Lords Tribunall vvhither it is approaching that so as it is said of the Doue and the Eagle that when they haue plunged their vvings in the water they are better fitted for their flight thou plunging thy selfe into the troubled Bethesda poole of thy repentant teares distilling from the Limbecke of a remorcefull heart thy soule may take the wings of a Doue and flye out of the Cage and Coate of thy body to her eternall rest in Abrahams bosome Now with Simeons heart sing Simeons Song now awaken all thy powers to praise the Lord so as in singing wee ascend to higher notes thy soule leauing the earth of thy body shall with the Larke mount still higher and higher nay it shall be carryed vp on the wings of wayting Angels till it be transcendent amongst the Quires of those heauenly Hierarchies that sing continuall Halleluiah's vnto the once incarnate now deified Lambe euen Simeons Lord that sits vpon the throne To whom with the Father and the eternall Spiriâ— a Trinitie in Vnitie and Vnitie in Trinitie as his due and our duty from the ground of our hearts and soules be ascribed all Honour Glory Power Maiestie and Mercy of vs and all Churches now and for euermore Amen Necessary Incouragements and Comforts against the grieuances of seuerall Crosses Because that many are too much deiected and disconsolate at the death of their friends Parents for Children Children for Parents Husbands for Wiues and Wiues for Husbands Brother for Brother and Friend for Friend mourning like Rachel for her Children and will not be comforted let these Motiues moue thee to take truce with thy teares and not to sorrow as did the Heathens without hope 1 KNOW and acknowledge that it is GOD that hath taken away thy friend the pleasure of thine eyes thy Wife or the like therefore as God said to Ezekiel in the like case Mourne not nor weepe neyther let thy teares runne downe cease from sighing and make no mourning for the dead Ezek. 24.16.17 Murmure not as did the rebellious Israelites when their Brethren were taken away Numb 16.41 Kicke not against the pricke Act. 9.5 resist not God with a stiffe and vncircumcised heart Act. 7.51 but like an obedient childe imbrace the stroke of thy Father and kisse the rod. 2. The Saints of God haue beene patient spectators of the deaths of as neare and deare friends as any thou hast parted withall whose Patience in this crosse I propound vnto thee to imitate as Iames propounds Iobs Patience to be imitated in euery crosse Iames 5.11 Thus Adam and Euâ— saw the death of their sonne Abel Gen. 4. Noah the destruction of the whole world by the Deluge Gen. 7. Abraham of Terah his Father Gen. 11.32 so of his deare Wife Sarah Gen. 23.2 Lâ—t of his Wife Gen. 19 26. Isaack of his Mother and of Abraham his tender Parents Gâ—n 25.8.9 Iacob of his Father Isaack Gen. 35.29 of his beautifull and beloued Rachel Gen. 35.19 Thus when Aaron saw his two sonnes Nadab and Abihu deuoured with fire from the Lord hee held his peace Leuit. 10.2.3 Iob blessed God as well when his Children were slaine as his goods imbezeled Iob 1.21.22 for Eli lamented the losse of the Arke rather then the slaughter of Hophni and Phinees for which his Daughter in-Law also was more moued then for the death of her Husband 1 Sam. 4. v. 18.19.20.21.22 Dauid more bewayled the spirituall death of the soules of Ammon and Absolon then the corporall deaths of their bodies thy dying in their sinnes of Incest and Treason 2 Sam. 14.14 Lastly the Virgin Mary and Iohn the Disciple stood by the Crosse of Christ in his Passion onely with compassion without that outward lamentation which Christ condemned in the Daughters of Ierusalem and in them immoderate mourning in all Mat. 27.56 Luke 23.28 which particulars chiefely the last as Ambrose applyed them in his Funerall Oration of Valentinian the Emperour so they must be laid to heart in our application and imitation in euery Funerall 3 If hee dyed in the Faith of Christ hee is translated like Enoch from this life to a better from this vaile of misery to eternall glory hee is a Citizen of Heauen an inheritor of a Kingdome Sorrow not for his triumph he is gone to possesse a Crowne in Glorification which was granted him in Predestination promised him in Vocation 4 Hee is blessed being dead in the Lord Apoc. 14. 5 Hee is returned home to his Fathers house hee is gone to his better friends euen to the companie of innumerable Saints and Angels and to the Spirits of the iust Heb. 12.22.23 Mat. 22.30 Reu. 15.11 Mat. 8.11 1 Thes 4.17 6 Hee is inseperably vnited vnto GOD the chiefe and perfect Good first whom to see is Tranquillitie secondly whom to rest in is Securitie thirdly to enioy is Felicitie Being incorporated into that Citie first whose King is Veritie secondly the Lawes Charitie thirdly the Dignities Equitie fourthly the Life Eternitie in which hee shall be sempeternally blessed ioying in and inioying first a certaine Securitie secondly a secure Tranquillitie thirdly a safe Iocunditie fourthly happy eternitie fiftly an eternall felicitie 7 He is now married vnto his Bridegroome CHRIST to whom his soule was contracted in earth and the Marriage-feast is now solemnized in Heauen now thy mirth not thy mourning becomes a Marriage Hos 2.19 Mat. 22. Phil. 1.23 Iohn 12.26 17.24 Luke 33.43.46 Reu. 7.17 8 Consider that his warre-fare is now at an end his iourney is finished and his worke is accomplished if GOD had had any more worke for him to haue done hee should haue liued longer for as God sweepes away the wicked when they are at the height of sinne as hee did Er and Onan Gen. 38. the Sodomites Hophni Phinees and Absolon so the godly in the height of Grace 9 He was here a Pilgrime and a stranger as were the Patriarkes Abraham Isaack Iacob Dauid and the rest now he hath hoyst vp sailes hee is gone home into his owne Country therefore why shouldest thou grieue at his happy voyage and safe arriuall 10 Thou hast not lost him but left him hee is not dead but departed nay as Christ said of Iairus his Daughter and Lazarus thy Friend thy Damzâ—ll thy Daughter be it hee or shee is not dead but sleepeth and as Martha beleeued there shall be a time when they shall waken Now what mother grieues that her vnquiet childe sleepes and takes the rest many weepe because their Children will not or cannot sleepe few because they doe sleepe 11 Hee shall be restored vnto thee againe at the Resurrection of the iust euen in his body Psal 17.15 Iob 19.25 Iohn 5.29 as his soule is now immediately gone to God as did the soule of Lazarus Luke 16.22 of Stephen Acts 7.69 of the penitent Theefe Luke 23.43 yea of CHRIST himselfe verse 46. where it remaines in ioy Mat. 25. v. 21. 23.
in mundum per quem factus est mundus a Mercy neuer enough to be magnified of men and Angels that for our sakes hee should come into the world which made the world that the Creator of Mary should be borne of Mary that Dauids Lord should be Dauids Sonne hee which was long before Abraham the seede of Abraham the Maker of the earth made of the earth that as in the nonage of of the world man was made after the Image of God so in the dotage of the world God should come in the similitude of sinfull man that God should be made man that man should be as a God that God should descend downe to the earth that man should ascend vp to the heauen Oh wonder at this you that wonder at nothing for my part saith Cyprian I doe not admire the beautie of the Sunne the colours of the Raine-bow the glory of the Moone the motion of the Heauens the fixed stabilitie of the earth the ebbing and flowing of the Sea the varietie of the Creatures the alteration and succession of times and seasons nor any thing else amongst all the Creatures Celestiall and Sublunarie but this I admire and for euer will Deum in vtero Creatorem in creatura c. God made man the Creator borne of the Creature and for the Creature yea the mighty God before whom the heauens shake and the Mountaines tremble a little Infant in the armes of a Virgin Mother in the armes of old Simeon an aged Father this is such a worke such a wonder that I say with S. Ierome Quod natura non habuit c. that which Naure had not which Vse knew not which Reason was ignorant of mans Minde vncapable of which the Cherubins conceiued not the Angels till reuealed vnderstood not which all the Powers of created nature vvere amazed at came to passe when CHRIST by his Incarnation did vnite the Humanitie to the Diuinitie in a true naturall reall and Hypostaticall vnion Oh therefore let vs reape the fruit of this Vine since he is come from heauen to earth to marry vs in our owne nature Nam vt Sponsus Sponsa in Thalamo c. for as man and wife are one in the Bride-chamber so God and man one Christ in the wombe of the Virgin Oh let vs labour by faith to be vnited and marryed vnto him to be made members of this Head Branches of this Vine Buildings vpon this Corner-stone parts of his Body Spouses of this Bridegrome that with the vvise Virgins being contracted by faith vnto him here in grace the Marriage may be solemnized in Glory Then shall wee truely be kissed with the kisses of his loue Oh foelix osculum c. Oh happy kisse which is not a ioyning of lips but a ioyning of loues betwixt God and man Secondly was this Lord borne man for vs let vs labour to be borne againe to him in that spirituall new-birth and Regeneration which the Scriptures call a new Creation a holy turning change and conuersion of the whole man in the renouation of all the Powers and faculties of body and soule superiour and inferiour both in the intellectuall parts as in memory will vnderstanding c. as also in the lower faculties irascible and concupiscible this new birth which the Prophets haue continually vrged which Iohn Baptist and the Disciples haue preached which Paul and the Apostles haue continually pressed in their Sermons and writings which our Sauiour Christ himselfe both in his publique preaching and priuate conference with Nichodemus hath so doctrinally explained and by application inforced to be performed of all vnder paine of damnation it is so needfull nay of such absolute necessitie to be practised of all Christians chiefely that till a man bring forth the fruits of it worthy repentance and amendement of life he is but like the barren Figge-tree corrupt and twise dead without either sap of Grace or blossome of goodnesse fit to be hewen downe and cast into the fire nay a beast and no man a foxe a Viper a Dogge filthy and vncleane as were Herod the Iewes and the Cretians nay a horse and Oxe nay worse then the Oxe and Asse then the Horse and Mule without vnderstanding vnwise disobedient rebellious fooles blinde men naturall men without God in Christ aliants from God and strangers from the Common-wealth of Israel miserable naked and wretched men for whom is reserued Hell and the second death wrath and vengeance fire and Brimstone storme and tempest exclusion out of heauen and intrusion and eternall inclusion in the bottomlesse pit with the Diuell and his Angels insomuch that as Augustine well Nasci non renasci generari non regenerari for a man to be borne and not to be borne againe to haue the nobilitie of the first birth without the new birth be hee what hee will be Prince or Potentate King or Kesar or the worlds Monarch a second Alexander if hee haue onely generation from Adam without regeneration from the Spirit of Christ the second Adam if hee be not borne to him by water and the Spirit that was borne and dyed for him comming by water and by bloud hee had better as the Scripture saith of Iudas that hee had neuer beene borne nay that a Milstone had beene hung about his necke and hee throwne into the Sea the first houre hee was borne for then he should haue bene damned for his originall sinnes but his damnation shall now be aggrauated for his actuall sinnes chiefely for this sinne of Omission in liuing so long within the Church without the life of grace like a rotten Bough or woodden Legge No part of the root of Iesse or body of Christ without regeneration in not beleeuing in or liuing like that light which for that end came into the world those which before sate in darknesse and in the shadow of death being illuminated should cast off the workes of darkenesse and walke like the children of the light like Disciples of this Lord who was made man to redeeme Sathans slaues into the libertie of his owne Sonnes Secondly in Simeons Compellation Lord let it rectifie our practise wee vse or rather abuse this great and glorious Name in our mouthes at our pleasures not onely in rash vaine and false swearing and forswearing to which sinnes there belongs a swift curse but without reuerence respect or regard in our ordinary and customary talke which at euery word and vpon euery triuiall and friuilous occasion is stuffed out with foolish and vaine admiration as oh God oh Lord oh Iesus oh Christ tossing like a Tennis ball this great and fearefull Name the Lord our God the mighty Iehouah which the very Iewes feare and tremble to nominate at this day Others
holinesse 2. and the feare of God which is the ground of his seruice 3. and renounciation of a vaine conuersation as appeares by the Contexts 1 Pet. 1.14.15.16.17.18 So is Titus a patterne of a good Preacher taught to presse and preach this point that the end why Christ gaue himselfe for his Church redeeming vs from all iniquitie vvas that wee should be a peculiar people vnto him zealous of good workes Tit. 1.2.14 with infinite the like places plainely demonstrating that as redemption by Christ is not generall and vniuersall for then Iudas Herod Pilate Esau and others sonnes of perdition ordayned to condemnation should haue beene redeemed but limited proper and peculiar to his Elect to his Church to his People Such as are his Sheepe heare his voyce obey and serue him so those that continue still in their sinnes frozen in their dregges incredulous and vnbeleeuing impious in their liuing impure in their conuersing giuen ouer to strange lusts and vile affections making their belly their God and the like are so farre from hauing any benefit by Christ that hee is vnto them a rocke of ruine a stumbling-blocke and a stone of offence the falling of many in Israell like the word and Sacraments and all things else vnto the wicked contemners of his worship and condemners of his seruants the sauor of death vnto death they accounted enemies to his Crosse such enemies as hee will slay as hee hath threatened their end being condemnation Fiftly out Profession me thinkes should be a maine inducement to our practise in this point for so reasons both the Prophet and Apostle if we account God our Father as we doe Mal. 1.6 Luke 11. then where is his honor if our Master then where is his seruice And sure if we call him Father which without respect of persons iudgeth euery man then let vs passe the time of our dwelling here in feare otherwise wee borrowing the same vizards vvhich the Pharisies long since cast off with their liues wee should be branded with the same note of painted Sepulchers and whited wals and adiudged to the same woes and Anathemaes that they were being in the same predicament of grosse and formall hypocrisie Sixtly the Good procured and Reward promised the Wages expected should not a little wooe vs and winne vs to this seruice for all would retaine to such Masters who are most able and willing to worke their welfare where they may haue the best present helps and future hopes of preferment and promotion Now who is able to promote if God doe not 1. Wealth 2. Worship 3. Honour 4. Peace 5. Protection in danger 6. Approbation 7. Acceptation 8. outward Blessings 9. reward of Inheritance 10. Curses remoued Plagues escaped all these are the Pedisseques the hand-maides and Attendants and Seruants that attend and waite vpon and serue those that serue the Lord as may be instanced and inlarged in their particulars For Riches Wealth and outward blessings as they are promised so they were giuen and exhibited vnto Abraham Isaack Iacob Iob Dauid Salomon c. with infinite others as an incouragement to the Seruice of GOD as the fruits of their Faith as the reward of Religion Godlinesse is great gaine and hath the promises both of this life and of the life to come and who consent and obey must eate the good things of the Land That this Position is no Paradoxe that Grace is the way to gaine and Pietie the meanes to prosperitie as is Psal 1. so let any to stand vpon no moe places read Exod. 23.25 and hee will confesse that this is as true as God himselfe is true If any man be troubled with that scruple which perplexed Iob Ieremy and Dauid in their time that the slaues of Sathan are in outward peace and pompe and seeming-prosperitie when Gods Seruants are in the ebbe and going downe the winde the same Scriptures salue and satisfie the sore of this Obiection where it was first made to which place I referre you Psal 73. and Iob 21. The second meede and reward of Gods seruants is Honour that continuing as inuiolable is the Decrees of the Meedes and Persians which God auoucheth to Samuel of reiected Saul Those that honour mee I will honour them 1 Sam. 2.30 Them whosoeuer whatsoeuer wheresoeuer they be Kings and Kesars poore and pesants that performe homage and fealtie vnto God holding their soules their lands and their liues in Capite from God those the mightie Iehouah who onely can set vp and pull downe aduance and deiect will honour they shall be gracious in his eyes dreaded of their enemies as was Ioshuah and Dauid and honoured of all those that are round about them This is Gods Law of Paritie ratified in the high Court of Parliament in Heauen and put in execution in earth 1. Abraham Gods friend 2. Ioseph 3. Moses 4. Samuel deuoted to Gods Seruice proued the truth of this Promise the first honoured in the presence of his friends of his neighbours of his enemies Gen. 18.18 Ch. 20.3.23.6 The second found store of Honour where euer he came in his Masters house in the Prison in the Palace Gen. 39. 40. 41. The third honoured by working Miracles for deliuerance of Gods people for confusion of Gods and his enemies Exod. 14. Ch. 16.32 The fourth increased in honour as in yeeres growing in fauour with God and man Infinite such examples might be recited the time would be too short to shew how Gedion Baarack Iob Dauid c. the faithfull Seruants of God were exalted from the Threshing-floore Iudg. 6.11 Iudg. 4.6 From the Sheepe-fold yea from the Dung-hill Iob 42.12 to sit with Princes yea to be Princes of the people Psal 78.70 Psal 113. vers 7.8 So that if it be so that all affect honour and eminencie me thinkes wee should take the right course to effect what we affect euen by seruing God Not to seeke it as Mary sought Christ where it is not preposterously and carnally eyther of the world as the ambitious Iewes did Iohn 5.44 nor from the vaine breaths of men as the hypocriticall Pharisies did Iohn 12.43 Much lesse at the hands of the Diuell as Balaam did Num. 22. by Diuellish courses and sinfull impieties and horrid villanies as those that built Babels Tower and hee that built Babell and he that burnt Dianaes Temple did Genes 11.3 By Rebellions and Treasons as Absolon did 2 Sam. 18.18 as the Papists by King killings and Powder-plots as our drunkards by their vnreasonable quassing by quarrelling fighting and stabbing as our vaine and vicious Gallants in their falsly supposed manhoods nor by any other horrid sinne whatsoeuer for the way of sinne is the way to shame and dishonour For as wicked and vngodly men seruing the Diuell whose Children they are Ioh. 8.44 by seruing sinne I Iohn 3.8 suffering it to raigne in their mortall bodies Rom. 6 12. are called and accounted the enemies and haters
