not of this Ioye but Gods children who know the worth of it will not value it with all the world For worth it passeth all vnderstanding and for use it guardeth the heart and mind in the sauing knowledge of the Lord Iesus Christ. It is sweete in our life but shall bee more sweete at our death then we shall see his face not frowning but smiling on vs wee shall not bee amazed but rejoyce when hee commeth with his messenger death to loose our bands Who can conceiue Simeons joye when hee song Now letteth thou thy seruant depart in peace Hee could neuer haue so spoken of death without this Peace and a sure ground had hee for his eyes did see his armes did carrie and his heart was full of the Saluation of God the Prince and pryce of this Peace It is a guard in our life and a bridge at Death to set vs safe ouer the gulfe of miserie and enter vs in Heauen 5. Wee are fooles about Happinesse OUr greatest folie is where wisedome should bee greatest euen in the choose and pursute of true Happinesse Wee cannot heere possesse all thinges and yet confusedlie wee couet them when wee choose one of them it is not the best but the worst of all in so farre as wee make it our best God is to bee sought aboue all hee may bee seene and found of all yet the most part knoweth him not and seeketh him not They professe wisedome but they practise folie herein they are not spiritually daintie either in choose or their affection any thing contenteth them The base lump of the earth and vanities of it are felicitie to them And though there be some choyse blessings in the world they light rather on the trash than on the good substance As they passe by God himselfe to his gifts so among his gifts they misse the corne and choose the chaffe Neither doeth their folie stand heere it can imagine to it selfe an happinesse in this miserable miscarrying This is indeede a fooles Paradise a conceate plat-formed by our selues we are delighted with these vanities and captiued by them which proueth our naughtinesse Raw and racklesse choosing maketh faint pursuing True Happinesse as all true good hath an alluring and drawing vertue and the godly by their inclining yeelding dispositioÌ„ to it are made partakers of it to their happines Their care about it is as far aboue other cares as it selfe excelleth other things If this rule bee applyed to mankinde how few shall bee found in the way of true Happinesse Professe with men and imagine with themselues as they will there is none appearance that either they haue found the alluring power of it or rendred themselues in their greatest desire and care for the obtaining of it It deserueth the flower and prime of all our labours and their smallest remaines may serue other trifles But when this order is inverted such men lye as fast in miserie as they are blinde and lazie in the pursute of true Happinesse If true good haue drawen vs forceblie to it selfe then wee cannot but seeke it earnestlie This is true Wisedome to passe by all thinges that wee may finde God To count these deceiuing imaginations about Happinesse to bee tyrranous foolries in the midst of so manie euils in the world to find out the good and among so manie goods to finde out the true and best good euen our good God and rest on him 6. Death surpriseth the most part of mankind MAnie are on their death-bed before they thinke rightlie of life They are going out of the world while they begin to know wherefore they came in it Wee come in it for this great businesse to saue our Soules in the Faith and obedience of God but when wee haue time to doe it we forget that busines and then begin to thinke of it when the time appointed is gone We spend much time in doing nothing and more in doing euill but little or none in that great matter wherefore wee were borne The life of sinne is in vs before the life of God and fearing the owne ejection preoccupyeth the other and taketh all time to it selfe And mortalitie seasing on vs in our conception before our perfect life subjecteth vs to inevitable death before wee liue the life of God The Soule must bee in perplexitie at the houre of death that seeth the day spent and that assigned businesse not begun A Traueller that seeth the Sun setting when hee is entring on the journey must bee agast the Euening of the day and morning of the taske doe not well agree together All the time that remaineth is too short for lamenting the losse of bygone time and if Gods mercie did not infinitelie exceed our euil none could be saued after such a neglect Time bygone cannot returne but may be redeemed and this redemption is not in the extent of the worke but in the equiualence of it God worketh not by such lent proceeding as hee doth in them that spend their time well but at-once hee perfecteth them as hee pardoneth their sinne so he perfecteth their sanctification Though God doe this in some yet he biddeth all use their time well while it goeth The fruitfull use of it may cost vs the losse of manie trifling joyes but that shall bee recompenced with solide fruite Fearfull will that encounter be when grimme Death findeth a man in sinne carelesnesse he must cry in the bitternes of his heart Hast thou found me mine enemie But when it findeth vs in our worke and at peace with God pleasant will bee that meeting It is Gods messenger to loose vs out of the yoake and bring vs to our promised and exspected reward How joyfullie shall that Soule goe to God that hath so liued as euer in the worke wherefore it came in the world When the Conscienâ—e at death saith to God Lord I beare this man record that hee hath worne himselfe and spent his time in seruing and obeying thee This testimonie is sweetâ— in our life when wee lye downe at night wearie of our labour ryse earlie to it againe and are crossed for our fidelitie in it but more sweete in our death That man is blessed whose way and journey time busines breath goe altogether The Apostle closeth all sweetlie I haue run my race I haue keeped the faith hencefoorth is laid for mee the Crowne of Glorie Hee who liueth the life of the righteous shall die the death of the righteous and shall not bee surprysed of Death 7 The great profite of prayer SOme spirituall exercises augment light as Reading Hearing conference other augment life and affection as Meditation and Praise but Prayer is for both It openeth the minde to see more clearelie and softneth the heart to bee more sensible the light of God shineth then most fullie when wee see our God and our selues in his light and the fixing of our minde on him cannot but draw our heart to him the more clearelie wee see
