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A14923 The soules progresse to the celestiall Canaan, or heavenly Jerusalem By way of godly meditation, and holy contemplation: accompanied with divers learned exhortations, and pithy perswasions, tending to Christianity and humanity. Divided into two parts. The first part treateth of the divine essence, quality and nature of God, and his holy attributs: and of the creation, fall, state, death, and misery of an unregenerated man, both in this life and in the world to come: put for the whole scope of the Old Testament. The second part is put for the summe and compendium of the Gospell, and treateth of the Incarnation, Nativity, words, works, and sufferings of Christ, and of the happinesse and blessednesse of a godly man in his state of renovation, being reconciled to God in Christ. Collected out of the Scriptures, and out of the writings of the ancient fathers of the primitive Church, and other orthodoxall divines: by John Welles, of Beccles in the County of Suffolk. Welles, John, of Beccles. 1639 (1639) STC 25231; ESTC S119607 276,075 406

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holy and heavenly minded towards God we must be friendly and loving to our neighbours slow in taking advantages renewing or revenging of wrongs wee must be humble and lowly in our owne eyes meeke and sober in all our actions and because herein are exhibited and offered things of such wonderfull valew and price to the worthy receivers wee must bee cleansed of our spirituall leprosie before wee presume to communicate in the company of Saints We must therefore assure our selves that we are in the number of those to whom these holy things doe appertaine for whosoever is prophane in his person and an unsanctified creature let him forbeare to come to this holy banquet till he have first used the meanes of better assurance by repentance for his sinnes and amendment of his corrupt and sinnefull life let him often call upon God by zealous and faithfull prayers for the remission of his omissions and transgressions let him earnestly crave the assistance of his holy spirit to assist him in the mortifying and beating downe of sinne and that his heart and conscience may be sanctified and made fit for so holy an exercise When he is thus cleansed let him shew himselfe to the Priest his Pastour and let him take knowledge by his outward confession of his inward contrition And then in all reverence and in the feare of God let him come to this holy Table let him eate the body and drinke the blood of that Lambe that taketh away the sinnes of all penitent sinners and will present him pure unto the Lord for the Lords eye is pure and can abide no wickednesse the Sacrament is holy touch it not rashly if thou have not the wedding garment of sincerity come not thereto Math. 22.11 12 13. for the Lord will finde thee out and thrust thee forth out of his presence among the unbeleevers whose portion shall bee with the divell and his angels Let us therefore search and examine our waies let us lift up our hands with our hearts unto God and feed on this holy mystery 1 Cor. 11.25 26 the life of our soules in remembrance that Christ died for us untill his second comming Blesse me O Lord so that my sins may wholly be remitted by thy blood my conscience sanctified by thy Word my mind enlightened by thy Truth my heart guided by thy Spirit and my will in all things subdued to thy blessed Will and pleasure Blesse mee with all graces which I want and increase in mee those good gifts which thou hast already bestowed upon mee Of the Ordinance of Christ concerning the translation of the Sabbath THe Primitive Church had farre greater reason to celebrate Sunday in memory of Christs resurrection then to keepe the Sabbath because that by his resurrection from the dead Isay 65.17 66.12.13 there is wrought a new spirituall creation of the world without which all the sonnes of Adam had beene turned to everlasting perdition and destruction and so all the workes of the first creation had ministred no consolation unto us In respect of this new spirituall creation 2 Cor. 5.17 18. Rev. 21.1 Gal. 6.15 1 Pet. 2.10 Ephes 4.24 Colos 3.10 Matth. 26.28 2 Pet. 3.13 Isay 66.12.13 Chro 4.9 c. the Scripture saith that old things are passed away and all things are become new new creatures new people new men new knowledge new Testament new Commandements new Heaven new Earth and therefore there is in stead of the old a new holy day to honour and praise our Redeemer and to meditate upon the workes of our redemption and to shew the new change fo the old Testament because that on this day Christ rested from all the sufferings of his passion and finished the glorious worke of our redemption If the finishing of the worke of the first creation whereby God mightily manifested himselfe unto his creatures deserved a Sabbath for to solemnize the memoriall of so great a work Esay 58.13 to the honour of the worker and therefore God calls it mine holy day much more doth the new creation of the world effected by the resurrection of Christ whereby he mightily declared himselfe to be the Sonne of God Rom. 1.3 4. deserve an holy festivall for the perpetuall commemoration thereof to the honour of Christ and therefore most worthily called the Lords day Apoc. 1.10 for as the deliverance out of the captivity of Babylon being greater tooke away the name from the deliverance out of the bondage of Egypt Jer. 23.7 8. 16.13 so the day whereon Christ finished the redemption of the world did more justly deserve to be kept holy than that day wherein God ceased from creating the world Gen. 2.2 as therefore in the creation the first day wherein it was finished was consecrated for a Sabbath Lev. 23.32 Neh. 13.19 so in processe of time after our redemption the first day wherein it was perfected was dedicated to a holy rest The Jewes kept their Sabbath on the last day of the week beginning it with the night when God rested from finishing the worke of his creation but Christians honour the Lord better on the first day of the weeke when the Lord arose They kept their Sabbath in remembrance of the worlds creation but Christians celebrate it in memoriall of the worlds redemption Matth. 28 1. Acts 20.7 2.46 yea the Lords day being the first day of the creation and redemption puts us in minde both of the making of the old world and redeeming of the new world Many godly Writers doe record many memorable things which were done upon the first day of the weeke as so many types that the chiefe worship of God should under the new Testament be celebrated upon this day Exod. 31. as that on this day the cloud of Gods Majesty first sate upon his people Aaron and his children first executed their Priest-hood God first solemnely blessed his people the princes of his people first offered publikely unto God the first day wherein fire descended from heaven the first of the world of the yeere of the moneth of the weeke all shadowing that it should be the first and chiefe holy day of the new Testament Gen. 17.12 and circumcision being commanded on the eighth day which was foreseene by the holy Fathers and Prophets to be a type of the Lords day Esay 58.13 that the Sabbath should cease and give place to the eight or first day of the weeke If this mysterie were so clearely seene by the Fathers and Prophets under the shadowes of the old Testament 2 Cor. 4.4 surely the God of this world hath deepely blinded their mindes who cannot see the truth thereof under the cleere shining light of the Gospel This change of the Sabbath under the new Testament was nothing but a fulfilling of that which was solemnly prefigured and fore-prophesied under the old 1 Cor. 14.36 37 therefore all true Christians according to the Lords minde and Commandement
