nature hee was made like vnto vs in all things sinne onely excepted so likewise are Christians regenerate by his Spirit cleansed from sinne in his bloud that they being the body may not be vnlike the head but as the true husband and wife may both be but one flesh and of like nature and condition Christ washeth his Children whom he will ioyne and section 8 couple to himselfe from their sinnes first by his bloudshed vpon the Crosse hauing vndoubtedly obtayned of his Father remission and forgiuenesse of the same Sanctifying them vnto himselfe by imputing vnto them and communicating with them his owne righteousnesse and holinesse Secondly by the washing of the new birth hee sanctifieth them with reall and true holinesse making them holy indeed As for reliques of sin remaining partly hee doth not impute them and partly taketh away daily more and more till at length they be presented as his glorious Spouse in the kingdome of heauen without spot and wrinckle And as Adam acknowledged and tooke no other to be his wife then her that was taken and made of his owne ribbe no more doth Christ receiue any other to be of his Church but those that are taken out of his side vpon the Crosse that is who are washed from their sinnes in his bloud who are made new and regenerate by his Spirit By order of nature regeneration and renewing of the heart is first begunne in man by the holy Ghost before hee can haue a true and liuely faith which after is more and more perfected by the encrease of the Spirit for what power hath a dead man to doe the workes of life but truely to beleeue in Christ is a worke of life The whole person of the Sonne of God tooke into the section 9 vnitie of himselfe whole man that is to say the whole humane nature not flesh alone nor the soule alone but both together Therefore when Christ is vnited to euery faithfull man the whole is vnited to the whole whole Christ to the whole faithfull man So that Christ is not the head and Sauiour to the Church according to his diuine nature alone nor onely according to his humane soule and body but whole Christ in his God-head in his soule and in his flesh is our head and Sauiour Neyther is the soule alone of the faithfull or the body alone saued by Christ but both together that is to say the whole faithfull man And no man is made partaker of saluation but by the vnion and coniunction which hee hath with Christ Wherefore in this spirituall vnion whole Christ is coupled with whole man A mystery vnspeakable yet I say to be beleeued that God cloathed in the flesh should come downe to man and become man that man might be exalted into the highest heauens and that our nature might be taken into the fellowship of the Deity that hee to whom all Powers in heauen bowe and thinke it their honour to be seruiceable should come downe to be a seruant to his slaues a ransome for his enemies together with our nature taking vp our infirmities and shame and bearing our sinnes without sinne God offered peace to man the holy seekes to the vniust the Potter to the clay the King to the traitor section 10 Christ hauing taken mans nature vpon him not Angels and glorifying it with the roabe of his holy Resurrection and Immortalitie hath exalted the same aboue all Heauens Angels and Thrones and placed it at Gods right hand And since euery one of the faithfull hath a portion of flesh in the body of Iesus Christ therefore where a piece of my flesh is saith Augustine there I trust to raigne where my flesh is glorified I know I shall be glorious and where my flesh doth rule there I looke to haue dominion and although I am yet a sinner yet I doubt not of this participation of grace Although my sinnes yet doe hinder mee yet my substance doth require it and although my offences for a time doe exclude mee yet the communion of nature will not repell mee section 11 As by the flesh of Adam corrupted Sinne and Death spread ouer all so by the flesh of Christ sanctified and vnited to the eternall God-head Righteousnesse and Life is communicated vnto vs. The flesh of Christ is the Arke wherein dwelleth all the fulnesse of the God-head corporally by that and from that are all heauenly good things conueyed vnto vs It is the instrument of the God-head yet so onely being taken and ioyned inseparably into the vnitie of the person The God-head of Christ is as a fountaine whence all good things as Life and Saluation doe flow but his flesh and his humanitie is as it were the channell and conduit-pipe by which all these good things doe come vnto vs. Which conduit of his flesh vnlesse we apprehend and be vnited thereunto wee cannot possibly partake of the waters of Gods graces flowing from the fountaine By his flesh hee hath prepared a way for vs to heauen to attaine vnto life hauing rendred in the same most perfect obedience vnto God for vs and by his death fully satisfied for our sinnes and through the remission thereof giuen righteousnesse and by righteousnesse the grace and fauour of God and by grace life that in assurance we may present our selues before the throne of God Wee must goe to Iesus Christ that is God by Iesus section 12 Christ that is man by the Word which was made to the Word which was in the beginning with God and by the bread which men eate vnto the meate which Angels eate As Iacob came in Esaus garment to get Isaacks blessing and as the high Priest neuer appeared without his holy garments and Ephod in the Sanctuary of God so if we will be accepted and receiued of God wee must not present our selues but in the royall roabes of Christs righteousnesse Christ in our flesh hath beene raysed from the dead and in our nature hath ascended into heauen that faithfull man in his person might be crowned with glory and honour Hee hath carryed our flesh into the presence of God his Father and it is no more possible to take this glory from vs as many as be one with him then it is possible to pull away againe his personall humanitie from the person of his God-head And as no man ascendeth vnto God and is vnited vnto section 13 him but by Christ the Mediator and that by his flesh so God also doth communicate nothing with vs but by the same Mediator and that by his flesh The reason is because euen in his flesh our Redemption was wrought Sinne destroyed the Diuell vanquished Death ouercome and eternall Life obtayned And although our whole saluation and life doe depend on the fulnesse of the God-head which is in Christ yet it is not communicated vnto vs but in the flesh and by the flesh of Christ Therefore saith
section 5 Yet as waxe is more apt to receiue an impression then clay so the soule being a Spirit commeth nearest to Gods nature For first the very substance of Adams soule did most liuely shadow out the diuine Essence not onely in the simplicitie inuisiblenesse and immortalitie thereof but also in that power which it enioyed to know and will And as God is but one in the world quickning sustaining and gouerning the same so there is but one soule in the body which being whole in euery part thereof without augmentation or diminution giueth vnto it both life sense and motion Further the soule is like vnto God in the faculties of the same For as there is but one onely diuine Essence in the Godhead and yet three distinct persons in respect of their externall actions so the soule is but one howsoeuer it consisteth of sundry essentiall qualities This Image of God in man consisted especially in the section 6 rule and dominion of the Creatures Let vs make man saith God in our owne image that hee may rule the fowles of the ayre fish of the sea beasts of the earth Now to rule well is required Knowledge Memorie Will Vnderstanding and Iudgement which are essentiall in God and proper to our soules Man had not onely giuen vnto him of God power and abilitie to vnderstand diuine and humane things but was endued with other heauenly qualities as Iustice Wisedome Temperance Mercy Loue c. Gods Image in man is righteousnesse holinesse and knowledge Be renued saith the Apostle in the spirit of your minde and put on the new man which after the Image of God is created vnto righteousnesse and true holinesse Whose qualities are necessarily inferred by the contrary attributed to the olde man where truth is opposed against lying Christian anger against sinfull rage iust dealing against falshood and wrong holy and gracious speech against corrupt and filthy communication And hee saith that this Image or new man is renued in knowledge after the image of him that created it because the true knowledge of God transformeth man to the image of God his Maker that is to say to the true sinceritie and purenesse of the soule Therefore presently following hee expresseth the qualities of this Image to wit tender affection or bowels of compassion kindnesse humblenesse of minde meeknesse long-suffering forbearing and forgiuing one another Loue Peace and these be the fruits of Gods Spirit which renueth our hearts as they are mustred by S. Paul against which vertues hee saith there is no Law which Image also is called a conformitie to Gods Sonne section 7 By the infusion of Gods holy Spirit saith Iraeneus man is made spirituall as at the first hee was created And Tertullian saith that the Image of God in man is to haue the same sense and motion with God the same Will Knowledge Affection Iudgement and Reason in all humane and heauenly things according to the measure of a creature The reason thus to perswade vs is that man was made first according to Gods Image that hee might rule all his creatures below as his President and Substitute ouer all And it is no question but God would haue all his creatures which hee had made well and orderly to be ouer-heeded and ruled who alwayes and euery where in his Word forbiddeth the abuse of any or the least and wee are straightly bound to referre all of them to the glory and praise of their author and owner Now this good vse and excellent administration of all the creatures which God requireth cannot stand without all those former conditions and qualities of the soule of man whereof this Image of God consisteth So that when the minde is endued with the sound knowledge of God and adorned with Iustice then it most truely representeth Gods Image and likenesse because that Iustice and knowledge of diuine and heauenly things are nothing else but a certaine influence from the diuine nature into our mindes and soules section 8 But that these things may appeare more plainly wee are to know that the Image of a thing is the forme by which it is resembled and a similitude is a qualitie of a thing by which it is shadowed Now man in his Image not onely resembled his Maker in knowledge and vnderstanding but was also created in other celestiall conditions as Iustice Wisedome Mercy Loue c. as before was declared yet so as that Christ alone is the very ingrauen forme of his person according to his Deitie and in his Humanitie so farre as it is capable of the same And to this end hath God predestinated and elected vs that we should be conformable to the Image of his Sonne Therefore God made vs of an vnderstanding nature and capable of diuine perfection when with these heauenly properties our soules were first endued which now cannot be againe recouered but thorow the helpe of Christ the true patterne and type of our first created Image To conclude how like we were made to God appeareth by our proposed end of that selfe-same happinesse and blisse which wee feare to loose and waite through hope to enioy with God himselfe both in louing and knowing of him as hee is Mans soule by creation had Reason and Will as it section 9 were for two wings Reason to vnderstand and know and Will to approue and elect things vnderstood and knowne And these two wings did with equall force and sweet consent carry vp and support the soule to guide it aright to God that so it might sore aloft with her affections as the Eagle flying carryeth her young ones to inure them with the Sunne so it might lift vp it selfe aloft from all infection whatsoeuer A rectitude and vprightnesse was also added that it might beare the force and power as it were of a cleare and pleasant gale of winde to these two wings which blast receiued into the braine did carry and freshly set forward the powers of the minde as when the flight of the Larke or Nightingale ascending on high is hastened with a quicke and pleasant winde wherewith these birds are so delighted that the higher they flye aloft towards the skye the more sweetly doe they sing Such a heauenly harmonie and consent was in all the faculties of the soule that alwayes and altogether they aspired with ioy to holy and heauenly things All excellent learning and skill was engrauen in mans soule his Reason was more sharpe and cleare then the Eagles eye which can behold the Sunne his Knowledge surpassed all Arts and Sciences so that by nature he could approach vnto the eternall light and vnderstanding of God himselfe and heauenly things as the Angels and holy Spirits themselues CHAP. II. Man in his first and best estate was mutable by nature and subiect to fall and so righteously made of God without any cause of iust complaint NOW for the better humbling of man in this his high estate that hee
life Onely in name to professe him is the part of dead men for as whosoeuer beleeueth not remaineth in death and hath the wrath of God still staying vpon him so none beleeueth in Christ that loues him not and none loueth him that keepeth not his commandements Hereof saith Saint Iohn to the Angell of Sardis thou hast a name that thou liuest but thou art dead so Christ called the Scribes and Pharisees painted sepulchers whose soules were dead in their bodies for want of faith Hence it was that he said to the young man let the dead burie their dead and Paul of the wanton Widdow that being aliue she was but dead Awake thou that sleepest and stand vp from the dead and Christ shall giue thee light you hath he quickned that were dead in your trespasses and sinnes As the soule infused into the body quickeneth a massie piece of flesh which had no motion before so the soule to make it a liuely and a good soule must haue as it were a soule powred into it that is the Spirit of God and if this Spirit be absent wee are but dead from all holy motions as the body naturall is from outward actions by absence of the soule So that a man may liue a life in the flesh and yet be dead in respect of the life of God Againe as the body while it hath a soule is but a naturall body wasting it selfe like oyle in the Lampe and cannot choose but in the end to dye yet after this life shall be called a spirituall body not in substance but in qualitie because in the resurrection it shall be quickened by the spirituall power of Christ So a man that hath but simply a soule if hee haue not the true soule of the soule which is the Spirit of God to quicken and reuiue it hee is but a meere naturall man and must needes be damned Furthermore as a body raised vp and quickened by the power of God can neuer dye againe so the soule of a faithfull man being a spirituall soule hauing once receiued the earnest of Gods Spirit and a measurable power of true Sanctification from the holy Ghost can neuer dye Now the life of Gods Spirit hath three degrees in Gods elect Regeneration in this life when we are renued in our affections and doe feele a true change of minde within vs the second after this life when the soule shall be separated from the body which being once as it were released from the fetters of the flesh shall swiftly take her flight to heauen and then shall the soule liue indeede a heauenly life being altogether freed from the temptations of the Diuell and all allurements of the flesh But the highest degree of all of the soules estate is at the generall day of resurrection when the world with the lusts thereof shall passe away like a cloud and be sodainely wrapped vp like a scrole for then both the body and soule of man shall not onely enioy the presence of God but liue also with him for euer in heauenly blisse So likewise the reprobate in this life and in the life to come haue double miseries coupled to their double deaths For first while they liue they want Gods grace and fauour being strucken with terrour in their conscience as Cain that runnagate and vagabond not onely fearing their liues but being frighted at their shadowes