NOW followes the last part of this holy Hymne Simeons Quletâ—s est or his Pacification God suffering him to depart in peace Caluin and Bucer renders Simeons minde thus Nunc libenter sedato quieto animo moriar Lord now I depart willingly with an appeased heart and a setled soule since I haue seene thy Christ From whence I gather that a good man that liues piously alwayes dyes peaceably It appeares here in Simeon so in the rest of the Saints as in Abraham to whom it was promised Gen. 15.15 that hee should goe vnto his Fathers in peace and should be buryed in a good age which promise was plentiously performed to Abraham for he yeelded the spirit dyed in a good age an old man and of great yeeres Gen. 25.8 So Isaack the Sonne of Promise gaue vp the ghost and dyed peaceably being old and full of daies Gen. 35.29 Neither was the death of good Iacob that preuailing Israel discrepant to his holy life for he dyed quietly making an end of his charge vnto his Sonnes hee pluckt vp his feete into his bed and gaue vp the ghost Gen. 49.33 After the like manner was the death of chaste and mercifull Ioseph Gen. 50.26 of penitent and patient Iob after hee had seene his sonnes and his sonnes sonnes euen foure generations Iob 42.16 Of zealous and sincere Dauid 1 Kings 2. after hee had counselled and charged his Sonne Salomon to walke in the wayes and Statutes of the Almightie Of Moses the faithfull Seruant of the Lord who dyed when his eye was not dimme nor his naturall force abated though he were an hundred and twentie yeeres old God himselfe being present at his death and buriall So Ioshuah that couragious Leader of Israel Iosh 24.29 Aaron the Lords Priest who dyed before the Lord in the Mount Hor Numb 20.28 Eleazar Aarons Sonne Iosh 24.33 Samuel the Lords Prophet 1 Sam. 25.1 with all the rest of Gods Children Patriarkes Prophets Iudges Kings Martyres Confessors the learned Lights of the Church such as Ambrose Augustine c. as they haue liued holily they haue dyed happily of which in their seuerall Histories they haue giuen demonstrations most of them if not all in these three particulars First that they were gathered to their Fathers in a mature and full age full of yeeres reaped like a Ricke of ripe Corne into the Lords Barne taken like mellow Apples from the Tree of life in which full age Abraham Isaack Iacob Ioshuah Iob with the rest before mentioned as also the Patriarkes before the Floud which out-liued them with others of the faithfull did blessedly yeeld their spirits and quietly slept in the Lord which blessing of long life being the promise annexed to that fift Commandement of Obedience is peculiarly incident to the godly rather then the wicked whose sinnes as the Iuie kils the Oake ordinarily abbreuiate their dayes or if any of the faithfull dye young or in their middle age before they haue attained to the yeeres of their Fathers eyther by a naturall dissolution as Iosias or by a violent death as the auncient and moderne Martyres eyther they are taken away from the euill to come as Augustine was immediately before the siege of Hippo by the Gothes and Vandals or else because they are ripened already in grace and come to that maturitie which GOD in his fore-seeing wisedome knowes they would or could attaine to and so are fitted for glory or else they testifie the truth here to others confirmation Gods glory and their owne consolation Secondly the Elect vsually haue their wishes and the fruition of their desires ere their departure to the great satisfaction of their soules the contentation of their hearts the corroberation of their faith and the sealing pledge of Gods speciall loue vnto them thus Simeon ere his death had CHRIST in his armes which was the desire and longing of his heart So Abraham saw Christs day before his death in the spirit and reioyced what did old Israel so long after in the whole world except the sight of Shiloh the Messias in the flesh as to see his darling Ioseph which longing of his the Lord satisfied at the full ere his death for his dying eyes did not onely see Iosephs face but his seede Ephraim and Manasses Gen. 48.11 What did Moses desire more then the fruition of Canaan the promised Land Now euen before the Lord shut his dying eyes the Lord tooke him vp into a mount and as a rellish and a taste of his fauour gaue him a sight of Canaan Deut. 34. ver 1.4 In what could Dauids heart be more setled then to see his Throne setled in Salomon his Sonne which his desire was accordingly accomplished for his eyes did see what his heart desired for which hee blessed God 1 Kings 1.48 And the like ordinarily fals out as many aged Christians at this very day can bring in their experienced probatum est as many that are fallen a-sleepe before them could haue testified how the Lord hath heard their requests and granted the desires of their soules in these and these particulars before their deaths Thirdly the godly expresse the hidden ioy and inward peace which they finde within their soules by their seasoned and sanctified words of grace which they breathe out as a sweet Perfume from holy hearts to the refreshing of others vpon their sicke beds with which they vsually winde vp the thread of their life words so good so gracious that they are worthy to be writ in Letters of Gold and for euer to be remembred as they are recorded in the sacred Cannon and collected by holy men from the Saints of latter times For example vvhat a sweet gratulatory speech is this of Simeons in his farewell to the world Lord now lettest thou thy Seruant depart in peace c. Euery word hauing his waight and Emphasis Ponder the last Sermons that Moses and Ioshuah and Samuel these faithfull Seruants of the Lord made immediately before their deaths vnto the Israelites Gods chosen people how zealously they perswade to the seruice of the true God disswade from Idolatrie and false Gods enumerate Gods speciall mercies exhort to obedience dehort from rebellion against God and their Superiours proclaime the promises to the obedient pronounce mercies to allure denounce iudgements to terrifie the disobedient blessing GOD by gratulatory Songs for his benefits and blessing the people in their Tribes Deut. 32. ch 33. Iosh 12. 1 Sam. 12. and a man shall see the peace they had in their hearts by the grace of their lips The last words of Iacob were blessings and prophecies Of Ioseph were admonitions and cautions the one to his Sonnes the other to his Brethren Gen. 49. Gen. 50. The last words of Dauid were his charge to Salomon his Son concerning Gods worship and the gouernement of his Kingdome 1 Kings 2. vers 3.4.5.6 c. The last words of Steuen the first Martyr after CHRIST were prayers for his
SEAVEN Helpes to Heauen Shewing 1. How to auoid the Curse 2. How to beare the Crosse 3. How to build the Consciencè 4. How with Moses to see Canaan 5. Simeons dying Song directing to liue holily and dye happily 6. Comforts for Christians against distresses in Life and feare of Death 7. Feruent Prayers to beare sicknesse patiently and dye preparedly The second EDITION much enlarged by Steuen Ierome late Preacher at S. Brides Seene and allowed IOB 14.14 All the dayes of my appointed time will I waite till my change come Nascentes morimur finisque ab origine pendet LONDON Printed for Roger Iackson and are to be solde at his Shop neare to the Conduit in Fleetsheete 1614. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE MY HONOVrable good Lord RALPHE Lord Eure Baron of Malton and Wytton and Lord President of his Maiesties Honourable Councell within the Principalitie of Wales and the Marches of the same all Blessings be multiplyed temporall and Graces spirituall MY Honourable good Lord it was once an Axiome in the Ethnicke Schooles that the whole life of a wise man should be a continuall meditation of Death which as it was a Principle amongst them so it was the practise not onely of the Saints and Seruants of GOD the auncient Patriarkes Primitiue Christians retyred Hermites mortified Anchorites and zealous professors of Religion but euen of the wisest and worthiest of the Heathens themselues The euidence of which will easily appeare to those that are studious in the Word diuine or conuersant in Authors Ecclesiasticall or humane Let vs reflect vpon Adam the first man as his name signifying Red earth the Command giuen him mixt with the curse of tilling the earth his Sinne the cause of the dissolution of that part which was earth his Garments made of the skins of dead Beasts cloathing his members which were like the rest of the Creatures nought but earth his Sickenesse and Distempers the fruits of his sinne and preambles of his death Gods Statute-Law that he should returne to his earth tolde him truely contrary to the Sâ—rpent and the Woman that he was a sinfull man and therefore mortall so it seemes these remembrancers not onely occasioned but caused his meditation of his death For though he called his eldest Sonne Caine or Possession yet he called his younger Sonne Abel or Vanitie as being now experienced and schooled in that misery in life and mortalitie in death which was incident to him and all his originally and actually sinning seede In this Meditation to omit Noah the worlds restorer Sem or Methushaâ—em that Prince of peace Enoch that walked with GOD with the rest Abraham the Father of faithfull men imitated Adam the Father of men who in his suite for Sodome confessed himselfe to be but dust and ashes Isaack who after the death of his Mother Sarah went out to meditate no doubt as of her death so of his owne Iacob that in his greatest crosse humiliation thinkes how his gray head should be brought to his graue and in the height of his earthly ioy and contentation speakes from the abundance of his heart of the few and euill dayes of his Pilgrimage Ioseph thaâ— amongst all his honours in Aegypt thinkes and tels of the carrying his dead bones into Canaan so the rest had their thoughts mortified from the world and fixed on their mortalitie which appeares as by other proofes so by two demonstrations in their Buildings in their Buyings The first being not seiled houses or gorgeous Pallaces like Nabuchadnezzars Babell Nimâ—ods Tower or Cyrus his House but silly Tents like Shepheards Cottages or Boothes in a Faire or Lodges in the Campes such as the Zwitzards vse ready euery instant for remouall The second being onely limited in a burying place for their dead for that is the greatest purchase that euer wee reade any of the Patriarkes made and the possessions which they most frequently mention What should I mention these Fathers that liued vnder the Law Ioshuah the sonne of Nun the Seruant of the LORD faithfull Caleb Aaron the Lords high Priest or Moses himselfe the greatest of Legall Prophets who mindefull of his mortalitie euen before the Lord tolde him as hee did Ezekias that hee should dye made that Prayer which the Fathers say the people of GOD vsed daily as a forme of Prayer pathetically inserting this Petition that God would so teach them to number their dayes that they might apply their hearts to wisedome the rest succeeding sympathizing in the like thoughts Iob wayting till his changing should come Dauid making no more reckoning of himselfe then of a Pilgrime and stranger here amongst men summoning others also to the consideration of their vncertaine condition and certaine end I might extend the line of this vnlimited practise from the Patriarkes to the Prophets from the Prophets to the Apostles Paul as oft desires as hee deliberates of his dissolution Peter counts his continuance here but as an abode in a Tabernacle Reflect backe to Christs Disciples hee no sooner speakes of the death of Lazarus but their thoughts worke vpon dying with him nay CHRIST himselfe as most frequently hee talkes and discourseth of his death in the Gospell so in that Transfiguration of his the reflection and Idea of his Glorification to strengthen his Disciples in their dying meditations hee not onely tels of his owne death when he comes from the Mount but euen in the Mount there appeares two dead men with him Moses and Elias And with the rest here old Simeon the subiect which in all obsequious dutie submisly I present to your Honour as desiring your Honourable patronizing and deseruing your holy practise euen when hee had in his armes the Lord of Life seeing Canaan with Moses and the Heauens open with Steuen to receiue his flitting soule as Abrahams bosome did Lazarus thinking of his death and dissolution to his dust hee sings that truely Cygnean and Swan-like song recorded Luke 2.29 Which Song I haue diuided into his parts and according to those talents and parts which Grace and Nature hath lent mee haue descanted vpon by Illustration Explication and Application to our secure sensuall and sinfull times wherein I haue reuealed to the world what GOD hath reuealed vnto mee by all meanes vsed speculatiue and practicall from Reading Study Meditation Conference with the Learned and Reference of the Labours of approued Authors both testimonially and exemplarily to the sacred Cannon of the Orthodoxe Truth but principally from that young yet true experience which GOD hath taught mee by obseruing as a Physitian his Patients the seuerall carriages and conditions of diuers men in their healths sicknesses liues and deaths occasioned by those frequent visitations of the sicke which by reason of my place I vsed these last yeeres in a great and populous Parish in which particulars the searcher of the heart and reynes and the intelligencer of all Spirits euen the Father of Spirits knowes that I haue not aymed at any base seruile or sinister
knoweth what is best for thee ibid. 7 Pouertie hinders not the acceptance of thy Prayers 508 8 If thou be poore in spirit thou art rich in Christ 509 9 Pouerty is no hinderance to thy saluation 510 10 The lesse thou receiuest the lesse shall thine accounts be 511 11 The Lord hath a care of thee euen for the things of this life 512 12 And can blesse a small portion vnto thee 514 13 Christ himselfe and the most excellent Saints haue beene poore on earth 516 MOSES His sight of Sion applyed to encourage and direct euery Christian to his heauenly CANAAN NVMB. 27.1.2.3.4 And Zelophehad the Sonne of Hepher had no Sonnes but Daughters CHAP. I. The case of the inheritance of Daughters propounded Sect. 1. BEcause this case of the Daughters of Zelophehad is extraordinary and not obuious in the Scriptures besides in any the like example it will not be amisse lying in the forefront of the Chapter bordering vpon that of Moses his warning to dye since it concernes a subiect not vsuall the title of the Womans Inheritance to touch it in some perticulars and the rather because it was the last case that Moses adiudged immediately before that the Lord himselfe sentenced and adiudged him to dye In which though there be many things worthy our exact dilating and vrging both pleasing and profitable as would appeare in the opening and applying of this Scripture yet I choose rather from the warrant and writings of an excellent Light in our Church according to his Method to commend vnto you these Notes and Obseruations Note 1 Here then first note how carefull these Daughters are of a place among the people of God in the Earthly Canaan which was a type of the Heauenly Ought not all wee to be as carefull for that Heauenly yes and more carefull so no doubt are Gods Children when their eyes be opened and by name Women for although many are busied about attyres and vaine shewes to make them pleasing vnto men yet others doe seeke by all meanes for that eternall rest and how to be pleasing vnto God which is the onely good and perfect way Fauour is deceitfull and beautie is vanitie but a woman that feareth the Lord she shall be praised Prou. 3.30 Sect. 2. How cases are wisely to be carried before the Magistrate Note 2 OBserue how these Daughters goe not vp and downe from Tent to Tent from one to another tatling and pratling murmuring and complaining but directly they goe to the Magistrate and there exhibite their desire waiting for reliefe and order from him so should all men doe not marring a good cause with ill handling Being come to him see how modestly and womanly they propound their matter without any vnfitting words of choler or anger or any vnseemely behauiour any way see againe how vvisely they preuent an obiection that might haue beene made of their Father that happily he was one of those Rebels that tooke part with Corah Dathan and Abiram and so perished No say they our Father dyed in the Wildernesse and he was not among the assembly of them that were assembled against the Lord in the Companie of Corah but dyed in his sinne that is as all sinners must for death is the reward of sinne c. Where you may see what a comfort what a credit and glory honest Parents be to their Children they leaue a good name behinde them which makes their children bold to speak of them when others must hang their heads and blush eyther to mention them themselues or to heare them spoken of by others A great motiue to all Parents euen for this cause to be carefull of their carriage Sect. 3. The true rule of iudging cases Consultation with God FOr the iudgement and resolution of this request it is said in the 5. vers Then Moses brought their cause before the Lord. And the Lord spake vnto Moses saying The daughters of Zelophehad speake right c. Before you see that the cause was brought before Moses and Eliazer and all the Princes such a coniunction there was of the ciuill Magistrates and Ecclesiasticall Ministers together in hearing of causes which continueth euer since as appeareth in good records of Antiquitie But neyther Moses nor Aaron spake till they had receiued resolution from God and vnderstood his will Note 3 In like manner should it be still with all Iudges first to know and vnderstand and then to iudge wherein the Lord still is ayding and directing although not by speaking as to Moses yet by his Spirit of wisedome and vnderstanding of counsell and knowledge men vsing the meanes as they ought of learning and prayer Be wise ye Kings and be learned yee that are Iudges of the earth For Prayer if any lacke wisedome let him aske it of God as Salomon did which giueth to all men liberally and reprocheth no man and it shall be giuen him c. Note 4 Another vse againe men may well make here euen a caueat for Plaintiffes and Defendants to haue but such causes as if they be brought before GOD may be approued as this was of the Daughters of Zelophehad but alacke should the most of our suites and controuersies in these dayes be brought to this touch and tryall how impious how hatefull how vile would they appeare The all-holy God is offended with our braules much more with our wicked paines costs and charges to effect the madnesse and malice of our Hell-heated harts in bringing to passe our diuellish designes and pestilent plots against our Brethren that I may say nothing of them that pleade them to the vttermost of their wit and cunning daubing them ouer with humane Eloquence and painting them out with filed and flowing words against their owne consciences and that knowledge which they haue both in the Lawes of God and man Is it not a grieuous fault to iustifie a wicked man or to condemne an Innocent man and is it not so in causes Doth God pronounce a woe against the one and is hee not wroth with the other Well for this cause if it were nothing else there must needes be a generall Iudgement that those things may be pleaded and iudged before the Lord which are wrongfully pleaded and adiudged here Well God giue eyes and feeling I say no more Sect. 4. The case adiudged and spiritually applyed GOds answere you see now following first perticular in regard of these women The Daughters of Zelophe had spake right thou shalt giue them a possession to inherit amongst their Fathers Brethren and shalt turne the inheritance of their Father vnto them Then generally for a Law to others If any man dye and haue no Sonne then yee shall turne his inheritance vnto his Daughter and if bee haue no Daughter yee shall giue his Inheritance vnto his Brethren and if hee haue no Brethren yee shall giue his Inheritance vnto his Fathers Brethren And if his Father haue no Brethren yee shall giue
conuerse or commerse with such more then with bruit Beasts and wicked Spirits that commit such sinnes as Intemperance and Luxurie and Drunkennesse which beasts and Diuels commit not Now ponder well Deaths lenitie in this corasiue Death stops thine eares from hearing the Blasphemies of the multitude wherewith they blaspheme Death hoodwinckes thine eyes from beholding such vaine and filthy obiects as made the Heathen Democritus plucke out his eyes that hee might not behold Death chaines thy tongue from talking with or talking of such obsceane subiects Death Gods Messenger pluckes thee away as the Angell did Lot out of the Sodome of this world and carries thee to Zoar a Citie of refuge the new and true Ierusalem from whence thou shalt come againe with thy Sauiour in the clouds to see these wicked ones cast into burnings Mat. 25.41 but neuer to heare them more blaspheming from vvhich Iudgement thy soule shall returne to heauen againe with her old companion the body now awakened out of the dust and glorified where thou shalt alwayes after to eternitie heare the Quires and Melodies of Angels and heauenly Spirits carrolling out their new Songs and Haleluiahs to the glory of the Lambe Apoc. 5.9 10 As Death frees thee from the conuersation so from the corruptions of wicked men which as it is not the least safetie so it should not be the least ioy and tranquillitie to a Christian and the rather because the danger of infection by them is here so imminent as fearefull If any thinke himselfe safe and sound and on a sure ground in this kinde as too many are too bold let him know that it is as safe for sound Apples to lye amongst the rotten for sound Sheepe to feede amongst the scabbed for cleare eyes to looke earnestly on those that haue sore eyes for a healthfull body to conuerse with the infected in the Pest-house as for thee to liue and conuerse with the wicked and not to learne wickednesse with the froward without frowardnesse nay it is as easie to touch pitch and not be defiled the experience of Gods Saints leaue it recorded that when the Saints are amongst sinners first eyther by Imitation of them secondly or compulsion by them thirdly being brought into straites by their wiles fourthly by their temptations and seductions fiftly in extremities amongst them sixtly by the ouer-swaying of their owne humane passions or by some such meanes they are infected with them these things occasioned Ioseph to sweare by the life of Pharaoh amongst the Aegyptians Abraham twise to vse simulation dissimulation or aequiuocation in two prophane Courts Dauid to faine madnesse in the Court of Achish 1 Sam. 21.13 Peter to deny his Master amongst the high Priests Seruants Mat. 26.74 the true Prophet to eate bread with the false Prophet 1 Kings 13.15.16 the Children of Israel to commit Adultery and Idolatry with the Daughters of Moab Numb 25. All these haue failed or fallen for company as one breach brings downe another amongst wicked men which is thy case now and hath beene Now Death deliuers thee from euer conuersing much more from corrupting by wicked men 11 Let another of Deaths commodities comfort thee in that it very much doth priuiledge thee from the madnesse and malice of the maleuolent Monsters of the vvorld thou art now secure from the pushing hornes of the Buls of Bashan from the sword of iniustice from the arme of tyranny Though mad Saul send for deuout Dauid to kill