that wee are the elect of God for they are the fruits of his love and the workes of his spirit and therefore irrefragable testimonies and tokens of election the Sunne by his light shines upon us and by the same light wee view and behold the Sunne againe a man may be elected though for a time he live unconverted Acts 9.1 c. Luk. 23.40 41 42 43. and in his sins as wee may see by the examples of Saint Paul and the thiefe upon the crosse for it is true that whosoever is converted is elected yet whosoever is not converted the same may be elected because the elect may be aliens for a time from God Ephes 2.1 Cor. 6.10.11 Colos 2.13 1 Pet. 4.3 and unregenerated as were the Ephesians Corinthians Colossians yea all men are such by nature so one good and constant motion or resolution of grace is sufficient to prove a mans election unto glory By this we may know that wee belong to God if wee finde the impression of the grace of God constantly in us there is yet matter of true comfort but if all these signes be wanting that a man shall not alwaies finde all these things in himselfe yet must wee not despaire but commend our selves to the grace and mercy of God and use the best meanes of our salvation therefore O devout soule Rom. 4.25 as often as thou dost meditate upon thy predestination behold and thinke on Christ hanging upon the crosse dying for the sinnes of the whole world and rising againe for our justification Begin from Christ lying in a manger Ephes 1.4 5 c. and so thy disputation of predestination shall proceed orderly God the Father elected us in Christ before the foundations of the world were laid if therefore thou art in Christ by faith doe not doubt but that election belongeth unto thee if with a firme confidence of heart thou adherest unto Christ doe not doubt but that thou art in the number of the elect but if thou goest further beyond the limits of the Word of God and wilt search into the profundity of predestination it is greatly to be feared that thou wilt fall into the profundity of desperation God by the voice and severity of the Law accuseth all without Christs satisfaction take heed therefore that thou drawest not the mystery of predestination out of the Law search not into the reasons of Gods secret Counsell lest thy cogitations doe much seduce thee God dwelleth in the light that no man can attaine unto 1 Tim. 6.6 presume not therefore to come unto it rashly but God hath revealed it unto us in the light of the Gospel in this thou mayst safely inquire into the doctrine of this secret Psal 36.9 and in this light thou shalt see true light search not into the profundity of this eternall decree made from eternity but convert thy selfe to the clearenesse of the manifestation of the Gospel which was made in time and in the glasse of Justification thou mayest behold thy election made without time out of the Law take notice of the wrath of God for sins and repent out of the Gospel take notice of the mercy of God through the merits of Christ and apply that unto thy selfe by faith take notice of the nature of faith and shew it by thy godly conversation take notice of Gods fatherly castigation in crosses and endure through patience then at length thou shalt come to the doctrine of predestination Note but in this mysterie there are alwaies three things to be observed the mercy of God loving us the merit of Christ suffering for us and the grace of the holy Ghost by the Gospel sanctifying us Gods mercy is universall because hee loved the world Psal 33.5 6. the earth is full of the mercy of the Lord yea his mercy is greater then heaven and earth for he hath promised Ezech. 33.11 as truely as I live saith the Lord I will not the death of a sinner but much rather that he may turne from his wickednesse and live yea he hath confirmed it with an oath if therefore thou wilt not believe him for his promise yet believe him for his oath The merit of Christ is also universall because hee suffered for the sins of the whole world therefore doubt not of the universality of Christs merits Christ dyed and suffering prayed for them that crucified him and shed his most precious blood for them that persecuted him the promises of the Gospell are universall because Christ saith unto all them that labour and are heavie laden Come unto me and I will refresh you Math. 11.28 God denies his grace unto none but to them that thinke themselves not worthy of it by thinking that their sinnes are greater then the mercy of God is able to pardon forgive so despairing of mercy desperately cast away themselves Consider therefore thou faithfull soule these three props of predestination and rest upon them with a firme confidence of thy heart Consider also the benefits of Gods grace wonderful mercy towards thee that are past and thou wilt not doubt of his finall perseverance towards thee for when as yet thou wast not God created thee Rom. 1.16 when by the fall of Adam thou wast condemned he redeemed thee when thou livedst in the world out of the Church hee called thee by his word when thou wast ignorant of the truth hee instructed thee when thou wentest astray out of the way hee reduced thee home when thou sinnedst he gently corrected thee when thou wast falne hee lifted thee up when thou camest unto him hee most graciously received thee 2 Pet. 3.15 his long suffering appeared in that hee expected thee and his mercy in that he pardoned thee Gods mercy prevented thy destruction hope therefore firmely that his loving kindnesse and mercy will also follow thee Consider thou faithfull soule Psal 23.6 that we were elected of God in Christ by faith faith shews it selfe by love and love hath hope of the promise therefore where there is not love neither is there faith where there is no faith neither is there apprehension of Christ and where there is no apprehension of Christ there is not election and where there is no election there is no hope of salvation Of Mortification HE that is resolved to endeavour his godly repentance and labour the reformation of his sinfull life Note must labour two things principally and of necessity The first is mortification the next is regeneration he must first destroy his sinfull estate before hee can obtaine the estate of grace for God and the gifts of God are so absolutely holy that they cannot admit any mixture or cooperation with sinne and wicked actions For as in curing of bodies infected with poysonous diseases Note the Physitian by severity and strict dyet bringeth downe the body of his patient to extreme poverty and leanenesse and then in that extremity helpeth the weaknesse of
and I shall speake and let the earth heare the words of my mouth for I will publish the name of the Lord and ascribe honour unto our God Acts 13.26 Yee men and brethren children of the generation of Abraham and whosoever amongst you feareth God to you is the word of this salvation sent Psalm 34. Come yee children and hearken unto mee and I will teach you the feare of the Lord. O praise the Lord with mee and let us magnifie his name together A perfect Table to finde readily all the branches contained and treated of in the first and second Part of this Booke OF the Essence of God what God is in his Essence and how he is to be understood in his holy attributes so farre as he hath revealed himselfe in holy Scripture for otherwise no man is able to define what God is page 1 Of the majesty greatnesse and quality of God page 19 Of divine directions declaring the variable state and misery of man from the time of his creation to the time of the Gospel or the new Covenant of Grace page 30 Of the creation of the world page 34 Of the Angels their nature their office their fall page 40 Of man his first beginning page 51 Of the state of mans innnocency before his fall page 58 Of originall sin the fall and apostacy of man page 64 Of the Divells trecheries and how to prevent him page 74 Of the morall law of God the ten commandements page 77 Of the purity of conscience page 89 Of the accusations of conscience page 91 To avoyd security page 102 Of the knowledge of mans corruption and state of misery in this world and the miserable state and condition in the life to come without we be renovated by Christ. page 105 Of the meditation of the misery of the body and soule in this life page 109 Of the