we take not heede in time This is the trinitie that wicked men saith one doe worship the Diuell the world and the flesh instead of the Father Sonne and holy ghost The lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life are the idols that the world doe make their Gods But the minutes that hackney at the heeles of time runne not so fast away as doth this world with his pleasures and fleshly ioyes Let vs therefore alwaies detest the eye-pleasing baits of carnall desires and wholly delight our selues with heauenly ioyes He which once haue drunke of the floods of Paradise one drop whereof quencheth the thirst sooner then the ocean Sea shall quickly haue the desires of this world and fleshly lusts extinguished in him CHAP. IIII. Of the allurements of the world in particular and the remedies thereof section 1 BVt for as much as this wicked world is Sathans kingdome wherein hee ruleth in the iustice of God ouer the children of disobedience blinding the eies of Infidels with a false glory glistring shewes thereof that they should not beleeue the truth of Gods word for their further assurance of that incomparable glory blessed state to come it is expedient more fully to disclose this dangerous place wherein Sathan pitcheth his camp against Gods elect And so much the rather because it is the passage of their pilgrimage which possibly they cannot shun Israel must needs go thorow Edom where cruell Esau dwels and passe along this dangerous wildernesse full of sauage beasts fiery Serpents Tygers and Scorpions Yet goe hee must thorow the red sea of all fearefull hazards and temptations that spirituall Tyrant Pharo following him fast to the heeles with all possible violence before they can arriue at the heauenly hauen and blessed land of rest section 2 This world is a Sea of sorrow and our life resembleth the new sailing Ship not acquainted with the water but fleeting to the bottomelesse swallow of tempestuous waues alwaies threatning the sinking of our life It is as a course of a most vehement running streame but yet not appearing to haue any perill of drowning to him that passeth It is shallow by the sides but deepe and very dangerous in the midst aboue it runneth very quietly couering the water with great riches and wares of an inualuable price by meanes whereof it deceiueth couetous men that run and enter it Some wade shallow wetting onely their feet and take a few others goe vp to the knees and catch for more a third sort with an insatiable desire doe plunge their whole body into the water others trusting to swim so wrestle with the violent streames and finding it deepe being wearied sinke to the bottome which is most swift and raging We daily pray that God would not lead vs into temptation yet still we feede our couetous humor which drowneth vs therin And the Diuel doth daily pitch his nets to compasse vs therewith to hale vs into hell couetousnes causeth vs to stumble and tumble thereinto It ingendereth such noysome lusts that drowne men in perdition It is Sathans forge and stithie saith one where he fashioneth and frameth a thousand chaines of impieties to pull men into hell and a thousand fiery darts to wound mens soules with all sorts of vices it is the metropolitane citie of all corruption and sinne All other vices saith Hierome doe with age waxe old section 3 onely couetousnesse groweth young with age and getteth head It lurketh in the raynes and is tyed vnto the bowels neither can it be pulled vp by any strength of men The greatest rauening beasts are sometime satisfied purses and coffers may be filled but an insatiable minde is a bottomlesse pit and a gulfe deuouring all yet neuer replenished It resembleth a spring whose riuer is small yet by receiuing other brookes and streames groweth strong and violent Such are like men in a dropsie still drinking their thirst increasing Bernard compareth it to a Lady in a Chariot whose wheeles are contempt of God in humanitie forgetfulnesse of death and mistrust whose horses are niggardlinesse and rauin and whose carter is desire to haue Chrisostome calleth the couetous man an enemie to all men imagining all others to be cast out for a pray for him to rob and spoyle He putteth all things to sayle hee laboureth to haue all and hath the vse of nothing he filleth his Cellers Garners Coffers but Lady couetousnesse layeth vp the Keyes and locketh from him the vse of all like Horses and Mules going laden with the gold and siluer of others eate nothing but hay themselues such a mans wealth is but as a faire Tapestrie that couereth foule and broken wals The higher such a man clymeth saith Ambrose and the higher he goeth the greater is his fall Before he gaineth he hath lost himselfe saith Augustine Such beasts are these misers that they know not this life yet can they not deny but they must die What pleasure therefore can they take in cutting the wood and making the faggots wherewith in hell without repentance they shall be burnt for euer The customers of this world saith one who haue got their wealth with fraud and deceipt they sleepe like the Nightingale with a pricke against their breast so doe such slumber with a pricking conscience and liue in horrour of Death section 4 God therefore in his prouidence and wisedome hath fraught this life with so manifold miseries to make them as medicinable punishments for our fleshly desires he hath laid such bitter wormewood on the breasts of this flattering world to waine vs from it hee hath made it loathsome to his children that they should not loue it but willingly forsake it and sigh for the blessed life to come For if we be so vnwilling to forsake this life so irksome if wee be euer whimpring and whining for the fruits and flesh-pots of this slauish Egypt what would wee doe if all our life were sweet what would we doe if it were wholy to our tast and tallage who would then contemne it for Gods cause who would exchange it for heauen it selfe When Iacob was hasting into his owne country Laban in his great hast pursuing him said why didst thou not tell mee of thy departing that I might haue let thee goe with mirth and melodie when his meaning was to haue kept him still in drudgerie But as Iacob did well seeing Labans countenance set against him so should Christians finding the world to frowne vpon them be ready to packe from the world it being no fit place for them to tarry in Lots wife setting her minde vpon her substance in Sodome and other pleasures there shee looked backward but neuer looked forward againe She is turned into a Piller of Salt a Piller and so standeth for an example of Salt and so should season our vnsauorie desires of this world and worldly things Small cause had the Isralites
