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
Many times wee are in torture resoluing but in the Action wee finde peace A solide and masculus Resolution giueth vs no rest till it put vs ouer in the hand of Practise yea it resolueth for doing and turneth all the resoluing powers to execution These are twinnes of a rype Spirit both to resolue and doe to doe without ResolutioÌ„ is rashnesse to resolue without doing is faintnesse He who doeth without Resolution dreameth of none impediment but hee who resolueth and delayeth execution waiteth vpon impediments and rather than hee lacke them hee will faine a thousand in his owne fansie Euen fansied difficulties doe terrifie the lazie as much as reall difficulties doe the wise and diligent The Sluggard sayeth There is a Lyon in the way I dare not goe foorth least I bee killed Prov. 26. 13. 35. Callings are our tryals AS Callings are Gods taske appointed for vs so are they his Tryalls to proue what is in vs Hee hath ordained many callings for mans good but many turne these meanes of good in a snare There is no lawfull Calling without the owne good end and right way to come by that end But the most part passeth that good and chooseth the wrong Equitie Honestie Humanitie Vprightnes are Gods ordinance for Callinges Deceat Circumvention Doublenesse and such like are Sathans inuention and yet many shift the first as a vyce and follow the second as the vertue of their Calling God setteth before them the good of mankind but they set nothing but their owne priuate good and care not for obtaining of it to hurt their neighbour How can God blesse the breach of his owne ordinance They may scrap together a state to themselues but God will blow vpon it They thinke that Callings are not Gods ordinance nor themselues lyable to reckoning And exerce them as though they were of their owne vptaking and had none other end than to make them great in the Earth But O miserable greatnes that diminisheth Grace and destroyeth them that haue it The losse is heere incomparablie greater than the conceated gaine What profite is it to gaine the world and loose their soule To conquesh Hell to themselus for enriching their posteritie It is a pittie to see men forsake honey and sucke Venome greedily but greater pittie to see men of an euill cariage in their Calling counted the onely men and these who are consciencious to bee counted no men I wonder not to see that same error which misleadeth men to approue them in their wrong but I wonder that mankynd injured by them doeth honour them for their euill It is a just thing with God to make them hurt man more who so foolishlie alloweth them whome hee disdaineth They cannot complaine to him of their wrong since they approue it This is a saifer course to honour God by following his will in an honest and faythfull discharge of our Calling It is good for mankynde and for our selfe and acceptable to GOD. Heereby hee proueth to other and sealeth it in our owne conscience that hee hath placed vs in our Calling in meâ—cie both to mankynde and to our selfe 36. Foode of our Soule OUr care for the bodie condemneth our brutishnesse about our Soule both are substances and haue neede of entertainment but wee are more sensible of the bodies necessities and carefull to supplie them The Soules necessities are both greater and more urging than the bodies Our bodies lye vnder colde and heate and the decay of our naturall moystnesse which must bee duelie supplyed by nurishment But the necessitie of entertaining the life of God and the sparke of Grace in the midst of our corruption is daylie and hourely It is senslesnes and death when these greater necessities are not felt and supplyed No man is so foolish as to feede his body with imaginations or if he would doe so it will not bee so deceiued it is a substance and must haue substance to maintaine it How many know not what their soule is and what necessitie it hath and how to supplie it And other who thinke they know all those doe content themselues with imaginations They doe worse to their soule than to their bodie and their Soule is more blokish than their bodie in standing content with these conceats Aske them what certaintie they haue of happinesse and securitie from miserie they haue no more reason of both than their apprehension and yet that supposed absent euill is as neere to them as that conceated good is farre from them What man can bee seased in a worldlie inheritance by imagination and yet the most part haue no more warrand for their Saluation The estate of our Soule heere and eternall Saluation heereafter is too great a pointe to hazard vpon a fansie It is a wholesome body that findeth the owne necessitie craueth good foode and turneth it in it owne substance It is a wholesome Soule that alwayes desireth God findeth sensiblie his union and by a continuall communion paâ—taketh of the diuine Nature When I finde my Soule burnt vp with the desire of him paunting like the Hart for water and gaping like the thirstie ground for raine I am sure that is of the life of God It is not fedde with fansies that is filled with God himselfe it is filled with him that cannot rest on any thing beside him and finding him in it selfe doth sweetelie rest on him who only filleth it and resteth in it Nothing can fill the Soule but that which is greater than it Though in substance it bee finite yet it is infinite in the desires And God alone doth infinitely exceed it both in substance desires It would bee counted frenesie in a man who would prease to driue himselfe in a Nut shell So is hee who seeketh contentment in the world alone 37. A constant dyet of Gods Worshippe APpetite is a good preparation for meate so is a zealous affection for the worshippe of God It is good to haue our appointed tymes for Spirituall exercises and to keepe them But withall to striue for the spirituall Appetite How sweete is that Exercise to the Soule wherein our necessitie wakeneth our desire Our desire sharpneth our Appetite and our Appetite thrusteth our heart to God and GOD pulleth both our heart and our selfe to him In one instant it is both pressed with sense of miserie and burnt with a desire of God And sweetly allured and drawen by him to himselfe These are wonderfull actions betweene God and vs and all wrought in vs by his Spirit to carie vs vp to him Though I tye mee not superstitioussie to houres of holy Exercise yet religiouslie I will keepe them These houres are sweete to mee when God draweth my Soule by strong desires and fayth to him It is pleasant when either these Exercises doe tryst with our desires or God in them bringeth vs to an holy disposition and great is the fruite of these Exercises Thereby our Soules euen at other times are keeped if not vnder the sense
this appeale in the cōscience of Gods both knowing acknowledging sight of their heart So also it is our best while the world either thinketh that God seeth not or would it were so that wee euer delight to cast our hearts open to God not because it must bee so but because that wee rejoyce that it is so Wee count not that terrible which wee finde so comfortable That Soule is sufficientlie guarded for its innocencie and sinceritie against the scourge of the tongue which is conscious and sensible of Gods Seeing witnessing and approbation The seales of that approbation in a solide peace and vnspeakable joye are stronger than can bee broken by the breath of man That lying breath cannot dissolue but doubleth them both in themselues and the joyfull use of their possessours This made the holy Apostle to say with as great libertie as trueth I passe verie little to bee judged of you or of mans judgement for I am not conscious to my selfe of any thing 1. Cor. 4. 3. 4. 68. Rest on Prouidence SOme cares are necessar because commanded of God others needelesse because forbiden Euery day hath enough of his owne griefe and wee should not care for to morrow God relieueth vs of that care Hee who made the World disposseth all and careth for all in it Before wee were borne hee ruled all and needeth not our helpe in any thing and when wee shall bee at rest hee will rule all It is a matter of pittie to see manie rent their heart when they neede not Gods prouidence easeth vs of that care if wee bee at peace with him his prouidence is for vs it hath nothing more in head than to content the Lords beloued If once wee loose our mindes to apprehensions and feares of crosses there will neither bee end nor remeede of them One will breede an hunder and euery one will multiplie answerablie so that we shall be buried and ouerwhelmed with feares before the feared euill come But these and the like shreds of tortouring apprehensions shall bee cutted if we close our selfe within the compasse of a mercifull prouidence and this shall bee if wee can perswade our selfe 1. That there is a GOD. 2. And that this GOD ruleth all 3. That all his ruling worketh together to the good of them that loue him Hee needeth not bee afrayd of any thing who is at peace with him who ruleth all things By distrustfull care wee offend God and make his prouidence to worke matters to our griefe The course and euent of things I leaue to God and his prouidence He is more wise see more able to doe that which is good than all the world I haue no care but to see that I offend him not either in abuse of meanes commanded or vse of things forbidden This prouideth with a certaintie of good a solide contentment also When I rest on his prouidence fullie resoluing to welcome what it bringeth I trust his Grace will worke contentment in his worke when it commeth Since I reuerence it before it come If any take on them to counsell or command prouidence or to controll the worke of it let that Soule resolue to lodge in continuall miscontent It is good wisedome to keepe our selues in peace with God who directeth prouidence and to submitte our selues vnto it so wee shall finde it serue vs and Gods Grace to giue vs contentment in the worke of it Commit thy wayes vnto the Lord and trust in him and hee will doe them Psal. 37. 5. Cast thy burden on the Lord and hee will sustaine thee Psal. 55. 22. God dwelleth in that heart that so reposeth on him but hee deserteth the Soule that chydeth his Prouidence Hee who trusteth in God shall bee as Mount Sion that can not bee remoued Psal. 125. 1. Hee shall not bee affrayed of euill tydings because his heart is fixed on the Lord. Ps. 112 7. This is Christian Stoicisme or rather spirituall Securitie The olde Stoickes preassing to exalt the naturall man aboue the reach of humane passion did both thrust him out of Nature and shake him loose of Gods protection And turned him from himselfe as farre as from God But this holy disposition maketh vs rest out of our selfe in God And so to finde our selfe secured in him 69. Afflictions fruite THere is nothing more grieuous to man and nothing more profitable than Affliction How foolish are wee in the day of trouble Wee thinke that God is slaying vs when hee is sauing vs A life indeede is taken from vs but such a life as wee both may and should want Such a life as killeth our Soule but quickneth vs by the want of it We haue a worldly and a sinfull life euen our loue of the things of the world God giueth them as coards and wings to lift vs vp to Heauen but wee turne them in weights to hold vs on the earth When we loue our name our goods our Children our body our selfe more than wee ought God hath two quarrels at these things The one of Iealousie because wee loue them to his prejudice The other of Violence because they detaine our Soule in them When hee crosseth vs in them then hee slayeth that our life in them Hee killeth it in our name by calamities in our goods by their remouall in our friendes by death and in our bodies by sicknesse Then that hurt life reteareth from a wounded member of our lot at least doeth not so vse it as of before When wee are wounded in all these the Soule draweth from them to GOD. If hee saw vs not excessiuelie affecting them he would not wound vs in them but there is no choyse heerein it is better to liue in God than to die by a seeming life in them And this wounding is not so meikle the worke of his Prouidence without as the mightie draught of his sauing loue within pulling vs out of that wherein wee would die that we may truely liue in him His blessings are good in themselues but our corruption abuseth them and killeth vs And it is necessare that our corruption bee killed wee die by the leauing of it and in its death wee liue Crosses are pressours to expresse our corruption euen that venome of Sathan which oppresseth vs. The life of God and of sinne haue their contrare growth standing and decay in vs as the one increaseth the other answerablie decayeth the raigne of the one is the destruction of the other In all crosses God intendeth the health of our Soule Many see the hand of the Phisitian that see not his heart many feele the bitternes of his potions and the paine of his cutting that see not the health that followeth as the first sight of sinne is falle because it seemeth pleasant and profitable so the first sight of Affliction is false because wee see nothing then but losse and hurt The second sight of sinne in Repentance is the best because wee see it vyle so is the second sight of
