death are equally as vncertayne to man as is the Houre the Day the Weeke the Moneth the Yeere of Christs comming to Iudgement which that he will come is as certaine as death but as touching the time of the cōsummation of al things Christ as hee was man confessed he knew not the time yet was no earthly thing hid from him no not the thoughts of men But that Day is concealed in the generall as the houre of mans death in particular only to make vs and to keepe vs in such a continuall obedience as if death should suddenly steale vpon vs we may be readie to imbrace him in what manner soeuer hee should execute his seuerity vpon vs. Whereby I learne that as I tender mine own safetie So I should prepare me for that and to that which come it sooner or later cannot be auoyded It is then the principall point of diuine Wisdome to learne and to practize to liue well for without a godly life I cannot willingly and comfortably imbrace death which can neuer bee euill if a good life haue gone before As I shall dye so shall I rise If I dye iustified I shall rise to be glorified To liue well as some account it wealthily is not well And to dye rich is not to dye righteous for so should the rich Glutton haue beene carryed into Abrahams bosome with or before poore Lazarus The cōdition of worldlings no doubt is glorious were it good pleasant were it truly profitable It is high in conceit but not as it is taken true happinesse It is no higher then the Eye can see It consisteth but of the Earth and earthly things The Swine thinkes his condition happie yet only noozels in the Earth for Apples and Acornes neuer looking to the Tree from whence they fall So doe Worldlings wallow in all carnall care how to become great and glorious in this life seldome or neuer looking vp with the Eye of Faith to him from whom and from none else commeth the riches that maketh a man blessedly happie Contrarie is the condition of the Childe of God who loues God in feare and feares him in loue accepting euery smal gift as a great measure of his bountie resting content with whatsoeuer God will vouchsafe to bestow on him liuing in the world but dead to the World following with diligence and truth his Vocation be it neuer so base and contemptible receiuing with thankefulnesse to GOD whatsoeuer he enioyeth in this life not setting his affection vpon that which the World loueth but affecteth whatsoeuer hee hath for his sake that giues it hauing the Eye of his sanctified Soule alwayes and in all things in prosperity in aduersity in health in sicknesse in peace and persecution in fulnesse and in want and is alwayes conuersant as it were in Heauen desiring to bee dissolued to bee with Christ. These are the pleasures of that life that precedes a happie death My desire therefore and continuall indeuour shall be to learne and my care to practize the life and conuersation of a liuely Christian in continuall filiall obedience not after the flesh in shew only but after the Spirit in Truth not for the bodie only as doth the beast that perisheth but for the Soule which being safe the bodie cannot finally perish and safe I cannot bee in soule or bodie vnlesse I liue in Christ and Christ in me for I now find that as long as I liued without Christ I did but liue in shew as the Angell of Sardis who had the name to liue but yet was dead so I though I liued and breathed and had a naturall being yet was I dead spiritually without him as the wanton Widdow that was dead while she liued But by the Spirit of Christ I am now againe made aliue desiring to liue in him hee is life in deed to walke in him hee is the true way indeed and to beleeue in him he is truth in deed My former learning to liue was in carnall libertie which I now finde to bee but foolishnesse falshood and deceit I now seeke to learne to liue according vnto Christ though late though it bee the very euening of my day being called vnto and if I doe perseuere in my labour according vnto my dutie I doubt not but to receiue my penny as well as if I had carryed the burden of the whole day of my life for he that calleth me into his Vineyard is truly bountifull and respecteth not the quantitie but the qualitie of my worke not how much I doe but how well and willingly I doe it for he rewards none for merit but in mercie And now finding my selfe to be not only in the way but neere vnto the end of my day I desire so to finish it as I may liue in him vnto the end that is life eternall that as he is eternall I beginning here to liue in him I may liue eternally with him in Heauen after this death And therefore I doe heartily abhorre the life that I haue led with-out him desiring now a right preparation so to lay downe this mortall bodie as it may bee taken vp and raysed by the vertue of Christs Resurrection at the comming of him in the Cloudes and in the meane season I desire so to walke