a venemous sting 8. Comforts of riches flye from vs in our crosses as vermine from a house on fire 9. When men forsake their owne wils and submit themselues to Gods what can be hard 10. Worldly fauours honours c. as snowbals against the beames of the sunne dissolue and come quickly to nothing 11. He that is great with God shall haue quietnesse in earth and blessednesse in heauen 12. The pompe of the world is like a blazing starre presaging ruine ibid. He is vnworthy of Gods fauour that thinketh it not happinesse inough without the world 13. The Trinitie which the wicked worship is the diuell the world and the flesh ibid. CHAP. IIII. THis wicked world is Sathans kingdome a very Edome and Egypt to the Israel of God Sect. 1. It is a sea of sorrowes and our liues as new sayling ships vnacquainted with the water 2. It is Sathan forge and stythie wherein he frameth a thousand chaines of impieties ibid. A discription of couetousnesse the worlds factour and the couetous 3. God maketh this world loathsome to his children that they should not loue it 4. This barren land wherein we liue after all our drudgerie yeeldeth nothing else but a crop of cares troubles feares c. 5. Our Christian loue must be as a iust ballance our worldly lusts are vnequall in valuing earthly things 6. If our life be no more then the dreame of a shadow what must we thinke of the glory of this world which is of shorter continuance then mans life 7. All worldly glory is no more certaine then calmenesse in the sea still subiect to a storme 8. Worldly men are better sighted then the children of the light but Ieremie wondreth how he should be a wise man that is not a godly man ibid. We must put our trust in God not in our goods on whose pleasure they depend 9. He is the richest that coueteth the least and is content with the least 10. Contentment consisteth not in much yet he hath much which hath it ibid. CHAP. V. GOd made all things and gaue them vnto man who sinning forfeited all againe into his hands and so sent him out of the world with as much as he brought at first Sect. 1. We haue our goods to liue the end ceasing the meanes also cease 2. All worldly goods are ebbing and flowing neither possesse we them as we should vnlesse at all times wee be ready to forgoe them when God pleaseth 3. We must not make a rent-charge of these outward blessings which God giueth of his free liberalitie they are but lent and borrowed 4. Vaine confidence in wealth be-commeth not onely poison to humilitie modestie and faith but transformeth them into pride arrogancie and infidelitie 5. We must vse our riches as our raiment such as are fit for couetousnesse groweth with riches as the Iuye with the Oake 6. God is to be loued aboue all things and all things for him ibid. Good men vse the world and the things thereof that they may inioy God and wicked men so vse God as that they may inioy the world 7. If we loue our friends too much and not God aboue all things then hath our sorrow no measure as it ought 8. Carnall parents and friends are to be loued but the creatour of all is to be imbraced and preferred 9. Loue him that thou canst not loose euen Christ thy redeemer ibid. CHAP. VI. IT is naturall to all men to feare death and how it may lawfully be feared of the faithfull Sect. 1. Faith and a religious feare are alwaies friends in a Christian man 2. Affections of nature are not simply euill but lawfull and tollerable when they are rightly ordered by Gods spirit 3. Christians haue greater cause to imbrace Death then to feare it 4. None are simply to be censured for their manner of Death 6. Gods dearest children are subiect to most fearefull deaths yet an euill Death can neuer follow a constant good life 7. Death cannot properly be called sudden which euery day manifesteth it selfe to all our sences ibid. We must not be curious either to know the time or to choose the manner of our death 8. It is madnesse to desire to know our end of such as are ignorant of their owne 9. We must seeke to mortifie the flesh in vs and to cast the world out of vs but to cast ourselues out of the world is in no sort permitted vs. 10. Gods children alwaies waite in their tryals vntill Death open the doore for their deliuerance 11. We must neither hate our life for the toyles nor loue it for the delights 12. CHAP. VII THe dearest children of God are subiect to the agonie of death by meanes of the weakenesse of nature and guiltinesse sinne Sect. 1 2. Christian meanes to mittigate the horrour of death 3 4. We run away by committing euill and we must returne againe by suffering euill 5. It is God that knoweth the perils of our death and can onely deliuer vs by his power ibid. The sweet spices of Christs buriall expell the strong scent of our rotten graues 6. It is the remainder of life not of death that tormenteth a man 7. Such a death is neuer to be deplored which is seconded with immortalitie and a blessed life 8. Death and the graue are a fould to the faithfull and a shambles to the wicked 9. Death doth prune as it were the feathers of the soule to flye more swiftly to heauen ibid. By death and the graue the faithfull are fitted and by Gods spirit renewed for his kingdome and glory ibid. CHAP. VIII IT is most conuenient for Christians to dispose of their goods and make their testament in time of their health Sect. 1. and 2. The best furniture against death are faith hope and a conscience vndefiled 3. Men without hope are as a ship without a sayle and anchor tossed with euery tempest and in danger of ship-wracke 4. A sauing faith and an vnmoueable hope are alwaies accompanied with a Christian life and conscience vndefiled 5. As there is no saluation without faith so there is no true faith without repentance 6. Faith is euer alone in iustifying but neuer alone in the person iustified 7. God iustifieth none whom he doth not also sanctifie ibid. The conscience of Christians is bathed and rinsed in the bloud of Christ from the guiltinesse and corruption of sinne 8. The comforts and commodities of a good conscience 9. Thou canst not be friends with thy selfe till thou be with God if thy conscience accuse thee it will kill thee 10. He that hath a hope to liue when he is dead must dye while he is a liue to sinne and wickednesse 11. If the day of our death finde vs a sleepe in sinne we shall hardly awake 12. Many by deferring their amendment shut themselues out of all time and send themselues to paine eternall without time 13. He that will liue without repentance must looke to die without repentance 14. The world
