an account for losse Qui ludit in Cathedra legebit in Gehenna Bishop Hall Ier. 48. 10. of soules either through idlenesse and negligence in his preaching or not preaching Christ savingly to his people if one soule be worth a world then the losse of one soule is a greater losse then the losse of the whole world all blood cryes aloud Cain could not endure to heare the voice of his brothers blood but none to the blood of soules Ezek. 33. 8. for that death is to all eternity in hell fire Quest But one main question must here be answered before I leave this point seeing ministers must preach Iesus Christ and the Gospel whether then is it lawfull for the ministers of the Gospel to preach the law yea or no I answer negatively none ought to be legall preachers that is to preach salvation by keeping of the law so farre we are all Antinomians and for my own part I know none but Papists or popishly minded that are preachers of salvation by keeping of the law for we know and teach that we are not under the law that is under the Covenant of salvation by keeping of the law but under grace Rom. 6. 14. Col. 2. 14. Secondly I answer positively that the law must be preached as a rule of obedience for so God requires as perfect and personall obedience in us beleevers as he did in Adam in innocency though we cannot performe it nor are we bound thereto upon condition of life for else the defect were no sin as Matth. 22. 37. 38. God requires us to love him with all our heart c. which though we cannot performe yet God requires it still in us that believe and it is our sin if we faile therein and hence it is that the law was promulgated to the Iewes two thousand years after the Gospel was preached to Adam and foure hundred and thirty years asrer it was preached to Abraham and thus Christ himselfe Matth. 5 17. 19. Matth. 3. 8. Col. 3. 5. 12. Iohn-Baptist and the Apostles preached the law 2. Secondly the law must still be preached as a meanes to discover sin and convince men of their misery out of Christ as a Schoolemaster to drive us to Gal 3. 23. Christ which is Gods ordinary way to prepare us to the receiving of Christ for as the Brazen serpent was set up so Ioh. 3. 14. was Christ set up but that was only for those that were stung so is Christ only for those that are stung with their sins hence you see the promise of salvation by Christ is to those that are weary heavy-laden sick broken-hearted c. teaching us that legall humiliation at least is a preparation required ordinarily to the receiving of Christ by faith And thus God dealt with Adam first he began 1 King 19. 11. 12. with a terrible voice and then with a milder and with Elias who had three legall preparations before God appeared in mercy to him so likewise Paul the Iailor and those in Acts 2. 37. c. had the law preached to them before the Gospel The good Samaritan poured oyle and wine because it was into wounds we preach the law that we might preach the Gospel And certainly that will prove at last the best preaching that drives men to Christ and he the best preacher Non qui aures tetigerit sed qui cor pupigerit not that tickles the eare but that breaks the heart to seek after Christ Mens hearts are generally so hardened and secure that the word had need to come like a hammer a fire or sword to wound and melt stony hearts we had not need in these times be the sugar and hony but the salt of the world we have more need of the voice of the Turtle then the voice of the Nightingale to make men mourne rather then to rejoyce As Hierome wrote to Nepotian Hier. ad Nepot Bern. ser 59. Cant. when thou preachest Non clamores populi sed gemitus suscitentur lachrimae auditorum sint laudes tuae Libenter vocem audio saith Bernard non qui mihi plausum sed qui mihi planctum movet It s reported of Vincentius Ferer who preaching in England Scotland France Spain c. everywhere preached Repent Repent for the Kingdome of God is at hand and there followed almost every where delictorum paenitentia morum reformatio omnium contritio cessabant Blasphemiae Coren lap in lam p. 426. aleae ludi c. that is men repented of their sins reformed their wayes left off their blasphemies diâ—ings c. who converted thousands as is reported It is also reported of one Aâ—tonius Padua who so moved the people with preaching the law that they smote their breasts in the streets and with sighs and tears cryed out misericordia domine misericordia mercy Lord mercy c as they did Acts 2. 37. Sirs what must we do to be saved Ramiz said if you would know a good preacher inspice pâ—pulum mark the people whether their hearts be set on fire or upon laughter if thou seest them merry applauding the sermon with O quam doctus eloquens c. O what a learned eloquent man is this scito concionem infructuosam esse know saith he it is an unprofitable sermon sin vides tristes percussos meditantes c. but if thou seest them sad silent deeply musing c. then it profits them And daily experience showes us the only way to bring men to Christ is to break their hearts and make them sick and stung with their sins and then they will more eagerly embrace Iesus Christ a Physitian to their soules Now follows the second part of the exhortation viz. that ministers do not only preach the Gospel but that they preach it in such a manner as the people may best come to the saving knowledge of Iesus Christ as Paul did in this text 1 Cor. 1. 17. 1 Cor. 2 1â— 3. 4. Non Rhetoricè sed Apostolicé It s the foolishnesse of preaching that saves soules though not foolish preaching as Rams hornes blew down Jerichoes wals when golden trumpets could not have done it Moses serpent of brasse cured when Aarons Calfe of gold brought death who did not only preach Iesus Christ to them but in such a manner as that he might not make the Crosse of Christ of none effect And Paul prayes that we may make the Gospel of Christ manifest as we ought to speak Col. 4. 4. which consists in nine particulars First that we preach Christ plainly and perspicuously to the understanding of the meanest Non quantâ— eloquentia sed evidentia saith Aug. so that if the people used to call ossum a bone he would call it so too Melius est ut not reprehendant grammatici quam ut non intelligâ—nt populi Aug. on Psal 138. we are to be stars and lights to give light not clouds to darken the light as do pâ—inted glasse-windows in Churches the Gospel of Christ is