him in his sickenesse 1 Sam. 14.15 yet none can harme the body of a dead man first it may by kept vnburied for a time as great Alexanders was secondly arrested for debt into which a good Christian may fall in life 2 Kin. 4.1 thirdly be wounded and mangled as Hectors was by the Grecians liuing Hares may leape ouer a dead Lyon fourthly digged vp againe as Pope Formosus body was by Stephanus his successor and as Bucers was by the Papists an act more befitting Swine then men yet it cannot be hurt or harmed because it is insensible of paine and therefore neede not feare Phalaris his Bull nor the Persecutors wilde beasts nor the Papists fire and Fagot and burning chamber nor the most exquisite tortures of the greatest Tyrants for thy spirit it returnes to the Father of spirits thy soule to God that gaue it euen as the beames of the Sunne reflect vpward againe towards the Sunne from whence they came 12 Besides thy good name that especially is cleared by death for wee oftentimes see that by the aemulation of aequals the enuy of inferiours the hatred of superiours and the wickednesse that is in the hearts of all good men in their life time by Gods permission for causes best knowne some secret some reuealed haue beene vvondrously abased and abused censured calumniated and scorched by the malicious and maleuolent tongues of such as haue beene set on fire by Hell oftentimes to the very eclipsing of their good name for a time being poysoned and besmeared with their Aspish venome vvhose good names it pleaseth God to restore againe vnto them at or after the houre of death making the lustre and splendor of their graces then to breake out like the light at the noone-day dispersing all the clouds of scandall which haue in their vapours ascended from the foggie and filthy Quagmires and Marrish of ignorance and Malice Who eyther denies or doubts of this may see it in the Glasse of the Word and obserue it in the experience of other ages and our owne What oppositions had Moses the meekest man on earth the faithfull Seruant of GOD in his life time in the place of his Magistracy amongst a rebellious people though hee discharged the greatest function that euer was committed to any meere man the best that euer any did that was but flesh and bloud yet how was hee vpbrayded scandalized and slandered his Commission from God contradicted hee vvas thought to take too much vpon him accused as a destroyer or at least a deluder of the Lords people concerning the promised Canaan yet the same Moses had beene worshipped as a God of these ancient Idolaters after his death if the Diuell could haue had his purpose in exposing his dead body vnto them being resisted by the Angell Iude 1. v. 9. So was Dauid not a little disgraced by the mockings of his wife Michol 2 Sam. 6.20 the raylings of Shemei 2 Sam. 16.5 the calumnies of his tyrannous enemies by whom hee was esteemed as a foole reuiled as a murtherer verse 6. accounted as an Hypocrite and vile man ver 7. yea euen the drunkards made songs of him in his life time now Dauid is esteemed as the sweet Singer of Israel as the man after Gods owne heart after his death So in our times what broyles and turmoyles had that worthy Caluin zealous Luther reuerent Beza iudicious Zanchy moderate Melancthon learned Peter Martyr Oecolampadius and others in forraine Countries
comfortable end made Abraham Iob old Simeon Moses and other of the Saints in the old and new Testament The like wee read of Ambrose whose conclusion in his death-bed was that hee was neyther ashamed to liue nor fearefull to dye because he had a good Lord. Bernards death was grounded vpon the sure hope and Anchor of Gods mercy though hee liued in corrupt times Oecolampadius told his visitors newes in the last speech hee vttered namely that hee should shortly be with the LORD IESVS Mr. Caluin with Dauids heart repeating Dauids Psalmes mourning in the Spirit for his sinnes his soule was sent out of his body like Noahs Doue out of the Arke Melancthon in his last farewell to life professed he was exceeding willing to dye because it was the Lords will praying for a happy and ioyfull departure hee had his desire presently sealed Peter Martyr gaue a comfortable farewell to his brethren and deare friends acknowledging saluation onely in Christ the Redeemer in which faith as he liued so he dyed That halfe miraculous man Luther in his death abounded as with prayer so with praises and thankesgiuings that the Lord had reuealed Christ vnto him and made him an instrument to discouer Antichrist and to oppose him Annas Burgius cryed in her last cryes Lord forsake not mee least I forsake thee Mauritius the Emperour in his last fainting gaue glory vnto GOD that was righteous in all his wayes and holy in all his workes Saint Augustine wept vpon his sicke couch for many dayes together and so was his soule ferryed to Christ in a floud of teares as Peter walked to Christ on the Sea of waters I might giue your meditations matter enough to worke vpon in reflexing vpon infinite examples related by Authors to which euery faithfull Minister that vseth to performe this dutie of visiting the sicke like a spirituall Physitian discerning the estate of the soule addes his Probatum est in ioyfull experience of many whose dying hath beene suted and sorted to their liuing both gracious both glorious Why then shouldest thou feare for to the righteous there shall be peace at the last Esay 57.2 therefore liue by Faith beleeue the Promises and apply them and be comforted in Gods mercy to others but as for the wicked it is not so with them they shall bee like the chaffe scattered in the winde for there is no peace to the wicked saith my God Esa 57.21 the prolong of their wicked life ends in a fearefull Tragedie in death for though in respect of the body and the outward man there is the same condition to the vvise and the foolish to Nabal and Salomon godly Ionathan perishing in the field as well as wicked Saul 1 Sam. 31.2.3 Ezekias strucke with the plagues boyle Esay 38.21 Asa goutie in his feete nay euen good Iosias wounded in the Battell and the rest of the godly being afflicted in sickenesse as pittiously and dying oft times as painefully whether in a naturall or a violent death euen as the wicked as appeares in the exquisite torments of the Martyres in the Primitiue Church in the crucifying of Peter and Paul with their heads downewards c. yea euen in the very Passion of Christ himselfe yet in respect of the inward man and dispositions of their soules in death there is as great difference betwixt them as there was in their carriage and conuersation in life And therefore as you haue heard the godly praying or praysing and blessing GOD speaking graciously sending out their spirits ioyfully and dying comfortably so prophane men dye eyther carelesly and blockishly for the most part their hearts being frozen and their consciences benummed and scared without any touch in soule or remorse for sinne which kinde of dying though our sottish silly common people commend as the most happy and blessed death when they goe away quietly like Lambes as their stupiditie and blindnesse thinke yet indeede they dye like Beasts and Dogs without any life of grace or feeling of the Spirit in the power or comfort of it nay senslesly like stockes and stones as is said of Nabal whose heart was like a stone within him 1 Sam. 25.37.38 or else desperately and ragingly impatiently as impenitently belching out blasphemies against both the Maiestie and the Mercy of God Thus Iudas cryes hee hath sinned in betraying the innocent bloud but hath no Faith to apply that bloud to the washing away of his bloody treason Thus Antiochus Epiphanes dying is tormented inwardly with the gripes and conuulsions of conscience as with the rage of his sickenesse so Iulian the Apostate in his last act of life from his infected lungs sent out venome against Christ calling him in dirision victorious Galilean Thus Eccius dyes execrating his Popish on-setters in frustrating his golden hopes when they had clapt their hands to animate him to barke at Luther and the Protestanrs The like end made Latomus Hoff-maister Spira and other Antichristian Champions being not vnlike in their sinne Thus Gardiner dyes confessing that hee had sinned with Peter but could not repent vvith Peter Cornelius Agrippa cursing his attending Spirit that stood by him in the forme of a blacke dog Others paralel in the like sinnes making like proportioned ends vnlesse it be in some particulers as once in the Scripture in the Theefe vpon the crosse that a theeuish and licentious life should haue the promise of Paradise in Death which as it was first the conclusion of Christs life secondly the present magnifying of the power of his Passion so it is not to be vrged nor peremptorily pleaded 1. in defence of ill liuers 2. nor imitated in deferring repentance 3. nor presumed vpon no more then a man ought to presume to be a Traytor a Witch a murtherer in hope for a pardon when he is to be turned off the Ladder because some one man in an age hath by Gods prouidence this priuiledge to be repriued and released from these facts committed For in place of one example that hath had his inueterate old sores cured his crying treasons pardoned at the last houre like Gregories good theefe that begd heauen wee haue millions that haue perished rot and consumed in body and soule in the last exigent of life as they haue not spared GOD liuing God hath not giuen them any tokens of his fauour but rather of his wrath and indignation dying forgetting them dying as in their life they forgat him turning away his eare from hearing of their prayers though they houle vpon their sicke-beds like Wolues Ose 7.14 because in their health and prosperitie they haue like deafe Adders stopped their eares in not hearing his Law and Word and in not considering the cryes of the poore Prou. 28.9 Prou. 21.13 Prou. 15.8 Therefore for thy present instruction and future consolation worke thou out betimes thy saluation with feare and trembling Giue all diligence to make thy Election sure Breake off all thy sinnes by
shalt dye so hee saith to thee Set thine house set thine heart in order for thou canst not liue thou must dye nay thou canst not long liue and thou must soone dye certainely dye therefore it is wisedome for thee as in outward things so in this to doe that voluntarily which thou must doe necessarily and compulsorie thy life thou knowest is but a short life frayle and brittle as glasse As it is a flower for the mortalitie of it Esay 40.7 A smoake for the vanitie of it Psal 102.3 so it is a house of clay soone crusht downe Iob. 4.17 A tent or tabernacle soone pluckt vp 2 Cor. 5.1 A Shepheards Tent soone pulled downe Esay 38.12 A Shippe in the Sea Wisd 5.10 soone sliding soone ouer-throwne by the Rockes ouer-blowne by the windes nay as a Weauers Shittle Iob 7.6 for the volubilitie of it as a dreame Iob 20.8 as a shadow Iob 8.9 for the vanitie of it nay vanitie it selfe which is nothing it being in very deede nothing in respect of eternitie Learne therefore by this mirrour of dying Moses so to spend these thy dayes of vanitie that for shortnesse of dayes in this world thou maist with Moses and all the glorious Saints of God inioy eternitie of dayes in the world to come SIMEON'S dying-Song HANDLED IN sixe Sermons LVKE 2.29 Lord now lettest thou thy Seruant depart in peace according to thy Word IT is the Position of some that Examples moue more then Rules that Practise perswades or disswades aboue Precepts eyther in Imitation or Aemulation of Vertue or Detestation of Vice and aboue others wee are pronest to write after the Copies of great men and to tread in the steps of old men Therefore the Scripture propound vnto vs the patternes of the greatest of men euen Kings who were as good as great Dauid Ezekias Iosias Asa Iehosaphat c. that wee should follow their footings so farre as they followed Christ and walked with God Of the most aged amongst men as of Abraham Noah Methushalem Iob c. and here of old Simeon whose liues and deaths are so many pleading Orators and preaching Sermons to excite vs to Christian courses that like them wee may liue holily and dye happily and arriue at the common Hauen of all flesh peaceably and safely Now amongst the rest I haue called out and selected Simeon as a Candle set on a hill as a Beacon on fire to giue light to the world if shee will open her blinded and beetle eyes how to walke to Sion through this vaile of life euen in the darke and shadowie night of death Simeon a fit obiect for vs to reflect the eyes of our intellectuall powers vpon in the prosecution of this sad and sable subiect of death in which consider first the Title of the Text secondly the Text it selfe For the Title Antiquitie and our Church denominates it The Song of Simeon meerely Swan-like and Cygnean pious and propheticall I might easily runne Descant and Diuision vpon it sorting it out into his seuerall parts shewing 1. the Ditty 2. the Matter 3. the Manner 4 the Harmony 5. the Time 6 the Tune with all such obseruances in vocall Musicke substantiall and circumstantiall euen from the ground of this Scripture But my part now is rather to sigh then to sing vnlesse Dirges and Madrigals fitter for Heraclitus his part then Democritus yet I cannot but so farre condescend to this Cantion as to commend this diuine Canticle for the excellencie and to consider in it the ground of it nature and proprietie For the excellencie it is of that puritie and perfection that I wish it might be a rule and a square to our irrigular and vnlimited licentiousnesse in singing that our hearts were rightly tuned by the Spirit of God as was Simeons verse 25. that our tongues were the Pennes of this ready Writer in our Ditties that so wee might sing the prayses of the King but alas our Songs are commonly rather from Sodâ—me then from Sion rather sensuall then spirituall carnall then Christian Satanicall then sacred rather to the honour of Bacchus Priapus and Venus pleasing the Flesh the World and the Diuell the vvorlds worshipped Trinitie thâ—n to the glory of the immortall and indiuisible Trinitie witnesse the vaine vile wanton vicious loose licentious venerious Songs and Sonnets of Poets and Poetasters of our times 1. Which may not onely be seene extant 2. but euen are chaunted and carolled out by Fooles and Fidlers vnprofitable Moathes of the earth which liue eyther in no calling or in a sinfull calling 3. heard receiued applauded approued laughed at by all the licentious Prodigals loose gull-Gallants Epicures and Carnalists ordinarily in euery Ordinary Inne Tauerne Ale-houses and the like Oh therefore whose heart smites him in this kinde let him reforme this sinne whether actiue or passiue in delighting or desiring to say sing or heare these Organs of Sathan and those Bellowes of sinne and vncleannesse Turne now the streame another way let Iordan runne backe-ward If thou beest afflicted pray take out this rule so did Moses Manasses Dauid the Israelites and all Gods Saints Art thou merrily affected sing but what Psalmes Psal 119. Hymnes and Songs and spirituall Psalmes making melody to the Lord in your hearts therefore as I would propound Dauid and Ezekias as true patternes for all mourners so Simeon and Zachary as spectacles to all singers As in Instrumentall Musicke the strings that are out of tune must be set vp to those that are in tune so when thou singest vanitie thy heart and tongue which are distracted distempered and out of tune must be set in the right Key as was Simeons then thou shalt sing at thy departure out of this worlds Prison as Paul and Silas did in Prison Thou shalt sing Hosanna's in Heauen when thy Friends sing thy Funerall Neniae on earth The ground of this Song is Christ the Messias Sauiour and saluation of Israel the Redeemer of his people as the Word cals him as the Angell christens him from God which Sauiour as he was promised to Aâ—am the promise renued to Abraham prefigured in the Leuiticall Law and those Mosaicall Types and Ceremonies Aarons Rod the Pot of Manna the watry Rocke the scape-Goat the brazen Serpent the blood of sacrificed Beasts and Bullockes and the like prophesied of by all Prophets great and lesser from Moses to Malachie so being now reuealed and exhibited is the ground of Simeons Song and the matter of his inward mirth breaking forth like a fire long kept in into these outward Modulations His practise is our precept all our ioy must be in Christ and for Christ In Christ reioyced the Patriarkes when they did but see Christs day a farre off thorow the cloud and the vayle as did Abraham In Christ reioyced the Prophets Esay Ieremâ— Ezekiel c. in the
heate of their persecutions being refreshed with the vision of that incarnate Babe Prince of peace branch of Iesse eternall Counsellor which they did preach and of whom they did prophesie In Christ reioyced the Apostles Peter Iames and Iohn yea Paul himselfe in the midst of stripes whips and imprisonment In Christ reioyced the ancient Martyres Policarpus Ignatius Cyprian euen like the three Children in the middest of the fire In Christ reioyced the ancient Fathers Augustine Ierome Bernard c. witnesse their words works and writings amongst the rest of him that could say Deus meus omnia my Christ and all things Wife Childe Friend Father ioy sufficient efficient in life and death Nay lastly as with Christ so in Christ and for Christ reioyced the Angels in earth and in heauen be glad then oh yee righteous and reioyce ye that feare the Lord as the Angels to the Shepheards as Esay to the Church For vnto vs a childe is borne and a Sonne is giuen For to vs is borne a Sauiour in the Citie of Dauid which shall deliuer all his Israel from their sinnes Matth. 1.21 Luke 19.10 Many and manifold are the ioyes of the sonnes of men as dangerous as diuers few with those sonnes of God by Creation and Adoption Angels and Saints reioyce in or for Christ but sinners according to the diuersities of their darling sinnes solace their soules in such contents as I may call meerely Antichristian and against Christ and the Lords annoynted in which they please themselues and displease him content their flesh but crucifie CHRIST and grieue his Spirit Nabal and Baltazar the Epicure and Drunkard hath ioy enough in his feasts and festiuals the colour of the wine delights his sight the relish his deuouring sense like a base Bagge-pipe hee makes such Musicke as the Diuell daunceth at when hee is full The Vsurer the worldling and the miserable able miser hath his heart rauished when his eye reflexeth vpon his glittering Idoll and golden God the Calfe that this beast bowes too The impure Onan filthy Fornicator and inexcusable Adulterer which like to Salomons foole goes into the harlots house and like Ieremies neighing horse without vnderstanding runnes after his neighbours wife like the Oxe to the slaughter to his owne destruction delights himselfe as the Swine in the miâ—e as the Toade in the puddle as the Panther with excrements as the Scarabean Flye with ordure and filth as the Diuell his Father amongst filthy Hogs with his vncleane courses and discourses feeding his appetite with strange flesh as the lusting Israelites with loued and loathed Quayles v as the Italian Pselli and Mersi feede on poyson his chiefe ioy is to touch and taste Sodomes Apples and the forbidden fruit his onely Paradise the ioying in and inioying here which hee dreames of hereafter a Turkish Heauen a Mahumetaine portion of Wine and Women as for Christ hee hauing no heart at all Hosea 4.11 can haue no heart to him neyther in delighting in him or desiring him no more then the very Diuels themselues who quaked and trembled and made out cryes and exclamations at the very sight of him Luke 8.28.29 so all other Libertines amongst vs haue some Herodias or other some one beloued sinne which they more loue and like and ioy in then in the worlds Sauiour As some in their carnall companions and vvicked associates vvith whose dispositions and conuersations as they receiue as much infection in their soule as their bodyes from a Pest-house so they haue their refections as Baltazzar and Sardanapalus had with their Queenes and Concubines and so in the rest Well these carnall and common Christians which haue as much zeale to Christ and loue for Christ as common women plainely demonstrate that they haue the spirit of Sathan and not the Spirit of GOD as had Simeon And therefore as they ioy not in Christ neyther doth he ioy in them no more then a chaste Bridegrome in a whorish Spouse as they desire not him he desires not them nor their company in his Chamber no more then hee did the foolish Virgins as they delight not in him he delights not in them no more then a man delights in his crucifier and tormenter as they loue not him so hee loues not them no more then he doth Cain and Esau whom the LORD hated As Peter said to Simon Magus so I say to them They and their money perish together they and their lustfull pleasures perish together as did Zâ—mri and Cosbee they and their Gold perish together as did Achan and his wedge they and their Idols perish together as did the Israelites and their Calfe they and their sinnes perish together as did the murmuring Rebels in the Wildernesse they and their companions perish together as did Corah and his complices cursed be their sinnes and their Societies like Simâ—on and Leui brethren in iniquitie So let them perish Lord that are thine enemies like the vntimely fruit of a woman If any loue not the Lord Iesus let them be accursed Anathema Maranatha If any reioyce not at the birth of a Sauiour here with Simeon let the Sunne of all their carnall ioyes sâ—t and be eclipsed in the cloud of death Secondly as wee must ioy in Christ so wee must ioy and reioyce and be thankefull for Christ yea for all the blessings and the benefits that wee receiue in and from Christ temporall and spirituall externall internall or eternall so was Simeon here his song is Eucharisticall and gratulatory for the reuelation of Christ hee blesseth God that hee liues to see the conduit and the fountaine of all blessings to his Church Christ the Messias And since his Deuotion is our Instruction Christians must be thankefull for Christ Thus all the faithfull and beleeuers when Christ was borne offered vp their tributarie prayses the sacrifices of their soules breaking out into holy Hymnes and Songs The Angel did caroll out Glory be to God on high so the Easterne Magi the zealous Shepheards glorifie God the blessed Virgin magnifies the Lord Elizabeth and the prophecying Babe within her wombe leape and reioyce Anna Zachary and Simeon are not behinde with their parts in continuing their prayses and so must wee with our best hearts and affections make vp the Quire since wee haue no lesse interest in nor no fewer priuiledges by Christ then they The Reasons to inforce this duety are these First if the Saints of God in the old Testament were so thankefull for their temporall protection preseruation and redemption from their outward enemies the Egyptians Amalekites Canaanites Ammonites Moabites Philistines c. by temporall Sauiours Moses Ioshua Gideon Iaphte Sampson Dauid c. as may be seene in the spirituall Songs of Moses and Aaron and Miriam and Deborah and Baruch
