of vs in our tyme Hee fulfilled the Law tooke away Sinne satisfied Gods Iustice and so brak the jawes of Death Shall I then feare to follow such a Captaine Hee hath made Death but a carcase of an enemie I haue neither to feare in it Sinne which is pardoned nor Law which is fulfilled nor Iustice which is satisfied It is a Serpent without the Sting a Gyant without bones or armes though it swallow mee vp in a naturall dissolution it shall cast mee out as the Whale did Ionah in an immortall condition when this mortalitie shall bee swallowed vp of life When Dauid had killed Goliah the Israelites ranne as fast to see him as they fledde before from him beeing aliue Doubtlesse they contemned that sometimes terrible Gyant they trod vpon him with their feete and cut him with there swords They did that securelie because hee was dead Hee who was euen now the matter of their feare his lifeles carcase is turned a matter of their contempt and his death a cause of their joye Death may separate thee from this Bodie but neither from God nor his life in thee it shall the more vnite thee to him this Bodie that dyeth by thy departing shall liue in Death It dyeth as a creature the part of such a one but it liueth as a member of Christ and the Temple of the holie Spirit both because it is separate from all spirituall corruption of Sinne and quickened spirituallie by the holy Ghost who departeth not from it and in the Spirit of Iesus who remaineth our Head euen in Death And lastlie because thou my best part shall bee in libertie with God Death may destroy naturall life but not the Spirituall neither in Grace nor Glorie It can sease on no more than I had when I sinned in Adam I got nothing then but a sinfull body but now in Christ I haue a new bodie created to his Image who is Life it selfe so farre is it from either destroying mee or dissoluing my union with him that it both saueth mee setting mee at libertie from sinne and perfecteth mine union absolutelie with him It rusheth indeede furiouslie on mee but grippeth nothing but my shaddow I am in God in Christ as I am beloued and chosen called and sanctified As I am such Death cannot finde nor grippe mee While hee grippeth nothing but this bodie of dust as Potiphars wife laying hold on Ioseph I goe to God and leaue my garment in his hand I am dead to the world and sinne and my life is hid with Christ in God and when Christ my Life shall appeare then shall I in Soule and Bodie appeare with him in Glorie Resent thine owne estate and thou shalt finde what I say Hast thou not dyed to the world and left it before it left thee And hast thou not left the bodie before it leaue thee If thou had not come to God till the world had forsaken thee and the bodie chased thee out hee had found just cause to forsake thee and send thee backe in disdaine to these thy beloued false friends But now since in thy prosperitie thou renounced the worlde and in thine health and strength thou went daylie to God choosing rather to bee in him than in the bodie Surelie hee will welcome thee That is a token of thy liuing in him and his liuing in thee Marke how thou hast euen in this life preuented the buriall of thy bodie Hast thou not with Ioseph of Aramathea hewen thee a Sepulchre in the Rock And cropen in by the holes of that Rocke that was pearced for thee How oft hast thou gone in by these wounds of Christ to his heart by his suffering to his loue and the loue of God in him and washen thy selfe in the blood of his satisfaction Hast thou not also prepared the fine Linnen and wrapped thy selfe in the winding-sheete of his righteousnesse Thy sinnes are buried in the Seas of his mercie and thy selfe is hid in him before euer thy bodie be layed in the dust And hast thou not prouided Oyle for thy Lampe that when thou goest out of this bodie thou wander not in darknesse but enter streight way in Heauen All thy care in this life hath beene to get Oyle and to make it shine to find light and walke in that light The Rock thy Sepulchrie hath inclosed thee the Linnen of his Righteousnesse couered thee and that burning Oyle in thy Lampe shall not waste till thou enter in Heauen Since God euen thy God hath anointed thee with some measure of the Oyle of gladnesse hee hath prepared thee for his Heauenlie buriall and the smell of his Oyntments powred out on thee hath wrought a distaste of all worldlie pleasures Foure speciall thinges bring solemne joyes in this life and if we bee in Christ they all meete in vs at Death Birth Mariage Triumph and Coronation Death is my best Birth day If the childe in the wombe knew that hee were comming foorth to a free light hee would not weepe at his birth but Nature in him taketh his deliuerie for destruction so maketh him mourne at the just cause of his joye My first birth brought me out of the prison of the wombe My second brought mee out of Nature and Sinne This third and last shall bring mee perfectlie out of the world and all miserie It is my Mariage day with Christ mine Husband he hath loued mee with euerlasting loue and betrouthed mee to himselfe in righteousnesse and trueth And our Bandes are daylie proclaimed in his worshippe his Gospel preached is the signification of his loue on his part and our Prayers and desires are the signification on our part since I am glad of the Match and rejoyce at the proclaiming of these Bannes why should I fray at the solemnizing of the Mariage God sendeth out Pastors as Abraham did his seruant to choose a wife to Isaak These Messengers haue found me continuallie about the well of liuing waters The sight of Abrahams riches euen the chose Graces of God haue wone mine heart to Isaak and I haue gladlie condescended to forsake all and goe to him Though I finde him at the Euening and Sun-sette of my life I shall enjoy with him an euerlasting day of heauenlie contentment Esther was not sorrowfull but rejoyced to be takē by Ahashuerosh to wife and should not I rejoyce when the Lambe of God Christ Iesus sendeth for mee It is an glorious triumph Dauid was glad whē he heard the people sing of his victorie ouer Goliah shall I not rejoyce when God hath stramped all mine enemies vnder my feete when the deuils are howling for their defeate and the good Angels◠and Spirits doe welcome mee with joyfull Acclamations It is more seemelie that I put in my part with the glorious Spirits in the heauenly harmonie than with the euill ones in howling To bee dashed in Death is to let the present victorie goe out of mine hands Sathan shall then ouercome mee when
I am triumphing ouer him And while I am breaking his power his policie supplanteth mee if I bee dejected for that which is my glorie It is my Coronation day why should I be ashamed of it Ioseph and Mordecay were not so base minded as to sorrow at their preferment and why should I not rejoyce at this my greatest exaltation to bee taken vp to Heauen and honoured to an equalitie with Angels and conformitie with Christ. Arise therefore O my Soule and make thee for thy last birth day Come foorth of this Bodie wherein thou dwellest and out of this greater Tabernacle from this visible worlde and goe to God So long as thou art inclosed in the straite bounds of the creature thou cannot enjoy freely thy Creator Arise and mak thee readie to meete thy Bridegroome hee is comming to thee and his reward is with him prepare thy Lampe powre out thine Oyle make thee to meete him who is comming to thee and hath wooed thee to himselfe Lift vp thine eares and heare the howling of euill spirites triumphed and subdued and the encouraging shouting of the glorious Spirites how all that Queere of Heauen doe gladlie desire to take thee in their number to keepe thy part of their harmonie of the new Song to the praise of God And lift vp thine head now full of hope to receiue that Crowne of Glorie which Christ hath purchased to thee and is readie to set vpon thee O Lord I haue foughten my fight I haue finished my race and keeped the Faith hencefoorth is laide vp for mee the Crowne of Righteousnesse which God the Righteous Iudge will giue to mee and not onelie to mee but also to all that loue his glorious comming 2 Timoth. 4. Will thou know what is this noyse about thee it is the hand of thy Lord softlie loosing the pinnes and slakening the coards of thy Tabernacle it is the noyse of his Chariots that hee hath sent from Heauen to bring thee to him Olde Iakob reuiued when he saw Iosephs Chariots to bring him to Egypt though his posteritie were thereafter in thrall shall thou not bee glad to goe vp in these Coaches to Heauen where thou shalt euer bee with Ioseph and vnder a good King who knoweth Ioseph and will neuer die This noyse is nothing but the sound of Christs key opening thy prison and fetters Lift vp thine head and rejoyce for thy Redemption is at hand hee that is to come will come and not delay Behold hee commeth and his reward is with him Thou shall heare in due time the voyce of thy beloued crying Arise my spouse my beloued arise and come away for the winter of thy calamitous life is gone the raines of thine affliction are passed Cant 2. Fearefull indeede are the cryes which torment the wicked at Death The cry of their sinnes accusing them the Law condemning them the Conscience tormenting them the Gospel testifying their contempt of it Sathan insulting ouer them and of a craftie tempter become a cruell tormenter The creature cursing them for wearying it with sinne and vanitie The Heauen debarring them and the hells gapping for them But I thanke God in Christ I haue a better cry in some measure and hope to heare it more at the last My Conscience comforting mee in the peace of God The Law absoluing mee because it is satisfied for mee in Christ my Cautioner The Gospel testifying my delight in it and care to beleeue and obey it Sathan and his Angels lamenting their disappointment The Heauens opened to receiue my Soule and