I finde another lawe in my members Rom. 7.23.24 rebelling against the law of my minde and leading mee captiue unto the law of sinne which is in my members And after this bursteth he not foorth into that languishing complaint O wretched man that I am who shall deliver mee from this bodie of death Besides this O my Soule is not miserable man thus depryved of all righteousnesse and corrupted throughout in bodie and soule made a miserable Beggar beeing before so great a Monarch that hee hath no title to anie of the creatures of GOD so that beeing out of CHRIST the verie meate which hee eateth the verie cloathes which cover his nakednesse the verie aire which hee breatheth into c. shall procure his condemnation suppose hee sinned not otherwayes against his GOD. But which is moste lamentablie miserable O my Soule not onelie is man thus depryved of good and corrupted with evill made a miserable Beggar but a monstrous Slaue yea a Slaue unto a fearfull Slaue even unto Satan that evill one who not onelie lodgeth but even worketh in the children of disobedience Ephes 2.2 fighting against man by those his ugliest champions Sinne the Worlde Death and the Graue When shall this bee seene and perceived by us O my Soule Surelie could this bee seene Sinne should bee hated by us with an unfained hatred Satan should bee resisted by us as our onelie deadliest enemie Wee use to say O my Soule Burnt Bairne Fyre dreaddeth Hath not that fierie Dragon long agoe burnt us all alace in our first parentes Feele wee not even to this day the fearfull hurt which wee received by that burning Yea carrie wee not about with us goe where wee will the scarres and markes of that burning Should wee not then abhorre to looke to that Dragon to obey anie of his counsels were they never so apparantlie profitable or pleasant For albeit his coate appeareth somewhat to bee friendlie his heart shall remaine alwayes the heart of an irreconcilable Foe SCarre scarre O my Soule with sinne as thou lovest thy GOD and thy selfe for hath not thy GOD who loveth thee with a great loue with a wise loue tolde thee That whosoever sinneth against Him must not onelie receiue wages for his sinnes but besides his wages that boontieth which is due unto Sinne also The wages of Sinne O my Soule as thou knowest is Death Rom. 6.23 even that first death with all those diseases which leade a man unto it separating the soule from the bodie and the bodie from the soule and that second death banishing soule and bodie from the comfortable sight of Gods saving Face and gracious presence for ever and why wilt thou die thus O my soule The boontieth of sinne ô my soule is shame Rom. 6.21 procuring such confusion to man that he dare not lift up his head before GOD before Angels before Men unlesse in soule he bee senselesse both of his GOD and of his sinne This shame was that boontieth wherewith our Iust GOD propined our first parents the first sinners O my soule for howbeit Adam and Evah being free of sinne were naked altogether in respect of materiall naturall seene cloathes yet they were not ashamed but could stand before their GOD and looke one upon another with a good heart and chearfull countenance so glorious were they through the beautie of the Image of GOD which then covered them Alwayes O my Soule no sooner are they infected with Sinne by disobeying the Voyce of their GOD Gen. 3.7.8 but as soone they were so covered with Shame that they dare not looke upon GOD and are confounded while they beholde themselues VVOuldest thou bee freed O my Soule from that Death which is the Wages of Sinne and delivered from that Shame which is the bontieth of Iniquitie I beseech thee shake off that Shame which alace too manie misseled by Satan in this our Age are clogged with albeit it procure daylie matter of new death and greater shame unto them and with a good heart smyling countenance put thou on that Shame where-with too few alace in this our Age are covered albeit it bee able GOD beeing mercifull unto us not onelie to slay Death and shake off confounding Shame but also to procure quickening Grace and saving Glorie Alace O my Soule how manie with Vincentius the Hereticke beside Augustine in his fourtie-eight Epistle while they thinke shame to amende their Faultes thinke no shame to continue in their Faultes Corah with his companions lift up themselues against Moâ—ses Numb 16. and Aaron A certaine space is graunted unto them to advise themselues about this their sinne But dare they not face the matter peartlie beeing as readie to present themselues upon the morrow before the LORD as Moyses and Aaron were What wonder then that our GOD just in all His Wayes cover them with Death and with Shame to their destruction who would not confesse their sinne and willinglie acknowledge That Death and Shame belonged unto them because of it to their conversion Fewe Sinners alace O my Soule in these our dayes with Moyses with David with Daniel with that Great Apostle Paul can acknowledge and confesse their sinnes crying yea crying aloude That Shame yea open Shame belongeth unto them and That Glorie and Righteousnesse belongeth to their GOD and therefore what wonder that amongst our Sinners there bee fewe who haue our Blessed GOD to looke their eyes with Moyses to put away their sinnes with David Deut. 34.6 2. Sam. 12. Dan. 9. 