Selected quad for the lemma: work_n

Word A Word B Word C Word D Occurrence Frequency Band MI MI Band Prominent
work_n dead_a faith_n lively_a 5,187 5 10.6802 5 false
View all documents for the selected quad

Text snippets containing the quad

ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A07666 A mappe of mans mortalitie Clearely manifesting the originall of death, with the nature, fruits, and effects thereof, both to the vnregenerate, and elect children of God. Diuided into three bookes; and published for the furtherance of the wise in practise, the humbling of the strong in conceit, and for the comfort and confirmation of weake Christians, against the combat of death, that they may wisely and seasonably be prepared against the same. Whereunto are annexed two consolatory sermons, for afflicted Christians, in their greatest conflicts. By Iohn Moore, minister of the word of God, at Shearsbie in Leicester-shire. Moore, John, d. 1619. 1617 (1617) STC 18057; ESTC S112851 257,806 358

There are 5 snippets containing the selected quad. | View lemmatised text

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
the helmet of the hope of a better life to come must needs be vnwilling to leaue this present life especially if he haue any portion of comfort in the same needes must he feare to forsake it when hee heareth and seeth how roughly death dealeth with other men round about This maketh Physicke so seriously sought for though neuer so costly and Physitians more honoured of many then the God of heauen himselfe This causeth so many salt brine teares to trickle and distill from the eyes of worldly men being in danger to die which although they be reputed to come from a remorsed soule for sinne yet from many God knoweth they proceede from this fountaine namely that they are flitting from this world where if they might liue they are sure of something vnto another life where they are vncertaine of any good thing Such men are as a Ship without sayle or anchor tossed and tumbled with euery storme and tempest and alwayes in ieopardie of sincking or ship-wracke Therefore that we may be assured that we truely haue and enioy these precious iewels of a sauing faith and hope section 5 vnmoueable we must labour to approue or rather finde out the same by a Christian life and an vndefiled conscience For euen as pure and christall water commeth from a quicke fountaine and liuely spring incorrupted So doth a good conscience and holy life from an vnfained faith And as in digging of Wels we first finde out and discerne the streames of cleare water issuing from the liuely spring and in searching for mettals of gold siluer copper brasse or tinne wee first know wee haue found out the Mines thereof by the shining and glistering veynes in the earth appearing vnto vs So if wee will not misse but meete with a liuely faith and blamelesse hope we must first discerne them by the powerfull fruits of a sanctified life alwaies attended vpon by the hand-mayde of a pure and vndefiled conscience These be the remarkable streames of the true and liuing fountaine of a sauing faith and the vndeceiueable veines of these rich and wealthy Mynes of an inuincible hope to inrich our soules Loue out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and faith vnfained be linkes of one chaine beames of one Sunne streames of one riuer fruit of one tree twins of one womb c. To separate any of these is to make ship-wrack of the soule A good conscience watcheth ouer the soule Charitie is carefull to keepe Gods commandements and a pure heart loueth and imbraceth God aboue all and faith vnfained is neuer ashamed of professing Christ and his Gospell for section .6 any trouble By faith conceiued in the heart professed with the mouth and practised with the hand the righteous man liueth For as it is certaine there is no saluation without faith So there is no faith without repentāce no repentance without amendment of life nor any amendment without forsaking of sinne whence wee may conclude that no euill liuer hath any part in Christs death but the markes of Gods vengeance abiding on him and that he aduentureth his saluation that deferreth his repentance For what knowest thou whither tomorrow shall euer come Dally not therefore thus with God till the Diuell take thee in the lurch For as Christ came to saue vs from the damnation of sinne so also to free vs from the dominion of sinne and as he was sent to destroy the Diuell so likewise to ouerthrow the workes of the Diuell And most absurd it is for such as are the slaues of sinne to vaunt themselues for the seruants of God section 7 The praise of faith is to ouercome by fighting that the power of our Lord Iesus Christ may be made strong by our infirmitie He that hath a soule must needs breath and he that hath Gods spirit must needs bring forth the fruits thereof Faith I confesse is euer alone in iustifying but neuer alone in the person iustified euen as the eye alone seeth but the eye separate from the body doth not see at all but is a dead eye As Christ neuer raised vp himselfe without his humanitie yet not his humanitie but his diuinitie raised him vp Though faith doth worke by loue yet is it not inclosed in Faith as Papists say like a Diamond in a Ring neither yet is Faith as