time is but short they weepe as they wept not and so likewise they square out their mirth that nothing may long stay them in their trauell or much either allure or disturbe them As Trauellers therefore that haue a long iourney to goe prepare for the speedy and happy expedition thereof so must Christians saith one make ready the chariots of good consciences the horses of feruent prayer the oyle of holinesse for their Lampes the sword of the spirit which is the word of God and the shield of faith that so they may resist and ouercome all their enemies and constantly proceede to their iournyes end Inquire and you shall scarse finde out one faithfull man section 3 to haue had sound ioy or contentment in this world All his promises saith a Father are lyings like the false Prophets of Ahab his oathes manifest periuries of Iesabels false witnesses The loue of the world is like Dalilahs to Sampson his friendship a Iudas kisse his imbracing the deceiptfull murdering of Ioab his wine is gall his meate venemous poyson He that doubteth let him stand a farre off and view the world for they that approach neare can neither see God nor know themselues and hee shall see with Abraham a filthy smoake ascending from the world as it were from Sodome ready to strangle him if he flie not from it This deceitfull world saith one is like to wretched Laban which promised poore Iacob faire Rahel for his seauen yeeres seruice and in the end deceiued him with bleare-eyed Leah Like vnto Saul that promised Merab to Dauid yet must he be pleased with Micoll or goe without And what false and faire promises doth it daily make of long life health wealth and promotion and yet cuts some off in the midst of their daies and bringeth others to beggerie and disgrace Goe ye if it were possible ouer the whole world behold Countries and view Prouinces looke into Cities and harken at the doores and windowes of priuate houses of Princes Pallaces secret chambers c. and you shall heare and see nothing but lamentable complaints one for that he hath lost another for that he hath not wonne a third for that he is not satisfied ten thousands for that they are deceiued of the world Can there be a greater deceit then to promise renowne and memoriall as the world doth to her followers and yet to forget them as soone as they are dead Who doth remember now one of many thousands that haue beene famous Captaines Souldiers Counsellours Dukes Earles Lords Ladies Kings Queenes and mighty monarches in the world hath not their memory perished with their sound and is not their remembrance as ashes vnder foote section 4 The shewes of the world are glorious in appearance but when they come to the proofe they are in effect as light as feathers when they come to waight they are but smoake when they come to opening they are but rags The propertie of the world is to blinde those that come to her that they cannot know their owne estate euen as a Rauen that first picketh out the eyes of a sheepe to dassell her from seeing what way to escape her tyrannie To be short it hath all the deceits all the dissimulations all the flatteries all the treasons that possibly can be deuised It hateth them that loue it it deceiueth them that trust it it afflicteth them that serue it it forgetteth them most that trauell for it damneth them that follow it It will requite vs as Nabal did Dauid Who is the Sonne of Ishai that I should know him c. This whole world is nothing else but a maine Ocean Sea of infinite troubles and calamities and scarsely cansts thou finde any house in all this land of Egypt free from sighing mourning griefe and sorrowes Wherefore seeing this world is such a thing as it is so vaine so deceitfull so troublesome and so dangerous seeing section 5 it is a professed enemie to Christ and Christians and therefore excommunicate and damned to the pit of Hell since it is an Arke of trauell a Schoole of vanities a seate of deceit a laberinth of horrour since it is nothing else but a barren wildernesse a stonie field a dyrtie swines-sty a tempestuous Sea a groue of thornes a medow full of Scorpions a flourishing garden without fruit a dungeon of Serpents and poysonable Basiliskes Seeing it is a foundation of miseries a vaile of teares a fained fable a delectable fancie Seeing as S. Augustine speaketh the ioy of this world hath nothing else but false delights true asperitie certaine sorrow vncertaine pleasure trauelsome labour fearefull rest grieuous miserie vaine hope of felicitie Since it hath nothing in it saith Chrisostome but teares shame repentance reproach sadnesse negligence labours terrours sicknesse sin and death it selfe Since the worlds repose is full of anguish his securitie without foundation his feares without cause his trauels without fruit his sorrowes without profit his desires without successe his hope without reward his mirth without continuāce his miseries without remedies Seeing these a thousād thousand euils more are in it no one good thing can be had from it who would be deceiued with this vizard or allured with this vanitie hereafter who would be staied from the noble seruice of God by the loue of so fond a trifle as this world is If the world were our proper Element as the water for section 6 Fish we had more reason to be so worldly minded but seeing Christ hath said ye are not of the world for the loue of Christ we must forsake the world as Mathew his gainefull receipt of custome when he was called away It is commodious to the life of the Fish to liue wholly in the water but it is hurtfull to the soule of man to be giuen wholly to the world For to get worldly gaine the body would faine liue but the desire of heauenly glory must make it glad to die Worldly cares make a man very vnresty with himselfe but the comforts of Gods spirit are a Supersede as to them all and giue him his absolute quietus est So that as the holy Ghost filleth the house so grace peace and ioy in the holy Ghost fulfilleth the heart And as he that walketh in the warme Sun neuer desireth the light of the Moone so he that walketh in the way to heauen will neuer so much respect his affaires vpon earth The world rather feedeth then slacketh our appetites as Oyle doth the fire Man laboureth to labour and careth to take care plowing vpon the rockes and rowling euery stone for his gaine and is neuer at rest likened by one to a people in Africa that are at warres with the winde section 7 But all creatures haue their rest from God He is God of all saith Bernard not that all things are of his nature but because of him by him and in him all
