22.30 He shall deliver the Iland of the innocent and it is delivered by the purenesse of thy hand Rom. 12.1 That you present your bodies a living sacrifice holy and acceptable to God which is your reasonable service 1 Cor. 6.9 Know ye not that your body is the Temple of the holy Ghost that is in you a Gen. â— 27 God created man in his own Image b Heb. 13.15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually that is the fruit of our lips Matth. 4.10 Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve Rom. 10.12 The same God over all is rich unto all that call upon him Psal 50.3 10. I will have no bullock out of thy house nor he-goat out of thy fold for every beast of the forrest is mine and the cattell upon a thousand hills Psal 109.22 For I am poor and needy and my heart is wounded within me Psal 22.22 I will declare thy Name unto my brethren and in the midst of the Congregation will I praise thee Ver. 25. My praises shall be of thee in the great Congregation I will pay my vowes before them that fear thee Psal 40.8 I delight to doe thy will O God yea thy Law is in my heart Matth. 6.10 Thy will be done O God in earth as it is in Heaven Heb. 10.7 I come to doe thy will O God Prov. 5.21 For the waies of man are before the eyes of the Lord and he pondereth all his goings And 15.3 The eyes of the Lord are in every place beholding the evil and the good Exod. 20.7 Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain for the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his Name in vaine Psal 139.20 Thy enemies O God take thy Name in vaine And 145.2 Every day will I praise thee and I will blesse thy Name for ever and ever And 99.3 Let them praise thy great and terrible Name for it is holy Levit. 22.2 Speak to Aaron and to his sonnes that they profane not my holy Name for I am the Lord. And Psal 111.9 Holy and reverent is his Name And Ezek. 39.25 I will be jealoas for my holy Name Eccl. 8.2 I know it shall be well with them that fear God that fear before him Jer. 10.23 O Lord I know that the way of man is not in himself it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps Prov. 29.25 The fear of man bringeth a snare but he that putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe And 30.5 God is a shield to them that put their trust in him Rom. 8.28 We know that all things work together for good to them that love God Matth. 10.19 30. Are not two Sprrrowes sold for a farthing and one of them shall not fall to the ground without your Father But the very hairs of your head are all numbred 2 Cor. 1.3 Blessed be God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort Psal 23.4 Thou art with me thy rod and thy staff they comfort me Isa 66.13 As one whom his mother comforteth so will I comfort you and ye shall be comforted Isa 6.16 Thus saith the Lord Stand ye in the wayes and see and ask for the old pathes where is the good way and walk therein and you shall finde rest for your souls Rom. 8.10 And if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sinne but the spirit is life because of righteousnesse Psal 119.71 It is good for me that I was afflicted that I might learn thy statutes And 126.5 Them that sowe in tears shall reap in joy Jer. 22.13 I will turn their mourning into joy and will comfort them and make them rejoyce for their sorrow Lam. 3.25 It is good for a man that he bear the yoak in his youth 1 King 3.9 Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart that I may discern betwixt good and bad Psal 119.34 Give me understanding and I shall keep thy Law yea I shall observe it with my whole heart And v. 73. Give me understanding that I may learn thy Commandements Dan. 12.10 None of the wicked shall understand but the wise shall understand Gal. 5.17 For these two are contrary one to another Job 9.20 If I justifie my self my own mouth will condemn me if I say I am perfect it shall also prove me perverse Psal 37.27 The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord and he delighteth in his way And 50. 23. Who so offereth praise glorifieth God and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God Psal 119.67 71. Before I was afflicted I went astray but now have I learned thy word It 's good for me that I have been afflicted that I might learn thy statutes Psal 68.3 Let the righteous be glad let them rejoyce before God let them exceedingly rejoyce And Prov. 29.6 In the transgression of an evill man there is a snare but the righteous doth sing and rejoyce Psal 38.13 For I will declare my iniquity and be sorry for my sinne 2 Cor. 7.9 10. Now I rejoyce not that you were made sorry but that you sorrowed to repentance for ye were made sorry after a godly manner For godly sorrow worketh repentance unto salvation not to be repented of but worldly sorrow worketh death Jer. 10.24 O Lord correct me but with judgment not in thy anger lest thou bring me to nothing Psal 119.33 Teach me O Lord the way of thy statutes and I shall keep it to the end And 143. 8. Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk for I lift up my soul to thee Deut. 8.5 Thou shalt also consider in thy heart that as a man chastiseth his sonne so the Lord thy God chastiseth thee Psal 94.12 Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest O Lord and teachest him out of thy Law Heb. 12.6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and scourgeth every sonne whom he receiveth Matth. 22.29 You erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God Joh. 5.39 Search the Scriptures for in them you think you have eternall life and they are they which testifie of me 2 Tim. 3.16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousnesse 1 Cor. 2.10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his holy Spirit for the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God Rom. 10.6 Say not in thy heart who shall ascend into heaven that is to bring Christ down from above who shall descend into the deep that is to bring Christ up from the dead but the Word is nigh thee the word of faith which we preach Matth. 7.15 Beware of false prophets Eph. 4.14 That we be no more children tossed to and fro by the sleight of men to every winde of Doctrine whereby they lie in wait to deceive
Consider the portion and Talent of our blessed Saviour and his Apostles in this world and their happy content therewith True peace and comfort is from the treasure in Heaven not in earth Disposement of Estate in life or death Respect the righteous In disposing of thy Estate either in life or death it is good to consider that order in which almighty God hath placed the world unto thee and let nothing save the houshold of faith break that order which order is first thy Wife as next thy self or rather equall with thee then thy Children in their birth-rights then Kindred then thy Servants according to their merit if they have spent their youth and strength in thy faithfull service then Neighbours of thy sober faith and lastly all men that desire to live soberly righteously and honestly in this present world Use the Creature modestly soberly Put them not to any unusual painfull death without great necessity Take heed thou do not tyrannize or oppresse the Creature in the Liberty of use I mean the sensitive who indeed are fellowes with us and exceed us more in sense then is cleerly made out we doe them in reason Our Creatour is one our bodies and our senses are alike we say they sinne not thus farre they equall or exceed us onely our reason makes the difference though some dispute because some sensitives prepare against a storme which onely is the true effect of sense however I advise you to use them very soberly with great care and moderation especially in killing them in taking away their lives to preserve thine own take heed in destroying their bodies thou ruine not thy own soul doe not put them to any unusuall painfull death to please thy palate or gain more health and strength thereby to consume it on thy lusts but if there be any necessity in such using to gain strength or health out of thy true desire better and longer to work in thy masters vineyard as a just servant Liberty in necessity thou maist out of such a true intent in any sort use them yet take heed of the innocent and helplesse cries of the meanest Creature and pitying them let it move thee to true repentance Thy sinne perhaps the cause of their punishment for that thy ill deserving sinne may cause their undeserving punishment therefore blesse our good God in the use of the Creature but abuse it not Comfort from Scripture both in Life and in Death I. Comfort To have true joy in long Life from our hearty desires of serving our God in all our appointed pilgrimage HAB. 2.14 15 16 17 18. FOrasmuch then as the Children were partakers of flesh and blood he also himself likewise took part with them that he might destroy through death him that had the power of death that is the devill and that he might deliver all them which for fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage for he in no sort took the Angels but he took the seed of Abraham wherefore in all things it became him to be made like unto his brethren that he might be mercifull and a faithfull High priest in things concerning God that he might make reconciliation for the sinnes of the people for in that he suffered and was tempted he is able to succour those that are tempted 1 Cor. Chap. 15. 