And they haue the Diuell who is the God of this world possessing them and still leading them captiues by the cords and chaines of all manner of wickednesse towards hell and damnation and in the life to come they are not onely depriued of the presence of God but suffer and endure all endlesse and vnspeakable torments with the Diuell and his Angels As Gods Children therefore being crucified to the world and the flesh haue the life of God liuing in them which will most perfectly appeare and shew it selfe at Christs comming so all fleshly and wicked men who haue giuen themselues to the Flesh World and Diuell doe presently liue the life of hell which they carrying about in their bodies will clearely shew it selfe to their shame and confusion at the latter day So that the wicked in this life doe liue in death and conuersing in earth they are the bond-slaues of hell And as Faith in Christ as I said before is the life of the soule in Gods elect so no faith can quicken vs which is not liuely in it selfe which apprehendeth not Christ aright which worketh not by loue which flourisheth not with fruits for Faith without good workes is dead And therefore to the end wee may be reuiued being dead and buryed in our sinnes we must first beleeue in Christ which is our life and if our beliefe be liuely wee must shew it forth by our fruits otherwise we may haue a name to liue and yet be dead Now to vnderstand this poynt the better let vs obserue what it is to be dead in sinne They are said to be dead in their sinnes whom Death still holdeth in the cords and bonds thereof such as are strangers from the life or God that haue neyther sense nor feeling of their sinnes nor any motion to godlinesse to whom all goodnesse is vnsauory whose bodyes and soules are holden captiue of the Diuell whom they serue as slaues such as are void of Gods Spirit wedded to their owne wicked wils whom the God of this world hath blinded that they can neyther see nor beleeue the truth whose conuersion is as hard as to raise vp Sonnes of Stones vnto Abraham Who is more dead then hee that carryeth fire in his bosome sinne in his Conscience and doth neyther feele it nor shake it out nor tremble at it for Sathan hath gotten quiet possession and hee is carelesse in assaulting of such in whom he hath gotten a quiet dwelling Hence we may learne to loath our selues for our sinnes which bring vs into such thraldome to Death and Diuell which cut vs off from God shut vs out of heauen rob vs of saluation and bring the euerlasting wrath of God vpon vs which is vnmeasurable infinite and vnportable neuer able to be sustained of any but of Christ our infinite God and Sauiour who in maiestie and power is equall with his Father Thus we haue heard the nature of death common vnto all by the meanes of sinne without exception Well therefore is Death deriued from a word that signifies to to diuide not onely for that it maketh diuision where it comes but that without exception it equally diuides to all alike Some thinke that it proceedes from bitternesse for that the sweetnesse of the forbidden fruit proued bitter to Adam and his brood And Augustine not vnwittily deriueth Mors à morsu for that our first parents in biting the Apple were bitten of death Whence hee also alludeth to that of Osea 15. O death I
new couenant it is an euerlasting couenant I was not taken vnder condition of time nor no time shall preuaile against mee Our Christian state and condition is not changeable as Adams was in Paradise but it is made sure in the body of Christ vnited with the person of the godhead so are the waies in which wee are led into it immutable Our faith is not extinguished our loue cannot be quenched our hope faileth not nor the holy spirit can euer be taken from vs but still they are new to vs to eternall life section 9 And as for the wicked they shall be as well able to saue themselues without God as to hurt vs hauing God and the worst they can doe is but to send vs to God And for Sathans darts cast out against vs they are turned aside in the armour of Christ his flouds can neuer drowne vs and his buffetings shall be as our preseruatiues against presumption Christ our head was wounded for our sins and is healed againe raigning and triumphing in heauen why then should we which beleeue in him haue our hearts heauie in earth as though the head had forgotten the body or any part thereof No let vs not doubt that he will suffer a haire thereof to perish which he so dearely purchased Michael I meane our captaine Christ hath conquered that dreadfull red dragon and subtill serpent with his leaders and liuetenants death and hell why should we be so much moued with any force of flesh and bloud or any mischiefe the world can worke vs section 10 Be of good cheare saith Christ I haue ouercome the world Seeing hee hath broken the head of our enemie what should his taile so much trouble vs Seeing hee hath taken away our sinnes what should any sorrow remaine amongst vs God doth not choose them worthy but in choosing them maketh them worthy He hath all in himselfe which hath himselfe and hee hath himselfe which hath God and he hath God who beleeueth and confesseth his creatour but he that hath lost his faith hath nothing else to loose Christ hath said it and it is a warrant to our wearied soules that those that his father hath giuen him may be where he is to behold his glory This is his will and who dare wrest it the head will haue his members the Bridegroome his spouse God his elect and Christ his redeemed and where will he haue them but where he is and that is in heauen So much what Death is in Christ Now followeth our preparation thereunto The end of the second Booke THE THIRD BOOKE Of preparation vnto DEATH CHAP. I. The necessitie of preparation with the motiues the remembrance of Death much auaileth thereunto to the godly and the carelesnesse of most men herein FOr as much as the best things are section 1 not easily attained vnto being so precious and excellent in themselues without the hardest labour and greatest attempt vile and easie things being vsually most common and these so rare Our most wise and prouident God to whet our affections and to sharpen our desires to heauen and heauenly things hath inioyned vs a taske to be performed before we can aspire to our happy perfection For hauing the sumptuous tower of our saluation to build we must first sit downe and reckon our costs it will stand vs in The crowne of glory being proposed wee must first fight the battaile of faith without being foyled And the garland of saluation being hung vp as it were before our eyes we must striue to run the race without tyring vntill we come to the goale where we must receiue the prize of our paines with endlesse profit section 2 The dominions of heauen I confesse are great and large but the way thither is narrow and straight and we must striue to enter in the wicket-doore is small and the throng great therefore we must vse a godly violence to thrust our selues in if we will be saued Now the way wee haue heard already and the doore of our entrance which is death hath sufficiently beene described It onely remaineth that we be christianly fitted and prepared for the entrance Constant therefore we must be in our course condition of life enioyned vs of God for what auaileth it the Sea-faring man to haue sailed safely through the surging Seas to haue escaped dangerous syrts and sands the craggie rockes and rough passages if yet he be sunke or sustaine Shipwrake in the hauen What profiteth it the Souldier or most corragious Captaine to haue giuen many on-sets in the battaile and foyles to his foes if yet he be killed before he ouercome It booteth not to run ourselues breathlesse in the race if we get not the goale and we shoote but at Rouers if wee misse the marke This world therefore being as a Sea a field a race and a marke to all Gods elect Let them so saile therein as they may come safely to the shoare so fight in this field that they may ouercome so runne that they may obtaine and so shoote that they misse not the marke that is that they may after this life come to the expectation of their hope end of their trauell euen the blessed immortalitie of euerlasting life section 3 We all with our lips confesse that we must die and that death is the gate either to heauen or hell and yet not one of vs amongst milions of men so religiously spend and passe their daies as hoping to goe to heauen or fearing the way to hell If we be once resolued that in extremitie of sicknesse we cannot escape with life there is none of vs that is not very sorry that euer he offended God liuing in drunkennesse adulterie deceit riot or in any such excesse or bad course of life without Gods feare then will euery one wish that he had better serued God c. Such are vaine mens complaints and late lamentations Yet now whiles God vouchsafeth meanes and time to liue why doe we not prepare our selues in time Why hasten wee not to liue in such sort as at the day of death wee wish we had For looke how Death leaueth a man so shall the last Iudgement finde him In this life there may be changes and conuersions from euill to good but after death there can be none at all for looke where the tree falleth there it lyeth whether towards the North or towards the South Neede wee haue ro gird vp our loynes and to get Oyle for our Lampes at all assayes for the sodaine and vncertaine comming of the Bridge-groome Our corrupt and cursed nature will still make vs carelesse section 4 of our end naturally wee are giuen to cocker our selues with fleshly dreames of continuall peace and securitie and there is none so olde but hee hopeth still to liue longer as though he were in league with Death and Graue But it is too late to beginne then to liue when wee must
much better art thou then a graine of corne when thorow corruption thou shalt come to incorruption thy glory then shall be vnspeakeable and all things shall serue thee Thy hope now if thou couldest in large it a thousand section 6 fold yet it shall be greater then thou canst imagine and thy faith if it could apprehend more assurance of immortalitie then the clearest eye doth of the light of the Sunne yet thou shalt finde the fruit of it aboue all thy thoughts This thou seest if thou see Christ by faith and this thou knowest to be true if thou knowest thy selfe to be one with him The keeping greene of Noahs Oliue-tree vnder the flood the budding againe of Arons rod the deliuerance of Ionah from the depth of the Sea the voyce that calleth come againe ye children of men the hope that Iob hath to see God with the selfe-same eyes the dry bones that should come bone to bone and be knit together with sinewes c. may stirre vp in vs a ioyfull hope and cheere our pensiue soules against the feare of death and doubt of our resurrection but aboue all the rising againe of Christ The voyce of Christ is thorow Christ the voice of Christians saith Augustine Death where is thy sting Hell where is thy victory If the sinne of Adam who was a liuing soule was the cause that Death reigned ouer all men much more the resurrection of Christ who is a quickning spirit shall be of power to raise vp all beleeuers to the hope of a blessed and eternall life section 7 As Christ in dying shewed what we should suffer so by his rising from death he declared what wee should hope for For all the bones in Golgatha shall rise and those that sleepe in the dust shall awake Wherefore though Death doe swallow vs vp as the Whale did Ionah and binde vs hand and foot as the Philistims did Sampson yea seale the Sepulcher vpon vs as the Iewes did vpon our Lord Iesus yet wee shall come forth and breake the bands as the bird out of the snare the snare shall be broken and we shall be deliuered Christ our head and Captaine raigneth now most gloriously in heauen and as a most victorious conqueror hath led away captiue Death Sinne and Diuell in shew and open triumph Wherefore we may no lesse assure our selues that we shall rise againe and raigne with God for seeing he hath taken our flesh and suffered for our sins and hath borne the iudgement and curse of God in himselfe and died for our redemption so may we be as sure and certaine our flesh shall rise againe in him and be exalted vnto the glory of God aboue the highest heauens And therefore hee is called the first fruits of them that sleepe in him the first borne among the dead so called indeede because hee is the first and onely one which is risen againe by his owne diuine nature and power As the onely spring and originall fountaine of the resurrection of life to all the faithfull which die and rise againe in him and onely by him Hee hath giuen vs a pledge and taken one of vs to put vs out of doubt He hath taken our flesh which hee hath carried into heauen to put vs in possession and he hath giuen vs his holy spirit for an earnest to seale his promises in our hearts witnessing to our spirit that we are the Sonnes of God and co-heires with Iesus Christ to raigne with him in glory Seeing then that wee are the children of God and haue section 8 the seede of God remaining in vs wee must not doubt but that as Christ hath made vs partakers of his diuine nature euen as it hath pleased him to take part of ours to become true man to make vs Gods that is diuine and spirituall that euen as the corne that is sowne in the ground doth die in the same and after groweth and taketh roote springeth eareth and bringeth forth fruit for the haruest so should wee be well assured that when wee die and haue our bodies sowne as it were as seede in the earth yet that they shall againe be quickned in Christ and rise againe to immortall life for as much as we carry with vs the warmenesse of Gods spirit which cannot die And though our flesh doe rot yet shall the spirit of section 9 Christ deliuer our bodies from corruption which shall againe be raised vp by the vertue of him that raised vp Christ from the dead and so shall our dead members be made aliue againe He that neuer saw a haruest seeing the Plow-man taking so much paines to till the earth to spread it with dung and after to cast faire Wheate into the field he would thinke that this man were mad but seeing after the happy haruest that should come of it he would change his minde and say that the husband-man had done an excellent worke Now this life is the time to till to dung and to sow the soyle but the happy haruest shall follow hereafter Let vs not change the course of the seasons neither yet let vs seperate them the one from the other But let vs ioyne the time of death with the glorious day of our resurrection and so assuring our selues that hauing sowed with teares we shall reape with ioy CHAP. X. Very fruitfull and necessary considerations much auailing to our Christian preparation for death section 1 ANd to the end that we may be most chearfully resolued to finish our course with ioy let vs alienate our affections and thoughts from the earth and worldly cares hauing our whole soules and senses as much as in vs lieth rauished with heauen and heauenly things Let them be the matter of our speech the subiect of our thoughts and our alone meditations So shall we in time become diuine and loath this sinfull life Let vs seriously make vse of our knowledge and godly readings ioyning our experience with the same in our selues and Gods Saints on earth Let our skill herein not onely be contemplatiue but practique for the good of our selues section 2 Let vs not descant and discourse as carnall men can doe for a time which often can say and confesse that they are mortall and sinfull that they are but dust and clay and that their bodies are as tabernacles set vp for a time and quickly to be remoued being without foundation Let vs not onely say for fashion sake that we are strangers vpon the earth and soiourners as all our Fathers were c. but be willing indeede with good Abraham when the Lord shall call and command vs to leaue our owne country and remoue our tents to pitch them where hee pleaseth And so to follow him with all obedience where he will leade vs. He abode saith the Apostle in the land of promise as in a strange country as one that dwelt in tents for he looked for a