Angels readie to carie it to Heauen So long as thou hearest these sweete voyces the noyse of Death shall not trouble thee All this noyse of a decaying bodie is for thy libertie as it decayeth thou shalt increase as it goeth to the Earth thou goest to Heauen You came from diuerse beginnings the bodie of the Earth and God put thee in it in your loosing you seeke backe to these beginnings the bodie to the dust and thou to God that gaue thee thou wilt bee stronger freer cleanner when thou can not vtter thy selfe to man than euer thou was before The Ballance are well casten when the more the body returneth to dust the more thou ascendest to God thy Sauiour I finde a change whereof I neuer thinke to repent a great change without losse My bodilie eyes waxe dimme but my minde seeth God more cleerely Mine eares are slow of hearing men but my Spirit quicke in hearing the consolations of the holy Spirit My taste distasteth meate but the delight in tasting the sweetenesse of God increaseth All my naturall powers are failing but my Spirit is more vigorous in affecting and more peaceable in resting vpon God and his happinesse It it a fearefull change which goeth all to the worse and in end to destruction but this change is all to the better and shall end in Saluation This is a sure token that as I haue not enjoyed mine happinesse heere so I haue not lost it heere But liuing in the hope and beginnings of it I am now going to the possession of it This my change tendeth to happinesse though the body by dissolution seeme to goe farre about yet it is in the way to its owne perfection And thy change is directlie for it from Faith to sight from hope to possession and both Soule and bodie in their seuerall perfections shall bee in the last day conjoyned to make vp my compleatest perfection There shall neither bee sinne nor paine in bodie or Spirit all miseries of both shall bee gone and happinesse of both shall bee compleate That worke of Gods Grace perfected in glorie and his hand crowning my desires with enjoying himselfe Many unions hath thou with the bodie and but one separation In our creation in Adam an union in innocencie in my birth an union in vncleannes I am begotten and borne according to the image of Adam fallen and sinfull in the resurrection I shall haue a glorious union in Christ and but onelie one separation in Death This separation is now needefull it was threatned in Paradice if wee offended and now I cannot enter in Heauen without it except I either liue till the last day and be changed or be translated as Enoch and Elias To hold all mankind aliue till the last day is against GODS appointment who hath drawne our dayes to an hand-breadth To bee translated is the priuiledge of a few and cannot bee the lot of all Therfore the separation is in mercie that the Soule may enter in Glorie and the bodie rest in hope for a time It is not casten away but laide vp and God hath a speciall care of the dust of it to raise it vp againe When our friends and neighbours haue laide it in the cold clay they leaue it there but God leaueth it not but keepeth it till the last day Since there can neither goodly be an holding of Soule and bodie together till the last day neither a translating
of the whole man God hath chosen the mid way to translate the Soule the best part to dissolue the bodie so Gods threatning is keeped thou shalt die and thou shalt returne to dust the example of Christ in death is followed our best part is translated for our happinesse and the assurance of the bodies reunion and a way to all Death in this respect is not penall but premiall in a sort not of Gods anger for our sinne to punish vs but of his mercie for our well to perfect vs. Oft-times God giueth vs plaine documents heereof if wee would obserue them euery twenty foure hours we haue cleare proofes of foure things 1. Our Life in the day time when we are busied in our Calling 2. Our Death at Euen when wee rest from our labours 3. Our Buriall when wee goe to bedde wee are not casten in them nor our garâ—ments pulled off but wee goe in quietnesse and lay our garments downe in order intending to take them vp againe 4. Our Resurrection when wee rise in the morning more vigorous to our Calling than when we lay downe then wee shall behold his face in righteousnesse and when wee awake shall bee satisfied with his Image Psal. 17. The sentence of Death in bodilie paines hath taught mee many thinges 1. The mortalitie of my body which must once bee ouercome and yeelde to them and so turne to dust this Cottage of clay so oft and so hardlie beaten must once fall Many haue a strong desire to liue long and turneth this naturall desire in a conceate that as they would and may so they shall liue longer Though there bee necessitie of Death in a decaying bodie and the spending of the life yet that desire and hope of life groweth euen with the decay of life But the holie desire of Immortalitie will eate out that fleshlie desire and the sense of daylie mortalitie will cut off that false hope 2. The immortalitie of my Soule in that vnder such paines it can haue the own free working on God If in a body so diseased it can seeke him and finde rest in him shall it not beeing separate from the bodie haue a more free working 3. The loue of God in deliuering mee from damnation How often haue I cryed in the midst of my paines O how farre am I bound to thee my Redeemer who hath deliuered mee from the fire of Hell If a short and light paine vnder thine hand in loue bee so heauie how intollerable is that paine of soule and bodie eternallie vnder thy wrath 4. That thy loue can stand well with affliction thou hast made light to arise to mee in darknesse and caused thy countenance to shine on mee in Christ and giuen me great peace in my Conscience in my greatest extremitie O what a Iewell is a good Conscience in affliction Though no man want his slips and infirmities yet he may eschew the grossest sinnes though none can attaine to a legall perfection yet hee may haue an Evangelicall perfection in Faith Repentance and begunne obedience When the Soule darre attest God as witnesse and appeale him as Iudge to its sinceritie In intending nothing but his Glorie In inquiring his will as the way to that Glorie And endeuouring to doe according to his knowledge for that good end Then in some measure wee may say with Ezechiah Remember O Lord how I haue walked before thee in trueth and with a perfect heart The conscience of these things haue so taken vp my Soule that my paines at the greatest are mitigate that holy and heauenly diuerting of my Spirit by so sweet and spirituall influence sometimes beguyleth my bodilie sense that it doeth but tolerablie affect mee The present sense of thy loue in mine acceptation in Christ and assurance of Glorie to come are strong ingredients to temper the greatest paines in this life And it is a profitable paine in the bodie that both occasioneth the seeking and bringeth out the feeling of the health of the Soule in thy sensible loue It hath also giuen mee a new Experience of Death surelie Death to the Sainctes is not as the most part take it 1 not a destruction but a deliuerie 2 It is both my last affliction and my last deliuerance from all miseries 3 It is both an end of this life and the beginning of my life of Glorie in Heauen 4 In it selfe it is a curse but to the Sainctes a blessing in him who hath ouercome it 5 I finde it both a dissolution from the world and of Soule and body and of euerie part of the bodie from other and my first great union with GOD the Sainctes and Angels 6 It is both my death and perfect birth day I haue now a seeming life but I liue not perfectlie till I die the New man shall then come foorth to a glorious libertie in the face of God 7 It is my last and greatest pollution my bodie is sometimes and by partes affected with weaknesse and Death turneth all in a lumppe of vyle and lifelesse clay and yet it is my first and greatest purgation Many purgations spirituall hast thou giuen mee in this life in Baptisme the Laver of Regeneration from sin in euerie act of Faith purifying the heart in euerie act of Repentance washing mee in the blood of Christ in euerie exercise of spirituall worship clensing mine handes in innocencie to compasse thine Altar But this is the great and last purgation when I am cleansed from all sinne In that same instant when my Soule and body doe separate all spiritual blemishes are separated from mee That is the worke of thy Spirit in mee hee knoweth no vncleane thing can enter in Heauen and therefore at my last breath he will giue me the last full cleansing and last degree of sanctification I tremble not at the fire of Purgatorie The enemies of the crosse of Christ are justlie so punished by that their errour when Christs Blood hath cleansed mee from all guiltinesse of all sinne and his sanctifying Spirit hath purged out the nature of it And his perfect obedience hath relieued mee from all punishment there is neither place nor use for that purging or rather tormenting fire after this life 8 Death is in it selfe the most terrible of all terrors but I find it in Christ most desireable The wicked doe tremble at the thoughts of it they see it onelie in the fearefull respects as a destructioÌ„ a curse an end a death a dissolution a pollution Therefore they abhorre it and the mention of it is to them as the hand-write on the wall was to Beltashar But thou shewest to mee these pleasant respects of death as a deliuerie a blessing a beginning a birth an union a purgation They haue none but fearefull grounds they are yet in Nature vnder the Law vnder sinne without Christ and vnder an euill conscience but thou hast layed better grounds in mee and put mee vnder Grace and vnder the Gospel vnder remission of