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
more they can procure both the intermission of his worke a temporall desertion though hee neuer depart simplie from the Elect. Wee can not fore-see his comming but wee may feele his working The worke it selfe telleth vs that hee is in the worke When hee lurketh what confusions in the minde and disorder in the heart In great businesse we make but slow speed all is in a manner forced and nothing doeth promise the desired successe But when hee showeth himselfe O what a change in the Soule Illumination is great in the varietie and the clearnesse of light and euerie power hath the owne seale stamping the heart all goeth then so easelie as the Soule sufficeth not to take vp particularlie his working In that diuine worke it findeth the power of a diuine Nature no creature can either worke so mightily in vs or affect vs in that kinde or degree It hath more increase of light affection sense and sweetnesse in one houre than in some other moneths As the Soule moueth the bodie so hee moueth his giftes and graces in vs which are as a carcase without him Hee is both the worker teacher of his own operations moueth vs to mak due use of them his desertions are grieuous but his felt operations doe largely recoÌ„pence that grief It is good both to feare eschew his desertioÌ„ but when we find it to comfort our selfe in the remembrance of his bygone and assurance of his future working to our former joys His work is euer powerful but not euer seÌ„sible We know that the hand of the Horolodge hath moued when it commeth to the houre but our sight discerneth not the mouing of it His worke is oft-ten secret to vs and yet forcible Thereby our condition is changed to the better though we obserue not aye the progresse of that bettering When hee both worketh in vs sauing Graces and a feeling of his worke so that his worke and our sense of it doe meete together that is our vnspeakable Ioye 3. The fruitfull worke of our thoughts AS our thoughts are called light so is our accompt of their worke They are restlesse and wee are carelesse what and how they worke no man can hold them within both outward things draw them out and themselues are giuen to wandring euen while wee are musing to hold them in order as water they slide away In their going out they carrie the soule with them and at their returne report some fruite of the matter which they considered But many doe neither obserue their going out nor their returne they let them out on euerie thing mak use of nothing some are worse in a profaine libertie they send them out on impious and naughty matters and take them home fraughted with pernicious and sinfull reports God hath giuen vs our Soule for a better use as he hath set it in the bodie to quicken and moue it so also to keepe a fruitefull intercourse with outward things If it went simplie out of the bodie death would follow If it remained inclosed in it there could bee no intercourse with outward things God hath appointed a midde way that the substance of it shall abide in the bodie but it sendeth out the thoughts as fearchers and intercommers Our best in this kinde is to follow Gods appointment not to let our thoughts wander rackelessie but to send them in order not on euerie trifle but on good things and at their returne to receiue their worke in order A wise Soule in this Thought-work is as a Bee-hyue all the powers are in labour a continuall going out and returning no power idle and none returne emptie and all their obseruations as Honie laid vp for use It gathereth and disgesteth in it selfe a substance masse of purified knowledge and that for affection and action and all of them for the obedience of God and union with him Fixed endes make an well ordered and fruitfull course It is good to intend the good of our callings and then to set our Thoughts to worke about the way Painters draw first the lines theÌ„ fill vp the spaces compleat the portrate And Frost turneth first the face of water in hard lines and then equalleth all with yce And the bodie of a childe in the wombe hath first the noble partes framed then all is filled vp to the comelie proportion of a bodie So the bodie of profitable knowledge hath first the noble partes framed in our fixed designes then the enterjected spaces are filled vp by the Minds daylie labour A ball striken in the open fielde goeth straight out from vs but in a Tinnice the wall maketh it returne to our hand So if our thoughts goe out rackleslie they â—uanish But if wee hem them within the compasse of fixed intentions of our calling and particular taske therein they come home with pertinent obseruations In the first case they are as the Rauen fleeing about the Arke of Noe but not entring in it In the next they are as the Doue returning wearie at Euening with the fatnesse and peaceablnesse of the Oliue 4. Gods peace a sweete Vade-mecum HEalth of Bodie and peace of Conscience are two substantiall blessings Without them other blessinges are not pleasant to vs and this Peace is better than Health as the Soule is better than the bodie The ground of it is Gods free loue the price of it Christs satisfaction the worker of it Gods owne Spirit the mettell vpon which he stampeth it is a good Conscience the fruite of it the joye of the holie Ghost It cannot bee keeped but by great circumspectnesse Sathan cannot endure such a Iewell in the midst of his kingdome It is vineger to his teeth and smoak to his eyes to see Gods children full of this peace in the midst of all his snares wee haue it in the world but not of it neither can the world know it nor giue it nor take it from vs. It sweetneth the bitternesse of our afflictions and doubleth the sweetnesse of prosperitie Goe with it whither wee will we haue a better jewell in our heatrs than all the treasures on earth O what comfort is it when wee lift vp our heartes to GOD and hee meeteth vs with softnesse of heart and joye in Spirit when hee maketh the beames of his face in Christ to strike on our Soule to warme and quicken them and doubleth his grace in vs in the conscience of these things It is Gods seale in the godlie but the wicked neither haue it nor care for it A wonder it is howe men can liue in the world without this Peace Non can well liue in a Kings Court or Countrie without his Peace And how shall they liue in the world his great familie and not care for his fauour And yet men vnder their Kinges wrath may lurke in their Dominions but no place can hide them from God There is small appearance that they who care not for this Peace doe know God strangers taste
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
in a blind man Light and life are best together The first is the sweete eating of the Booke Ezech. 3. 3. The second is the bitter disgesting of it The one giueth Grace contentment in secret the other proueth the sinceritie of that Grace to man For our owne joye the first hath a sufficiencie but for the edification of others and our confirmation in our calling and election The second is necessar If naked knowing bee sufficient Sathan is a most perfect creature Hee excelleth all men in the knowledge of good euill but is behind all men in affecting them He knoweth not good to loue seeke it nor euill to hate and flee from it but his affections actions are set crosse to his knowledge Hee is in that same degree of wickednesse that hee is in excellencie of vnderstanding His searching and pearcing wit hath purchased him the name of an vnderstanding Spirit but his wickednesse calleth him Sathan an enemie to God The union and worke of both craueth some solide and inward ground Outward meanes may occasion them and inward motions set them on worke but they cannot haue a constant byding in vs without a byding ground and principle The life of God is this ground What supernaturall thing we doe without it is but hypocriticall or occasionall and easilie intermitted The Fountaine of this life is God himselfe and where this Fountaine is there is sufficiencie for Theorie practise Without him our professing is hypocrisie our minting vanitie and our actions will die and end in their beginning Wee can doe nothing that is good without him and with him wee shall bee able to approue our selfe in a liuely Theorie and a well grounded practise As without Christ wee can doe nothing Ioh. 15. 5. So I am able to doe all things through the helpe of Christ who strengtheneth me Philip. 4 13 Yet not I but the grace of God which is with me 2. Cor. 15. 10. 