are as corrupt by nature as the rest vntill they be reformed by the santified meanes ordained of God 15. Mans sinne maketh his life a due debt to death 17. The Diuell is the father of Sinne and Sinne the mother of Death ibid. The corruption of our flesh did not make our soules sinfull but the sinne of our soule did make the flesh corruptible ibid. CHAP. V. DEath is threefold corporall spirituall and that which is common both to body and soule Sect. 2. The description of Death according to the seuerall parts 3. The soule cannot properly dye being life it selfe illustrated by examples 4. How the soule is said to dye 5. The seperation from God is the death of the soule as the departing of the soule is the death of the body ibid. The nature of Death 6. Gods Spirit is the soule of our soules ibid. Man by sinne lost his life and found out death 7. It is agreeable to Gods iustice that a spirituall death should beget a corporall ibid. So soone as man had sinned so soone did the armies of death besiege his life 8. The very life of sinners is a death 9. Gods spirit must quicken and reuiue the soule or else it must needes dye and be damned 10. The degrees of the spirit in Gods elect 11. The wicked in this life doe liue in death and conuersing in earth they are bondslaues of hell 12. An effectuall faith in Christ is the life of the soule 13. What it is to be dead in sinne 14. Death is diuersly deriued with the reasons thereof 15. CHAP. VI. IT is enacted in heauen that all men must dye Sect. 1. The Registers of the death and buriall of men from the beginning witnesse the execution of Gods decree herein 2. Death is the way of all the world and the house of all men liuing ibid. Death is the Lady and Empresse of all the world 3. Balthasers Embleme is written vpon euery mans wall 4. Death respecteth no mans person place or qualities 3. Dayes and yeares and times no plea against the graue but a fitter prey for Death ibid. Death as Dan the gathering hoast sweepes all away 4. Mercilesse Death doth exercise her cruelty vpon all alike 5. Nothing can preuaile against Death or ransome our life 6. Gods hand a man may escape but Deaths dart no man can shunne 7. No force can resist it nor meanes preuent it ibid. Death is the common road-way of all the world 8. We must needes yeeld our selues to the law of Death ibid. Men may be distinguished by times but all are equall in the issue 9. As we grow our life decreaseth This whole life is but a death ibid. Man cannot be ignorant of his death since all creatures and actions proclaime his mortalitie 10. Experiments of death on euery side most apparant 11. The law of Nature conuinceth it amongst all nations 12. Our liues as our garments weare of themselues they are eaten with the Moaths we with the Time ibid. The course of our life runneth without pause to the period and end 13. An exclamation against Death most hideous and pittifull 14. 15. The Christian vse of our mortalitie with a reproofe of the carelesse Christian 16. 17. Death to the faithfull is as an hackney to carry and hasten them from earth to heauen ibid. CHAP. VII SInne brought in a sea of miseries Sect. 1. Life and misery are two twinnes which were borne together and must dye together 2. A description of infancy and old age with their miseries 3. The miserie of all estates Here death is liuing and life dying 4. There is no contentment in this wretched life 5. A description of mans sinfull mortall body 6. The frailty and brittlenesse of mans body with the reason thereof 7. See the manifold dangers of our life and how easily it is lost 8. The mutabilitie and inconstancie of mans life 9. This life is little better then hell were it not for the hope of heauen 10. This world is an Ocean sea of troubles See how fitly it resembleth it hauing a mercilesse maw to swallow vp all 11. It is a dungeon of ill sauours and a puddle of vices 12. Mans life is short and swift like a poste a ship and a shadow ibid. Our dayes passe swiftly as the Eagle to her prey and all mortall men are a prey to death 14. We are as flowers and grasse and Death in the hand of God as a sythe to cut vs downe ibid. All things dye but our sinnes which reuiue and grow young againe in despight of nature ibid. The cares of this life are like the Flyes of Egypt which giue men no rest neither day nor night 15. They are like mercilesse Tyrants which take away our peace ibid. Man and his labour are fitly resembled to the Spider and her web 16. All things are as snares to sinners to draw them to destruction 17. The meanes for Christians to auoid the snares of this life 18. It is as naturall for corrupt man to sinne as for water to run downe the channell or a Coach downe a hill 19. The best men liuing amongst the wicked are aptly resembled to Colliers and Millers ibid. The manifold engins of Sathan to enthrall vs. 20. No man can liue peaceably in this world among so many enemies of peace ibid. The warfare of Christians both outward and intestine with the occasions thereof 21. 22. Our life is as a tempestuos sea and death the onely port of tranquilitie and rest 23. CHAP. VIII MEN by dying proue they had sinned and sinne conuinceth there is a Law Sect. 1. The Law conuinceth man of sinne who without it knew not sinne 2. Sinne by the Law grew out of measure sinful with the reason thereof 3. The Law detecteth sinne as a hidden sicknesse that so we may seeke to Christ the Physitian 4. It is holy and righteous in it selfe though an occasion of euill to those that are corrupt ibid. How sinne is said to be dead without the Law 5. The Law anatomiseth sinfull man and setteth him out in his colours 6. The Law slayeth the sinner before Gods Spirit quicken him 7. Sinne and the Law are the strength and sting of Death 8. The Law not onely conuinceth man of sinne but iustifieth God in the punishment thereof 9. The horror of death with the reason thereof 10. CHAP. IX GReat and heauy was the tribute which God imposed vpon man for sinne Sect. 1. The death of the body is nothing to the damnation of body and soule in hell 2. As diseases are the maladies of the body so death is the maladie of diseases ibid. The death of the reprobate is a liuing death and a dying life 3. The life of the damned is an immortalitie of torments and euill 4. The torments of hell are vnspeakable 5. They are euerlasting and endlesse 6. Death to the vnregenerate is the very gate of hell 7. Death cannot be so feared as it ought of wicked men 8. CHAP. X.
THE vngodly as captiues are haled to deaths prison and Iayle of hell Sect. 1. The ioy of the wicked endeth in heauinesse 2. Their whole life is a miserable bondage of feare 3. The wicked once awakened out of the sleepe of sinne doe end their dayes like barking dogs 4. Who can put to silence the voyce of Desperation 5. Sinne is a make-bate betweene God and man and betwixt a man and himselfe 6. A wicked mans heart bleedeth when his countenance smileth 7. The Conscience cannot be pacified when sinne is within to vexe it 8. The wicked are in hell yet liuing vpon earth 9. Death is the Lords Serieant to apprehend a wicked man and to hale him to hell 11. The vnrepentant with as great violence are pulled from the earth at Ioab from the hornes of the Altar 12. The trembling estate of the reprobate 13. Hell is as fit for the reprobate as heauen for the righteous 14. The second BOOKE CHAP. I. WIcked men without Christ haue hell for their prison and are locked from God and his Saints in the dungeon of death Sect. 1. No creature could possibly redeeme vs from death with the reason why 2. Take hold of Christ and take hold of life In the flesh of Christ there it resteth Death hath raigned in all the world beside 3. God became man that he might be a Redeemer as before hee was a Creator 4. The dignitie of Christs person gaue such worth to his satisfaction that what hee suffered in short time might satisfie beyond all times 5. None can purchase our saluation but he onely that hath paid the price of our redemption ibid. None but Christ saueth and he will be alone in all his courses without mixture without medley 6. There is no God without Christ he created alone and he will redeeme alone 7. If our case were not desperate and past hope of recouery our redemption should not be so precious 8. Christ is Lord-Treasurer of heauen and Steward of all Gods graces 9. The Church in it selfe most vncleane and in Christ most beautifull 10. Christs humiliation in the worke of our Redemption 11. It was the fire of Loue to mankinde and the sharpe knife of Gods Iustice that put the Sonne of God to death 12. Excellent types and allusions of Christ our Redeemer 13. CHAP. II. THe compleat worke of our redemption performed by Christ alone and his onely meanes Sect. 1. Why Christ our Redeemer must needes be God and man 2. Christ his manner of proceeding in the worke of our redemption 3. The wonderfull wisdome of God in making the death of Christ as an Antidote against the death of man and so to bring life out of death 4. Christ suffered in soule as well as in body for our redemption 5. 6. The vse of Christs suffering in soule as well as in body 7. Death lost his sting in Christs death 8. Death tasted of Christ but it could not deuoure him 9. The death of Christ is the death of Death 10. Christs gall was our honie and his bitter death the sweet life of all beleeuers 11. The ready way to goe to heauen is to swim through the sea of Christs sufferings 12. Christ his death is the secret den of our deliuerance from Death and Hell 13. Christians onely ouercome by the bloud of the Lambe 14. The grace of Christ must be our onely clothing before Gods Tribunall 15. God will be knowne by his mercy and we by our deserts that so all glory may returne to him alone 16. Christs power is made perfect through our weaknesse he is all things to vs which are nothing in our selues 17. Christ is a mutuall help to God the Father and to vs without whom wee cannot possesse any good thing eyther in grace or glory 18. The Law and Christ are as the Physitian and Surgeon to a sicke man 19. It is absurd to seeke for iustification by the Law 20. To trust to our owne merits is the reioycing of Sathan 21. Christ conquered death and diuell being nailed to the crosse 22. CHAP. III. AS there is no life in the body but as it is vnited to the head so in Christ our head consisteth our life being vnited to him by his holy Spirit Sect. 1. By our spirituall vnion we are interessed in all that eyther God hath promised or Christ hath performed 2. Gods Spirit sheweth vs our nakednesse and the wardrobe of Christs righteousnesse to clothe vs. 3. There is no saluation nor sanctification for vs but as our nature is vnited to the person of Christ 4. This spirituall coniunction we can neuer comprehend till wee know God as he is 5. Christ is not onely God with his Elect in nature but in person the reprobate are of the same nature with him yet he is not God with them but against them 6. God punishing Christ in our person and iustifying vs in his he neither punisheth the innocent nor iustifieth the offenders 7. Christ washeth his children from their sinnes whom he ioyneth to himselfe 8. Whole Christ is his God-head and humanitie is our head and Sauiour 9. Whole Christ is coupled with whole man a mysterie vnspeakable ibid. Euery Christian man hath a portion of flesh in the body of Christ and where my flesh is there I hope to be 10. The God-head of Christ is the fountaine of all good things and his flesh is the Conduit-pipe by which they are deriued vnto vs. 11. We must goe by Iesus Christ that is God to Iesus Christ that is man 12. In our flesh he hath dyed risen and ascended that faithfull man may be crowned with glory ibid. God doth communicate nothing with vs but by the flesh of Christ in it he wrought our Redemption 13. Our soule is ioyned to the soule of Christ and our flesh with the flesh of Christ which quickneth both by the vnitie of his person 14. Christ vniteth himselfe to vs by the communication of his Spirit and we by faith are ioyned to him 15. The singular vse of our spirituall vnion with Christ 16. In the person of Christ all our blemishes are couered and his righteousnesse and sanctification imputed 17. The sinnes of the faithfull are not imputed to them but vnto Christ 18. The punishment of them are forgiuen to them but not to Christ ibid. If we be ingrafted into the body of Christ we are his and hee liueth in vs and his victory ouer all is ours 19. By this spirituall vnion Christ is our brother which are borne of God by the same spirit 20. The vncleannesse of our birth is washed away in the sanctification of Christs nature 21. Death can make no diuorce betwixt Christ and the faithfull though their bodies rot in the graue yet still they remaine true members of his body 22. Christ our head is able to restore that which nature hath destroyed 23. Christ and Christians are made one indiuisible body by the bond of Gods spirit and he being the head will raise vp his
members 24. CHAP. IIII. THE life of Christians is a continuall warfare nothing but death can end the combat Sect. 1. 2. Sathan especially assaulteth Christ and his members with the reasons why 3. The Diuell as a cunning fisher fitteth his baites as he findeth men affected 4. Out of the nature of mens qualities he worketh his malignities 5. Sathan most eagerly assayleth the faithfull at the houre of death and why 6. Sathans arguments from the Law of God against the faithfull 7. 8. The answere of Sathans obiections 9. All the breaches of the Law are made vp in Christ who perfectly fulfilled the same for all beleeuers 10. The Law being fulfilled Sathan Sinne and Death must needs be vanquished 11. The particular conflicts of Sathan with the faithfull with their comfortable conquest 13. 14. Soueraigne Antidotes of comfort against afflictions 15. Such we are by imputation with God as we are in purpose and affection 16. An excellent course to silence Sathan in his varietie of temptations 18. We must send him to Christ our aduocate who both pleadeth and defendeth our cause 19. Wee must shew him our generall acquittance sealed by God himselfe and proclaymed from heauen 20. Men cannot be more sinfull then God is mercifull 21. As Death entred by Sinne so it extinguisheth Sinne and endeth our warfare 22. CHAP. V. DEath must giue vs our last purgation and end our corruption Sect. 1. The dearest Saints of God are here subiect to all afflictions and Death it selfe as the vilest sinners with the reason thereof 2. The nature of Death is altered through Christ to the faithfull 3. Sinne brought in Death and Death must driue out Sinne. 