holy life heauenly conuersation chearefull death and blessed daparture of the faithfull redeemed by Christ section 1 GOds children now being redeemed from Sinne and Death and truely vnited to Christ by his spirit whom they apprehend by an vnfained faith cannot chuse but shew forth the fruits of this their high calling to the glory of him that hath chosen them And being partakers of the diuine nature they flye from the corruptions of the world and giue all diligence to ioyne vertue with their faith and with vertue knowledge and with knowledge temperance and with temperance patience and with patience godlinesse and with godlinesse brotherly kindenesse and with brotherly kindenesse loue and these things being among them and abounding will keepe them from being idle and vnfruitfull The grace of God to them appeareth not in vaine but teacheth them to denie all vngodlinesse and worldly lusts to liue soberly righteously godly in this present world c. and being risen with Christ from the graue of corruption they euery day more and more seeke those things which are aboue setting their affections where Christ sitteth and not on the things that are on the earth for they are dead to the world and their true life is hid with God in Christ therefore they labour to be holy as he that hath called them to his kingdome and glory is holy They daily imploy themselues in reading and meditating of the word of God in prayer and religious exercises of holy deuotion loathing still this world and sinfull life daily growing to be spirituall and heauenly hauing their affections and zeale inflamed with the loue of God They say with Augustine O Lord I delight to heare of thee to talke of thee to write of thee to deuise of thee and in my heart to print whatsoeuer I learne of thee So must wee walke in these holy paths with all Gods Saints Godly deuotion and holy meditations saith one are section 2 as brine and pickle to keepe and preserue this corruptible flesh of ours from the euill scent that breedeth in our nature by originall sinne They are as faggots and firebrands that enkindle and inflame the loue of God in our hearts And as the fish out of the water die forthwith and the drops of raine distilling from the clouds vpon the ground doe quickly dry and drench vp and the fire without fuell is soone extinguished So our faith and loue c. without these sanctified meanes doe suddenly decrease They are as precious perfumes burnt in a polluted house and sick-mans chamber The sweet incense of prayer and the sauory smell of that odorifferous balme of a liuely faith and effectuall knowledge of God purge and clense the corruption of our liues and vncleane desires God hath chosen vs to be his glorious temple in whom hee dwelleth by his spirit therefore wee must haue our hearts purified by faith and clense our selues from all filthinesse and vncleanenesse both of bodies and soules and so adorne the place of his presence and habitation with all vertue and holinesse Hee that destroyeth the Temple of God him will God destroy for the Temple of God is holy which you are Saint Peter willeth vs to gird vp the loynes of our mindes teaching vs that as they which weare long garments when they come in the foule wayes doe take and gird them vp lest they should tag in the way So we whose mindes and affections doe traile as it were vpon the earth trudging through this foule and filthy world must heaue them vp towards heauen lest they should touch the damnable filth of sinne and wickednesse It is in vaine to boast of iustification without the vnfained sanctification of Gods spirit For as there can be no fire section 3 without warmth and light so neither can God by his spirit be in vs of with any of vs but he will also purifie vs from vice and corruption therefore wee must follow peace and holinesse without the which no man can see the Lord. Christ hath crucified our old man and put to death our vice and corruption and shall wee reuiue the same Shall we maintaine our Sauiours enemies and giue life againe to these deadly poysons of our soules If wee will be Burgesses of heauen we must be strangers to the earth Where is the house of our Father but in heauen and there dwelleth our eldest brother Iesus Christ and all our christian friends and kindred Heauen then is our true Country and on earth we are but trauellers section 4 When Moses had conuersed with God but fortie daies vpon the Mount-Oliue at his comming downe his face shined and glistered with heauenly glory So must we beholding in a mirror the glory of our Lord Iesus Christ in his word and Gospell as it were with open face and not with a vaile as did Moses be changed into the same image from glory to glory as by the spirit of the Lord. If I say but this short time while we liue we be conuersant in heauen by our most holy faith and fruits thereof in all holy affections thoughts words and meditations we shall in the end become heauenly and spirituall both in word and deede As wee see by experience when a country-man hath beene trayned vp sometime in the Court he forgetteth his clownish kinde of life and becommeth a Courtier Let vs therefore leaue the speaches habit fashions and manners of this wicked world wherein we liue and inure our selues with the customes and course of the court of Heauen Let all our thoughts words and communication testifie that in spirit wee are already there section 5 Christ Iesus whom all true Christians haue put on by baptisme as a garment is a most royall robe of grace holinesse and sanctification and shall we be so sloathfull to traile and trample him in the dyrt of filthinesse and sinne or putting him off to put on the vile and spotted garment of the flesh by following the lusts thereof When winter is once ouer the nearer that the Sunne draweth vnto vs the more doth the earth being warmed with the heate thereof fructifie and increase and the longer the daies are the more worke we may doe euen so the nearer the kingdome of heauen doth approach vnto vs by the comming of Iesus Christ the sonne of righteousnesse or the nearer we draw to death the more we should be inflamed in the loue of God and all good workes As the Sunne beames doe come to the earth and yet are in the region from whence they are sent so the mindes and soules of Gods children though conuersant in the earth are truely seated and setled with God in heauen from whence they came Let vaine-glorious worldlings who with the Camaelion section 6 liue by the ayre and therefore are alwaies found gaping and who haue with the Moone but a borrowed light in the world and no true light of