sinne in Christ and in a good Conscience What wonder that the godlie and wicked vpon so contrare grounds and respects haue so contrare thoughts and desires of Death Thou hast builded my Soule vpon these best grounds and filled it with consideration of the best respects of Death therefore it is that I loue it and desire it as thy Messenger in mercie for mine eternall good As Laban welcomed Abrahams seruant and said Come in thou blessed of the Lord so I sette mee not to flee but occure to it not to shune it but to welcome it Nothing affrayeth man more at the sight of Death than vncertaintie of his estate after it Euerie one at death is as a man on an edge of an high Hill all must leepe but euerie one knoweth not where he shall light To the wicked the valley is darke and mistie they know not what shall become of them after Death dulefull is the parting of that Soule and bodie that part vnder sinne and wrath At best they are in this confused vncertaintie not knowing their future estate and if they haue any knowledge it is all spent in mutuall accusing coÌ„demning at the last day and mutuall tormenting in Hell as authors and furtherers of sin Their Soule curseth their bodie because it was too readie an instrument to execute the wicked desires of it And the bodie shall curse the Soule because it was an euill guide to misleede it in sin They liue now in coÌ„cord mutuall flatterie of other which is nothing but their conspiracie against God But when both are sensible of their estate they shall curse other mutuallie As they part at Death so shall they bee joyned at the last day and curse other eternallie in the Hell vpon the same grounds But to the godlie all things are contrare They know whither they goe after Death and their Soules and Bodies at their parting blesse one another for their joynt happinesse in the state of Grace and in mutuall testifying of their seuerall labour in the Lord for attaining that happinesse They part full of the peace of God full of the desire of their reunion and full of the hope of it and eternall Glorie thereafter Thou hast blessed mee with this certainetie For my bygone condition thou perswadest me of my Calling and Election and hast made them sure in me by thy constant working since thou called mee to Grace For my present estate I finde my selfe vnder thy fauour in Christ reconcealed to thee in him as one of thy called and chosen Ones For my future estate I know that my Redeemer liueth and that hee shall stand at the latter day vpon the Earth And though after my skinne wormes consume this bodie yet in my flesh shall I see God whom I shall see for my selfe and not another for mee though my reines bee consumed within mee Iob. 19. 25. I know that if the earthlie house of this Tabernacle were dissolued I haue a building of God an house not made of hands in Heauen 2. Cor. 5. 1. Many seeke certaintie of vncertainties to secure their worldlie state on Earth and neglect their spirituall state in thee But all fastening in the world is loosnesse and a losing of a better But I seeke for a certaintie of that better substance By the Grace working Faith in mee thou hast made mee more certaine what shall become of my Soule and bodie after Death than I am of my goods in the world I haue no promise of their particular state thy Prouidence will secure it selfe of them and they may possiblie fall in the hand of mine enemies But as for my Bodie I know it shall rest in hope in the dust till the Resurrection and my Soule shall bee carried to Abrahams bosome Thou hast tolde mee whither I shall goe when I die euen to that Land of Light and Libertie to these Mansions which Christ in the Heauen hath prepared for mee And for thy loue and desire to bee with thee in them I visite them daylie When at euening morning and midday yea seuen times a day I call on thee my Father in Heauen then am I visiting these Mansions I cannot bow my knee religiouslie to thee but mine heart is then with thee adoring thee in the Heauen of heauens In the time of thy worshippe when I seeke thy face though my Bodie bee on the Earth yet my Soule is beholding thy face thereby acquainting my selfe with the light of thy countenance which I hope to enjoye for euer Thou knowest I counted not these for dayes of my life wherein I did not often draw neare to thee on the throne of Grace almost continuallie setting thee before mee and disposing my Soule and bodie as worthie of thy sight Shall I not then know that way after Death which I daylie haue troden in my life Or shall that light which now leadeth mee in the darknesse of this life be put out at Death I must die but it will not die to mee Thy face that now inlightneth mee shall send out a more glorious splendour in the houre of my Death than euer it sent in this life There is no feare of darknesse in the path of Death when the discouered face of God in mercie shineth on mee and perfectlie inlighteneth mee in that glorious light When bodilie senses doe faile the spirituall sense and sight succeed in their perfection I haue in this life but a small candle lighted at the meanes of Grace in reading hearing and meditation But when these meanes end and mine outward senses doe cease from their work I shall take light immediatelie from God himselfe hee worketh by his ordinance so long as their necessitie or vse remaineth but when these end he commeth in himselfe and worketh more fullie I neede not bee grieued nor my friends cry out in the bitternes of heart when my senses faile The light that I looke for in Death shall as farre exceed my present light as the Sunne in his full beautie at mid-day exceedeth the light of a small candle I shall finde no darknesse in the passage of Death since I am in Christ Hee who is in him shall not walke in darknesse but shall haue the light of Life The immediate â—ight of God needeth not the use of outward meanes It shall bee no losse to mee when perfection supplieth and succeedeth imperfection Thou hast also acquainted mee with Death and made mee feele in some beginnings and resemblance that same which I will finde at his dint that sentence of Death putteth mee to the hight of Resolution and I am vnder thine hand as Isaak vnder the hand of Abraham bound and layed on the Altar and know nothing but that the stroke will come I am readie for it and looke for none other than dissolution But thou knowest thy thoughts concerning mee If thou spare mee at this time this lesson is profitable that thou hast shewed mee the face of Death and yet brought mee backe againe As tender and louing
there is no vse of them But it directeth Loue Peace Ioy and other home graces that as they conveyed vs in the way so they attend vs at Death and enter in the Heauens with vs. The first sort beginneth endeth here their being vse The second of a more induring Nature doe beginne and grow here and shall abide in vs for euer in Heauen as a part of our perfectiō Marke the just man and consider the vpright for the end of that man is peace Ps. 37. 37. Moses after hee had beene all his dayes a faithfull Seruant in the house of God dyed peaceablie on the Mountaine in the Armes of God Hee liued all his time in Gods obedience dyed full of his fauour and peace God welcometh them kindlie to his joyfull Rest who serue him faithfullie in their life There is none so throughly sanctified who at Death shall not find some feare Nature is nature in the best men till Soule and bodie separate 1. The remembrance of bygane sinnes though pardoned 2. The sight of the great volumes of the compt Books of our Conscience though cancelled in the Blood of Christ. 3. The skarres and markes of our mortified corruption 4. And the weaknes of grace not yet fully perfected 5. And the paines of Death both then first felt and last to bee felt will worke some astonishment in them who are best prepared for Death But so soone as our Spirites gather themselues and seeth God in Christ with the Crowne of Glorie in his hand and the good Angels come to carrie our Soules to Heauen all that amazement shall euanish God in mercie both craueth and admitteth those our infirmities Hee giueth Grace in some things to correct Nature In some to cure it In other to sanctifie and perfect it All these workes of Grace doe heerein concure Natures moderate feares are sanctified her excesses preuented and corrected and her last worke closed by the succeeding glorious joyes Manie things giue vp their last worke at our death Sathan his last on-sette The Conscience if it be not fullie pacified her last accusation then turneth to be a continuall comforter The Body the last feeling of paine and all these are greatest because they are last and yet doe not argue strength or preuailing but decay Deadlie diseased bodies haue some sort of bettering immediatelie before Death It seemeth to some a recouerie of health but is indeede a dying So all these things at our Death cease from their worke by their last on-sette Pharaoh made his most fearefull assault on Israel at the red Sea but these men which now yee see yee shall see no more said Moses Wee may beare with Natures last assaulting and braids in Death it shall neuer molest vs againe I haue put mine house in order disposed all things that thou hast giuen me The world I leaue to the world thou knowest I neuer loued it nor counted of it since I saw thee The first worke of thy life in mee was the killing of the loue of the world Thy face the light of thy countenance and sweetnesse of thy Grace made mee disgust the world as gall and worme-wood My bodie I lay ouer to the dust in hope of a glorious resurrection My Soule I giue to thee who hath giuen it to mee since the dayes of mine effectuall calling it hath beene more in thee than in mee the desire of it is to thee and the delight of it in thee alone what then remaineth but that now it bee filled with thy selfe I haue not much to transport out of this world My Soule in the strongest affection is gone before and when I come away I shall bring nothing to