48. The ambitious man dieth of his disease DOubtlesse Ambition is foolish and God in Iustice doeth crosse it in the greatest designes But the humble man is truely wise and God casteth more humane respect on him than hee desireth The Ambitious man hunteth after honour but it flyeth from him What euer bee his worth in this hee is vnworthie that hee thirsteth honour It is not guided by blind Fortune but by a seeing prouidence and flyeth from them who proudlie affect it and waiteth on them who modestlie decline it He fetcheth and sucketh wind out of euery Airth but when he seekth it most there is greatest calme both in respect of his desire and indeed What is lacking that way hee supplyeth it by his owne breath of vntymous selfe praise but that auaileth not all mens breathing in a shippe will not fill the sailes hee is the more vile in the eyes of the wise the lowder hee proclaime his owne supposed vertues The humble man neither intendeth nor affecteth honour yet it followeth him As the shaddow followeth the bodie so doth true honour to true worth Hee hath more of that gale of winde than hee craueth and the more it blow hee is the more dejected his care is to keepe him from schelues and rockes before so faire a winde God is witnesse to his Soule that heerein hee hath a secrete dejection and still compting himselfe the vilest sinner in the earth Hee wonders at that mercie that hath so vndeseruedlie blessed him and knoweth not how to beginne to bee thankfull Hee is more pensiue how to pay the debt of gratitude to God than puft vp in taking it on And saith with Dauid Who am I Lord God and who is my Fathers house that thou hast brought mee hitherto And finding himselfe vnable to thanke God as hee ought and would hee calleth God to witnesse his earnestnesse to honour God What can Dauid say more to thee For thou Lord knowest the heart of thy seruant And the more hee is swallowed vp in that sweet drowning sense of Gods loue hee is the nearer to true exaltation Hee feeleth then the trueth of that Martyrs word who said HEE THAT PRAISETH MEE SCOVRGETH MEE of the word of God That hee resisteth the proude and giueth grace to the humble 49. Good Spirits are most free of passions GReat Spirits haue least passions but base Spirites are most passionate The first is aboue their businesse and not soone moued the other is vnder all accidents and perplexed in euery thing The one as a large vessell containeth easilie water cast in it and the other as a small vessell runneth ouer If the power of Princes were in the hands of priuate men or the passions of priuate men in the hands of Princes the world could not stand But God hath wisely separate them that power without passion may bee profitable and passions without power may bee harmelesse The highest Mountaines haue least storme and wind on their tops but the raines and tempest ouer-run the low hilles valleyes There are few worldly Princes but in Grace wee are called to this heauenly principalitie to command our passions The holy Spirit maketh the Soules of the truelie sanctified as the fleece of Gideon They are free of passions and perturbations while others are drowned in them Broken water is in the shallow Seas But the deepe Seas haue a soft swelling and not these violent breakings If wee bee translated from Nature to Grace wee are aboue the surprysing of accidents and bitternesse of injuries and so are secured from the violence of our owne passions Our heart is in the secret of God and our head aboue the Heauens while our state or body is buffeted on earth our Soules enjoye a pleasant serenitie in the face of GOD. 50. God alone better than all HEe shifteth much needlesse labour and prouideth great contentment who closeth himselfe with God alone To deale with man alone beside God is both an endlesse fruitlesse labour If we haue coūsel to aske helpe or benefite to obtaine or approbation to seek there is none end with man For euery man we must haue sūdrie reasons motiues and what pleaseth one will offend twentie as many heads as many wits and fansies No man can giue contentment to all or change himselfe in so many fashions as he shall encounter humours And yet it is more easie to take sundrie fashions than to bee actiue in them Hee preasseth to lift water in a sife and sand in open fingers who thinketh so to carrie himselfe as to please all He is prodigall of the peace of his soule and carelesse of good successe who maketh man either his rule or his rewarder That Spirit must bee rent asunder that applyeth it selfe to the contrarietie of mens opinions Mans bodilie senses both ruleth and ouerruleth his reason therefore as hee seeth men and not God so he preferreth seene man to an unseene GOD But when hee shall see God in the clouds at the last day all mankynd present they shall all bee
nothing in respect of God The godly now see him more than maÌ„ and therefore preferre him to all men and runne that course to offend and lose all men rather than him This is a course whereof hee shall neuer neede to repent It is grieuous indeede to loose our friendes or familiars And he is foolish who loseth any that hee may brooke with God But it is a great triumph of Grace when for conscientious and faithfull seruice to GOD wee lose them They are not worth the keeping who cannot be brooked with him And hee is not worthie of God who will not forsake Father and Mother for him All the hurt that these selfe-pleasing men bring to the God-pleasing Sainctes is the greater increase of the fruites the scales and sense of Gods loue in them Since I cannot please all I will take mee to please One and that one who is better than all for Counsell Approbation and Reward So long as God draweth all my thoughts to him and calmeth them in him by sweete contentment I will not buy a torture from foolish man While hee answereth my desires communicateth himselfe more to me than I can conceiue I will not vex my selfe in courting of man VVhom haue I in Heauen but thee and there is none on the Earth that I desire beside thee Psal. 73. 25. 51. Rare accidents make many Prophets STrange Accidents breed vs many Prophets Before they fall foorth all men are silent but when they are seene many clame a propheticall fore-sight of them It is sure speaking of them when they are come to passe but to boast then of their fore-sight argueth lack of judgment how shal he be a good fore-seer who seeth not his owne present folie in boasting idlely of that which he hath not maketh none use of that which is done or doeth not see that that his vaine boasting maketh him ridiculous Hee is as loude a proclamer of his owne folie as hee clameth commendation from that foresight This is a sure note of such Spirites to make none other use of Accidents than astonishment and broad talking Euery one they meete with euery dinner supper must patientlie heare the arguments of their fore-sight at euery occasion they haue a new edition and a new discourse of it and by long and oft pratling they giue some life to that which hath none other beeing than of their owne humour and breath When such things fall out as cannot bee particularlie foreseene of man it is better to ponder them seriouslie and to see the worke of God in them And for our selfe to draw neare to him in Faith and Repentance and to draw other to him also in a religious reuerence of him who ruleth all to the good of the Saints To spend our owne Spirit and wearie the eares of others in idle babling is the worke of an emptie braine 52. Damnable selvishnesse SElfe is both a neare and a deare word to man It draweth all our thoughts to it setting all to worke that is in vs turneth them home againe to it selfe It is both the Idole and idolater the exacter caruer and receiuer the doer and sufferer in all dueties A fountaine sending out all and a Center sucking backe all that it sent out And so selvish in this Selfe that it accompteth euen God to be a stranger And is yet more foolish parteing it selfe against it selfe and is the owne greatest enemie So a mans greatest enemie is not onely they of his owne house but of his owne heart Blind loue in the Ape maketh it thrust oâ—t the enterals of the own brood while it embraceth them too straitly The blindnesse of Selfe-loue maketh it in preposterous safetie to destroy it selfe What more friend-like masters in vs than Selfe-love Selfe wit Selfe-will yet what greater foes The hatred craft power of our open enemies doe not so hurt vs as these I feare and suspect no Creature more than my selfe and that euen when I most respect my selfe I will professe and practise hostilitie against Seluishnesse and render my selfe to bee guyded by a forraine Witte-and Will euen the New-man created and directed of God This is a better Selfe than that naturall Seluish One there is no saftie for mee but in hateing and destroying that euill One By that sauing ouerthrow of my selfe I shall saue my selfe This is the fruite of mine ingraffing in the natiue Oliue The juice of that stocke changeth mee to that Selfe-destroying and Selfe-sauing worke the more I seeke mine owne Saluation the more I abhore my seluish corruption I abhorre my selfe as I am of the first Adam but loue and seeke my well as I am in the second Adam Iesus Christ. The holie Apostle maketh this perfect Anatomie of himselfe Not I but sinne that dwelleth in mee Rom. 7. 17. There is the olde and corrupt Selfe like the first Adam in him By the grace of God I am that I am yeâ— not I but the grace of God which is with me 1. Cor. 15. 10. There is the new Selfe of Grace by the second Adam in him in both places himselfe as hee is Gods creature is the common Subject of both these Selfes Hee is a stranger in himselfe who doeth not marke this distinction of himselfe And hee is his owne greatest foe who destroyeth not the olde Selfe in Adam that hee may saue himselfe in the new Adam Iesus Christ. 53. The wise and foolish Merchant EVerie man playeth the Merchant in his greatest businesse Wee change lose something for gaining another The godly with God haue most care to saue their Soule They care not to losse their goods their name their bodie for that end If labours waste their body and afflictions bruife their Spirit all is well bestowed in their count if so bee their Soule bee safe The wicked mak their own conquesh with witte like themselues they care not to losse their Soule for keeping of their body and estate their course is justifiable in their owne judgement no man can build better vpoÌ„ their grounds or see better with their eyes They see not their Soule and as little care they for it as they know it They see their body and state and doe thinke that their soule is giuen for their body True godlinesse ouerthoweth these grounds and giueth better light It teacheth that all is for man and the body for the soule and himselfe for God This maketh vs to secke our safety more than our state our Conscience more than our fame our Soule more than our bodie And GOD more than all Nature in worldlie thinges condemneth our brutishnesse in spirituall It teacheth men to buy the best thinges of best use of most gaine and at the lowest pryce But in spirituall MerchaÌ„dice wee buy the worst thinges that are of no vse of lesse gaine and at the dearest rate VVee spend our money on that that is no bread and our labour on that which satisfieth not Isa. 55. 2. Such is