4. There is no prescription against Death earth cannot redresse that which is enacted in heauen 5. Paine sicknesse c. with Death it selfe are as Gods Souldiers to come and goe at his pleasure 6. Afflictions are preuentions of sinne to the godly and plaisters to cure the sores thereof ibid. God doth diet his children in this world that they surfet not vpon pleasures and profits ibid. Wee as children cannot order our selues Gods wisedome and will are our best guides 7. Our worldly desires and lusts are inordinate and endlesse except the Lord restraine them 8. The excellent fruits of afflictions when they are sanctified to Gods elect 9. Afflictions are necessary trials of our Christian estate 10. Afflictions in this life are both punishers and purgers of Gods elect 11. They are both sufferings and instructions 12. Christ is the true patterne of Christians to whom they are conformable by their sufferings 13. Crosses and calamities are the Harbingers and Purueyers of Death 14. Whom God most loues those he most proues 15. The fire tryes the gold and misery men of courage ibid. The troubles of Gods children shall neuer cease till the world be without hatred the Diuell without malice and our nature without corruption 16. Afflictions may tire the flesh but neuer be able to extinguish the hope of a Christian 17. Sinne and Death haue lost their sting in Christs death 18. They cannot separate vs from God though they be fearefull to the flesh ibid. Death through Christ is the key of Gods Kingdome and gate of glory 19. CHAP. VI. CHristians are strangers in the world the bread of aduersitie and water of affliction is commonly their dyet Sect. 1. Being strangers they must be content with their vsage and prepare for their iourney 2. This world is restlesse there is no contentment in it 3. The world deales with men as the Rauen with the Sheepe picking out the eye that it may not see her tyranny 4. See the Anatomie of the World 5. The world is no proper element to Christians it rather feedeth then slaketh their appetites as oyle doth the fire 6. All Creatures haue their rest from God he is the centre of the faithfull 7. God hath set the earth vnder our feet that it should not be too much esteemed 8. Euery Christian with his crosse must be content to accompany Christ to his kingdome 9. Whilest we set our affections on earthly things we seeke for no better for we looke no higher 10. God giues his children here but an assay of his goodnesse the maine sea of his bountie and store is hourded vp in heauen 11. CHAP. VII AS man rebelled against his maker so all things while he liueth rebell against him euen man against himselfe the flesh against the spirit Sect. 1. Our manifold infirmities are as gyues and fetters about our legs to shew our guilty condition 2. The flesh as a subiect should obay the soule as her soueraigne 3. Though it be infused into the body it must not be confounded therewith ibid. Worldly and fleshly imployments dull the soules edge 4. Death to the faithfull is the funerall of their vices and the resurrection of their vertues 5. How we may discerne the state of our soules 6. Death endeth the combat of Christians when the flesh shall be dead and the spirit fully liue our passions buried and our reason freed in perfection 7. The body is but the barke and shell of the soule which must needes be broken if we will truly liue and see the light 8. The nature of the earth and earthly men 9. Sinne in the regenerate hath a deadly wound but in the wicked it hath a full and violent course 10. The Lord cureth our grosse sinnes by our infirmities ibid. Great are the troubles of the faithfull but saluation will one day make ameds for all 11. The glorified body shall obay the soule with admirable facilitie 12. The difference betweene a mortall man liuing and the faithfull deliuered by death 13. Sinne with all misery affliction and Death it selfe shall hereafter be shut vp in hell as in their proper place 14. This world to all Gods Israel is an Egypt of slauery 15. See the royall exchange of the faithfull who for a mortall and miserable life shall enioy a blessed and immortall 16. As the sufferings of Christ doe abound so doe the consolations increase to Gods elect 17. CHAP. VIII THE faithfull redeemed by Christ grow euery day to be spirituall and heauenly Sect. 1. Prayer and holy deuotion as precious perfumes take away the euill sauour of sinne and vncleannesse 2. There is no Iustification without the vnfayned sanctification of Gods spirit 3. The way to become spirituall and diuine 4. The nearer we approach to death the more we should be inflamed with the loue of God and all good workes 5. If wee will dye the death wee must liue the life of the righteous 6. Our deuotion must not be like the morning dewe and leaues of Autumne 7. The soule without grace is as the ground without moysture 8. Christians should not feare death but accustome themselues to hope for it 9. Death to the godly is no end of their liues but an end of their sinnes and miseries 10. The graue of the faithfull is sweetned by Christs funerall 11. When wee
draw neare to death wee approach to the very gate of life 12. The faithfull departing see their Sauiour with Simeon eyther in soule or spirit 13. The hope of eternitie is the reuenge of iniquitie ibid. CHAP. IX THe ioyes of heauen are vnspeakable and farre beyond our thoughts Sect. 1. They farre exceede our prison-ioyes on earth 2. There is neyther end number nor measure of them being infinite and endlesse 3. The glorious estate of Gods Saints with their happinesse what it is 4. Gods Saints shall haue fulnesse of ioy which they shall still affect and in affecting shall be satisfied and yet neuer be cloyed with fulnesse or feeling of want 5. The sight of God is the full beatitude and totall glory of the Saints 6. The soule is made capable of God and therefore whatsoeuer is lesse then God cannot suffice it 7. The ioyes of heauen are ioyes aboue all ioyes besides which there is no ioy 8. Wee may sooner tell what there is not in that blessed life then what there is 9. If the ioyes of heauen be so great let vs lift vp our eyes to heauen our eares to God and our hearts to Paradise ibid. Hee which is in loue with heauen is neyther proud with prosperitie nor cast downe with aduersitie for as hee hath nothing in this world that hee loueth so is there no losse of any thing in this life that he feareth 10. CHAP. X. IT is not the bare knowledge of heauen and happy estate but the assured euidence thereof that bringeth comfort to the conscience Sect. 1. So sure as there is a God so sure there is another life in which he will reward the good and punish the wicked 2. As our Faith reioyceth in Gods fauour so our Hope reioyceth in Gods glory 3. God giueth his children the plaister of Patience to support their Hope for he is sure that hath promised 4. The ground of Faith and Hope is Gods word and promise 5. A faithfull heart is furnished like a shippe of warre against all hellish Pirots and worldly force ibid. We can haue no certaine knowledge of heauenly things but by Faith 6. God alone is to be beleeued touching himselfe as wee credit a mortall man with his owne secrets ibid. We can desire nothing which we know not and this knowledge of heauenly things is onely by faith grounded vpon the word of God 7. Our saluation in Christ is alwayes fresh and new sure and certaine 8. Our Faith is not extinguished our Loue cannot be quenched nor our Hope faile vs nor the holy Spirit taken from vs which sealeth our saluation ibid. The wicked shall be as well able to saue themselues without God as to hurt vs hauing God and the worst they can doe is but to send vs to God 9. God doth not choose the worthy but in choosing them maketh them worthy 10. The head will haue his members God his elect and Christ his redeemed and where will hee haue them but in heauen where he is ibid. The third BOOKE CHAP. I. THE crowne of glory will not be got without conquest Sect. 1. Wee must striue to enter in at the narrow gate we must so run that we may obtaine 2. Wee ought to liue in such sort as at the day of death wee wish we had for looke how death leaueth a man so shall the last day finde him 3. It is too late then to beginne to liue well when we must leaue the world 4. With this penalty a sinner is punished that when he dyeth he forgetteth himselfe who in his life time neuer thought vpon God 5 Many men are ready to take their farewell of the world before they know of their condition in the world 6. As our whole life is a passage to death so should we make it a preparation to death 7. Wee ought still to be prepared and watchfull not knowing the time of death 8. Sathan laboureth by his subtilty to make vs to forget our latter end 9. Some count it death to meditate of death ibid. Wicked men cannot abide to heare of death because they liue a sinfull life 10. Remembrance of death to Christians must serue as a sounding bell to awaken them from the sleepe of sinne 11. Christians must take the time and good opportunitie to prouide against death 12. Wee then best know our selues when we haue throughly learned our mortall estate 13. There is nothing so glorious as to order aright the vpshot of our time 14. Who feares God feares not death for what can he feare whose death is his hope 15. Since death watcheth for vs on euery side let vs watch for him that he take vs not tardy 16. Death to Christians should serue as a key to open the day and shut the night ibid. Christians must be as birds on a bough to remoue at Gods pleasure 17. It is absurd to feare that which we cannot shun 18. Christians must haue temporall things in vse but eternall in desire ibid. Mans life is a small thing but the contempt of life is a great thing 19. The manifold commodities of death to the faithfull ibid. See the folly and absurditie of men so to hate death and to loue this sinfull life 20 21. The presumption of long life causeth the greater negligence of our death 22. Selfe-loue causeth men to hate and abhorre Death ibid. Death bringeth an equall law ouer all for the chiefest point of equitie is equalitie 23. CHAP. II. CHristians knowing Death with his forces ought throughly to be prepared against it Sect. 1. Death is so farre from the destruction of a Christian that it brings him to perfection 2. No man knoweth in what place Death attendeth therefore in all places we must be prouided 3. If we prouide not before death there is no prouision after 4. When we seeme to stand in greatest securitie we then doe dwell in greatest danger and when we least feare we soonest fall 5. It is a dangerous course neuer to begin to liue well till we be a dying 6. He that repenteth when he can sinne no longer leaueth not sinne till his sinne leaue him 7. Many neuer thinke of death nor their sinnes till they cannot liue Sicke they are but their repentance is sicker 8. CHAP. III. SAthan hath an host and armie of enemies to hinder vs in our Christian voyage towards Death Sect. 1. Through Christ alone we get the conquest ouer him and his forces 2. The felicitie of the world is fained his loue counterfeit and his promises deceitfull to Gods children 3. There are no worldly comforts but may be kept and desired so that God being aboue all things be not lost 4. Comforts against losse of friends and kinsfolkes 5. Our life is very short for all good things but too long we may thinke in regard of our miseries 6. All worldly delights finish their course in the salt brine sea of sorrowes 7. How much better is it to want a little hony then to be swolne vp with
might know himselfe farre inferiour vnto God that thus had exalted him and acknowledge his subiection by the soueraignety of his Maker It pleased God in his wisedome to set a great difference as betweene the Angels and himselfe in their creation so betweene man made like to God made like I say to himselfe but not himselfe who onely hath this name and nature I am to shew his being of himselfe and vnchangeable nature and to teach vs that all creatures haue not onely their being but their standing and vpholding by him that onely is Therefore he is called the liuing God not onely because hee hath life in himselfe but because hee is the fountaine and originall of life he doth not onely liue but hath life of himselfe and is the cause of life because there is no life besides or without him Though mans nature saith Augustine was vpright and sound and nothing sinfull yet was it capable of sinne and apt to receiue infection Though man in his nature was mortall standing in his state yet was it not of necessitie that he should die and as our flesh is apt to receiue a wound yet euery one is not wounded and as the body of man is subiect to sicknesse yet many often die not touched with sicknesse So the state of Adams body was such that although it was subiect to death yet except sinne had come betweene he might and should haue liued for euer euen as the hose and shooes of the Hebrewes in the desart by Gods mighty prouidence and power neuer waxed olde by wearing or consumption Neither was this vnreasonable in God nor vnagreeable to his iustice to make a distinction betweene himselfe and his creatures for that he himselfe is onely good without change and alteration all his creatures good yet subiect to corruption Man was made of a mutable nature in power of standing and possibility of falling power of standing he had from God his creatour possibility of falling from himselfe being a creature Because the Lord created man of nothing therefore he left possibility in man to returne to nothing If God had giuen Adam an immutable nature he had created a God and not a man being onely proper to God to be vnchangeably good In the very Angels in heauen in respect of God is found imperfection the Cherubs hide their faces with their wings for the brightnesse of his glory Thus God doth humble all his creatures to exalt himselfe euen to teach them this not to goe from him of whom they had and haue their goodnesse nor to trust vnto themselues though by creation good yet subiect to decline Adam then although he was created in goodnesse yet was he made but changeably good for such was the goodnesse and inclination of his will to obey God as might be altered and changed by force of temptation The cause of this mutability was that the creature righteous by creation may remaine eternally and constantly righteous two helpes or fauours of God are necessarily required First a power to perseuere in goodnesse for without this power the creature of it selfe ceaseth to be good the second is an act or deede and that is the will to perseuere or perseuerance itselfe This also is requisite with the former for God giues not onely the power but also the will and deede and the creature doth not the good which it can doe vnlesse God cause it to doe the said good both which helpes the good Angels haue and therefore keepe them standing now Adam receiued the first of God but not the second for besides the goodnesse of his will he receiued of God a power constantly to perseuere in goodnesse if he would yet the act of perseuerance was left to the choise and liberty of his owne will In nature it selfe this truth appeareth God we know creates the eye and puts into it the faculty of seeing yet withall he addes to the eye necessary helpes by the light of the Sunne but for the act of seeing it is left to mans choise for he may see if he will or if he please he may shut his eyes Againe the Physition by Art procures an appetite this done he prouides conuenient foode yet for all this the patient may eate if he will or otherwise may abstaine Now if any reply that Adam receiued not sufficient grace hauing not the will to will that good he could and might the answer is that he receiued sufficient for the perfection of his nature that is for the full obedience of the will of God and for the attaining of euerlasting happinesse if he would not haue bin wanting to himself but he receiued not sufficient grace which might cause the immutability of his nature neither was it of necessitie to be giuen as I haue already shewed to a creature A Goldsmith intends to make a Iewell of singular price and value he compounds it of gold pearles and precious stones when hee hath brought it to perfection he doth not put this propertie to it that if it fall it shall not be bruised or broken Now God created Adam in all perfection and gaue him power and abilitie to continue in the same if he would yet did he not put vnto his nature this condition that it should be vnchangeable when it should be assayled by the force of outward temptation By this we see the weakenesse of the excellentest creature in it selfe without the grace of God Adam could fall of himselfe but he could not stand or rise againe he could not auoide the least assault of euill no further then he was helped by the grace of God We are to God as the sicke man to his keeper who saith Take me vp and I will rise hold me and I will stand helpe me and I will goe c. Which must make vs to renounce our selues and cleaue to God wholly depending vpon his gratious prouidence and protection in all our actions and attempts God I confesse could haue made our first parents of such an vnchangeable nature that they could not possibly haue fallen away but it was not expedient that they should be so made because then the obedience of man should seeme to haue beene forced as it were and so not so acceptable vnto God And albeit the body of man being made of dust and earth and himselfe in respect of his substance and beginning was mortall yet if he had preserued the holy spirit of God within him and giuen him the vpper hand this spirit of God which by sinne he vanquished had farre surmounted all that was mortall in him And to end this point As Sathan tempted Adam to proue God a lyer and to bring him to dishonour and so became the instrument of mans damnation So also Adam tempted himselfe to taste the fruit which as he thought would make himselfe as God Now God most iustly suffered him to be tryed by this meanes to make a way for his iustice