Heauen but thy workes in me and with them a good Conscience my daylie obseruer As for things worldlie the baggage of this Earth I leaue it as the house sweepings to them who come after in this great house of the world I had none other accompt of it euen in the time of necessitie of the vse of it what shall I count of it now when that necessitie is ending As for my sinnes which thou hast pardoned in Christ I lay them ouer to Sathan as their Author they were mine in their Nature Action and Guiltinesse but they are his in Origination Hee spewed that poyson in Adam whereby all mankind are originallie defiled Thy sauing Grace I render to thee againe thou hast giuen it to me to bring mee out of Nature And the natiue course of it is to returne to thee and in that returning to carrie mee with it towards thee the Fountaine of Grace So in Death I desire to be as a Pitcher broken at the well while the potsheard turneth to the dust let my Soule with thy Grace runne backe to the well againe euen to thee from whom I receiued them Confirme this my Testament O Lord as thine owne worke and a part of the meeting of thy Testament to mee Nothing but my sinnes can hold mee out of Heauen which receiueth no vncleane thing Cast them behind thy backe and burie them in the bottome of the Sea Seale vp the discharge of them in my Conscience that when I goe out of this life I may present it as my warrand and thy token to bee admitted within the gates of Heauen assure mee more and more of that remission that I may also bee assured of all the following blessinges which thou hast purchased with thy blood Thou sanctified our Nature and assumed it in the Virgine to worke the worke of our Redemption thereby To make it a paterne and samplar of our sanctification A conduit pype to convey Grace to vs And a pledge that in due time thou wilt make vs like to it in a fellowshippe with thee Sanctifie me throughlie with thine holie Spirit that I may bee fullie receiued in thy fellowshippe and enjoye all these glorious priuiledges in thee This Saluation thou hast purchased for vs and promised to vs and hast wrought in mee both a desire of it and a particulare perswasion of it for my selfe This is a true saying and by all meanes to bee receiued that Christ Iesus came into the world to saue sinners of whom I am the chiefe 1. Timoth. 1. 15. Remember therefore thy promise to thy Seruant wherein thou hast made mee to trust This is my comfort in mine affliction for thy word hath quickened mee Ps. 119. 49. Now Lord I am taking vp the other Shore and the Land beyond the Riuer In mine effectuall calling thou brought mee through the red sea bring mee now safelie through Iordan Then thou drowned mine enemies in Baptisme These waters that washed me destroyed them Diuide likewise O Lord these waters of death that I may safelie enter into thine heauenlie Canaan Elias Mantle diuided Iordan wrap me vp in Christs righteousnesse that I may passe through Death For there is no damnation to them that are in Christ. Rome 8. 1. Set the Arke of the Couenant in the midst of it Where
vniuersal most vncureable disease of the world It is a coūtersconce erected by Satā against the Gospel to elude the force of it and to hold men still in the bandes of sinne It goeth vnder one name but hath many branches some more open and some more secrete and in their worke some more dangerous than other A dissolute man is not so powerfull to perswad his opinions as he who colloureth his profannesse Open Atheisme almost refuteth it selfe but couert Atheisme may deceiue the wise There is neither such a ground nor couerture for Atheisme as to maintaine that men of all Religions may be safe To make so many doores to Heauen is to cast wyde open the gates of Hell Christ hath tolde vs that the way to heauen is narrow and few finde it and hee calleth himselfe the VVay but not the wayes As there is but one God so there is but one way to him by Faith and Obedience in Christ. The signes of it are an humane officious carriage to man but licentious and irreligious before God a praise of all other religious and a carping of the Religion professed in the place of their dwelling And if necessitie draw them to the publicke worship their behauiour bewrayeth an absence of their soule from that exercise They jest at Sermons and make none other use of holy Scripture than profanlie to apply it to euery profane purpose trifling occasion at their meales their vnhalowed morsels must be set ouer with the sauce of some abused sentence of Scripture they care not to offend God for pleasing their companie who partak of their profannes if they be not offēded at y◠offēce of God As mettals are known by their sound so their grosse Atheisme is discouered by their profane noyse They who feare God dare not carie themselues so before him And they who haue found sacred Scripture the seed of their regeneration the foode of their soule and their comfort in trouble will neuer turne so heauenly Oracles to the matter of their sporting But they are not long vnpunished and their damnation sleepeth not Nature in Athiests findeth it selfe vexed with the dumbe choppe of conscience crying vnto them that there is a God But this surmyse is out-cryed and Conscience out-faced by this when they thinke any course is a way to heauen Such men are not so much justifying their course before men as prouyding libertie of sinning against the cheeke of their owne conscience There is no such compendious way to libertie as the lacke of Gods feare And that heart is voyde of his feare who sayeth That there is no God Though hee be most glorious in himselfe and gracious to them that know him yet hee is nothing to the hart that denyeth him But Athiests will finde a fearefull wakning God whom they deny hath his witnesse in them and in ende will testifie his trueth to their destruction except they amend It turneth men in beastes yea in Deuils While their heart is saying There is not a God their Conscience giueth them the lie and by secrete checks both arreasteth them before and tormenteth them in the Name of that God whom they denye They can neither destroy GOD in himselfe though they desire it neither in the hearts of the godly All the fruites of their godlesse spurring is to moue him to destroy themselfe It is good to soften our heartes in the feare of God and to seeke out and follow that straite way of life Blessed is hee who feareth alwayes but hee that hardeneth his heart shall fall in mischiefe Prov. 28. 14. 28. Sinne is an euill guest SInne is the worst Guest that commeth in any place It bringeth double destruction One in the beeing of it the other in the fruite It is plaine that the wages of it is death but euen the being of it such as it hath is destruction of the thing wherein it is Men Angels Thoughts Words and deedes are good in themselues but sinne in them maketh them euill It hath no being of it selfe and is nothing but the breake of Gods Law a discord and deformitie a priuation of good deprauation of its owne dwelling the beeing it hath is in these thinges and so soone as it commeth in them it spoileth them they become euill Men Angels Thoughts Words and deedes by it He is an euill Guest who for his reckoning putteth the Pest or a fire in his lodging I wonder not so much at the euill recompense it giueth as at our selues who welcome it againe No receiuer will welcome him who put his house on fire Yet wee receiue sinne and welcome it though wee were euen now smerting for the worke of it Some doe marke the second worke of sinne the punishment of it but fewe marke the first destruction by the beeing of it so as to abhor it be like it so destroyeth vs that wee haue not a sound minde to make its destroying Nature O! what ods in Grace It both changeth vs by renovation and bringeth vs to glorie the verie beeing of it is the health of Soule and body next to God himselfe there came neuer a better Guest in man than sauing Grace Of Adams Sonnes it maketh vs the Sonnes of God Of Naturall men spirituall And of vile Sinners it turneth vs in Sainctes It is extreame miserie to bee desirous and patient of sinne But a token of a renewed Nature to abhorre sinne and thirst for Grace 29. Fittes of Insolencie THeir is no Spirit so modest which hath not some fittes of Insolencie If any odde thing appeare in them they are puffed vp in a conceat of wrath and as farre transported from their wonted modestie as they conceate of that supposed worthinesse These fits are more marked of other than themselues their humour blindeth them so that they cannot obserue that change others remembereth their former dejection and foresee it to come againe so marketh that startling as insolent indeede An Equable cariage proueth an well fraughted Soule Our true worthinesse is in Gods fauour our dignitie is his dignation and the exalting or downe-cast of our heart is from the sense of his fauour or lacke of it If wee bee sure of his fauour wee shall then alike euenlie carrie our selues in all other things But fits of insolencie bewray a double weaknesse one of little true worth that seemeth so great to vs another of a racked judgement making vs to passe boundes vpon so small occasion The wise man is euer like himselfe And at any odky thing he is rather dejected thā puffed vp If the speeches of other make him ouerweene himselfe he chasteneth himselfe in secrete for it seuerly When hee returneth to his wonted thoughts he abhorreth that insolencie and guardeth himselfe that they surprysse him not thereafter 30. Constant Inconstancie THe vpright heart must encounter with many thorters When it meeteth with vprightnesse there is no difficultie but such are as rare as a whyte Rauen in the world When it meeteth with