1. â—â—m 1. to heare them with Daniel to receiue them to mercie with Paul Pronounce thy selfe heerefore O my Soule worthie of death because of thy sinnes that GOD through His CHRIST may receiue thee to Life Take the Coate of Shame to thee for thy sinne O my Soule to the ende that thy GOD for thy Saviours sake who for a while was covered with Shame for thee may cloathe thee with Grace heere and with Glorie heere-after for ever FOrget not forget not O my Soule to giue in a Bill of Complaint against thy selfe unto thy GOD accusing thy selfe condemning thy selfe before His Majestie for the secret sinnes committed by thee hid from the Worlde yet knowne by Him And with this forget not to giue in the like Bill against thy selfe before GOD before Angels yea before Men for thy manifest and knowne sinnes seene by that Sunne which shineth by day and not kept secret from that Moone which governeth the night For if thou O my Soule deceived by that olde cunning Deceiver vvho as yet taketh pleasure to deceiue shalt attempt to refuse for anie alluring promise can bee made unto thee for anie harming threatning can bee pronounced against thee to giue in those Billes against thy selfe to the ende that thou happilie judging thy selfe bee not justlie condemned with the Worlde I know one beeing taught of my GOD who will both peartlie and fearcelie giue in his Bill against thee ayming at no lesse than thy
goe thither so desirous was hee of corporall health That poore woman who was long subject to a bloodie issue Matt. 9.20 is not affraide to throng through the people till she come to IESVS so carefull was shee to bee made whole Can blinde Bartimeus knowing that IESVS was comming by Marke 10. who was able to cure him be stayed from crying O Sonne of David haue mercie on me yea which thou wouldest admire ô my soule no sooner heareth he it sayde to him Bee of good comfort arise Hee calleth thee but assoone albeit he was blinde he threw away his cloathes and hastened unto IESVS Oh LORD GOD when shall the Naamans of this our Age leprous in soule by reason of their monsterous sinnes seeke after that water of the Spirit and of the Word which is onlie able to cleanse them when shall the men the women of this Age monsterouslie defiled from the toppe of the head to the soale of the foote through that continuall running issue of iniquitie which maketh them not only uncomely but loathsomelie stinking in the nosthirls of GOD of Angels and of men sensible of GOD runne with faith towards the Hemme of CHRISTS Garment even His blessed Worde that by it this their running stinking issue may bee happilie dried up when shall the blind men of this world find feete to runne with courage and with confidence towards that bright Sunne of Righteousnesse and light of the Worlde IESVS to the ende they may see that the things which bee seene heere are temporall and not to bee rested upon and that the thinges which are not seene otherwayes but by Fayth are aeternall and onelie to beeloved and longed for O my Soule for thine owne vvarning and vvakening remember CHRISTES loving Invitation Come unto Mee Matth. 11. all yee that labour and are heavie ladened and I will giue you rest to your Soules But with this forget not CHRISTES just Conviction if thou attempt to despise His alluring Charge O Hierusalem Hierusalem which killest ihe Prophets and stonest them that come to thee Luke 13. how often would I haue gathered thy children together as the Henne gathereth her Brood under her winges and yee would not Beholde your house is left unto you desolate If I had not come Iohn 15. and spoken unto them they should not haue had sinne but now haue they no cloake for their sinne OH LORD GOD vvhen shall the loose Christians of this last Age beeing enlightened and quickened in Soule by Thy Majestie in Mercie looking on their dead Soules in the Face of Thy Well-beloved beginne to accompt of that Heavenlie and wholesome Poole of Thy Sacred and saving Worde happilie now running plenteouslie through the force of Thy tender Mercies towardes us through everie Citie everie Village everie Cottage so that all persons of all Rankes blessed bee Thou for this Thy great kindnesse may freelie without feare in season and out of season resorte unto it as those olde Iewes accompted of the perishing Poole of Bethesda Iohn 5. which vvas not to bee found but in the Holie Land neyther in it but in the Tribe of Iuda neyther there but at Hierusalem I must confesse ô my Soule That that Iewish dead Poole of Bethesda in foure thinges resembled our Christian liuelie Poole of the blessed Worde of GOD And yet I dare affirme before GOD Angels and Men That our blessed Poole of the Worde surmounteth