in the condemnation of the reprobate and an entrance for his mercy in the saluation of his elect for if there had beene no fall of man God should haue manifested himselfe neither iust in condemning some nor mercifull in sauing others which very much would haue obscured his glory and altogether depriued him of his praises amongst the sonnes of men c. Man was subiect to death by nature yet not of necessitie as though he saw no way to shunne it and now I goe no further then mans knowledge reuealed in the word setting Gods decree and secret counsell aside for he had sufficient power giuen him of God in his creation to auoide it Gods law was written in his heart agreeable to his nature he thought it no yoake or burthen to obserue it his shoulders or backe being bigge enough to sustaine it Sinne therefore wee may see hath diminished our strength and altered our nature that now we are forced to be slaues to those who before were our subiects Gods law now written is the same which before was engrauen in our nature yet now it is such a huge weight and heauie yoake which neither we nor our fathers were euer able to beare CHAP. III. Of the greatnesse of Adams sinne and his grieuous fall with the fearefull effects and fruites thereof MAn being thus created in so glorious an estate raigning and ruling not onely as a Prince but as it were a petty God vpon the earth all things being put in subiection vnder his feete Sathan that olde serpent and enuious aduersary of mankinde hauing fallen himselfe and his associates by his and their owne transgression into a most cursed and wretched estate enuying at the blessednesse of our first parents so happily planted vpon the earth and placed in Paradise possessing the body of the Serpent and abusing his forme drew Enah by his wiles to heare her God accused of vnkindnesse and from hearing to suspition and from suspition to plaine rebellion against his law and so Sathan not contented she was made his snare to catch her husband also But marke I pray you this diuels proceeding and see what hookes this Fisher hid vnder his fine and pleasant baites First he bewitcheth her sences with a faire sight and pleasant shew of the forbidden fruit then he assaileth her with infidelity and doubtfulnesse of Gods word namely that they should die the death thirdly he opposeth himselfe against the vndoubted truth of Gods word setting downe the contrary Ye shall not die lastly he pricketh them forward to pride and selfe-loue Ye shall be as Gods euen as cunning as the highest in good and euill So they poore creatures not resting vpon God nor asking counsell at his word but trusting to themselues deceiued by his strange delusions yeelded and in yeelding were seduced and so shackled with the wards of their owne sinne and fetters of their owne finding out and as he solde himselfe to sinne and Sathan by this his fall so iustly did God ordaine the meanes to hamper him to wit Death and Destruction Neither was this action contrary to his iustice except he should haue denied himselfe nor yet repugnant to his vnchangeable word pronounced for in the beginning as we haue heard God created man holy and righteous euen like to himselfe and so long as he kept this forme he enioyed Gods presence his protection and prouidence ruled ouer him he wanted nothing that was needefull for him all the creatures were his seruants they came at his call and bowed at his becke he wanted nothing that heart could wish he was placed in Paradise amidst all passing pleasures the ground of it selfe yeelded forth her encrease without toyle or trauell he was made subiect to no creature but was Lord ouer all him onely excepted that had thus preferred him Now this his gracious God and bountifull Lord for all these his graces and blessings vnspeakeable required no great seruice or homage at his hands he exacted no great rent he did not ouercharge him but onely this to shew his soueraigne power he gaue him a Commandement no weighty thing to be obserued but a small matter and easie to be performed to wit that he hauing such choise and aboundance of all things besides should abstaine for his pleasure from tasting of the tree of the knowledge of good and euill and all this he did to try his obedience And now behold this vnkinde creature this vngratefull wretch and wicked man forgetting God and his duetie casting aside his blessings and graces wherewith he abounded most traiterously villainously and shamefully rebelling against his Lord contemneth his Creatour and setteth his God at naught he listneth to the Diuell and beleeueth his lies and followeth like a beast his sensuall appetite and euen in that one thing forbidden spiteth his God regardeth not his word feareth not death that was threatned but eateth of the forbidden tree maugre the beard of God and his iudgements And here let vs throughly consider not so much the matter and meanes which was but the eating of an Apple as the manner and measure of this rebellion and sinne which manifested it selfe by these degrees first a doubtfulnesse of Gods word which made him to stagger secondly a losse of faith not beleeuing Gods threatning thirdly a nise curiositie in departing from Gods word and seeking other wisedome fourthly a pride in desiring to be greater then God had made him fiftly a contempt of God breaking his law against his conscience sixtly an apostasie in falling from the counsell of God to beleeue the Diuell seuenthly an ingratitude and hellish vnkindenesse in driuing away and expelling Gods holy spirit dwelling in them eightly a murthering of himselfe and his whole posteritie for this fall of his was the first opening of the gate to all sinne and misery to all mankinde This sinne therefore can no way be lessened consisting of so many most monstrous and horrible impieties Could any punishment possible be sharpe enough for such a monstrous fact that whereas God had giuen them such liberty and freedome of all things yet would not so much as obey him in this one Againe God did not onely binde him to obedience but threatned his rebellion if thou eate thereof thou shalt die the death Notwithstanding Gods commanding and his threatning he is most carelesse and swiftly runnes headlong to sinne and wickednesse and so entred into such a maze of miseries from whence neither himselfe nor his posteritie were euer able to vnwinde themselues for so abusing his owne free will he lost it and was made a slaue to Sathan and himselfe Gods image being by his fall defaced he became like the diuell and contemning life he found out death euen death eternall This was the wages of his sinne this was the hire of his labour this profit reaped he for his paines God thrust him out of Paradise and being expelled he was kept out by the Cherubins so
a man vpon easie conditions should gaine an high estate to him and his for euer and yet should wittingly and wilfully forfeite it againe to the owner who would either moane the heire or blame the giuer Euen so God hauing made the soule of man good righteous and faire as from himselfe yet knitting it to the body to make the man which man is Adams heire he may iustly withdraw his graces from it as his owne being forfeited and lost by traiterous man Thus Gods grace most iustly fayling the soule it falleth to sinne and declineth to naught which pronenesse of euill is our naturall sicknesse which we call Originall sinne So that the soule of man is not now created with that strength to perseuere in goodnesse and resistance of euill and other excellent graces which it should haue had if Adam had not sinned and albeit it be pure and vnspotted as it proceedeth from God yet is it no sooner ioyned to the body but it is presently polluted euen as the purest wine and best quintessence when it is powred into a filthy pot poysoned and vnsauory doth in a moment loose their naturall taste and tallage so doth the sweet soule loose her fragrant smell of grace and goodnesse so soone as it is sent into this filthy vessell the body of sinne Neither is the soule of man subiect onely to weakenesses and infirmities in resisting of corruptions but hath many other defects both of minde and will being destitute of spirituall life and light blinde by nature and not so much as inclinable to holy desires and sanctified workes as God her Creatour by his law requireth And although in the iust iudgement of God as we haue already heard mens soules be now made in such sort as that of necessitie they must be defiled being ioyned to these bodies of sinne yet are they not thereby to be excused from the guilt of sinne for though it be of a iust necessitie yet is it not of any compulsion that they should sinne as we see by experience Iron and Stones and such like graue and heauie substances though neuer so softly let downe into a brooke doe of necessitie yet not by any violence sinke downe to the bottome thereof Bodies depriued of foode and flesh in time doe putrifie of necessity yet neither the one nor the other by any compulsion God of necessitie is good and the Diuell is euill yet can we not say that either goodnes in God or iniquity in the Diuell doe proceede of compulsion So our soules being ioyned to our bodies are of necessitie sinfull yet willingly also and of their owne accord Neither yet is it or can be otherwise now with the best regenerate and holiest men renewed in Christ towards their children then it was in Adam at the first touching the propagation of originall sinne they can conuey no more vnto their posteritie but that which by nature they are possessed of for grace comes from heauen and our new birth is not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God If we winnow any Wheate or graine neuer so perfectly and purge it neuer so throughly by the fanne from the chaffe and dust yet when it is sowne againe it will not bring forth cleansed corne but with the graine yeelde huskes and hawnes which also must it selfe be threshed with the flayle and cleansed with the fanne vpon the floore As this clensed Corne I say can giue no more but what it had by nature and looke what it had by the art industry of man the same meanes must be vsed to it againe before it be cleane and fit for our vse Euen so the faithfull though they be washed iustified and sanctified by Gods spirit and the blood of Christ yet can they giue no more to their children then what themselues haue had by nature being the children of wrath and as for any grace or goodnesse it must come from the same Author and by the same meanes which their parents had to worke it in them or else it can neuer be effected God doth worke in the hearts of men to incline their wills which way hee pleaseth either to good things according to his mercy or to euill according to their owne desert and that by his iudgement sometime manifest sometime secret but alwayes iust A worke-house must needes decline and also fall when the vnder-proppes are remoued Darkenesse must needes ensue when the Sunne and light is departed away Those bright beames of all light and happy life which were giuen to our first parents are remoued and other excellent gifts and graces of God are in his iust iudgement so long withholden from our soules vntill by his holy spirit as the worker and by his holy word as the instrument God in his good time doe againe enlighten our mindes and purifie our hearts by faith and confirme and strengthen vs in euery good word and worke Sinne to mankinde will alwaies be a Iebusite a false borderer yea a ranke traitour rebelling against the spirit which makes the life of man to be saith Chrisostome a debt as it were owne and due to death for the diuell is the father of sinne and sinne is the mother of death Hereupon saith S. Iames that Sinne being finished trauaileth in childe-birth like a mother to bring forth Death and Dauid calleth sinne the gate of death because as a man commeth into a house by the dore or gate so death came into the world by sinne The corruption of our flesh did not make our soule sinfull but the sinne of our soule did make the flesh corruptible Whereupon Lactantius calleth sinne the reliefe or foode of death and as a fire goeth out when all the fuell is spent but burneth as long as it lasteth so death dieth when sinne ceaseth but where sin aboundeth there death raigneth CHAP. V. Of the Nature of Death what it is and how manifold and whence Deuines haue deriued it DEath thus iustly deriued from Adam as the stocke to all and euery one of vs his line and race as to the boughes and branches the leprosie of his sin cleauing fast to all his seede we are further to consider the nature thereof for our better humbling which cannot more plainely appeare then by the true describing and diuiding of the same by and into his seuerall parts properties and effects as they are laid out vnto vs and gathered from the Scriptures As man therefore in his nature consisteth of two principall parts a humane body and a diuine soule which vnited together make but one person so there is a Death of the body and a Death of the soule and a death that is common both to body and soule Death then in it selfe is not onely a killing of the body but also a slaying as it were of the soule not onely a separation of the soule from the body but a diuision and cutting off both of
of Gods elect to know the bottomlesse loue of Christ beyond all knowledge indeed who was accursed for our sakes and suffered for vs not onely the torments of his body but the anguish and horrour of his soule and the wrath of his Father which wounded his flesh and spirit vnto death and would haue held him in that condemnation for euer if hee had beene no stronger then wee that had deserued it But being also the Sonne of God in whom the fulnesse of the God-head dwelleth bodily the eternall spirit that was with him did loose the chaines of Sathan Death and Hell and so hee mightily arose from the power of the Diuell of which it was impossible hee should be holden and hath left those his enemies euen Diuell Death and Hell in ignominie and darknesse and hath abolished them for euer and euer not to hurt vs any more As a Bee saith one stinging a dead body takes no hurt but stinging a liue body many times looseth both sting and life together in like manner Death so long as it stung mortall men onely which were dead in sinne was neuer a whit the worse but when it went about to sting Christ which is life it selfe by and by it lost both sting and strength Hee that felleth a tree vpon which the Sunne shineth may well cut the tree but cannot hurt the Sunne Hee that poureth water vpon iron which is red hot may well quench the heate but he cannot hurt the iron but rather makes it harder so Christ the Sunne of righteousnesse did driue away the shadow of death and as glowing iron hee was too hot and hard a morsell for Death to digest As the while Adam did eate any other fruit which God gaue him leaue to eate hee was nourished by it but when hee had tasted of the forbidden tree hee perished euen so Death had leaue to deuoure any other man Christ onely excepted but when it went about to destroy Christ then it was destroyed it selfe Death indeed did taste of Christ but could not swallow him vp nor digest him Contrariwise Christ as soone as euer hee had but a little tasted of death eft-soones he did deuoure it and swallow it vp in victory Death as a rauenous beast deuouring all men snatched at our Sauiour Christ but hauing caught him could not hold him in her iawes but perceiuing the worthinesse of the prey trembling for feare let him goe free for although Death seemed to swallow him when hee was dead yet finding him farre from the infection of sinne shee could not retaine him in her house As the life of Christ is the life of life so the death of Christ is the death of death Long before his death hee challenged Death and threatned his death O Death I will be thy death and after his death he scorned Death as a Drone without a sting It is reported that the Dragon killeth the Elephant yet so as the Elephant falling downe killeth the Dragon with him As an Elephant as the story saith killed Eleazar yet so as Eleazar falling downe killed the Elephant with him So the Diuell and Death by killing Christ were killed themselues The Elephant liued not after he had killed the Dragon nor Eleazar after he had slaine the Elephant But Christ liued and doth foreuer liue after the full destruction of the diuell and death Though Christ in his graue was neuer like to rise againe yet he died not but mortalitie died in him and immortalitie so liued in his person that euen