Apollo I would trauell farre on my feete to finde such a Phoenix For the other sort that liue eyther in no calling or in a sensuall sinfull calling such as riotous Prodigoes profane Esau's vaine Gentlemen gull Gallants retchlesse Ruffians licentious Lechers gracelesse Gamesters filthy Brothellers Queanes Curtizans and beastly Bawdes with all the rest of that restlesse and retchlesse crew alas what good doe they in the world what ayme they at but like Swine to feede like the rich Churle to goe brauely and faire deliciously with the Sabarites and Sardanapalus to inuent and wallow in polluting pleasures to feede their fancy please their owne humours content themselues delight the flesh and damne the soule liuing to eate eating to liue the life of sinne doing as much good to others as the Moath to the garment the Caterpiller to the fruit the Cantharides to the Oyntment spoyling and infecting like plaguy people vvhom thy liue amongst Therefore these and all these as they are vnprofitable burthens to the earth they shall be swept away from the earth like Iabin and Sisera and the Sodomites euen into hell Psal 9.17 As they glorifie not God which was the end of their Creation and Redemption which thy forget so God will neuer glorifie them Therefore let vs all both men with Simeon and women with Lidia Dorcas and Deborah c. doe good here in life that wee may receiue good in and after death liue and desire to liue onely to God and for God here that vvee may liue vvith God for euer hereafter Fourthly and lastly here wee are to take notice of that which wee haue obserued in Moses before namely that Simeon is willing to dye for the whole Text imports and carries it that there was in him no vnwillingnes to dye not so much as in show but a great willingnesse propensitie and disposition to his dissolution whether wee take his vvords here as Optatiue Oh that thou wouldest let thy Seruant depart as some doe or Indicatiue Now thou dost let c. or Precatory Lord now let c. or plainely as they are here all import perspicuously that hee dyed voluntarily From whence note that a good Christian is willing to dye wee may see this as in Simeon so in Paul Phil. 1.23 who desired to be dissolued and to be with CHRIST The like might be instanced in the death of Moses who at Gods command went as voluntarily vp to the Mount to dye and to be sacrificed himselfe as Abraham went to sacrifice his Sonne So if wee consider the death of the Patriarkes of Abraham himselfe of Iacob of Dauid c. that dyed naturally as also of Saint Steuâ—n of our Sauiour Christ himselfe in the Scripture as also of blessed Martyres that were put to death violently we shall finde that they went vnto their deaths and into the Graue as voluntarily as Noah into the Arke taking Gods stroke vpon themselues as patiently as Aaron did when God smote his two Sonnes Nahab and Abihu and as Eli did Samuels report of his houses ruine 1 Sam. 3 The Saints very last words being of the same straine and Dialect with Simeons import so much as wee may see Moses Deut. 32. with this good old man here concluding his life with a Swan-like Song So also Dauid 2 Sam. 23. So Babilas the Martyr feared not that his soule should returne vnto her rest neyther did Ignatius care when hee dyed or of what kinde of death hee should dye nay though hee were grinded by the teeth of Lyons because hee was the Lords Manchet and must be made cleane bread for Christ So Melancthon almost in the same words with Simeon If it be the will of God I am willing to dye and I beseech him to grant mee a ioyfull departure With many moe Now the Reasons which make the childe of God so willing to die are many the principall are these First because hee findes no good in this life no ioy no content more then a Prisoner in his bonds a bird in the snare or a beast in the ginne his ioyes being imperfect and mixed with a thousand sorrowes hauing for one Sunny day a hundred tempestuous stormes his best dayes being like Iacobs few and euill his worst many and miserable Secondly because there is nothing in this life which giues true and sollid satisfaction to his soule finding with Salomon all Sublunarie things to be vanitie and vexation of spirit as Honours riches wisedome vvealth knowledge Babels building Moses and Daniels Aegyptian and Caldean learning Cressus and Crassus his wealth Midas his gold Policrates good successe Ezekias his Treasure Nero's Musicke all other things which should doe good to the nature of man or delight the minde of man giuing him no more content then ayre and winde to an empty stomacke for as a Quadrangle cannot fill a Triangle but some corner will be capable of more so the whole circuit of this round Orbe this Quadrangular world cannot content the heart of man which Anatomists say is Triangular in the forme God onely Christ and his Spirit the blessed Trinitie that made the soule can fill it with true delights and fulfill the true desires In which respect the Christian to whom all things else are bitter but Christ is not quieted till hee inioy Christ no more then the animate or inanimate creatures are at peace till they haue their rest in that centre whitherto they moue his heart still trembling till it be with God like the Needle touched with an Adamant still quiuering and shaking till it looke directly to the North Pole and therefore as Noahs Doue sent out of the Arke found no rest to the sole of her foote till shee returned into the Arke againe so the true Christians the Lords mournefull Doues finde no resting place here till their soules returne to the Arke of their strength that God that sent them out into their bodies euen as the Iewish Tabernacle had no rest but was carryed from place to place till it entred into Canaan Exod. 26.1 33.7 Thirdly because of the crosses and afflictions which are incident vnto him in this life for as the whole humane nature is subiected to the Crosse so chiefely the Christian The world which is a Paradise to the carnall is a Purgatory to the Christian Many are the troubles of the righteous all that will liue godly in Christ must suffer affliction euery Disciple must take vp one crosse or other if hee vvill follow Christ which crosse-way is the way to heauen euery childe of God is corrected ere hee be receiued the purest Gold must be in the furnace the Lords owne Wheate is thrashed winnowed and grinded and Gods trees must be pruned Vt vnda vndam as waue succeedes waue so crosse succeedes crosse as Dauids Lyon succeedes his Beare 1 Sam. 17.37 and Goliah the Lyon 1 Sam. 18.27 and the Philistines Goliah and Saul the Philistines 1 Sam. 21. Now the Christians
vet adiuuante c. yea euen those things which are done contra voluâ—tatem against the will of GOD yet are not done praeter eius voluntatem besides his will by which will with Hugo I meane his good pleasure his operation and permission yea euen in Sinne it selfe the cause of death God hee hath a worke God workes in euery euill but he workes not euill nor euilly as the Papists slander Caluin to teach Agâ—t in malo c. hee workes in the euill first by permitting secondly by disposing by permitting I say not by prouoking For though God offer the sinner obiects to vse Augustine and Bellarmines Similitudes and leaues a man to himselfe yet hee inclines not his will to euill and therefore is not the cause of euill no more then the Shepheard by setting hay or grasse before the Sheepe is the cause of the Sheepes feeding or the Huntsman by shewing the Grey-hound the Hare or Deere is the cause of his running but onely the dispositions and inclinations of both to runne and to feede Secondly by ordering and disposing sin for this is the propertie of the diuine vvisedome saith Clemens Vti vtiliter c. to vse those things profitably which are done peruersely De malo opere c. God out of euery worke that is euill workes that which is good euen as in the first Creation he brought light out of darkenesse and as a wise Physitian out of poysoned Serpents and venemous beasts extracts a preseruatiue against poyson Thus hee disposed of the Treachery of Iosephs Brethren and the Treason of Iudas against Christ to his owne glory and the good of his Church in the preseruation of old Iacob and his Seede and the saluation of his owne Elect Israel Therefore as in one act of the death of Christ 1. God 2. Christ 3. the Diuell 4. the Iewes and 5. Iudas wrought but not from one cause the Diuell suggestingly the Iewes maliciously Iudas couetously Christ executiuely in deliuering himselfe God decretorily in decreeing and dispositiuely in disposing the death of his Sonne to the sauing of the Elect and condemning of the Reprobate being the rising and falling of many in Israell The like is seene in other sinnes wherein there are diuers agents some sinfull but GOD alwayes sinlesse for Peccatores in quantum peccatores c. God makes not sinners so farre forth as they be sinners but onely ordereth and disposeth them being as the best Creator of those wils that are good so a most righteous disposer and orderer of those wils which are euill But as for Death which it the punishment of sinne not the condition of Nature God is not onely the permitter and prouident disposer but the iust inflicter of it yea vitae necisque arbitrer the author and ordayner as of life so of death for it is he that formes the light and creates darkenesse hee makes peace and creates euill Esay 45.7 What euill Not the euill of sinne but the euill of sorrow of sicknesse of troubles banishment famine yea Death it selfe Leuit. 26. This poynt is worthy our further inlargement namely that all death for the Time of it the Place of it the Matter the Manner the Cause the Occasion of it is immediately from God operatiuely penarâ—ly or permissiuely For the Time if death come in the morning or mid-day in the euening or Cocke-crow of life in the Infancie or childe-hood or nonage or youth or adolescencie or perfect age or decaying declining or decrepit old age of our yeeres if it crop vs in the sprout or the Spring or the Summer or the Autumne or the Winter of our time God that is Palmoni a secret numberer hath numbered our dayes and measured our time for the LORD makes our dayes as it were an hand-breadth Psal 39.5 eclipsing our lifes light as it pleaseth him in the Sunne-rising or in the meridian of our dayes as hee did vvith good Iosias the vertuous Prince Edward the 6. that worthy spirit Picus miramdula our English Iosias Prince Henry with diuers others Againe sometimes hee addes vnto our dayes as hee did fifteene yeeres to the raigne of Ezâ—kias Esay 38. extending and drawing our the thread of our life to a large extent as hee did the yeeres of Abraham Iob and Dauid who dyed all in a good age full of dayes going to their graues as a Ricke of Corne commeth in due season into the Barne Iob 5.26 For the Place whether we dye in the fields with Saul and Ionathan or in our beds vvith old Iacob Gen. 49.33 or on our beds vvith Sisera and Ishbosheth 2 Sam. 4.5 or in the wars with the Amorites and Amalekites or in time of peace as did Salomon or by land or by sea as did the Aegyptians God hath appoynted that place for vs to lay downe our bodyes in and no other euen as hee appointed a dying place for Moses in the land of Moab Deut. 34.1.5 So for the Manner of death whether it be naturall when wee fall from the Tree of life like ripe Apples or if it be violent when we are by force shaken downe like greene Apples God gathers vs to our Fathers God shewes himselfe in this act not onely when immediately hee strikes by himselfe with his owne hands as hee did Dathan and Abiram whom the earth receiued Nadab and Abihu whom the fire consumed Leuit. 10.2 with others for which cause the Lord is said to raine from the Lord fire and Brimstone vpon Sodome Gen. 19. As also to haue smit Naball for his churlishnesse towards Dauid 1 Sam. 25. â—8 but euen those that are cut off by an externall agent whether by Sathan himselfe as vvere Iobs Children or by others voluntarily or involuntarily they are executed by the decree of the supreame essence Thus whether wee consider Children murthered by their Parents as was the Sonne of Constantine the great of Antoninus Caracalla of Brutus of Darius of Cambyses and Medea if wee beleeue Histories Or Parents slaine by their Children as was Senacherib by his Sonnes Esay 37.38 Fredericke by his Sonne Manfrede Agrippina by Nero Semiramis by Ninus Vlisses by Thelegon Phocas by his Sonne Heraclus c. Or the bloud of Brothers effused by Brethren as Abels by Caine Ammons by Absolon Teâ—cles by Polymies Remus by Romulus Argeus by his Brother Ptolomie Philadelphus c. Or if vvee consider Husbands slaine by their Wiues as the Husbands of the fiftie Daughters of Danaus so the Husbands of those thirtie Sisters of Albina slaine by their wiues Agamemnon by Clitemnâ—stra King Sarematar by Circes Antoninus the Emperour by his Wife Luulla Or if wee ponder Wiues butchered by their Husbands as Poppea was by Nero Queene Glosinda by Chilpericus Fausta the Empresse by Constantine as also the Wife of Mithridates the King of Pontus of Egnatius Calphurinus Periander and diuers others who haue perished by the mischiefe of their Mates Or if wee reflexe vpon Seruants that haue
manner how the beginning of sickenesse cause originall continuation and end that euery fit in thy sickenesse nay the very pangs of death are particulerly set downe in the counsell of God Did God so as hee did Dauid when thou wast an Embrio without forme in thy mothers wombe when thou wast made in a secret place and fashioned beneath in the earth Psal 139.15.16 and doth he not now thinkest thou behold thy trouble Will he not strengthen thee in the bed of languishing and make all thy bed in thy sickenesse Psal 41.2.3 In the 56. Psalme v. 8. Dauid prayes that the Lord would put his teares into his bottle Now consider with thy selfe hath God a bottle for the teares of his Seruants much more hath hee bottles for their bloud and much more doth he respect their paines and miseries with all the circumstances of sickenesse and death How did this comfort the Church of Ierusalem in the death of Christ in that nothing came to passe in it but that which the fore-knowledge and eternall counsell of GOD had appoynted Acts 4.28 Thirdly the Meditation of this point must teach thee to possesse thy soule in patience to kisse Gods Rod to subiect thy selfe like an obedient childe to his correcting hand to couch downe like Issacar vnder thy burthen what miserie soeuer in life what manner of mortalitie in death doth befall thee because it is the Lords doings it is a message from thy King an errand from thy Father a summons from thy Iudge a Loue-token from thy Bridegrome a warning from thy Generall therefore to be receiued with all loue and loyaltie submission and subiection without muttering and murmuring belching and barking against God as the manner of some is Oh consider the practise of Dauid Psal 39.10 I held my tongue saith hee and said nothing Why so because thou Lord aidst it The same consideration sealed vp the lips of Aaron when two of his owne Sonnes were consumed with fire Leuit. 10.3 So Eli when hee considered it was the Lord that threatned him and his house was content that he should doe what seemed him good 1 Sam 3.18 Ioseph thus reuiues his brethren when their harts failed them in a great perplexitie Gen. 43. Feare not saith hee for it was the Lord that sent mee before you Oh obserue how the very meditation of Gods permissiue prouidence armes him and his against griefe impatience and discontent open thou the boxe and apply thou these Cordials and Mithridate to thy owne particular I warrant you who euer had a window into Simeons Soule had seene no small Iubilie of ioy in his inward man arising euen from these very thoughts that it was the Lord that let him depart in peace after hee had imbraced the Prince of peace to whom that thou maist conforme thy selfe let this one motiue moue thee besides many moe Namely the greatnesse of this sinne of impatience a sinne not onely condemned in the Word Prou. 14 29. 19. vers 19. if it be but against man much more if against God as that of Iobs was Iob 3.1.2.3 c. but also punished most seuerely in the Lords owne people as yee may see at leasure in euery Chapter almost of Exâ—dus and Numbers it neuer scaping scot-free but bringing a greater iudgement with it then that which did occasion it As doe the people murmure for Quailes for Water c. against God against Moses and against Aaron they shall be plagued vvith Pestilence and Serpents and Death and Murraine and mortalitie Oh then if thou wilt be angry be angry with thine owne sins the occasion of all crosses and of all curses the causer of Terâ—ours and Consumptions and Burning Agues and Biles and Botches and Plague-sores yea of Death it selfe Leuit. 26.16 22. Wherefore is the liuing man sorrowfull Man suffereth for his sinnes Lament 3. Sinne was the cause of Ezekias botch of Gehesies and Miriams Leprosie of the Philistines Emerods of the Aegyptian plagues and therefore Christ bids the blinde man sinne no more least a worse thing befall him Iohn 5.14 For Death by Sinne entered into the world Rom. 5.12 which Sinne still continueth Deaths sting wee carrying that sting in our bosomes that vvill kill vs oh then plucke this sting out drowne Sin in the salt Sea of repentant sorrow as the Marriners cast Ionas into the Sea and the cause being remoued the effect will cease The tempest shall turne to calme when thou turnest to Christ though thou hast outward paine thou shalt haue inward peace and shalt depart in peace Secondly in that God limits and lets and permits our departure it teacheth vs that the dayes of man are so determined as that no man no meanes can protract them or detract from them beyond and besides their limits for God which hath appoynted the seasons and times for euery thing Acts 1.7 ch 17. hath determined also the dayes of euery mans life as hee did Iobs Iob 14.5 which life as it is like a weauers Lombe Esay 38.10 so it must last till the last thread thereof be wouen like an Houre-glasse running till the last minute of time be expired before which time this thread cannot be cut by the power of men and Angels this Glasse cannot be broken all externall created power cannot cause the Lord to alter what hee hath written in the numbring of our dayes no more then Pilate would change what hee had vvritten vpon Christs Crosse Obiect 1. But here a scruple may arise concerning Ezekias who was told from God that hee should presently dye Esay 38.1 yet after there were fifteene yeeres added to his dayes 2 Kin. 20.1 Answ First Gods will is alwayes one in it selfe like God himselfe how euer in respect of vs it may seeme contrary or contradictory as it is secret and reuealed Secondly there was no change of will or decree in God but in Ezekias himselfe who receiued the sentence of death like the Niniuites conditionally as the Theefe may receiue the sentence of death from the Iudge vnlesse hee carry himselfe after more carefully or get the Kings Pardon presently For all Legall Threats as also Euangelicall Promises haue their relation and reference vnto the condition of Faith or Infidelitie of Repentance or Impenitencie by the performance or not performance vvhereof wee auoid or incurre the curses denounced or are capable of or not capable of the promises propounded therefore when God staid the execution and as it were repriued this good King hee did nothing but what hee determined for hee decreed by this threatning to bring him to the sight of his sinnes and so to repentance that hee might liue Obiect 2 Obiect 2. Iob complaines that his breath is corrupt that his dayes are extinct and that the graue is ready for him Iob 17.1 So Dauid complained that the Lord had weakened his strength in the way that he had shortened his dayes yea hee feared that God would take him away in the midst of