that of Bethesda so farre in one thing that if men could take it to heart where one Iew esteemed of that their Poole and resorted unto it hundreths thousandes should esteeme of this soft running Poole of GODS Worde not onelie carefullie resorting unto it but enduring their verie life heere joyfullie delighting to dwell beside it First vvhatsoever disease bodilie a man was subject unto this disease that Iewish Poole was able to cure even so this our Poole of the Worde of GOD is able to cure the Sinner of vvhatsoever Spirituall Sicknesse can over-take thy Soule because of anie sinne thou canst fall into Secondlie as none could bee cured in bodie by that Iewish Poole but such as stepped in into it and were wet there-with so impossible is it that anie sinner can bee freed from his sinnes by the meane of GODS Worde till his soule bee dewed by it and so till hee bee mooved and perswaded to heare to belieue and obey it Thirdlie as that Iewish Poole coulde not possiblie cure so much as one mans bodie till the Angel came downe and troubled the Water of it so this Poole of the Worde can cure the soule of no sinner 1. Cor. 3.6.7 till that blessed uncreated Angel even the Spirit of the Father and of His dearest Sonne come downe as it were to his soule joyning His owne inward Vertue with His owne outwarde Worde and that way stryking the heart by His owne Finger as Hee stryketh the eare by His Trueth Fourthlie as amongst the Iewes no man knewe at what time the Angel woulde come downe and trouble the Water for curing of their diseased bodies vvhich mooved the sicke persons looking and longing for health resorting to that Poole constantlie to lye still at it not departing after manie dayes vveekes monethes yea yeares as is manifest by the practise of that man who lay there thirtie eight yeares So amongst us Christians there is neyther Preacher nor Hearer King nor Subject Man nor Woman olde nor young can possiblie knowe vvhat day vvhat houre vvhat minute that blessed Spirit of GOD will joyne His Force and Vertue vvith that His Worde which is heard making it effectuall to quicken the dead to enlighten the blinde to convert such as haue gone astray to comfort the broken hearted and to confirme those who stand I vvould heerefore advyse thee O my soule if thou bee sensible of thine owne Spirituall wantes and if thou long to haue them supplied to resort thither where thou mayst heare this Word crying unto thy GOD with David One thing haue I desired of the LORD that I will require Even that I may dwell in the House of the LORD Psalm 27.4 all the dayes of mylife to beholde the beautie of the LORD and to visit His Temple Yea it were good ô my Soule in this respect that thou resolve with Anna that religious old widow Never to goe out of GODS Temple Luke 2 36.37 but to serue Him there with Fastinges and Prayer night and day But ô my soule lift up thy selfe on high and hearken even with greedinesse I pray thee to the ende thou mayest heare and consider that one thing yea that incomparablie profitable one thing wherein this Heavenlie Poole of GODS Worde accompanied with His Spirit excelleth yea surmounteth that visible Iewish Poole of Bethesda Could that Iewish Poole ô my soule even beeing troubled by the Angell possiblie cure moe at once or one onlie onlie one at one time beeing troubled could it cure for no moe at one time were cured by it beside
Yea knowest thou not Him who knewe the verie thought of the heart of Simeon the Pharisee speaking thus within himselfe of thy Saviour If this Man were a Prophet Hee would surelie haue knowne what manner of Woman this is which toucheth Him Luke 7.39.40 for shee is a Sinner Oh! ô my soule when shall that which was seene felt and confessed by olde Bernhard who lived in that blinde Age which was couched under grosse Darknesse bee seene bee felt and bee confessed by us who liue nowe hauing that great shyning light of the Gospel continuallie with her hote pearcing Beames stryking as it were our verie Eyes so that wee cannot hyde our selues from them eyther LORDS Day or Weeke day yea eyther by day or by night Bringeth hee not in the wicked man speaking thus to himselfe Parietes inquit sunt undiqueue quis me videt I am inclosed on all sides with walles vvho seeth me Alwayes how is that wicked man answered by him Esto nemo te videt non tamen nullus videt te Angelus bonus videt te angelus malus Bernhard videt te bonis malis Angelis major Deus I giue thee sayeth Bernhard that no man seeth thee yet darest thou say that none seeth thee the good Angell seeth thee the evill angell seeth thee also and vvhich is more one who is greater than good and evill angels seeth thee to wit GOD. When that evill angell the devill O my Soule seeth thee thy irreconciliable Adversarie and bitter Accuser ô my Soule seeth thee When GODS good Angell seeth thee that witnesse seeth thee who vvill beare testimonie against thee yea thy loving Brother seeth thee whom by thy sinne thou grievest fearefullie When thy GOD seeth thee that