yet vnder the Conscience or at least vnder a fresh remembrance of God Such a disposition is both a virtuall supplie of feeling bygone and a seale of our eternall fruition of him to come GOD hath promised a blessing to his worship the neglect of it is punished with profannesse and hardnesse of heart It is good to keepe acquaintance with God And there is none houre wherein wee haue not an businesse to him and hee neuer sent away an holy heart from him without some comfort hee needeth none exhortation to the woâ—ke who findeth the daylie fruite of it Seuen times a day doe I praise thee Lord because of thy righteous judgements Psal. 119. 164. 38. Mans securitie in GOD. TWo thinges greatly trouble vs in this life sudden Accidents and vncertaine Events The first shaketh vs because they are vncertaine When we looke to the present dint of trouble wee cannot gather our Spirites and when wee wander or sticke on second causes wee cannot light vpon the certaine end There is but one remeed for both to make the Lord our Habitation Ps. 91. 1. So loÌ„g as our Soules remaine beneath amoÌ„g the creatures wee are tossed with euerie thing but when wee rest on God wee find Peace The conscience of his Working the assurance of his Wisedome and sense of his Loue lifteth vs aboue these troubles and maketh vs partake that rest which is in him and is himselfe Though hee moue all yet hee is not moued and impartes this rest in some measure to them who rest in him What wonder is it that his prouidence shake vs finding vs downe among the creatures but if wee abide in him wee shall bee free of stormes Hee shall giue vs rest while these calamities passe ouer Psal. 57. 1. Who so dwelleth in his secret looketh downe securelie on all the toyles of the worlde The Doue abiding in the cliftes of the Rocke Cant. 2. 14. And the Chicken vnder the winges of the Henne that hatcheth it doe neither feare the stormes nor the Eagle So the Soule that by the woundes of Christ creepeth to his bowels and is warmed with Gods electing loue is sure of his protecting power His absolute power is able to doe more than hee will And his limited power is set to worke to doe his will And that both in producing of thinges and sustaineing them This is a maine decreete of his will committed to the executing of his power to bring his Elect through all difficulties to their appointed happinesse 39. Holy Meditations Difficultie and Profite HOlie Meditation is pleasant to God and profitable to vs and that Sathan knoweth and preasseth to stay wee may close our selfe in secret from men but no doore nor locke can hold him out Wee can shift our dearest Friendes but not him and the more wee thrust him out the more he throngeth in It is a well fenced minde wherein hee will not breake by fansies and suggestions and while wee are thinking of his debarring by that same thought hee either enters in turning our barre in his key or maketh vs to evanâ—sh and what difference is there betweene his inbreaking or our evanishing and out-running None can for a few moments urge a deepe and a sensible Meditation of God but either the minde is to call home or the heart to seeke It is good when wee goe to Meditation to pull in all our Spirites to God and thrust out all distractions to fixe our minde on him and holde it at that stay without diuerting to set our conscience on worke to checke that watch and aduertise vs both of Sathans suggestions the wandering of our mind And most of all to pray in the entrie for such a diuine vertue as may draw our minde to God and unite it to him till hee communicate himselfe to vs in that measure he thinketh meete for the time It is a fruitefull Meditation when the heart receiueth such stampe of God as maketh it to taste how good hee is and so thirst for more Grace that wee earnestly seeke vp these sweete streames to the fountaine euen God himselfe where that perfection dwelleth Such Meditation bringeth out some point of liuelie and affectuous knowledge and with these holy conceptions worketh a greater puritie and holinesse of the mind that conceiueth it The soule in that case it is not simple actiue but passiue also and is changed to the nature of these heaueÌ„ly things that it conceiueth 40. Spiritualitie of the bodie OUr bodies are earthly and yet haue a promise of Spiritualitie It is as easie to God to make them so as is to cleanse them from sinne this is alreadie practised in our kinde in Christ Iesus Our nature in his Body is spiritualized to tell vs that for possibilitie it may be and for certaintie it shall be so in vs Hee is our Brother therefore we may be like him he is our Head therefore wee must bee like him in a conformitie with his glorious Bodie Philip. 3. So soone as the Soule liueth by the faith of these promises it beginneth to feele this spritualitie Wee loue our body by Nature and oft-ten idoll it But Grace maketh vs loue it lesse as it is naturall and more as it shall be fullie spirituall in Heauen This is a seale and token of that spiritualitie that the body is disabled for sinfull actions The worke of the Soule and the satietie of spirituall influence bringeth for the tyme a deadnesse to sinne on it Scarcelie can the minde strengthen it selfe in any spirituall delight but the bodie is thereby weakned The Soule marking that disposition is confirmed by it and the bodie it selfe though the first and onely loser is content of that weakning because it is assured of the owne spiritualitie When our Soule shall bee full of glorie in Heauen it shall turne the body to the like estate I care not how weake my body bee for the workes of sinne I haue then most delight in it when it is beaten downe and brought in subjection 1. Cor. 9. 27. not to hinder but to helpe the workes of the Spirit 41. Credulitie and Confidence are weake attendants of a weake Spirit CRedulitie and Confidence are usuallie found together the one for taking in of reports is an euill porter the other a lavish out-giuer The first admitteth both others reportes and the owne imbrede suspitions The second giueth them out boldly as vndoubted truthes In one instant their heart is both at the roote of the eare hearing greedilie and in the toppe of the tongue talking looslie the one tryeth nothing and the other spareth nothing Credulitie putteth no difference betweene mans report Gods word their owne apprehension and diuine reuelation Confidence resteth on them all alike and venteth all with the like assurance It knoweth no degrees of perswasion but layeth the same degree of trust vpon humane rumours as vpon the Articles of the Creede They are the two wings of Calumnie without which it cannot flee abroad When Sathan
hath more fruitfull remarkes in one day about his tendernesse than a secure Soule in a constant health in all his lifetime I had rather vndergoe the bodilie infirmitie than want the daylie spirituall profite It is a sort of spiritualizing our bodilie life when all the hours of it are sought obtained possessed and spent on God and these frequent infirmities are tolerable that bring so spirituall a life both to Soule and bodie Profane men abuse the strength and health of their bodies to sinne They take it as an instrument and measure of their iniquitie So long and so farre doe they offend as their bodie serueth them This is a giuing of their bodie to bee a weapon of vnrighteousnesse and a sacrificing of themselues to the Deuill Heereafter they will wish that their strong body had beene tyed to the bed continuallie But tendernesse in the godlie turneth all their thoughts and care to immortalitie Strength and health of body is Gods blessing but our corruption abuseth it either to needlesse businesse or in grosse actes of sin Tendernesse is a crosâ—e but where it is sanctified it is a bridle to hold vs from sinfull workes and a spurre to Deuotion It sendeth vs oft-ten to God when possiblie wee would bee worse exercised as oft as it humbleth it selfe to God among other sutes it putteth in the hand of our Spirit the supplication for health and sanctification of that tendernesse There is no crosse that either more occasioneth or causeth a serious preparation for death than bodilie weaknes WheÌ„ they find daylie the coards of their tabernacle loosing and the pillers of it bowing they deale with God for a Mansion in heauen That weaknesse may possiblie hinder them from some bodilie worke in their calling but it stayeth them also from many bodilie sinne and holdeth them euer vpon the maine point how they may be cloathed after this life with glorious immortalitie As abused strength posteth to Hell so sanctified terdernesse creepeth to Heauen 81. Matter of continuall ejaculations NOne obseruing Spirit can want new matter of continuall prayer to God If hee be secret he filleth his heart in reteardnesse If he goe abroad it is forced on him What difficultie shall wee find to converse with men What ignorance in our selfe to foresee and weakenesse to eschew foreseene or secret inconvenients When God may desert vs for a time and leaue vs to the counsell of our heart like Ezechiah or Sathan surpryse vs by passion or deceiue vs by allurement These and the like shall giue vs matter with Nehemiah to send vp pearcing ejaculations to God It is necessar wee euer bee requesting God that wee neither offend nor bee offended of other The least libertie of our thoughts may draw vs to grieuous inconuenients There is no sure Guarde to vs our heart but by a speciall guarding Grace and that guard is most close about vs when wee feele the neede of it and are earnest with God for it So long as there is euill in the world malice in Sathan weakenesse in our selfe and goodnesse in God wee cannot want matter of continuall prayer That same light that seeth the necessitie directeth vs to the Fountaine where it may bee helped And the goodnesse of God perswadeth vs of a supplie Our necessitie is great and God hath promised to heare when wee call his mercie and trueth in Christ are chiefe grounds of my perswasion But I am greatlie confirmed by a secondarie meane when I