all our businesse on worldly thinges But Gods Spirit teacheth the godly a better forme of barganning The kingdome of Heauen is a precious Iewell It endureth when all these worldlie trifles will evanish and wee finde it without a price The Mercat of it is cryed free without money Ho euery one that thirsteth come yee to the waters and hee that hath no money come buy and eate yea come without price Isa. 55. 1. These wise Merchants shall rejoyce for euer before God who vnder termes of buying and selling hath freely giuen them eternall Life where the foolish seekers of the world shall euer lament their neglect of this free Mercat and the losse of their labour their fruite and of themselues It is good to leaue the worlds folie to it selfe since we cannot cure it let it not spoile Grace in vs The wicked losing their soule for their bodie lose body and all together The godly losing all for God their Soules saue themselues fullie Hee is no loser who hath God for his portion and him selfe in Soule and body unite to God in Christ. Thinges worldlie come not in this compt before wee were wee had them not and in the Heauen wee shall not haue them Their vanitie not use are as a not beeing to vs. Where God filleth the heart there is no roome to desire or receiue them on so miserable conditions Let them fall to these who are like to them dust and dust doe well agree whē we shall enjoy God for euer 54. The loue of good and hatred of euill SOme things there be which I cannot loue and some thinges which I cannot hate I cannot loue Sathan for he is Gods enemie Nor Hell for it is his House Nor Sinne for it is his worke And the more neere that Sinne is to mee the more I hate it In the godlie more than in the wicked And in my selfe more than in any These againe I cānot hate God because he is Goodnes it selfe Nor the Heauen because it is his dwelling and reward Nor his Grace because it is his Image both the causes of that loue and the work of it is from himselfe I loue them because I loue him and it is his will and worke in mee to loue them I thanke God I cannot hate them who haue true Grace I mislike their faults and shall disgest their injuries but my Soule cannot hate them who loue God and are beloued of him His Image and Grace where euer I see it though in my professed enemie commandeth my dearest affection all their injuries cannot so grieue mee as the conscience of my sincere loue to them comforteth mee By this I know that I am translated from death to life because I loue the Brethren 1. Iohn 3. 14. But there can bee none assurance of his Loue and Grace where the Sainctes are hated His loue is shed abroad in our heart not to remaine there but to run out to embrace them whom hee loueth neither am I beloued of him nor haue parte of that in shed loue if I hate them who so are beloued of him are inclosed in his heart agree in Iesus Christ as they are such cannot hate one another This is our victorie ouer their corruptiō our own that notwithstanding of their injuries we loue them deerelie God loued and choosed vs when he saw vs his enemies in the masse of lost mankynde And now loueth vs when wee offend him daylie How then can the heart sensible of this loue hate anie that is so loued of God If wee doe so wee hate Gods Image and loue in the Sainctes in our selfe and in God may justly doubt if we be the Lords beloued 55. The best Lotte hath some want EVerie mans Lot is mixed with some want And GOD hath so wiselie temperated all estates that no man hath all blessings and no man lacketh all crosses If we haue some blessings we lacke other Yea our miscontentment can make wants where none is and augmenteth these which possiblie are Wee take on vs a creating power and that in euill How oft doe wee compleane of that Lotte which is good in it selfe and better than wee are either worthie to receiue or wise to use aright Many haue so large a Lotte that if it were diuided in an hundreth partes it would content some hundreth persons and euerie one of them possiblie is more worthie and would bee more thankfull than he who hath it all alone with miscontentment The smallest Lot with God if there can be any small with him is a large Lotte And the greatest Lot without him if there can bee any great without him is extreame lacke Hee lacketh nothing who hath God for his portion and he hath nothing who lacketh him God carueth not sparingly to that Soule to whom hee giueth himselfe and in that case it lacketh nothing but to know that Lotte and enjoye it God hath indeede wisely tempered our Lottes but the error of our desires and miscontentment is our owne and yet hee bringeth good out of that error His care is to keepe vs euer loose from the earth If wee found all our desires contented heere wee would forget to seeke a better Lotte in heauen Let euery lacke chase vs to seeke a supplie It is a daylie and hourely earand to God by prayer Wee cannot finde it in this life let vs seeke it where it is Our Lot on earth satisfieth vs not but our Lot in heauen shall fill vs with contentment It is perfect in it selfe and craueth that wee bee perfect for it If in the midst of so manie lackes wee seeke perfection in the earth wee proue the lacke of wit more than of a sufficient Lot all lackes tell vs and command vs to seek supply in God who onely is All-sufficient 56. Danger of corruption daylie THere is none houre wherein we can say that wee are free of danger and yet not so much of outward accidents as of inward surprysing of our Corruption The more aduanced in Grace the more is that danger both in it selfe and to our feeling Other see our infirmities and they are more grieuous to our selfe than of before This is a bitter Experience that when wee haue lamented our slippes renewed our vowes and chastened our selfe in an holy griefe for them they breake out vnder our hand Scarcelie is our heart calmed from a former griefe when it is conceiuing either the same or a greater infirmitie These Canaanites liue still in vs they are left as a mater of our Exercise the whetstone of grace and a Spurre of Prayer Wee cannot cast thē out but we should put them vnder tribute It is best to hold our eye cōtinually on our corruption that it break not out or bee grieued for that out-breaking Daylie danger is a lesson of the necessitie of a daylie guarde And since that danger is most from within our best Guarde must bee from without Nature in vs that worketh our woe cannot prouid our
it with man The first is both a corrupted and corrupting mind the next a senslesse heart the third a shamelesse face Such Furniture is neither to bee enuyed nor coueted It is a witlesse Witte that is wittie to warppe a mischiefe to it selfe Achitopheâ—s policie put his house in order and himselfe out of order Hee gained by it nothing but a roppe to his necke and confusion to himselfe and his estate This is true Wisedome to feare God and to depart from sinne is good vnderstanding 63. The life of the Soule THe Soule is the life of the bodie but it selfe must liue by some other life and that not from within but from without Euery one seeketh not that same thing for the life of it It is a second life in time but should bee better than the first because it is the life of the first euen of the Soule it selfe and should as farre excell the Soule as the Soule doeth the body But the multitude chooseth a worse and a baser life to their Soule Some liue by their riches some by their fame others by their pleasures and others by their conceates This is not an exalting but a debasing of their Soule not a quickening but a killing of it It is Gods worke to quicken our earthlie lumppe by an heauenlie substance but to destroy that Soule by a lumppe of earth and vanitie is Sathans destroying worke It were extreame senslesnesse to liue a day or an houre and not know if our Soule were in vs and yet many put off long time and neuer try if they haue this spirituall life They lacke it who know it not a speciall worke of it is to reueale it selfe to them who haue it It is a vigorous life all in action and cannot lurke Holie Motions Operations and assiduous Care to keepe it are euidencies that wee haue it I will seeke nothing for the life of my Soule but that which is infinitelie better than it and that is God himselfe When hee dwelleth in the Soule hee maketh both Soule body liue in him and exciteth them to an higher degree than they had before There is no food so sweete to the mouth as the sense of Gods loue to the heart when it is warmed by that heauenly sweetnesse then the body is refreshed by a wondefull presence The life that is of God and is himselfe liuing in mee both giueth mee life and telleth mee what that life is and by the sense and conscience of it selfe redoubleth that life in the aboundance of peace and joye Hencefoorth I liue not but Christ liueth in mee and the life that I liue I liue by the Faith of the Sonne of God who hath loued mee and giuen himselfe for me yea hath giuen himselfe to mee and taken mee to himselfe Galat. 2. 20. 64. Sense of weaknesse IT is absolutely necessar to bee keeped vnder the sense of our weaknesse but all meanes for it are not alike Some learne it by falling in great temptations as Dauid in his sin other find it in smaller and trifling ouersights as rashnesse in words or out-breaking in passions Both grieuous falls and small ouer-sights discouereth our weakenesse but this last hath neither such guiltines before God nor such slander before man nor such a wound to our conscience as the first It is a great mercie of God to bee schooled by lesser infirmities and it is the blessing of that mercie to make use of it This is a point of heauenly wisedome to bee made as conscious of our weakenesse by small slippes as by grieuous sinnes if it worke in vs a distrust of our selues a constant adherence to God wee are brought to a guarde for our weaknesse It is extreame weakenesse or rather death to bee ignorant of our weaknes And it is both strength restored increased to feele it Death feeleth no disease but life the integritie of it maketh vs sensible of any thing that hurteth vs. The tryall of it is to enterpryse nothing without earnest incalling of God for wisedome and direction Neuer to proceede in any thing without imploring his assistance and blessing and that not in greater businesse onely but in our smallest adoes The watch-man of Israel will then preserue our going out and comming in When we absolutelie relye on him in euery thing Hee is most secure and safe from his weaknes who by many proofes is made conscious of it and by that conscience doeth euer depend on GOD he shall ouercome great difficulties to his owne others admiration But he who presumeth in his owne strength is ouerthrowne of smaller businesse Humilitie in the one grippeth God to be led of him But Presumption in the other is Sathans snare to entrappe him Humilitie is both a degree of Gods present assistance and a presage of his accomplishing presence But Presumption in the other is both a just desertion of God and a surrendring of the presumptuous man to fearefull inconuenients Conscience of weaknesse findeth want within and seeketh supplie in God But Conceate of strength holdeth them within The first is blessed with helpe of God the other is coÌ„vinced by grieuous losses 65. The Scriptures vnspeakable profite IT is impossible to liue either Christianlie or comfortablie without the daylie vse of Scripture It is absolutelie necessar for our direction in all our wayes before wee beginne them and for the tryall of our wayes when we haue done For the warrand of our approbation of them for resoluâ—ng of our doubts and comforting vs in our griefes Without it our conscience is a blinde guide and leadeth vs in mist of ignorance error and confusion Therein wee heare God speaking to vs declaring his will to vs concerning our Saluation and the way of our obedience to meete him in that his good will What Booke can wee read with such profite and comfort For matter it is Wisedome For authoritie it is diuine and absolute For Majestie GOD himselfe vnder common wordes and Letters expressing an vnspeakable power to stamp our heart And where shall wee find our mindes so enlightned our heartes so deepelie affected our Conscience so moued both for casting vs downe and raising vs vp I cannot finde in all the Bookes of the worlde such an one speak to me as in Scripture with so absolute a conquesh of all the powers of my soule Contemners of Scriptures want food for their soule a light for their life and the sword of their spirituall warre-fare But the louers of Scripture haue all that Furniture Therein wee heare the voyce of our Beloued wee smell the sauour of his Oyntments and haue daylie accesse vnto the Arke of propitiation If in our knowledge wee desire Diuinitie Excellencie Antiquitie and Efficacie wee cannot finde it but in Gods Worde alone It is the extract of heauenly Wisedome which Christ the eternall Word of God brought out of the bosome of his Father Oft-times on this Meditation I doe both pittie the Pagans who haue not this sacred Booke and were without