gaue me no solide peace till I tooke on mee both the yocke of Christ in mine effectuall calling to grace and of the Ministerie of the Word By this doing thou drew all my thoughts to practick Diuinitie as to the best sort holding mee euer about the end and the use the fruite of the best meanes to it for keeping of a good Conscience Thou hast joyned foure things in me that furnisheth daylie exercise to my Spirit 1. A naturall disposition inclining to pensiuenesse so that my greatest rest is in the multitude and throng of enquiring thoughts 2. The worke of Grace in the sanctified exercise of Conscience 3. And thy prouidence without euerie day furnishing a new crosse as mine ordinary dyet a matter both to my naturall disposition Conscience 4. And with all these the assiduous labour of a painefull Ministerie changing the nature of rest and labour in mee So that my greatest rest is in greatest labour and a short relaxation doeth wearie mee more than long bending of my Spirit As thou didst separate me to the Gospel of thy Son and counted mee faithfull and put mee in the Ministerie thou possest me with a care to bee faithfull in it and to approue my selfe to thee in preaching thy word as thy word and in partaking of that Grace which in thy Name I offer to other Thou made mee thinke it a fearefull judgement to feede others and sterue my selfe To builde the Arke of Noe to saue others and perish in the waters my selfe but to striue to this compleat fruite of the Ministerie by faithfull discharge of my duetie to saue my selfe and them that heare mee 1. Timoth 16. I caÌ„not but count this among thy greatest mercies to mee that in the midst of my trouble thou fillest my Soule with thy peace that in the multitude of the thoughts of mine heart thy comfortes delight mee Psal. 94. 19. While I am thy prisoner in this bed of disease cannot declare thy mercies in publicke to thy people Thou giuest mee libertie to speake of thy wondrous workes to them that visite mee to exhort them to liue the life of the righteous and in as great confidence in thy Name to assure them that in that case they shall die the death of the righteous And to say with thy Prophet Come and heare all yee that feare the Lord and I will declare what hee hath done to my Soule I cryed vnto him with my mouth and hee was exalted with my tongue If I regarded iniquitie in mine heart the Lord will not heare mee But truelie God hath heard me and hath hearkened to the voyce of my prayer Ps 66. 16 17 18 19. For hee seeth no sinne in Iaacob nor transgression in Israel Numb 23 21. But as manie as walke according to this rule his peace is on them and his mercie and vpon the Israel of God Galat. 6. 16. This I take as a seale of thy loue that thou hast both accepted mee and my former endeâ—ours and pardoned all my sinnes in the Sonne of thy loue What would be my case if in those paines my wonted terrours had possessed mee But thou who comforteth the abject knowest my weaknesse layest no more on mee than I can beare Thou makest thy Grace sufficient for mee to giâ—e mee the out gate with the temptation that thy power may bee manifested in my weakenesse 1. Cor. 12. 7. 9. Blessed bee God who hath not turned away my prayers nor his mercies from mee Psal. 66. 20. How precious are thy thoughts to mee O God how great is the summe of them If I should count them they are moe in number than the sand Psal. 139. 17. 18. Many O Lord my God are thy wonderous vvorkes which thou hast done and thy thoughts vvhich are towards vs they cannot hee reckoned vp in order to thee If I would declare and speake of them they are moe than can bee numbred Psal. 40. 5. But this is a small summe of a greater roll that I may both testifie to the world my thankfulnesse to thee who hast ladened mee daylie with thy blessings And stirre vp others to marke thy mercifull dealing with them in their youth That finding thy goodnesse in good occasions and education and the blessing of both in learning and godlinesse they may bee thankefull to thee O what a mercie is it in so dangerous a time as Youth to bee brought by thy Spirit to true Wisedome and godlines Then Witte is weakest and corruption is strongest and we readie euery houre to cast our selfe in sinnes which may cost vs eternall murning But thou preuentest Sathan and ingageth vs in thy Grace and obedience before either hee can abuse vs in iniquitie or wee doe know what good thou art working in vs. Thou knowest how forcible the sense and conscience of thy mercie is both to make vs thankefull for it and desirous and confident of more None can feele thy loue in thy Fatherlie care ouer him in his Youth but his heart must dissolue in loue to thee and powring out it selfe on thee waite vpon the due accomplishment of such good beginnings When I remember these thy mercies I finde them mine obligements to thee How thou didst beare more with mee than all the world or I could beare with my selfe I both wonder at thy vnspeakable loue pursuing with kindnesse so vile a worme And am confident that thou who hath begunne thy good worke in mee will also finish it till the day of the Lord Iesus WhoÌ„ thou louest thou louest to the end Thy calling and gifts are vvithout Repentance VVho shall separate vs from the loue of Christ For I am perswaded that neither Death nor Life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things preseÌ„t nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall bee able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Rom. 8. 