me helpe mee now or I perish for ever Alasse the hands are so weake and doe so tremble that they cannot reach to the mouth a spoonefull of supping to relieve languishing nature The wretched soule seeing her selfe thus desolate and altogether destitute of friends helpe and comfort and knowing that within an houre she must be in everlasting paines retires her selfe to the heart which of all members is the first that lives 2 Sam. 22.5 c. and the last that dies from whence she makes this dolefull lamentation with her selfe O miserable caitife that I am how doe the sorrows of death compasse me how doe the terrors of Belial make me afraid how have the snares both of the first and second death overtaken me at once Oh! how suddenly death hath stolne upon me with unsensible degrees like the Sunne which man perceives not to move and yet is most swift of motion How doth death wreake on me his spite without pity What joy remaines now of all my former fleshly pleasures wherein I placed my chiefest delights those foolish pleasures were but deceitfull dreames and now they are all past like vanishing shadowes but to thinke of those eternall paines which I must endure for those short pleasures paines me as hell before I enter into hell yet justly I confesse as I have deserved I am served that being made after Gods Image a reasonable soule able to judge my owne estate and having mercy so often offered and I intreated to receive it I so wilfully neglected Gods grace and preferred the pleasures of sinne before the religious care of pleasing God leudly spending my short time without considering what account I should make at the last day and now all the pleasures of my life put together countervaile not the least part of my present paines my joyes were but momentary and gone before I could scarce enjoy them but my miseries are eternall and never shall have end Oh! that I were now to begin my life againe how would I contemne the world and the vanities thereof how religiously and purely would I lead my life how would I serve my God frequent the Church and sanctifie the Lords day if satan should offer mee all the treasures pleasures and promotions of this world he should never intice mee to forget my God and these terrours of this last dreadfull houre Esay 66.24 But O corrupt carkasse and stinking carion how hath the divell deluded us and how have wee served and deceived each other and pulled swift damnation upon us both now is our cause more miserable then the beasts that perisheth in the ditch for I must goe to answere before the righteous Judge of Heaven and Earth where I shall have none to speake for me and these wicked fiends who are privie to all my evill deeds will accuse me and I cannot excuse my selfe my owne heart already condemnes me I therefore must needs bee damned before his judgement seate and from thence be carried by these infernall fiends into that horrible prison of endlesse torments and utter darknesse Oh! Math. 22.13 where shall I lodge to night and who shall bee my companions O horrors to thinke O griefe to consider Oh! cursed be the day wherein I was borne how is it that I came forth of the wombe to endure these hellish miseries and sorrowes and that my daies should thus end with eternall shame Cursed be the day that I was first united to so leud a body oh that I had but so much favour as that I might never see thee more our parting is bitter and dolefull but our meeting againe to receive at that dreadfull day the fulnesse of our deserved vengeance will be farre more terrible and intollerable But what meane I thus by too late repentance and lamentation to seeke to prolong time my last houre is come I heare the heart-strings breake this filthy house of clay ready to fall on my head here is neither hope helpe nor place of any longer abiding The separation of the soule from the body and must I needs bee gone thou filthy carcase with fare ill farre well I leave thee And so all trembling shee comes forth and forthwith is seazed upon by infernall fiends who carry her with violence torrenti simili to the bottomelesse lake that burneth with fire and brimstone where shee is kept as a prisoner in torments till the generall judgement of the last great day Apoc. 21 8. 1 Pet. 3.19 The loathsome carkasse is afterward layd in the grave in which action for the most part the dead bury the dead that is they who are dead in sinne bury those who are dead for sinne And thus the Godlesse and unregenerated worldling who made earth his paradise his belly his god and his lust his law as in his life hee sowed vanity so now hee is dead and reapeth misery in his prosperity hee neglected to serve God now in his adversity God refuseth to save him and the divell whom he long served now at length payes him his wages detestable was his life damnable his death the divell hath his soule the grave hath his carcase In which pit of corruption den of death and dungeon of sorrow let us leave the miserable caitiffe rotting with his mouth full of earth his belly full of wormes and his carkasse full of stench expecting a fearefull resurrection when it shall bee reunited with the soule that as they sinned together so they may be tormented together eternally Thus farre of the miseries of the soule and body in death which is but cursednesse in part now followeth the fulnesse of cursednesse which is the miserie of soule and body after death Meditations of the misery of man after death which it the fulnesse of cursednesse Luke 8.28.9 16.23 Thess 1.10 Math. 23.33 Luk. 16.22 23 24. THe fulnesse of cursednesse when it falles upon a creature not able to beare the brunt thereof presseth him downe to that bottomelesse deepe of the endlesse wrath of Almighty God which is called the damnation of hell and the torments thereof This fulnesse of cursednesse is either particular or generall particular is that which in lesse measure of fulnesse lighteth upon the soule immediately as soone as shee is separated from the body 1 Pet. 3.19 for in the very instant of dissolution shee is in the sight and presence of God for when she ceaseth to see with the organes of her fleshly eyes shee sees after a spirituall manner like Stephen who saw the glory of God Acts 7.55 and Iesus standing at his right hand and there by the testimony of her owne conscience Christ the righteous Judge who knoweth all things maketh her by his omnipresent power to understand the doome and judgement that is due unto her sins and what must be her eternall state and in this manner standing in the sight of heaven not fit for her uncleannesse to enter into heaven shee is said to stand before the throne of God
and the direction of the holy Ghost should keepe the holy day upon that Lords day or Sunday Apoc 1.9.10.11 agreeable to the practise of the ancient Church and worthily solemnize it on the first day of the weeke in memoriall of the worlds redemption to the honour and praise of the Lord Jesus who rose from death to life upon that day This should stirre up all Christians to a thankfull remembrance of their redemption by Christ his resurrection from the dead Hebr. 2.5 2.11 5.9 And note that with the day the blessing of the day is likewise translated to the Lords day because all the sanctification belonging to this new world is in Christ and from and by him conveyed to Christians and because there cannot come a greater motive or cause then the new creation of the world therefore the worship of God is fitler solemnized on this day then on any other The holy Sunday is the Lords market day for the weeks provision Esa 55.1 2 3. wherein he will have us to come unto him and buy of him without gold or silver the bread of Angels and water of life the wine of the Sacraments and the milk of the Word to feed our soules tried gold to inrich our faith Apoc. 3.18 Gen. 2.2 3. Exo. 20.10 11. precious eye salve to heale our spirituall blindnesse and the white rayment of Christs righteousnesse to cover our filthy nakednesse Of Christs Ascension MEditate upon thy Saviours ascension by a holy contemplation Joh. 20.29 thou faithfull soule for Christ withdrew his visible presence from the faithfull to exercise their faith by holy contemplation and blessed are they that see not Mat. 6.21 Act. 8.21 Colos 3.2 and yet believe where our treasure is there let our heart be also Christ our treasure is in heaven let our hearts therefore be set upon those things that are heavenly and meditate upon those things that be above let us put our confidence in the pledge of the holy Spirit which the Lord left unto us at his departure let us put our confidence in the body and blood of Christ which wee receive in the mysterie of the holy Sacrament and let us believe that our bodies which are filled with this incorruptible food shall at length be raised up againe and that which we now believe in faith wee shall then see with our eyes and our hope wee have now in Christ shall then be reall fruition to our soules the Lord is present unto us here but in part Colos 3.4 but in the mansion of his heavenly kingdome Act. 1.9.10.11 12. we shall behold him in his glory and know him as hee is which is our life our Saviour ascended up from the Mount of Olives the Olive is the signe of peace and joy therefore not without great cause hee ascended up from Mount Olivet because by his passion and holy sufferings he hath purchased peace and tranquillity for amazed and terrified consciences not without cause did hee ascend up from the Mount Olivet for the court of heaven exceedingly rejoyce to receive him the Mount doth not onely put us in minde but doth also call and invite us to heavenly things and seeing we cannot