judge seeth thee who neyther can bee possibilie frustrate of His purpose nor anyways corrupted when He goeth to judgement Attempt not heerefore O my Soule to commit sinne upon hope of secresie for I must assure thee from the mouth of thy GOD that if thou shalt sinne against Him thou shalt bee seene by Him SInne and Evill are so joyntlie knit together O my Soule let Satan alleadge vvhat he will let men misled by Satan alleadge what they please that vvhosoever committeth sinne doeth evill albeit neither in the eyes of other men neither in his owne eyes yet in the eyes of that good GOD before whome sinne was never good before whom sinne shall never be good yea before whom sinne hath ever beene evill sinne shall ever remaine evill commit it who so will I pray thee heerefore O my soule while thou breathest heere forget not to thinke grauelie upon that warning and vvakening Sentence which is delivered by the Spirit touching David his adulterie and murther And when the wife of Vriah heard that her husband Vriah was dead 2. Sam. 11.26.27 shee mourned for her husband So when the mourning was past David sent and tooke her to his House and she became his Wife Alwayes hearken hearken O my soule unto that which followed But the thing that David had done was evill in the sight of the LORD Alwayes lest this evill which ever accompanieth sinne be mistaken by thee O my Soule thou must know that howbeit Sinne bee evill in the sight of the LORD yet the evill of Sinne is not hurtfull to the LORD against whom it is committed but onelie unto that Soule by the which it is committed For as mans goodnesse cannot profite his GOD Ioh 35.6.7 8. so his sinne cannot harme His Majestie Oh! ô my Soule When shall the deboashed Gospellers of this our Tyme suffer these Oracles of GOD to take roote downwarde in their heartes to the ende they may bring foorth Fruite upwards in their lyues Doe they provoake Mee to wrath sayeth the Lord and not themselues to the confusion of their owne faces Ierem. 7.19 Eccles 8.13 It shall not bee well with the Wicked neyther shall hee prolong his dayes but hee shall bee lyke a shadow because hee feareth not before GOD. As thou lovest thy selfe then ô my soule strengthen thy selfe against all Sinne if thou wouldest not haue mee to repent albeit alace out of tyme after death and judgement That ever I was borne For that Evill which ever accompanieth the Sinner for Sinne must in despight of Devils and men at length ceaze upon the Sinner unlesse by sincere repentance GOD beeing mercifull unto him for His Sonne IESVS His sake hee quyte himselfe tymouslie of Sinne. THE Wyse Gardener judgeth of his Tree by its Fruite as the vertuous Husbandman judgeth of his Seede according to his Harvest But oh O my Soule When shalt thou learning to bee holilie and truelie wyse beginne to judge of Sinne thine onelie Enemie by that fruite by that harvest alace which it bringeth foorth Oh LORD GOD oh LORD GOD how fearfullie bitter is that fruit which that rotten poysoning tree of Sin bringeth foorth How fearfullie hurtfull is that uncouth harvest which followeth it I must tell thee heere O my Soule that that Sinne whereinto I was conceived and borne and which alace I must alwayes keepe within my bosome while I liue heere bringeth foorth fruite bringeth foorth sheaues yea such stoukes such stackes which bee so fearfullie bitter so horriblie hurtfull that if this bitternesse and hurt coulde bee perceived even by us who call our selues GODS Children wee should bee easilie mooved with that chosen Vessell of GOD uncessantlie to crye out O miserable man that I am who shall deliver mee from this bodie of death Knowest thou not ô my Soule Roman 7. that thou and this my bodie came joyntlie in one minute joyned together in this Worlde as two kynde Twinnes loving other moste entirelie embracing other most kyndlie Yea knowest thou not ô my Soule that thou and this my bodie haue lived since that time of my birth in this Worlde some yeares together as husband and wife moste strictlie married one to another even before GOD and by GOD and yet that bitter roote of Sinne which alace was conceived was borne and which hath lived with us will haue in despight of all wee can devise or doe thee O my soule separate from this bodie of mine and this my bodie separate from thee But will bitter Sinne stay heere notwithstanding this bee a sharpe stroake Not ô my Soule For Sinne even after this separation is made will haue that bodie within the which it some-time lodged for heere I am speaking ô my Soule of the verie condition of GODS Sainctes onelie albeit it bee dislodged and put out of the bodie by death couched under the vildest stinke and most pestiferous flewar that ever came to the nosthrils of man notwithstanding that that bodie was sometime pleasant to the eyes of the beholders and savourie to the smell of such as approached neare unto it in such sorte that the loving father may not suffer that his tender childe beeing dead to abide in one house with him that the pittiefull hearted mother can bee