38. 39. Vnder this acquaintance with Death and certaintie of these glorious thinges after it the bitternesse of Death is disgested As the godlie and wicked haue contrare respects of Death and contrare grounds and contrare desires so also contrare disposition and practice when it commeth I leaue the horrors of it to them that are vnder sinne Their death is like a Malefactors execution when hee is pannaled and justlie convicted one pulleth the Hatte doggedlie from him another his bond a third bindeth his hands behind his backe and the poore man ouercome with griefe and feare is dead before hee die But I looke for the Death of the Righteous and a peaceable ende that it shall bee as a going to bed of an honest man His seruants with respect take off his cloathes and lay them downe in order A good Conscience then playing the Page ordereth all so that it confirmeth and increaseth his peace It biddeth good-night to Faith Hope and such other attending graces and giftes in the way When wee are come home to Heauen
hath layde in the vncharitable heart the egges or seedes of Ignorance Malice Prejudice Suspition preposterous Zeale and such like Then hee worketh mightilie on them and hatcheth the monstrous bird of Calumnie But it is winglesse till it be vented For this end hee putteth Confidence and Credulitie to it that it may flee abroad which was brought foorth in secret This is a match of Sathans joyning A babling tongue to speake and a bibulous eare to drinke in greedilie bad reportes It is a weake Soule that hath two such assistants who so would perswad them of any thing haue lesse to doe than hee who must heare their raw and vnconsiderate reportes Hee needeth no more but vent his tales he is trusted at once by them but their hearers must either beleeue them that in their own degree of perswasion or else suffer for it It is easier to bee their informers than their hearers or reformers and that rather in lies and trifles than in trueth They are as hard to take contrare information to their former errors as they were ready at the first to drinke them in It is our best to try reportes and then giue euery thing its owne due of trust and euery trust the owne degree of asseveration It is folie to embrace humane reports with that same degree of perswasion as wee doe diuine trueth or to speake them with the same confidence A speciall worke of Gods Spirit is to direct vs in the trueth and that not onely in the matters of Saluation but also in our common conuersation where hee reigneth hee placeth holy Discretion at the roote of our eares to keepe vs from racklesse Credulitie And hee guydeth the heart with wise Charitie to stay vndiscreet Confidence inventing of our owne apprehension or other mens reports The foolish man will beleeue euery thing but the prudent will consider his steppes Prov. 14. 15. 42. The sight of a present God-head IT is a great worke to direct our life aâ—ight and many haue giuen good precepts for it but the Scripture is a most full and pertinent rule And God who knoweth best our duetie hath summed all vp in one word VValke before mee and bee thou vpright Genâ—s 17. 1. The sight and sense of a reuealed reconcealed and present God-head is the marrow and substance of all wholesome directions Who can see him but hee must loue and seeke an union with him and keepe that union by a constant walking with him Hee cannot bee seene but by his owne light nor felt but by his owne life and the raritie of these blessinges make the Christian conuersation so rare This is a compleate Furniture for our duetie first to know it next to will it and thirdlie to haue a power to doe it All these are obtained by setting God before vs. Neither is hee a beholder of his gifts but an effectuall mouer of them setting vs and his Grace in vs to worke by a powerfull working If his pure light fill the minde his effectuall power will fill the heart and that light and power can lead vs no wher-else but to himself They put vs to a restlesnesse but when wee are pleasing him and that restlesnes is a most sweete rest The goodnes of promised blessings the weight of threatned curses and the equitie of dueties commanded are all in their vigour when we see God so that faith and obedience doe follow Other considerations haue their owne force but this is so immediate and strong that there is neither place for delay nor hypocrisie He who seeth God alway dare neither neglect his duetie nor doe it deceitfully Where this care is Sinne findeth a bridle and Grace a spurre There can no tentation ouercome vs so long as wee see God clearely before vs Sathans suggestions evanish as mist before that face And our corruption dare not shew it selfe before the clearenes of that light Our walking in Christianity is but a roving till wee come to this sight of God in some measure This maintaineth light in the minde sensiblenesse in the heart and setteth to worke our Conscience to direct and hold vs in a conuersation worthie of him whom we see alwayes looking on vs. Men are diuersly affected with this sight Some know not the nature of it other condemne it as a phanaticke imagination because they comprise all the