follow him with the feete of our body let us follow him with the feete of our holy desires The disciples stood lifting up their eyes Vers 11. and looking towards Heaven so let all the true Disciples of Christ lift up the eyes of their heart to behold and desire heavenly things Sweet Jesus what a blessed and glorious alteration followed thy passion Oh happy and sodaine change how didst thou suffer on Mount Calvary for our sinnes and how doe I now behold thee in the Mount of Olives there thou wast alone here thou art accompanied with many thousands of Angels there thou didst ascend up to the Crosse in disgrace Luke 24.52 here thou didst ascend up into Heaven in a cloud and in glory there wast thou crucified betweene thieves here thou dost rejoyce amongst the company of Angels and Saints there thou wast nayled to the Crosse as a condemned man here thou art at liberty and dost deliver those that were condemned Eph. 5.23 30 there suffering and dying here rejoycing and triumphing Christ is our head and the Saviour of the body we are his members Rejoyce therefore and bee glad thou faithfull soule for though our sinnes doe hinder us yet the communion of nature doth not repell us where the head is there shall the members be also our head is in heaven therefore the members have just and great cause to hope for entrance there not onely so but they are assured already that they have possession there Christ descended from Heaven to redeeme us and againe hee ascended up into heaven to glorifie us unto us was he borne Note for us did he suffer and for us did he ascend our charity is confirmed by Christs passion our faith by Christs resurrection and our hope by Christ ascension Let us strive to follow Christ our Bride-groome not onely with our ardent desire but also with our good workes Acts 21.27 Acts 1.10 for nothing that is defiled shall enter into this heavenly City The Angels that came from heavenly Ierusalem appeared in white robes by purity and innocency is figured that no pride can ascend with the Doctour of humility nor no malice with the Authour of goodnesse with the lover of peace there ascends no discord and with the sonne of the Virgin there ascends no uncleannesse after the parent of vertue there ascend no vices and after the just person there ascends no sinnes Therefore he that desires to see God face to face let him so live here in this world as in his sight and hee that hope for celestiall things let him contemne terrestriall things Our Saviour Christ promised unto his Apostles that after his departure he will send unto them from his father a comforter John 14.26 15.26 Luke 24.47 Vers 47. John 24.17 the holy Ghost the Spirit of truth to testifie of him and to teach them all things and to endue them with power to preach repentance and remission of sinnes in his name among all Nations saying Peace I leave with you my peace I give unto you Therefore let not our hearts be troubled neither let us feare but that our Saviour which redeemed us will also through his merits and mediation glorifie us in Heaven O sweet Jesus draw our hearts unto thee whether thou art gone before and that in the meane time wee may immitate thy goodnesse mercy truth and patience and follow thee in the same Amen Of the holy Ghost OUr Lord Jesus ascending up into the Heavens and entring into his glory Acts 2.4 Vers 1. Exod. 10.11 sent the holy Ghost upon the Apostles on the day of Penticost as in the old Testament when God proclaimed the Law in Mount Sinai he came downe unto Moses So when the Gospell was
this is when men give themselves over to commit sin with affectation and greedy appetite and oppresse their conscience with the multitude of their committings so that such conscience doth not remember us our sins for the outragious conscience in the Reprobate is when the conscience of the Reprobate hath for a time beene silenced and hath given the sinner an unchaste liberty in his ungodlinesse yet so as that once apprehending the knowledge of his sin and knowing the state of condemnation wherein it is it breaketh out into violence which wanting moderation urgeth the sinne● to execute upon himselfe some desperate vengeance such was the conscience of Judas the traitor which slept all the time hee was plotting and practising his treason but when his sinne was brought into act then his conscience though evill did upbraid his sin with such violence as made the griefe unsupportable and the traitor not able to indure the torment of his conscience thought as Caine that his sin was greater then the mercy of God and so despairing of mercy he desperately hanged himselfe Mat. 27.3 4 5. such is the conscience of the Reprobate their conscience is sleepy and doth reprove but seldome yet when it doth reprove it is then most terrible and without all comfort and though conscience in this life never afflict for sin but seeme senslesse and dead in its appointed offices yet in the day of judgement Rev. 20.12 when the booke of every mans conscience shall be opened then will their consciences that in this life have beene most silent be most loud and terrible in their accusations denouncing judgement Wisd 17.9 10 11. and inflicting a greater torment on the soule then the damned can have patience to beare this is both the office and end of an evill conscience A good conscience Now the conscience of the childe of grace is in full opposition to the conscience of the Reprobate for when God shall please to call his servants to the knowledge of themselves How God moveth the conscience and to a detestation of their sin the grace of his holy spirit moveth in the hearts of such and first awaketh the conscience and giveth it sense to understand the calamity of the soule and spirit to reprove and admonish it in needfull directions and this grace of God giving the conscience sence to understand sinne and spirit to reprove it is the first degree of our reformation and a preparation to our spirituall conversion God himselfe being the prime and principall author thereof When God doth stirre our conscience it continueth that holy motion to our reformation for when our conscience is once touched with this godly desire to examine the errors of our life God doth not then leave us but giveth us assistance continually to finish that needfull care without despaire without fainting the conscience being once instructed by grace understandeth that the soule is in danger of Gods judgement this knowledge causeth a desire in the soule to examine the particulars of our life then doth it compare our severall actions The manner how a good conscience worketh with the severall duties of the Law and thereby is made manifest the many and great defects and transgressions of our life and that therefore our soules and bodies are guilty and stand in the danger of condemnation From this knowledge doth arise the griefe of a wounded conscience for the statute Law of God condemning us for the trespasse of our lives The cause of the griefe of conscience the conscience then whose office is to excuse or accuse upbraideth our sinne and denouncing the judgement of the Law against us which is eternall damnation neither can we free our soules from these extremities untill God who is the judge of all the world shall please to offer mercy and the benefit of his cleargy which is nothing else but the story of the meritorious sufferings of Jesus Christ the Lambe of God which is in spirituall characters upon the crosse of his death and this booke being the testament and writ with the blood of Christ the most righteous God presents to all the world all the world in respect of themselves being guilty and condemned by the Law doth promise remission of sinnes How to quiet the trouble of ● grieved conscience a generall pardon to all them that with their eyes or faith shall be seene and read in the booke of life and apprehend and apply Jesus Christ the contents thereof to their salvation Thus and but thus it is possible to quiet the trouble of a grieved conscience the conscience being never satisfied for sinne before the justice of God be satisfied by the apprehensive righteousnesse of Jesus Christ Rom. 5.1 and therefore saith Saint Paul Being then justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ for before we can live to God wee must die to our selves neither is there a spirituall regeneration where there is not first a spirituall mortification and where grace would enter sinne must avoyd for he that would follow Christ must deny himselfe therefore let no man presume to apprehend the mystery of the righteousnesse of the Crosse of Christ before hee hath reformed his actions quieted the clamour of his conscience and utterly denyed the strength of his owne