instruction that we labour vse 2 to be of Gods familie and houshold for then wee cannot want his protection ayde and assistance If wee be within his Couenant he hath sworne not to forsake vs if we be his people he will be our God We must keepe our selues in his folde as good sheepe walking in his wayes and then he will heede vs. If we wander like the prodigall we shall waste our goods and want vntill we hasten home If wee will haue the priuiledge of his Sonnes wee must honour him as our Father and if we will be his Spouse we must be loyall onely vnto him and not fall in loue with others So will hee be our vaile against the heate of afflictions our shield and defence against all our enemies and still preserue and deliuer vs from all extremities and distresses vse 3 Againe it must stirre vs vp to thankefulnesse and praise for our deliuerance How often therefore is the Church of the Iewes incited in the Psalmes to take vp this note of Praise as the burden of their Song Let them therefore saith the Prophet confesse before the Lord his louing kindnes and his wonderfull workes before the Sonnes of men And let them offer sacrifices of praise and declare his workes with reioycing Let them exalt him in the congregation of the people and praise him in the assembly of Elders And see the practise of the Church concerning this dutie and the manner of their confession as well in amplifying their deliuerance as inlarging Gods praises Praised be the Lord which hath not giuen vs as a prey vnto their teeth Our soule is escaped as a Bird out of the snare of the fowler the snare is broken and wee are deliuered Our helpe is in the Lord which hath made Heauen and Earth This is a dutie commanded of God himselfe I will deliuer thee and thou shalt praise me So the Apostle blesseth God euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ which comforted him and the rest in all their tribulations vse 4 Lastly it maketh for the consolation of Gods children that whatsoeuer stormes arise God yet will send a calme who can rebuke both windes and seas and make them still for though they rage horribly yet he that dwelleth on high is mightier Feare not Abraham I will be thy shield buckler and thy exceeding great reward Feare not O Israell when thou passest through the waters I will be with thee and through the flouds that they doe not ouerflow thee When thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle vpon thee Though I should walke through the valley of the shadow of death I will feare no euill for thou art with me thy rod and thy staffe they comfort me God is our hope and strength and helpe in troubles ready to be found Therefore will not we feare though the earth be moued and though the Mountaines fall into the middest of the Sea The delight hee had in GODS word kept him from perishing which yeeldeth vnto vs this second instruction That euery Christian should learne to know by Dauids doctrine 2 example and experience the excellent vse and profit of Gods word which is able through Gods blessing being truly vnderstood and fitly applyed to keepe vs vpright in our greatest afflictions and trials that we fall not away from God nor miscarry in our selues He professeth plainely that he had perished had he not beene comforted and so supported by Gods word See how fearefully his faith was assailed his feet were almost gone his steps had well neere slipt to behold the prosperity of the wicked and to see them so lusty How they escaped all manner of troubles when Gods dearest children were fearefully plagued They exceeded in pride which they put on as a chaine about their necke and as for cruelty it couered them as a garment they were licentious in their words presumptuous in their talke setting their mouth against Heauen it selfe blaspheming God whom they laboured to depriue both of knowledge and prouidence Yet these wicked men did prosper alway and increase in riches when hee and other godly men were punished daily that had care and conscience to cleanse their hearts and wash their hands from all such defilements of sinne So that hee knew not what to thinke or how to finde out the cause thereof Though hee tooke paines in this poynt yet certainely his heart was still vexed and his reines pricked so foolish hee was and ignorant like a beast vntill he went into the sanctuarie of GOD to consult with his word in the holy ministerie thereof then presently hee vnderstood the reason hereof and was resolued Then he as well considered the end as the beginning and proceedings of such miscreant and blasphemous wretches in what slippery places God had set them in how sodainely he cast them downe into desolation being horribly consumed Their prosperity changed as a dreame and their very image was despised Thus God did guide him by his counsell to recouer himselfe in this staggering temptation The law of God was in his heart and his steps did not slide