in my spirituall part as in his time also hee may againe receiue it that gaue it for I know that if my earthly house be destroyed I haue a building of God an house not made with hands but eternall in the Heauens And through the mercy of God in Christ I shall then remayne for euer in Abrahams bosome the Paradise of God a new and spirituall Ierusalem I confesse I ground not mine assurance of my future blessednesse vpon any worthinesse or merite of mine owne whose merits I acknowledge Gods mercies Therefore being dissolued I beleeue not that the Prayers of friends or mediation of Saints or Angels or any Missall Sacrifice after my soule hath left my bodie can auayle me any thing But doe contrarily beleeue Post-Prayers to bee meerely fruitlesse if not sinfull the intercessions of Saints or Angels to be needlesse if not fabulous I only relye vpon the Al-sufficient Sacrifice of the bloud of Iesus Christ shed vpon the Crosse for me and his merit and mediation to bee mine onely atonement with God for my sinnes being liuing and through his power my soule to bee transported to glorie my bodie being dead from whence neither sinne nor Satan principalities nor powers shall be able to remoue mee nor to take mee out of my Redeemers hands Glory therefore bee vnto God in Iesus Christ who hath deliuered mee from the power of Satan Death and Hell This mine assurance giueth mee peace in Christ yet doe I withall feele another law within mee stirring mee vp or rather casting mee downe into sundry corrupt motions tending to sinne and did not God assist me with
meanes as by the ayre wherein I breathe and moue and by foode which nourisheth bloud the vitall spirits and outward members visible to men yet in the same house of clay there is a spirituall and an inuisible life which is nourished in a more diuine manner not by bread that perisheth but by the word of God which worketh faith the life of the soule which feedeth on things that are aboue and not on things of the earth And therefore doth the Spirit of God for instruction lay downe before the sonnes of men the fruits both of the one and of the other of the flesh and of the spirit which are contrary one to the other to shewe what bitter fiuits proceede of the flesh to moue man to flie them and the sweet fruits of the Spirit to allure vs to follow them The fruits of the flesh saith Saint PAVL are manifest meaning indeed too common which are Adultery Fornication Uncleannesse Wantonnesse Idolatry Witchcraft Hatred Debate Emulations Wrath Contentions Seditions Heresies Enuie Murder Drunkennesse Gluttony and such like affirming also that they that do such things shall not inherit the Kingdome of heauen A fearefull conclusion against those onely that with delight cōmit them for that they are so contrarie to the Law of the Spirit which produceth Loue Ioy Peace Long suffering Gentlenesse Goodnesse Faith Meekenesse Temperance against such there is no Law But here ariseth and I doe apprehend a fearefull fallacie to lye hidden in the performance of these spirituall workes for as I may flatter my selfe to bee spirituall and yet be more carnall so may I censure a man carnall that is more spirituall for the performance of these spirituall works as it were literally and in outward shew is meere carnalitie ostentation tending to Pharisaicall glorie better fruits proceede not from mee by nature then to seem what indeed I am not sincere and pure religious holy counterfaiting the workes of the Spirit by a kinde of outward imitation of men indeede truely sanctified And aboue all other sins this which is hypocrisie is most to be condemned for that it deceiues not onely other men but the counterfeit himselfe But being indeede endued with the quickning Spirit which causeth me to die vnto the world and the vaine-glorie thereof then shall I inwardly and spiritually liue vnto God and the works that I shall doe shall witnesse vnto men that I dissemble not with God yet when I finde my selfe most and best inclined to spirituall actions I finde and feele againe and againe the buffets of my corrupt nature wresting mee to the contrarie what shall I then say doe I good because I will doe good and doe I not euill because I will not do euill nothing lesse for my will is no further free to do that which is good then it is made free by the grace of God And againe my will is so farre prone to euil by how much I am not preuented by grace To euery good worke God giues the will and the deed and euill is alwaies present with mee Therefore I in part desire and in part feare to die yet I must die Forasmuch therefore as I know I shal die and that the way to die well is first to liue well which is not in my owne power I must seeke the meanes of God and therefore it behoueth me to be much conuersant in his Word wherein the way is described and the meanes prescribed and yet not