meditation of the misery of man after death which is the fulnesse of cursednesse page 116 Of the meditations of the grievousnesse of the torments of Hell p. 120 The Branches contained in the second part of this Booke OF the Covenant of the Gospell or the Covenant of grace pag. 127 Of the incarnation of the word Christ pag. 141 Of Christs Nativity pag. 150 Of Christ Iesus the summe or compendium of the Gospell pag. 154 Of the Crosse of Christ and his holy sufferings for our sins pag. 164 Of repentance or sorrow of the soule for sinne pag. 168 Of the two Sacraments Baptisme and the Lords Supper pag. 182 Of the Lords Supper the institution of Christ pag. 184 Of the preparation to the receiving of the holy Communion of the Body and Blood of Iesus Christ pag. 199 Of the ordinance of Christ concerning the translation of the holy and blessed Sabbath pag. 205 Of Christs ascension pag. 208 Of the comming of the holy Ghost pag. 210 Of the love of God pag. 213 Of the properties of Charity and true love to our Christian brethren pag. 217 Of Gods eternall election and predestination pag. 222 Of mortification pag. 234 Of Regeneration pag. 246 Of Sanctification pag. 255 Of Justification pag. 262 Of Faith pag. 267 Of Hope pag. 294 Of Patience pag. 301 Of Prayer pag. 313 Of Afflictions pag. 326 Of generall rules directing a Christian in a godly life pag. 336 Of Gods glory pag. 347 Of the uncertainety of mans life and the expectation of death pag. 351 Of temporary death and of the severall state of salvation and damnation pag. 355 Of a sweet contemplation of the beatificall joyes of Heaven and of heavenly things and the blessed state of a regenerated Christian pag. 364 The Conclusion pag. 373 Esay 40.3 A Voice cryeth in the Wildernesse of this wicked world prepare the way of the Lord make straight the path of our God in the Desert Esay 58.1 Cry now as loud as thou canst leave not off lift up thy voyce like a Trumpet and shew my people their offences and the house of Iacob their sinnes Psal 36.1 My heart sheweth me the wickednesse of the ungodly that there is no feare of God before his eyes Vers 4. He imagineth mischiefe upon his bed and hath set himselfe in no good way neither doth he abhorre any thing that is evill Esay 59.2 3 4. But your mis deeds have separated you from your God and your sinnes hid his face from you that he heareth you not for your hands are defiled with blood and your fingers with unrighteousnesse your lips speake leasing and your tongues set forth wickednesse no man regardeth righteousnesse and no man judgeth truely every man hopeth in vaine things and imagineth deceit conceiveth weaknesse and bringeth forth evill Vers 7. Their feet run to evill and they make hast to shed innocent blood their counsels are wicked counsels harme and destruction are in their waies Ierem. 9.8 Their tongues are like sharpe arrowes to speake deceit with their mouth they speake peaceably to their neighbour but privily they lay waite for him And like as a net is full of birds so are their houses full of that which they have gotten with falshood and deceit Ier. 5.27.28 hereof commeth their great substance and riches hereof are they fat and wealthy and are more mischievous then any other they minister not the law they make no end of the fatherlesse cause yea they judge not the poore according to equity They are corrupt Psal 53.2 4. and become abominable in their doings there is not one that doth good no not one For though they can say the Lord liveth yet they sweare to deceive Ier. 5.2 Their throate is an open sepulchre Psal 14.5 with their tongues have they deceived the poyson of aspes is under their lips Their mouthes are full of cursings and bitternesse their feet are swift to shed blood Vers 6. For when ye have stollen Ier. 7.9 murdered committed adultery and perjury when yee have offered unto Baal following strange and unknowne gods shall ye be punished Have they no knowledge that they are all such workers of mischiefe Psal 14.7 8. eating up my people as it were bread destruction and unhappinesse is in their waies and the way of peace have they not knowne Should I not punish these things Ier. 5.29 saith the Lord should I not be revenged of all such people as these be Heare thou earth also behold I will cause a plague to come upon this people Ier. 6.19 even the fruit of their owne imaginations for that they have not beene obedient unto my words and to my law but abhorred them Psal 28.4 5. Reward them according to their deeds and according to the wickednesse of their owne inventions recompence them after the works of their hands and pay them that they have deserved Eccles 8.11 Because now that evill workes are not hastily punished the heart of man giveth himselfe over unto wickednesse Esay 5.14 Therefore gapeth hell marvellous wide
spiration for as the Sonne receiveth the whole divine essence by generation so the holy Ghost receiveth it wholly by spiration Rom. 11.36 But because the Father created As Redemption Act. 20.28 and Sanctification and still governeth the world by the Sonne in the holy Ghost therefore these externall actions are indifferently in the Scripture often times ascribed to each of the three persons and therefore are called Communicable and divided actions 1 Pet. 1.23 so that when wee say that the divine essence is in the Father unbegotten in the Sonne begotten and in the holy Ghost proceeding we make not three essences but onely shew the divers manner of subsisting by which the same most simple eternall and unbegotten essence subsisteth in each person namely that it is not in the Father by generation that is in the Sonne communicated from the Father by generation and in the holy Ghost communicated from both the Father and the Sonne by proceeding These are incommunicable and doe make not an essentiall accidentall or rationall but a reall distinction betwixt the three persons And because the divine essence common to all the three persons is but one we call the same Unitie But because there be three distinct persons in this one indivisible essence we call the same Trinity So that this Unitie in Trinity and Trinity in Unitie is a holy Mysterie rather to be religiously adored by faith Iob 11.7 then curiously searched into by reason That God is one in Trinity 1. These things be manifest and must with a simple and cleare faith be believed that God is one in essence nature God-head will moving and working three in three persons of which every one hath severall subsistence and propertie which for all that be so in God that the Essence Nature God-head Majesty working will power honour and continuance for ever is common to them all all coessentiall all coeternall The Appellations of the persons for wee see that these three persons are called in holy Scriptures God the Word the Spirit but more plainly by Christ the Father the Sonne and the holy Spirit Matth. 28.19 We see that the faith of this holy Trinitie is not meant to be three Gods but three unsearchable subsistences or persons in one true God set forth to man for the better knowledge of Christ his only begotten Son and for the increase of his glory according to the measure of his revelation A Similitude For as two divers and sundry natures joyned together in one man doe not make two men but both doe still conserve the unitie of one person so that it remaineth still one man made of soule and body why then should it not sinke into our heads that three subsistences in one God neither in being neither in nature be divers but altogether equall and even doe not let but that the unitie of God remaineth still one A Similitude of the Sunne Who is so weake of judgement or so foolish of understanding to believe that there are three sunnes being indeed but one because there is three qualities or effects in the sunne First as it were a fountaine of light Note never ceasing Secondly the cleare shining brightnesse which commeth thereof Thirdly the heate breathing out and proceeding from them both The similitude of man who is so mad to determine or Imagine that a man hath three spirits because there are found three as it were divers substances the soule the minde and the will the soule whereby man liveth and moveth the minde whereby hee understandeth judgeth and discerneth the heart or will whereby hee willeth or willeth