nature for how shall hee beare the Crosse of Christ No man can be able to apprehend Christ before his conscience hath thus prepared him that is laden with his owne infirmities or how shall hee be benefited by the promise of the Gospell that doth not first judge himselfe by the Commandements of the Law for hee that knoweth not his disease seeketh no physicke and Christ came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance This doth admonish all men carefully to watch the behaviour of their lives Revel 20.12 for if the conscience of every man be a book wherein is writ the records of all his actions good and bad and that seeing this booke must be read at the day of judgement in the audience of all the world before God and his Angels and Saints what manner of men ought all to be in godly conversation This ought to move in every one a double care First that they avoyd carefully all ungodlinesse both in thought and action whereby they may suffer disgrace before God and all his creatures at the generall day of judgement when the booke of their conscience shall bee opened to every ones eye Secondly it doth perswade a diligence in all godly exercise and that all men contend with a holy emulation to exceede in godly actions whereby they may receive applause and generall reputation in the generall assembly of God and all creatures for as in earthly affaires men covet most desirously to gaine reputation and a generall good name There is no ambition lawfull but the covetous desire of heaven because it argueth an extraordinary degree of desert in him that hath
with envie overcharged with gluttony surquedred with drunkennesse John 8.44 boyling with revenge transported with rage and the glorious Image of God transformed to the ugly shape of divell Genes 6.6 so farre forth that once it repented the Lord that ever hee made man After that the aged man hath conflicted with long sicknesse and having endured the brunt of paine should now expect some ease in comes death natures slaughter man Gods curse and hells purvey or and lookes the old man grim in the face and neither pittying his age nor regarding his long endured dolours will not be hired to forbeare either for silver or gold but batters all the principall parts of the body summons him to appeare before the terrible Judge of heaven and earth Now the miserable soule perceiveth her earthly body to begin to dye for as towards the dissolution of the universall frame of the great world Mark 13.24 25 26. the Sunne shall be turned into darkenesse the Moone into blood and the Sta●res shall fall from heaven the aire shall be full of stormes Luk. 21.25 26. and flashing meteors the earth shall tremble and the sea shall rage and roare and mens hearts shall faile and tremble for feare so towards the dissolution of man which is the little world his eyes which are as the Sunne and Moone lose their light and see nothing but bloodguiltinesse of sin the rest of the senses as little starres doe one after another faile and fall his minde reason and memory as heavenly powers of the soule are shaken with fearefull stormes of despaire and first flashing of hell fire his earthly body begins to shake and tremble and the humours like an overflowing sea roare and rattle in his throat still expecting the wofull end of his dreadfull beginning Whilest hee is thus The soule summoned to appeare at the tribunall Zach. 5.2 c. summoned to appeare at the great assises of Gods generall Judgement behold a quarter sessions and goale delivery is held within himselfe where Reason sits as Judge the Divell puts in a bill of inditement as large as that booke of Zachary wherein is alledged all thy evill deeds that ever thou hast committed and all the good deeds that ever thou hast omitted wherein is written lamentations and mourning and woe Ezech. 2.10 and all the curses and judgements thar are due to every sinne thine owne conscience shall accuse thee and thy memory shall give bitter evidence against thee and death stands at the barre ready 1 John 3.20 as a cruell executioner to dispatch thee If thou shalt thus justly condemne thy selfe how shalt thou escape the just condemnation of God who knowes all thy misdeeds better than thy selfe Faine wouldst thou put out of thy minde the remembrance of thy wicked deeds that trouble thee but they flow faster into thy remembrance and they will not be put away but cry unto thee Wee are thy workes and wee will follow thee and whilest thy soule within thee is thus out of peace and order thy children wife and friends trouble thee as fast to have thee put thy goods in order some crying some craving some pittying some cheering all like flesh flies helping to make thy sorrowes more sorrowfull Now the divells who are come from hell to fetch away thy soule begin to appeare to her and wait as soone as shee comes forth to take her and carry her away stay shee would within but that shee feeles the body begin by degrees to dye and ready like a ruinous house to house to fall upon her head fearefull shee is to come forth because of those hell-hounds which wait for her comming Oh shee that spent so many daies and nights in vaine and idle pastimes would now give the whole world if shee had it for one houres delay that shee may have space to repent and reconcile her selfe unto God but it cannot be because her body which joyned with her in the actions of sin is altogether now unfit to joyne with her in the exercise of repentance and repentance must be of the whole man The dolour of the soule The soule now seeth that all her pleasures are gone as if they had never beene and that but onely torments remaine which never shall have end of being who can sufficiently expresse her remorse for her sins past her anguish for her present misery and her terror for her torments to come In this extremity she lookes about every where for helpe and finds her selfe every way helpelesse thus in her greatest miseries desirous to heare the least word of comfort shee directs this or the like speech unto her eyes saying O eyes who in times past were so quicke sighted to behold the vanities of the world can yee spie no comfort for mee nor any way how I might escape this dreadfull danger but the eye-strings are broken they cannot see the candle that burnes before them nor discerne whether it be day or night the distressed soule finding no comfort in the eyes speakes to the eares O eares who were wont to recreate your selves with hearing new pleasant discourses and musicks sweetest harmony can yee heare any newes or tidings of the least comfort for mee to escape this dreadfull danger the eares are so deafe that either they cannot heare at all or the sense of hearing growne so weake that they cannot endure to heare his dearest friends to speake and why should the eares heare any glad tydings of joy in death who could never abide to heare the glad tydings of the Gospell in his life the eares cannot minister no comfort Then she intimates her griefe to the tongue O tongue The reprobate soule can finde no comfort in her extremity who was wont to make bold challenges with the best and bragge it out with the bravest Where are now thy big and daring words now in my greatest need canst thou speake nothing in my defence Canst thou neither daunt these enemies with threatning words nor intreat them with faire speeches Alasse the tongue two daies agoe lay speechlesse that it cannot in his greatest extremity either call for a little drinke or desire a friend to take away with his finger the flegme that is ready to choak him Finding here no hope of helpe she speakes unto the feet where are ye O feet which sometimes were so swift and nimble in running to all manner of leudnesse All places are penall unto the reprobate which doe alwaies carry torments and vexation about them can yee carry me no where out of this dangerous place The feete are stone dead already that if they be not stirred they cannot stirre Then she directs her speech unto her hands O hands who have so often beene approved for manhood in peace and in warre and wherewith I have so often defended my selfe and offended my foes never had I more need then now death lookes me grim in the face and kills mee hellish fiends wait about my bed to devoure
