog Magog the Turkish monarchy 3. The full conversion of the Iewes as a new Ierusalem comming downe from heaveÌ„ as a bride trimmed for her husband It may wel be counted a happines to waite and come unto the sight of such dayes Dan. 12.12 1. Cor. 15.56.57 II. The freenes of Gods grace unto infants is applyed by the H. Ghost unto men of yeares that they also may depend on the same grace through faith Rom. 9.11.16.30 III. Many are called at the eleventh houre and God doth by such meanes greatly set forth the freenes of his mercy in pardoning sinners Matth. 20 6-9 Rom. 5.20 The sight of Christ by faith gives title unto all comfort happines Luk. 2 30-32 And therefore the theef on the crosse seeing Christ at last was suddenly traÌ„slated into glory Luk. 23.43 Neither let any say That is but one example for in effect there are many very like unto that even in the conversion of many theeves in prison in the hands of justice yea after they have received the sentence of death when they die better give more signes of true repentance then multitudes that die in their beds And besides every mans conversion is in a certaine houre or moment suddainly as well as the theefes on the crosse though it be not marked and it is as great a work the same in substance to be translated out of the state of nature into the state of grace by true conversion as to be translated out of this world into heaven the one following infallibly upon the other So Pauls suddaine conversion from a blasphemous persecutour of Christ to be a member and minister of Christ was as great as the theefes translation from the crosse or gibbet to paradise or rather greater The same may be sayd of those thousands of murderers of Christ suddainly converted at Peters sermon Act. 2. the conversion of each of these was as great as that of the theef and may as well serve for the comfort of sinners Christ is the doore whosoever knockes by faith whensoever is sure to enter Ob. VI. Besides this the paine and pangs of death are objected by many as a cause of their feare why they are loth to die Ans I. We have commandements comforts and promises from Christ to arme us against such feares Iohn 14.1 Revelat. 2.10 The feare of death is one of the greatest paines in death and yet a feare not to be feared II. If the paine of death be sharp yet it is quickly over it is but one stride and at one leap it transports a man over the gulfe of all sorrow into everlasting glory III. To God Our Samson teares this Lyon as a kid destroyes death out of the carcasse of death brings life honye hony combes of eternall comfort Let us therefore be cheerfull in the exspectation of this happy conquest with comfort entertayne the signes of death drawing neere unto us as dimnes of sight deafnes of eares weaknes of limmes whitenes of head hoare haires Oh how welcome should these the like be unto the faithfull As the children in our streets when they first see the stork the messenger of the Spring doe welcome thesame testify their pleasure with manifold joyful acclamations so should the godly congratulate themselves when they see the forenamed messengers of their Winter past Summer approching or els both children and the very storkes in the aire knowing the times of their comming shal be witnesses against us When the fig-tree putteth forth his leaves the Summer is nigh Matt. 24.32 when the almond-tree flourishes theÌ„ it hastens the comming of other fruits Eccl. 12.5 Ier. 1.11.12 when the heralds of death approch then is it time for us to lift up our heads knowing that our redemption is neere When the eyes of the body the windowes of our prospect into the world beginne to be dark then must we so much the more open the eyes of our minde the windowes of the soule for our prospect into heaven to see things otherwise invisible When the daughters of singing are abased then especially we should labour to open the eares of faith that we may heare afarre off the songs of the virgines that have the harpes of God ready to entertayne us into the fellowship of their sweet melodies When the grinders are flow beginne to cease let us then be more frequent in grinding the wheat of heaven chewing the cudde ruminating the manna of the Evangelicall promises that should be the old mans milk the old mans wine sweeter then that of the muscadell grape to warme his cold breast to revive his decayed spirits Having thus entertained the messengers of death we shal be the readier to welcome death it selfe The neerer we grow to our journeys end the greater will be our desire and longing to arrive at that Rendevous of friends after a long march that generall meeting-place after a wearisome vvandring over hilles and dales in this our pilgrimage As the diligent husbandman plowes harrowes sowes his seed waites for the first latter raine is glad when it begins to grow when the blade the stalk the eare appeares gladder wheÌ„ it is ful growne when the regioÌ„s are white unto the harvest when sithe sickle are taken into the hand but is then especially filled with joy when the last load of corne is brought home with shouring singing like to the custome that seemes to have bene in Israel in their harvest vintage Esa 16.9.10 so in like manner they that have broken up their fallow ground have sowed in righteousnes have not been weary in well doing but stedfast unmooveable alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord shall then know see that their labour hath not been in vaine in the Lord shall then have cause to shout sing for joy when the Angels that are called reapers Matt. 13.39 shall gather these wheat sheaves into the heaveÌ„ly barne where the righteous shall shine foorth as the Sun in the kingdome of their Father O that we were wise that we understood this so should we ever with comfort remember our latter END Printed at DORT BY HENRY ASH M.DCXXXIX

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