not hateth or loveth is sorry or glad becommeth good or evill these things are manifestly found in our selves wherby we may be led as by the hand to know the one and true God in this holy Trinity of Persons and in Trinity a perfect unity of God-head how may it bee rightly understood Iob 11.7 how the soule breedeth the minde and how the will commeth of them both By what way then can wee understand the divine birth of the Word of God and the proceeding of the holy Spirit thus in briefe I thought meete to note concerning this question what God is for the simpler sorts sake to the intent they may understand how farre forth the use thereof may doe them good that be desirous to apply their knowledge and understanding to God to the study of true godlinesse and not unto curiosity Iohn 1.1 2 c. And take this by the way that as the naturall sonne of man is naturally man so is the naturall Sonne of God naturally God and of one Essence with his Father but this knowledge of the holy Trinity was somewhat hidden till the revelation of the Word that tooke flesh When the holy Spirit began more especially to worke then this mystery of the Trinity in God was openly set forth by Christ when he said Goe teach all People Math. 28.19 The revelation of the holy Trinity baptising them in the Name of the Father of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost and then conferred his grace upon them whereby the ministery of the holy Trinity began to be opened unto the world should bee a manifest witnesse to the people that whosoever should bee received into that grace should in the Sacrament of the first admission confesse themselves to bee sanctified in the name of the Father of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost Thus farre of the divers manner of being in the divine essence Now of the Attributes thereof and first of the Nominall The Attributes of God are of two sorts either Nominall or Reall The Nominall attributes are of three sorts the first which signifie Gods Essence Secondly the Persons in the Essence Thirdly those which signifie his essentiall workes The first is named a Exod. 6.3 c. Exod. 15.3 c. Psal 83.18 Esay 48.11 Jehovah which signifieth Eternall being of himselfe in whom is being without all beginning all other beings both begin and end he is named Iehovah not onely in respect of being and causing all things to be but especially in respect of his gracious promises which without faile hee will fulfill in his appointed time and so causeth that to be which was not before Esay 55.7 Iohn 14.2 3. and upon our true repentance hee will assuredly pardon and forgive us all our sinnes at the time of death receive our soules and in the resurrection raise up our bodies in glory to life everlasting therefore this Name is a golden pledge unto us that because hee hath promised hee will surely performe unto us Exod. 3.14 Vers 13. The second Name denoting Gods Essence is Eheieh but once read and of the same roote that Iehovah is and signifieth I am that I am for when Moses asked God by what name hee should call him God then named himselfe Eheieh Ascher Eheieh I am that I am or I will be that I will
If thou believest that God is the Soveraigne good why is not thy heart more setled upon him then on al worldly goods If thou dost indeed believe that God is a just Judge how darest thou live so securely in sinne without repentance If thou dost truely believe that God is most wise Rom. 8.28 why dost thou not referre the events of crosses and disgraces unto him who knoweth how to turne all things to the best unto them that love him If thou art perswaded that God is true why dost thou doubt of his promises and if thou believest that God is beauty and perfection it selfe why dost thou not make him the chiefe end of all thy desires and affections for if thou lovest Beautie hee is most faire If Riches he is most wealthy If thou seekest Wisdome hee is most wise whatsoever excellencie thou hast seene in any Creature it is nothing but a sparkle of that which is in the Infinite perfection in God Application Therefore love that one good God and thou shalt love him in whom all the good of goodnesse consisteth he that would therefore attaine to the saving Knowledge of God must learne to know him by love 1 Joh. 4.8 Ephes 3.19 for God is Love and the knowledge of the love of God passeth all understanding for all knowledge in the world besides to know how to love God Eccles 1.2.17 and to serve him onely is nothing upon Salomons Creed but Vanity of vanities trouble of mind and vexation of spirit Kindle therefore in mee my good God Charity Rom. 5.9 10. Joh. 17.3.22 1 Cor. 15.28 the love of thy selfe in my soule especially seeing it was thy good pleasure that being reconciled by the blood of Christ wee should be brought by the knowledge of thy grace to the communion of thy glory wherein only consisteth our soveraigne good and happinesse for evermore Thus by the light of his owne Word wee have seene the backe parts of Jehovah Elohim the eternall Trinity whom to worship is true Piety whom to believe is saving Faith and Verity and unto whom from all Creatures in heaven and earth be ascribed all Praise Glory Honour Might Majesty Power and Dominion for evermore Amen Of divine Directions declaring the variable state and misery of Man from the time of his Creation to the time of the Gospel or the new Covenant of Grace Of the generall Knowledge of God VVHen first I began to understand of God I had this imagination that God was a generall power within whose circle all things are without whom nothing by whom all things were made and to whom all men ow their service This learning was taught mee by the wisdome of my naturall soule and by the common example of Christians for all men acknowledge a God and all Christians their duties this is the common knowledge of men but not the profitable more commendable in Philosophers than Christians being without use without application I have therefore better endevoured my selfe and studied to know God my God to know him in his divine nature in the trinity of persons and in their offices for thus to know and then to apprehend and apply is salvation To know God in his nature we must know His Attributes and rightly understand God in his said Attributes all which may be reduced to these two generalls Justice and Mercy in all which we must consider him to be Infinite in wisedome Infinite in favour Infinite in power The Trinity and Infinite in time The Trinity is the distinction of persons without denying the substance or nature of God the Father Sonne and holy Ghost though they be three distinct in name they are one in power without division without inequality the Sonne begotten as ancient as the Father the Holy Ghost prooceeding from them both is equall with them both no priority in their Omnipotency but all of them being alike able in all things and alwaies conspiring one end without discord The foundation of Religion this divine mysterie is the foundation of Christian Religion without which there is no faith no salvation It is further necessary to know the Trinity in their severall offices for though the God-head be so undivided as that no one person in the Trinity doth worke without cooperation the Father Son Severall offices in the Trinity and the Holy Ghost conspiring in every act of every severall person yet in the wisedome of their owne decree they have determined to the severall persons of the Trinity severall executions of offices wherein the whole Trinity conspire yet some one person in the Trinity hath the name of principall therefore wee say God the Father made the world God the Sonne redeemed it God the Holy Ghost doth governe it The creation of the world is ascribed to God the Father The Trinity conspire in every worke yet he made the world and the works therein by his Word This Word was God the second person in the Trinity who did cooperate and worke with God in the Creation the Holy Ghost also moved upon the waters to divide the seas and distinguish light from darknesse all of them joyntly and severally executing the decrees of their owne divine counsell Jer. 10.12 13. The worke of our Redemption is properly ascribed to the Sonne the second person of the Trinity who descended from his Majesty 1 Cor. 5.55 and in his owne person