warrand of their doing or comfort in their trouble And I wonder at many Châ—istians whoÌ„ God hath blessed with this Booke but they know not their blâ—ssing hereein they find more delight in other books thaÌ„ in this And some affect such Treatises as may be instrumeÌ„ts of their vncleannesse or ambition and trifling complementing Filthie and obscene Pamphlets are bought and reade more greedilie than this sacred VVryte But this is a discouerie of mens profane disposition It is a token of profannesse to loath Scripture but a note of true Grace to delight into it And of a growing grace to grow in that delight The happie man that walketh not in the way of the wicked nor standeth in the way of sinners nor sitteth in the seate of the scornefull commeth to all this blessednesse because his delight is in the Law of God and hee meditateth therein night and day Let good Christians choose our these Pearles while the Swine eat vp their husks It seasoneth the heart with an heauenly taste and inducth it with diuine pâ—operties If the Iewes did receiâ—e an odde temper of body and Spirite because of Manna shall wee not haue a greater excellencie by this heauenlie Manna and Iesus Christ in it If wee would be sure of the life of God in vs let vs continually drink in these heauenly Oracles The daylie seasoning of our Soules by holy Scripture keepeth in vs the vigour of that life and fostereth our Soule constantlie in a spirituall taste 66. The fearfull calamitie of Warres AS the Earth-quake to Earth so is VVarre to Mankinde a fearefull commotion The calamities of it destroyeth Ciuilitie Libertie Lawes Religigion and Humanitie it selfe It is a grieuous thing to see man made for the good of man so earnestly to destroy his neighbour and that with the hazard of himselfe For the desire of the life and blood of his Brother to be prodigal of his own And for the opinion of most manfull men to turne beastes voyd of humanitie in destroying their owne kynde and deuils in defacing the Image of God God commanded man to increase and multiplie but they turne it in diminishing of mankynde and make a craft of it to destroy one another I cannot thinke but mankinde mourne more to finde such rent in her bowels than the persons so disposed It is one worke but hath diuerse respects in it Some thereby ambitiously seeketh preferment some avaritiouslie hunt for gaine Others cruelly seeke the sythment of a reuengfull heart and others in that loosing of all order seeke a licence to all wickednesse But God both intendeth and worketh his good ends into it It is his Chirurgrie to draw some superfluous blood of mankynde And his discipline to such as are dissolute Doubtlesse God hath some as Cornelius warriours fearing God but it is as sure that many are voyde of the feare God they initiate themselues for warres in the Aile house and Bordell And so soone as as they are girded with the Souldiers girdle they loose themselues to all profannesse God disciplineth them with the Muscat Canon and Sword in the fielde who would neither abide the admonition nor censure of Pastors at home It is his ehastening of his Church she abuseth her peace in warring against him by sin therfore he maketh maÌ„ to war against her to bring her to repentance No warres are so cruell as these for Religion In ciuill jarres it is but as one Deuill smiting another the strokes will bee soft But heere Sathan is smiting the Light and the bearers of it and that with certaine victorie to Gods enemies so long as Gods quarell remaineth against his Church It is a parte of his processe against her and his enemies are a scourge in his hand therefore they must preuaile till his Church be sufficiently humbled Heere the case of the victor is worse than of these who are ouercome for the one are corrected in a wrath mixed with mercie but the other is imployed in that seruice in a simple wrath And while they are Gods instruments to punish the sinnes of his Church they are filling vp the cup of their owne sinnes that full vengeance may ouertake them It is our best not to fight against God in our peace and if hee bring warre on vs not to rest till wee bee at peace with him The rage of Warre is bounded if wee bee one with him hee will either giue vs our Soule for a prey or take vs to a better life All deaths are sanctified to the Elect and to die for Religion is a most glorious death Souldiers call it the bedde of honour to die in the battell though many of them bee dead in sinne but to die in the Lord is the bedde of honour indeede to lay downe our life for his cause who gaue it and to turne the naturall debt of Death in so glorious a sacrifice It is a token of Gods honourable accompt of vs to charge vs with such a seruice of his presence with vs in so triumphing a Grace and a pledge of the greatest degree of Glorie in Heauen 67. God seeth the heart THat GOD seeth the secretes of our heart is a point terrible to the wicked but joyfull to the godly The wicked are sorie that their heart is so open It is a boyling potte of all mischiefe a fornace and Forge-house for euill It grieueth them that man should heare and see their wordes and actions But what a terrour is this that their Iudge whom they hate seeth their thought If they could deny this they would But so many of them as are convinced and forced to acknowledge a God are shaken bee times with this also that hee is All-seeing Other proceed more summarlie and atonce deny a God-heade in their heart and so destroy this conscience of his All-knowledge But it is in vaine the more they harden their heart on this godlesse thought the more feare in them while they chock and charme their conscience that it crow not against them It checketh them with fore-sight of fearefull vengeance and for the present conuinceth them of the conscience of a God-head the more they preasse to suppresse it But the godly rejoyce heerein it is to them a rule to square their thoughtes there is no libertie of Thinking VVilling VVishing Affecting in the heart where that candle shineth all are framed as worthie of him and his sight whom they see seeing their heart This worke is all secrete and knowne of them alone in whom it is The stranger shall not meddle with the joye of that Soule It seeth GOD All-eye looking on it and layeth it selfe open both to see him and to bee seene of him And that not onely for to bee directed but to bee allowed The first is the warrand to doe The second is the seale that it is well done It is their comfort against man traducing their words and actions When man that seeth not their heart expoundeth them contrare to their heart they solace themselues in
to vs. There was neuer such a meeting neuer a more indigent begger than man nor a more liberall giuer than God If as wee are great beggers in pouertie so also in importunitie of suting we shall finde his fulnesse running ouer to our superaboundance and his All-sufficiencie turne our necessitie in sufficiencie It is helpfull in the nature of it in that it is good contrare to our euill and for the disposition of it in that it is liberall to communicate it selfe to our helpe But hee commeth nearer to vs in that hee hath made the fulnesse of his goodnesse to dwell in Christ that is neare to vs that is come to our nature All Grace is treasured in Christ our Head Beside this approching of Grace in him it is neare to our possession when as hee hath it so hee hath procurred by his merits the right of it to vs by his intercession obtaineth it by his dispensation distributeth it daylie Heere are groundes sufficient both for suting and confidence of obtaining I find him neuer more readie to giue than when I haue new receiued neither is my Soule more desirous to craue of him than when it is yet warmed with the sense of his mercie in his new receiued blessing Hee will neuer cease to giue till wee cease to craue perfection is his last gift and our greatest measure Wee neede no more nor can containe no more when once his bountie hath perfected vs in glorie 73. Good motions are of God WEE are not sufficient of our selues to thinke any good 2. Cor. 3. 5. As euery good gift so euer good motion commeth of God Heereby wee vnderstand not fleeing motions of his common and tâ—mporarie giftes but the constant worke of his indwelling Spirit who after our sealing by him abideth in vs That sealing is not so much in any motion as in himselfe for wee aâ—e scaled by the Spirit of promise for the day of Redemption as the earnest of our Inheritance Infused habits of Grace are his great work gift but they wil remaine habits still or rather decay and neuer produce actions without his operation His Spirit is free and worketh where he listeth and in them whom hee possesseth hee worketh not aye to their feeling but when he will His working as his Kingdome come not by obseruation The waters of Bethesda had their tyme of wholesome troubling and so the holie Spirit hath his owne dyet of powerfull operation Occasion may bee offered outwardlie but the inward power can not stirre it selfe without his hand who gaue it It is a great blessing to haue that vertue and power of infused Grace and good occasions and holy necessities in our callings are great prouocations but aboue all the holy Spirite dwelling in the heart is to bee sought when hee kythes himselfe small gifes will vtter themselues excellently according to their Nature When hee lurketh great Graces are on a sleepe they can neither moue themselues nor the Soule that hath them The Soule is the life of the body and giftes and Graces are the life of the Soule But the holy Spirit is the life of them all Both they and wee are dead without him But in his mightie operation we are quickned and that to our feeling So long as I find God in mine heart I am sure of a timous and fruitfull stirring vp of his gifts his owne worke assureth mee of his Presence and his presence perswadeth mee of his worke His time I leaue to himselfe who is as wise to choose the opportunitie as he is able to work the work If I grieue not the Spirit of promise and bee not lacking to his working I will finde tymous and powerfull operation in my necessitie Euery life hath its own naturall actions whereby it is both manifested discerned and so hath the life of God and it is a speciall worke of it to keepe it selfe in vs but to bee carelesse of it is a worke of the flesh and not of the Spirit 74. The right use of obseruing of our neighbours infirmities OBseruation is a Commentarie of euerie occurrent but that Commentar is written in the heart of the obseruer It is wisedome to obserue at all times but there is no necessitie to vtter all our obseruations to other There is as great wisedome in some cases to suppresse as to marke them If wee see God offended wee ought not then to be silent when wee see him dishonoured it is our part as louing Children to pleade zealouslie his cause and to admonish the offender according to our calling But if we obserue our self injured by meÌ„ it is better to misken that wrong and suppresse our owne obseruation Hee who trauelleth through a rough Forrest should not rubbe on euerie thorne and brier that will both rent his garments and flesh and stoppe him in the way Hee is more wise who draweth his garments hard to his body and shifteth the touch of thornes And if they fasten on him softlie freeth himselfe off them It is a safe course through this thornie world to haue no medling but necessar And then not to prouoâ—ke mens infirmities Or if they will rubbe vpon vs wisely to decline or passe them ouer Hee who carpeth at euery thing breedeth much needlesse and endlesse labour But he who passeth by tollerable things without challenge prouyded great peace to himselfe Obseruation is the eye that seeth these thornes Patience and Prudence are the two hands the one to decline them the other to loose them when they fasten in vs. This is not a politicke Dissembling but a Christian disgesting of wrongs The first is a craftie smoothering of anger which will arise to reueng at the owne occasion the second is a buriall of it neuer to reviue or bee remembred The worke of obseruation in it selfe is a good degree of wisedome but the right vse of it is greater wisedome If wee shall euer communicat all our remarkes to men wee could not haue peace in the world men are not so sanctified as to suffer themselues to bee challenged of that whereof they are guiltie Passions in their hearts when they are touched by obseruation are as Lyons in the denne and Serpents in their holes To shew that wee see them prouocketh a greater irritâ—tion It is better to let a Dogge sleepe than to waken him It is sufficient to know hee is a Dogge and wiselie to decline his barking and byting The particular directions of this point would bee many but this is the summe of all to make such vse of obseruation that GOD bee not dishonoured Our Neighbour be not offended Our peace with God our Neighbour and our selues bee not broken 75. Hardnesse of Heart DOubtlesse the heart is naturally hard and accidentallie soft as yron holden in the fire is hotte and soft but out of it turneth cold hard wheÌ„ God warmeth it with a spirituall motion and sense of his loue then it is soft as wax but atonce it becommeth as a stone