1 Thes Chap. 4. You shall finde admirable comfort by death and in death from the certainty of the resurrection and of our change therefore read them diligently Prov. 14.32 The wicked shall be cast away in his malice but the righteous hath hope in his death Eccl. 7.3 A good Name is better then a good oyntment and the day of death then the day that one is born Psal 116.15 Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints Isa 57.1 The righteous perish and no man considereth it in heart and mercifull men are taken away and no man understandeth that the righteous is taken away from the evill to come Psal 63.3 4. For thy loving kindnesse is better then life therefore my lips shall praise thee Psal 104.33 I will sing unto the Lord all my life I will praise my God while I live II. Comfort Secondly Take comfort for that all our conditions both inward and outward sinne excepted are from the appointment of God and his will is therein dore Numb 20.23 24 25 26 27 28. And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron in the mount of Hor near the coast of the Land of Edom saying Aaron shall be gathered to his people for he shall not enter into the Land which I have given unto the Children of Israel because ye disobeyed my Commandements at the waters of Meribah Take Aaron and Eleazar his sonne and bring them up into the Mount Hor. And cause Aaron to put off his garments and put them upon Eleazar his sonne for Aaron shall be gathered to his fathers and shall die there And Moses did as the Lord had commanded and they went up into the Mount Hor in the sight of all the Congregation And Moses put off Aarons cloathes and put them upon Eleazar his sonne so Aaron died there in the top of the Mount Chap. 33.38 Deut. 32.48 49 50. And the Lord spake unto Moses saying Go up into this mountain of Abrim unto the mount Nebo which is in the Land of Moab that is over against Jerico And behold the Land of Canaan which I give unto the Children of Israell for a possession and die in the mount which thou goest up into and thou shalt be gathered unto thy people as Aaron thy brother died in mount Hor and was gathered unto his people Job 23.14 For he will perform that which he had decreed of me and many such things are with him Prov. 16.9 33. The heart of man purposeth his way but the Lord doth direct his steps The Lot is cast into the lap but the whole disposition thereof is from the Lord. The will and the deed of holinesse is from the Lord therefore we must truly pray for the sacred guidance of the holy Spirit Paul plants and Apollo waters but it is God that gives the increase Selah Therefore O my God for thy Sonne my Saviours sake and as thou delightest to shew mercy to the saving of a poor sinner that would truly serve thee from his deserved death teach me thy precepts and lead me in the way of thy Commandements Turn me unto thee O Lord and so I shall be turned for thou art the Lord my God and I am thy servant though most unworthy of thy service I am thy unworthy prodigall sonne Lord make me return unto thee my blessed and mercifull Father in true and saving repentance Amen Jer. 15.2 3. Thus saith the Lord Such as are appointed to death unto death and such as are for the sword to the sword and such as are for the famine to the famine and such as are for the captivity to the captivity And
thou King of Saints Who shall not fear thee O Lord and glorifie thy Name for thou only art holy and all Nations shall come and worship before thee for thy judgments are made manifest Psal 112.6 The righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance A fifteenth Comfort in Death We may well rejoyce at Gods gracious messenger of Death because it is the wiping of all tears from our eyes and the finall end of all our troubles and sorrows the world the flesh the devill shall no more oppresse distract and hurt us with their distractions delusions and deceits Eccl. 4.1 So I turned and considered all the oppressions that are wrought under the Sunne and behold the tears of the oppressed and none comforteth them Ver. 2. Wherefore I praise the dead which now are dead above the living which are yet alive Hos 13.14 Hear what comfort our loving God gives us I will redeem them from the power of the grave I will deliver them from death O death I will be thy destruction repentance is bid from mine eyes A sixteenth Comfort in Death Rejoyce Because it is the imitating of our Saviours passion as farre as we are able that we may see his glory Matth. 10.38 He that taketh not his crosse and followeth after me is not worthy of me And Chap. 16. ver 24. If any man will follow me let him forsake himself and take up his crosse and follow me And somewhat more Luk 9.23 If any man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his crosse daily and follow me And Chap. 14. ver 27. Whosoever beareth not his crosse and cometh after me cannot be my Disciple 2 Tim. 2.12 If we suffer we shall also raigne with him if we deny him he also will deny us Joh. 17.24 Father I will that they which thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world Matth. 