in his sepulchre he did most liue when hee seemed most to be dead as the Lawrill it greenest in the foulest winter and the Lime is hottest in the coldest water and the Glow-worme lightest when the night is darkest Christ by Death was wounded but his enemies and ours Death and Diuell vtterly spoyled his buckler which was his god-head was whole and vntouched So that his death was no death indeede but an exaltation vnto greater glory He was led saith Esay as a sheepe before the Shearer Shorne he was saith one by Death but not for euer depriued of life But as a Lambe is much more nimble and liuely by shearing so this shearing by Death was a kinde of quickning to Christ Christ is that louing Rahel which dieth her selfe that her Son may liue He is that painefull Adam who by the sweate of his browes hath earned for vs the bread of life He is that iust Noah which shutting vp himselfe in his Arke as a Sepulchre saueth all that come to him aliue He is that tender Pellican which wounding his owne brest doth with his blood restore his faithfull broode to life And as honie being found in a dead Lion was the sustenance of Sampson So Christs gall is our honie and his bitter Death by reason of his righteousnesse is the sweete life of all beleeuers Now the remembrance of Christ crucified must serue to crucifie sin for then Christ doth sleepe in thee when thou forgettest his passion and the readiest way and directest path to goe to heauen is to swimme through the riuer of Christs blood the drops whereof rayning from the cloudes of his mercy commonly quench the fiery flames of Gods burning wrath which cannot be extinguished by the vertuous water of any mans merit It is the oyle of grace which must purge our defiled hearts It is the dew of heauen which will make vs flourish Christs death alone therefore is the welspring of our saluation Oh loue this good thing in which all good things are it is enough for thee Where is safe and stedfast rest and assurednesse for the weake and wounded soule but in the wounds of our Sauiour Christ and so much the surer I dwell therein as he is mightier to saue me The world rageth the body burdeneth the Diuell like a deuouring Lyon roareth yet the faithfull fall not because they are builded vpon Christ the rocke I haue sinned a grieuous sinne my conscience is troubled but it is not distressed because I remember the wounds of my Iesus Our safe sanctuarie in all distresse is Iesus Christ who wholly gaue himselfe and spent his soule in suffering for our sinnes still remaining our Aduocate to his Father and crying alwayes vnto vs to come to him for rest In the caue of this rocke wee may safely hide our selues his death is the secret den for our deliuerance from eternall death and hell Vnder the wings of this Hen may the poore and naked chickens hide themselues be sure and safe from all hellish Kites There is nothing so soueraigne a remedie against the stinging of that infernall serpent as to fasten the eye of our faith vpon Iesus Christ heaued vp and exalted vpon the Crosse The venemous by tings of those hellish spirits of damnation cannot once annoy vs if wee fully repose our trust in Christ alone that was crucified His Crosse and passion is the triumphant ensigne
members being separated from the body So in Christ our head consisteth our life as we are true members of his body the Church vnited to him by a true and liuely Faith and so quickned by his Spirit and knit and ioyned one to another in a holy fellowship and communion by the bond of loue Christ is the Vine and the faithfull his branches without him they can doe nothing as they are of this tree they are fruitfull but broken off they are barren and liue no more but dye and wither away By his life alone wee liue and without his death we are but dead and damned for euer Therefore wee must know and learne our true vnion section 2 with Christ and try our selues whether wee be members of that body whereof hee is head For none I say are redeemed from death and freed from condemnation but those alone that are in Christ whom they cannot possibly apprehend but by a true and liuely Faith which is the spirituall hand to lay hold on Christs merits to eternall life Hereby we are interessed in all that eyther God hath promised or Christ hath performed hence haue we from God both forgiuenesse of sinnes and assurance of his fauour This is the ground of our happinesse and glory hence of enemies wee become more then friends euen the sonnes of God that may challenge not onely prouision and safe protection on earth but an euerlasting possession and inheritance in heauen The apprehension of Christs all-sufficient satisfaction by a true and a liuely Faith maketh it our owne and vpon our satisfaction wee haue remission vpon remission followeth reconciliation vpon our reconciliation the peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding When therefore our conscience like a sterne and sturdy Serjeant shall catch vs as it were by the throat and arrest vs for Gods debt our Plea must be it hath beene paid and so bring forth that bloudy acquittance sealed vs from heauen vpon our true and assured Faith So shall the cruell looke of our Conscience be changed into friendly smiles and that rough and violent hand ready to dragge vs downe to hell shall euen louingly embrace vs and fight for our righteous Crowne Oh heauenly peace and more then peace whereby alone we are in league with our selues and God with vs. section 3 Gods Spirit sheweth vs our pouerty and where to buy Gold that shall cost vs nothing It sheweth vs our wretchednesse that haue nothing but ragges to put on and withall the wardrobe of Christs righteousnesse where we shall haue garments fit for Gods Saints It sheweth vs our Apostacie how wee haue fallen and by our fall haue euen broken our necke and sends vs to Christ our Physitian who is onely good at such a desperate disease It sheweth vs our debt and our Serjeant the Diuell to arrest vs and then sends vs to the Lord-Treasurer of heauen in whose hands are sufficient to discharge whatsoeuer wee owe. Gods Children then must be knit vnto Christ the Son section 4 of God they liue in his life and stand in his strength whose right hand hath made all things and whose yeares endure for euermore who is heyre of all things and shall shew vs his glory and immortalitie when all these creatures shall haue a change There is no saluation nor sanctification for vs vnder heauen but as our nature is really vnited to the person of Christ the Sonne of God who hath sanctified and sacrificed himselfe for vs. Euen as our hands armes and other parts are not nourished but onely by the meate receiued of the head so our spirituall meate of life and righteousnesse can no where else be deriued to vs but from Christ our head And as the veynes are meanes by which nourishment is conueyed to euery part so Faith is the instrument by which we receiue from Christ all that is healthfull for our soules And as by ioynts and sinewes our members are really knit and made a compleat body vnto the head so really truely and indeed by one Spirit wee be knit vnto Christ and substantially made one with him as our naturall members are made one with our head This though wee cannot conceiue yet wee are bound section 5 to beleeue Wee now beleeue in the Lord our God and yet wee know not his countenance wee beleeue and apprehend by hope his glory yet neyther eye can see it no nor heart conceiue it wee beleeue the resurrection of the dead yet wee cannot vnderstand such excellent wisdome how our life should be renewed in the dissolued bones and scattered ashes Euen so wee beleeue that Christ and wee are one hee of vs and wee of him hee the head wee the body really substantially and truely knit together but not by ioynts and sinewes for that vniting we know but by his Spirit which all his Children haue and this coniunction indeed can wee neuer fully comprehend till wee know God as hee is and his holy Spirit which hath wrought this blessing The diuine nature vnited to the manhood of Christ hath giuen the participation of his office to him as man that as God is Mediator so is man as God hath deserued saluation so hath man and that hee as man shall iudge the quicke and the dead not that hee shall iudge by his manhood but Christ man shall iudge the world This Christ is not onely God with vs in nature but in person for the reprobate are of the same nature with him and he with them yet is he not God with them but against them But wee as the Apostle speaketh are flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones euen as a man and wife which are not onely one in nature but in person by speciall couenant so are wee one with Christ by couenant of grace and being one with him wee are also one with the Trinitie I pray thee O Father saith Christ as I am one with thee so these may be one with vs both which bringeth great comfort to Gods Elect that through Christ haue the whole God-head reconciled vnto them and dwelling in them section 7 And as Christ is our person and Sauiour so his righteousnesse is ours since we haue him whose it is and this maintaineth Gods iustice to punish Christ in our person and to iustifie vs in his in respect hee is in vs and wee in him and so doth hee neyther punish the innocent nor iustifie the offender And in this respect when wee know that Christ is truely ours that God giueth life and this life is in the Sonne and this Sonne is in vs it followeth that wee are not saued by his righteousnesse but by our owne his person being made one person with vs. By regeneration wee are made partakers of his diuine nature and flesh that is our nature is renewed and sanctified and is made another flesh to wit the flesh of Christ For as the Sonne of God was so made man that by
Christ Except yee shall eate the flesh of the Sonne of man you shall haue no life in you Againe Hee that eateth my flesh dwelleth in mee and I in him Now it is all one to say that Christ is in vs and that hee abideth in vs and to say with the Apostle that Christ dwelleth in our harts by faith Hee is therefore in vs and abideth in vs and is vnited to vs by a liuely Faith And as wee eate the true and naturall flesh of Christ so wee are vnited to the true flesh of Christ but the former is by Faith therefore the latter also section 14 Againe wee are not vnited but to a liuely and quickening flesh and this is the end why wee are vnited thereto that being quickened thereby wee may liue eternally But the flesh of Christ is not a quickening flesh of it selfe but so far forth as it was taken of the Son of God into the vnitie of the person Our soule is ioyned to the soule of Christ and our naturall flesh with the flesh of Christ and therefore like vnto ours in all things sinne only excepted which teacheth vs to fasten the eyes of our mindes immediately and first of all vpon the humane flesh of Christ as it were vpon the vayle by which the entrance was into the most holy place where the glory of God most clearly shined and then after that to enter into the Sanctuary it selfe to behold his Deity section 15 Furthermore as Christ by the communication of his Spirit vniteth himselfe vnto vs so we by Faith are ioyned to him For the first By this wee know saith S. Iohn that Christ is in vs euen by the Spirit which hee hath giuen vs. Hee that hath not the Spirit of Christ saith S. Paul hee is none of his For the second saith the same Apostle that Christ dwelleth in our hearts by Faith Hee that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood saith Christ abideth in me and I in him but hee is eaten and drunke by faith as in the same place Christ expoundeth He that beleeueth in me shall neuer thirst We therefore are vnited to Christ by a liuely faith The knowledge and apprehension of which vnion with Christ by a true and liuely faith not onely ministreth a section 16 true euidence of our right and interest in Iesus Christ but putteth vs in possession of all his benefits purchased to mankinde Hence commeth assured remission and forgiuenesse of sinnes and by a necessary consequence perfect deliuerance from eternall Death by Christs obedience in Death and likewise full and perfect possession of eternall life following his obedience in fulfilling the Law For both the parts of that obedience which was really performed by Christ is communicated to vs by imputation and is truely made ours by the right of this spirituall vnion seeing while Christ how great soeuer hee be is made one flesh with vs and we with him and in regard thereof by imputation also we as the members together with Christ the head are now crucified are dead are buried are raised from death haue ascended into heauen doe sit with him in the highest heauens are blessed with Christ with all spirituall blessings and that not onely in hope but already in Christ our head wee are reputed for such in heauen with God the Father Againe two things necessarily concurre to the iustification section 17 of life First remission of our sinnes that we be not found guilty of eternall death Secondly the imputation of the righteousnesse of Christ that we may be thought worthy of eternall life and neither of these can be without the other and both of them we haue of Christ For the Lord Iesus of his grace and fauour towards vs maketh that what things soeuer wee doe by this his inherent righteousnesse communicated vnto vs to make vs continually fruitfull both to our selues and others although they be most imperfect workes and stained with the corruption of the flesh yet hee I say maketh that they be pleasing and acceptable to God all our spots and blemishes being couered in the robes of Christs righteousnesse And as Adams eating of the forbidden tree was imputed to all his posteritie though they neuer tasted of the fruit with their lippes So the righteousnesse and obedience of Christ shall make all faithfull men righteous before God though they themselues as yet haue tasted no righteousnesse For God hath made him sinne for vs that knew no sinne that wee should be made the righteousnesse of God in him As therefore Christ was made sinne for vs not by infusion of sinne into his person but by imputation of our sinnes vnto him so must wee be made righteous before God not by infusion of righteousnesse into our owne persons but by imputation of Christs righteousnesse vnto vs. As the Moone and Starres borrow all their light from the Sunne so the Church and euery member of the same borrow all their righteousnesse from Christ the Sonne of righteousnesse And as for the sinnes of the faithfull howsoeuer they section 18 cleaue vnto their bones yet if they hate them as hell from whence they are the Diuell working them they neede not care for them being heauy in waight and many in number for they haue their hope not in their own person but in the body of Christ into which they are grafted and in which there is no spot but perfection of righteousnesse euen before God himselfe Their sinnes by his meanes are put vnder their feete and they are rulers ouer them They are not imputed vnto them but vnto Christ The punishment of them is forgiuen vnto the faithfull but not forgiuen to Christ Righteousnesse is freely giuen vnto vs but it was not freely giuen vnto him he obeyed the law of his Father euery iot and tittle that he might fulfill all righteousnesse He bore the condemnation of hell and death that he might abolish it So that in him is life in him is righteousnesse in him is immortalitie and in him is the reconciled good will of God to man And that excellent wisedome which hath made vs by faith one with him the same hath made vs partakers of all his honour and blessed immortalitie If we be ingrafted into the body of Christ wee be his section 19 and he liueth in vs his victory ouer all is ours we see it by faith and all things are in subiection vnder our feete The Diuels doe challenge no good by Christ but disclaime his mercies person and all his meanes Oh what haue wee to doe with thee but euery good Christian may claime him as his due with blessed Paul and say that Christ is his righteousnesse wisedome sanctification and redemption and be bolde to affirme that though his body be in heauen yet shall I there finde it mine his diuinity on earth yet there shall I feele it mine c. All is for mee since Christ is mine