am conscious in all my doing with man that I seek nothing but Gods glorie mans good mine owne Saluation Wee draw neere to the Throne of Grace with boldnesse when our hearts are purged from euery euill Conscience The gift and libertie of feruent ejaculations are the worke of God in vs Hee will doubtlesse answere that desire which his owne Spirit worketh Wee neede not in such stratnesse of time and businesse looke so much to the shortnesse of our ejaculations as to their feruencie Pluralitie of businesse lacke of time and throng of companie seeme to cut off the possibilitie of these short prayers But indeede they beget and bring them foorth Gods intercourse with the godlie Soule knoweth no such impedimeÌ„t Moses distresse at the red Sea forced out these secret cryes and God answered him to his desire The searcher of hearts heareth these secret and pearcing prayers and will answere them openlie They are not so much in voice as in groanes and these groanes are not separate from the heart but in it and the heart in them immediatelie thrusting it selfe on God A free desire goeth out in words but a restrained and suppressed desire doubleth it selfe as a sparkle of fire is hotter when it is couered with colde ashes 82. Complementing is a windie fulnesse COmplementing in speach is a verball Idolatrie it is counted a perfection in talking but is indeed the quintessence of pratling and vnworhtie of a free and ingenuous minde The giuer and receiuer are both deceiued the first speaketh that which hee meaneth not and the other troweth that which he exspecteth not At titling men haue armes and facts of hostilitie without wrath they breake their speares on other intend none hurt so complementing hath friendly words without loue As jesters breake their jests on other so doe Polititians their smoakie wishes praise They liue by that smoake but modest Spirits are tormented with it That mist fleeth moste among men of least true worth Where that flatterie is mutuall then two birds of one feather â—lee together and two horse of one itch doe nippe other It is a pitie to see men teach their tongs to speake lies to labour to be trusted more than vnderstood But they trow not themselues how shall other men trust them No maÌ„ can justly craue more credite to his speach of other thaÌ„ himself giueth to it or if he doe he must conceat stronglie that hee dealeth with a foole Hee mindreh one thing and speaketh or rather soundeth the contrare Hee knoweth his Heart thinketh not what hee speaketh and therefore hee taketh the floorish of faire speech to supplie the want of trueth His heart must fetch the reasons of his owne perswasion from his mouth and measuring others by himselfe hee thinketh that many faire wordes shall beguile them as well as hee beguileth himselfe with them They are no more vexed to coyne their wordes than I am to keepe my countenance when I heare them Ingenuitie of affection goeth plainly to worke The more care to fill mine eares with officious offers the lesse credite they finde in mine heart I thinke their Spirit is so spent in that vapour that there is left neither spirit nor life in their affection This sort of lying is not vulgare but with a singular mode Poets haue libertie to lie and for keeping their Rythme they are licenced to quite Reason oft-times There is none odde veine of Poesie without some degree of abstractnes of Spirit the strictnesse of meeter looseth them from
is neither part nor power of Soule or Body which is not defiled therewith According to the seuerall powers it hath names Originall sinne goeth vnder one name yet hath many branches In one power it is Avarice in another Lecherie in a third Ambition All these sinfull powers though they both incline to and urge their owne worke yet haue they a predominant among them a master vice or captaine sinne which commandeth both the man and all other vyces in him It is euill in it selfe and worst in the kynde Heere is a masse of wonders one that so many euill thinges in man can haue their order and respect to other as a Captaine among Pyrats by Sea or Brigants by Land Next that all of them can submit themselues and suffer the predominant to strengthen it selfe by their defrauding Prid in the wretch will quite honour to purchase gaine and avarice in the proud man will quite gaine to purchase honour Thirdlie that it can change with tyme and age so vncleannesse in Youth Pride in midde Age and Avarice reigneth in olde age And most of all that it remaineth in the godlie Nature neither knoweth nor admitteth this that two contrars shall dwell at once in their greatest degree and predominion in one power of the Soule This is Sathans chiefe fortification against God and his Grace in vs His Posterne doore whereby hee entereth our Soule at his pleasure The chaine wherby hee both bindeth and leadeth vs in captiuitie And the archetratour of our Soule yeelding to his temptations It is good both to know it and find remeede Naturall complexion pointeth at it what euer excelleth in our temperature is the ordinarie seate of it but there are more infalible signes to find it out 1. Frequencie of Satans temptations because he assâ—ulteth vs oftenest in our weakest part and that our strongest corruption is our greatest weaknes 2. The multitude of our thoughts for what is most in the heart is most in the thought 3. The end of our imaginations Where euer they soare it is sure that as a wearie bird after long fleeing they light on our predominant But the remeed of it is most necessar 1. To watch ouer all the motions of it with a wake-ryfe Conscience 2. To exercise our selfe daylie vnder contrare vertue 3. To pray to God daylie for his mortifying Grace against tha corruption that thereby wee may ouercome that master sinne It grieueth God to see vs pestered by Sathan in our owne corruption Hee hath prouyded sauing remeede for his owne and erected a counter-sconse against Sathan and placed our predominant Grace in the seate of our predominant sinne Grace in it selfe euery way is aboue sin it is of a diuine Nature but sinne is deuilish Grace infused is stronger than corruption and the New Man stronger than the Olde but the principall Spirit dwelling in vs is aboue all The meanest grace of God in his haÌ„d is stronger than our predominant vice This profane Age hath multiplied predominants Senslesnesse domineth in the fleshlie men They know not their predominant in the kind in the change nor in the degree And it is a predomining Grace to know the sorts changes degrees of their vices oppose them by the contrare good and vertue It is indeede a wonderfull senslesnesse that letteth men not feele so many tyrants in them Hee is a Slaue of slaues who hath both losed his libertie and the feeling of that tyrannie But hee is Gods free-man that remarketh all their changes and laboureth for the dominion of Grace in himselfe Both the Sonne and holy Spirit haue made that man free This is a coÌ„fortable experience of the Saints to find their predominant sin subdued that tyrant that gaue them Lawes to take Lawes admit the owne defrauding This is an happy change wheÌ„ grace ouerruleth corruption and Gods spirit subdueth Sathan in vs. There is no condemnation to them that are in Iesus Christ for the Law of the Spirit of Life in Iesus Christ hath deliuered mee from the Law of sinne and of death Rom. 1. 2. 94. Phantasies Tyrannie and Remeede MAny count it a foule aspersion to bee called Phantastick but nothing to be so indeed For what is man but a fountaine of fansies intending affecting desiring apprehending absurdittes impossibilities impieties We imagine that which was neuer can neuer nor will neuer be Building and casting downe forming and reforming and in all a strong apprehension of great wisedome It is hard to determine whither the imagination be more free to fansie folie or we more confident of the veritie of it As Boyes with their breath raise bells out of a little water and then doe pursue them in the winde Either they doe not at all catch them or if they doe they are nothing in their hand So is all fansied happinesse it is the worke of an humorous imagination And either neuer attained or if it bee there is more vanitie in the obtaining than in the want of it Wee come from imagination of our desires to a possibilitie and from a possibilitie to a true existing what wee earnestly desire wee thinke it possible and what wee thinke possible bee time we take it as done indeede So great is the power of fansie that though it cannot produce the things themselues yet it can force vs to thinke that they are produced The thinges themselues worke no stronger affection than this fansied apprehension doeth It is a mould that can forme many strange fashions and as other things are formed in it so are wee our selues Though it bee in vs a restlesse power yet wee are as oft-ten framed in it as wee grant it libertie to plat-forme and fashion our lot If guiltinesse were not joyned with the worke of it it were a matter of sport to see how busie it is to wearie it selfe and vs also And yet it were something tolerable if it tooke this liberty in trifles but it ascendeth euen vnto God and our lot in him It presumeth both to appoint a course to prouidence and to judge and sentence what Prouidence hath done It carueth for vs according as it conceateth our worth and giueth a reason to vs how to count of things as it counteth Wee dreame in our sleepe and roue in our Feuers but our fansies waking are worse than both For wee count our dreaming and rouing to bee such but wee count our fansies to bee wisedome How many are dreaming and rouing all their dayes and yet neither waken of their dreames nor coole of their Feuer till death or some calamitie come Phantasies haue no fixed ends to bound them Therefore they runne out as water on plaine ground or aire in an open field They are extrauagant indeed the inter-course betweene a vaine mind and Nothing And what soliditie can there be in a course betweene such two termes as Vanitie Nullitie If we could hold our Spirits directlie on God hem in all their thoughts within the compasse of his will and