and strange to doe his feate Wherefore since all must runne this race and trauerse this course of death which is so long and large reaching from earth to heauen considering withall the danger that whosoeuer faileth in the way and goeth not vpright shall tumble headlong into the pit of hell it requires our best diligence and endeuour to the vtmost To guide the ship along the seas is a poynt of skill but at the very entrance into the Hauen it selfe then to auoyd the dangerous rockes and to cast our anchor skilfully in a safe Roade is the chiefest cunning To runne the race in a good order is the part of a stout and valiant Champion but so to runne that wee may obtaine the crowne is the very perfection of al his paines What more Christian-like then a good and holy life but after this life finished to dye in the Faith and feare of God what more diuine Wherefore there is nothing so glorious as to order aright the vpshot of our time and farewell from this world To end well this life is onely to end it willingly following with full consent the will and direction of God and not suffering our selues to be drawne by meere necessitie To end it willingly is to hope for and not to feare our death appoynted of God To hope for it wee must certainly looke after this life for a better To looke for it we must feare God whom who so well feareth feareth indeed nothing else in this world and hopes for all things in the world to come section 15 To one well resolued in these poynts Death can be but sweet and agreeable to his minde for what can hee feare whose death is his hope Thinke wee to banish him his Countrey hee knowes hee hath a Countrey elsewhere from whence none can exile him and that all these Countries are but Innes out of which hee must depart at the will of his Host Thinke wee to imprison him a more strait prison he cannot haue then his owne body none more filthy or more darke c. Will we kill him and take him out of this world that is it he hopes for It is all one to him at what gate or at what time he passeth out of this miserable life for his businesses then are for euer ended his affayres all dispatched and by what way hee shall goe out by the same hee shall enter into a most happy and an euerlasting life The threatnings of Tyrants are to him promises the swords of his greatest enemies are drawne in his fauour for as much as hee knowes that threatning him death they threaten him life and the most mortall wounds can make him but immortall for who feares God feares not death and who feares it not feares not the worst of this life Why doe we daily pray that Gods Kingdome may come section 16 seeing we take such delight to remaine in the prison of this world Why heape we prayers vpon prayers that the generall restauration of all things may approach if our greater and more affectionate desires would rather serue here below the enemy of our soules then to raigne aboue with Iesus Christ It belongs to him that taketh all his pleasure in the world who is caught with the baits of earthly delights and the flatteries of the flesh to desire to tarry long in this world But seeing it hateth the Children of God why loue they such an enemy why followest thou not rather Iesus Christ thy Redeemer who so ardently loues thee Let euery day be to thee as the last day since thou knowest not whether thou shalt liue till to morrow or no. For still wee carry death about in our mortall bodies and our life in a continuall motion stil hastneth to an end And yet no man marketh how his time passeth S. Paul saith Idye daily for euen in the midst of life wee are in death and the whole time of our life is but a running vnto death Therefore seeing Death watcheth for vs on euery side wisedome it is to watch for him that he take vs not tardy The remembrance of our end must be as a Key to open section 17 the day and shut in the night this will make young men more heedfull in their waies and old men more fearefull of their works and all men more prouident of the time to come There is no meanes more effectuall to make vs shake off the allurements of this life as Paul did the Viper into the fire then the daily meditation of our end God leads Ieremie into a house of clay before hee instructeth him in his message to teach vs that we are best lessoned where our fraile estate may be best considered Did wee but somtimes behold that pale horse whose name is Death in our musing disposition it would make vs trample vnderfoote many alluring occasions of vanitie and sinne which we pursue fast Die we must needes because our bodies are full of sinne and so die we must willingly that we may be deliuered from this body of sinne Die we must because we are full of corruption and must be changed and die we must willingly as desirous to put on incorruption that so we may behold our God Die we must needs because we beare the image of earthly men die we must willingly that we may be like the new and heauenly man Christ Iesus Die we must needes because God hath so ordained and let vs die willingly to shew our obedience to his wil. Christians must be as Birds on a bough to remoue at Gods pleasure and that without resistance when the section 18 Lord shall visite them Vpon this condition we entred this world to goe out of it againe and this is the law of Nations to restore and pay that which wee haue borrowed and retained for a time Our life is a pilgrimage or iourney when here we haue trauelled much and long at length needes wee must returne to our home Againe it is absurd to feare that which we cannot shun thou art neither the first nor the last thousands haue gone before thee and all that are to come shall follow thee Wee are but Tenants at will in this cleyie farme the foundation of this building is weake in substance alwayes kept cold by an entercourse of aire the piller whereupon the whole frame and building doth stand is the passage of a little breath the strength of it some few bones tyed together with dry strings or sinewes and howsoeuer we repaire patch this simple cottage it will at last fall into our land-lords hands we must surrender it when Death the Lords Bailiefe shall say this or that mans time is come Therefore Christians must haue these temporall things in vse but eternall things in desire It is written of those Phylosophers called Brackmani that they were so much giuen to thinke vpon their end that they had their graues alwaies open before their gates that