the race and winne the goale why step wee aside to follow flies and feathers in the ayre CHAP. VII The faithfull in this life are subiect to manifold infirmities their bodies and soules are vnder the thraldome of Sinne and corruption but Death breakes their bonds and setteth them at libertie section 1 MOst lamentable and fearefull is Saint Pauls complaint in the person of the faithfull that he is carnall and sould vnder sinne doing those things which he hateth and omitting the good things he willeth that in his flesh dwelleth no good thing and therefore crieth out as a miserable caitiue to be deliuered from the body of this death For as man at the first by sin rebelled against his maker so all things while he liueth shall rebell against him euen man against himselfe the flesh against the spirit yea both of them doe what wee can are lyable to the tyrannie of sin which as a soule and an vncleane spirit hauing entred will not againe without much renting and torment be driuen out a doores And were it not that our strong man armed far greater then sinne had dispossessed him with violence desperate and forlorne had beene our estate yet here in this life the battell is but begun and must continue all our tearme as we haue heard onely death must end the wars and make our conquest pleasant God here will haue vs humbled all our daies before he will fully exalt vs when all times and daies shall cease section 2 The corruptions of this life and manifold infirmities of our nature shall be as gyues about our legs and fetters about our feete to shew our guilty condition and what we are He therefore that desireth so greatly to liue is like a foolish prisoner delighting in his bolts that may be free from his fetters and careth not that may goe out of the Iayle and will not Shall the bruite beasts and senceles creatures being subiect to vanitie grone in their kinde for the redemption of Gods Sonnes when they shall be freed from the bondage of sinne and shall wee that are Christians endued with reason yea and aboue reason inlightened with Gods holy Spirit especially when it standeth vpon our ioyfull being and euerlasting dwelling with God in heauen shall wee not I say lift vp our mindes beyond this rottennesse of earth Surely the very creatures shall condemne our backwardnesse herein that we are worse then beasts bereaued of sense and reason Wee may say of our vnruly flesh as one said once of a troublesome neighbour Neyther can I liue with thee section 3 neyther yet can I be without thee Here our nature like Hagar the bond-woman is very disdainfull toward Sarah the free-woman where the rebellious appetites striue against the regiment of Reason where our wit like another Heuah still prouoketh vs to reach of the forbidden fruit where Sinne like Tarquinius the proud would tyrannize challenge so a perpetuall Dictatorship We must not therefore commit the guard of our selues to this body of sinne nor mingle our soules with the corruption therof Ioyne with thy friends not with thine enemies the flesh is thine enemy because it contradicteth the vnderstanding and contends after nothing but to sow enimities and troubles Mingle not thy soule therewith for feare thou confound and defile it together for making this commixtion thy flesh which should be a subiect comes to contemne the soule which ought to command as a Soueraigne seeing shee giues life to the body and the flesh on the contrary effects the death of the soule Though the soule be infused into the body yet wee may not thinke that shee is confounded with the body Consider the light for an example though it peirce into euery place yet is it not mixed therewith wee must not therefore confound the office and effects of so different substances but let it reside in the body to quicken lighten and gouerne the same section 4 Wee see by experience when wee muse and meditate on a matter wee would not willingly see any body wee like not to heare any noyse about our eares hauing sometime our minde so fixed on our thoughts that wee see not that which is before our eyes And in the night our cogitations are more firme and wee conceiue the better of that in our hearts which serues for our learning and instruction Oftentimes many men close their eyes when they would profoundly consider of any affayres auoyding at such times the impediments of sight otherwhiles seeking out some solitary places to the end no company may hinder their contemplations For this body of ours procureth diuers imployments which dulleth the soules poynt and slackens our intentions Well therefore said Iob Thou hast made me of the clay and slime Our soules are as it were plastered with the flesh but they dissolue not into it Thou hast apparelled mee with skinne saith hee and flesh thou hast enterlaced mee with bones and sinewes so that our soule is confined and extended through the sinewes that many times shee is made stiffe as it were thereby and sometimes crooked by the heauy affections thereof section 5 Wee must therefore rouze vp our soules aboue the bed of our flesh and rise out of this rotten sepulchre of the body of sinne that wee may the more nimbly mount aloft towards heauen and so retyre from this dangerous coniunction of the body Let vs chearefully martch forwards towards our happy home for what other thing is Death to the faithfull but the funerall of their vices and the resurrection of their vertues Let vs therefore swiftly ascend with the flight of loue to that high and happy hill where wee hope to rest Let our soules soare aloft like the Eagle who flyes aboue the clouds shee glisters and shines afresh by the renewing of her plumes shee raises her flight to the skyes where she cannot be intrapped by the snare like other foolish Fowles which descending downeward are intrapped by the Fowler So take wee heede lest our soules groueling on the earth be insnared with Sathans gyns and worldly baites Now the better to discerne the state of our soules let section 6 vs learne of the Musitian who according to the songs that he singeth or playeth vpon the Lute Harpe or Recorder hath his countenance and passions accordingly framed and affected So the soule which vseth the body and playeth vpon it as an Instrument of Musicke if she be sage wise and godly will expresse as it were with her fingers ends the most inward parts and passions so that a pleasant harmony of good manners will redound thereof and we shal see her obserue such melody in her thoughts and affayres as that her deliberations and executions will most sweetly accord It is the soule therefore that needeth the body but as an instrument and therefore soueraignetie is one thing and seruice another and there is great difference betweene that which wee are and that which wee ought to be As
the Bee doth fall among the weedes which seeme section 7 sweet flowers and lights on this and sits on that and tasting all is pleased with none but flyes away so here the faithfull soule findes no delight in these flowers of sinfull flesh and worldly weedes but like Noahs naked doue returnes againe whence she was sent and soares to heauen No more then shall Gods Children paine themselues in heaping together these exhalations of the earth for the heauens shall be ours and this masse of earth which euer draweth vs to the earth shall be buryed in the earth No more then shall wee weary our selues with mounting from degree to degree and from honour to honour for wee shall highly be raised aboue all heights of the world and from on high laugh at the folly of all those wee admired who fight here foolishly for lesse then a poynt or an apple like little children No more then shall we haue such combats in our selues for our flesh shall be dead and our spirit in full life our passions buryed and our Reason freed in perfection Our soule deliuered out of this foule and filthy prison shall againe draw her owne breath recognize her ancient dwelling and againe remember her former glory section 8 This flesh which wee feele this body which we touch is not properly man Man is from heauen heauen is his Countrey and his Ayre That hee is in his body is but by way of exile and confinement Man indeede is soule and spirit man is rather of celestiall and diuine qualitie wherein is nothing grosse or materiall This body such as it is is but the barke and shell of the soule which must needes be broken if wee will be hatched for a heauenly life if wee will truely liue and see the light Wee looke but through false spectacles wee haue eyes but ouer-growne with pearles wee thinke wee see but it is in a dreame wherein wee see nothing but deceit All that wee haue and all that we know is but abuse and villany Death onely can restore vs both life and light And yet so blockish are wee that wee thinke shee comes to rob vs of them Though our soule now for a while be bound to our bodies as Isaack was tyed to the Altar yet so soone as the bonds are loosed it mounteth vp to heauen a place of ioy and blisse Death depriues the soule of no good but freeing it from the burden of the flesh makes it fitter for goodnesse It is the very graue of sinne to the faithfull and the instrument and meanes to raise them vp to the life of righteousnesse through it the sinfull bodies are resolued to dust that so defiled the soule and so the soule once separated aspireth to the heauenly Spheares section 9 The nature of the earth saith one is cold and drye so are our earthly affections to deuotion and pietie The earth stands still without motion and hath the circumference carryed round about it so Gods benefits compasse earthly men and yet they are nothing moued The earth doth often extinguish hot and fiery exhalations which otherwise would ascend so doe earthly affections many holy and heauenly motions of remembring our latter end But the qualitie of the earth which wee should imitate for our good is to be fruitfull after tilling because that the ground which bringeth forth bryars and thornes is subiect to a curse The dearest children of God here in the flesh are as section 10 poysoned vessels washed by the holy Ghost wherein notwithstanding there rests some taste and tallage of the former corruptions But the reprobate and wicked are as barrels full of poyson infused of the Diuell wherein the spirit of God neuer shewed his power Sinne in the regenerate hath a deadly wound and is like the Sun faintly appearing through a thicke cloud but in the wicked it hath a full and violent course Yet if wee haue receiued but the earnest-penny of Gods Spirit in this life wee shall be sure to receiue our full wages and pay in the life to come Neyther neede wee be dismaid that we limpe with Iacob and be imperfect in this life for if wee had no infirmities wee should be as proud as the Diuell whereas now they serue to humble vs and make vs thankfull vnto God so mercifully restrayning them and so fatherly passing by them and so they serue to multiply our grones vnto God the sooner to be freed from this body and bondage of sinne God doth here buffet his children with their imperfections as he did Paul lest they should grow insolent Now the Lord will trust vs no more with perfection since Adam lost it in Paradise but will exercise vs with our weaknesses lest wee should step into our old mothers conceipt to thinke our selues Gods And thus the Lord cureth our grosse sinnes by our infirmities euen as the best Triacle is made of poyson and the skinne of a Viper is the best cure against the sting of a Viper And though our infirmities be simply euill yet qualified and tempered with God our Physitians hand they are turned to our good If God be on our side who can be against vs Nay rather section 11 saith Chrisostome who is not against vs But howsoeuer they are against vs they shall not long trouble vs for God is a recorder of our patience and Death the finisher of our paine And though the heauy burden of our sinfull flesh doe load vs yet lightsomnesse it is to a Christian to thinke that the way is not long The traueller thinking of his Inne but especially of his home which is the end of his trauell goeth more chearfully on to the end of his iourney The bond-man calling to minde the yeares of Iubilee endureth with more patience the yeares of his bondage Great are our troubles and trauels in this life but saluation will one day make amends for all when wee shall once be landed on the shoare of perfect securitie and be deliuered from all toylesome labours c. Happy yea thrice happy and blessed shall the faithfull be being departed from a shadow of life to true life it selfe from darknesse to light from trouble to rest from sinfull men to the most holy God when the battell of their warfare shall be ended and they quite freed from al the throes of Sinne and Death section 12 One faith well that the word of God is swift and it requireth a speedy follower if speede in following much more in attayning if speede in the body which is a burden of sinne much more when the soule hath put it off if vnder the crosse wee groane and yet goe forward with how much more speede shall wee haste to the Crowne when all teares shall be wiped from our eyes And if it be true of a glorified body as Augustine speaketh that the body is straight where the minde will how much rather shall a sanctified soule disburdened of the body
holy life heauenly conuersation chearefull death and blessed daparture of the faithfull redeemed by Christ section 1 GOds children now being redeemed from Sinne and Death and truely vnited to Christ by his spirit whom they apprehend by an vnfained faith cannot chuse but shew forth the fruits of this their high calling to the glory of him that hath chosen them And being partakers of the diuine nature they flye from the corruptions of the world and giue all diligence to ioyne vertue with their faith and with vertue knowledge and with knowledge temperance and with temperance patience and with patience godlinesse and with godlinesse brotherly kindenesse and with brotherly kindenesse loue and these things being among them and abounding will keepe them from being idle and vnfruitfull The grace of God to them appeareth not in vaine but teacheth them to denie all vngodlinesse and worldly lusts to liue soberly righteously godly in this present world c. and being risen with Christ from the graue of corruption they euery day more and more seeke those things which are aboue setting their affections where Christ sitteth and not on the things that are on the earth for they are dead to the world and their true life is hid with God in Christ therefore they labour to be holy as he that hath called them to his kingdome and glory is holy They daily imploy themselues in reading and meditating of the word of God in prayer and religious exercises of holy deuotion loathing still this world and sinfull life daily growing to be spirituall and heauenly hauing their affections and zeale inflamed with the loue of God They say with Augustine O Lord I delight to heare of thee to talke of thee to write of thee to deuise of thee and in my heart to print whatsoeuer I learne of thee So must wee walke in these holy paths with all Gods Saints Godly deuotion and holy meditations saith one are section 2 as brine and pickle to keepe and preserue this corruptible flesh of ours from the euill scent that breedeth in our nature by originall sinne They are as faggots and firebrands that enkindle and inflame the loue of God in our hearts And as the fish out of the water die forthwith and the drops of raine distilling from the clouds vpon the ground doe quickly dry and drench vp and the fire without fuell is soone extinguished So our faith and loue c. without these sanctified meanes doe suddenly decrease They are as precious perfumes burnt in a polluted house and sick-mans chamber The sweet incense of prayer and the sauory smell of that odorifferous balme of a liuely faith and effectuall knowledge of God purge and clense the corruption of our liues and vncleane desires God hath chosen vs to be his glorious temple in whom hee dwelleth by his spirit therefore wee must haue our hearts purified by faith and clense our selues from all filthinesse and vncleanenesse both of bodies and soules and so adorne the place of his presence and habitation with all vertue and holinesse Hee that destroyeth the Temple of God him will God destroy for the Temple of God is holy which you are Saint Peter willeth vs to gird