though he was ready to fall away yet the Lord put vnder his hand and preserued him from destruction by the benefite of his word Blessed therefore is the man whom thou chastisest O Lord and teachest him in thy law that thou mayest giue him rest from the dayes of euill whiles the pit is digged for the wicked First God chastiseth then he teacheth and lastly resolueth and giueth rest and contentment to the afflicted Christian Is it not reason that we endure with patience the dead corpes though otherwise it would annoy vs while the graue is making to put it in and which neuer againe being once buried can trouble our sight or my sense So the wicked that trouble Gods children are dead in Gods decree and their graue is a making Surely the Lord wil not faile his people neither wil he forsake his inheritance but minister comfort vnto them in the midst of all their troubles by the meanes of his word But an vnwise man knoweth it not and a foole doth not vnderstand this When the wicked grow as the grasse and all the workers of wickednesse doe flourish that then they shall be destroyed for euer For loe thy enemies O Lord for loe thine enemies shall perish all the workers of iniquity against thee thy Church and children shall be destroyed but thou O Lord art most high for euermore How often in this long Psalme doth the Prophet stirre vp himselfe when his soule cleaued to the dust and melted for heauinesse when hee was almost brought to the graue and dropping away like water in his trials and temptations he prayeth God to quicken and to raise him by his word Trouble and anguish are come vpon me yet thy commandements are my delight Thus Gods word was his
THE vngodly as captiues are haled to deaths prison and Iayle of hell Sect. 1. The ioy of the wicked endeth in heauinesse 2. Their whole life is a miserable bondage of feare 3. The wicked once awakened out of the sleepe of sinne doe end their dayes like barking dogs 4. Who can put to silence the voyce of Desperation 5. Sinne is a make-bate betweene God and man and betwixt a man and himselfe 6. A wicked mans heart bleedeth when his countenance smileth 7. The Conscience cannot be pacified when sinne is within to vexe it 8. The wicked are in hell yet liuing vpon earth 9. Death is the Lords Serieant to apprehend a wicked man and to hale him to hell 11. The vnrepentant with as great violence are pulled from the earth at Ioab from the hornes of the Altar 12. The trembling estate of the reprobate 13. Hell is as fit for the reprobate as heauen for the righteous 14. The second BOOKE CHAP. I. WIcked men without Christ haue hell for their prison and are locked from God and his Saints in the dungeon of death Sect. 1. No creature could possibly redeeme vs from death with the reason why 2. Take hold of Christ and take hold of life In the flesh of Christ there it resteth Death hath raigned in all the world beside 3. God became man that he might be a Redeemer as before hee was a Creator 4. The dignitie of Christs person gaue such worth to his satisfaction that what hee suffered in short time might satisfie beyond all times 5. None can purchase our saluation but he onely that hath paid the price of our redemption ibid. None but Christ saueth and he will be alone in all his courses without mixture without medley 6. There is no God without Christ he created alone and he will redeeme alone 7. If our case were not desperate and past hope of recouery our redemption should not be so precious 8. Christ is Lord-Treasurer of heauen and Steward of all Gods graces 9. The Church in it selfe most vncleane and in Christ most beautifull 10. Christs humiliation in the worke of our Redemption 11. It was the fire of Loue to mankinde and the sharpe knife of Gods Iustice that put the Sonne of God to death 12. Excellent types and allusions of Christ our Redeemer 13. CHAP. II. THe compleat worke of our redemption performed by Christ alone and his onely meanes Sect. 1. Why Christ our Redeemer must needes be God and man 2. Christ his manner of proceeding in the worke of our redemption 3. The wonderfull wisdome of God in making the death of Christ as an Antidote against the death of man and so to bring life out of death 4. Christ suffered in soule as well as in body for our redemption 5. 