By day euen vnder spirituall exercise it stealeth it selfe away from sensiblenesse And in the night though wee close our eyes vnder a strong spiritual sense and softnesse yet in the morning wee shall finde it hard in our breast It can bee hardened not by Commission of euill onely but also by omission of good and that while wee are labouring to soften it Next to the pleasing of God I neuer found an harder taske than to keepe the heart in tendernesse There is no pleasure to the softnesse of it and no griefe to the felâ— hardnesse of it and yet when I grieue for that hardnesse I shal rejoyce if it were incurable it would bee vnfelt The Conscience of my endeuouring to flie sin giueth some comfort the vnspeakable griefe for the hardnesse of it mitigateth that griefe An heart fullie deserted of God and judiciallie hardened can neither feele that hardnesse nor grieue for it If I feare it and feele it I haue it not griefe for it is a softning and loosing of hardnesse Hee hath neede to dwell in his heart and in these thoughts continuallie who would keepe his heart in a tendernesse and affectuousnesse to God The best way to keepe hardnesse out of our heart is to intertaine an heauenly heat of Deuotion in it The Altar of God had alwayes the fire that came downe from heauen If wee keepe our heart vnder the sense of Gods loue to vs and the worke of our loue to him that warmnesse shall preserue our heart in that temper that God at no tyme shall want a sacrifice nor wee a comfort 76. Gods worship done as his worship MAny exercise themselues in the worke of Gods worshippe but not as his worship The Hypocrite doeth it to be seene of men and to purchase a name of pietie the Politicke to bee counted a professor and eschew the suspition of Atheisme And the Atheist himselfe to feede his curiositie It is a good worke in it selfe but to them who doe it with by respects it is sinne Their life doe proue how profanelie they act it they are neuer one whit better but goe on in their profannesse they obtaine the end that they intend and can sute no further Their ende is not edification in the Grace of God but other base respects the desire whereof cerieth them to the worke and in it they find their satisfaction further they looke not and finde not The end of Gods worshippe is our union with him to partake his forgiuing goodnesse in the pardon of sinne and his giuing goodnesse in all sauing Grace The forme of it is in giuing diuine homage honour to him But they minde none of these If they can purchase the name of zealous professors suters of Sermons though indeede they bee but naturallie or ciuillie disposed in all the worke and seekers of nouelties they haue all their desire But to doe the worke of Gods worshippe as his worship hath vnspeakable profite wee doe it so when the loue of God and his Grace allureth vs and the griefe of our miserie forceth vs to him when we preasse not to please men but God seeke not any base respect but his Glorie the rest comfort of our Soules in Christ Wee take time occasion place Texts all as Gods prouidence doth offer them to vs in all we seeke him find him rest on him We may both please men and our selfe and deceiue vs both therein in such by-respects Yet God will not bee deceiued what euer his secrete goodnesse worke in man yet no spirituall fruite is due to so fleshly a disposition 77. Gods stamppe in the Soule and Bodie GOD hath reserued the immediate search and knowledge of the heart to himselfe But so as hee hath left some indices for others to obserue it GODS Image is principally seated in the Soule yet it is not inclosed there but the body hath the owne part in it Election Iustification Sanctifiation pertaineth to both Soule Bâ—die though the soule be both more capable seÌ„sible of them Gods treasure of Grace in his owne is so laide vp in the Soule that it may bee seene in some measure in the body and that not onely as the Soules Instrument but as a Companion That fellowship in partaking Grace with the Soule doeth more affect the bodie than a naked Instrument The countenance conuoy of businesse gesture and wordes giue some notice how the heart is sette Though man by Education Letters Religion and Grace be subject to a change from his naturall disposition yet there is euer some Characteristicke thing in Nature to bee seene in euery one Hypocrisie the fittest visorne for deceat cannot hyde that from the discerning eye As the colour of people testifieth the soyle their language the Nation their accent of speach their Prouence as a Galilean from an Iew So euerie mans Character telleth his disposition hee must cast off himselfe before hee cast it off It is the Soules lineaments in the body words and deeds if wee find it wee haue found out the predominant both in its â—eate and chiefe instrument It is matter for our circumspectnesse to eschew mens euill and of our hope to look for their good What either good or euill can bee remarkable in them is marked by and tasteth of that stamppe It is good when the naturall Character is stamped with Grace when God reneweth me to his Image in righteousnesse and holinesse sure I am hee will make mee a signet on his arme and his heart when hee filleth all the heart with his Grace his Name will bee written in the forehead so that they who can may read Holinesse to the LORD Courtlie attendance giueth men a courtlie countenance And Sathans slaues by their deuilish consulting with him drawe on their face a sterne rasednesse the horrour of that vncleane Spirit deformeth his familiars And shall not the heauenlie familiaritie with God giue an holy impression to his daylie attendants Familiar conuersing with God made Moses face to shine The Soule is naturallie both affected with and affecteth the body with the things that it most loueth And what is more excellent or giueth stronger impression in it than God If wee come seldome to him we are but lightlie touched of him but if our Soules by continuall mynding of him bee sub-acted by these thoughtes and kned in them doubtlesse as our Spirit within so our body without shall giue some testimonies of a diuine disposition 78. Of great naturall Spirits I Saw neuer greater folie than in these named greatest naturall Spirits odde wits haue as odde gaddes no great ingyne without some mixture of madnes and their vyce oft-ten doeth equall or rather exceede their vertues No moderate thing can coÌ„tent them but al their worke is in excesse and that in the worst sense their end in intending their practise in plotting and they choose rather to hunt an vncertaine and imaginate contentment than to enjoye a certaine and present estate I doe
not so wonder at their course folie in judging it as at the world that counteth them great Spirits Alexanders Courtiers mocked Diogenes but hee in his Hodged was a greater Monarch than Alexander For he commanded Pride Ambition and Lust wherevnto Alexander was a slaue I will leaue reasoning with those Spirits till they come home to themselues They are not brought home usuallie but by some great calamitie and many not till their death Moderate Spirits proue best With little businesse they doe much and holding themselues within their reach they come softlie to their just and desired ends But the other take great libertie ouer their Spirites and States and outreach them both But Prouidence will not bee commanded of them It câ—osseth their desires and breaketh their purposes in shiuers What euer Spirit wee haue in naturall partes it is good to haue it sanctified our care shall be helped with heauenly prudence furthered by Gods prouidence These shall bring to our hand more than euer wee could dreame The supposed base Spirites of this holie temper doe infinitely exceede these falslie named great Spirits Their greatnesse is more in the worldes style than in the thing it selfe but the event will proue them great in miserie they are great only in humane things in mans account True greatnes is in true goodnesse It is a base and bastard greatnesse that is separate from goodnesse These two are infinitelie and joyntlie in God who is both Optimus Maximus thee Goodest and Greatest There is more true greatnesse in the meanest degree of sauing Grace than in all the humane greatnesse in the world How euer the world count of their owne greatnesse and of the basenesse of the godly yet the Saints are Gods excellent Ones on Earth Psal. 16. 3. 79. The worke of Conscience THE Conscience is the most wonderfull power in our Soule it is both a parte of it and a Partie in it a power created in vs by God set ouer vs with diuine authority An eye looking out on all and most on God and returning againe and reflecting on our selfe it hath in it atonce both a light to see God and to see him looking on vs The worke of it is 1. to direct vs in the right 2. to watch ouer vs in obedience of that direction 3. To witnesse how wee obey 4. To judge our obedience estate with God If wee obey to gladen vs with a sweete testimonie if wee disobey to grieue vs with a fearefull checke These offices are fruitefull but the last is the strength and force of the other There may bee Watching Direction and Witnessing and yet but slow and weake judging in it But when the conscience is brought to some odde exercise in that judging part the other offices are more conscientiouslie discharged After that exercise her watching is more particular her directing more forcible and her witnessing more sincere GOD vseth a great varietie in this exercise For the Measure some are more heauily pressed down in their sense to the lower Hell other more easilie passe that burning fire For Matter some tremble before that fire for supposed or small sinne where other are scarcely touched for grosse offences For Tyme some know it not to their middle or olde Age others are preuented by it in their Youth It is in it selfe a fruite of sin a processe of Gods justice a worke of the Law and a crosse of crosses when the Charter of our peace with God is turned in a bill of diuorcement from him And the ordinar applyer of our comfort applyeth nothing but wrath to vs Yet it bringeth foorth a glorious fruite in the Sainctes and the sooner wee bee schooled in it the greater fruite In our Youth it is a notable preparatioÌ„ for our effectuall Calling And when Grace is weake and corruption strong to breake foorth at euery occasion and Sathan busie to leade vs in all sinne it is then a great blessing to bee bridled by these terrors Thereby sinne is restrained and a way prepared both for obedience and sinceritie in it The Soule that hath beene burnt with that fire will neuer doe that which will kendle it againe Hee who hath seene an angrie God and beareth the markes of his anger dare not bourd with him Thereafter our Reading Hearing Thinking and all occasions are turned to a consciencious knoâ—â—edge and that knowledge is set on worke to keepe the peace and approbation of GOD and GOD in them both The sooner wee finde that Exercise wee are the sooner schooled for keeping our Conscience in walking with God There goeth nothing to oddes in our deedes or wordes or thoughts but all is called to the Touch-stone and tried how it may stand with the will of God and peace of our Conscience It is good for a man to beare the yoke of God from his youth Lament 3. 