came to make a conquest of sinne hell and death The Holy Ghost doth governe the world the Father and the Sonne assisting yet in this most gracious worke the Father and the Holy Ghost were not absent but gave divine assistance to our blessed Saviour Jesus Christ when he ascended left the Holy Ghost to be a patron to the Catholique Church the which in all occasions doth support every member of the same yet the Father and the Sonne have their hands of providence at all times working with the Holy Ghost in this divine government therefore howsoever they have their severall assignments by themselves appointed yet they all conspire in every worke of holinesse all of them participating one worke one honour Thus to know God is needfull for every soule that desireth happinesse One labour one honour in the Trinity or that coveteth to have part in the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ without whom there is no salvation God being then of a nature infinitely good infinite great it ought to move in every foule a double affection Men ought to live in Gods imitation love and feare to feare him because he can destroy to love him because he will not It ought also to provoke all men to an imitation of God that such to whom God hath given greatnesse they use it with moderation of mercy which onely is able to make the great good and the honourable in place honourable in condition for as God is so good men their soules are his images and their actions his imitations Againe God is a
The judgment of reason that they who deny the judgement of Divinity may be judged by reason and the wisdome of nature which alone is able to convince all oppositions and gain-sayers but to Christians I will onely set forth what God saith for that may serve to informe and satisfie all and every faithfull Christian Gen. 1.1 c. Moses the servant and witnesse of God Almighty being inspired by the holy Ghost hath left recorded to all posterities the manner of the Creation of the World The scripture is onely able to satisfie all doubts to which authority not onely my selfe but every faithfull Christian doth confidently adhere utterly disclaiming all contradiction all diversity of opinion In the Creation is principally considered the Creator God and the creatures the workes of Gods Creation In the Creator is considered his power his purpose his power in being able by his word to finish such a worke of admiration his purpose The world was made for man and man for God not that hee needed any such thing that he had made to supply any defect in his Divinity but for the use of a creature man which afterward he was to make to whom hee gave the Heavens the earth and all the host of them for the service of man reserving onely man for the service of himselfe In the creatures is considered their originall or matter of their creation The matter of the creation for some things he made of nothing some of fire some of aire some of earth some of water some of flesh of nothing he created the Heaven the Earth and the Sea whereunto as is supposed may be joyned the heavenly Spirits but under correction of others of earth hee made and shaped the first man Adam our father also of the earth hee made beasts and all kind of plants and hearbs of the aire hee made wind and blasts The order God observed of the waters he created fish and foule of flesh he created Eve the first mother of our kind Next the order wherein they were created this originall was nothing for God created all things by the power of his Word without matter there being nothing whereof to make any thing the order observed in the creation was that God determined the World and the workes therein for the service of man would before he made man store the World mans mansion-house with very needfull providence that man at the very instant of his beginning might know himselfe to be in the fulnesse of Gods favour nothing wanting which might either administer to him profit pleasure or serve his necessity Againe in the creatures themselves God observed a speciall order First hee created light without which the workes of his greatnesse had not beene visible Secondly he created Heaven giving that priority Apoc. 4.11 Of the Celestiall bodies for the excellency and dignity of the place Next he made a separation of the Earth and Waters and gave the Earth a generation of all Plants and Trees bearing good seed Then hee placed in the Firmament the Planets and fixed the Starres and Celestiall bodies the which serve not onely for light to distinguish times and seasons but also by their influence for the generation and government of all living creatures Then God furnished the two elements of Water and Ayre with creatures of that kind Last of all hee stored the Earth with the creatures which live on that element and when hee had finished the creation of all things hee then made man after his owne similitude and gave him the possession of the World and the creatures hee had made giving him interest in all and power over all without exception of any This knowledge of the Creation is necessary in the understanding of every Christian of carefull conscience with which knowledge the lesse learned may satisfie themselves avoyding the curious search of such nice questions as may distract the simple and availe not unto salvation The knowledge of the power of God in creating the World doth admonish and remember all men that seeing God created all things by the power of his word The maine interest of all things is in God therefore the maine interest and principall claime to all things created remaineth to God only he being the absolute owner without competitor and how man hath onely the use and communication thereof and that onely with condition and limitation of time Note it doth also perswade a reverence to the Majesty of God and a feare of his displeasure for that God who is able by his Wod to create of nothing any thing is able also by his Word to destroy any thing and make it nothing or worse than nothing The purpose of the creation of the world by God being for the use and service of man doth remember all men that the measure of the love of God to mankind is infinite The infinite measure of Gods love who of his owne election did please to make a Creature of such noblenesse as to be called his Resemblance and Image giving him a soule of such divine nature as nothing but God can be more Every thing created is either for use or ornament for whose sake God made the world and stored it with the plenty of all things which migh◠〈◊〉 fit either for use or ornament all which God hath given man only requiring acknowledgement and thankfull service which condition if man performe God will then a thousand-fold double his favours and whereas these are but transitory and passible pleasures God will make them eternall and unexpressable both in number and worth John 1. for he that proveth a faithfull servant God will make him a sonne and crowne him with the glory of his Saints in the kingdome of glory where there is a perpetuity of all happinesse Againe the purpose of Gods creating the world for the use of man Man must use Gods Creatures with reverence and moderation doth admonish all men to use the Creatures of God with moderation reverence and Christian judgement not to despise them because they are Gods Creatures not to adore them because they are but Creatures but so to use them as they may supply that purpose for which God created them Thirdly seeing God created the world for mankinde in generall it doth remember us not to appropriate the Creatures of God to our owne private ends but to communicate the use of them with all such as shall need them for God gave not the world to Adam onely but to his posterity also therefore every man is lawfully interested in the enjoying of Gods Creatures Matth. 25. God gave the world to mankind in generall and not to any particular if by lawfull and allowable meanes hee can attaine them Againe if a Christian mans necessity require reliefe and favourable supportation hee hath a righteous claime to some part of the superfluous possessions of others and hee that shutteth up his compassion against such necessity