outragious both in the quantitie and qualitie of sinne so it confirmes my hope in Christs second comming concerning the propniqiutie and nearenesse of the last expected day of the worlds dissolution seeing not onely Iniquitie doth abound and Sinne Sathans daughter is more fruitfull then euer euen in monstrous births but the Diuell the Father rageth Lion-like and like Iehu marcheth against man more vehemently with redoubled force and fury knowing that his time to rauen in is but short These premisses pondered because Sathan is as wilie as euer hee was as powerfull as potent as politique more malicious as thou art more weake then those which hee hath assaulted and vanquished in this kinde for Saul and Iudas in all outward respects were in all probabilitie stronger then thou as thy nature as wicked as theirs for all branches that come from Adams stocke are naturally corrupted and as it is most likely that thou shalt be tempted by this Serpent euen to this very sinne of letting out thine owne bloud which like other sinnes is in thine ownâ— power for what man amongst many can say that he hath not had many thoughts and motions iniected and darted into his heart by Sathan for to perpetrate this sinne So in Gods feare let euery Christian arme himselfe against it euen with a constant resolution like good Iob by whom Saint Iames patternes vs to trust in GOD though hee kill him to fall rather into the hands of God with Dauid 2 Sam. 24.14 then to fall vpon his owne sword vvith Saul Discusse Dauids prohibiting argument when he was prouoked to kill Saul Shall I lay mine hand saith hee vpon the Lords Annointed Surely no The Lords hand shall be vpon him not mine hee shall stay his day Thou as a Christian art the Lords Annointed what euer Sathan importune the worlds crosses occasionedly vrge yet lay not thine hand vpon the Lords Annoynted it is more vnlawfull for thee to slay thy selfe then for Dauid to kill apostate Saul stay thy day wayte the Lords leasure in rest and confidence shall be thy strength GOD will relieue thee in the crosse or release thee from the crosse Labour for the Spirit of Grace against the impatiencie of Nature and the Spirit of Prayer against Sathans Temptations and the Spirit of Patience against the worlds crosses learne out of Epictetus his Schoole sustinendo abstinendo by abstaining from the euill of sinne by sustaining any crosse the scourge of sinne not to mutter against thy Creator not to marre his Image in thee his chiefe creature Lastly that thou maist preuent this sinne it selfe as a point of instruction neyther vnpleasing nor vnprofitable I thinke good to acquaint thee with the causes at least the occasions of this sinne of Selfe-murther so farre as I can gather them Historically is matter of fact euen from the very Heathens from whose Candles wee must borrow a little light to see into this poynt that so as is the Maxime both of Philosophie and Physicke sublaâ—a causa â—ollitur effectus the cause being remoued the effect may cease Vse 3 The first and chiefe cause of this crimson sinne of Selfe-murther besides the Diuell tempting and triumphing ouer his conquered vassals is rage of conscience for some haue beene so stung with Hellish furies as vvas Nero after hee had murthered his Mother Agrippina slaine his Brother his Friends his Masters as Suetonius reports that they haue constrainedly attempted the quenching of this fire with the effusion of their owne bloud chiefely when there is ioyned with it despayre of mercy as in Pilate whom Gregory Turoâ—ensis relates to haue killed himselfe after hee had condemned Christ The like whereof Iosephus records of Herod after hee had butchered his three Sonnes Alexander Aristobulus and Antipater The Scriptures instance in Saul after his Apostacie from God and in Iudas after he had betrayed CHRIST c. 2 Others some haue beene ouercome by madnesse or Frenzies as Lucretius that Philosophicall Poet about the forty yeere of his age saith Politian Hercules that burnt himselfe being madded with his inchanted shirt that was dipt in the bloud of the Centaure Aiax that died inraged when Achilies armor was adiudged from him to Vlisses to which are to be added such as being surprised vvith passions of loue or hatred oppressed vvith Melancholy ouer-heated in their spirits by studie or the like haue beene madded and so murthered 3 Others haue killed themselues in the violencie of their diseases as Silius the Poet Festus the friend of Domitian Indignas premâ—ret pestis quum rabida fauces c. Messula Coruinus the Orator that by reason of an vlcer in his mouth pined himselfe to death as Celius testifies 4 Others in pride of heart and discontent as Homer because hee could not resolue the riddle of the Fishermen Aristotle because hee could not finde out the reason of the frequent ebbing and flowing of Euripus So Brotheus that burnt himselfe because he was deformed 5 Others to preuent the luxurious desires and designes of Lechers and to preserue their owne chastitie as Sophroâ—ia that Christian Lucrece as Eusebius cals her that by killing her selfe freed her chastitie from the continuall assaults of Dâ—cius Damocles the beautifull Boy that escaped the Sodomie of Demetrius by Selfe-drowning 6 Others being ashamed to liue haue not beene ashamed by selfe inflicted death to depriue themselues of life as chaste Lucrece after she was defiled by proud Tarquin whose death not onely Claudian Stroza Sabellicus and many of the Heathen bewayle but euen some Christians speake and write of it vvith remorse So Cornelius Gallus that excellent Poet Virgâ—ls friend that for shame killed himselfe being accused and it seemes guiltie of misdemeanours in his gouernment being President of Aegypt saith Ammianus or as Tranquillus writes because hee was interdicted Caesars house because he was too tongue-sawcy saith Ouid that makes it his blemish Se linguam nimio non tenuissâ— mero 7 Others to preuent that shame and further blame which their misdemeanours or the preuailing of their enemies had brought them too thus Cleopatra when Anthony was ouercome least shee should be carryed captiue applyed Serpents to her breasts which Plutarch and Horace say shee kept for that purpose whom her Maides Neaera and Charmiâ— accompanyed in the like death So Dioclesian the Emperour fearing an ignominious death from the threates of Lacinus and Constantine dranke poyson saith Aurelius So Oppia a vestall Virgin defloured kils her selfe for feare of further punishment The like did Fanius Cepio when he was apprehended in a Conspiracie against Augustus The like is related of Cardinall Wolsey to haue poysoned himselfe in the High-way betwixt Cawwood and London when hee was sent for to answere such Articles as were against him neyther was Achitophels wittie folly awanting in this kinde who thought by hanging himselfe to be rid both of present shame his counsell being despised and future blame
Vessels of Mercy Rom. 9. Children of the Marriage-Chamber and such as excell euen their neighbours Mat. 9. yea excellent ones Psal 16.3 with such other titles of eminencie and dignitie with which his Seruants are aduanced Now if it be a grace to be called the Sewer the Chamberlaine the Cup-bearer c. to an earthly Monarch as Nehemiah was to Artaxerxes then what luster and excellencie is their in such high and honourable places which the attendants in Gods Courts doe daily inioy Thirdly onely the Seruants of God are acceptable vnto God here and shall haue a glorious reward hereafter Heb. 12.28 Fourthly the Church and Children of God esteeme and approue of such as serue Christ truely and sincerely Rom. 14.18 as for others that are eyther strangers from the Common-wealth of Israell without the Church or seruants to their owne lusts and sinfull ends within the Church that serue not the Lord in spirit and truth they esteeme them as debashed and vile men vnworthy of the common ayre vncleane Birds vnsauory salt the earths burthen the Churches bane Sathans Impes Natures shame Heauens exiles Hels Inheritance and the Diuels due in that case wherein they stand till by the power of the Word and Spirit they be brought from darkenesse to light and from the power of Sathan vnto God from the seruice of vaine Idols to the liuing God Acts 26.18 If we according to our vse apply this by vse wee shall finde Miriades and Millions of such as haue the faces of men and the names of Christians and goe vnder the common rancke of Gods Seruants as farre from Simeons desires and delight in this poynt as the Diuell himselfe that neuer since they were borne of their Mothers did eyther know or will or affect or practise or thinke of the least measure of the seruice of God Examine their knowledge and you shall finde them as ignorant how God is truely to be serued as the Getes and Sauromatanes and those Paganish people that neuer heard of God Let thousands that might be culled out both in the Citie and Country that are vnder the meanes and that haue dexteritie of wit strength of intellectuall powers soundnesse of iudgement in attaining discerning and iudging the things of this life that belong to their Callings and Functions Tell mee the difference betwixt a ciuill morall temporarie generall Faith and sauing Faith without which God is not serued and pleased with the markes proprieties and effects of the same Let them distinguish vnto mee betwixt that godly and that worldly that Christian and that carnall sorrow mentioned 2 Cor. 7.10 Let them shew mee the true qualities and conditions of such a prayer as preuailes with God and fetcheth a blessing from the Throne of Grace the Notes and Adiuncts of that Confession of sinnes to which Remission is promised 1 Iohn 1.9 Pro. 28.13 Let them tell mee wherein the Euangelicall Repentance of the childe of God in his new birth or after his fall differs from the Legall Penitencie of Iudas Esau and the Papists with other such like Misteries and Principles of Diuinitie the knowledge of which is a good meanes both for honouring of God and sauing of their owne soules and I shall be very glad that my strong iealousie and vehement suspition of their blockish ignorance is desiredly remoued I know many like the naughty Seruant know the will of their Master that doe it not Luke 12.47 like the Athenians that know how to doe well and will not that know how to speake well and to worke ill like that carnall Cardinall that declaimed against whoredome and practised ere hee slept what hee inueighed against such like the Armenian Dragons haue hot mouthes and cold hearts yet an hundred times moe we haue in this our marueilous light that doe no more know how to beginne prosecute or finish any part of the seruice of God then a new admitted Colledge-Student a fresh-water Souldier an vnexpert raw seruitor a rude Prentise know what belongs to their places functions professions to the customes and conditions of their place the first houre of their admittance a fearefull case for such as haue had so good meanes and haue profited nothing A second branch of this reprose extends to those who want not onely the skill but the will to serue and worship God vnlesse in a will-worship such as they themselues conceit and imagine is sufficient though mixt vvith such filthy dregs and dung-hill of Ignorance profanenesse superstition formalitie and hypocrisie as makes God lothe and abhorre their offerings How many are there in the common folde of Christianity amongst vs that in this maine dutie of hearing the Word and the voyce of the great Shepheard in the Ministerie of vs the Vnder-shepheards for one Sermon that they here lend their eares and hearts to an hundred times to the voyces of strangers whether Seminaries and Iesuites the Popes Factors or Stage-Players the Diuels Preachers or other such Charmers which infatuate and bewitch their soules as the false Apostles did the Galathians Gal. 3.1 I speake not of the manner of their hearing without all preparation before without all reuerent attention submission or faith in hearing or meditation and examination of themselues and their families after hearing whereby the word is made vnprofitable to them yea the sauour of death to death But when doe they heare at all or whom where is their Dauids delight in the Law and Statutes of God where is their longing after the Congregations and Assemblies of the Saints after Bethell where is their soules sickenesse after the house of God to come and worship in the holy Temple there were such men when Dauid Ezekias Iosias Anna good Simeon and the Primitiue Saints were liuing whom Augustine called the Lords Antes that euery day would hast into the Lords Barne to fetch corne the bread of life as the Israelites gathered Manna euery morning But our age affords Drones and Waspes and Grashoppers in their stead the neglect of Gods publike worship in the solitarie seates of many vnfrequented Churches in the thronged fields and tippling-houses in many Parishes In this our numerous people wherein our Land like a full Bee-hiue might cast many swarmes shewes that most haue lesse will to serue God then the Diuell the world or their bellies But to leaue the Church-seruice wherein man sees thy defects and defaults better then thou thy selfe Tell me vaine men in the truth of their soules if there be any truth in you what sacrifices many of you chiefely you the common and vulgar people haue offered vnto God in priuate vvhere is the furrowes and wrinckles in thy face thy bleared Leah-like eyes that thy teares haue made being occasionedly distilled from the Limbecke of a sorrowfull soule for thy sinnes where was thy last Bochim place of weeping thy last Mâ—spez where like a true Israelite thou didst poure downe water before the Lord When didst thou take vp Dauids course in washing thy Couch with teares
and thy bed with weeping Where didst thou mourne like Ezekias 2 Kings 20.3 Alas thy dry eyes and stony heart polluted soule and guiltie conscience tels thee this part of Gods Seruice is yet omitted Moreouer where didst thou volly out thy broken sighes for thy Sodomitish and crying sinnes What times morning euening day or night What place what Chamber Closet Gallery Garden Groue Wood Field can witnesse thee smiting vpon thy breast with Ephraim Ier. 31.19 ashamed of thy sinnes with the Princes and Iudges of Israel like a Theefe taken in the manner Ier. 2.26 casting downe thine eyes and knocking vpon thy breast with the penitent Publican Luke 18.13 mourning like a Doue in the Desart and a Pellican in the Wildernesse for thy transgressions and enormities this part of Gods seruice is pretermitted When didst thou commune with thine owne heart in thy priuate Chamber searching the secret sinnes of thy soule with the light of the word finding out thy present corruptions and recounting the by-past follies of thy youth in the bitternesse of thy soule confessing them vnto God with the repenting Prodigall laying open the wounds Leprosies and ruptures of thy soule to Christ thy Pihsitian I doubt this sacrifice of a wounded soule a broken hart and a contrite spirit is eyther not at all or very coursorily performed this seruice and sacrifice pleaseth God too well Psal 51.17 for the Diuell to suffer it to passe without long delayes many interruptions and in too many absolute omissions But lastly tell mee seriously how oft hast thou poured out thy soule before the Lord in Prayer for the pardon and remission of sinnes for a new heart a renued soule for conuersion and turning to God for increase of Faith for the holy Ghost for the gifts of Grace Wisedome Chastitie and the like as Dauid the Apostles and Disciples of Christ Paul and other of the Saints haue done hast thou done this I aske thee not whether thou hast oft babbled or not like the Heathen and our ignorant Papists in pattring ouer thy Lords Prayer as they doe their Pater Nosters and their Auees without Faith or feeling without heart and affection with that lip-labour that Christ condemned in the Gentiles and God in the Iewes Neither doe I aske thee if Parrat-like thou hast said ouer thy Creed and thy tenne Commandements sometimes when thou didst rise and goe to bed which are as far from being Prayers as the Diuell is from truth or as ignorance is from knowledge that tels thee they are Prayers which are none With these Heathenish and Idolatrous Seruices perhaps thou had lodened the Lord as the Iewes once ouer-wearied him with the like vanities Esay 1.11.12.13 But I aske thee how oft thou hast indeede prayed how oft indeede with a Sacrifice of Prayer kindled with zeale inflamed with the fire of the spirit heated with feruency directed with knowledge grounded on Faith in the Promises prosecuted with Humilitie and Reuerence attending with Constancie and Perseuerance accompanyed with Repentance for sinne and her hand-maides Contrition and Confession how oft I say with such a qualified Prayer hast thou approached the Throne of Grace put vp thy petitions to heauen knocked at the gate of Grace for graces to be giuen sinnes forgiuen how oft with such Incense hast thou visited the Lords Altar Seauen times a day with Dauid nay three times with Daniel nay once nay none in many dayes vvill thy heart tell thee if it continue not still hypocriticall deceiuing thee as Sathan hath deceiued it Well and yet thou thinkest to be saued But vpon what grounds rotten God knowes Indeede euery one that cals vpon the name of the Lord shall be saued so saith the Prophet so the Apostle Ioel 2.32 but thou callest not on the name of the Lord saith thy heart at least not as thou oughtest to doe which makes thy prayer an abhominable sacrifice therefore thou thus continuing shalt not be saued But let mee goe further with thee Dost thou pray in priuate that 's well but dost thou pray for with and amongst thy family in thine owne house as did Abraham Ioshuah and the faithfull in their dayes here thou art mute and thy heart giues the negatiue It is apparent God is as frequently and as feruently serued in the Houses Tents Tabernacles and Campes of many sauage and Scythian Souldiers as in thy house Mahomet hath better seruice in most families of the Turkes and the Diuell of the Virginians then God hath in thy house For Prayer is such an excellent part of Gods worship that it is oft vsed for the whole seruice of God as Gen. 4.26 and else-where being a dutie whereby as man is profited so wherewith God is wonderfully pleased and his name glorified Psal 50.15 euen in all his Attributes both 1. in his Wisedome in acknowledging that hee is infinitely vvise in knowing our wants 2. in his Power in that hee is able 3. in his Mercy in that he is willing 4. in his Omnipotencie and his Omnipresence that hee is alwayes ready and present to heare and helpe his Church and children 5. as also in his Knowledge in that wee confesse him by Prayer to be the sâ—archer of the hart and the onely Intelligencer of the desires of man Now where this principall part of Gods Seruice and Worship is omitted or but slubbered ouer as Elies Sonnes did the Sacrifices in publike or priuate how can a iealous and a zealous God indure it When thou omittest neglectest despitest or despisest this whole Seruice of God how shall the Lord be pleased with thee thou depriuing God of the principall part of his Glory hee will frustrate thee of thy hoped glory for who euer are glorified of the Lord in heauen must glorifie him in some measure on earth I might also examine in this Quere how thou performest other parts of Gods seruice namely those which are Eucharisticall and Gratulatory in praysing God for his blessings temporall and spirituall as did Dauid in his Generation with others Psal 100. Psal 130. A dutie though commanded by God Psal 50.15 and as a part of his Seruice so of his Glory Psal 50.23 yet neglected as frequently as fouly as it was of the nine cleansed Lepers Luke 17.17 and of Ezekias 2 Chron. 22.25 vvhereby Gods vvrath is kindled against many a man and his seede and posteritie as it was against Iudah and Ierusalem Secondly they are both depriued of former blessings for their ingratitude and Gods hand shut from pouring out any new mercies into the riuen dishes of such vnthankfull soules Many moe parts of Gods seruice omitted by an vngratious and vngratefull vvorld might be prosecuted whereby it plainely appeares that there are great troupes and swarmes of profane and godlesse men amongst vs that haue not God in all their thoughts like the Hypocrites in Iob 27.10 that haue no delight in God such Atheists as Dauid describes in the Psalmist Psal 14. Psal 53. and as Zephanie Ieremie
