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
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
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
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
Heavenlie Priviledges unto the full fruition and everlasting possession whereof Hee must necessarilie haue us advanced BLessed blessed O my soule beyonde measure be all those whose Father Almightie GOD in His dearest Sonne IESVS hath become And therefore I cannot wonder that that Disciple whome IESVS loved speaking heereof was mooved with a shrill voyce thus to crye foorth resembling some Messenger sounding from a Market Crosse some speciall Proclamation Beholde what loue the Father hath shewed on us that wee should bee called 1. Iohn 3.2 The Sonnes of GOD. Manie Sonnes indeede hath His Majestie yea our GOD blessed for evermore bee that His only beloved Sonne IESVS who at a great rate hath conquished these Sonnes unto Him hath a verie worlde of Sonnes Alwayes Revel 7.9 the Scripture telleth mee O my Soule That GOD our Father will make all these His Sonnes Kinges Revel 1.6 and everie one of them a King not to reigne for a while honoured with a fading Crowne But to reigne for evermore in that Kingdome 1. Pet. 1 3.4.5 which is immortall and undefiled and which fadeth not away What King earthlie ô my Soule having manie Sonnes is able to make all his Sonnes Kinges And yet foolish man dreameth those to bee happie who bee the Sonnes of Kinges yea of great men howbeit none can bee possibly truelie happie but such who being borne over againe Iohn 3.3 by the Spirit and by the Worde of GOD bee made the Sonnes of The Most High and so Kings at length to reigne in despight of all Tyrantes and tyrannie for ever I shall not offende heerefore ô my Soule albeit my Coate now bee course my Bread bee browne my Drinke small my Crowne sharpe and pricking having terroures within and troubles without Knowest thou not ô my soule howe thy LORD and SAVIOVR comming to this Earth by His death to draw thee to Heaven was cloathed was entertayned was crowned here and yet blessed bee His Name in despight of all hellish and earthlie Powers is Hee not crowned nowe in that highest Heavens with that Crowne of incomparable Majestie and everlasting Glorie Mat. 28.18 having all power in Heaven and on Earth given unto Him Yea possessing a Name aboue all names which are named in this Worlde Philip. 2.9.10 and unto the which everie Knee must bowe O believing Trades man Craftes man Coatter Beggar Canst thou lift up thine Eyes afore-hande to see Canst thou bow thine heart afore-hande to taste the unspeakeable Ioyes which thy Soule shall possesse that incorruptible Glorie which shall compasse thy verie clay Vessell when thou beeing glorified throughlie the Lambe with the Lambe shall goe in and out before the Lambe in that newe Hierusalem which is aboue having on thine head that Crowne of endlesse Glorie cloathed with a long white Robe having Palmes in thine hand and crying joyfullie with a loude voyce Salvation commeth of our GOD that sitteth on the Throne Revelat. 7.9.10 and of the Lambe Let it bee thy Meate then thy Drinke then while thou sojournest heere O my soule absent in bodie from that Lambe of GOD thy Saviour to thinke upon this IESVS to speake of this IESVS to seeke this IESVS to serue this IESVS who hath called thee unto this honour to bee the Childe of GOD and so to be a King for ever to possesse fulnesse of Ioye in GODS praesence and at His Right Hand Pleasures for evermore Psal 16.11 KNewest thou O my Soule how farre that blessed wise GOD thy Father hath advanced the flesh of man belieue me thou couldest not offend if I should curse thee if thou attempted but so much as to lust after those evils wherewith alace a verie world of people are nowe grosselie defiled And I could not but bee ashamed to be offended if thou shouldest curse mee if I should prease to giue these members of my bodie unto the committing of those sinnes which thousandes alace doe commit in this our time even with delectation and greedinesse O my soule hath not GOD honoured the flesh of man verie farre in making it to be a Cabinet to lodge that immortal Soule made by His Majestie even of an Heavenlie substance hath not our GOD more highlie advanced the flesh of man in making it to bee the Temple and dwelling place of His Holie Spirit Yea to be that Spirituall Immortall Incorruptible and Glorious plenishing which must fill and keepe the Heavens for ever Yea hath not His Majestie advanced it more than highlie in His blessed and onlie begotten Sonne IESVS