that which is infallibly promised in Scripture to those that believe and walke in the 〈◊〉 of the Lord but when we come unto the future happinesse promised unto us then shall wee have full security for in this life Religion and feare are coupled together neither can the one be without the other therefore thinke upon the grievous spots of thy sins and feare him that according to justice will judge thee for the same What are the afflictions of the godly but bitter arrowes sent from the sweet hand of God for their correction many that escape unpunished in this life God thinkes them unworthy of punishment whom notwithstanding he reprobateth for ever Outward felicity is often times a signe of eternall damnation nothing is more unhappy than the happinesse of sinners and nothing more miserable then hee that knowes no misery Augustin Whatsoever thou beholdest with thine eyes thou seest cause of griefe which duly considered are remedies against security Behold God above whom we have offended thinke upon hell beneath which we have deserved thinke upon the sin behinde the which wee have committed thinke upon the judgement before which wee dread and stand in feare of thinke upon the conscience within the which wee have defiled and thinke upon the world without which wee have too much loved consider whence thou camest and be ashamed consider what thou art and be sorrowfull consider whither thou goest and tremble Let a man therefore lament and grieve and shake off all security lest in the just and secret judgement of God hee be forsaken and left in the power of the divell to be destroyed if thou hast grace so delight thy selfe in it and acknowledge it to be the gift of God and that thou dost not possesse it by any hereditary righteousnesse of thine owne Security is a pernicious sin Happy shalt thou be if thou labourest with all care and diligence to avoid security the mother of all evill God will not forsake thee but take heed thou dost not forsake him God hath given thee his grace pray thou earnestly unto him that he would also give thee perseverance in that grace God bids thee be certaine of thy salvation but he bids thee not be secure therefore thou must fight valiantly 2 Tim. 4.7 8. that thou maist at length triumph gloriously thy flesh within thee fighteth against thee and the enemy the neerer he is the more to be feared the world about thee fighteth against thee and the greater the enemy is the more to be feared the divell about thee fighteth against thee and the more potent the enemy is the more to be feared through the power of God feare not to encounter with these enemies through the power divine thou shalt be enabled to obtaine the victory but thou canst not overcome these so great and potent enemies by security but by assiduity in fighting then doe the enemies most gather their forces together when they seeme to grant truce they are vigilant and watchfull and thou sleepy and sluggish they make themselves ready to assault and hurt thee make thou thy selfe ready therefore to resist Many faint by the way and never come home into their countrey Deut. 1.35 how many Israelites did there die in the wildernesse and never came to the promised Land of Canaan how many spirituall sonnes of Abraham doe perish in the wildernesse of this world and never come to enjoy the promised inheritance of the Celestiall Canaan Let it be therefore our onely desire to attaine to the glory which is in heaven wee live in security as we were past the snare of death and the day of Judgement Matth. 24.44 Christ saith he will come to judgement at such an houre that wee thinke not of this saith Truth it selfe And againe he repeats it heare and feare for the Lord will come at an houre wee thinke â—o of Wee have therefore great cause to feare that we come not to judgement unprovided for how shall we be able to endure the strict examination at the day of judgement Seeing we cannot recover for ever that which is lost in this one moment in the shortnesse of this one moment judgement shall passe either to mercy or condemnation what we shall be for all eternity in this one moment life and death damnation and salvation punishment and eternall glory shall be appointed to every one Lord thou that hast given us grace to that which is good give us also grace to persevere in that goodnesse least wee fall into the ensuing danger prepared for the reprobates and the ungodly which is hell and damnation and the torments thereof Of the knowledge of mans corruption and state of his misery in this world and the miserable state and condition in the life to come without we be renovated by Christ which Lord God grant us all grace so to be O Wretched man where shall I begin to describe thy endlesse miseries who art condemnable as soone as conceived lyable to eternall death before thou wast born to a temporall life A miserable change hapned to all posterities by the fall of Adam A beginning indeed I finde but no end of thy miseries for when Adam and Eve being created after Gods owne Image and placed in paradise that they and their posterity might live in happy and blessed estate of life immortall having dominion and rule of all earthly creatures and onely restrained from the fruit of one tree as a signe of their obedient subjection to their Almighty Creator though God forbad them this one small thing under the penalty of eternall death yet they believed the divels word before the Word of God making God as much as in them lay a lyar and so being unthankefull for all his benefits which God bestowed upon them they became male-content with their present state as if God had dealt enviously or niggardly with them and believed that the divell would make them partakers of farre more glorious things then ever God had bestowed upon them and in their pride they fell into rebellion and committed high treason against the most high Almighty and disdaining to be Gods subjects they affected most blasphemously to be gods themselves equall unto God their maker hence till they repented loosing Gods Image they became like unto the Divell and so all their posterity like a traiterous brood whilst they remained impenitent like them Math. 13.42 are subject in this life to all cursed miseries and in the life to come to everlasting fire and damnation prepared for the divell and his angels Consider therefore thou faithfull soule the miserable condition of man and thou shalt easily avoyd all temptations man is vile in his ingresse miserable in his progresse and lamentable in his egresse he is assaulted by divels provoked by tentations allured by delights cast down by tribulations entangled by accusations bestripped of vertues snared in all evill customes and drowned in all manner of vices Lay aside then for a while thy
doting vanities and take a view with mee of thy dolefull miseries which duly surveyed and truly considered I doubt not but that thou wilt conclude with mee that it is farre better never to have natures being then not to bee by grace a practitioner of religious piety consider therefore the miseries in thy life and first of thy infancie Of the wretchednesse of man being conceived in sinne brought forth in uncleannesse and his dayes miserable What wast thou being an infant but a bruit and a lumpe of sinfull flesh conceived in the shape of man and thy body conceived in the heate of lust the secret of shame and staine of originall sinne and thus wast thou cast naked upon the earth all imbrued in the blood of filthinesse filthy indeed so that thy mother was ashamed to let thee know the manner thereof What cause then hast thou to boast thy birth which was a cursed paine to thy mother and to thy selâ—e the entrance into a dangerous and troublesome life the greatnesse of which miseries because thou couldest not expresse in words thou didst shew forth as well as thou couldst in weeping teares Secondly of the miseries of thy youth What wast thou in thy youth but like a wild and untamed beast all whose actions are rash and rude not capable of any good counsell when it is given thee and Ape-like delighting in nothing but toyes and baubles foolish and vaine things therefore thou no sooner begannest to have a little strength and discretion but forthwith thou wast kept under the rod of correction by feare of parents and masters as if thou hadst beene borne to live alwaies in subjection and discipline of others rather than to be at the disposition of thine owne will