shall bee a fountaine in our bellie springing vp to life eternall How can it in our bellie spring vp to life eternall but because it lifteth our heartes to GOD in Heauen The Soule which so adhereth to God is more in him than in the body which it quickneth both because it goeth gladlie out of it selfe to bee all in him and next because it cannot dwell in it selfe but because of him it can better dwell among Monsters in the desert that in it selfe without him And thirdlie because when it is lost in sinne and securitie it seeketh and findeth it selfe more in him than in it selfe When we may say to him O thou whom my Soule loueth All these sorts and degrees of union with him are found The bosome of the mother is a kindlie rest to the Babe both for sleepe in health recouerie in sweruing that naturall heate wherein it was formed doth kindlie cherish that life that proceedeth of it WheÌ„ we lye alwayes in the bosome of God and are warmed by the sense of that sauing loue in Christ wee are both sensible of the vertue of our beginning and of the first fruites of our end The Needle of the Dyall standeth not but towards the Pole so doeth the godlie Soule to God If the secret vertue of a small stone can so moue yron shall not the Rocke of Syon Christ Iesus the Miracle of loue drawe our tender louing hearts vnto him How securlie shall wee contemne all other things and rest sweetlie content in him vnder the sense of this his drawing and vniting vertue expecting that happines which his sauing Loue procureth to his Beloued Returne now O my Soule to thy Rest and abyde in it for GOD hath beene and will bee for euer beneficiall vnto thee Psal. 116. 7. AMEN FINIS A RESOLVTION FOR DEATH written vnder the sentence of Death in the time of a painfull Disease And now published for their comfort who studie to approue themselues to God And to assure all that liue the life of the Righteous that they shall die the death of the Righteous By the same Author M. W. S. I desire to bee dissolued and to bee with CHRIST Philipp 1. 23. EDINBVRGH Printed by the Heires of Andro Hart. Anno Domini 1628. Philipp 1. 21. Christ is to mee both in Death and in Life aduantage Luke 2. 29. 30. Lord now lettest thou thy Seruant depart in Peace according to thy Word For mine eyes hath seene thy Saluation 1. Cor. 15. 55. 56. 57. O Death where is thy Sting O Graue where is thy Victorie The sting of Death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the Law But thankes bee to God which giueth vs the victorie through our Lord Iesus Christ. A Table of the following Treatise THe proposition of the Resolution Num. 1. The first ground from present misery 2. The miserie of our Bodie 3. The miserie of the Soule 4. The miserie of our Lott 5. The second ground from our Happinesse 6. The happinesse of our Soule 7. The happinesse of our Body 8. The happinesse of our Lotte 9. The third ground from Gods worke in vs concerning our miserie and happinesse 10. Sense of miserie in the Bodie 11. Sense of miserie in the Soule 12. Sense of miserie in our Lotte 13. Sense of Glorie in Heauen 14. Resolution it selfe 15. The godlie man dyeth not 16. But ouercometh Death in Christ. 17. Hee preuenteth Death in his Life 18. Hee preueneth his Buriall in Life 19. Foure ioyfull solemnities 20. Ioy at Birth 21. Ioy at Mariage 22. Ioy at Triumph 23. Ioy at Coronation 24. They are all at the death of the Godly 25. IncouragemeÌ„ts against Death from them 26. The noyse at Death 27. Fearefull cryes to the wicked 28. Comfortable cryes to the godly 29. A glorious change at Death 30. Manie unions with the Bodie 31 Necessitie of separation 32 Documents of the sentence of Death 33. 1. Mortalitie of the Body 34. 2. Immortalitie of the Soule 35. 3. Gods loue sauing vs from Hell 36. 4. That his loue standeth with affliction 37. Experience of Death 38. Eight comforâ—able contraries in Death 39 The VVicked tremble at it 40. But the godlie reioyce 41. Incertaintie at Death is fearefull 42. Certaintie is comfortable 43. It is obtained by Faith 44. By Prayer 45. And conuersing daylie with God 46. Our light clearer in Death than in Life 47. Acquaintance with Death 48. Sentence of Death 49. Lawfull desires of Life 50. Hope of glorious Resurrection 51. Hope of eternall Glorie 52 Hope of the Lords Rest. 53. Our Rights to that Rest. 54 A Catalogue of GODS speciall blessings to strengthen these our hopes 55. The fearefull Death of the Wicked 56. The ioyfull Death of the Godlie 57. The remainders of feare in the best men 58. But they are soone ouercome 59. The godlie mans Testament 60. A Prayer for an happie Death 61. And for the sight of Christ at Death 62. Confidence to obtaine them both 63. And glorie thereafter 64. The last and greatest desire 65. And last an eternall delight of the godly Soule 66. Reuel 14. 13. Blessed are the Dead which die in the LORD for they rest from their labours and their workes followeth them A RESOLVTION FOR DEATH written vnder the sentence of Death in the time of a painfull Disease Decemb. 1627. And now published for their comfort who studie to approue themselues to God WHY should I feare Death when it approacheth It is the way that I desire to goe I passe Natures necessitie in Adam that hath subjected me to mortalitie come to the priuiledge of Grace in Christ which hath deliuered mee from the curse of it I say not I make mee for Death because I must die but because I would die Long haue I thought on it and earnestlie longed for it if I stagger and feare at his reproach my desire hath either beene foolish or my Spirit is faint The grounds of my desire are 1. Present miserie 2. Next future Glorie 3. And the worke of God in mee concerning them both My Miseries are great in the weaknes of a mortall body a lumppe of earth busying it selfe and mee about it selfe For Eating Drinking and Clothing and Resting it spendeth the Tyme and it selfe and wearieth the Spirit Fraile is this lump that hath an hourelie necessitie of so fraile things and the necessitie so great that the paine of it is intolerable the easing of it by meanes conuenient is wearisome and that ease beginning with ending and ending in the beginning Scarcelie is it refreshed when it hungreth and wearieth againe One necessitie sendeth it to another and the satisfying of one bringeth on another and that same that was now eased returneth shortlie If I satisfie Hunger and Thirst. Drowsinesse calleth for Sleepe if I refresh it by Sleepe Nakednesse must bee couered and scarce haue I couered Nakednesse when new Hunger calleth for Refreshment and Refreshment sendeth me to Sleepe againe Weake is that Life that needeth so
weake meanes Clay layed to Clay Dust vnto Dust and the shaddow of Death a refreshment of wearines Our nourishment is but dust and our sleepe an image of Death and Death in end must dissolue that dust that standeth vpon so base pillers and is so oft wrapped vp in the image of it Though the first worke of our nourishment bee to susteene the bodie in life yet in a second worke it furnisheth matter of diseases and so of Death And though our Sleepe in it selfe refresh vs yet it is a presage and an earnest of a longer sleepe in Death If Sicknesse fasten on the Body for remeede thereof I take on another disease Medicine is indeede a gift of God a necessitie to Nature an enemie to the corruption of it and haâ—sh and vnpleasant to the integritie of it yet when I render my selfe to it I embrace a lesser Death for avoyding a greater One dolour is a remeede to another dolour And all is but an off-putting for a time Mortalitie is so seased in the bodie that our life is stollen through innumerable diseases and deathes and in end a yeelding to Death This is the miserie of a mortall bodie in the circle of daylie and vnavoydable necessities and at last in despite of all their supplies a necessitie of Death The Soule is more burdensome in this lumpish bodie rent asunder with corruption and passions their distresses more oppressing it than these paines did the bodie It is now forced with temptation if it bee strenthened it is in danger of pride for deliuerie The remeede of one temptation is turned in the matter of a worse The naturall powers in their worke doe trouble it the ImaginatioÌ„ runneth out in phansies the Mind in inquiring is vexed and tortured by scruples The Will in inclyning declining and suspending is not so much delighted with good as crossed with the euill object and that work of it is a toyle to it selfe and to vs The Affections sette contrare Feare Sorrow Hatred tormenting vs and Hope Ioy and Loue busying vs more in their object suspended remoued hurt or destroyed than they doe in the enjoying of it Neuer any of these sweete affections in vs alone but their coÌ„trare is fixed on them while wee are in hope or joye and enjoying of God wee feare to lose that joye and sorrow commeth in with that feare But the torment of temptatioÌ„ is intolerable that Satan doth so far preuaile in vs as to stir vp our inbred corâ—uptioÌ„ that our corruption doth yeeld to him we our selues in a perpetuall trouble either watching ouer temptions that they surprise vs not or resisting them when they are moued or repenting for them when they haue preuailed to our insnaring And the Conscience aboue all sette on a continuall worke to direct vs aright in all our wayes to try our obedience to her direction and if wee haue failed to torment vs in our arriegning before Gods Tribunall and the feare and sense of his wrath to come How can I either delight to dwell in this Bodie or carrie about so grieuous a burden as this A vile prison an hole of Serpents and Coâ—katrices A body of earth and a