may the better moderate their desires section 10 Learne not so much saith Plato to increase thy possessions as to diminish thy lusts for the high-way to be rich is to be poore in coueting and hee is the richest that coueteth the least and is content with a little Now the way to cure this Feuer which causeth such a thirst of the world and worldly things is not to giue vs drinke and fill of our desires which increaseth the disease but by diminishing the immoderate loue and liking of the same Now one speciall meanes hereunto is to trust in God since the roote of this sinne is distrust in God Before the creation of man the world was made and replenisht with all things requisite for his vse and before the soule the body was created to receiue it Sith then God prouided for man before his creation and nourished the body in the wombe before it was borne and giueth care to the mother of sustayning and cloathing it before the birth shall wee call into question his fatherly care ouer vs Let not these things therefore hinder vs in the high-way to heauen but casting all our care vpon God let vs be packing on our iourney Let the messengers of death be welcome vnto vs and Death himselfe be imbraced when God doth send it For though they depriue vs of the world with his wealth and pleasures yet they put vs in possession of heauen itselfe and happy treasures And for these transitory things which are but as vapours and exhalations of the world A godly man saith Augustine neuer so fully enioyeth his desire as when hee is willing nothing at all to desire them Contentment saith one consisteth not in much yet he hath much that hath it and this is soone obtayned of God in a low estate Nature wee say is content with a little and onely contentation ministreth rest and peace vnto our mindes The Sea of this world saith a holy Father freezing vnto vs it hardeneth that wee may safely walke vpon it as Peter on the water CHAP. V. Of the great griefe of forsaking our wealth and worldly estate and leauing of our manifold friends and acquaintance in the world with the remedies thereof FEarefull is the consideration to flesh and bloud section 1 not indued with the comforts of Gods holy Spirit to thinke of our poore and naked estate at our latter end Death waiting vpon vs not onely to depriue vs of our life and beeing but of all such comfortable meanes and helpes which formerly wee enioyed taking from vs our houses goods and friends which Iob beganne to feele and confesse in his tryals with lowd exclamation Naked I came into the world and naked shall I returne God indeede made all these things for man yea the whole world it selfe of which hee tooke possession yet forgetting his homage to God and chiefe-rent of obedience hee forfaited all againe into his hands and from whence hee came thither sent he him againe giuing him iust as much with him as hee brought at first Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt dissolue And indeede this prouision is sufficient enough for the place whither hee goeth For what great matters should we looke for in the graue where rottennesse is our father and wormes are our mother When our breath once vanisheth and we shall be turned out of the house-roomes of this world repayring to our doomes-day house where the wormes the dead mens Lawyers shall take their fees out of vs their graue-clyents and our bodies with our bowels shall be their bread to satiate their hunger Then happy I say are those that by the wings of a liuely faith haue their soules flying vp to the heauenly habitations section 2 Hither we came as Iacob to Laban onely by Gods prouidence wee are that wee are If God will giue vs food to eate and cloathes to put on God shall be our God These heards and droues about vs they are from the mercy of God not plants growing in our owne soyle not vapours that did arise from vs but of the nature of influences from heauen are come vpon vs. Euery one sueth to God in forma pauperis for things necessary wee are poore Publicanes receiuers onely God is the giuer of all Wee cannot call any thing ours but Time While we haue time let vs doe good Nay this time it selfe is not in our hands but in the Lords All these temporall things come from the great store-house of heauen We may not say as the Tempter did All these are mine no all is Gods who is the best Land-lord Hee requires no more but our acknowledgement of his blessings with thankefulnesse in our obedience Wee may haue them wee must not be had of them wee haue had them to liue the end ceasing the meanes also cease concurring to the end Wee must not make Idols of them as the Egyptians did of their treasure section 3 Is it possible to forget whither wee are going Where should the members be but where the head raigneth where should the heart be but where our heauenly treasure is placed Christ who is our treasure is in heauen whither first our affections must ascend and then we follow after Riches saith the Wise-man helpe not in the time of neede they take them to their wings and flye away they are but straw and stabble no sure foundation to build on For all worldly goods are ebbing and flowing like the Sea and wee doe not possesse them as wee ought vnlesse at all times we be ready and willing when God seeth it good to forgoe and leaue them Let vs consider that when we dye wee depart from the world and therefore worldly affections should now depart from vs. Let vs betake our selues wholy to a better habitation better societies to better ioyes and so desire chearefully to be dissolued and to be with Christ God many times punisheth our ouer-louing of earthly things with their losse or great hinderance because he thinkes them vnworthy riuals to himselfe who challengeth all height of loue as his onely right So that the way to loose them is to loue them much and the largenesse of affection maketh an open way to dissipation The fayrer and higher in the world our estate shall be the fayrer marke hath mischiefe giuen vnto it and which is worse that which maketh vs so easie to hit maketh our wound more deepe and grieuous Neyther must wee thinke that wee hold any thing of section 4 right which wee enioy of Gods free mercy and grace neyther in our conceit to binde the Lord at his owne cost and charges as it were by Obligation to finde vs. And notwithstanding wee be but beggars as at whose gate of mercy wee receiue all our maintenance yet to make a rent-charge of all that which he giueth of his free liberalitie Thus proud men many times make a breach into the Lords possession and prouoke him to proue