no tyred horse was ever more willing to be rid of his burthen then thou wast to get out of the servile state of this bondage Thirdly the miseries of manhood What is mans state but a sea wherein as waves one trouble ariseth in the necke of another the latter worse than the former no sooner didst thou enter into the affaires of the world but thou wast enwrapped about with a cloud of miseries The miserable state condition of man in his midle-age thy flesh provokes thee to lust the world allures thee to pleasure and the divell tempts thee to all manner of sinnes feare of enemies affrights thee suits in law doe vexe thee wrongs of ill neighbours doe oppresse thee cares of wife and children doe consume thee and disquietnesse twixt open foes and false friends doe in a manner confound thee finne stings thee within Satan layes snares before thee within thy conscience accuseth thee thy sinnes past dogge behind thee now adversity on the left hand frets thee anon prosperity on thy right hand flatters thee over thy head Gods vengeance due to thy sinne is ready to fall upon thee 2 Cor. 11 25 c. and under thy feet hell mouth is ready to swallow thee up and in this miserable estate whither wilt thou goe for rest and comfort the house is full of cares the field full of toyles the Countrey of rudenesse the City of factions the Court full of envie the Church full of sects the Sea of Pirats the Land of robbers that thou canst be no where safe or free from danger or in what state wilt thou live in seeing wealth is envied and poverty contemned wit is distrusted and simplicity is derided superstition is mocked and religion is suspected vice is advanced and vertue is disgraced Oh! with what a body of sinne and misery art thou compassed about in a world of wickednesse what are thine eyes but windowes to behold vanities what are thine cares but flood-gates to let in streames of iniquity what are thy senses but matches to give fire to thy lusts what is thy heart but the anvill whereon Satan hath forged the ugly shape of all leud affections Art thou Nobly descended thou must put thy selfe in perill of forraigne warres to get the reputation of earthly honour oft times hazzard thy selfe in a desperate combate to avoyd the aspersion of a coward Art thou borne in meane estate Lord what paine and drudgery must thou endure both at home and abroad to get thee maintenance and all perhaps scarce sufficient to relieve thy necessity and to supply thy want and when after much travell service and labour a man hath got something how little certainety is there in that which is gotten seeing thou seest by daily experience that hee who was yesterday rich to day is a begger How sudden is change of state hee that yesterday was in health is to day sicke hee that a yesterday was merry and laughed hath cause to day to mourne and weepe hee that yesterday was in great favour is to day in as great disgrace hee that yesterday was alive and in health is to day dead and thou knowest not how soone and in what manner thou shalt dye thy selfe and who then can innumerate the losses crosses griefes disgraces and calamities which are incident to sinfull man and to let passe the death of wife children and friends which seemes oft-times to be farre more bitter unto us then present death it selfe Fourthly the miseries of old age What is old age but the receptacle of all maladies The condition of old age for if it be thy lot to draw thy daies to a long date in comes bald-headâ—d old age stooping under dotage with his wrinckled face rotten teeth stinking breath testy with choler withered with drinesse dimmed with blindnesse obsurded with deafenes overwhelmed with sickenesse diseased and pained with bone-ach decrepid with age and almost bowed together with weaknesse having scarse use of any sense but the sense of paine which so racketh every member of his body that it never easeth him of griefe till it hath throwne him downe into his grave for the earth is the wombe that hath bred us and the earth is the tombe that must receive us Thus endeth the miseries of the body in this life Of the Meditation of the misery of the body and soule in this life SInfulnesse in man is an universall corruption Ephes 2.3 Genes 6.5 Rom. 12.2 1 Cor. 2.14 Phil. 2.3 Rom. 3.12 Rom. 7.19 both of nature and actions for by nature wee are infected with a pronenesse to every sin continually the mind is stuffed with vanity the understanding is darkened with ignorance the will affecteth nothing but vile and vaine things all her actions are evill yea this deformity is so violent that oftentimes in the regenerate soule the appetite will not obey the government of reason and the will wandreth after and yeelds content to sinfull motions How great then is the violence of the appetite and will in the Reprobate soule which still remaines in her naturall corruption Hence it is that thy wretched soule is so deformed with sinne defiled with lust polluted with filthinesse outraged with passions over-carried with affections pining
God allure us by easie meanes and faire promises to everlasting life which the Law denieth to all men no man being able to satisfie the justice of the Law If it be objected then that the grace of the Gospell doth destroy the workes of the Law because that mercy is given of grace and not of desert it is answered that the Gospell doth not destroy the workes of the Law and the substance thereof but onely doth mitigate the rigour and severity thereof As God when he preserved Daniel in the Lyons denne hee did not destroy the Lyons but onely shut their mouthes and bound their power that they might not hurt Daniel Dan. 6.16 so he did not destroy the Law but onely restraine the violence thereof from hurting his Daniels that is his faithfull servants and as when King Darius tooke Daniel from the denne and cast in his accusers the Lyons power was no longer shut up Dan. 6.24 but had the mastery and devoured them their wives and children no more shall the reprobates avoyd the condemnation of the Law notwithstanding the promise of the gospell and the new covenant of grace Because no man hath the benefit of mercy but hee that first is the child of faith therefore the great King of all the world shall take his faithfull Daniels his Elect from the power of the Lyons the Law but leaveth the reprobate in the state of their destruction Thus much in generall of the Gospell and the difference betweene that and the Law and them that lived under the bondage of the Law and us that now live in the liberty of the Gospell the purpose of the Gospell is the salvation of man And therefore the Angell that was the first preacher of the gospell told the shepheards that hee brought them tydings of great joy Luk. 2.10 indeed a greater could not be then to bring them tydings of their salvation The matter of the gospell is the life the death and the doctrine of Jesus Christ for they are the onely meanes by which wee attaine to the favour of salvation Esay 43.11 his doctrines were directions his life examples and his death was and is life eternall to all them that apprehend him by a lively faith In the circumstance of the gospell is principally considered First God who of himselfe and of his owne election without any cause in man did enter this covenant of grace being moved onely by the pleasure of his owne most holy will and by his owne gracious love to his creatures for so saith the Holy Ghost God so loved the world Iohn 3.16 that he gave his onely begotten Sonne that whosoever believed in him should not perish but have everlasting life Whereby it is evident that the love of God was the onely cause that moved him to this effect for God can glorifie himselfe aswell in the damnation Gods love to man is the moving cause of the covenant of grace as in the salvation of men For hee needeth no addition of honour that is infinite both in greatnesse and goodnesse but as his mercy is most eminent over all his attributes so in this new covenant of the Gospell hee doth give us the greatest demonstration of his mercy that can be in giving his only begotten Son to die on the Crosse for the redemption of mankind In every word there is a passion of love infinitely beyond all comparison wherein it seemeth that God doth as it were put off his Majesty and descend himselfe in his care