that holie One being contented to assume and unite in one personall union with His Godheade the verie flesh of man not onlie for a while walking on earth in that our nature but transporting that our flesh to the highest Heavens so that Hee who is GOD alwayes aequall with the Father and with the holy Ghost is cloathed with the flesh of man And He who is cloathed with the flesh of man is GOD aequall with the Father and with the Spirit ô Coelestiall Spirites and heavenlie Angles who serve your blessed GOD alwayes readilie faythfullie busilie fullie and joyefulâ—ie can ye compare with that man who by a liuelie faith is ingraffed into that God-Man and Man-God IESVS Would that holy One cloathe Himselfe with your nature so that you may say He who is GOD is also an Angell and he who is Angell is GOD Or rather Heb. 2.16 tooke Hee not the Seede of Abraham so that the believing man may say He who is GOD is man also Hee who is man is GOD also ô Coelestiall Spirites said that blessed GOD your and our Glorious Maker ever of anie Angell or to anie Angell The angell Zach. 13.7 My fellow And yet our blessed GOD can speaking to and of His Sonne in whom we are thus beyond measure honoured speake thus of Him The man My fellow Darest thou then ô my Soule attempt to dishonour this GOD who hath so farre honoured thee Yea darest thou attempt to advise me being kitled with anie deceiueable lust to abuse this my flesh or anie member of it since His Majestie hath so wonderfullie advanced it We all thinke that David oversawe himselfe verie grosselie to Mephibosheth the creeple son of dead Ionathan who proved constantlie rarelie kinde to David when having tried the grosse falsehood and seditious treacherie of that villane Ziba hee saide to the poore creeple abused honest man 2. Sam. 19.29 Haue I not sayde Thou and Ziba divide the landes But when shall men who holde themselues for good Christians thinke and confesse that they oversee themselues abusing most grosselie the LORD their GOD when they crye aloude albeit not with their shrill voyces yet with their vilde workes even to the hearing of that GOD to whom they be more than oblieged in all respects but chiefely for advancing their flesh so highly which is the onlie ground of mans whole foelicitie O LORD GOD haue I not said Thou and the Devill divide betwixt
you Offend not O my Soule that I speake thus for if manie professing CHRIST amongst us may bee believed when they speake they haue appointed their hearts for GOD and yet if their lyves shall be narrowlie tryed it shall be clearelie found that they haue dedicated their flesh and so their eyes eares mouth handes feete and that foule member of their bodie for the Devill for alace be those their members imployed in the service of anie beside the devils service Is this to bee thankfull to that GOD who hath beene kinde unto them Is this to honour GOD by their flesh who hath so honoured mans flesh Knowest thou not ô loose Christian that the Devill is the Accuser of the Children of GOD CHRISTS Brethren Rev. 12.10 Who first craftilie entyseth them to sinne against GOD and then maliciouslie accuseth them before GOD for sinning against Him Now O! how fearefull an Accusation shall this bee hearken hearken ô my Soule when Satan thine accuser ô loose Christian presenting himselfe before that great GOD upon the sight of thy loose and lewde life shall peartlie say ô LORD it pleased thy Majestie out of thine unspeakeable loue towardes man to cloathe thine owne blessed Sonne with the flesh of man even to the ende that in that flesh He might suffer for man and thereby to advance man to the highest Heavens who having willinglie made himselfe my Companion through sinne should haue beene adjudged to the lowest helles with mee for ever and yet LORD here is a man yea a verie world of men who haue defiled themselues with abominable Idolatries bowing their knees to the worke of mans handes lifting up their handes and sending up their cryes to base creatures forgetting the great and blessed Creator yea defiled in their flesh with fearefull Blasphemies cruell Murthers filthie Incests Adulteries and Fornications with brutish Drunkennesse Covetousnesse and Oppression O LORD will not Thy Majestie being that just judge of the world be avenged upon such grosse unthankefulnesse and adjudge with the soules the bodies of such men to that Lake which burneth with Fire and Brimstone forevermore seeing they haue so grosselie shamed that their flesh which thou hast so greatlie honoured Thinke upon this ô my Soule Roman 6.12 1. Thess 3.3.4.5 keeping thy selfe from