4.12 ô my Soule wherefore Theft is Sinne and when Theft is Sinne wherefore Murder is Sinne and when Murder is Sinne and so foorth of all other Sinnes Because GOD hath forbidden them and when GOD forbiddeth them are they not sinnes and not other wayes Hast thou not heard O my Soule that the Israelites spoyled the Aegyptians of all their lewels Exo. 11.2.3 And 12.35.36 Yet I thinke thou wilt neyther accuse nor convict them for their deede and all because that was done of them by the speciall commaundement of His Mouth who can commaund no wrong Yea hast thou not heard ô my Soule that Ebud killed Aeglon Yet thou must thinke Iudges 3.20.21.22 that hee cannot bee reputed a Murderer for that it being done by the secret commission of that Supreame LORD who hath couched all living so under Law that Hee himselfe alone doeth remaine free from all Law yea farre aboue all Law David againe O my Soule beeing a great King amongst men heere hath defiled but the wife of his meane honest Subject yea David hath by the hand of the Ammonite slaine the Husband of this wife defiled by him Alwayes sinneth not David O my soule Yes yes hee sinneth grosselie albeit not against Bathseba whose chastitie was defiled albeit not against Vriah whose life was taken yet hee sinneth against that Mightiest KING who had sayde Thou shalt not commit Adulterie Thou shalt doe no Murder Exodus 20. The sight and sense of this Trueth ô my soule mooved the enlightened mynde the renewed and sanctified heart of the same David to untie his lippes to proclaime aloude before GOD Angels and Men that notable Confession Against Thee against Thee onelie haue I sinned and done evill in Thy sight Psalme 51.4 Hast thou sinned then O my Soule so secretlie that no man knoweth thy sinne Is that partie whome thou by thy knowne and publicke sinne hast offended so base or poore that eyther hee dare not quarrell thee for feare or may not quarrell thee for want of Moyen Yet let neyther of these I pray thee secure thee For Hee is aboue thee whome thou by thy sinne hast provoked to wrath against thee whose Eyes are upon all the wayes of Man and whose Handes bee sufficientlie able to punish Man O my Soule Remember Naboth for thy comfort in these evill dayes Shall not that GOD who required his blood at the hand of his King 1. Kings 11.18.19 make inquisition for everie sinne committed against Him by whatsoever sinner although Hee suffer even wicked men for a long time IF thou loue thy selfe ô my Soule holilie and wiselie to the benefite of mine estate to the comfort of mine heart even while a verie worlde of thornie crosses and temptations shall pricke mee and to my full and finall joye in Heaven I would heartfullie advise thee neyther to commit sinne neyther to communicate with sinne and so neyther directlie to doe that evill which cannot bee called but thine evill neyther anie wayes joyne thy selfe with that evill which thou wouldest account not to be thine but the evill of another Thus I would counsell thee O my Soule not onelie not to bee an Idolater but not to communicate with Idolaters not onelie not to bee an Adulterer but not to take parte with an Adulterer But heere ô my poore weake soule for the better guarding and strengthening of thee on all sides against the poysoned killing Arrowes of Satan thy sworne Enemie I would pray thee grauelie to ponder and weigh three thinges First whereby doeth a man communicate with the Sinnes of others Secondlie wherefore should men bee affrayde anie wayes to communicate with the Sinnes of others Thirdlie what should the honest wise Childe of GOD who shoulde bee ashamed to bee a slaue to Sinne alwayes kything himselfe a strong Souldiour subduing it in this respect resolue to doe Scripture teacheth me ô my Soule that men communicate with the sinnes of others by consultation by direction by approbation by provocation by toleration by confirmation By consultation when they advise another how hee may doe that which is evill albeit themselues doe it not thus vilde Ionadab communicated with the unnaturall incest of Ammon 2. Sam. 13.4.5 2. Sam. 16.20.21 showing him by what way he might easilie lye with his sister Tamar Thus vilde Ahitophell communicated with the monstrous unnaturall incest of Absolom advising him even before the Sunne to lye with his Fathers concubines By direction when men out of respects knowen to themselues will keepe as it were their owne handes from an evill turne and yet command another for to doe it Thus bloodie Saul communicated with the villane Doeg 1. Sam. 22.18 2. Sam. 11.14.15 in slaying the priestes of GOD. Yea alace even David thus communitated with the murther of Vriah for was he not slaine by his direction By approbation when a man knowing that an evill turne is done by another alloweth eyther of the turne or of the doer Thus the rest of Iaakobs sonnes communicated with the bloode of the Sechemites Gen. 34.28.29.30 murthered by Simeon Levi. By provocation when one abusing the