vnderstood by naturall wisedome but by the Spirit of God which reueileth the same therefore ought I to aske wisedome of him that is wisedome it selfe who willeth me to aske and I shall receiue wisedome to seeke and I shall find grace to knocke and hee will open the dore of diuine knowledge how to walke in the way of a godly life the true and perfect preparation to a happy death and this death is the gate of eternall life To aske seeke knock importeth prayer and prayer an inward heartie desire to obtayne that at the hands of God which I by no other means can obtayne and this by a feruent firme and constant assurance that GOD to whom I pray will grant my request in the merits mediation of his Sonne so that I neede not doubt but that if I aske spirituall things spiritually and wauer not in my Faith I shall obtayne grace so to walke in this life as I shall not fear to die but with cheerfull alacritie imbrace it when it offers it selfe vnto me therefore will I open my mouth vnto him that hath promised to fill it I will addresse my heart to him that can and will direct it and so present my prayers before his mercies Seate prostrate vpon the knees of mine vnfayned heart and he will heare me and saue me A Prayer for a godly life and a happy death The Prayer O Gracions and most louing Lord God in Jesus Christ the fountaine of Life and the Disposer of the same by death how where or when it shall best please thee euer for the best to them that loue thy name I cannot but confesse and acknowledge that death cannot but be fearefull if a godly life go not before O what a terrour therefore befals me O Lord through the consideration and calling to mind the former course of my most corrupt and sinfull life How can I but feare to be dissolued when I thinke of and call thy iudgements into my minde and that hell and destruction attends the death of the wicked but the righteous shall be glad in thee and trust in thee and all the vpright in heart shall reioyce to whome death shall bée great aduantage Let it therefore please thée O my most gracious God and louing Father to remember thy mercies and in the multitude of them put away cleanse me of all my sinnes and so reforme me that hence-forth I may walke before thee and be vpright I am a man void of counsell neither is there any vnderstanding in me I am not sufficient of my selfe so much as to think a good thought but my sufficiencie is of thee Therefore teach mee thy way O Lord that I may hence-forth walke in thy truth Knit my heart vnto thee that I may feare thy name make my heart vpright in thy Statutes for thou Lord hast pleasure in righteousnesse and hée is blessed in whose heart are thy wayes Graunt therefore gracious Lord that according to the riches of thy grace I may be strengthened by the Spirit of the inward Man that CHRIST may dwel in my heart by faith and so my whole spirit soule and bodie may bee kept blamelesse to the cōming of the Lord Iesus And if I haue found fauour in thy sight shew me thy way that I may know thée and may walk from henceforth all the dayes of my life in a sincere sanctified conuersation and take away the vaile wherewith my mind is couered that I
that God vnderstands it and there is no man but vpon true serious examination of his owne peraduenture slumbering conscience but shall finde matter enough to prouoke God to anger wherein hee may though in loue stir vp some Shemei a Iudas a Cain to raile on you to betray you to robbe or to wound you to death all to rowse you out of your securitie wherein the best man sometimes slumbers as Dauid did cannot be awaked vnlesse GOD send some seuere messenger to tell you that thou art the man Seeing therefore yee shal be subiect and that of necessitie to so many dangerous enemies it behoues you euer to looke about you and to haue an eye euen to heauen while ye liue in the earth remember how watchfully ye ought to liue ouer your owne wayes and what manner people yee are to shew your selues in holy and heauenly conuersation preparing your selues before-hand for any of these things that when they come yee knowing wherefore and by whom they are sent may make true vse of them and in the meane time to walke so much the more warily watchfully and soberly An vnwise man knoweth not this and a foole vnderstands it not but if yee haue learned or will learne and practise it aright ye shall be happy in the worlds vnhappinesse If yee bee ignorant looke into and search the Word of God heare it reade it lay it vp in your hearts make true vse of it leaue off to sinne and liue righteously if ye haue sinned sinne no more The Lord is full of compassion slow to anger and of great kindnes and truth Hee will forgiue all your sinnes and heale you of all your infirmities It is hee that hath redeemed you by the precious bloud of his owne only Sonne And if you beleeue in him and obey him he will