10.24 The Disciple is not above his Master nor the servant above his Lord it is enough for the Disciple to be as his Master and the servant as his Lord. If they have called the Master of the house Belzebub how much more them of his houshold A seventeenth Comfort in Death It is our freedome from sinne death and hell and all our enemies The day of death saith Solomon is better then the day of birth therefore is that day a day of rejoycing to us St Paul desireth to be dissolved and to be with Christ and saith it is the best of all Rom. 6.7 He that is dead is freed from sinne Ver. 11. Likewise think ye also that ye are dead to sinne but are alive to God in Jesus Christ our Lord. An eighteenth Comfort in Death It is our taking possession of the fullnesse of rest in the communion of Saints in the love of the eternall God the Father Sonne and holy Ghost and therein peace for ever therefore rejoyce Lazarus is said to be presently carried into Abrahams bosome where most sure he had immediate possession in a high degree of eternall peace Gerrards Meditat. p. 25. Death is the beginning of a holy life Isa 57.1 2. The righteous perisheth and no man considereth it in heart and mercifull men are taken away and no man understandeth that the righteous is taken away from the evill to come Peace shall come they shall rest in their beds every one that walketh before him Matth. 11.28 29. Hear our gracious Saviour Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden and I will ease you Take my yoak on you and learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall finde rest unto your souls 2 Thes 1.7 And to you which are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus shall shew himself from Heaven with his mighty Angels And if then surely also from our severall changes till then Heb. 4.3 9. For we which have beleeved doe enter into rest There remains therefore a rest for the people of God for he that is entred into his rest hath also ceased from his own works as God did from his let us study to enter into that rest Job 3.12 13. Why did the knees prevent me and why did I such the breasts for so should I now have lyen and been quiet I should have slept then and have been at rest A nineteenth Comfort in Death Jesus Christ is in Death and Life to us gain and causeth death to be to us advantage the end of unexpressible evils the beginning of unexpressible and eternall joy Phil. 1.21 For Christ is to me both in life and death advantage All the miseries of Lazarus end in his death and his eternall joyes begin in Abrahams bosome Our Saviour Jesus entred by the gate of death into his glory and thereby hath prepared joyes 2 Cor. 2.9 such as eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor can it enter into the heart of man to conceive for them that love him Isa 35.10 Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with praise and everlasting joyes shall be upon their heads they shall obtain joy and gladnesse and sorrow and mourning shall flee away A twentieth Comfort in Death Doubt not of the all-sufficient love of God to thee in his Sonne Jesus He that gave thee a body when thou hadst none can give thee a heavenly body so soon as thou art at liberty from this of earth and will most certainly dispose of thee in Jesus as of his servants which is the best for thee His power and his will is sufficient to give thee joyes beyond thy thoughts Have thou true faith and true belief that God is and that he is the rewarder of them that seek him Give him thy whole soul and spirit and humbly crave the assistance of the eternall God that he will for his Sonne Christ Jesus his sake fully and freely enable thee to give to the Sacred Trinity in Unity three Persons but one Almighty God Father Sonne and holy Ghost all honour glory and praise as his most obedient servant for ever And say with true faith and love O gracious Father Thy will be done in earth as it is in Heaven And in thy most free and gracious love to a poor sinner in Jesus Christ thy only Sonne my Saviour doe thou compell my unworthy and corrupted will to doe unto thy most Sacred Majesty true and perfect service Doe thou O blessed Father for thy free goodnesse sake convert me wholly into that service for thou art my only Lord God and I am thy servant so come Lord Jesus come quickly and receive my spirit Amen Amen Matth. 19.26 With God all things are possible Gen. 17.1 I am God all-sufficient walk before me and be thou perfect Chap. 15. ver 1. Fear not I am thy buckler and thy exceeding great reward Psal 50.7 Hear O my people and I will speake hear O Israell and I