worke of Grace within their owne personall experience But VVisedome is justified of her children They who are conscious and sensible of it enjoye the vnspeakable fruites thereof While other are as voyde of them as they are voyde of the sight it selfe 43. Patrons of Grace and Nature are condignelie payed for their pleading OPinions in Religion are discoueries of our condition he who counteth highlie of the Grace of God hath his part thereof It commeth freely of God and leadeth to him in thankfulnesse It is his gift and the proper worke of it is to bring vs to him againe It is his stryne in vs and pulleth our Soules to him The holy Spirit is not as a reporting messeÌ„ger but one inbiding seale hee worketh at once both the sense of Gods loue in our heart and the meeting we giue to it No childe of Grace can satisfie himselfe in magnifying of Grace the worke of it is to powre out it selfe on God the Fountaine as it filleth the hart with joy so doth it the mouth with VVhat shall I reÌ„der to the Lord Ps. 116. 12. The Patrons of Nature seeme yet to abyde in Nature at the least that patrocinie is a work of Nature and flesh in them If a Captiue commend his Prison is a token hee is not wearie of it and which is worse desireth not to bee deliuered of it Sauing Grace in Christ is the Arke of Gods building to saue those that goe in it But Pelagius brittle and rent shalloppe of naturall power and selfe-sufficiencie drowneth men in damnation In things naturall and for this life Nature can doe something but in matters supernaturall and for Saluation it is blind as the mould-warp dead as a carcase and vyld as a carion If we ascryue to it either deseruing or disposition for Grace we denye both the Nature and necessitie of Grace Errors in other pointes of Religion discouer indeed weakenesse in the mind but in these practick poynts concerning Gods worke in our Calling and conuersation they discouer the state of our persons They who are translated from Nature to Grace cannot but abhorre Nature and praise Grace O! how dangerous a thing is it to count Nature Grace or to magnifie it against Grace If their opinion bee well examined they will bee found to lay two strange grounds to themselues One that they are sprung of another beginning than fallen Adam The other that they court another God than the Redeemer of mankynde As for vs who are come of lost Adam and depend on Christ our Redeemer wee dare neither speake so proudly of Nature nor so basely of Grace The poore speaketh with prayers but
this appeale in the cōscience of Gods both knowing acknowledging sight of their heart So also it is our best while the world either thinketh that God seeth not or would it were so that wee euer delight to cast our hearts open to God not because it must bee so but because that wee rejoyce that it is so Wee count not that terrible which wee finde so comfortable That Soule is sufficientlie guarded for its innocencie and sinceritie against the scourge of the tongue which is conscious and sensible of Gods Seeing witnessing and approbation The seales of that approbation in a solide peace and vnspeakable joye are stronger than can bee broken by the breath of man That lying breath cannot dissolue but doubleth them both in themselues and the joyfull use of their possessours This made the holy Apostle to say with as great libertie as trueth I passe verie little to bee judged of you or of mans judgement for I am not conscious to my selfe of any thing 1. Cor. 4. 3. 4. 68. Rest on Prouidence SOme cares are necessar because commanded of God others needelesse because forbiden Euery day hath enough of his owne griefe and wee should not care for to morrow God relieueth vs of that care Hee who made the World disposseth all and careth for all in it Before wee were borne hee ruled all and needeth not our helpe in any thing and when wee shall bee at rest hee will rule all It is a matter of pittie to see manie rent their heart when they neede not Gods prouidence easeth vs of that care if wee bee at peace with him his prouidence is for vs it hath nothing more in head than to content the Lords beloued If once wee loose our mindes to apprehensions and feares of crosses there will neither bee end nor remeede of them One will breede an hunder and euery one will multiplie answerablie so that we shall be buried and ouerwhelmed with feares before the feared euill come But these and the like shreds of tortouring apprehensions shall bee cutted if we close our selfe within the compasse of a mercifull prouidence and this shall bee if wee can perswade our selfe 1. That there is a GOD. 2. And that this GOD ruleth all 3. That all his ruling worketh together to the good of them that loue him Hee needeth not bee afrayd of any thing who is at peace with him who ruleth all things By distrustfull care wee offend God and make his prouidence to worke matters to our griefe The course and euent of things I leaue to God and his prouidence He is more wise see more able to doe that which is good than all the world I haue no care but to see that I offend him not either in abuse of meanes commanded or vse of things forbidden This prouideth with a certaintie of good a solide contentment also When I rest on his prouidence fullie resoluing to welcome what it bringeth I trust his Grace will worke contentment in his worke when it commeth Since I reuerence it before it come If any take on them to counsell or command prouidence or to controll the worke of it let that Soule resolue to lodge in continuall miscontent It is good wisedome to keepe our selues in peace with God who directeth prouidence and to submitte our selues vnto it so wee shall finde it serue vs and Gods Grace to giue vs contentment in the worke of it Commit thy wayes vnto the Lord and trust in him and hee will doe them Psal. 37. 