the shell and Charitie as the kernell but faith must haue this place which apprehendeth Christ who adorneth faith as the colour beautifieth the wall Faith is a certaine obscure knowledge or rather darknesse in it selfe which seeth nothing and yet Christ apprehended by faith sitteth in this darknesse as God in mount Sinai and in the temple Wherefore Christ apprehended and dwelling in the heart by Faith is the true Christian righteousnesse who giueth vs eternall life Christ is the Lord of our life in him we are by faith and he in vs. This Bridegroome must be alone with the Bride in his secret chamber all the seruants and family set apart but after when the doore is open then let them minister vnto them let Charitie doe her office and all good workes be busie When Faith is feeble Loue looseth her feruor but pray wee the Lord to increase our Faith and Loue forthwith will be on fire By Faith indeede we take hold of the righteousnesse of Christ by which alone we are reconciled vnto God but of this wee cannot take hold except withall we apprehend the sanctification of Gods spirit for he was giuen to vs for righteousnesse wisedome sanctification and redemption Therefore Christ iustifieth none whom he doth not also sanctifie Wherefore our indeuour and care must be for the sure approuing of our faith and hope to haue in readinesse a pure heart and vndefiled conscience which may be as vnreprouable witnesses before God and man that we haue had a sincere care to please our God not onely in outward action but inward affection labouring to the vtmost of our knowledge and power to put in practise all the holy duties of our callings towards God and man Thus if our heart condemne vs not we are sure to haue peace with God howsoeuer we are troubled in the world or afflicted in the flesh Now to clense our conscience and to haue it single and sincere is by the blood-shedding of Christ which section 8 hath satisfied for our sinnes whose death apprehended by a liuely faith doth purifie and purge the same Which conscience thus cleared shall now no more accuse but excuse vs before our God And albeit our former ignorance and infidelity hardnes of heart securitie with the innumerable euils both originall and actuall haue stained and defiled the same heretofore yet now our conscience being bathed in the blood of Christ and rinsed from the guilt of sinne and vncleannesse doth henceforward behold Gods anger turned into fauour his iustice into mercy c. Which sight so purifieth a Christian soule that neither death nor diuell can dant
A MAPPE OF MANS MORTALITIE Clearely manifesting the originall of DEATH with the Nature Fruits and Effects thereof both to the Vnregenerate and Elect Children of GOD. Diuided into three Bookes and published for the furtherance of the wise in practise the humbling of the strong in conceit and for the comfort and confirmation of weake Christians against the combat of DEATH that they may wisely and seasonably be prepared against the same Whereunto are annexed two Consolatory SERMONS for afflicted Christians in their greatest Conflicts BY IOHN MOORE Minister of the Word of God at Shearsbie in LEICESTER-SHIRE HEBR. 9.27 Booke 1. It is appoynted vnto men that they shall once dye and after that commeth the Iudgement REVEL 4.13 2. Then I heard a voyce from heauen saying vnto mee Write the dead which dye in the Lord are fully blessed euen so saith the Spirit for they rest from their labours and their workes follow them ECCLES 9.10 3 All that thy hand shall finde to doe doe it with all thy power for there is neyther worke nor inuention nor knowledge nor wisedome in the graue whither thou goest LONDON Printed by T.S. for GEORGE EDVVARDS and are to be sold at the signe of the Greyhound in Paules Church-yard 1617. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE Sr. FOVLKE GREVILL Knight Chancelor of his Highnesse Court of Exchequer and one of his Maiesties most Honourable Priuie Councell the assurance of Gods loue in all outward blesings of this life with the vndoubted euidence of Gods Spirit for the fruition of Heauen and happinesse in the life to come be daily more and more increased and confirmed through Iesus Christ c. Right Honourable SVch is the force of Vertue and of the very shadow of Godlinesse that as it were naturally it draweth mens loue and affection and after a speciall manner vniteth mindes together farre distant and different in calling and condition The very Heathen hauing experience hereof both by their writing confessed and also practised the same one towards another who for the loue of morall vertues embraced those whom they neuer saw How much more then should Gods Children rightly informed by Gods Word and reformed by his Spirit most highly value the incomparable worth of sincere Religion and the holy profession thereof by the meanes and ministery whereof men are as it were newly created and restored to the Image of the eternall God which maketh them most amiable in the sight of God and honourable in the account of his children who doe know that they are translated from death to life by louing the brethren For as God in himselfe the very fountaine of all goodnesse is loue and properly to be loued of all being the very obiect and subiect of all Christian affection as