the helmet of the hope of a better life to come must needs be vnwilling to leaue this present life especially if he haue any portion of comfort in the same needes must he feare to forsake it when hee heareth and seeth how roughly death dealeth with other men round about This maketh Physicke so seriously sought for though neuer so costly and Physitians more honoured of many then the God of heauen himselfe This causeth so many salt brine teares to trickle and distill from the eyes of worldly men being in danger to die which although they be reputed to come from a remorsed soule for sinne yet from many God knoweth they proceede from this fountaine namely that they are flitting from this world where if they might liue they are sure of something vnto another life where they are vncertaine of any good thing Such men are as a Ship without sayle or anchor tossed and tumbled with euery storme and tempest and alwayes in ieopardie of sincking or ship-wracke Therefore that we may be assured that we truely haue and enioy these precious iewels of a sauing faith and hope section 5 vnmoueable we must labour to approue or rather finde out the same by a Christian life and an vndefiled conscience For euen as pure and christall water commeth from a quicke fountaine and liuely spring incorrupted So doth a good conscience and holy life from an vnfained faith And as in digging of Wels we first finde out and discerne the streames of cleare water issuing from the liuely spring and in searching for mettals of gold siluer copper brasse or tinne wee first know wee haue found out the Mines thereof by the shining and glistering veynes in the earth appearing vnto vs So if wee will not misse but meete with a liuely faith and blamelesse hope we must first discerne them by the powerfull fruits of a sanctified life alwaies attended vpon by the hand-mayde of a pure and vndefiled conscience These be the remarkable streames of the true and liuing fountaine of a sauing faith and the vndeceiueable veines of these rich and wealthy Mynes of an inuincible hope to inrich our soules Loue out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and faith vnfained be linkes of one chaine beames of one Sunne streames of one riuer fruit of one tree twins of one womb c. To separate any of these is to make ship-wrack of the soule A good conscience watcheth ouer the soule Charitie is carefull to keepe Gods commandements and a pure heart loueth and imbraceth God aboue all and faith vnfained is neuer ashamed of professing Christ and his Gospell for section .6 any trouble By faith conceiued in the heart professed with the mouth and practised with the hand the righteous man liueth For as it is certaine there is no saluation without faith So there is no faith without repentāce no repentance without amendment of life nor any amendment without forsaking of sinne whence wee may conclude that no euill liuer hath any part in Christs death but the markes of Gods vengeance abiding on him and that he aduentureth his saluation that deferreth his repentance For what knowest thou whither tomorrow shall euer come Dally not therefore thus with God till the Diuell take thee in the lurch For as Christ came to saue vs from the damnation of sinne so also to free vs from the dominion of sinne and as he was sent to destroy the Diuell so likewise to ouerthrow the workes of the Diuell And most absurd it is for such as are the slaues of sinne to vaunt themselues for the seruants of God section 7 The praise of faith is to ouercome by fighting that the power of our Lord Iesus Christ may be made strong by our infirmitie He that hath a soule must needs breath and he that hath Gods spirit must needs bring forth the fruits thereof Faith I confesse is euer alone in iustifying but neuer alone in the person iustified euen as the eye alone seeth but the eye separate from the body doth not see at all but is a dead eye As Christ neuer raised vp himselfe without his humanitie yet not his humanitie but his diuinitie raised him vp Though faith doth worke by loue yet is it not inclosed in Faith as Papists say like a Diamond in a Ring neither yet is Faith as the shell and Charitie as the kernell but faith must haue this place which apprehendeth Christ who adorneth faith as the colour beautifieth the wall Faith is a certaine obscure knowledge or rather darknesse in it selfe which seeth nothing and yet Christ apprehended by faith sitteth in this darknesse as God in mount Sinai and in the temple Wherefore Christ apprehended and dwelling in the heart by Faith is the true Christian righteousnesse who giueth vs eternall life Christ is the Lord of our life in him we are by faith and he in vs. This Bridegroome must be alone with the Bride in his secret chamber all the seruants and family set apart but after when the doore is open then let them minister vnto them let Charitie doe her office and all good workes be busie When Faith is feeble Loue looseth her feruor but pray wee the Lord to increase our Faith and Loue forthwith will be on fire By Faith indeede we take hold of the righteousnesse of Christ by which alone we are reconciled vnto God but of this wee cannot take hold except withall we apprehend the sanctification of Gods spirit for he was giuen to vs for righteousnesse wisedome sanctification and redemption Therefore Christ iustifieth none whom he doth not also sanctifie Wherefore our indeuour and care must be for the sure approuing of our faith and hope to haue in readinesse a pure heart and vndefiled conscience which may be as vnreprouable witnesses before God and man that we haue had a sincere care to please our God not onely in outward action but inward affection labouring to the vtmost of our knowledge and power to put in practise all the holy duties of our callings towards God and man Thus if our heart condemne vs not we are sure to haue peace with God howsoeuer we are troubled in the world or afflicted in the flesh Now to clense our conscience and to haue it single and sincere is by the blood-shedding of Christ which section 8 hath satisfied for our sinnes whose death apprehended by a liuely faith doth purifie and purge the same Which conscience thus cleared shall now no more accuse but excuse vs before our God And albeit our former ignorance and infidelity hardnes of heart securitie with the innumerable euils both originall and actuall haue stained and defiled the same heretofore yet now our conscience being bathed in the blood of Christ and rinsed from the guilt of sinne and vncleannesse doth henceforward behold Gods anger turned into fauour his iustice into mercy c. Which sight so purifieth a Christian soule that neither death nor diuell can dant