6. The vse of Christs suffering in soule as well as in body 7. Death lost his sting in Christs death 8. Death tasted of Christ but it could not deuoure him 9. The death of Christ is the death of Death 10. Christs gall was our honie and his bitter death the sweet life of all beleeuers 11. The ready way to goe to heauen is to swim through the sea of Christs sufferings 12. Christ his death is the secret den of our deliuerance from Death and Hell 13. Christians onely ouercome by the bloud of the Lambe 14. The grace of Christ must be our onely clothing before Gods Tribunall 15. God will be knowne by his mercy and we by our deserts that so all glory may returne to him alone 16. Christs power is made perfect through our weaknesse he is all things to vs which are nothing in our selues 17. Christ is a mutuall help to God the Father and to vs without whom wee cannot possesse any good thing eyther in grace or glory 18. The Law and Christ are as the Physitian and Surgeon to a sicke man 19. It is absurd to seeke for iustification by the Law 20. To trust to our owne merits is the reioycing of Sathan 21. Christ conquered death and diuell being nailed to the crosse 22. CHAP. III. AS there is no life in the body but as it is vnited to the head so in Christ our head consisteth our life being vnited to him by his holy Spirit Sect. 1. By our spirituall vnion we are interessed in all that eyther God hath promised or Christ hath performed 2. Gods Spirit sheweth vs our nakednesse and the wardrobe of Christs righteousnesse to clothe vs. 3. There is no saluation nor sanctification for vs but as our nature is vnited to the person of Christ 4. This spirituall coniunction we can neuer comprehend till wee know God as he is 5. Christ is not onely God with his Elect in nature but in person the reprobate are of the same nature with him yet he is not God with them but against them 6. God punishing Christ in our person and iustifying vs in his he neither punisheth the innocent nor iustifieth the offenders 7. Christ washeth his children from their sinnes whom he ioyneth to himselfe 8. Whole Christ is his God-head and humanitie is our head and Sauiour 9. Whole Christ is coupled with whole man a mysterie vnspeakable ibid. Euery Christian man hath a portion of flesh in the body of Christ and where my flesh is there I hope to be 10. The God-head of Christ is the fountaine of all good things and his flesh is the Conduit-pipe by which they are deriued vnto vs. 11. We must goe by Iesus Christ that is God to Iesus Christ that is man 12. In our flesh he hath dyed risen and ascended that faithfull man may be crowned with glory ibid. God doth communicate nothing with vs but by the flesh of Christ in it he wrought our Redemption 13. Our soule is ioyned to the soule of Christ and our flesh with the flesh of Christ which quickneth both by the vnitie of his person 14. Christ vniteth himselfe to vs by the communication of his Spirit and we by faith are ioyned to him 15. The singular vse of our spirituall vnion with Christ 16. In the person of Christ all our blemishes are couered and his righteousnesse and sanctification imputed 17. The sinnes of the faithfull are not imputed to them but vnto Christ 18. The punishment of them are forgiuen to them but not to Christ ibid. If we be ingrafted into the body of Christ we are his and hee liueth in vs and his victory ouer all is ours 19. By this spirituall vnion Christ is our brother which are borne of God by the same spirit 20. The vncleannesse of our birth is washed away in the sanctification of Christs nature 21. Death can make no diuorce betwixt Christ and the faithfull though their bodies rot in the graue yet still they remaine true members of his body 22. Christ our head is able to restore that which nature hath destroyed 23. Christ and Christians are made one indiuisible body by the bond of Gods spirit and he being the head will raise vp his
things consist A Stone cast out of a sling neuer resteth vntill it come to his centre so God whose centre is euery where and circumference nowhere is our onely rest and without him who is onely infinite our desires are neuer replenished which are infinite and endlesse We must therefore passe through this world as the Israelites passed through Edome who onely desired to goe through and to make no stay at all what should we set our delights in this Edome of the world our passage through it is all we should require we spend our goulden daies of prosperitie as ill husbands waste their substance we know not how and are in a manner so carelesse as if God were bound to bring vs to section 8 heauen whether we will or no. God hath set the earth vnder our feete that it should not be too much esteemed The world it selfe is of a round figure saith one but the heart of man is triangular and so comprehends more then the world Our bodies walke on earth but our soules should be in heauen by heauenly desires and we should frame our affections in forme of a Ship that is closed downeward and open vpward in a hearty desire of happy state Let my minde saith Augustine muse of it let my tongue talke of it let my heart loue it and my whole soule neuer cease to hunger and thirst after it Gods children in this world with their tryals and troubles are tilled and manured as the ground to be made section 9 fruitfull and fertill and are here proued with Symon of Syrene euery one with his crosse and must thus be contented to accompanie Christ to his Kingdome Manifold troubles are incident to all who are departing from the myre