5. Cast thy burden on the Lord and hee will sustaine thee Psal. 55. 22. God dwelleth in that heart that so reposeth on him but hee deserteth the Soule that chydeth his Prouidence Hee who trusteth in God shall bee as Mount Sion that can not bee remoued Psal. 125. 1. Hee shall not bee affrayed of euill tydings because his heart is fixed on the Lord. Ps. 112 7. This is Christian Stoicisme or rather spirituall Securitie The olde Stoickes preassing to exalt the naturall man aboue the reach of humane passion did both thrust him out of Nature and shake him loose of Gods protection And turned him from himselfe as farre as from God But this holy disposition maketh vs rest out of our selfe in God And so to finde our selfe secured in him 69. Afflictions fruite THere is nothing more grieuous to man and nothing more profitable than Affliction How foolish are wee in the day of trouble Wee thinke that God is slaying vs when hee is sauing vs A life indeede is taken from vs but such a life as wee both may and should want Such a life as killeth our Soule but quickneth vs by the want of it We haue a worldly and a sinfull life euen our loue of the things of the world God giueth them as coards and wings to lift vs vp to Heauen but wee turne them in weights to hold vs on the earth When we loue our name our goods our Children our body our selfe more than wee ought God hath two quarrels at these things The one of Iealousie because wee loue them to his prejudice The other of Violence because they detaine our Soule in them When hee crosseth vs in them then hee slayeth that our life in them Hee killeth it in our name by calamities in our goods by their remouall in our friendes by death and in our bodies by sicknesse Then that hurt life reteareth from a wounded member of our lot at least doeth not so vse it as of before When wee are wounded in all these the Soule draweth from them to GOD. If hee saw vs not excessiuelie affecting them he would not wound vs in them but there is no choyse heerein it is better to liue in God than to die by a seeming life in them And this wounding is not so meikle the worke of his Prouidence without as the mightie draught of his sauing loue within pulling vs out of that wherein wee would die that we may truely liue in him His blessings are good in themselues but our corruption abuseth them and killeth vs And it is necessare that our corruption bee killed wee die by the leauing of it and in its death wee liue Crosses are pressours to expresse our corruption euen that venome of Sathan which oppresseth vs. The life of God and of sinne haue their contrare growth standing and decay in vs as the one increaseth the other answerablie decayeth the raigne of the one is the destruction of the other In all crosses God intendeth the health of our Soule Many see the hand of the Phisitian that see not his heart many feele the bitternes of his potions and the paine of his cutting that see not the health that followeth as the first sight of sinne is falle because it seemeth pleasant and profitable so the first sight of Affliction is false because wee see nothing then but losse and hurt The second sight of sinne in Repentance is the best because wee see it vyle so is the second sight of
just matter of Ioy. I wish curious Spirits who neglect their owne calling as too narrow a taske for their large hearts and busie themselues on the by to take this cure of their corruption to heart Though they had the power of seuen Soules in one there is here matter of worke for all But in the godly it is a worke of Grace preuailing against Nature when they so curbe their corruptions that the first motions of it are choaked as the Cockatrick egges are broken before they bring out that serpent 91. The godlie heart hath both constant warre and certaine Peace THe heart in which God dwelleth hath both continuall Warre and Peace Warre with sinne both in others and in it selfe The world compasseth vs with euill and is sette on one of two workes either to infect vs or to injure vs. It allureth vs with the owne vanitie to be like it and if that succeed not it afflicteth vs and God moueth vs to renounce it and it cannot disgest that injurie at our hand it hath the owne peace in it selfe with its owne but the godly renouncers of it are noysome to it it hath no rest but in their separation or destructioâ—n As Grace in the godlie maketh them withdraw from the world so Satan in the world maketh it to cast them out God caÌ„not abide the wickednes of it His Spirit moueth them whom hee possesseth to please him aboue all heere are the grounds of perpetuall warring As though that were not enough our owne corruption within molesteth vs wee may shune the wickednesse of men but wee are neuer out of the grippes of our owne corruption and that as an aduersarie and on the worlds part Wee are no more bitterlie assaulted of the world than checked and vexed by our owne corruption for not following the world the outward world hath the owne inward extract in vs working vs to a conformitie to the owne paterne But all this warre troubleth not our Peace To bee so exercised is a just matter of peace vnspeakable God by his Grace guardeth vs from the worlds sin and by his prouidence secureth vs from their injurie And that same grace that maketh vs ouercome the world defeateth also our corruption When the inward euill is subdued the outward hath no strength against vs. The sense conscience of this batteling is our Peace It is better to endure the worlds violence in wronging vs than to bee like them in sinne And better to finde our corruption in a daylie stur than in a false calmnesse God is good to his owne who by such dealing both maketh them daylie to warre and yet keepe a solide Peace There can bee no greater joy to the godlie than to finde outward and inward corruption readie to destroy them and God deliuering them from both This is the shame of the outward and destruction of the inward corruption The glorie of God in both these works and our securitie in all The worlde thinketh that they vndoe the godlie by trouble but they worke them to their grace Their troubles chase them to God and God embraceth them louinglie who are troubled for his cause When Babes are affraied they cast themselues in the Armes and bosome of their mother Both these troubles are fortold and the blessing is promised As we feele the one wee shall finde the other In the world yee shall haue trouble but in me yee shall haue peace bee of good comfort for I haue ouercome the world Ioh. 16. 