27. Hee who so judgeth himselfe daylie and keepeth himselfe cleane shall find at the last day a friendly Iudge a fauourable reckoning and the greater and sweeter Glorie by resenting his former terrours Though Heauen bee infinitelie pleasant in it selfe it shall bee the more pleasant to them who haue tasted the sorrowes of Hell in this life Happie is hee who is conscious of his owne Conscience and both setteth it to worke and reporteth the daylie fruite of that worke And more happie is hee who knowing the weaknesse of his Conscience suteth Gods presence to ouerrule his Conscience It is indeed our Watch but that watch hath neede of a better Watch-man and this is Gods Spirit who is that Conscience of consciences WheÌ„ our bodie waiteth on our Soule our Soule on our Conscience and our Conscience dependeth on God Then God by our Conscience will direct our Soule and Bodie in the good way and blesse vs with happie successe therein And in end eternallie sease on our Conscience Soule and Bodie with his full and perfect Ioyes 80. Tendernesse of Body a Blessing to the godly A Tender Body is an heauie burden yet it is profitable to the renewed man Health is Gods blessing in it selfe but sanctified infirmities bringeth health to the Soule Constant health in many is taken for a naturall gift as it is not sought of God so neither is it holden of him as his blessing nor vsed to his Glorie Their mindes doe neither mark the course of it with joy nor turne them to God for it It may seeme grieuous to bee night day perplexed with a weake body but the fruite of it is better than all these paines God giueth not health in a constant tenour but by partes hee tapes it so peece and peece that euerie houre he giueth vs both matter of prayer and praise When I finde daylie the sentence of death I haue dayly recouse to God for life and euerie deliuerie of euerie on-set is a new gift and taker of the life It is not sought for it selfe but for God that it may be imployed to his honour A godlie Soule
just matter of Ioy. I wish curious Spirits who neglect their owne calling as too narrow a taske for their large hearts and busie themselues on the by to take this cure of their corruption to heart Though they had the power of seuen Soules in one there is here matter of worke for all But in the godly it is a worke of Grace preuailing against Nature when they so curbe their corruptions that the first motions of it are choaked as the Cockatrick egges are broken before they bring out that serpent 91. The godlie heart hath both constant warre and certaine Peace THe heart in which God dwelleth hath both continuall Warre and Peace Warre with sinne both in others and in it selfe The world compasseth vs with euill and is sette on one of two workes either to infect vs or to injure vs. It allureth vs with the owne vanitie to be like it and if that succeed not it afflicteth vs and God moueth vs to renounce it and it cannot disgest that injurie at our hand it hath the owne peace in it selfe with its owne but the godly renouncers of it are noysome to it it hath no rest but in their separation or destructioâ—n As Grace in the godlie maketh them withdraw from the world so Satan in the world maketh it to cast them out God caÌ„not abide the wickednes of it His Spirit moueth them whom hee possesseth to please him aboue all heere are the grounds of perpetuall warring As though that were not enough our owne corruption within molesteth vs wee may shune the wickednesse of men but wee are neuer out of the grippes of our owne corruption and that as an aduersarie and on the worlds part Wee are no more bitterlie assaulted of the world than checked and vexed by our owne corruption for not following the world the outward world hath the owne inward extract in vs working vs to a conformitie to the owne paterne But all this warre troubleth not our Peace To bee so exercised is a just matter of peace vnspeakable God by his Grace guardeth vs from the worlds sin and by his prouidence secureth vs from their injurie And that same grace that maketh vs ouercome the world defeateth also our corruption When the inward euill is subdued the outward hath no strength against vs. The sense conscience of this batteling is our Peace It is better to endure the worlds violence in wronging vs than to bee like them in sinne And better to finde our corruption in a daylie stur than in a false calmnesse God is good to his owne who by such dealing both maketh them daylie to warre and yet keepe a solide Peace There can bee no greater joy to the godlie than to finde outward and inward corruption readie to destroy them and God deliuering them from both This is the shame of the outward and destruction of the inward corruption The glorie of God in both these works and our securitie in all The worlde thinketh that they vndoe the godlie by trouble but they worke them to their grace Their troubles chase them to God and God embraceth them louinglie who are troubled for his cause When Babes are affraied they cast themselues in the Armes and bosome of their mother Both these troubles are fortold and the blessing is promised As we feele the one wee shall finde the other In the world yee shall haue trouble but in me yee shall haue peace bee of good comfort for I haue ouercome the world Ioh. 16. 33. 92. Religious Religion IT is good to professe true Religion and to practise the exercise of it but the most part goe no further and so are voide of Religion it selfe and the fruits of it To stand on the outward worke of praying preaching praising c. is to offer the carcase of our seruice to God To worshippe God onely with our body is an irreligious worship our bodie may bee busie but they will neuer fasten vpon God in such a superficiall worke Hee is a Spirit and will bee worshipped in Spirit else none union with him When hee sendeth out his Vertue to our Soules and our Soules doe meete him answerablie that is inward Religion and our binding to him hee is most true wee trust in him Hee is most gracious good and mercifull wee loue him withall our heart Hee is moste powerfull wee feare to offend him and confide in his protection Hee is most wise wee quite our owne will and reuerence him Hee is most holy wee adore admire and imitate his holinesse It is a mocking of God if hee could bee mocked to professe an union with him and yet bee loose from him This Union is the end and Religion the way to it The end of Gods infusing of sauing Grace in vs is to bring vs to him and bind vs to him But he is pitifully selfe-deceiued who contenteth himselfe with a profession of Religion and neither knoweth nor careth for this Union Hee who is not fastened to God in this life shall haue no fellowshippe with him heereafter It is a religious Religion when wee become one Spirit with God in Christ. These and other points make vp our inward Religion God reuealing himselfe in his diuine properties our Soules affecting and adhering to him in their answerable powers this tyeth vs not onlie for the space wee are in the worke of his worshippe but by deth constantlie in vs The worke of Preaching or Praying or Praising doe end in their time but these inward baÌ„ds are neuer loosed This inward Religion doeth both set vs on worke and quickneth in vs the outward exercise of it There is more fruite of one houres seruice in such a disposition than in yeares businesse without it Hee who keepeth his heart vnder this religious disposition lacketh neuer a manifest object to worshippe nor a sacrifice to offer He is sensible of God and the verie mouing of his Soule in the Conscience and sense of these bands is a sacrifice most acceptable to God and profitable to himselfe The fleshlie minded doe wonder at the constant labour of the godly in Gods worshippe but if they knew these religious bands they would not wonder Naturall actions oft repeated bring habits and these become another Nature Shall not the work of Grace which hath both infused and acquired habits turne in a constant disposition This is not obtained in our beginning of Christianitie but after long labours in the Lord. The daylie tasting of his good nesse bringeth our heartes to such a temper that religious disposition turneth to bee our element for place and our dyet for refreshment It is our meat and drinke to conuerse with God and doe his will When God bringeth vs to this degree of continuall minding louing and delighting in him and to the sense of these religious bonds with him then our diuorce with the world and marriage with God are neere their perfection 93. Predominant vice and vertue COrruption is spred ouer the whole man and all in man there
prouidence wee would relieue our selues both of wearisome labour and disappointment following They spend our spirit more than serious thoughtes and their end is at the best repentance of that fruitlesse labour They are indeede but fansied errors yet they bring a reall hurt They bereaue vs of the vse and comfort of our present lotte vpon the imagination of a better and so at once worke a double discontent One present in not resting on our present Lotte Another to come in counting our Lotte as a losse in respect of that other Lotte which we fansied to our selfe He who taketh libertie to desire much and then deuoureth that large desire by as large an hope will neuer rest content with his present Lotte though it were too good for him Hee hath escaped the tyrannie of fansie who is full of Trueth and Humilitie Hee seeketh nothing but true good and hath drawne the portrate of true happinesse in God that his fantasies can no more abuse him His minde cannot fansie so much seeming or conceated good as hee findeth true good in himselfe alreadie by the Grace of GOD To bee a Childe of GOD an heire of Heauen and a fellow-heire with Christ is more than all the forged birth of out-racked fansies of earthlie things They may breake in and scanne some odde excellencies for him but at once he dasheth out these lines Hee resteth so on God and the worke of his Spirit that fantasies are choaked in their beginning Whom haue I in Heauen but Thee and and on Earth I haue desired none with Thee Psal. 73. 