durt of Egypt to doe sacrifice to God who yet will bring them into a good land that floweth with milke and hony Here we are a flying before many Iesabels here we sit in darkenesse and see not the true light which shineth in glory Here wee are poore captaines as in Babilon how should we sing and reioyce in this vale of teares in so low and marshie a soyle naturally so subiect vnto moysture This farre Country is full of penurie and sorrow no plenty no musicke vntill wee returne vnto our fathers house while wee are on this side Iordane wee are amidst many troubles and tryals we must looke for no other vntill we come into the heauenly land of rest and what is it to liue long but to be troubled long Noahs Doue at her first flight from the Arke fetched many retyres but could finde no resting place till Noah opened the window to take her in againe So may our poore soules soare a time by lifting vp many a sigh and supplication to God who at last will open the window of his heauenly Arke and then and not before they shall finde safe footing after these worldly flouds for sure repose and rest Here we doe but sowe with teares there we shall reape in ioy Here our earthly houses are like the Tabernacles that were moueable there they shall be like the glorious Temple sure fixed Blessed are they indeed that dwell in thy house O Lord of Hosts Those that at mid-day desire to see the superiour planets section 10 and lights must goe downe into a wonderous deepe pit from the light of the horizon wherein they liue This is an Astronomicall experiment so to behold the light inaccessible and ioyes of heauen wee must be farre remoued from the loue and delights of this inferiour world whilst we set our affections on earthly things wee seeke for no better for wee looke for no higher So long as Zacheus abode in the preasse among the other people hee was vpon to low a ground to looke on Christ till hee climbed higher Seafaring men that haue long beene weather beaten in the surging Seas are wont to showt for ioy when they discerne the shoare So should Christians reioyce after so manifold stormes of this raging world to draw so neere by death and by faith to see a farre off their heauenly harbour and place of endlesse rest Worldlings are like the Reubenites content to stay on this side Iorden because it was a place fit for their Droues and cattell and nothing regarded the promised land so many desire to stay here and goe no further esteeming the profits and pleasures of this temporall life more then of the incomprehensible ioyes of life eternall They are so satisfied with earthly things that they sauour not heauenly c. men led captiue into a forraine Country from their infancie doe not onely forget their naturall language but euen the desire of returning home but to the truer Israelites all is wearinesse vntill they come into the land of rest section 11 Augustine writeth of certaine beasts that are so patient of thirst that seeing many puddles and other waters will yet neuer drinke till they come to a fountaine that is very cleare and cleane so should the faithfull stay their desire till they come indeed to the true waters of comfort so fresh and cleare Here we must but recreate our selues retaining still our thirst vntill wee come to drinke our fill at the true fountaine of blisse and happinesse The worlds manner saith one is the Iewes manner who were wont to bring the best wine first but Christ obserues his old manner and keepes the best wine last The Israelites many and often times murmured in the wildernesse thinking that after their deliuerance out of Egypt they should presently haue all sweetnesse and abundance But they were deceiued God kept that vntill they came into the land of promise wee must not looke for our happinesse here God reserueth that till hereafter Here euery day we must be gathering Mannah but when the high Sabaoth commeth then wee shall cease Ioseph gaue his brethren prouision for the way but the full sackes were kept in store vntill they came home to their fathers house God giues vs here a taste and assay of his goodnesse but the maine sea of his bountie and store is horded vp in the kingdome of heauen In this life Adam shall eate his bread in the sweate of his browes in labour and sorrow shall he eate thereof vntill he returne vnto the earth out of which he came as if the daies of man by reason of sinne were nothing else but the daies of sorrow because euery day hath her griefe and euery night his terrour The Christian soule shall neuer sing her sweetest song vntill she come to beare her part with the Saints in the ioyfull quire of heauen Wherefore if our inheritance be that wee shall raigne as kings why put we our selues in such slauerie of creatures If our birth allow vs to feede of bread in our fathers house why delight we to eate huskes prouided for the swine If a golden prize be propounded to such as winne