place hee is set into or those gifts of mynde or bodie he is beautified with abuseth others so that hee provoaketh them to doe that which is evill Thus Rehoboam communicated with that defection which Israel made from the House of David when hee 1. Kings 12.12.13.14 beeing abused by young Counsellers and abusing that place which GOD had set him into by his austere rigerous speaches provoaked them to just wrath Thus bloodie Iezebell communicated with all the evils done by her husband Ahab For speaketh not the spirit touching him and her thus But there was none like Ahab who did sell himselfe to worke wickednesse in the sight of the LORD 1. Kings 21.25 whom Iezebell his wife provoaked And in this sense Fathers are counselled by the Spirit not to provoake their children to wrath By toleration when a man Ephes 6.4 having authoritie to beare downe sinne by punishing the committers of it overseeth them not drawing that Sword which GOD hath put into His handes against them And thus alace even olde Eli communicated with the abominations of his vilde sonnes who by their uncleane liues 1. Sam. 2 29.30 made the people of GOD to abhorre the LORDS Sacrifice By confirmation when a man haunteth the societie of wicked men so familiarlie so frequentlie that there-by hee strengtheneth the wicked man in his wickednesse Thus the Religious man cōmunicateth with the Atheisme of the Atheist by haunting the societie of the Atheist The true worshipper of GOD cōmunicateth with the superstition of the Papist by haunting kindlie the societie of the Papist even when hee seeth hee cannot bee wonne Yea thus meeke men chaste men temperate men true men peaceable men communicate with Murderers Adulterers Fornicators Drunkardes false men seditious men by haunting of their companie This mooved Paul to charge us who bee Christians Not
to eate with such men not to bee companions of such men But wherefore 1. Cor. 5.11 Ephes 5.7 O my Soule shouldest thou bee loath anie of these wayes to communicate with Sinne Remember O my soule GODS Threatninges and besides that GODS Execution according to His Threatninges so sure I am thou shalt bee easilie scarred from attempting to communicate aniewise with Sinne unlesse unhappilie thou resolue even with vilde Lameth to The Moste High GOD. Are not GODS Children ô my soule thus counselled by their Father Goe out of Babel my People that yee bee not partakers in her sinnes and that yee receiue not of her plagues Revel 18.4 That lying Murderer ô my soule perswaded my Grand-mother Evah That if shee woulde communicate with him in transgressing of GODS Commaundement she should finde a shining precious Pearle But that Spirit of Trueth who delighteth to haue thee living for evermore assureth thee That if thou joyne with a man in his sinnes thou shalt not bee severed from him when hee is plagued for his sinnes But will not our GOD prooue as good as His Worde and so execute as Hee threatned especiallie when Hee findeth that His Threatninges are mocked That will Hee doe undoubtedlie O my soule Corah Dathan and Abiram are sent downe as thou knowest to the Pitte quicke for attempting to rise up against Moyses and Aaron Vpon the morrowe all the multitude of the people of Israel alace communicating with them in their sinne will gather themselues together against Moyses and Aaron crying loudlie Numb 16.41.42.43.44.45.46 and peartlie Yee haue killed the People of the LORD Alvvayes alwayes came there not foorth such a fearce vvrath frō the LORD that before Aaron can come to them albeit he ranne vvith all his force to make an Attonement for them there died of that Plague fourteene thousande and seaven hundreth While the Wife of the Levite vvas villanouslie abused at Gibea a Citie of Benjamin to the death the whole Tribe of Benjamin alace vvill communicate with this Villanie For when the other Tribes their Brethren besought them to deliver unto them the committers of that wickednesse to the ende Iudges 20. And 21. that that evill might bee put away from Israel not onelie would they not obey the voyce of their Brethren but they gathered themselues together to fight against them Alwayes turned not this O my Soule at length to the verie over-throwe of Benjamin Nowe what must thou doe in this respect O my Soule for thine owne praeservation Hearken hearken I pray thee vvouldest thou vvith that valiant Religious Champion Ioshua stand by thy GOD with anie man and fall from thy GOD vvith no man lifting up thine head aboue all thinges earthlie all living on earth towardes the third Heavens in the feare of thy GOD and by the especiall grace of His Spirit conclude thus with thy selfe I will seeke and I will serue my GOD with anieman but I will sinne against my GOD with no man Let the King with his Subject and Subject with his King seeke and serue GOD as Davids Subjectes with him and hee with them did But if all the Subjectes of the Land forsake GOD let the King say with Ioshua I and mine house will serue the Lord. Ios 24.15 1. Sam. 21.17 If the