all inward filthinesse Forget not this O my Soule but charge me alwayes In GODS Name to keep this my bodie all the members of it from all outward uncleanenesse EVen the filthiest deboashed liver O my soule offendeth when hee is compared to the Devill and yet everie filthie liver will treade the devils path Cannot the devill O my Soule peartlie praesent himselfe amonst the Children of GOD before GOD And yet no sooner goeth hee from His Majesties praesence but hee can run with speede not onlie to overthrow all that belonged to that just man Iob but also to bereaue him of his health thinking thereby to make him blaspheme GOD. Even the filthiest liver offendeth if hee bee called a Iudas yet as Iudas went from his Masters Table to deliver Him into the hands of His Enemies so manie called Christians can take their Iourney as it were from CHRISTES Chamber to overthrow CHRIST Alace alace O my soule howe manie bee there who praesent themselues with GODS Sainctes in GODS House before GOD to heare His Word and yet comming from it deboash themselues in all uncleannesse O! how manie bee there who going to Prayer and rysing from Prayer thinke never upon that which they haue confessed or bound themselues unto while they were praying till they goe backe againe to their Prayer deboashing themselues betwixt their one prayer and their other prayer even in those same sinnes for the which in prayer they accused themselues they condemned themselues craving GOD pardon and solemnlie avowing to abstaine from them The judgement of Charitie which suspecteth the best of all adviseth mee to thinke that these knowne Murderers Adulterers Fornicators Drunkardes and so foorth when they goe to their prayer doe nowe and then confesse these their sinnes craving pardon for them and promising to amende their liues and yet with the Swine even nowe washen after they haue risen from their knees they can turne to the puddle of their wonted wickednesse Let all such then who doe heare GOD speaking unto them by His Worde and who doe speake to GOD by prayer joyne repentance with their hearing and with their prayer remembering that he onelie is blessed who heareth the Worde of GOD and doeth it And that the prayer of that man Luke 11 28. Prov. 28.9 who draweth away his care from hearing the Law is abomination before GOD. LET mee not bee carefull ô my Soule for my life what I shall eate or what I shall drinke or for my bodie what I shall put on For thy blessed GOD that Great Master-House-holde of His Kirke can wiselie provide for His owne even in their greatest extremitie albeit not alwayes that which they would bee at yet ever that which shall serue them untill His good worke bee accomplished in them The King of Aegypt taketh Straw frō the Israelites which before was furnished unto them the Taske-masters of Aegypt resolue them notwithstanding heereof that the number of their Britkes must bee fulfilled daylie And when they with wearie heartes are carefull to provide themselues of Strawe they can finde none Exodus 5. for the people of the Land will neyther giue them anie for request nor sell them anie for Silver How then shall they come by it and where shall they finde it Blessed bee GOD ô my Soule vvhen the King vvho was a man carrying the same shape which the Israelites carried vvith his Taske-masters and people can refuse all helpe unto distressed Israel can adde affliction to afflicted Israel that senselesse dead hard Earth vvhich they trode upon vvill offer her helpe unto them praying them as it were to pull up her haire before they should perish and so shee propyned them with that Stubble wherewith shee was covered before they should want altogether that wherewith they might make Bricke unto cruell blooddie Pharaoh O David no favour canst thou finde notwithstanding of thine humble carriage and manie good services in the eyes of Saul thy master and father in Law and yet art thou not lovinglie embraced and kyndlie entertayned by that stranger Achis 1. Sam. 27. that uncircumcised King of Gath Ahab and Iezebel doe busilie seeke thy lyfe O Eliah but doe not the verie devouring Ravens entertayne it as carefullie O Nebuchadnezar thou art so fearcelie set against those three Children of GOD 1. King 17.3.4.5.6 who refused to worship that Image vvhich thou madest that thou vvilt not onelie haue them casten into an hote fierie Fornace but thou wilt haue this Fornace to bee hote at that one time Daniel 3. seaven tymes more than it was wont to bee hote Alwayes vvere not these furious fearce fierie flames mercifull unto them Yea so mercifull unto them that not