wish they had better serued God but these things should be considered in time and here is time therefore take it before thou endurest a dying life and a liuing death full of endlesse woe O good life saith a holy Father what a ioy art thou section 6 in the time of death Thou makest men not ashamed to liue longer because they liue honestly nor afraid to dye departing religiously hauing serued a good Lord. But the wicked are ashamed to see him whom they haue dishonoured the one is quit by a ioyfull Proclamation the other found guilty at the bar of his owne conscience What a dangerous course is it neuer to awake Christ till the ship leake and be in danger of drowning neuer to beginne to liue well vntill wee be a dying neuer to call to minde that time of all times before we heare the Trumpet sounding the graues opening the earth flaming the heauens melting the Iudgement hastening and the Iudge with his Angels comming to denounce the last sentence and doome O consider this you that forget God lest hee take you away and there be none to deliuer you This present life is our market to make prouision for our soules against the life to come now is the time of running to get the prize now is the time to fight to winne the field now is the time of sowing for the plentifull crop of haruest comming on If we omit this time there is no more crowne no more booty no other Kingdome no other prize no more haruest to be looked for for Hee that will not sow in winter shall beg in Summer section 7 Marke well saith one what I say that a man which repenteth not but at his latter end shall be damned I doe not say so What then doe I say He shall be saued No. What then doe I say I say I know not I say I presume not I promise not Wilt thou then deliuer thy selfe out of this doubt Wilt thou escape this dangerous poynt Repent thou then whilest thou art whole for if thou repent whilest thou art in health whensoeuer the last day of all commeth vpon thee thou art safe for that thou didst repent in that time when thou mightest yet haue sinned But if thou wilt repent when thou canst sinne no longer thou leauest not sinne but sinne leaueth thee If men come without oyle in their Lampes then is there nothing for them to expect but Nescio vos I know you not And when they are knowne Ite maledicti Goe you cursed into euerlasting fire God hath giuen other things double vnto vs that if the one be hurt the other may stand vs in stead as eyes eares hands and feet double but hee hath giuen vs but one soule which if we destroy what is there in the world wherby wee may hope for any life The Sonne of God gaue himselfe a ransome for our soules that they might not be accounted vile but precious in our sight All that which thou hast meanes to doe saith the Preacher section 8 doe it according to thy power for in the graue whither thou goest there it neyther worke nor discourse nor knowledge nor wisedome Many then thinke of death When they cannot liue they pardon their enemies when they cannot reuenge they giue away their goods when they can no longer keepe them they forgiue their debters when they haue nothing to pay they leaue their whores when they can no longer keepe them they detest wine when they cannot drinke and defie the world when they can no longer inhabite it pride they loath when they are preparing of their winding-sheete sicke they are but their repentance is sicker c. Death is at our doores Iudgement ouer our heads Hell is at hand all horrible and yet without horrour We laugh we leape we dance we drinke we sing to the sound of the Violl vaine delights and we inuent to our selues Instruments of Musicke like Dauid as he to the seruice and honour of his God so we to please our vnsanctified affections and extrauagant lusts O Lord set thy feare before our face and so settle it in our hearts that we may readily obay thy heauenly call by flight from sinne for feare of Iudgement Let vs not be like to the vnwise Leuite who at the end of the day would goe on his iourney by reason whereof hee incurred perill and was the cause of his wiues heauy end Let vs rather rise earely and goe on our way whiles the light of life doth shine lest darknesse surprise vs. Old sores are hardly cured and hardly shall you bring old dogs to lead An old mans bones saith Zopher to Iob are filled with the sinnes of his youth and continue with him vnto the graue CHAP. III. Of the hinderances of our Preparation to death in generall and how carefully they must be auoyded section 1 LEt vs now proceede to remoue such impediments through the helpe of God as lye in our way to hinder our speedie passage in this our pilgrimage of death which is as wee haue heard the true hauen of life to all Gods children Great and manifold are Sathans assaults in this our iourney who still sheweth himselfe a professed aduersarie in all good proceedings And here he commeth not himselfe alone but with a