King will fall away from GOD let the Subjectes with Saules Courteoures looke to him and refuse to followe him And if hee attempt to command them to forsake their GOD let them answere couragiouslie vvith the Apostles Whether it bee better to obey GOD or Man judge yee Acts 4.19 Let the Husbande vvith the Wife and the Wife with the Husbande seeke and serue GOD as the Shunamitish Ladie with her Husbande did 2. Kinges 4. But if the Wife vvith Lots Wife vvill looke over her shoulder to Sodome let the Husband vvith Lot keepe his heart and his eye straight upon that Mountaine of Glorie Genes 19. towardes the vvhich the LORD hath directed him If the Husband with Nabal vvill prooue prophane and ungrate let the Wife with Abigall remaine religious and thankfull 1. Sam. 25. Let the Parent with the Childe and the Childe with the Parent seeke and serue GOD as Abraham and Isaac served Him joyntlie and sweetlie together But let the Parent vvith Iaakob learne Gen. 22.6.7.8.9 not to sinne with the Childe for when Simeon and Levi fell into vilde murder vvho were both his sonnes can hee not crye Simeon and Levi Brethren in evill Gen. 49.5.6 the instrumentes of crueltie are in their habitation into their secret let not my Soule come my Glorie bee thou not joyned with their assemblie If the Father will fall away from GOD vvith Saul yet let the Sonne sticke constantlie unto Him vvith Ionathan Yea if the Mother which brought thee foorth fall away from GOD not onelie suffer her not but if GOD haue cloathed thee with Authoritie see that thou take order vvith her 2. Chron. 15.16 as King Aza tooke order vvith his Mother and her Groue otherwayes bee assured that GOD whom thou shouldst not onlie loue better than thy Mother Luke 14.16 but for whose cause thou shouldest hate all that belong unto thee shall take order with thee OH O my soule when shalt thou finde eye-salue to enlighten thee to the ende that thou mayest once see sinne in the own vilde colour of it When shall that Dew come downe from Heaven which may happilie soften thine heart and make it so delicatelie tender that thou mayest once feele sinne in the owne heavie weight of it and so be made now at length to know it in the owne horrible nature with all it drawes after it with all it hath joyned with it and all to the ende that I before I bee made to lay downe this earthlie tabernacle may bee mooved to scarre with it yea to hate it and vvith the verie hazard and losse of all I haue to arme my selfe against it Stoppe thine eares ô my Soule against Satan and close thine eyes upon him also when he speaketh to thee touching sinne when he bringeth thee before sinne or sinne before thee for belieue mee hee will tone it so hee will fairde it so that he will make thee take it for some sweet pleasant wholesome Apple while it is that onlie bitter and destroying poyson which slayeth bodie and soule Open thine eares O my Soule to heare thy GOD enlarge thine heart O my Soule to belieue thy GOD when Hee speaketh unto thee touching sinne for Hee will tell thee that sinne is an uglie defiling thing that sinne is a monstruous uglie defiling thing yea that sinne is a cruell monstruous defiling thing Sinne is an uglie defiling thing making the sinner foule yea even foule in His eyes before whom alone he hath speciall neede to bee cleane and so in the eyes of GOD his Maker and Iudge Sinne is a monstrous uglie defiling thing for none can possibilie wash away that filth which it draweth
distressed Israel hearest thou not Moyses and Aaron the Commissioners of thy God Exod. 4.29.30.31 to day sweetlie telling thee that they were sent of God to bring thee out of Aegypt that thou mightest celebrate a Feast to the Lord thy God in the Wildernesse Alwayes must thou not bee contented the next day to heare Pharaoh his Taske-masters speaking thus to thee bitterlie Thus sayeth Pharaoh Exod. 5.10.11 I will giue you no more Straw goe your selues get you Straw where you may finde it notwithstanding the number of Brickes which you made in time past shall not be diminished O David telleth not Samuel thee 1. Sam. 16.27 that thou shalt be a King of Iudah yea anoynted he thee not with Oyle in the Name of the Lord to certifie thee hereof Alwayes after this must thou not be contented not onlie not to finde a nightes lodging in thine owne house but not so much as a Caue or hole to hide thy selfe in in all Iudea and Israel Thus he who to day heareth blessed Iesus who is Loue it selfe promising unto him a Crowne must be contented to morrow to haue wise Iesus ladening him with a Crosse But O! wherefore dealeth our wise God with His owne thus For speciall graue reasons ô my Soule is this done I assure thee for hereby He tryeth the faith the hope the patience of His owne hereby He stirreth them up earnestlie to deale vvith Him by continuall Prayer for He will haue His owne to aske that from Him which He is to giue unto them yea this He doeth to moue His owne being set at libertie to be the more thankefull and to use Gods good thinges bestowed on them the better to make the Wicked His and their unjust enemies the more inexcusable and to conquish the greater Glorie to His owne Name when having in spight of all oppositions performed that liberallie which Hee did promise graciouslie to His owne He advanceth them and overthroweth His and their enemies LEt it not grieue thee ô my Soule that some day hid up from thee that in some place unknowne to thee thou must lay downe this dustie tabernacle vvherewith thou hast for some yeares bene cloathed as with a Garment but see that thou being now happilie ingraffed in Christ and through His grace dying to sinne daylie for the which He died Philip. 