thereof to gaine this honour and for to gaine this honour let us spend our houres spend our actions and our endeavours nay let us spend our honours and all to make this purchase let us run our spirituall course with alacrity seeing this honour is proposed us when we have it let us esteeme it precious it was given by grace it cannot be redeemed by nature let us esteeme it as it is worthy and having once obtained the honour to be the childe of grace nay the childe of God let us carry that honourable title to our grave and with that wee will present our selves in the day of judgement before God our honourable Father and before the honourable company of Angels and Saints and then it will appeare by direct evidence before all the world whether our honour in being the childe of God regenerate and made the sonne of God which the world despised Jerem 4.2 or their transitory honour and prosperity of fortune wherein they gloried and proudly exalted themselves be of better proofe worth or esteeme when God shall call us his sonnes and bid us enter the Kingome of our joy and call them reprobates and bid them enter their prison bonds Matth. 25.46 John 5.29 and paines perpetuall this will be the blessed priviledge our honour will then give unto us therefore to be regenerate thereby to have God our Father and our friend let us not care what neglect what scorne and what disgraces the world cast upon us for as those will vanish with time yet so will our honour be as God our Father is infinite in joy infinite in worth infinite in time let us therefore infinitely esteeme of it and by all meanes strive to attaine it Amen Of Sanctification SEeing that hee which is regenerate is also sanctified and made holy but it is not derived to us from our parents Ephes 2.10 But Almighty God is the fountaine and proper efficient cause of our sanctification and holinesse whose worke-manship wee are created in Christ Jesus unto good workes Colos 1.13 who in mercy hath translated us out of the kingdome of darkenesse and hath delivered us from the power of the Divell and made us fit for the Kingdome of his beloved Sonne Ephes 2.4 5. in whom hee hath quickened us through his love and riches of his mercy together with Christ even when wee were dead in sins him hath God lifted up with his right hand Acts 5.31 to be a Prince and a Saviour for to give repentance unto his chosen Hebr. 2.4 and forgivenesse of sinnes and albeit our sanctification be the worke of the whole Trinity yet it is immediately performed by the holy Ghost because hee doth set us on fire and inflame us with a zeale of Gods glory with a care of our duty and with a love of all men Sanctification is the very translation and alteration of the heart and life of man or a spirituall reduction and conversion of a man from his wickednesse unto God and from the uncleannesse of sin to true purity and Christian sanctity The persons sanctified are such as are elected Rom. 8.30 called and justified therefore the Apostle saith that whom God predestinated called and justified them also he glorified these are truly sanctified whom he maketh to be the temples of his Spirit Sanctification of the body is that whereby the members thereof are made fit instruments for the soule regenerated to worke the workes of God with it being become obedient to the minde illumined 1 Cor. 6.19 and the heart reformed through the worke of the Spirit who now hath made it the temple of his holinesse whereas before it was a slave to the flesh and a shop of uncleanenesse and iniquity Ephes 2.8 It is a most gracious and free worke of the Lord without all obligation or merite of ours for the Spirit of God bloweth with the blasts of his grace both when how where and on whom he lifteth and the Apostle teacheth us Verse 4 5. that wee are quickened together with Christ through whose great love and grace wee are saved this is the vertue of Christs resurrection by the power of his God-head raising up his man-hood and releasing him of the punishment and tyranny of our sins by which vertue and power wee are quickened and restored that wee might live unto God in holinesse and newnesse of life Note Now the sanctification of the soule consists in the alteration of the mind the renovation of the will Note the sanctification of the memory and the regeneration of the conscience in the alteration of the mind whereby ignorance is by little and little abolished and the mind enlightened to know the true God and his mercy in Christ and to know and understand a mans selfe and his secret corruptions against the Law of God and to know how to behave himselfe towards God and man as also to prove the things of God and to mind and meditate on things spirituall and celestiall The renovation of the will is when God gives a man grace truely to will good as to believe honour feare and obey God the sanctification of the memory is an aptnesse by grace to keepe and to bee mindfull of good things especially of the doctrine of our salvation and such like the regeneration of the conscience is when it is fitted to give true testimony to a mans heart of the remission of his sinnes and of the carefulnesse of his care to serve God and to doe other good duties concerning our Christian brethren it consists also in the spirituall transformation of the affections as joy love sadnesse feare anger and such like whereby a man that is justified doth so temper them by his reason refined and by the light of the Law with the helpe of the holy Spirit that they do not break out as in the wicked that give the reines to their lusts but are held in some good order howbeit in this life this is not done without much strife and reluctation of the flesh and Spirit and is rather affected then effected Here we must observe that sanctification doth not alter the substance of man but onely his corrupt and sinfull qualities it rectifieth affections but abolisheth them not it corrects and moderates mirth sorrow anger and such humane passions but takes them not quite away it tunes the jarring strings of a mans heart but breakes them not in peeces As the fall of man did not abolish a mans essence but corrupt his faculties even so the raising up and renovation of man doth not alter his very substance but doth onely change his corrupted qualities and powers this visible reformation of a man is when hee dedicates himselfe unto God and good duties to his neighbours whose sinnes bee abandoned which before raigned in his heart This worke of the Spirit is wrought in the whole man but it belongs chiefely to the faithfull and elect of God for civill moralities and
Justification to be in the workes of the Law and doth absolutely ascribe it to the power of faith in Christ and he giveth a reason of this doctrine for saith hee If righteousnesse be by the Law Gal. 2.21 then Christ dyed without cause So then the very cause why Christ died was that righteousnesse might be imputed and apprehended by faith to all them that believe seeing that by workes it is impossible and therefore saith the Prophet David Psal 32.1 Blessed is he whose unrighteousnesse is forgiven Verse 2. and whose sinnes are covered Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth no sinne so hee thinketh them most righteous that have their unrighteousnesse forgiven them and them most holy that have not their sins imputed unto them Rom. 4. The fourth to the Romanes the whole Chapter is an earnest and sufficient proofe of this argument and doctrine where the Apostle laboureth by direct evidence to satisfie all doubt as if hee had fore-knowne the stiffe and unreconcileable oppositions of these times against this doctrine of Justification in which Chapter he maketh Abraham his instance in whom there was as much cause of boasting and as much righteousnesse as in any other particular save Christ Jesus onely yet he there proveth that Abraham upon whom God had founded his peculiar people was not justified by the righteousnesse of his workes but that this faith was imputed unto him for righteousnesse and for proofe alleadgeth Scripture Gen. 15.6 And Abraham believed the Lord and hee accounted that to him for righteousnesse so that the matter of our justification is the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ onely and the meanes of apprehending it is onely by faith This doctrine howsoever it is made strong and unresistable by many testimonies of holy Scripture and though it be zealously maintained by men of great learning and religious judgement yet it hath endured violence and suffered disgrace both by ignorance and envie this age maintaining such oppositions of error as the ignorance of former times first occasioned therefor● at this day this argument of justification is one of the maine controversies of the world the one maintaine justification by faith onely the other by workes that defending truth this opposing it and though a faithfull man would be willing to quarrell in defence of faith Note Psal 91.4 faith being our shield of defence against all gaine-sayers sin and the dwell yet know not how to give addition of strength to them that have already exceedingly travelled in this manifest truth and whose faithfull paines have maintained