huge hoast and army of enemies hauing the whole world our flesh and friends to fight against vs But of these things in this place let it suffice to poynt at in generall vntill wee come to a more particular discourse as occasion shall be offered And let vs first learne to arme our selues against these our deadly foes that so being harnessed as it were with the armour of proofe wee may strongly stand out when wee shall be assailed neuer yeelding to our foes but following fast our Captaine Christ to get the conquest in this our fight which already is begunne and shall most assuredly be gotten to all the faithfull section 2 Sathan first of all will thus be ready to assault vs. And art thou ready to dye O man Why then behold the swarme of thy sinnes the number of thy faults and monstrous rebellions against thy God both old and new of age and youth for which the wrath of God the graue and hell are ready to deuoure thee The Law is thy Iudge which doth condemne thee thy God is iust and cannot but accurse thee his sentence is passed and will not cleare thee c. So that here without Christ no comfort can be found hee onely must now protect vs or else wee perish his righteousnesse must be our roabe to hide our raggednesse his merits the onely meanes to cloath our nakednesse c. Which things wee cannot possesse without a true and liuely Faith which is the gift of God and therefore wee must pray to haue it wrought in our hearts by the holy Ghost and all good meanes This then as we haue heard already will get vs the victory ouer the Diuell
how wee should speake whom wee should inuocate In his temptation hee withstood the Tempter to shew vs how to come out of temptation In his Agonie hee prayed to teach vs how and what to pray section 5 Let vs call to minde how wee lost happinesse in seeking to saue ourselues and iust it is that by induring sorrowes wee should recouer what wee haue lost Wee ranne away by committing euill and wee must returne againe by suffering euill Once wee sinned by transgressing righteousnesse and now wee must humble ourselues by induring for righteousnesse Great were Iobs crosses which he endured none of his Sonnes and Seruants were left but onely foure messengers to bring him tidings of sorrow and those not altogether but one after another to increase the same All Iobs comforts goe away together and Sathan was perswaded that this trayne of troubles would haue blowne vp the strongest fort but he is deceiued Iob is the same man still For hee that did truly serue God in time of prosperitie did also blesse him in his greatest aduersitie Here was patience with thankfulnesse well met together Sathan tooke away many things from him but God he could not take away that gaue him all his resolution was too strong for that Though he kill mee yet will I not be kept from trusting in him It is God that knoweth the perils of thy death and can onely defend thee Through his power shalt thou get thorow and drinke the bitter draught Though wee dye yet liueth God before vs with vs after vs and is able to preserue vs for euer Death as one speaketh is euen as a darke caue in the section 6 ground but who so taketh Christs true light and candle in beleeuing on him and goeth into that dimme and darke hole the mist flyeth before him and the darknesse vanisheth away The sweet spices of Christ his buriall expelleth the strong scent and ill sauour of our rotten graues He is our hope our safeguard our triumph our crowne wee may be dead but our life is hid with God in Christ Our true life then is not in this world but laid vp with God in heauen and shall in time through Christ be gloriously reuealed And although after our departure from our soft lodgings and beds of Downe our bodyes must be placed for a time in darke dungeons and loathsome graues there to rot in the earth and be consumed of wormes yet Christians looking vpon them in this so vile estate as they appeare with the Chrystall eyes of Faith and considering them aright as now altered and changed by Christ who hath vanquished Death and pursued her to her denne we neede not to bewayle our euill exchange or thinke our bargaine hard for that our bodies hereafter shall become most beautifull and precious and euen conformable to the glorious body of Christ himselfe And albeit the gate of death be so narrow and hard a passage yet our heauenly Father shorteneth it and though the paines thereof should passe all that wee haue felt vpon the earth it endureth not long but maketh quicke dispatch and when the paine is greatest of all then is it nearest an end and God can then more comfort vs then the most horriblest death with the pangs thereof are able to disturbe or torment vs. Such is the state of this world that one euill cannot be section 7 cured but by another To heale a contusion or bruise must be made an incision All the paines that our life yeeldeth vs at the last houre we impute