then I blame the Calling of the Apostles for that Iudas was a traitor yet I cannot but bewayle the great forgetfulnesse of God and neglect of his worship amongst vs in this our outward prosperitie beautified with the marueilous and miraculous continuated light of the Gospell Thus did Israell as wee now as appeares by the reiterated phrases in the Psalmist and else-where that in their prosperitie they forgat God The Lord hath laboured to excite and waken vs as hee did them by plague pestilence and other Iudgements from the Heauens and all the Elements yet our heads are still heauie and our hearts are asleepe Let vs feare the rod of Ashur the inuasion of forraine powers let vs not prouoke him to procure out cryes and oâ— seruice by giuing vs ouer into the hands of Chaldeans and Assyrians If euer Israell be carryed captiue which God forbid and be oppressed with a Spanish or a Romish yoake we shall then wish that wee had drawne neare vnto God in the Sunnie day of peace ere we had beene humbled like Manasses Dauid and Israell by pressures and afflictions A third part of this vse extends it selfe to those that running into a further degree of sinne and measure of iniquitie as indeed sinne like ill fame still growes greater in his progresse and swels more vast and poysonous like the Dragon that hath eaten the Serpent after once one sinne be retained doe not onely in their owne particulars and with those that depend vpon them neglect reiect and refuse the seruice of God though they weare the Liuery and Cognizance of their Master being called Christians but they maligne calumniate and storme at others that are more zealous and forward then themselues aemulating as it is said of the Grey-hound that thinkes much that any thing should out-runne him that any shoud outstrip them in the sinceritie or measure of grace or out-runne them in the course of Christianitie accounting with politique Gallio Religion to be but Ceremonies and circumstances quirkes and quiddities 〈◊〉 the Lords true Nathaniels that serue him in truth in whose spirit is no guile Psal 31.2 to be but foolish and froathy fellowes more precise then wise Gods followers Gods fooles as Michâ—l thought Dauid nay mad distracted rauing men as the Iewes Christs Kinsmen and Festus esteemed CHRIST Ieremie and Paul yea Gods faithfull Seruants as they haue alwayes beene so still are as signes and wonders in Israell in this our blinded age Esay 8.18 Yea monsters euen to the great men of the world as Dauid was Psal 71.7 Yea a scorne reproach and dirision to them that are round about them Psal 79.4 accounted as men of an odde fashion and carriage from all others Wisd 2.15 nicknamed Precissians singularists humorists factious hypocriticall and the like which censures they vndergoe from naturall and carnall men but chiefely from those that haue in them some morrall goodnesse as Iulian himselfe had for our ciuill honest men and formall hypocrits contenting themselues with meere externall showes and shadowes in the Seruice of GOD without any sinceritie of heart or life of Religion flattering and securing themselues in that dangerous and damnable estate wherein they feed their soules with a vaine an ayrie hope that they are as safe as the best thinke whatsoeuer is more in Gods Seruants then they finde in themselues to be precisenesse and affected singularitie as needlesse as fruitlesse in their friuolous conceits And hence ariseth their Ismaelitish scoffes and tongue-persecutions against those that are more aeminent and transcendent then themselues in many graces because the conscionable carriage and gratious deportment of the Seruants of God doth swart censure and condemne their outwardnesse and formalitie at which they are as oft gauled and grieued and fretted at the very hart as they compare their tinckling Cymbals with the others holinesse But leauing those whited wals and painted Sepulchers to his Iustice or Mercie that sees their rottennesse and guilded rubbish there are another sort of men if I may call them men forgetting what the very composure of their body and the instinct of Nature tels them which being void of all grace and emptie of goodnesse neyther knowing nor willing nor working what is pleasing and acceptable to the Almightie deriding and detesting good men and disliking good dutyes with the former sort as neither fearing God nor caring for his worship nor furthering his seruice nor fauouring his seruants casting behinde their backes all thought of God and their owne saluation they serue themselues and their owne end their lusts their darling sinnes and consequently the Diuell Gods and their mortall enemie And of this sort there are not so few but they may brag as the Spirits in the Gospell of their number their name is Legion All places professions trades callings conditions estates sexes and sorts and ages from youth to gray hayres afford trained Souldiers in these sinfull seruices marching to hell vnder the conduct of the Prince of darknesse the God of the world and worldlings that rules in and ouer those children of disobedience Alas how many be there of couetous Mammonists churlish Nabals that as truely as Dauid and Simeon professed and confessed to the Soueraigne Creator Lord I am thy Seruant so they say to Mammon to the Wedge of Gold to their Siluer Shrine their Mettall-Idoll Lord I am thy Seruant How many Epicures Drunkards and riotous persons whose belly is their God and their end damnation say to the deuouring gulph of their vnsatiable guts I am thy Seruant How many lustfull liuers and lasciuious louers offering the sacrifice of their vncleane bodies to bewitching women say to Asmodius the vncleane Spirit Lord I am thy Seruant How many proud aspiring spirite in Court and Country flying in their thoughts faster then Pegasus or Mercurie vpon the wings of high hopes plumed with the feathers of their selfe-conceited worth making greatnesse not goodnes the marke of their mounting may say to the high climbing Lucifer Lord I am thy Seruant How many such saying desperately with that Nation which once was called stubborne and crooked Surely we will walke after our owne imaginations and doe euery man after the stubbornnesse of his owne wicked heart Ier. 18.12 forsaking the Rocke of the field and the Cedar of Lebanus for the cursed Thistle the fountaine of waters for broken pits the liuing for the dead the great Iehouah for Belzebub and the God of Eckron the God of Abraham for the Gods of Nations the seruice of God for the seruice of Sinne and Sathan the Diuell may iustly claime and challenge them in death plead and preuaile to haue them in Iudgement since they haue by an explicite or implicite couâ—nant as it were sold themselues like Ahab and Ieroboam to worke wickednesse in their life time as wittingly and willingly dedicating and consecrating themselues to his seruice as did once desperate Raffus who as is reported vpon the two sides of
his Shield painted God and the Diuell with this Motto If thou oh God wilt none of mee here it one will offering himselfe to him who was not a little glad of him the vnkinde kinde Dâ—uell who retaines and giues Liueries to all commers yea and wages to such as himselfe hath the world in shew but fire and brimstone in substance Esa 30.33 Oh consider this you that forget both God and your selues his seruice your owne soules you that make your members weapons of vnrighteousnesse to fight against God wounding him with his owne weapons the strength of your bodies and the powers of your soules which you haue receiued from him now at last offer vp your bodies a liuing sacrifice holy and acceptable vnto God which is your reasonable seruing of him Rom. 12 1. Giue vp your members as weapons of righteousnes vnto God Rom. 6. vers 12. These eyes of yours that haue beene full of adultery Iudâ— 7 2 Pet. 2.14 hautie and proud Pro. 6 17. mocking and scornefull Pro. 30.7 wandering Esay 3.16 Now let them be Doues eyes chaste eyes like Dauids eyes lowly and humble Cast away the abhomination of your eyes Ezek. 20.7 Let them not regard vanitie Iob 31.1 Shut them vp from seeing euill Esay 33.15 Make a couenant with them as Iob did Let them not looke vpon a woman but let them looke vp to the Holy One of Israell euen as a Seruant lookes to his Master Psal 123.2 Set no wicked thing before thine eyes Psal 101.1 but set the Lord alwayes before thine eyes to doe the thing that is right Psal 16.8 That Tongue of thine which hath beene a principall seruitor of Sathans being set on fire by Hell Iames 3 6 the flame breaking out by 1. lying 2. swearing 3. forswearing 4. filthy 5. cursed 6. guilefull speaking 7. vaine words 8 idle babbling 9. profane ieasting 10. corrupt communication 11. slanders 1â— reuilings with such other enormities in the whole course of thy life and conuersation to the dishonour of God and the pollution of the good name and chastitie of thy neighbour Now let it forsake the old Masters seruice in these sinnes set a watch before thy mouth and keepe the dore of thy lips Psal 14.3 Lye not Iames 4.11 Let thy lips speake no guile Psal 34.13 but speake the truth to thy neighbour Zach. 8.16 So thou shalt shew thy selfe a righteous man Prou. 13.5 Sweare not neyther by Heauen nor by Earth c. Iames 5.15 but Let thy communication be yea yea nay nay for what is more commeth of euill Math. 5.17 Put away filthy speeches Col. 3.8 Neyther name fornication nor filthinesse nor foolish talking nor ieasting which are not comely Ephes 5.3 But corrupt good manners 1 Cor. 15.33 Now also Put away from thee a froward mouth Pro. 4.24 and cursed speaking Col. 3.8 Auoid also idle and vaine words for which thou must giue an account Mat. 5. Be as flow to speake as swift to heare Iames 1.19 since thou hast two cares but one tongue for in many words there cannot want sinne Prou. 10.19 Therefore auoid vaine repetitions and babblings Mat. 6.7 In speaking eyther to God or man speake no vaine words Esay 58.13 Thus keepe thy mouth hereafter brideled that thou sinne not with thy tongue Psal 39.1 Neyther is it sufficient that thou now purpose that thy mouth shall not offend in these and such like sinnes Psal 17.3 But as thou hast beene tongue-tyed heretofore and mute in speaking ought which was good to Gods glory or thy neighbours good now it is most consonant to that end and office which thou hadst the vse of speech giuen thee let thy tongue be a consonant to serue God to sound out his prayses continually Psal 34. Sing to the Lord all thy life and prayse him whilst thou liuest Ps 104.33 Yea if thou praise him before the morning-watch as did that holy-hearted Dauid Psal 119.147 yea if at mid-night thou rise to giue thankes vnto him Psal 119.12 If seauen times a day thou prayse him v. 164. yea if thy mouth daily rehearse his righteousnesse and saluation Psal 7.15 yea if all the dayes of thy life thou prayse thy God Psal 146.2 and make his Statutes thy Songs in the house of thy pilgrimage Psal 119.54 yea not onely praising him but praying to him earely in the morning Psal 5.3 Iob 8.6 yea at euening and at morning and at noone day so oft as thou eatest thou dost but tâ—at seruice for which thy tongue was created it is Gods due and thy dutie so let thy tongue also serue man Gods-Image in God and for God Let thy words be good and to the vse of edifying that they may minister grace to the hearers Let thy speech be alway gratious and pondered with Salt Col. 4 6. Let thy tongue spread abroad knowledge Pro. 15.7 that it may be as the well-spring of life Proâ— 10.11 Vtter the words of grace Eccles 10.12 that thy lips may feede many Prou. 10.21 If God haue inriched thee with knowledge minister a word in season to him that is weary Esay 50.4 confirming him that is ready to fall and strengthening the weake knees Iob 44. So thy tongue shall glorifie God thus imployed Psal 50. be a testimonie of the sinceritie of thy heart Mat. 16. and it shall asswage the sorrow of the afflicted Iob 16.15 So for the other members of thy body thy Eares if thou hast not serued thy God in and by them now beginne hast thou serued Sathan with them eyther in hearing what thou shouldest not haue heard profane Enterludes and Stage-playes filthy Songs scurrulous talke whereby thou hast opened those two dores to let in sinne into thy soule or hast thou refused to heare what thou shouldest haue heard hast thou turned away thine eare from hearing the Law Prou 28. Hast thou had heauy and vncircumcised eares Ier. 6.10 Psal 40.8 Hast thou beene an Idoll with eares and heard not Ezek. 13.2 A deafe Adder stopping thine eares at the voyce of the Charmer Psal 58.4 now serue God with that little part of thy body now stop thine eares at the hearing of sinne Esay 33.15 and open them to heare what the Spirit saith Rex 2. Cause thine eare to heare wisedome Prou. 2.2 Giue eare to vnderstanding Prou. 14. Heare counsell and receiue instruction that thou maist be wise now in the latter end Prou. 19.20 Be wise and hearken to the corrections of life Prou. 15.3 Heare the Word of God Sit at Christs feete with Mary Luke 10.39 Heare with heede taking Luke 8.18 Heare with an honest heart vers 15. Heare and forget not Iames 1.24 Heare and practise vers 22. so thou shalt serue God with thy hearing Moreouer for thine Hands if with them thou hast not serued God working vvicked works to prouoke the eye of the Lords glory Esay 3.8 eyther in committing euill 1. stealing from thy neighbour 2. taking Bribes in thy place 3. Idlenesse in thy
calling or in omitting good duties first eyther of Pietie to God in stretching out thy hands in Prayer secondly or of charitie to man in closing them towards the poore Now keepe thy hands from doing euill and consecrate them vnto the Lord in doing good so thou shalt be blessed Esay 56.2 Exod. 32.29 If iniquitie be in thine hand put it farre away Iob 11.14 If thou hast stolne steale no more but worke with thine owne hands Ephes 4.28 Keepe them innocent and pure Psal 24.41 Shake thine hands from taking any gifts Esay 33.15 Let no blot or stain cleaue vnto them Iâ—b 31.7 Strengthen them to doe good workes Nehem. 2.18 Open thy hand to thy brother to the poore to the needy Deut. 15.11 Stretch thy hand out of the increase that God giues thee Prou. 31. And stretch out thy hands also to the Lord. Psal 143. yea in euery place lift vp thy heart with the hand to God in heauen 1 Tim. 2. Lament 3.4 So shall thy hands serue God For thy Feete if they haue declined and made haste to deceit Iob 23.11 if they carryed thee with lewd company out of the way of Gods Commandements to vanities or to vices to filthinesse or to follies to Playes or to Brothell-houses now remoue thy foote from euill Prou. 4.26 Make straight steps to thy feete Heb. 12. Refraine thy feete from the pathes of the wicked Prou. 1.15 And keepe the way of the righteous Prou. 2.20 So shalt thou serue God and keepe thy soule Prou. 16.17 Walke not in vanities Iob 31.5 nor in the counsell of the wicked Psal 1.1 but run the wayes of Gods Commandements Imploy them to carry thee to the house of God to the holy Exercises of Religion where God is serued Delight to stand in the gates of Ierusalem Psal 122.2 looking narrowly to thy foote when thou enterest into the house of God Eccles 4.17 Thus did those two good Anna's in Samuel and Luke a mother and a widdow as also good Dauid and here old Simeon rightly and religiously vse their feete in Gods seruice in visiting so frequently so constantly so zealously the house of Prayer where they met with God with Christ and with a blessing vpon their seeking and seruing God And so must thou if thou set thy selfe with thy heart and soule and strength and spirit and minde and body to serue the Lord as they did consecrating these and the rest of thy members parts and powers externall and internall to Gods seruice which that thou maist more willingly performe let these Motiues for conclusion of this Vse adde Spurres vnto thee to runne along with old Simeon to the seruice of this best Master to whom I recommend thee First thou wast created for Gods seruice as the Apostle instanceth in one sinne so I may in all the body was not made for fornication nor vncleannesse nor adultery nor drunkennesse nor for any other workes of the flesh which are recited Gal. 5.19 but for the Lord 1 Cor. 6.23 and the Lord for the body Therefore Dauid makes this an argument that wee should fall downe and worship the Lord because wee are the Sheepe of his pasture and the worke of his hands hee hath made vs not we our selues Doth any man keepe sheepe but hee will eate of the milke of the flocke and be cloathed with the wooll Doth any man build a Palace a Castle or a sumptuous house for his enemie to dwell in Did the Lord thinkest thou oh vaine man that seruest thy lusts thy pleasures the World the Diuell forme and frame this excellent Fabricke and composure of thy body more sumptuous artificiall magnificent then the Aegyptian Pyramides then Salomons Temple then all splendent and glorious buildings vnder the Sunne that are made of Lime Stone Lead Wood Glasse Mettals and the like and did infuse as it were inward proportionable furniture such an vnderstanding spirit an immortall soule into this externall structure and building of the body for the Diuell his mortall enemie to dwell in to take possession and keepe habitation by his eldest Sonne Sinne Will any earthly Monarch suffer a Traitor a Tyrant an Vsurper to intrude vpon his Territories to dwell in his fortified Cities to possesse his Crowne and vsurpe his Throne I trow not And will the King of Kings suffer it Can a meane man indure another man which means to abuse him to inioy his Table his Bed his Wife chiefely that shee to whom hee is betroathed and wedded should prostitute her selfe to his enemie And will the Lord that is as a zealous so a iealous God suffer thy spirituall whoredomes and fornications with the triple enemies of thy soule the deceiuing Flesh deluding World and destroying Diuell Will he endure his Sanctuary to be polluted his Temple abused the holy Vessels profaned Thy body is the Temple of the holy Ghost thy members called Vessels now if thou suffer this great Temple-spoyler this Dionisius the Diuell to abuse thy vessels by offering them to him by vncleannesse to pollute this Temple this body of thine by sinne he that thus destroyes the Temple of God him will God destroy as hee threatneth seuerally twise together Take heede therefore that thou suffer not any sinnes to take vp the best roomes in this earthly Tabernacle and Temple least by hardening thy heart corrupting thy conscience deprauing thy will blinding thy minde ecclipsing thy reason dulling thy memory disordering thy affections spoyling and defiling thy whole man giuing ouer that body of thine which God made for himselfe to be sinnes Brothell-house and the Diuels Play-house wherein all sinnes are acted least the Lord burne thee downe sticke and slower eyther with fire from heauen as hee did Sodome or with fire in hell as hee did Diues Prepare thy body and soule therefore betimes dresse it and sweepe and garnish it as a Chamber for Christ to keepe his Passe-ouer in that the destroying Angell may passe ouer thee vvhen hee comes in Iudgement I might adde secondly how fitly by Creation thou art made in euery part as an Organ and Instrument to Gods seruice with a body vpwards to heauen whereas all other Creatures looke low and groueling vpon the earth with eyes to looke vp to the Hils and to the heauens from whence commeth thy helpe and downe vpon the fragrant and verdant earth fit to behold how euery creature Celestiall and Sublunarie in their kinde as it were in a dumbe Oratorie tels thee there is a God and a God to be serued beginning and continuing the Quire vnto thee to sing and ring forth his prayses thy tongue fitted to speake Magnalia Dei the wonderfull workes of God and to confesse to Gods glory as Ioshuah tels Achan Iosh 7. those numerous and haynous sinnes of thine wherewith thou hast offended God more then all the vnreasonable creatures how euer the ill Angell eyther strikes thee dumbe as the good did Zachary or if thou speakest Sathan oyles the Clocke of thy tongue