this quarrell with valour and victory against all opposition neither is it in the purpose of this businesse to dispute questions of truth but to deliver truth as it is by admonitions and plaine teachings to men of simple easie understanding for whose Christian good these paines are principally taken whose simplicity might most easily be confounded in the intricate search of cunning arguments for these respects And because all contention and strife of words is in the hatred of my nature I will as I finde it written downe sparingly deliver my selfe in a large argument and strike onely one blow at the enemy of faith that I may bee knowne to be an enemy of that enemy and that by a familiar proofe I may instruct the knowledge of them that are lesse learned For they that deny justification by fayth and approve it by works would frame this argument from the testimony of Saint James Jam. 2.17 c. who speaking of a generall faith doth utterly disable it from the office of justification and therefore he saith that Faith without workes is dead in it selfe for as the body without the spirit is dead even so faith without workes is dead also Therefore say they that the Apostle concludeth that of workes a man is justified and not of faith onely To this is answered it is most true that fruitlesse faith is dead neyther can justifie and that good workes are the spirit and soule of a living faith for as the body without the soule is not a living man but a dead carcase so faith without workes is not living is not saving nay is not true faith but onely beares a generall name and with Saint Iames wee may conclude against all such faith But if there be a faith that hath a necessity depending of good workes as necessarily as the soule to the body and the fruit to the tree and that this faith declare it selfe to bee plentifull in good actions the fruits of a living faith we may then with Saint James conclude against them for hee doth not as they doe disinable all faith in the worke of justification but onely that faith which is dead Note and without workes So both opinions imply a necessity of workes the one as the cause of justification and the other as an effect in them justified It were easie to be large in numbring authorities and in reporting such distinctions and shifts as the deceived use in supporting their erroneous opinions they are but inventions therefore without respect wee will passe them over Note but advise the Christian Reader to beware of both extreames and modestly and moderately to understand the meanes of his justification that his zeale carry him to no extremity but to the vertuous meane onely and not to ascribe all to fayth and nought to workes but to give them both their necessary respects for as wee are not justified but by fayth so our fayth is not justified but by our workes for if our works be not faythfull our fayth working we are not justified neyther can be saved For when it is said that fayth onely justifieth it is meant and not denyed that charity is joyned with that fayth which justifieth being inseparably united unto it but that onely fayth and not charity is the meanes by which we embrace Jesus Christ our justification righteousnesse As for example the fire hath heate and light which qualities cannot bee severed in that subject Note yet the fire burneth by heate only and not by light now if they will reason say if the heate of the fire only burn Similitude then it burneth without the light of the fire but that it cannot do such is their reason against justification only because it cannot be separated from charity Likewise though the parts of mans body bee joyned together and one is not without another in a perfect body yet the eye onely sees and the eare onely heares and every part hath his distinct office and so hath faith and charity Thus may the seeming difference betweene Saint Paul and Saint Iames bee reconciled Heb. 11. but such fayth and workes as Saint Paul meaneth justifie us before God but such fayth and workes as Saint Iames meaneth justifie us before men but God doth justifie effectually fayth doth justifie apprehendingly and good workes doe justifie declaringly that is we doe declare our selves by our workes
things worne out and almost forgotten with the use of time because the end of their actions ran not this holy race of Gods glory but had divers disagreeing ends and respects death hath deprived their soules the grave their bodies the world their estates and time their names and such destroying ends doe necessarily follow such affections for when Gods glory is not the absolute proposed end of a mans life there is nothing can happen to such life but extreme misery even the bounty of nature and the treasure of fortune are miserable tormentors which present themselves with friendly faces Psalm 4.5 but bring in their hand dangerous and fearefull destructions therefore in every action and in every worke wee undertake let us first in the feare of God propose our lawfull end Gods glory that hee may have the honour of all our actions to the comfort of our soules Amen Of the uncertainty of mans life and the expectation of death THis life wherein wee live is rather a death 4 Esdr 4.14 because every day we die for every day we spend some of our life and grow neerer to our end by a day this life is full of griefe for things past full of labour for things present and full of feare and care for things to come our ingresse into this world is lamentable because the infant begins his life with teares as it were fore-seeing the evills to come our progresse is wicked weake and vile because many diseases troubles losses and crosses torment us and many cares afflict us our ingresse is horrible and terrible Revel 14.13 because wee doe not depart alone but our workes doe follow us and wee must passe from death to Gods severe judgement Hebr. 9.17 we are begotten in uncleannesse we are conceived in sinne we are nourished in darknesse we are brought forth in sorrow and misery we live in paine and die in anguish we were a wretched burthen to our mother we are strangers in our birth and pilgrims in our life wee are compelled to part away by death the first part of our life is ignorance the middle part is overwhelmed with cares and the later part is burthened with grievous old age All the time of our life is either past present or to come if it be past it is nothing if it be present it is fleeting Gen. 3.19 if it be to come it is then uncertaine from earth we came and earth wee beare about us earth we tread upon Job 7.1 c. and to earth wee must returne againe the necessity of our birth is base of our life miserable of our death lamentable The life of man is a continuall warfare because there is in this life a continuall fight between the flesh and the spirit Gal. 5.17 what true joy then can a man have in this life when there is in it no certaine felicity what thing present can delight us when all things like a shadow doe passe away but the judgement of God which hangeth over our heads doth never passe away Againe what thing can delight us when that which wee so dearely loved is taken from us and quite ended and griefe that shall never have end doth approach every day still neerer unto us Nazianzen this is all wee gaine by long life to doe more evill to see more evill and to suffer more evill and maketh our accusation the greater at the last day of generall judgement What is man but the slave of death and as a passenger on the way and hath no certaine continuance his life is shorter then a moment lighter then a bubble more vain then an image more empty then a sound more brittle than glasse more changeable than the wind more unconstant than the aire more fleeting than a shadow and more deceitfull than a dreame what is it but the expectation of death the stage of mockeries the sea of miseries a viall of blood which every light fall breaketh and every fit of an ague corrupteth course of our life is a labyrinth wee enter into it when wee come out of the wombe and goe out of it by the passage of death this life is fraile as glasse as sliding as a river as miserable as a warfare yet many seemes much to desire it the vaine felicity of this life doth outwardly delight but if wee presse it with a more weighty consideration it will appeare to be vile and wicked therefore O deare soule doe not suffer thy cogitations to set up their rest in this life Psalm 42. 