vp the loynes of our mindes teaching vs that as they which weare long garments when they come in the foule wayes doe take and gird them vp lest they should tag in the way So we whose mindes and affections doe traile as it were vpon the earth trudging through this foule and filthy world must heaue them vp towards heauen lest they should touch the damnable filth of sinne and wickednesse It is in vaine to boast of iustification without the vnfained sanctification of Gods spirit For as there can be no fire section 3 without warmth and light so neither can God by his spirit be in vs of with any of vs but he will also purifie vs from vice and corruption therefore wee must follow peace and holinesse without the which no man can see the Lord. Christ hath crucified our old man and put to death our vice and corruption and shall wee reuiue the same Shall we maintaine our Sauiours enemies and giue life againe to these deadly poysons of our soules If wee will be Burgesses of heauen we must be strangers to the earth Where is the house of our Father but in heauen and there dwelleth our eldest brother Iesus Christ and all our christian friends and kindred Heauen then is our true Country and on earth we are but trauellers section 4 When Moses had conuersed with God but fortie daies vpon the Mount-Oliue at his comming downe his face shined and glistered with heauenly glory So must we beholding in a mirror the glory of our Lord Iesus Christ in his word and Gospell as it were with open face and not with a vaile as did Moses be changed into the same image from glory to glory as by the spirit of the Lord. If I say but this short time while we liue we be conuersant in heauen by our most holy faith and fruits thereof in all holy affections thoughts words and meditations we shall in the end become heauenly and spirituall both in word and deede As wee see by experience when a country-man hath beene trayned vp sometime in the Court he forgetteth his clownish kinde of life and becommeth a Courtier Let vs therefore leaue the speaches habit fashions and manners of this wicked world wherein we liue and inure our selues with the customes and course of the court of Heauen Let all our thoughts words and communication testifie that in spirit wee are already there section 5 Christ Iesus whom all true Christians haue put on by baptisme as a garment is a most royall robe of grace holinesse and sanctification and shall we be so sloathfull to traile and trample him in the dyrt of filthinesse and sinne or putting him off to put on the vile and spotted garment of the flesh by following the lusts thereof When winter is once ouer the nearer that the Sunne draweth vnto vs the more doth the earth being warmed with the heate thereof fructifie and increase and the longer the daies are the more worke we may doe euen so the nearer the kingdome of heauen doth approach vnto vs by the comming of Iesus Christ the sonne of righteousnesse or the nearer we draw to death the more we should be inflamed in the loue of God and all good workes As the Sunne beames doe come to the earth and yet are in the region from whence they are sent so the mindes and soules of Gods children though conuersant in the earth are truely seated and setled with God in heauen from whence they came Let vaine-glorious worldlings who with the Camaelion section 6 liue by the ayre and therefore are alwaies found gaping and who haue with the Moone but a borrowed light in the world and no true light of
may the better moderate their desires section 10 Learne not so much saith Plato to increase thy possessions as to diminish thy lusts for the high-way to be rich is to be poore in coueting and hee is the richest that coueteth the least and is content with a little Now the way to cure this Feuer which causeth such a thirst of the world and worldly things is not to giue vs drinke and fill of our desires which increaseth the disease but by diminishing the immoderate loue and liking of the same Now one speciall meanes hereunto is to trust in God since the roote of this sinne is distrust in God Before the creation of man the world was made and replenisht with all things requisite for his vse and before the soule the body was created to receiue it Sith then God prouided for man before his creation and nourished the body in the wombe before it was borne and giueth care to the mother of sustayning and cloathing it before the birth shall wee call into question his fatherly care ouer vs Let not these things therefore hinder vs in the high-way to heauen but casting all our care vpon God let vs be packing on our iourney Let the messengers of death be welcome vnto vs and Death himselfe be imbraced when God doth send it For though they depriue vs of the world with his wealth and pleasures yet they put vs in possession of heauen itselfe and happy treasures And for these transitory things which are but as vapours and exhalations of the world A godly man saith Augustine neuer so fully enioyeth his desire as when hee is willing nothing at all to desire them Contentment saith one consisteth not in much yet he hath much that hath it and this is soone obtayned of God in a low estate Nature wee say is content with a little and onely contentation ministreth rest and peace vnto our mindes The Sea of this world saith a holy Father freezing vnto vs it hardeneth that wee may safely walke vpon it as Peter on the water CHAP. V. Of the great griefe of forsaking our wealth and worldly estate and leauing of our manifold friends and acquaintance in the world with the remedies thereof FEarefull is the consideration to flesh and bloud section 1 not indued with the comforts of Gods holy Spirit to thinke of our poore and naked estate at our latter end Death waiting vpon vs not onely to depriue vs of our life and beeing but of all such comfortable meanes and helpes which formerly wee enioyed taking from vs our houses goods and friends which Iob beganne to feele and confesse in his tryals with lowd exclamation Naked I came into the world and naked shall I returne God indeede made all these things for man yea the whole world it selfe of which hee tooke possession yet forgetting his homage to God and chiefe-rent of obedience hee forfaited all againe into his hands and from whence hee came thither sent he him againe giuing him iust as much with him as hee brought at first Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt dissolue And indeede this prouision is sufficient enough for the place whither hee goeth For what great matters should we looke for in the graue where rottennesse is our father and wormes are our mother When our breath once vanisheth and we shall be turned out of the house-roomes of this world repayring to our doomes-day house where the wormes the dead mens Lawyers shall take their fees out of vs their graue-clyents and our bodies with our bowels shall be their bread to satiate their hunger Then happy I say are those that by the wings of a liuely faith haue their soules flying vp to the heauenly habitations section 2 Hither we came as Iacob to Laban onely by Gods prouidence wee are that wee are If God will giue vs food to eate and cloathes to put on God shall be our God These heards and droues about vs they are from the mercy of God not plants growing in our owne soyle not vapours that did arise from vs but of the nature of influences from heauen are come vpon vs. Euery one sueth to God in forma pauperis for things necessary wee are poore Publicanes receiuers onely God is the giuer of all Wee cannot call any thing ours but Time While we haue time let vs doe good Nay this time it selfe is not in our hands but in the Lords All these temporall things come from the great store-house of heauen We may not say as the Tempter did All these are mine no all is Gods who is the best Land-lord Hee requires no more but our acknowledgement of his blessings with thankefulnesse in our obedience Wee may haue them wee must not be had of them wee haue had them to liue the end ceasing the meanes also cease concurring to the end Wee must not make Idols of them as the Egyptians did of their treasure section 3 Is it possible to forget whither wee are going Where should the members be but where the head raigneth where should the heart be but where our heauenly treasure is placed Christ who is our treasure is in heauen whither first our affections must ascend and then we follow after Riches saith the Wise-man helpe not in the time of neede they take them to their wings and flye away they are but straw and stabble no sure foundation to build on For all worldly goods are ebbing and flowing like the Sea and wee doe not possesse them as wee ought vnlesse at all times we be ready and willing when God seeth it good to forgoe and leaue them Let vs consider that when we dye wee depart from the world and therefore worldly affections should now depart from vs. Let vs betake our selues wholy to a better habitation better societies to better ioyes and so desire chearefully to be dissolued and to be with Christ God many times punisheth our ouer-louing of earthly things with their losse or great hinderance because he thinkes them vnworthy riuals to himselfe who challengeth all height of loue as his onely right So that the way to loose them is to loue them much and the largenesse of affection maketh an open way to dissipation The fayrer and higher in the world our estate shall be the fayrer marke hath mischiefe giuen vnto it and which is worse that which maketh vs so easie to hit maketh our wound more deepe and grieuous Neyther must wee thinke that wee hold any thing of section 4 right which wee enioy of Gods free mercy and grace neyther in our conceit to binde the Lord at his owne cost and charges as it were by Obligation to finde vs. And notwithstanding wee be but beggars as at whose gate of mercy wee receiue all our maintenance yet to make a rent-charge of all that which he giueth of his free liberalitie Thus proud men many times make a breach into the Lords possession and prouoke him to proue
to all mens senses that are not bruitishly senslesse or at the least to make it cleare and out of question to the spirituall eye and vnderstanding of all beleeuers to whom onely it is giuen of God to be perswaded of this truth section 2 First therefore the resurrection of our bodies is most sure and certaine because the Scriptures euen the whole word of God contained both in the old and new Testament doe teach and conuince the same But because the places are so many I will but onely alledge some few very plaine and pregnant to this purpose First then I wil begin with that famous testimony of holy Iob who wisheth his words to be written in a Booke yea to be ingrauen with an iron penne in Lead or Brasse but more deseruedly in Gold I know saith he that my Redeemer liueth and though wormes destroy my body yet I shall see God in my flesh whom I myselfe shall see and mine eyes shall behold and none other for mee Thy dead men saith the Prophet Esay shall liue euen with my body shall they rise Awake and sing yee that dwell in the dust the earth shall cast out her dead Many that sleepe saith Daniel in the dust of the earth shall awake some to euerlasting life and some to shame and perpetuall contempt The houre shall come saith Christ in which all that are in their graues shall heare his voyce The Trumpet shall blow saith Saint Paul and the dead shall rise I saw the dead saith Saint Iohn both great and small stand before God Now the Scriptures are not of man but of God who is true and cannot lye Besides there be many reasons deriued from the word of God to conuince the truth hereof If the dead be not section 3 raised then Christ is not risen who is the pledge and assurance that Christians shall rise againe and the Head of his Body the Church of which wee are members And as the body cannot dye nor the members of it if the head doe liue no more can wee dye if Christ liue Because I liue saith hee you also shall liue Secondly because the Spirit of Christ dwelleth in our body for our body is the temple of the holy Ghost therefore they shall rise againe For that same spirit which raised vp Christ from the dead shall also quicken our mortall bodies because it dwelleth in vs. If Gods loue be so great towards our bodies to haue his Spirit dwell in them he will not suffer them to perish Againe because the faithfull beleeue in God who also loueth them who loue and serue him therefore hee will raise vp their bodies For wee that haue giuen and committed our selues vnto God as the Apostle speaketh cannot perish because hee is able to keepe that which is committed vnto him and will because he loueth vs beleeuing in him If the dead should not be raised to life God should not be iust which cannot be For in this world it hapneth to him that serueth God as to him that serueth him not Then also the body wherein God was glorified as well as in the spirit should haue no reward Then did Christ take our nature vpon him in vaine and in it ascended into heauen in vaine for it had beene sufficient onely to take our spirit If the body must perish then the whole man cannot be saued which is contrary to the Scripture Then the most excellentest creature vnder the Sunne for whose sake all vnder the Sunne was created should with all the creatures be made for nought which is absurd section 4 Furthermore to helpe our naturall incredulitie and distrust in this point for the most sure resolution of our resurrection indeede is it not as easie for God who is almighty to command the sea and earth to giue vp their dead as it was to make the sea and earth and all that is therein of nothing and that only with a word It is a lesse matter saith one to bring againe vnto life that which is dead then it was to giue life vnto it before it was made When thou wast not thou wast made and when thou shalt not be thou shalt againe be made and liue Here is nothing strange or vnlikely Consider how thou earnest into this life before thou wert borne and thou needest not doubt how to be restored to life after thou art dead I omit here to speake of so many apt similitudes and fit resemblances of the vndoubted truth of this point which the best and greatest Diuines haue fetched and deriued from our meats and drinks from trees and plants from corne and grasse which in the winter seeme to haue neither sap nor shew of life yet when the winter is past and the spring-time comes doe liue againe and are most gloriously arayed section 5 How many things are and come to passe which ere they are and come to passe we would haue thought they could not be for that the workes of God are all wonderfull The Mustard-seede saith Christ when it is sowne is the least of all seeds and when it is growne it is a tree the greatest among all hearbs In one so little a graine doth consist the whole greatnesse of that tree which afterward commeth forth Now if that which we see to be true in the grasse of the field in the corne that is swone yea in the seede of the trees and wood which grow albeit they wither to nought they rot and dye yet liue againe why should wee not thinke it as true of men that albeit they dye and are turned to dust that yet they shall be raised to life againe For he that is Lord of the spirit and hath life in himselfe and in his owne power and will can as certainly giue life to the body which is vtterly without life as hee is able to giue life to a stone and so to a peece of earth to ashes or any other thing And as it is no harme for the seede to be harrowed and hidden in the ground for that it shall spring and flourish againe and bring forth fruit in due season no more is it any hurt to our bodies to be cast into our graues in weakenesse for they shall rise againe in power being sowne naturall bodies they shall rise againe spirituall being sowne in dishonour they shall rise againe in glory Thoufoole saith Saint Paul that which thou sowest is not quickned except it first die A little corne or wheate or other graine cannot haue vertue to become so fruitfull in bringing forth thirty or forty times better then it was being multiplyed to so many all as good as it selfe and bringing forth besides such fruitfull increase of straw and chaffe except it first be cast into the ground and die And therefore how shouldest thou enioy so good an exchange except thou first corrupt and die And how