hauing in himselfe all the causes both motiue and attractiue to draw them vnto him So they whosoeuer of Gods elect which most resemble him in grace and goodnesse doe next deserue our loue not that we should diuide the same from God the very Ocean of goodnesse but rather to make it knowne that we truly loue the Lord our God in them who cannot possibly loue God whom wee haue not seene except wee loue his Children which represent his person and in whom hee will proue our loue towards himselfe Hence arise so many good occasions to make Gods children acquainted which otherwise would be strangers many poore Christians and despised Ministers in the world to write and speake seeke and sue for the countenance and acquaintance of eminent personages sincerely professing and patronizing Gods truth and with Luke to looke for some noble Theophilus and with S. Iohn some honourable and Elect Lady vnto whom they may consecrate their labours The consideration of which premises Honourable Sir may somewhat qualifie my present boldnesse in this my seeming rash attempt Neyther is it strange indeede that poore men in the valley looke to the Beacon on the hill and that such spreading fruitfull trees should be in view and knowne for shelter and reliefe against a storme Hee which seeketh fonsuch friends seeketh to God his assignes for are they not his Deputies to doe good to his Church and Children Are they not eyes to the blinde and feet to the lame Are they not fathers to the poore and in so being procure their blessing I minde not here to blaze out your iustly deserued praises but rather in dutie be earnest in my prayers to God for the increase and continuance of Gods graces bestowed vpon your Honour for the good of our Church and Common-wealth And I hope you haue learned that continuance in well-doing getteth the greatest praise and prize with God and all good men And my particular prayer shall be that still you may exceede your selfe in the performance of all Christian duties to God our Prince and Countrey euer tending to that perfection which leadeth to eternall life Moreouer let your Honour be throughly perswaded that God will haue all his children humbled here before they can aspire to the top of the highest glory which they hope for hereafter and that the way hereunto is rightly to know our selues by our fraile condition and mortall estate May it please you therefore with other sorts and rancks of Gods people to take some view thereof in this Discourse Feare not Honourable Sir to read some lines thereof at your leasure the receipt whereof I doubt not will proue more wholsome then toothsome to the flesh which still would make vs play the Gyants against our God yet mortified it must be in some measure For as raw flesh is not fit for the stomacke no more are vnmortified men for God Euen Nichodemus himselfe must be borne againe if he will come to an assured hope of that heauenly inheritance I prescribe here no Lawes nor Rules to be obserued with the Franciscans Dominicks and other Fryers to this or that sect or sort of men I say with the Apostle There is one Law for all men enacted in heauen without repeale that they must dye And for as much as God hath sanctified this Physicke for the saluation of our soules let the wholesomnesse thereof qualifie the bitternesse And since the death of the faithfull hath lost her sting in Christ his death let vs neuer feare the humbing of this Bee nor being able to hurt vs. But for these Cordials of Comfort with many moe soueraigne Antidotes against Deaths poyson and dangerous Symptomes I leaue your Honour to a larger discourse thereof in the proper place Now for offering to your Honour such mournfull matter of humiliation and as it may seeme distastfull to Courtly senses let these few words suffice That as there is a communitie of flesh and bloud and a generall infection of sin in all Adams heires that so likewise Death which is the wages thereof is and must needes be common vnto all without exception of any And so long as the godly and wicked liue together in this
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
the word and therefore still continue in waxing and waining let such I say feede still their fancies with shewes and shadowes all which shall end in a moment but let vs that are Christians liue the life of the righteous that so we may die a righteous death and liue in peace and happinesse both here and hereafter If we liue in the spirit then let vs walke in the spirit Our walking and behauiour is a sure and certaine signe whether wee be aliue or dead If our walking and working be spirituall then doe we liue in the spirit but if our workes be carnall we are dead in the spirit neither haue we any thing to doe with Christ and his kingdome As there is a resurrection to the life of glory so is there also a resurrection to the life of grace As the death of the soule went before the death of the body so must the resurrection of the soule from the death of sinne be first and then in due time will come the resurrection of the body Sinne is a kinde of death this my sonne was dead and is now aliue holy conuersation is a rising againe and blessed are those that haue their part in this resurrection The prodigall Sonne by repentance found himselfe who first by