and sell our birth-right and blessing for Esaus broath Men looke vnto pleasures as they are comming to them not as they are going from them when they are wont to leaue trouble and vexation behinde for the sting of the Scorpion is in his tayle Wee sell our hearts to the world for very chaffe and God offers vs millions for them nay to haue our custome hee giues vs an assay of merchandise peace of conscience and ioy of the holy Ghost Who would not traffique with so good a Chapman that meanes no other but to doe vs good indeed and will giue vs heauen when we haue giuen him our hearts who is in heauen As all the waters of the Riuer runne into the Sea so all worldly delights finish their course in the salt brine sea of sorrowes The peaceable dayes of the wicked their immunitie from the rod their dancing to the Instruments of Musicke haue their present period and in a moment they goe downe to hell Such lusty-guts in the prime of their pride and raging madnesse are sure of a Iudgement The gurmandizing Epicure holloweth not so loud whilst hee walloweth in his sensuall life as the Swine in their styes but hee shall howle as much when hee is in hell It was but a dumpish delight that Saul tasted in his mad melancholy moode in the sweet notes of Dauid sung vpon the harpe We must mistrust worldly benefits and baits couering section 8 the hooke for the fish we must not feede so hungerly on then their pleasings are leasings and their friendships fallacies they are as false witnesses against thy soule such as Iezabell suborned to kil innocent Naboth After the manner of Egyptian theeues they imbrace vs that they may slay vs They are as goblets of gold sugered with poyson This deceiptful Dalilah of delights speaketh thee faire but in the end she will bereaue thee of thy strength of thy sight yea of thy selfe These waspes flye about thy eares and make thee musicke but euermore they sting ere they part Sorrow and repentance is the best end of pleasure paine is yet worse but the worst of all is despaire How much better is it for thee to want a little hony then to be swolne vp with a venemous sting Wee must vse them without trust and want them without griefe still thinking while we haue them that we possesse a benefit with a charge If crosses once befall vs the comfort of riches flie from vs like vermine from a house on fire leauing vs to our ruine But he that hath placed his refuge aboue is sure that the ground of his comfort cannot be matched with any earthly sorrow cannot be moued with any worldly thought but is infinitely aboue all hazards Let the world tosse and tumble how it list as euer it doth the rest of Gods children is pitched aloft aboue the spheare of changable mortalitie O the broken reede of humane confidence who euer trusted in friends that euer could trust to himselfe who was euer more discontented then the wealthy Friends may be false wealth cannot but be deceitfull trust thou therefore to that which if thou wouldest cannot faile thee The Elephant being coursed casteth her precious tooth section 9 and so escapeth so must we forsake the flesh and dearest friends the world greatest pleasures to be with Christ If men forsake their own will submit themselues to Gods what can be hard But if we follow our owne appetites and delicate nicenesse reiecting Gods pleasure what can be easie Therefore not ours but thy will be done God hath a care ouer vs our life is in his hand yet scarce the hundreth man hath this fastned in his heart for euery one searcheth a way and meanes to saue his life as though there were no power and care in God And yet in his hands are the issues of death Death seemeth to consume all things but God deliuereth out of that deuouring gulfe whom he pleaseth therefore let vs leaue it at his pleasure either to deliuer vs from present danger or to take vs to a better life A wise man ought alwaies to keepe himselfe from sorrow section 11 and inordinate care for this worldly and transitory life and the things thereof Not to doe as the Doue which breeding her Pidgeons about the house maketh them familiar with the same And albeit they are monthly taken from her and killed yet she returneth to her old nest and breedeth young againe Worldly fauours honours temporall goods c. are but as bals of snow which by the beames of the Sunne dissolue and come to nothing What cost doe wee bestow vpon the haires of our head and beard which when the Barber once clippeth off are despised and swept away A man should neuer trust this foolish life it is but as a fire kindled on the coales which consuming it selfe giueth heate to others God hath made the beasts with their faces towards the earth thither they looke for from thence they haue their life and reliefe but man is erected with two standards with his head face and breast to looke to heauen Let not our hearts therefore differ from our faces haue not thy face aboue and thy heart below but lift vp thy heart as thou professest lest thou lie to the Church before God and his Angels section 12 The pouertie of a Christian doth forerunne the riches which he hath in heauen The loue of the world is an exemption from the life of God the allurements thereof are like the crying of a Lapwing that traineth vs the furthest from that we seeke The pompe of the world is like a blazing Starre that dreadeth the minde by presaging ruine and the temptations to pleasure are like canded worm-wood that coosen the taste and kill the stomacke To be vnknowne in the world we neede not care so be it we be in credit with God for hee that is great with God shall haue quietnesse in earth and blessednesse in heauen When it ceased to be with Sara saith one after the manner of the world she conceiued Isaac the Sonne of promise her exceeding ioy so when our worldly desires once wither heauenly will ensue Let vs therefore care little for the world that careth so little for vs. Let vs crosse saile and turne another way vnto our long home and looked-for abode from a life subiect vnto death to a deathlesse life euen as neare as wee can with a still and peaceable passage Am I contemned of the world it is inough for me that section 13 I am honoured of God of both I cannot the world would loue me more if I were lesse friends with God He is vnworthy of Gods fauour that cannot thinke it happinesse enough without the worlds The diuell playeth the Host in this world and will serue our turne with any delights that flesh desireth but he noteth all in a booke and at the day of reckoning which is our death it will be to our cost if