of God Rom. 1.30 Rom. 8.7 vnruly and vntamed Heffers Hâ—s 4.16 Spurners against God Deut. 32.15 A rebellious and a false seede Esay 57.3.4 Conspirators and such as stretch their hands out against God as Iob and Ieremie call them Ier. 11.9 Iob 15.25 Dispisers of the Spirit of Grace Heb. 10.29 Stout against God in their words Mal. 3.13 Contemners of his wayes Iob 21.14 Setting their mouthes against heauen Psal 73.9 Dispising both the Word of God vvith the Iewes 2 Chron. 24.19 Psal 50.17 and the Workes of God as did the Gentiles Rom. 1.21.22 And the Ministers of God as the Elders of Israell and the People did Moses and Samuel Exod. 16.8 1 Sam. 8.7 And the Iewes CHRIST and his Disciples but euen the person of GOD himselfe as did the Aramites Nabuchadnezzar Senacherib Rabsekah and others so the Lord hath threatned to despise such despisers 1 Sam. 2.30 to deride such deriders and to lay their honors in the dust Psal 2.4 Cursed are they of the Lord like the inhabitants of Meros Iudg. 5.23 euen with all the curses pronounced from Mount Eball Deut. 27. Because they serue not the Lord the Lord accounts basely and vilely of them euen as of Oxen and Asses Dogs and Swine Esay 1.3 2 Pet. 2.22 As drosse and dung and vnsauory Salt fit to be cast away yea though Coniah the Sonne of Iehoâ—akim were as the signet vpon the Lords right hand yet if hee despise the Lord hee shall be pluckt thence accounted as a despised and broken Idoll or as a filthy vessell Ier. 22.24 28. Nay though Saul be a King if hee reiect and forsake the seruice of God God will reiect and cast him away to 1 Sam. 15.16 Yea Ierusalem if shee refuse to obey her God shall be an habitation of Diuels Reu. 18.2 The Iewes though Ruhamah shall be Lo-ruhamah though Ammi Gods people yet if they forsake the seruice of God they shall be Lo-ammi none of Gods people Hos 1.6.9 But as at this day it is seene a disgraced despised and contemptible Nation and so will the LORD deale with all other wickedly wretched contemners and despisers of his Glory his Word his Workes his Ordinances they shall be blamed and shamed and come to an ignominious and odious end Euery creature shall conspire their destruction that serue not their Lord and Master the Creator The Angels shall smite them as they did Pharaohs first borne Zenacharibs Hoast and Herod Acts 12.23 Men shall laugh at them and the righteous shall haue them in derision Psal 32.6 7. They shall not continue in honour but be like the dumbe beasts that perish Psal The Diuell shall tryumph ouer them and cry at their deserued Plagues So so there goes the game They hiding their sinnes and not confessing them to Gods glory shall not prosper Prou. 28.13 Their soules shall be smit with feares like Pushur and Cain Gen. 4. Ier. 10.3 There shall be no peace to them but sonitus terroris a sound of terrour round about Esay 57. Iob 15.20 c. For their good names these shall rot and perish Prou. 10.7 euen like their wealth and substance vpon which Gods curse shall seaze Deut. 28.16.17.18 They shall be made a wonder a Prouerbe and a reproach amongst all people an astonishment an â—issing and continuall desolation Deut. 18.37 Ier. 25.9 And for their seede it shall not prosper the sword shall destroy them Iob 27.14 for the Lord will root out the memoriall of the wicked from the earth Psal 34.16 Therefore as Dauid concludes to the comfort of Gods Seruants after the enumeration of many blessings Thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord so I may say in these particulars and many moe plagues denounced from the mouth of GOD as in Leuit. 26.16 Psal 49.12 Psal â—07 10 Prou. 3.33 vpon the wicked in this life besides those which they shall feele and finde in their death Iob 13.26 Psal 49.14 And in Iudgement Dan. 12.2 Esay 2.11 Reu. 1.7 Reu. 6.15 Mat. 25. and 41. and in hell Marke 9.43.44 Luke 13.28 Reuel 9.6 Loe thus shall the man be plagued that serueth not God If any beleeue not these testimonies let him looke his owne face in the glasse of the examples of Pharaoh Herod Nebuchadnezzar Holofernâ—s of Iulian the Apostate Valerian Antiochus Nero Domitian Decitis Dioclesian Baiazâ—t with infinite others from the Word and Histories as they are recorded by the Machabees Tacius Suetonius Dion Orosius c. and they will speake that from the beginning of the world till now sinne alwayes brought shame and that Gods dishonour brought Gods disfauour death to the body damnation to the soule which considerations may be whips and goads to driue vs to the dutie vrged It is contrary with the godly their seruice is the path way to honour the people that hearken vnto Gods voyce are a precious people vnto him high aboue all Nations in praise in name and honor Deut. 26.17.18.19 Aske the verdict and censure of all the Prophets and Apostles and the Seruants of God Esay Micah S. Paul S. Iames S. Peter yea of Christ himselfe and according as they were inspired by the Spirit of Truth and knew in their owne experience they will say that the way to be great is to be good to rise is to fall to be exalted is to be humbled vnder the mighty hand of God 1 Pet. 5.6 The way to seeke glory and honour and immortalitie is to continue in well doing Rom. 2.7 to be fixed established and to indure for euer is to beleeue and to fulfill the will of God Esay 7.9 1 Iohn 2.17 and that the onely thing that is good for man is to walke with God Mâ—c 6.8 Yea Tâ—lly and Aristotle that made Honour the subsequent and effect of Vertue and Goodnes the Aegyptians that painted it betwixt Humilitie and Labour the Romanes that so composed their Temples that a man must first passe by the Temple of Humilitie and Vertue ere hee could touch the Shrine of Honour saw with the eyes of Nature that the way to be great is to be good Yea to serue that goodnesse which the Heathens onely coniectured but Christianitie defined to be the soueraigne good and that is God himselfe who is both more willing to preferre his Seruants to earthly dignities here if it be good for them to be exalted yea and infinitely more able then Assuerus was to honour Mordocheus Hest 6.6 Nabuchadnezzar Daniel Dan. 5.7 Pharaoh Ioseph yea or Saul any of his Captaines or followers for all his baosts of his Fields and Vineyards 1 Sam. 22.7 since his alone is Greatnesse and Power and Glory and Victory since all that is in heauen and Earth is his Riches and Honour Power and Strength c. as Dauid acknowledgeth Hannah singeth and Cirus confesseth 1 Chro. 29. 11.12 1 Sam. 2.7.8 Ezra 1.2 For I pray you what was the most that any of those great Monarchs could doe for any of their
aboue as Adam and so Eue their nine hundred and thirtie Seth nine hundred twelue Enos nine hundred and fiue Caynan his sonne nine hundred and tenne Malalehel nine hundred sixtie and two Iayred nine hundred sixtie and fiue Methusalem nine hundred sixtie and nine Noah nine hundred and fiue c. but wee hardly attaine to our nintie but if a man liue past nintie to nintie and seauen or nintie and eight with Liuia and Perpenna or to nintie and nine with Statilia if hee passe his Climactericall of sixtie and three wee count him an old man but if hee attaine to his hundred as did Valerius Coruinus and Metellus Abbot Paconius and Titus Pauls Scholler wee account him very aged but if hee exceede his hundred as Heroditus writes of some of the Aegyptians and some of Masinissa the Numedian King to an hundred and foure as did Hipocrates or an hundred and fiue with Xenâ—philus or an hundred and seauen with Terentia or an hundred and eight with Homer or an hundred and tenne with Guarinus and Helias the Abbot or an hundred and twelue vvith Cyrus a Bishop but chiefely to an hundred and twentie with Romualdus the Hermite we admire and wonder at him as much as former times wondred at their Hermites And vvell wee may since our life seemes to be but the Epitome and Compâ—ndium of former yeeres so short so momentanie that as the Scripture compares it to a flower to grasse to smoake to clay to dust and chaffe which the vvinde scatters to a bubble a blast a breath a vapour a dreame a shadow a Weauers shittle and such fading things so Antiquitie hath called it a winged woman fruitfull of sinnes yet swift Ambrose saith it is like the glory of the world which the Tempter shewed CHRIST in the twinckling of an eye like the Vision which Esdras saw vanishing in a moment Esdras 1.8 like Ierusalems Temple that was soone destroyed for as one stone was not left vpon another in that materiall Temple so shortly one bone will not be left vpon another in the temple of the best compacted body liuing which saith Inchinus is nothing else but Carneâ—-glacies fleshie Ice or Icie flesh soone thawed and dissolued a clayie frame saith Pontanus standing on the pillers of a little breath ready euery day it is so ruinous to fall in manus Domini into the Lords hands of whom wee haue it as tennants at will The largest limits of our Lease being but a day for so Dauid and Moses when they play the holy Geometricians and Arithmetitians in measuring and numbring their time goe not by yeeres and moneths but by dayes yea and to some it is but a short Winters day to the longest that liued a Summers day in which hee that hath the most prosperous Sunshine may be compared to those Flyes that breede in the Sunne neare the Riuer Hipanis which appeare in the Morne are in their full strength at Noone and dye at Night Whence came the Prouerbe Hominem esse Ephimeron that man is a continuer for a day beyond which determined day hee cannot here abide Other things are continued long by extrinsecall meanes or intrinsecall qualities vvithin themselues some by their extreame cold as all sorts of Mettals some by their exceeding heate as Pepper Ginger and the like some by motion as Water and Wine that by motion are kept from putrifaction some by continuation of the parts with the whole as the Sea that corrupts not in the whole but in the parts as may be seene and felt in the creekes in Essex that come from the Sea but man being made mortall and so hauing that Epithite more fitly appropriated to him then any other creature neither by his naturall composition can nor in the wise Gods disposition must continue long vpon the earth neyther can any Physicall meanes preserue him vnlesse a Metaphysicall power doe vphold him and cause him to hold out to his old yeeres as Simeon here did Is Death so certaine and Life so short then let vs learne to bestow it well so long as God lends it Absolon after a long time knew not how to pacifie and appease his Father we haue but a short time allotted to pacifie and appease our displeased GOD therefore let vs speedily labour our reconciliation let vs worke out our saluation with feare and trembling As Abigall speedily met Dauid and appeased his wrath 1 Sam. 25. and as Dauid speedily met the Lord by repentance after his numbring the people 2 Sam. 24.10 and as Peter went out presently and wept bitterly after the denying his Master Mat. 26. So let vs who in the whole course of our life haue as much displeased as wee haue dishonoured our GOD instantly haue recourse to the throne of grace that the Lord may smell the sweet sacrifice of our broken hearts ere wrath goe from the Almightie to our destruction Oh our dayes are few and our sinnes many wee haue beene barren in good fruitfull in euill plentifull in sinning penurious in sorrowing If Dauids sinnes were moe then the hayres of his head ours are moe then the sands in the Sea and if hee washt his couch vvith teares vvee had neede wash our soules with flouds of vvaters turning like Niobe into fountaines and like that old conuert Pelagia be Pelagus lachrymarum a Sea of sorrow as wee haue beene vncleane sinckes of sinne nay if wee should now for euer shake hands with sinne and haue no more commerce with the flesh and the world but liue retyredly mortifiedly piously and penitently as the old Hermites pretended and if we should liue Noahs and Nâ—stors yeeres and euery day weepe as much as Mary Magdalene did at her spirituall marriage vvith Christ as much for our selues as the Daughters of Ierusalem did for Christ nay if we should weepe out our eyes like some penitents that Cassianus mentions remembring with Ezekias our former vanities in the bitternesse of our soules it were not a sufficient recompence for our fore-past rebellions nor a satisfactorie sacrifice for our former sinnes But what shall wee say to those that in this short life make a long and a continuated custome of sinne neuer redeeming the time or thinking of their few and euill dayes or of the reckoning they must make when they are expired but passing their time in iollitie singing to the Tabret and the Harpe letting the reynes loose to all licentiousnes making their bellies their God planting here their Turkish Heauen of Wine and Women wallowing like Swine in all lusts like Sardanapalus amongst his wantons seruing no other God then Mammon or Goddesses then Venus making Dogs and Horses or such base Creatures their beloued Idols They thinke no more of death then the stiffe-necked Iewes that made a league with the graue and a Couenant vvith Hell such as some lazy Pastors make vvith their people that if these will neuer trouble them they would neuer thinke of these
for the land of the liuing an earthly tabernacle for an house eternall in the Heauens 2 Cor. 5.1 For who is so improuident or imprudent that desires to stay in an old smoakie decayed Cottage ready euery day to fall on his head when the Land-lord offers to reedifie it and to make it better since euen Mise Rats by Natures instinct flye from an house that is inclining to fall Now this clayie Cottage of thy body which is vpheld by the weake prop of breath and vapour is euery day declining blesse the prouidence of the Worlds great Architect that when it fals by resuscitation will raise the frame and the fabricke a thousand times both fairer and firmer then the first Secondly let the thought of the Resurrection be as a consolation to thy heart so a direction to thy life Must body and soule meete together and eyther be blessed together or else for euer burne together after their departure and doth their euerlasting weale or woe blisse or bane depend vpon thy good or euill life here Oh then spinne the short thread of thy abridged life well and worthily that so it may tye a blessed peace to thy soule runne thy short race here well that thou maist obtaine an eternall Crowne hereafter passe the time of thy dwelling here with feare think as once S. Ierome that zealous spirit thought Quoties commedo c. as oft as I eate or drinke or walke or talke or rise vp or lye downe I alwayes heare the Trumpe sounding Surgite mortui c. Arise yee dead and come to Iudgement Thinke of dying and liuing againe of departing and returning of reuiuing and strict vnpartiall iudging which thoughts let them not perish like abortiue fruit but fixe them by these effects First euery day awake out of the sleepe of some sinne ere the darke night of death come now in this lifes light that God lends thee Secondly let it be a spurre to pricke thee to all good and gratious actions Thirdly a bridle to restraine thee from sin both in the action and affection Fourthly let them be meanes to rouze thee from the bed of securitie and to set thee on thy feete as the Angell did Elias in thy iourney toward heauen Fiftly as water poured out to coole the furnace of thy furious affections euen in thy youthfull and burning bloud Sixtly a Diall or watch to direct thee how to spend thy time well Seauenthly as a Fanne to winnow thee from the chaffe of sinne Eightly as a winde to scatter and disperse thy inordinate passions Ninthly as paile or Parke to keepe thee within thy limits and bounds Tenthly as a Counseller to redeeme thy time Lastly a holy director as if was to Paul himselfe to cause thee in euery thing to endeuour to keepe a good conscience towards God and man Acts 24.15.16 Thus wee haue seene that the body must returne to take part with the soule after the dissolution the same foundation vvill beare this truth that the soule is dissolued it dyes not for which cause Paul cals his death a dissolution Phil. 1.23 it departs it dyes not therefore Simeon cals death onely a Departing and in the mouth of these two witnesses it is euicted that the soule is immortall Death kils not the soule but onely lets it out as Noahs Doue was let out of the Arke at a man is let out of prison and fetters for Plato cals the body Ergastulum animae the Prison of the Soule as Luther cals it the Asse of the Soule and Erasmus Sepulchrum animae the sepulcher of the Soule Now death onely breakes open this prison doore vnties the fetters of the senses vnlooseth this Asse roules away the stone from this Sepulcher le ts out the soule sends graue deâ—rsum leue sursum the grosse body downeward the soaring soule vpward the soule is put here in saccis vilibus in a base sacke as Ioseph put his golden Cup and siluer treasure in Beniamins sacke Now Death like Iosephs Steward opens the sacke naturally or rips it vp violently takes out the treasure vntoucht if any thing perish the sacke is vnripped the body destroyed the soule is as safe as Iosephs siluer for it cannot die being vnmateriall and a forme abiding in it selfe which forme cannot be taken away like roundnesse or squarenesse from a Table because it subsists not in the matter but in it selfe Secondly the soule is impenitrable insufferable it suffers not of any externall agent from the fires heate or ayres coldnesse it receiues no hurt from the frozen Ice of Norway or the scorching Sands of Affricke therefore receiuing nothing whereby it should decay it cannot corrupt or marre or dye since nothing in the whole world is contrary to it Thirdly man is desirous of immortalitie Now how could hee desire it and discusse of it how should man so labour and seeke for immortalitie some by skill and policie some by martiall exploits as Hercules Thesus c. some by Soueraigntie as Alexander and Caesar some by Bookes nay some by villanies as the burners of Diana's Temple vnlesse mans soule were immortall for Ignoti nulla cupido Fourthly God by creation infusing it or by infusing creating it gaue vnto it in the first originall the gift of immortalitie Fiftly the rage of conscience in the wicked their soules accusing them of secret sinnes as Caine and Nero and Herod of their murthers Iudas of his Treason c. their inward horrour appearing by their pale faces trembling ioynts deiected lookes as was seene in Baltazzar and Felix Dan. 5.6 Acts 24.25 their consciences like Magistrates commanding them to execute themselues shewes they are more then mortall Sixtly the effects of the soule in numbring diuiding discussing discoursing remembring affecting knowledge desire of blessednesse respect to glory c. shew it immortall Seauenthly if the Soule were not immortall man should not resemble GOD neyther in Creation or Regeneration haue any part or participation of the Image of God or any reuelations from God or communications with the Spirit of God and our spirit Eightly else there should be no difference betwixt vs and Beasts whose soules are in their bloud Gen. 9.4.6 Ninthly else there should be no vse of Iudgement of the day of doome or of Christs second comming Tenthly else were the godly of all men most miserable if their hope were onely in this life 1 Cor. 15.19 the Sonnes of Belial whose portion is oft greater in this world then the Lords owne Saints as Dauid Iob Ieremie in their times haue complained should else be in better case then they But since the Sunne of this truth shines clearely in the Scriptures why should I giue any moe Reasons which are infinite both in Philosophy and Diuinitie so adding light to the Sunne and water to the Sea First is not the argument that our Sauiour Christ vsed against the Sadduces from Exod. 3.6 authentique against Atheisme God is the God of Abraham Isaack and Iacob
they goe their wayes and sinne no more Iohn 5.14 Nay doe they not returne to their former bias Canis ad vomitum like Dogges to their vomit againe and Swine to their wallowing insomuch that though the world say they are mended yet Christians can see no amendement in them but they keepe their worst wine vnto the last and their end is worse then their beginning Yet for all this which hath beene said the Theefe on the Crosse stickes much on the stomackes of many Why may not they liue as ill as hee did and yet deferre their repentance till the last and be saued as hee was I haue vnloosed this knot before But to giue still further satisfaction First it may be nay it is likely the Theefe was neuer called before that time so much as outwardly that hee neuer heard Christs Sermons before then that hee saw him which thou doest or maist doe in this light of the Gospell therefore if hee had dyed impenitently hee should haue beene more excused then thou Secondly as his example is extraordinarie so it is particular now particulars are not to be vrged for a generall practise Thirdly his example is singular wee haue no moe late repenters saued but hee We haue him indeede saith Augustine that we should not despaire if wee doe deferre and yet wee haue but onely him him and no moe in the whole Scripture that we should not presume You know his other fellow-theefe that liued as hee did dyed not as hee did but impenitently scoffingly and desperately so haue all other obdurate wicked ones dyed as we haue proued out of the Word If then Sathan and Nature perswade thee still to liue in sinne thou maist repent at last with the good Theefe and so be saued thinke that it is more probable thou shalt dye impenitently with the bad Theefe if thou continue thy courses and so be damned Thou knowest amongst many Traytors the King pardons some but for one that is pardoned an hundred are deseruedly executed were it not folly to attempt treason vpon hope of pardon because some one is pardoned amongst many but it is greater folly to liue impenitently till death because one Theefe was in that case saued when as wee haue instanced in Cain Iudas Herod c. and an hundred moe that as they liued in iniquitie dyed in impenitence and now are damned eternally Therefore to conclude let mee heate thy heart a little and inflame thy affections to prepare speedily for thy dissolution to take time before thee it is bald behinde to worke whilst it is day ere the night of death comes harden not thy heart any longer but to day heare his voyce that cals thee as it did Samuel and Dauid to awake and to seeke his face Cry not with the Crow Cras Cras to morrow to morrow but this day with Noahs Doue come into the Arke yet Ionas cryes in the streetes Ionas 3.4 yet the Angell stayes Sodomes flames Gen. 19. yet the weather is fayre to build an Arke in Gen. 7.5 yet the Prophet cryes Oh Iudah how shall I intreate thee Hos 6.4 yet the Bridegroome tarries and stayes the Virgins leasures Mat. 25.7 yet the Apostle beseecheth for Christs sake that thou wouldest be reconciled 2 Cor. 5.20 Oh therefore prepare oyle betimes vvith the wise Virgins enter whilest the gate is open seeke the Lord whilest hee may be found call vpon him whilest hee is nigh waite for thy Masters comming with the good Seruant build the Arke ere the Floud come prepare thy soule ere Death come this is thy time thy day tempus tuum Death is Gods day tempus suum and his time Now is the time to repaire the Ship of thy soule in the Hauen but the tempestuous Sea of Death is no fit time the breach is to be made vp in the time of peace not in time of warre Now make peace in the day of peace with the God of peace that with old Simeon thou maist dye and rest in peace and remaine in glory Thus much for preparation Now the manner of this Preparation consists in some particulars which wee meane to prosecute The first whereof is Meditation Memento mori must be euery mans Motto a point that as the Scripture inâ—oynes so the Saints haue practised and the Heathens haue approued this principle that Toâ—a hominis vita mortis meditatio the whole life of a man ought to be the meditation of death the best Schollers that euer were in the Schoole of Christianitie haue beene taken vp in this thought Adam was no sooner created but God his Schoolemaster catechizeth him in this point of death hee cals him Adam rubra terra red earth hee casts him into a sleepe the Image nay as the Cynicke cals it the Brother of death hee tels him if hee sinne hee shall dye the death When hee had sinned he fore-warnes him that hee shall returne to his dust from which hee came hee makes him garments of Beasts skinnes that had dyed for sacrifice to shew him that hee was mortall like those Beasts whose skinnes hee woâ—e hee sets him to dig and tyll the Earth to put him in minde both of the dustie matter whereof hee vvas made and into which hee and all his posteritie must be dissolued Adam it seemes tooke out these Lessons and taught them his Children for though hee called his eldest Sonne Possession yet hee called his Brother Abel Vanitie when hee had more experience of the vanities of life and life it selfe In this Meditation the Patriarkes were wonderously taken vp the very forme and fabricke of their Mansions not dwelling in seiled houses as wee doe though they were both greater men and of greater meanes but in Tents and Tabernacles such as they vse in the warres ready vpon all occasions to be remoued euen like the Boothes in Sturbbish-Faire shew that they did constantly ponder of their owne remouals nay their tongues expressed the abundant thoughts of their hearts in this kinde Abraham confest himselfe but dust and ashes Gen. 18.17 Iacob acknowledgeth his life a Pilgrimage Ioseph giues order for the buriall of his bones Gen. 50. The greatest purchases which wee reade the Patriarkes made or that euer they spoke of was onely a place to bury their dead in Moses so thought of his mortalitie that hee makes a Psalme wherein he both acknowledgeth mans frailtie and inferres this Petition pathetically that the Lord would teach him and the Israelites to number their dayes which Psalme the auncient Fathers vsed in forme of a Prayer Iob waites till his changing come Iob 10.14 Dauid makes no other reckoning of himselfe then of a Pilgrime Psal 120.3 and Peter accounts his continuance here but his abode in a tabernacle 2 Pet. 1.3 Oh that such thoughts did possesse vs they would make vs more familiar with Death and it more welcome vnto vs for Iacula praeuisa minus faeriunt Darts fore-seene doe the lesse harme Oh how many sinnes would they cut