finally crowne you with mercie and louing kindnesse and shall from time to time fill you full of euery good thing feare him and loue him and then bee afraid of no mortall creature for if God be on your side who can be against you If yee continue vnto the end ye shall assuredly bee saued Therefore I say grudge not though ye bee left behind me poore and much destitute of the superfluous things of this world God is your portion in whom yee haue a farre greater treasure then the world can yeeld you If I could haue left you riches in aboundance yee had beene indeede neuer truely the better but in coÌ„mon reputation which is as variable as are vncertaine riches being left poore yee are neuer the worse but in opinion which many times allowes of the worst condemnes the better it is the vertue of your minde that shines within that is allowed of God and giues light vnto men without PART X. Ignorance a shame for men or women of yeeres TO teach you now the Principles of true Religion in this Exhortation were to argue your ignorance and your ignorance your shame and mine yee are not Infants who are to bee otherwise taught then I hope you haue need yee haue Moses and the Prophets ye haue Christ and his Gospell yee haue the comfort of the Apostles yee liue in a time wherein God haue the prayse yee may freely reade ye may freely heare as freely practise what yee learne they teach you spirituall knowledge and the way of saluation Endeuour to learne pray for the Spirit in the Spirit without the Spirit yee cannot pray and that Spirit is the gift of God which prayeth in you and hee that giues you the Spirit to pray will also giue you knowledge for what to pray and how to liue he will fill you with Diuine vnderstanding and will make you wise in all heauenly knowledge and shew you the same through good workes in a godly conuersation before men in faith glorifying God So in what manner soeuer ye passe your dayes whether in prosperitie or aduersitie ye shall be blessed for it is not the outward appearance that approoueth or disprooueth man as glorie or basenesse but a holy or prophane life Christs owne Apostles suffered hunger cold nakednesse wants and persecutions Lazarus sores and extreme pouertie Iob deepest afflictions Ioseph slander and wrongfull imprisonmeÌ„t Were they the worse no but so much the more approoued the children of the most highest and farre the more noble And these Examples doth the Spirit of Truth recommend vnto you for your imitation that yee should follow them in their Vertues Faith Patience and Integritie If therefore it fall out that yee lose that little yee haue say with Iob Naked I came into the World and naked must I returne blessed be the Name of the Lord. If yee bee slandered remember the wordes of our Sauiour Cursed are they of whom all men speake well therefore Reioyce and bee glad when men speake euill of you for wel-doing If it come to passe that ye be banished froÌ„ your owne natiue countrie and friends for the Truths sake and to trauaile from place to place for succour remember that yee haue heere no continuing Citie but ye seeke one to come If ye haue neither house nor home remember that Christ our Sauiour had no house to put his head in If yee fall into sicknesse or any infirmitie of body limbes or senses remember that though your outward man perish your inner man shall bee renewed daily for God is your Father and the rocke of your saluation he will increase his Graces towardes you euen towardes you and your children PART XI A guiltie Conscience for a most grieuous affliction and the remedie TO come now to the most grieuous things that can befall you in this life namely the committing of such sinnes as doe oppresse your consciences and which doe cast downe your soules as it were into despaire thinke with your selues and beleeue that your Father whom ye haue offended is mercifull and that ye haue a most louing and most preuailing Mediator with him euen Iesus Christ the righteous who is a propitiation for your sinnes in and through whom although God be angrie with Sinners hee becomes a most louing and kinde Father to them that are truely sorrie for their sinnes and intend to lead a new life Hee is the Father of Mercies and God of all Consolation long suffering and patient great in Mercie and Goodnesse He forgiâ—eth the iniquitie of his people and couereth all their sinnes He withdraweth all his anger and turneth from the fiercenesse of his wrath and his Saluation is neere to them that feare him Forsake and bewaile your sinnes and cleaue againe vnto Righteousnes turne vnto him in Faith then shall hee clense your hearts and the bloud of Iesus Christ shall wash you from all your sinnes hee shall deliuer your soules from death your eyes from teares and your feet from falling He hath promised to be your Father whom although of weaknes not of presumption yee