to pity and redresse the ruined state of sinfull man his enemie Secondly in the person of Christ who is the cause both moving and finishing the covenant of the Gospell there is matter of most worthy and admirable consideration For Christ is not onely to bee understood as the instrumentall cause whereby this covenant of grace betweene God and man was effected but also as the first moving cause and deviser thereof it being impossible to assigne him offices without his appointment hee being equall to God the Father and the holy Ghost and they having all but one divinity undivided This the unbelieving Jewes could not comprehend and therefore they derided Christ when he said Before Abraham was Iohn 8.58 I am not knowing that hee was God equall and coeternall with the Father and was begotten before all beginning It is therefore most wonderfull in the person of Christ that hee being Lord of all the world that he would leave the bosome of his Father and for a time to put off the presence of his divine Majesty and to take our nature upon him in humility Strong witnesses of the love of Christ towards us and in a base estate to undertake not onely to satisfie the Law and to make good our defects but also to beare the displeasure of his Father and to suffer the malice of wicked men to prevaile against him even to his death and that he hath endured all this for the sinnes and good of man a creature that by sinne had brought himselfe in disgrace and heavy displeasure with God and which is most of all that hee hath done all this by his owne appointment without either command or direction there being no power above him by whom he could bee commanded This incomparable love of God is able to astonish a Christian meditation and to make a man admire and say with holy David Lord what is man that thou hast such respect unto him Psal 144.3 or the sonne of man that thou so regardest him This doth strongly relieve our faith against all diffidence shewing that our salvation hangs not like a meteor in the ayre but is firmely fixed upon the love of God in Christ Iere 31.3 32.40 2 Tim. 2.19 and it furthereth our spirituall joy in that it teacheth us that the love of God is constant and his decree concerning our welfare eternall And it also eclipseth the pride of the heart shewing that Gods dignation and not mans dignity his favour not mans faith his mercy and not mans merite is the fountaine and foundation of mans felicity Thirdly is considered The Ministers â—n the office of the Gospell the officers in the holy ministration of the gospell by whose faithfull endeavour and vigilance the spirituall graces of the gospell are distributed to the children of faith for whose sakes the covenant of grace is given the first officers in this kind were the twelve Apostles of purpose chosen by Christ Jesus himselfe that they might bee the faithfull witnesses of the whole passage of his life and that after his ascention they might plant in mens hearts a knowledge of the gospell by their prayers preachings and godly exhortations to dispose the holy seed of grace in their hearts whom God should make capable to entertaine it with profit These holy labourers being assisted by the holy Ghost travelled in Gods husbandry with such alacrity as that the Gospel in their times spread it selfe into very large
Thus I wish to all in generall Of the Crosse of Christ and of his holy suffering for our sinnes BEhold thou faithfull soule the griefe of him that suffered Rom. 3.24 25 26. the wounds of him that hanged the torments of him that died on the Crosse that head at which the Angels tremble is crowned with thornes that face which was most beautifull above the sonnes of men is defiled by the spittings of the ungodly those eyes which were more brighter then the Sunne are darkned in death those eares which were wont to heare Angelicall praises did ring with the proud speeches and derision of wicked men Mat. 27 29 c. sinners that mouth which taught the Angels hath no other drinke but Gall and Vinegar those feete which are to bee adored those hands Iob 9.8 which stretcheth forth the Heavens are stretched forth and nayled on the Crosse that body which was the most sacred Temple of the Deity is whipped and wounded with the speare Iohn 19.34 37. neither remaines there any part in him whole save onely a tongue and that to pray for them which crucified him Christ declared himself to be the Sonne of God three manner of waies First by his power or working of miracles Secondly by the holy Ghost appearing in visible signes hee that raigneth with the father in the Heavens is grievously by sinners afflicted on the Crosse God suffers God dies God powreth forth his blood upon the Crosse and all for the redemption of man judge therefore the greatnesse of the danger by the greatnesse of the price judge the danger of the disease by the valew of the remedy Surely those wounds in sinfull man were great and dangerous indeed which could no otherwise be cured but by the wounds of the everliving and quickning flesh of Christ and the disease most dangerous which could not bee câ—red but by the death of the Physitian Consider thou faithfull soule the heavie and fierce displeasure of God against us after the fall of our first Father Adam and his posterity after him that nothing could appease his anger for our sins but the ignominious suffering of his deare and only begotten Sonne upon the corsse Christ his eternall and well beloved Sonne became suter to God his Father for us yet his anger was not turned from us he by whom the world was made Hebr. 1.2 Thirdly by his resurrection from the dead interceded for us became our advocate and tooke the cause of us miserable sinners upon himselfe and yet his anger was not turned from us our Saviour tooke upon him our flesh that by the glory of the divinity communicated unto the humanity hee might expiate and purge our sinfull flesh Eph. 2.13 c. that by the saving vertue of his most perfect righteousnesse communicated unto our nature he might wipe away that venomous quality of our sin which cleaveth so fast unto us and in stead thereof conferre grace upon us Esay 9. 2 Cor. 5.21 and yet the anger of his father was not turned away from us our sins and the punishment due unto them he taketh upon himselfe his body is bound whipped wounded pierced crucified and buried Matth. 27. Luk 22.44 his blood like a dew most copiously distilled downe all his members at his passion his most holy soule is made sorrowfull above measure even unto death hee feeleth the paines of hell the eternall Sonne of God cryeth out that he is forsaken of God so great was his anguish Vers 46. so great was his bloody sweat that he that comforteth the Angels stood in need of an Angel to comfort him hee dyed for us sinners who is the authour and giver of life to every living thing 1 Pet. 3.18 If God be so highly offended with the most just and holy One what shall become of us sinners how will God punish us for our sins who is so wrathfully displeased with his owne Sonne for the sins of others and if his Sonne was so grievously punished for us shall we his servants thinke to escape unpunished what shall the Reprobate suffer if such be the sufferings of his best beloved Surely if our hearts be not harder then the Adamant and more flinty than a stone they must needs be wounded and bleed within us to thinke how Christ was wounded for our sakes For Christ truely tooke our infirmities upon himselfe Esay 53.4 and bare our griefes and healed our sicknesses that which in us merited eternall punishment and condemnation Mat. 8.16.17 thou Lord Jesus tookest upon thy selfe that burthen which would have pressed us downe into hell thou tookest our sins upon thy selfe Rom. 3.24 c. and bestowedst thy righteousnesse upon us death which is due unto us thou undertookest thy selfe and conferredst life upon us we cannot therefore by any meanes doubt of thy grace or despaire by reason of our sinnes therefore if thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lord Jesus Rom. 10.9 10. and believe in thine heart that God raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved for by faith we apprehend that Christ hath given satisfaction for us he bare the iniquities of those that are his he suffered for the sins of many he interceded for the transgressors Note 4 Esd 4.66 c. for he should have had very few just unlesse in mercy he had received sinners and remitted the sins of the unjust How then shall Christ judge according to severity the sins of the penitent which he hath taken upon himselfe how shall he condemne him that is guilty of sin for whom he dyed Joh. 15.13 will he condemne those whom hee loveth and calleth his friends will he condemne those for whom he hath intreated will he condemne those for whom hee dyed no Lift up thy selfe therefore Psal 42.14 43.5 Ezech. 