to death not marking that as our life beganne and continued in all sorts of griefe and sorrow so necessarily must it end in like afflictions Wee marke not as one saith that it is the remainder of our life not of death that tormenteth vs The end of our nauigation that paineth vs not the hauen wee are to enter which is nothing else but a sure refuge against all stormes And thus wee complaine of death when wee should indeed complaine of life as if one hauing beene long sicke and now beginning to be well should accuse his health of his former paine and not the reliques of his disease For what is it else to be dead then to be no more aliue in the world Now simply not to be in the world is it any paine did we then feele any paine when we were not section 8 Nothing better resembleth death then our sleepe and when doe wee euer better rest then at that time Now if this be no paine why accuse we death of the paines our life yeeldeth vs at our departure vnlesse wee will fondly accuse the time when as yet wee were not of the paines wee felt at our birth If our comming in be with teares is it a wonder that our going out be answerable If the beginning of our being be the beginning of our paine is it any maruell that such should be our ending Death is no wayes hurtfull to those that be liuing and for the dead they are out of his reach Such a death is neuer to be deplored which is seconded with immortalitie and euerlasting life Wilt thou feare that once which is alwayes acted Fearest thou to dye once when thou dyest euery day by little and little Death which wee so feare and flye taketh not from vs our life but giueth it truce and intermission for a time Neyther children nor mad-men feare Death and how absurd is it that reason and wisedome should not be as able to furnish vs with securitie as they are fortified by their simplicitie and fury section 9 What hurt is it to the inhabitant to pull downe an old ruinous house to build it vp againe and make it more glorious Now our bodies are as old rotten houses for our soules to dwell in if God cause our soules to depart then out of our bodies for a time and so destroy them to build them vp againe and make them fitter habitations for our soules haue we any cause to mourne Nay rather if we looke not so much on the present condition of our bodies after death as vpon their glorious estate at the day of resurrection by the eye of faith wee haue great cause to praise our God for this our good exchange And why should the faithfull be affraide of Death by which they are deliuered from the slauery of sinne For when Death hath made vs all euen leuell with the ground the graue shall be to vs as a fould vntill our Shepheard come and to the wicked as a shambles till the destroyer of their soules shall haue receiued an endlesse commission to torment them What cause haue wee then to shut our gates against the gaspe of Death Or like trembling leaues to entertaine the gale and blast of sicknesse which doth but prune our feathers to flye both faster and swifter towards heauen itselfe For if neither the waight of our corruption though it sorely presse vs nor the
anatomy of his and the best mans frailty in their afflictions reason 1 Thus God doth manifest his own strength by our weaknesse and his vnchangeable condition by our variable disposition who the best of vs are notable of our selues to stand vpright in the day of our trials without his helping hand power and speciall prouidence vnder-prop vs. reason 2 This is Gods priuiledge and soueraignty who onely hath this name and nature I am to shew his being of himselfe and vnchangeable essence and to let vs know that all his Creatures haue not onely their being but their standing and vpholding by him that onely is and so constantly abideth without fainting or failing euermore Againe by this meanes God doth beat downe our pride reason 3 that so blindeth vs in our owne conceipts to thinke so highly of our strength and estate God therefore will proue vs by afflictions that we may know our selues our faith our strength and chiefest of our man-hoode that so finding out our weaknesse wee may onely and wholly relye vpon his strength and might reason 4 Which lesson may teach vs the excellent vse and profit of afflictions sent vnto vs as instructions to learne vs to know our selues in our best strength and state to beat down our pride and to teach vs true humility to trust onely in the Lord and to distrust our selues and all other meanes whatsoeuer they be without him Also it maketh much for our consolation in our greatest vse 2 distresse when all outward meanes and helpes shall faile and forsake vs that yet we raise and rouze vp our selues through the affiance wee haue in GOD and the strength of his might knowing the supply of his grace to be sufficient for vs at all assayes who still manifesteth himselfe to be the strongest in our greatest weaknesse and