33. 92. Religious Religion IT is good to professe true Religion and to practise the exercise of it but the most part goe no further and so are voide of Religion it selfe and the fruits of it To stand on the outward worke of praying preaching praising c. is to offer the carcase of our seruice to God To worshippe God onely with our body is an irreligious worship our bodie may bee busie but they will neuer fasten vpon God in such a superficiall worke Hee is a Spirit and will bee worshipped in Spirit else none union with him When hee sendeth out his Vertue to our Soules and our Soules doe meete him answerablie that is inward Religion and our binding to him hee is most true wee trust in him Hee is most gracious good and mercifull wee loue him withall our heart Hee is moste powerfull wee feare to offend him and confide in his protection Hee is most wise wee quite our owne will and reuerence him Hee is most holy wee adore admire and imitate his holinesse It is a mocking of God if hee could bee mocked to professe an union with him and yet bee loose from him This Union is the end and Religion the way to it The end of Gods infusing of sauing Grace in vs is to bring vs to him and bind vs to him But he is pitifully selfe-deceiued who contenteth himselfe with a profession of Religion and neither knoweth nor careth for this Union Hee who is not fastened to God in this life shall haue no fellowshippe with him heereafter It is a religious Religion when wee become one Spirit with God in Christ. These and other points make vp our inward Religion God reuealing himselfe in his diuine properties our Soules affecting and adhering to him in their answerable powers this tyeth vs not onlie for the space wee are in the worke of his worshippe but by deth constantlie in vs The worke of Preaching or Praying or Praising doe end in their time but these inward baÌ„ds are neuer loosed This inward Religion doeth both set vs on worke and quickneth in vs the outward exercise of it There is more fruite of one houres seruice in such a disposition than in yeares businesse without it Hee who keepeth his heart vnder this religious disposition lacketh neuer a manifest object to worshippe nor a sacrifice to offer He is sensible of God and the verie mouing of his Soule in the Conscience and sense of these bands is a sacrifice most acceptable to God and profitable to himselfe The fleshlie minded doe wonder at the constant labour of the godly in Gods worshippe but if they knew these religious bands they would not wonder Naturall actions oft repeated bring habits and these become another Nature Shall not the work of Grace which hath both infused and acquired habits turne in a constant disposition This is not obtained in our beginning of Christianitie but after long labours in the Lord. The daylie tasting of his good nesse bringeth our heartes to such a temper that religious disposition turneth to bee our element for place and our dyet for refreshment It is our meat and drinke to conuerse with God and doe his will When God bringeth vs to this degree of continuall minding louing and delighting in him and to the sense of these religious bonds with him then our diuorce with the world and marriage with God are neere their perfection 93. Predominant vice and vertue COrruption is spred ouer the whole man and all in man there
from the Earth But for all these miseries in this life God hath prepared a remeede Our life in Heauen shall relieue vs of them all There shall bee no tempter nor temptation without nor corruption within No passion nor perturbation for any occurrent There shall bee none ignorance nor errour to leade vs wrong No perplexitie or feare or sorrow neither any thing that may trouble the peace or joy of the heart The Soule shall see God immediatelie and perfectlie and bee filled with loue and heauenly affection with that sight it shall enjoy God and rejoyce in that perfect enjoying and rest as in the desired end in a a glorious Peace This is the happinesse of a glorified Spirit This fraile bodie shall bee no more mortall but cloathed with immortalitie It shall bee no more grosse and earthlie but spirituall and pure No more lumpish and heauie but light and nimble as the Eagle in her flight No more darke and obscure but shining in glorie as the Heauen and Starres No sicknesse death but a continuall and constant health There shall be no need of meate to sustaine it or of Physick to restore our hurt health but all necessities remoued As they shall bee cleare as the Heauen so more enduring than the Heauē according to the Body of Christ who shall change our vile bodies and make them conforme to his glorious Bodie Phillipp 3. 