4 Esdr 4.26 c. but let thy minde alwaies pant and breathe after the joyes to come compare the short moment of time here with eternity which shall never have end this life here posteth away yet in it doe wee get or lose eternall life this life here is most miserable and yet in it doe we get or lose everlasting life in this life we are subject to many calamities yet in it doe wee get or lose the joyes everlasting if therefore thou hopest of everlasting life use the world but let not thy heart cleave unto it negotiate in this world but fixe not thy mind unto it The outward use of worldly things is necessary and hurteth not unlesse thy inward affection cleave unto them heaven is our country the world is but the way unto it and place of our sojourning this life is our sea but eternity is our heaven be not therefore so much delighted with the momentany tranquillity of this world but be carefull to attaine to the haven of everlasting happinesse This world is sliding and unconstant and doth not keep faith with her lovers but doth often times flie from them when they have most hope of it The safest way then is to expect every houre our departure out of this present life and to prepare our selves for it by hearty and serious prayer and repentance the world is now so worne away with a long consumption it hath even lost the face with which it was wont to seduce her lovers 1 Cor. 1.3 But he that cleaveth unto the Lord is one spirit with him For as the carnall copulation of the man and woman maketh of them one flesh Math. 19.5 so the spirituall conjunction betweene Christ and the faithfull soule maketh of them one spirit as the soule is the life of the body so is God the life of the soule as therefore that soule doth truely live in which God dwelleth by spirituall grace so likewise that soule is dead which hath not God dwelling in it and what rest can there be to the soule that is dead that first death in sinne doth necessarily draw with it the second death of damnation Revel 20.14 Whosoever therefore doth firmely cleave unto God with his love inwardly enjoyeth divine consolation his rest can no outward things disquiet for in the midst of sorrowes hee is joyfull in poverty hee is rich in tribulations secure in troubles quiet in contumilies and reproches
are wee also Heires of God Psal 16.1 and coheires with Christ Lift up thy selfe O devout soule and long to come to the Lord the portion of thine inheritance and thy exceeding great reward Gen 15.1 What could the most ample mercie and bountie of God bestow more upon us He gives us life he bestowes his Son Act. 27.27.28 and bestowes himselfe if he had any thing greater in heaven or earth he would bestow even that also upon us In God we live Gods Temple we are 1 Cor. 3.16 God we possesse indeed here in the spirit and in a Mistery but in heaven in truth and indeed our hope there shall become our full fruition and dwell with him for ever Psal 42.1.2 Come Lord Iesus Come quickly and make us partakers of that heavenly glory Esteeme not thou faithfull soule the trifling pleasures of this life to bee the way to this everlasting worlds wealth nor the ignominious estate heere nor troubles and afflictions to be any barre to prevent thee from the injoying of the full use and joyfull fruition of the glory there prepared for thee bee assured that though thou want heere thou shalt have riches there though thou hunger heere thou shalt have fulnesse there though thou beest ready to faint heere thou shalt be refreshed there and though thou be heere abjected and cast downe and accounted as a dead man yet shalt thou there live in perpetuall glory and though thou hast run this comfortlesse race through this miserable earthly vaile yet there shalt thou raigne for ever the honour on this earth in comparison of that is basenesse the riches of this world is povertie the fulnesse of this life is want the joyes of this worlds Kingdome are sorrow woe misery sadnesse griefe and calamitie Psal 53.1 and yet the Foole saith in his heart that there is no other Heaven but this harmefull deceiving worlds happinesse no other Hell but this Worlds bitternesse no bitter torment then this worlds cares no further helpe then this worlds wealth thus is the wisedome of man become foolishnesse his glory turned into shame mans power made of no force and the faithfull poore that are heere despised are there advanced the sorrowfull are comforted and the cast-awayes of this world are received to that blessed being that cannot be expressed with the tongue described with the Pen nor conceived with the heart of man Psal 55.6 O that I had wings saith heavenly hearted David that I might flye away from this worlds vanities and to possesse Heavens eternall happinesse Ph●lip 1.23 Oh that I were dissolved saith blessed Paul that I might bee with Christ Oh that I were in this place of such wished happinesse where I might rest from this Worlds labours earthly miseries and transitorie vanities Let us daily meditate of the greatnesse and Majestie of this high Heavens glorious and blessed estate where we shall one day blesse our God with the blessed Company of that most excellent Vnitie where wee shall one day sit secure and free from the dangers perils troubles crosses and afflictions which doe in this world assaile us on every side both within and without that wee are never free from one calamitie or other 2 Cor. 1.3.4.5.6.7 Oh blessed are all they that are thus assured blessed are the poore that shall have this Heavens riches blessed are the base that shall be thus exalted blessed are the low and cast downe that shall bee thus raised and advanced and blessed are the World 's despised that shall have this Heavens happinesse yea happy is this worlds unhappy man for he shall be happy for ever Now therefore O devout Soule stand up feare not faint not but give glory to this great God praise this high and helping God seeke him in time while it is to day drive not off to pray to this God notwithstanding any hope thou hast in mortall men pray for and reject not his gracious meanes who in favour infinite and mercie endlesse moveth the hearts of men in this life to doe good unto such as hee seeth distressed hee can finde out and afford infinite meanes to succour them that are his and will not leave them forsaken in danger 1 Cor. 10.13 for hee even here giveth his blessings as pledges of his never-failing love that being visited in his mercy with timely comforts here we may assure our selves of greater blessings in Heaven where they are prepared for his faithfull Elect beyond all that humane nature can aske or thinke Therefore O devout Soule sigh no more sorrow no more bee no more pensive at outward poverty fret no more at the worlds crosses grieve no more at the worlds miseries dismay no more for thy many sinnes but strive alwayes to stand in the favour of this high and helping God and hee will set thee free and banish thy feare and fill thy cup and feed thee with the hidden treasures of his never-failing love Vnto whom be given all Glory Praise Honour Power Might Majestie and Dominion now and evermore Amen Thus endeth our PROGRESSE The Conclusion NOw hast thou seene how glorious and perfect God is and how that all thy chiefe blisse and happines consisteth in having an eternall Communion with his Majestie therefore O impenitent Sinner in the bowels of Christ Iesus I intreat thee as thou tenderest thy owne Salvation seriously to consider with mee how false how vaine how vile are those things which still retaine and chaine thee in thy wretched and cursed estate wherein thou livest The vanitie and wretchednesse of this present life and doe hinder thee from the favour of God and the hope of eternall life and happinesse and seeing that likewise thou seest how great is thy happinesse in Christ and how vaine are the hinderances that debarre thee from the same Beware as the Apostle exhorteth of the deceitfulnesse of sinne Heb. 3.13 for that sinne which seemeth now to bee so pleasing to thy corrupt nature will one day prove the bitterest enemie to thy distressed soule and in the meane while harden unawares thine impenitent heart Sinne as a Serpent seemes beautifull to the eye but take heed of the sting behind whose venomous effects if thou knewst thou wouldst as carefully flye from sinne as from a Serpent To conclude all forasmuch as thou seest that without Christ thou art but a slave of sin deaths vassall and wormes meat whose thoughts are vaine whose deeds are vile whose pleasures have scarce beginning whose miseries never know end what wise man would incurre these Hellish torments though hee might by living in sinne purchase to himselfe for a time the Empire of Augustus the Riches of Croessus the Pleasures of Salomon the Policy of Achitophel 2 Sam. 17. the voluptuous Fare and fine Apparell of Dives Mat. 16.26 Mark 8.36 for What should it availe a man as our Saviour saith to win the whole World for a ti●● and then to lose his Soule in Hell for ever FINIS Jmprimatur THO WYKES Septemb. 1. 1638.