so the body shall be re-vnited to it againe participating with it in glory vnspeakeable and euerlasting Therefore mourne not excessiuely for him like the Gentiles the Epicures and Sadduces that haue no hope of the Resurrection 12 Though hee cannot come to thee as the dead Diues desired Luk 16.24 yet ere long thou shalt goe to him as Dauid said of his deceased Childe yea thou shalt in all probabilitie know him againe in thy Glorification as Adam knew Eue in the Creation and as Peter knew Moses and Elias in Christs Transfiguration Therefore haue patience for his absence till you meete againe to your more mutuall comfort as Iacob met with Ioseph in a better place 13 His better part is yet liuing his soule is immortall Iohn 11.25.26 onely the Cage of the body is broken and the soule like a Bird hath taken vvings and is at rest 14 His estate is now bettered and farre more blessed then it was of a Bond-man being made a Free-man Freed by Death First from Sinne Rom. 6.7 to which here hee was solde as Ioseph was solde to the Ishmaelites Secondly hee is freed from the miseries of this life the punishments of Sinne as from a prison by this Goale-deliuery Death his paines in this life concluding in the pleasures of the next Thirdly hee is free from the Gunne-shot of the world and from those euils which are fore-told in the last times Mat. 24. Luke 21.25.26 1 Tim. 4.1.2 2 Tim. 3.1 ad 9. Chap. 4. ver 3.4 2 Pet. 2.1.2.3 Fourthly from the vanitie vnder which all the Creatures groane Rom. 8.20.21.22 Fiftly besides hee is with Tryumph and honour recalled from exile and banishment as was once Themistocles amongst the Athenians and Iphtah amongst the Israelites to receiue dignities in his owne Country from whence his soule came Now are any Parents sorie when their Children of Bond men are infranchized of Prentises are made Freemen Is any man grieued that his distressed and disgraced friend is recalled home from Banishment and that by the King himselfe Now this is thy case if thou take paines to apply it 15 In thy exceeding sorrow thou laments what could not be preuented for hee vvas one of the Sonnes of Adam therefore borne to dye hee could not escape the stroke as the Swallow by flying For the God of Nature now confirmes the Principles of Nature that whatsoeuer hath motion by generation must haue a cessation from motion by corruption 16 Thy case is not alone but thou hast millions and thousands both in the Christian and Heathenish world sayling at this instant all along with thee in the Sea of sorrow driuen with the windes of their owne sighes and sobs for the like or greater crosses then thine bewayling publike and priuate calamities Therefore if companions in griefe as the phrase is mitigate griefe then let societie asswage thy Sorrow 17 Thy impatient sorrow 1. hurts thy selfe 2. preiudiceth thy health 3. consumes thy moysture 4. occasionedly shortens thy life 5. Discontents thy friends 6. displeaseth thy God therefore eyther moderate it or leaue it off or which is best of all turne the streame of it from a naturall to a spirituall from a carnall to a Christian sorrow for thy speciall sinnes which is that godly sorrow commanded of God practised by the Saints causing repentance vnto saluation neuer to be repented of Thy extreame sorrow for the dead is as fruitlesse as faithlesse as vnprofitable to the dead or to the liuing to others and thy selfe as vnpleasant therefore let Dauids considerations when his Childe was dead be thy directions 2 Sam. 12.22.23 The Lord is still liuing who is thy Head thy Husband thy Father thy Mother thy brother thy sister all in all vnto thee if thou hearest him belieuest in him and obeyest him therefore as Dauid in another extreamitie comfort thy selfe in the Lord thy God happy is hee that is ready to leaue all for Christs sake that can say with one of the Auncients My God and all things my God my Guide my Rocke my Defence my Saluation therefore that loue which thou diddest beare to them that are gone sequestrate it from the dead and reflexe it vpon God there is danger in our earthly loue whether naturall to our Childe coniugall to our marriage Mate or morrall to our Friend in which vvee may soone offend in the defect of too little or in excesse of too much For which cause God being a Iealous God and not enduring that our hearts should be set on any thing in louing it too much ouer or aboue or besides or equall with himselfe oft depriues vs of our loued Idols Therefore hee hath crost the loues of his dearest Saints in this kinde of two Wiues Iacobâ— Rachell dyes which hee loued aboue Leah of twelue Sonnes Iacobs Ioseph is solde his dearling more then the rest of many Children Dauids Absâ—lon and Adoniah whom hee most pampered soonest perish of all Dauids Friends hee soonest sorrowes for his best Friend his halfe-soule Ionathan Thus perhaps it is with thee thine owne Sheepe from thine owne bosome thy Turtle-doue thy louing Hinde thy Wife the fayrest male-Lambe in thy Folds thy Heyre and eldest Sonne thy strength thy Reuben or thy Friend thy second selfe is taken from thee perhaps thy heart was more vpon them then vpon God therefore God hath taken away the occasion of thy Idolatry Then there is danger in earthly loue but there is no danger in louing ouer-louing our louing God The speech was as seasoned as the heart was sanctified which I once heard of a young Gentlewoman Lord thou hast depriued mee quoth shee of my deare Husband of mine onely Sonne whom I loued too dearely I see now thou wouldest haue my whole loue thy selfe Lord take it all thou shalt haue it thou art worthy of it it is too little for thee 20 Lastly thinke with thy selfe that if those whom thou bewaylest were sensible and capable of thy immoderatenes in this kinde as they are not they would say vnto thee as God said to Rachell and Christ to Iairus and to the Widdow of Nain lamenting their Children Weepe not nay as hee said to the bewaylers of his Passion Weepe not for mee but weepe for your selues I am well your case is worse I haue conquered you are still fighting I am in the Hauen you are fluctuate on the Sea and therefore as it would be a meanes to restraine the Papists Idolatrie in praying to Saints and Angels if they had but eyes to see how they inforce vpon them this Idolatrous worship which themselues haue prohibited and directed vnto God so leaue thy sorrowing till thou consider how little notice they take of it how little they desire it or delight in it for whom thou sorrowest being to no more purpose then to pray
beds and graues or that they were all their life time imprisoned in their priuate Chambers tyed to their couches with the cords of sickenesse then to runne head-long in such courses to hell strong and liuely where they shall be chained and pained eternally in the bottomlesse pit Besides how many abuse their outward members and senses in the seruice of sinne and Sathan whose case would be easier in iudgement if they had neuer had them or by diseases were depriued of them The vnchaste Eye that lusts after a woman the window that lets lusts into the soule were it not better pluckt out Oh that Sampson Sichem Potiphars wife and Dauid had beene blinde then when they beheld thâ—se beauties that vvere there banes Those whose feete are ready to shed bloud swift to euill as Hazael speedy to runne to sinne how good were it for them to be lame those that haue hands to perpetrate mischiefe were better their hands vvere withered like Iâ—roboams Oh what a blessing were it to be dumbe to those whose tongues being set on fire on hell are a world of vvickednesse polluting eyther the Name the Word and Workes of GOD by oathes and blasphemies so obliging their guilty soules to condemnation and swift vengeance 2. or the good name of their neighbours by slanders and calumnies 3. or their chastities by filthy and rotten speeches How much better were it for our riotous Libertines and licentious Gentlemen that liue here like the Athenians to doe nothing but heare or see or tell new things to be deafe without eares then to drinke in daily such deadly infection through that sense as the Spunge suckes water from soule-poysoning Playes Now how mercifull is God to thee not onely by this crosse to mortifie sinne in the inward affection but to restraine and refraine thee from the very outward action 16 This thy sickenesse it glorifies God it tends to the glory of God thou art not punished because God hates thee aboue others for those vpon whom the Tower of Siloh fell were no greater sinners then the rest Lu. 13.1.2.3 Neyther did thou or thy Parents perhaps sinne aboue others as Christ said of the blinde man but that the glory of God might appeare both the glory of his power free-will in creating thee so Esay 45. v. 6. v. 9. Esd 4. as also the glory of his might and his mercy in curing thee for so all the miraculous cures that the Lord wrought in the old or new Testament did tend to his owne glory both in the thankefull gratulations of his Saints for them as in their ioyfull promulgations and declarations of them Thus Dauid and Ezekias in their Eucharisticall Hymnes and Songs of deliuerance after their sicknesse Naaman his acknowledgement and confession of the true God of Israell the sicke of the Palsie healed the blinde man cured the Centurions seruant recouered the Samaritan cleansed confessing their sinnes proclayming Christs mercies and divulging the Miracles were instruments of Gods glory 17 These thy Maladies are no arguments that God hates thee for in this nature or some other God chasteneth euery Sonne whom he receiueth None euer eyther Patriarkes Prophets or Apostles went to heauen out of the crosse way by which CHRIST himselfe went to glory Therefore as Christ to shew his loue pittie and compassion to the diseased and distressed inuited the halt blinde and lame to his great Supper and wils others to inuite them to their feasts so hee himselfe will accept them in his Kingdome as he did 8 Lazarus These Cordials may be applyed to euery ordinary visitation â—ut if thy paines be permanent and thy dolours extreame and durable yet thus reuiue thy fainting spirits and strengthen thy selfe by these Meditations 18 THat at furthest they can but continue this short and transitory course of this life they shall expire with death thy dayes flye as fast as the Bird in the ayre the Ship in the Sea the Arrow out of a Bow or the swiftest things in Nature Now thy Diseases are designed vvithin the limits of this briefe and brittle life they haue their date in thy death at which time they bid thee adiew neuer to returne but ioyes to succeede 19 Secondly they are nothing in comparison of those pure Coelestiall blessed and eternall ioyes in Heauen vvhich vvee haue before mentioned as they are in the Word reuealed so sweet so great that all the Arithmeticians in the vvorld cannot number them nor all the Geometritians measure them nor all the Logitians define them nor the tongues of Men and Angels describe them nay if I were all tongue as Saint Iohn vvas all voyce I could not expresse them as thou shalt experimentally feele them after thy paynes haue here their period vvhen thy vvarfare is accomplished therefore endure this rod for a time since thou art an Heyre for euer 20 Thou art freed surely by Faith in CHRIST from eternall death and the paines of hell which are fearefull in respect of the place horrible in all the diuersities of punishments painefull in the varietie of plagues ineffable invtterable endlesse and infinite in the continuation of time blesse God for this exemption for this redemption Comforts against the vnkindenesse of mercilesse friends Obiection OH but this addes griefe to thy paynes that thy Friends are vnkinde vnto thee in this thy distresse and thou art destitute of comforters none compassionates thy extremities Answ 1. This must not seeme strange vnto thee thy case is not singular in this kinde but vsuall and ordinary Friends like Swallowes sing and make merry vvith thee lodge and lye with thee in the Summer of prosperitie but take their sodaine and farre flight in the Winter of aduersitie it made the vvise Heathen exclayme Oh friends no friends 2 The Saints haue had this measure Did not good Iob finde his three friends miserable comforters in his greatest exigents Was there any more comfort in them then water in a stone or oyle in a flint they were as a brooke dried vp Dauid had some experience in this case when by reason of Sauls persecution euen his Father his Mother and Brethren so farre forsooke him his Companion that are meate with him was so treacherous to him that hee was lest as destitute of true friends as the naked Bird of feathers his friends few his enemies many Psal 69. v. 8. ver 21. Psal 22.12 Psal 25.17.18 Psal 69.4 3 Christ himselfe was reiected not onely of Herod and his Courtiers Luke 23. ver 11. of the Scribes and Pharisies c. but euen maliced of his owne Brethren Iohn 7. v. 3.4 yea forsaken of many of his Disciples together Iohn 6.66 of all in his Passion except Iohn Mat. 14.50 denied of Peter betrayed of Iudas c. Mat. 26.49 4 There is vsually hatred amongst the nearest friends by nature euen in prosperous estate much more in distresse thus Caine hates his Brother Abel Gen. 4.8 Ismael persecutes Isaack Gen. 4.29 Esau
vngodly see Prou. 16.8 Psal 37.16 5 All things fall out to the best to those that feare GOD yea all things and euery thing as well pouertie as riches GOD is thy Physitian thou art his Patient the Physitian knowes better then the Patient what is good for him 6 If the Lord had fore-seene that a rich estate and an higher pitch had beene good for thee thou shouldest haue had it but hee knowes what is best for thee how ere thy corrupt desires incline this way or that way The Father will not giue the Childe a Sword or Knife though hee cry for it he knowes it will hurt him How knowest thou with what heart thou shouldest haue vsed with what hand thou shouldest haue imployed thy Tallents of wealth if thou hadst them whether in the practise of sinne and workes of darknesse as dangerously to thy soule as a Childe or a mad man vse a sharpe weapon to the hurt of their owne or others bodies 7 Pouertie hinders not the acceptance of thy Prayers Teares Cryes and Sacrifices vnto thy God A wise poore man hath not so free accesse in earthly Courts to earthly Kings as silken Courtiers but The Lord heares the desires of the poore hee bends his eare vnto them Psal 10.17 For the sighes of the poore I will vp saith the Lord and helpe them Psal 12.5 The Lord turnes vnto the prayers of the desolate and despiseth them not Psal 102. verse 17. Psal 145. ver 18.19 The mighty Iehouah the King of Heauen will heare and helpe and relieue thee when the hautie and high minded and wealthy and wicked witty of the world are with their sacrifices reiected like Caines For the Lord heales those that are broken in heart and bindeth vp their sores yea the Lord relieueth the meeke but abaseth the wicked to the ground Psal 147. ver 2. v. 6. Agar e and her Childe in their pouertie and distresse in the Wildernesse after they were cast out of Abrahams house cryed to the Lord being like to perish for want of water so did the Israelites in the extremities of their thirst and Moses for them complaine vnto the Lord in a Land where no water was so did Sampson call on the Lord after his conquest of the Philistines being ready to faint for drinke and the Lord heard their distresse and granted their desires Agars eyes were opened and she saw a fountaine Moses smit the rocke and the water gushed out Sampsons Iaw-bone of an Asse sent out a spring of water many are the like examples This poore man cryed vnto the Lord and hee heard him saith Dauid so did this and this and this Oh then be thou patient and penitent and pious and thou shalt still finde God gracious in the midst of thy grieuances 8 Consider that if thou be poore in thy spirit as in thy outward estate thou art rich in Christ euen as the good Seruant is the Lords Free-man thou art the Lord of all the Creatures sublunarie in title and interest how euer the wicked to whom all things are impure as Rebels and Traytors to God vsurpe them from thee As thou hast an interest in CHRIST so to all the Creatures Christ is all in all vnto thee if thou beest naked hee is the Wedding-garment to thee if blinde his Spirit is Eye-salue if hungry hee is the Manna the bread of life the bread of Heauen if thirsty hee is the fountaine of water of liuing water if in want thou hast a Kingdome if kept bare for a time yet thou art an Heyre and a Coheyre with him though reiected of men yet elect of him Hearken my beloued Brethren hath not God chosen the poore of this world that they should be rich in faith and heyres of the Kingdome which hee promised to them that loue him Iames chap. 2.6 Let this be to thee like Sugar vnder the tongue of the Childe let it not goe but sucke comfort from it 9 Pouertie is no hinderance to thy saluation Lazarus was saued Luke 16. yea though neyther Pouertie nor Riches simply of themselues please God no more then Marriage or Virginitie but the sanctified heart in the right vse of both there being rich men in Heauen Abraham the Patriarkes Dauid Salomon Iob c. who were here rich in grace and impatient and impenitent poore men in Hell who were here as destitute of goodnesse as of goods of heauenly wisedome as of wealth of faith as of friends yet neuerthelesse there is more perill in the rich estate 1. both as riches puffe vp the heart 2. as they are weapons of tyrannie and oppression as in Ahab 3. as they are got with fraudulencie 4. kept with diffidence and anxietie 5 meanes of Idolatrie 6. Thornes to choake the seede of the Word 7. Snares of the Diuell to fetter the soule 8. barres out of Gods kingdome Therefore as some Philosophers cast away their wealth into the water because it hindered their Philosophicall studies so it were good for rich men according to Christs desire commaund and Injunction to cast their wealths on the watry faces of the poore to make them friends of the vnrighteous Mammon c. least they incurre the vvoes denounced Iames 5.3.2.3 Luke 6.24 But there are no such baites and snares and traps in Pouertie if the rich yong man in Mathewes Gospell had beene poore perhaps hee had followed CHRIST vvith as great facilitie and felicitie as Peter Andrew Iames and Iohn those poore Fishermen if his Cable had beene vntwisted it had gone thorow the Needles eye Oh how comfortable may this crosse be to thee that it cannot of it selfe crosse thee of Heauen nor curse thee in Hell 10 Besides the poorer thou art the fewer Tallents thou hast receiued the lesse that is committed to thy disposing the easier shall be thy reckoning and thy accounts when thou shalt be demaunded an account of thy Stewardship and the vse of thy tallents at the Lords great Audit when hee comes to Iudgement Luke 16.2 11 Euen for the things of this life though it appeare not so to carnall reason yet the Lord hath a care of thee and will administer vnto thee things needfull though not superfluous For thy heauenly Father like an earthly father may see his childe need but not bleed for the Lord will not famish the soule of the righteous Prou. 10.3 Though hee suffer thee to want for a time yet hee will helpe in due season hee brings the needy out of the dust the poore out of the dung and Ioseph out of prison Dauid neuer saw the righteous forsaken nor their seede begging their bread The Lord will replenish the soules of the Priests with fatnesse and his people shall be satisfied with goodnesse Ier. 31.14 Iob 5 16.19.20.21.22 Therefore cast thy care vpon God hee careth for thee How carefull was CHRIST for the two poore