21. This is the happinesse of a glorious Bodie Our Lotte shall bee then secured because it is all in God and is God himselfe There shall neither be lack of any conuenient good no sorrow for losses no feare of change and decay of our estate No Theefe shall be there to steale no Cousner to deceiue no tyrrant to oppresse God who hath blessed vs with it shall maintaine our Lotte and that in a place most secure from violence or changes Vanitie and changes are only vnder the Heauen but aboue it there is no change at all This is the happines of an vnchangeable Lot Then all things shall agree well A glorious person invested in a glorious estate a glorious place and that eternallie Thy worke in me about these things is wonderfull O LORD thou hast not suffered mee to bee a stranger either in the miseries of this life or in the joyes of Heauen Thou knowest that feeling is more forcible than speculation and Experience more strong than consideration and therefore hast acquainted mee with them Oft-ten haue I found the frailtie of my bodie but now more than euer for now my reines are full of burning there is nothing sound in my flesh I am weakned and sore broken I roare for the verie griefe of mine heart Lord I powre my whole desire before thee and my sighing is not hid from thee Mine heart panteth and my strength faileth mee and the light of mine eyes euen they are not mine owne Psal. 38. 7. 8. 9. 10. Painefull nights haue beene appointed vnto mee If I layed mee downe I saide VVhen shall I arise and measuring the Euening I am full of tossings till the dawning of the day VVhen I say My Couch shall relieue mee and my bed shall bring comfort in my meditation Then fearest thou mee with Dreames and astonishest mee with visions Iob. 7. v. 3. 4. 13 14. The sorrowes of the Graue doe compasse mee about and the snares of Death ouertake mee Psal. 18. 5. As for my Spirit I haue found therein great exercise all my life-time Satan euer lying in wait to enter by his allurements my corruption readie to yeelde to him My Conscience at her best watcheth ouer Sathan to marke his machinations and ouer my corruption that it yeelde not And when I fall checking mee till I repent Since I knew thee O Lord and the power of thy Grace I haue beene rent by a continuall striuing 1. My passions fighting against other 2. My passions against my reason 3. And my Conscience against them all I know all these discords may be in the naturall man yet are they stronger in the renewed man because of greater light discouering and Sathans more bitter persute And the tendernesse of Grace impatient of sin 4. And aboue them all the battell betweene the flesh and the Spirit euerie one of them lusting against another This hath beene mine exercise since I renounced the world Because these three Childrē Faith Hope Loue doe not worship the image of Popularitie Vanitie that is adored by the world Therefore Sathan held them in the furnace and heateth it seuen folde both in the worlds reuenging humour an◠in the rage of my curbed corruption breaking out in passions As for the Lot wherewith thou hast blessed mee I haue beene continuallie exercised in it Scarcelie can I find any of thy blessinges wherein thou hast not afflicted mee There bee few sorts or degrees of crosses wherein thou hast not schooled mee What Solomon preached of the vanities of the world thou hast in some measure taught mee by deare Experience So that I may justlie euen in thy presence vse the words of thy deare Prophet Ieremiah I am the man that hath seene affliction in the rodde of his indignation My flesh and skinne hath hee caused to waxe olde and hee hath broken my bones hee hath hedged about mee that I cannot get out Hee hath made my chaines heauie Also when I cryed hee stopped out my prayer Hee hath bent his bow and made mee a marke for his arrow Hee caused the Quiuer of his arrow to enter in my reines He hath filled me with drunkennes made mee drunken with wormwood Thus my Soule was farre from peace I forgot prosperitie remembring mine affliction and my murning the wormwoode and the gall my Soule hath them in remembrance and is humbled in me I haue borne the yoke from my youth and sitten alone and keeped silence because I haue borne it Lament 3. v. 1. 4 7. 8. 12. 13. 14. 15. 17. 19. 20. 27. 28. And now I am afflicted and at the point of death From my youth haue I suffered thy terrors Psal. 88. 15. I protest by our rejoycing which we haue in the Lord Iesus Christ I die daylie 1. Cor. 15. 30. Alwayes bearing about in the bodie the dying of the Lord Iesus that the life also of Iesus might bee made manifest in our bodie 2. Cor. 4. 10. So thou hast fedde me with the dyet of thy dearest Children both to fitte mee to a publicke Ministerie that I might speake of thee and thy wayes not from any humane teaching or abstract speculation but as being taught of thee by dearest Experience And to worke in me a loathing of this life wherin euerie day bringeth a newe griefe to the godlie Heerein thou hast giuen mee the just Commentar of that Text which all of vs can reade or rehearse but fewe doe practise Hee vvho will bee my Disciple let him renounce himselfe and take vp his crosse daylie and follow mee Luc. 9. 23. Is not this enough to