by the Apostles to be propagated throughout the world the Holy Ghost came downe upon them there was thundring and lightning and the lowd sound of the trumpet so that all the people were afraid Vers 16. because the Law doth thunder terrible things against our disobedience and makes us subject to Gods indignation But here is the sound of a gentle wind where the Lord from heaven doth powre out his Spirit upon all flesh Acts 2.2.17 for the preaching of the Gospell doth lift up the soules that are cast downe with dispaire by reason of their sinnes there was feare and trembling of the people because the Law bringeth wrath Rom. 4.15 but here the whole multitude doe flocke together to heare the wonderfull things of God for by the Gospell we have accesse unto God their God descended in fire but it was in the fire of his wrath therefore was the mountaine moved and did smoke but here the holy Ghost descended in the fire of his love so that the house is not shaken by the wrath of God but rather replenished Exod. 19.18 Acts 2.3 with the glory of the holy Ghost What wonder is it that the holy Ghost bee sent from the Court of Heaven to sanctifie us seeing the Sonne of God was sent from Heaven to redeeme us But the holy Ghost came upon the Apostles when they were assembled together in prayer with one minde for he is the Spirit of prayer which moveth us to pray and is obtained by prayer Wherefore John 20.19 22. Zach 12.10 because hee is that bond by which our hearts are knit and united unto God as he doth unite the Father with the Sonne and the Sonne with the Father for hee is the mutuall love of the Father and the Sonne This our spirituall conjunction with God is wrought by faith in Christ but faith is the gift of the Spirit and is obtained by prayer but true prayer is made in the Spirit In the Temple of Salomon when Incense was offered unto God 1 King 8.10 11. the Temple was filled with the glory of the Lord so if thou offerest unto God the sweet odours of prayers the holy Ghost shall fill the temple of thy heart with glory Let us here admire the grace and mercy of God Psal 50.15 Rom. 8.34 35. Gal. 4 6. the Father promiseth to heare our prayers the Sonne intercedeth for us and the holy Ghost prayeth within us the Angels of Heaven carry our prayers unto God and the Court of Heaven is open to receive them God of his mercy doth give unto us the effect of prayer because he giveth unto us the Spirit of grace and prayer and doth alwaies heare our prayers if not according to our desire yet according to that which is most profitable for us The holy Ghost came when they were all met together with one accord in one place Acts 2.1 for hee is the Spirit of love and concord Note that joyneth us unto Christ by faith and unto God by love and to our neighbour by charity because he is the Authour of all goodnesse and the fountaine of all grace and mercy Now the Spirit of God effects in man such motions as himselfe is for as the soule giveth unto the body life sense and motion so the holy spirit maketh man spirituall seasons his minde with divine saltnesse Note and directs all his members to the performance of all good duties towards God and towards his neighbours and proceedeth from all eternity he came in the type of breath and affordeth unto the afflicted conscience quickening consolation because wee live according to the flesh by the reciprocall breathing out and sucking in of the aeriall spirit he came under the type of spirit and breath because he giveth us to live according to the better part The winde bloweth where it lusteth Iohn 3.8 and thou hearest the sound thereof but thou knowest not whence it commeth nor whither it goeth So is every one that is borne of the Spirit it was meete that he should come in the type of breath because hee proceedeth from both the Father and the Sonne by one incomprehensible breathing from eternity it was a powerfull breath because the grace of the holy Ghost comes with power and moveth the godly in whom he dwelleth to all that is good and so effectually moveth and strengtheneth them that they neither regard the threats of tyrants nor feare the trecheries of the Divell nor the hatred of the world Psal 19.3.4 hee conferreth upon the Apostles the gift of tongues because their sound was to goe into all lands and so the confusion of tongues which was the punishment of pride and rashnesse in the building of the tower of Babel was taken away and the dispersed nations Gen. 11 7 8 9. by the gift of the holy Ghost through the diversity of tongues were gathered together into the unity of faith Againe it was meet that he should come in the figure of tongues because holy men of God did speake as they were inspired by him For hee spake by the Prophets and Apostles and putteth the Words of God into the mouthes of the Ministers of the Church therefore the Prophets in the old time came not by the will of man 2 Pet. 1.21 but were moved by the holy Ghost for these great gifts blessed and praised be the holy Ghost together with the Father and the Sonne now and for ever Of the Love of God THis love of God is commanded by God to the Israelites by the mouth of Moses being then the select and peculiar people of God saying Deut. 6.5 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule and with all thy might and Christ himselfe in the Gospel doth alledge this Precept to the Doctor of the Law which tempted him saying Master which is the greatest Commandement in the Law He answering Matth. 22.36 37 38 39. said unto him Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy soule and with all thy mind and thy neighbour as thy selfe this doth teach all Christians that without the knowledge of this love of God they can never attaine to the saving knowledge of God and without the love of God all knowledge is unprofitable For love is the life of Nature and the joy of Reason in the Spirit of grace where Vertue draweth affection the concord of sense makes an union unseparable in the divine apprehension of the joy of election it is a ravishment of the soule in the delight of the spirit which being caryed above it selfe into inexplicable comfort feeles that heavenly sickenesse that is better then the worlds health When the godliest of men in the swounding delight of his sacred inspiration could thus utter the sweetnesse of his passion my soule is sicke of love for love is a healthfull sicknesse of the soule it is a pleasing passion in the heart a contentive