riot had lost himselfe and therefore let vs giue him our life who gaue vs life section 7 Christians must be as birds who for necessitie sake are faine to stay vpon the earth yet still for the most part are soaring in the skie where they tune many a pleasant note so should our thoughts be imployed in things beneath but our chiefe delights must still climbe higher where true ioyes dwell where no distracting thoughts can once disturbe them Raise vp thy selfe O soule saith Augustine and thinke of that good which containeth all good Our deuotion must not be as the Morning dewe which vanisheth with the Sunne nor like the leaues of Autumne that fall from the tree but our goodnesse must abide so long as wee liue yea wee must rather yeelde vp our breath and being then our faith and deuotion section 8 Euery one feareth the death of the body but few are affraide of the death of the soule That which possibly cannot be auoyded men seeke to shun but to auoide sin that they may liue for euer few or none doe care To labour not to die is but trauell in vaine this is to defer not to auoide Death but if we would take heede we sinne not then neede we not be doubtfull after death to liue for euer Simply to liue is not so good except a man liue well and in Gods feare for the Diuels and the damned liue but better it were if they had no being The soule without grace is as the ground without moysture which turneth to dust and vanisheth and like the barren earth accursed It is as an vnarmed man and one that is naked amongst the pykes and darts of his aduersaries And since the earth was cursed for our sinnes in Adam and our soules are saued by faith in Christ let the direction of our thoughts to him be the messenger to our hearts that our affections are in heauen for we are not placed that wee should be planted here but being bought from this earth by bloud we should clense our selues in this world with water that since some inferiour affections must needes be found here below yet the dust onely may cleaue to our feete and our head and hands lift vp to God So shall we haue comfort in our death being thus sanctified section 9 in our life and it shall serue vs as a barge to bring vs to the hauen of happy rest which now is made through Iesus Christ the issue of all miserie and an entrance to true safetie to all Gods elect Christians therefore one would thinke neede not as Pagans consolations against death but death should serue them as a consolation against all afflictions So that wee should not onely strengthen our selues not to feare it but accustome our selues to hope for it for vnto vs it is not onely a departing from paine and euill but an accesse and possession-taking of all happinesse and good not the end of life but the end of death and beginning of life because it is not to vs a last day but the dawning of an euerlasting day Death now is the way to recouer our former estate being lost by our first parens It is the meanes to translate vs from our mortall condition to euerlasting immortalitie and happinesse in Christ Who therefore will not be glad to exchange for the better Let them desire to liue in the world whom it loueth and affecteth but all true Christians it hateth euermore and despiseth What man being farre from home would not hasten to section 10 returne into his country and though he saile vpon the dangerous seas would hee not hoyst vp the sailes of his Ship and hasten his iourney with some hazard to come to the hauen of rest where he would be Now this world is a forraine Countrie to all Christians where they wander for a while our home is the Paradise of God heauen it selfe is the hauen whither Gods children must saile to land and the way and passage both by sea and land is death decreed of God which to the godly as hath beene said is not an end of their liues but an end of their sinnes It destroyeth not nature but reformes it It cutteth off our corruption and restoreth vs to immortalitie Whilst I remaine vpon earth I am as it were in my wardship but hereafter I shall haue the full managing of all my goods O happy dying and blessed death which art made so gainefull vnto me why should I feare thee which bringest all sorrowes and feares to an end Thy name is fearefull but thy effect full of consolation especially when I behold thee vnder his feete which hath pulled out thy sting taken from hell his command and spoyled the diuell of his power section 11 The iudgement of God cannot afflict me for that the Iudge is my aduocate Sathan my accuser is condemned the Angels of the Lord are my defenders against him The graue though it gape wide yet can it not deuoure me for although I must rot in it yet was it my Sauiours bed who was laid therein to sanctifie it for me by his sweet funerall and to prepare me there a chamber of rest But O Lord suffer me not to die before I begin to liue nor to rot in the graue before I be assured of my immortall inheritance in heauen wound my hart with a holy sorrow wash my soule with thy precious blood Let other men desire to liue many yeares vpon earth my longing is to aspire to the dayes of heauen whereas one day consumes not another but are endlesse and eternall The reward of life the ioy of euerlasting saluation and perpetuall blisse the possession of Paradise