bodie of sinne and death in it a masse of corruption euer stirred of Sathan and breaking out of it selfe Heere is a burthen insupportable a labour without end The sense of it selfe is enough to the sensible Soule to mourne for abyding in it and to cry VVoe is mee that I abide so long in Mesech or dwell in the tents of Kedar And miserable man that I am who shall deliuer mee from this bodie of Death It is impossible that perfect happinesse can lodge in so miserable a creature It craueth a Soule and bodie perfect and free of all euill therefore I must bee dissolued ere I bee perfected the Soule purified in God from all sinfulnesse and the bodie refined in the earth from all frailtie and so the whole man freed of all miserie Though fleshly Selfe-loue sometimes blind mee to desire to abide in this body yet a bettâ—r loue of my selfe in GOD biddeth mee desire to bee dissolued that I may bee perfected The greater light the greater libertie in visiting these Mansions in Heauen and adoring my God who hath prepared them for mee The greater libertie the gearter desire to bee out of this bodie wherein so long as I dwell I am absent from God and these Mansions where I long to enjoy him This is the miserie of a sinfull Soule And though our Soâ—le had peace our bodie constant health yet our Lot is vnder continuall changes Our Husband and Wife Parents and Children Friendes and Familiars are subject to Sicknesse and Death Our name is subject to Infamie and Calumnies Our goods layed open to mans deceit or violence and to Gods most free and just Providence They are either with holden from vs or taken from vs or if they remaine with vs they decay So wee are either chastened with a simple want of them or a losse or a change Our Lotte in it selfe is a blessing of God but this change and decay is a matter of griefe and feare As though God did augment our Lot for this end to augment the marke for his Arrowes and the matter of our griefe There is nothing whereof wee can say that either wee shall haue it long or in that same state wherein it is now It is either subject to want in measure or change in standing There is none houre wherein we are not either vnder a sorrowfull remembrance of bygone Calamities or vnder sense of some present or vnder a fearefull foresight of Calamities to come This is the miserie of a changeable Lotte All these miseries God hath layed vpon man to humble him thereby Ecclesi 1. 13. and to make him wearie of this present life For man that is borne of a woman is of a short continuance and full of trouble Iob. 14. 1. Hee is borne to trouble as sparkes flee vpward Iob. 5. 7. If wee found full and constant prosperitie heere wee would desire to remaine in this life There is neither necessitie nor desire of a better life in them who find all things according to their heart in this life But God hath so tempered the Cup to his dearest Children that it hath more gall and worme-wood than honie and more sowre than sweete Our life is short in it selfe and made shorter by grieuous Calamities If wee count onlie that tyme for our life wherin we haue beene free of Feare of Sense or memorie of euill it will bee shorter than the naturall course of life if all bee well examined scarcelie shall the best liuing finde so many peaceable houres as his naturall life hath dayes God knoweth that naturallie wee are giuen to nest in the world as birds To roote in it as Trees sit fast in it as Rockes Therefore hee changeth our Lotte and crosseth our contentment that hee may both loose vs and keepe vs loose
chase Thee from the Earth O my Soule Miseries made Pegans to desire death but they saw not a Glorie to come God hath enlightned thee in the face of Christ thou knowest that there is Glorie layed vp for thee in the Heauen thou belieuest it hopest for it thou hast tasted it and is vnder a longing desire of it Call thy selfe to minde of the dayes of olde when either a sense of mercie or more usuallie affliction sent thee to God did hee not then allure thee to the wildernesse and speake to thine heart Hosea 2. 14. Wast thou not then vnder his liberall hand as a small vessell vnder a large Fountaine Did not his joyes so abound in thee that thou could neither receiue them all nor keep them in the measure that thou receiued them Tell me what was then thy comfort Thy God so sensible to thee in that diffusion of his loue that thou wast in a sort drawen out of thy selfe at least drawne out of mee Could thou either holde thine affection off God or containe it when it returned to thee Could thou lodge it or God that it brought with it or that sense of him and joye that it reported to thee Did not thy bodie partake of that thy joy with a sweete complacence it rested on that sense and was glad to bee so honoured as to bee a lodging of a Spirit which had so sweete and friendlie an intercourse with God When his loue shed abroad in thee could not abid in these boundes whither was thy griefe greater that so good a God should bee at any time displeased by thee or thy joye because hee was then reconcealed to thee Then atonce were the deepe groanes both of griefe and joy but more of joye than griefe and of joye for that holy griefe for offending so good a Father If thou remember these excessiue joyes why doest not thou mak good use of them They were not giuen thee for that time only but for this that is now What were these tastes first fruits but as the wine grapes that the Spyes broght out of Canaan They were so great that they could not beare them in their hand but were a burden to two men When these two senses of spirituall joy Sonlie griefe reported their burthen of an excessiue sweetnesse was not that a taste of the fruite of Canaan If a Cluster of that Land be so sweete so great to thee What shall thou finde when thou enters in that Land How can thou but loue that Land that hath such fruits long for the fulnesse of that fruite that is so sweete to thy taste when thou wast vnder that sens◠thou was more in God than in thy selfe and more in Heauen than on Earth Since the remembrance of it doeth both present the Image of it and waken it selfe againe in thee Be of good courage enter and possesse the Land God hath discouered it to thee off the toppe of Nebo and Pisgah Thou hast tasted the fruite of it by the report of the Spyes Lay hold on it by the hand of thy loue longing desire God hath cast downe the walles of Iericho before thee and hath wounded the world the sonnes of Anake at thy conuersion and daylie is killing the sonnes of Harapha in thy daylie battells Bee strong and goe fordward for God is before thee Consider by the satietie of the tastes how great a satietie thou shalt haue in Heauen when the smallest blinke of Gods face made thee patientlie to beare forget thy greatest affliction what shall that full presence worke in thee In his presence is fulnes of joy and at his right hand are pleasures for euermore Psal. 16. If thy taste bee vpright thou cannot but long for that fulnesse thou must welcome the Messenger that calleth thee to it How can I but long for a change betwixt two so contrare estates present miserie grieueth mee and future Glorie gladeth me in hope The Earth thrusteth mee from it and the Heauen allureth and draweth mee to it Who can indure such a violence of an out thrusting earth and alluring Heauen Sathans snares doe vex mee heere beneath and the sweetnesse of Christ pulleth mee aboue Naturall miseries made naturall men to desire Death and shall I not desire it more who haue an hope and sight of Glorie which they knew not I will not bee as a Meteor in the Aire betweene them two but I resolue to leaue the Earth that I may goe to Heauen Who can either delight to abide in such an Earth or refuse to goe to such an Heauen All things here inforce a remouing Our life a weariesome journey our walking in it laborious and it selfe a way and not our end And while wee are heere we are absent from God But in Heauen all is contrare our life shall bee pleasant without labour It is our end and not the way Our home in the presence of God This is sufficient to chase thee from Earth and sette thy desires on Heauen Art thou walking in the valey of the shaddow of Death yet feare not euill for God is with thee and in thee and thou in him Can a man that is in God die the death No more than Life can die can that man die that liueth in God As wee are in Christ wee are in life and that life of his euen himselfe can not die so farre art thou from dying in him at death that thou liueth more by death and in it than before it None can take that frō me on the Earth which God is keeping for mee in Heauen My life is not in this bodie nor in the world but in God in heauen It is hid with Christ in God Coloss. 3. 3. And the life that I liue I liue by the Faith of the Sonne of God Galat. 2. 20. My death commeth not so much of paines thrusting mee out of this bodie as of that life and fountaine of it in God sucking and drawing my Soule to it and that not to slay or destroy it but to quicken and perfect it Consider thy selfe art thou not dwyning and dying in this life when sinne liueth in thee and stayeth thee from good and compelleth thee to euill The Bodie though an helpe as it is boared through by the windowes of fiue Senses yet it is an hinder to thy proficiencie perfectiō of knowledge doing A Cage suffereth the Bird to looke through the wyres yet it is a prison to keepe it from libertie When thou art loosed from that cage thou shalt haue greater light in libertie As Christ himselfe ouercame Death so will he doe in mee Sathan did hound it at him as his last and most fearefull mastiue but he destroyed it they went together in others grippes to the Graue but Christ did strangle it in the owne dungeon Hee arose and left it behind him as a conquered and triumphed Enemy he did not that for himself but for vs his owne Bodie will doe it in euerie one