18.22 O devout soule and forget thy sins for the Lord hath forgotten them hath forgiven them whom then dost thou feare as the punisher of thy sins but the Lord who himselfe hath made satisfaction for thy sins if any other had paid the price of my redemption I might have doubted Esay 53. whether the just Judge would have accepted of that satisfaction if either man or Angel had satisfied for my sins yet still I might have doubted whether the price of my redemption were sufficient but now there is no place for doubt all doubt is taken away and removed from the faithfull and penitent sinner how can it be that hee will not accept of that price which himselfe hath paid Psal 25.9 Psal 43.15 Psal 42.6 how can that but be sufficient which is from God himselfe Why art thou yet troubled O devout soule all the waies of the Lord are mercy and truth just is the Lord and just are his Judgements Why art thou so troubled O my soule let both the Mercy and Justice of God raise thee up if God be just hee will not exact double satisfaction for one
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
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
opposite against it for when it doth but slightly assaile the mind of man it putteth into him a fansie to forsake his worke he hath begun but as long as a man doth continue fast his hope Gal. 5.1 it suffereth him not to forsake his worke so the stedfastnesse of hope maketh up the worke For like as hope to gaine riches and wealth keepeth the workman in his worke and maketh the Merchant-man to venture so the hope wee have of the felicity to come keepeth the Christian man in the course study of godlinesse for like as fayth is effectuall by love so it is made also effectuall by hope without which it is utterly voyd and dead for what shall it profit to believe of those things which are to come if we have not hope of them to come Note Fayth doth also establish patience in her bold and maketh us invincible when wee be strengthned by hope to heare constantly all adversity with patience so hope and patience by an intercourse of ayd doe one helpe the other and the one doth strengthen and support the other in continuall troubles crosses and afflictions and contention of godlinesse it maketh the minde of him which is in hope quiet in the middest of his troubles which the counsell of mans wisdome is not able to worke but doth rather disquiet the travelled conscience then appease it hope grounded upon the certainety of Gods promises keepeth us safe from confusion so witnesseth the Apostle that Hope maketh not ashamed Rom. 5.5 because the love of God is shed abroad into our hearts by the holy Ghost which is given unto us but the hope of the world is so vaine and fond that it doth daily deceive shame her darlings But blessed is the man which hopeth upon thee O God Psal 84.5 Prov. 16.20 Psal 4.5 The blessednesse of them which be in hope is of God and blessed i he that putteth his trust in the Lord blessed is the man whose hope is in the Name of the Lord. This blessednesse is not to bee attributed neither to the hope neither to him that hopeth so that of nâ—cessity it must be of God Hereof the Scriptures doth often testifie of God that hee is well pleased with them which doe hope upon his mercy as the Prophet David singeth that hee is good to them which doe trust upon him Blessed is he that hath the God of Jacob for his helpe Psal 146. and whose hope is in the Lord his God What favour grace and benefits can they lacke which doe feele of his goodnesse and doe well please him is not that true blessednesse when a man pleaseth God and findeth him favourable and loving in all things how can hee but have mercy upon them which doe hope upon him which doe please him those hee willeth well unto yea those he doth specially regard and esteeme Great plagues shall remaine for the ungodly Psal 32. but whose putteth his trust in the Lord mercy imbraceth him on every side Againe the eyes of the Lord bee upon them that doe feare him which doe hope upon his mercy Againe our fathers hoped upon thee Psal 22.4 Psal 37.5 and they were not confounded For looke what the hopefull man is not able in his necessity to bring to passe of himselfe that will the Lord their God in whom they doe put their hope bring to good effect and end They called upon thee and were holpen Psa 22.5 Psal 17.7 they put their trust in thee and were not confounded Thou art the Saviour of them which putteth their trust in thee and keepest them as the apple of thine eye and hideth them under the shadow of thy wings Prov. 28.25 and Salomon sayth He which hopeth upon the Lord shall be saved Here may wee see how blessed are they which hope upon the Lord they doe well please him and they shall feele his goodnesse in time convenient Psal 91. whom the mercy of God doth compasse and embrace and upon whom his eyes bee bent can be neither forsaken nor confounded but doth deliver them preserve and save them by the might of his power whereupon there commeth the blessednesse of them that doe hope upon God but in the meere goodnesse and truth of God whereby he is so affected towards them that he cannot forsake them which doe hope upon him and that without any desert of ours so that our heart be cleane towards him and that they hope heartily upon that which they doe hope for for no other respect but only in respect of his goodnesse mercy and truth Of Patience THe vertue of Patience is commendable and profitable yea and also necessary and is adorned with many excellent gifts The singular gift of patience Patience is a kinde of heavenly tenure and a sweet temper in the spirit whereby the soule is held in possession which restraineth nature from exceeding reason in passion shee attendeth wisdome in in all her workes and proportioneth time to the necessity of matter shee is the poyson of sorrow in the hope of comfort and the paradise of conceit in the joy of peace shee is the Imitator of the incomprehensible in his passage to perfection and a servant of his will in the map of his worke-manship she pacifieth wrath and puts off revenge and in the humility of charity She is esteemed of God amongst the best vertues shewes the nature of grace she is beloved of the highest and imbraced of the wisest honoured with the worthiest and graced with the best Therefore let us commend patience as it is of it selfe commendable and commanded by the testimonies of holy Scriptures therefore we will note somewhat of patience which may profit not only others but my selfe also For when I doe write of those things which concerne our salvation I doe as well instruct my selfe as others Patience is a kind of perseverance when wee doe willingly and constantly suffer those things that be hard painfull sorrowfull and to our losse every suffering of adversity is not straightway to be termed patience for there is no man in the world It is requisite that a patient man do sustain and suffer his adversities willingly but hee suffereth many things that hee would not doe if he could any waies withstand it yet they are not to be called patient men neither are they called impatient which do suffer adversity but doe sustaine it with an evill will and discontented minde for it is impatience when we doe unwillingly strivingly and with anger suffer that which wee doe suffer Patience is not onely the willingnesse but also the long sufferance of evills for the vertue of patience consisteth also in the constancy of suffering there be many that are willing to suffer for a while but they be soone weary and become impatient unto them cannot be attributed true patience which must be both willing and continuall like as the faith of them which doe believe for a time and
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