1.23 and living to Him who died for thee and rose againe even with an holie languor submitting alwayes thy will to the good will of God long for that day with that great Apostle And when that day shall draw neare I charge thee ô my soule that in that day thou lift up thy self rejoice What wise man being wearied all the day long with laboures abroade will grieue to draw home at night First to refresh himselfe with some entertainment and thereafter laying aside his Garmentes to goe to his rest knowing that so pleasing God when the morning shall arise hee will finde his Garment againe And darest thou O my Soule bee grieved when that night of Death shall approach all thy wearie Labours sustained by thee here being finished to lay down this thy clay bodie and to haue thy selfe conveyed by those Angels of God unto that refreshing Palace of that Paradise which is Aboue nowe wyde open to keepe thee because of the obedience of that second ADAM who died for thee Yea darest thou O my Soule be grieved in that night of Death to haue this clay bodie conveyed to that resting Bedde of the Graue sweetelie nowe perfumed by the Buriall of the Sacred Bodie of thy gracious Saviour IESVS For knowest thou not when that glorious brightlie shyning Morning of Iudgement shall approach in the which that Mightie GOD thy Saviour whom the Heavens doe now containe shall manifest Himselfe in Glorie accompanied with thousands of His Angels and with the sound of the last Trumpet that thou shalt not onlie meet with that wonted Garment of thy Bodie but take it up againe but put it on againe Alwayes not as men take up their Garments here in the morning after their rest in the night but farre otherwayes more comfortablie joyfullie and profitablie by a thousand thousand degrees As men here lay aside their Garments at night going to their rest so they take them up in the morning having taken them up they goe foorth againe eyther to their wonted or some new labour But I must tell thee O my Soule to thy great comfort That thou shalt take up this tabernacle of my bodie in that shining Morning of Iudgement in a farre more excellent estate than it was laide downe into by thee into that darke night of Death and when it was laide downe in the Chamber of the Graue It was laide downe in corruption it shall be taken up in incorruption it was laid down in dishonour 1. Cor. 15.42 43.44 it shal be taken up in glorie it was laid down in weaknes it shal be takeÌ„ up in power it was laid down natural it shal be taken up Spiritual Could this be well coÌ„sidered O my soule would I cease while I liue here to imploy all the members of my bodie holilie And when Death should approach mee would I not undoubtedlie be heartfullie contented even with joye to lay down this earthlie tabernacle Again I will assure thee O my Soule because so hath my Lord and Master IESVS by the sweetest words of His owne sweetest Lippes assured me that thou having in that day of Iudgement taken up and put on that Garment of this Bodie shalt never goe foorth to anie olde or new Laboures againe But shalt alwayes rest in endlesse rest for evermore free of all suspition of future griefes and filled with a verie Sea of unexpressible Glorie For in that day thou being happilie praesented a chaste Virgine well decked and trimmed 2. Cor. 11.2 with the Ornamentes of thy Glorious Husband IESVS before thy Glorious Husband IESVS shalt haue that Marriage nowe contracted with Him joyfullie solemnized and perfectlie consummated And then thy Blessed Husband having wyped away all Teares from thine eyes shall take thee in to His most secret Cabinet of Glorie there not onelie to see but to possesse for ever that Glorie vvhich Hee possessed before the Worlde was made Could this bee well weighed by thee O my Soule wouldest thou not crye with David As the Hart â—â—ayeth for the Rivers of Waters so panteth my Soule after Thee Psal 42.1 O GOD My Soule thirsteth for GOD even for the living GOD. When shall I come and appeare before the praesence of GOD Yea wouldest thou not crye with Paul O wretched Man that I am Who shall deliver mee from this Bodie of Death Rom. 7.24 Philip. 1.13 I desire to bee loosed and to bee with CHRIST which is best of all Yea thou wouldest uncessantly crye with the Kirke CHRISTES Bryde Come LORD IESVS Rev. 22.20 Even so Come quicklie Amen FINIS