that when there is no other hand or helpe to relieue vs yet he himselfe with his own right arme is able to saue vs and to prouide such meanes as shall bee sufficient to comfort vs in our greatest assaults Thus much of Dauids confession Now followeth his resolution I will neuer forget thy precepts since they kept me from perishing in my afflictions and ministred such ioy and comfort vnto mee not onely refreshed but reuiued and quickened me being as good at dead in my owne apprehension For this cause I resolue neuer to forget so comfortable and powerfull meanes of my recouery From whence we may learne That it is the dutie of euery Christian still to remember doctrine 5 the meanes of their comfort and deliuerance from their former troubles and afflictions so to manifest their loue and care for the vse and respect of Gods ordinances not onely for the time past but also for the dayes to come As he that hath beene cured of an olde disease and healed of a wound will hardly forget the receipt and plastour Dauid hauing formerly found that the comfort of Gods word had kept him from perishing had quickened and reuiued him being as good as dead in his owne iudgement and sense resolueth neuer againe to forget Gods precepts So he telleth vs how he was disquieted and found no rest how his very bones consumed how he roared all the day vntill he confessed his sinne which was the cause thereof Then I acknowledged my sinne neither hid I my iniquity for I thought I will confesse against my selfe my wickednesse vnto the Lord and thou forgauest the punishment of my sinne Therefore shall euery one that is godly in like case make his prayer vnto thee in a time when thou mayest bee found for then is God neerest vnto his children when their troubles are the greatest surely in the flouds of great waters they shall not come neere him So going into the field against Goliah he remembreth how God deliuered him from the Lyon and the Beare and so still resolueth to hope for helpe and deliuerance at gods hand and he prayeth to God to haue mercy vpon him and to harken vnto his prayer who heretofore had heard him in his distresse and set him at liberty reason 1 Now the reason why we must remember the meanes of our deliuerance together with our forme distressed estate is because we are subiect againe to fall therein and may still haue need of the old receipt as those that fall againe into the same disease as they haue their relapses so they must haue the same remedies He that is well may and will be sick againe he that is healed may be wounded againe or at least haue his sore to ranckle and breake out againe therfore the prouident patients record their receipts and resolue to vse them as occasion serueth reason 2 Secondly no new prescription can proue so safe and sure as those that are experienced such for the most part are voyde of danger and infallible And as he is worthily accounted the best Physition that recouereth most patients and he the skilfullest Surgeon that healeth most dangerous wounds So that phisicke that potion that plaister by which sicke and sore men haue been cured healed and restored is most worthy to be registred and recorded Such receipts I say are most pretious that haue been proued and will not likely faile reason 3 Thirdly that we should remember these comfortable meanes and remedies to ease vs in our trials and to keepe vs from despaire they are written registred to our hands in Gods booke as also to confirme our knowledge practise and obedience in and for the holy vse thereof they are commended vnto vs by Gods word they are vrged and applyed for that purpose in the holy ministery thereof So is the patience of holy Iob by Saint Iames You haue heard saith he of his patience and what end the Lord made And whatsoeuer things are written aforetime are written for our learning that wee through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might haue hope And as the same infirmities sicknes and maladies both of body and soule doe still remaine to mortall men So the same wholesome receipts meanes and medicines with the same Physitians hand and manner of recouery are still commended in Gods word to all the faithfull for their vse Which serueth for the instruction of euery Christian to vse 1 be a studious obseruer of Gods word and diligently to search out the most comfortable and commodious vse of the Scriptures both for their knowledge and obedience to cast the eyes of their minde and vnderstanding vpon the best examples of Gods Saints and Children that there are propounded for their vertues and infirmities both to helpe and heale them in the like condition So when we fret and chase as Dauid did at the prosperity of the wicked wee must learne with him to see our folly and goe to Gods Sanctuary and obserue the end of such like sinners and so bee comforted and confirmed from falling away from God or following their wicked