95. The Christians refuge WEe liue in a dangerous tyme the full measure of former sinnes and the rypenesse of Gods wrath maketh euery houre a time for calamities Craft and policie in Sathan wickednesse in the world and nothing in vs but weakenesse to resist them driueth vs all to a necessitie of refuge The most part put the euill day farre from them and are surprysed by it they are nearest to it who put it farrest away Other prouide for it but doe it amisse They runne to the bruised reede of Egypt and not to the Lord of Hostes. It is indeede a tempting of God to neglect lawfull meanes but it is a forsaking of him to trust in them There is no sure refuge in the day of trouble but vnder the shaddow of the Almightie Psal. 91. 1. Many seeke suretie for their goods and life but neglect their Soule If the Soule bee well secured all the rest shall bee disponed off by a mercifull prouidence It is foolishnesse to guard them and leaue the heart guardlesse if it bee chocked with feares what comfort haue wee in the saftie of these thinges Wee will haue no comfort but rather griefe of them vnder such astonishment The more the heart goe out to outward thinges it is drawen the more from it selfe and from God and more guardlesse than if it had no guard at all As necessities try our disposition so danger discouereth our refuge because we are readie to deceiue our selues with conceate of confidence in God alone Therefore GOD sendeth oft-times trouble to try our heartes Rumours of trouble are as the Hunters horne and the trouble it selfe as the noise of Dogs in the Forrest What euer wee runne to in our danger that is our refuge The Soule that hath God for a refuge runneth the first way to him and abideth in him This is our best at all times to dwell in God and finde him dwelling in vs If we bee in his secret wee shall bee secured hee shall deliuer vs from outward troubles and inward feares God is our guard and the peace of a good Conscience is our lurking vnder his shaddow Though all turne vp-side downe Ps. 46. 2. yet he will giue rest to his beloued Ps. 127. 2. I know whom I haue beleeued and am perswaded that hee will deliuer that to mee which I haue committed to him 2. Tim. 1. Hee is a faithfull dispositar will restore it better than it was committed we committed to him a fraile and a mortall body and an infirme Spirite but he shall render it to vs a perfect glorious Soule and body 96. Mankinds threefold degree MAnkind is one spece of Creature but Gods wisedome hath disposed them with three considerable degrees The first in naturall gifts and abilities and so euerie man hath his owne naturall and humane priuiledges as gifts of bodie of mind and of estate The second is ciuill and so euery man hath his particular calling Some are as the Head in this Body as Kings And other as the Breast some as the Hand and Feete of this great Bodie The third is spirituall whereby man is the mysticall Body of Christ wherein some are as the eyes directing as Pastours Some the other parts of this Bodie according to their spirituall gifts It is both profitable and comfortable to take vp this triple respect Euerie man hath some place in euery of them God hath so disposed that diuersities of gifts callings and graces serue all to make vp a comelie proportion and so a beautie in mankind in euerie respect all naturall gifts though diuerse in kinds and degree make vp a comelie beautie in the first respect All callings from the King to the grinder at the Mill haue in their varietie and diuersitie a comelie ciuill beautie euery one filling his own place and looking to other with the respects both of necessitie and helpe As the meanest calling hath neede of the greater so it helpeth it againe in some necessitie And all spirituall gifts in Christ make vp the heauenly proportion of Christs mysticall Body Though mankind bee the subject of this wise ranking yet the most part of men consider it not They see no more in man than Soule and a Body and outward respects in prosperitie or aduersity Their sight is so short that they neither see these diuerse degrees nor the Harmonie which is among them all Euery one answering another and all making vp that beautie Their thoughts heerein are grosse and confused and their carriage is all for confusion They disturbe the order established of God and deface the beautie that commeth of it And so defraude other and themselues of that fruite that God offereth in the wise ranking of mankind But there is some in-equalitie in them for naturall giftes are sufficient Furniture for the ciuill callinges but both the naturall and ciuill giftes doe not so rule the spirituall calling God in things naturall hath a more presse course to lay callinges on men as they are naturally gifted But in Christianitie his worke is more free therein both the gift and their place in Christ goe together and they haue no ground nor reason from man but onelie Gods most free disposing Consider your calling not manie mightie not many noble according to the flesh are called 1. Cor. 1. The beste fruite of this consideration is to know our place in all these three respects and to vse it to the
good of mankinde To bee thankfull to God who hath so many wayes blessed vs and so wee shall bee most respectiue to our selfe and others in all these respects As this third is more excellent than the other two so is it the right disposer of them God craueth of these lower respects that all returne to him but the most part sticke on themselues and forget God But this is the blessing of Christianitie that it maketh vs worthily to carie our selfe both in our naturall and ciuill place in mankind 67. Mans threefold Perfection GOD hath disgested mankinde in three seuerall rankes but therewith hee giueth three sorts of Perfection indifferentlie to all rankes And what euer bee our place in nature in ciuilitie and Christianitie yet these attend them The first is naturall and that is Reason which perfecteth man as man The second acquired and is Learning a perfection to Reason and a lifting vp of man aboue himselfe The third is diuine and that is the Grace of Christ and true sanctification the perfection of both these Perfections Reason is a sort of ground to the other two a solide wit is a good substance both for Learning and Grace Reason enableth the Soule fundamentallie making it capable of good Learning enableth it accessorielie and artificiallie what euer bee our naturall gifts or ciuill calling wee are the more enabled for them by Learning so a King gouerneth more wisely the Pastour teacheth the word of God more skilfullie the Lawer pleadeth more pertinently And the meanest Callings are done more dexterouslie by Learning But Grace enableth vs in both the other with a transcendent perfection the former two may bee in Reprobates and though good in themselues yet hurtfull to the possessour his neighbour Great wit without Learning is a good knife without a whetstone learning without solide judgement is as the edge of glasse it is sharpe but in brittle mettell wit and Learning without Grace are a bodie without a Soule a carcase of perfection and a sharpe sword in the hand of a mad maÌ„ They serue to deuise defend euil so to destroy the possessors Grace is merelie transcendent among the blessings of God it translateth from Nature and maketh vs partakers of the Diuine Nature 2. Pet. 1. Reason doth not so farre exalt man aboue beasts or letters the learned aboue the vnlearned as Grace doeth the sanctified man aboue them both These other differences may bee counted but this of Grace is as farre aboue them as heauen aboue the earth Happie is the man whom God hath blessed with sound Vnderstanding light of Learning and life of Grace All these three Perfections doe meete together and rest in him to his compleete perfection All these deserue great respect but not all alike And there is a great mistaking of many heerein Grace is incomparablie the most excellent and most to bee sought yet least respected of many It is counted a common and base thing but the other are admired for their supposed excellencie yea riches honour and the baggage of the world are counted more excellent and sought more than they all The world euer loueth that which is like it selfe and misliketh true Grace But hee who hath the Grace of GOD surpasseth the Wretch the Ambitious and the accomplished man in Nature and Arte And is exalted to a degree of Angelike perfection The first two may bee in olde Adams corruption but the third is our partaking of the second Adam 98. Prouidence is particular to the Saincts ALl things are subject to Prouidence this is the godly mans priueledge that hee is both sensible and conscious of it Grace in him maketh these fruitfull Obseruations and then disposeth him with Loue and dependance on God who sweyeth it so sweetly to his good Many blessings it bringeth to vs we know not how Many are our seene dangers and our dangers vnseene by manie millions exceede them but God by his mercifull Prouidence deliuereth vs out of them all Though wee see not Sathan yet at euery moment hee would swallow vs vp if God defended vs not He either with-holdeth occasions of euil that they come not or if they come hee restraineth their worke that they hurt vs not It is impossible to see all the goodnes of his Prouidence to vs but hee acquainteth vs with some of them that wee may see his goodnesse in the rest The particular respect of Prouidence to the godlie may bee seene in two speciall thinges In the furthering of our designes and in the crossing of them for the furtherance how doeth God tell vs that hee watcheth for vs Wee haue possiblie some businesse in hand and haue necessitie of some persons and occasions and circumstances and with all wee are perplexed how these thinges shall bee brought together God bringeth them to our hand wee goe out full of desires and as full of solicitude how to satisfie them And hee maketh men tyme and occasion to tryst so together that our desires are satisfieth and our expectation ouercome Oft-times at the going out of our doores wee encounter with men and occasion longed for and desired that our verie imaginations could not deuise better opportunitie for our adoes This commeth neither of our desert nor our disposing but of Gods mercie wyâ—ding and turning all about to their good who depend on him It is his will who ruleth the world and hath the wayes of all creatures in his hand to dispose times wayes and all so as may best fitte their desires who are at peace with him The crossing of our designes haue no lesse proofe of his Fatherlie care how oft doe wee fret in our selfe and chyde men for their neglects that bring disappointment to our designes and yet if wee can haue patience for a time wee shall finde that disappointment to our greater contentment Hee blesseth vs in a meanes and way knowne to himselfe seuenfold more than if our first desire had beene accomplished No hee turneth our chyding off men vpon our selfe and our miscontentment for the first disappointment in a thankesgiuing that wee were disappointed If wee could at such crossings rest on God and perswade vs it is for a better in that same point wherein wee are crossed wee should finde in end our expectation were the worke of his owne Grace Scarcelie shall a day goe ouer without some occasion of this Obseruation If wee marke it not wee are vngrate to so particular and gratious Prouidence If we marke it aright as furtherences shall giue vs contentment so these disappointments shall giue vs patience till a double contentment come 99. The sight of a new and a better World in this olde bad one â—EE are called vnto and doe professe a Pilgramage in this world but how few doe either vnderstand or practise it Some professe a contempt of it and yet oft-times are courting its applause by that contempt He is as well a slaue of the world who thirsteth her applause as he who courteth her
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