Parents in this Towne send their sicklie Children ouer this Firth not to leaue them on the other Shore but by Sea-sicknesse to purge their Stomacke and cure them of their infirmitie So thou can imbark thine owne in the Ship of the sentence of Death and Resolution for it and bring them back againe and cause them cast out some noysome corruption in renouncing the world Thou knowest O Searcher of hearts that I neither loue this life nor desire to abide in it for it selfe but for thy Glorie Though I bee full of dayes yet if I can honour thee in it I care not what miseries I vndergoe I had neuer greater contentment than when I was most injured for thy cause As I count of no life but in thee so I desire not to liue but for thee If thou bring mee backe againe serue thy selfe of mee in mercie and doe with mee as seemeth good in thine eyes If thou hast decreed that at this time I shall not die but liue then grant that I may declare the mercies of the Lord That in my lent and prolonged dayes I may magnifie thy glorious Grace in Christ in teaching sinners thy wayes turning them to thee That thy vowes may bee on mee O Lord and I may pay them in the sight of thy people in the great Congregation that when thou hast redeemed my Soule from Death mine eyes from teares and my feete from falling I may walke before the Lord in the Land of the liuing Psal. 116. And may both feele and say with thine holie Apostle Blessed bee God euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort Who comforteth vs in all our tribulation that wee may bee able to comfort them which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith wee our selues are comforted of God For as the sufferinges of Christ abound in vs so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. And whether wee bee afflicted it is for your consolation and saluation Or whether wee bee comforted it is for your consolation and saluation 2. Cor. 3. 4. 5. 6. I looke for a glorious Resurrection and eternall day of light and comfort after it all my deliueries in this life hath some night of affliction following and the verie day of prosperitie may both haue gloumie cloudes of miscontentment and the eclypses of thy face in some desertion But that day in Heauen shall haue no night following none obscuritie by raines or cloudes of affliction None eclypse by desertion but the constant enjoying of thy face for euer Thou will wype all teares from mine eyes both the teares of sorrow vnder temptation to sinne and vnder guiltinesse for sinne committed and vnder affliction As also the teares of joy I shall then rejoyce without teares for my bodie shall haue none excrementitious humour to cast out at mine eyes And that joye shall not bee by way of passion as now but of a glorified affection it shall not bee mixed with feare of ending but endure eternallie Who can refuse to die for to obtaine such a Glorie Death is but short and that Glorie beyond it is euerlasting and shall wype away all sorowes both of this life death Dauids Worthies for a litle water of the well Bethlehem brak throgh the Armie and shall not we for the well it selfe of liuing waters aduenture vpon Death Men sicke of Ambition cast away there life in battells or combats where the victorie is vncertaine and the following fame is but smooke And shall wee not combat with Death where the victorie is certaine and the following glorie is weightie and eternall I haue had an longsome toyle in the world now I am called to the Lords Rest I had no rest heere but in him and it is kindlie that I finde it more in him in the Heauen There I shall rest from my labours There thy wearisome journey shall end in the owne home O my wearie Soule thou needeth goe no further than thine home and thy growth shall end in that thy perfection There is no way beyond the end nor growth aboue perfection Though there bee sundrie degree of of Glorie in Heauen yet the least degree if perfection can bee little shall haue fulnesse It can neither desire more nor receiue more When desire is satisâ—ied and capacitie filled that is absolute perfection Goe then to this rest and sute it of God vpon all these rights which his mercie hath furnished to thee Thou hast his right of the promise in the Couenant Of his acquisition in the purchase of Christ Of his Legacie in the Testament Father I will that these which thou hast giuen mee bee where I am Of Infeftment by the earnest of the Spirit Of begunne possession by the first fruites and of perfection by so many fulnesses Thou art full of dayes and full of labour both of Gods worke in thee and by thee in other in thy calling and full of desire of dissolution and of that better life What then can hold thee out of it God is the Donatour and hath it in his hand Since he hath made thee all these rights hee will maintaine them and put thee fullie in the possession Goe and claime it of his mercie thy claime will bee admitted of him who hath both founded and fraimed it in himselfe How can I but expect the happie end of thy worke in mee O Lord who haue found thee so mercifull in the bygone course of it As thou beginnest in thine own so thou proceedest till thou crown it with glorie My feeling of it is by parts and degrees but in it selfe and in thee it is a continued and compleete worke Thou didst begin in it my free election and seeing mee lye in the lost masse of mankinde didst choose mee in Christ Thou broughtest mee in the world in a time and place where the Gospel was preached and Grace offered And scearcely was I borne when thou washed mee in Baptisme in the blood and renewed mee by the Spirit of Christ. When I was offered to thee in that Sacrament little did I knowe what grounds of Grace thou was laying in mee Thou broughtest mee vp in humane learning vnder good Masters and hemmed in the folie of my youth with the care and proficience in learning With these good occasions thou blessed mee with the hearing of godlie Pastors who did sow the seed of godlinesse in mine heart so that in the verie throng of Schoole-studies thou drew me to a set dyet of priuate deuotion in reading thy word in calling on thy Name So soone as I could discerne any thing thou inclined mine heart to the sacred Ministerie and made mee desire to serue thee in it aboue all callings And sweyed all my thoughts and studies for the obtaining of the abilities of that worke In the verie course of humane learning thou put thine hand in mine heart and entred mee in the grieuous exercise of Conscience to prepare mee for thy seruice and