truth b Ioh. 16. 13. 1 Ioh. 3. 20. and the spirit bears a double witnesse 1. That Christ is ours 2. That it is the spirit of God that witnesseth and not a delusion c Rom. 8. 16. 1 Ioh. 5. 10. Indeed he that dreameth thinks he is awake and mad men think they are sober but those that are sober and are awake know they are sober and are awake We have received saith Paul The spirit of God that we might know the things that are given us of God 1 Cor. 2. 12. CHAP. VII We must study to know Christ with an affectionate knowledge THirdly we must study to know Christ with the knowledge of affection For so knowledg is often taken in scripture not for bare speculation but for knowledge cloathed with affection Depart from me faith Christ I know you not d Luk. 13. 27. Psal 1. 6. That is I love you not The Lord-knoweth That is he loveth the way of the righteous So here I desire to know Christ That is to love Christ more and to inflame your hearts with love to him that he may dwell in your hearts by faith but Eph. 3. 17. rooted in love Wonderfull hath been the love of those to Christ that have knowne him savingly God forbid saith Paul that I should joy in any thing save in Christ Jesus e Gal. 6. 14. Heb. 11. 26. that is in comparison of him for whom he counted all things but as losse dung and vanity Moses esteemed the reproch disgrace contempt and scorne of Christ greater riches then a Kingdome How then did he esteeme of the honour and riches that come by Christ David prised him above heaven and its glory or earth and its comforts Whom have I in heaven but thee In heaven f Psal 73. 25. there is fulnesse of ioy and pleasures for ever the society of Saints and Angels yet he regarded nothing in heaven but Christ And whom doe I desire on earth beside thee though he had the pleasures of a kingdome his wives and children yet he regarded them not in comparison of Christ How did the Martyrs love Christ who rejoyced that their bodyes might burn for him Nay one said Shall I die but once for my Saviour I would I could die a 100. times for him Ignatius cryed out when Christ was crucifyed Amor meus crucisixus My love my love is crucified As if hee had no other love left when Christ was crucified Lambert at the stake cryed out None but Christ None but Christ George Carpenter being asked whether he he loved not his wife and children when they wept before him yes said he my wife and children are dearer to me then all Bavaria yet for the love of Christ I know you not Kylian a dutch Schoolmaster was asked the like question if he loved not his wife and children Yea said he if all the world were gold mine to dispose of I would give it all to live with them yea though it were in prison yet my soule and Christ are dearer to me then they all That noble Marquesse Galeaceus Caracciolus being tempted with mony to goe back to Italy said Let their mony perish with them who esteem all the gold in the world worth one daies society with Jesus Christ and his holy spirit Henry Voes said if I had ten heads they should all off for Christ Ignatius said let fire rackes pullyes yea and all the torments of hell come on mee so I may win Christ Iohn Ardley Martyr said if every haire of my head were a man they should all suffer for the faith of Christ It was the speech of S. Ier. If my father Clarkes mirrour or looking glasse for Saints stood weeping on his knees before me my mother hanging on my neck behind and all my brethren sisters and children howling on every side I would tread on my father fling off my mother despise my brethern sisters children and all that I might run to Christ Master Fox could scarce deny any man that begd an almes in the name of Christ he so dearly loved him And Peter tels us To you that beleeve he is precious 1 Pet. 2. 7. Thus have I given you a taste of the affection his Saints have borne him that have savingly known him And surely they that love him least can say with Peter Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest I love thee yea I mourne that I can love thee no more Master Welsh a Suffolk Minister weeping at table being asked the reason said it was because he could love Christ no more O that as Mary went to the Sepulcher and wept there So wee could go mourning to our graves because we love Christ no more O that as Christ was Crucifixus fastned to the cross so that he were cordifixus fastned to our harts we cannot love Christ as Christ hath loved us as the light of all candles can never make a sunne Certainly our cold love to Christ is almost as great a wonder as his great love to us and may justy make us feare that we never yet savingly knew him If a worm loved me would I not love it againe Vespatian when a poore maid said shee was in love with him he gave her a reward and wrote it downe Vespasiano adamato to her that loved Vespasian And shall Christ so love us and we not love him againe Suppose we had a friend that had died for us a temporall death O how deare and sweet would the remembrance of such a friend be to us and the thought of him fetch teares from our eyes Oh how deare should Christ be then to us that hath suffered the infinite wrath of God for us delivered us from hel reconciled us to God purchased heaven and al good things on earth so far as needfull for us Oh that Christ would kindle this fire of love in our hearts to him for we cannot love him except he enable us to love him nor can we love him except he love us first and so our love rebounds by reflection as the sun-beames shining upon the wall it heates by reflection Nothing inflames our hearts more to love Christ then seriously to meditate of the love of Christ Ps 39. 3. Whiles I was musing the fire kindled saith David g And when they shall see him whom they have peirced then they shall mourn for him Not onely with teares of Zach. 12. 10. compunction but also of affection CHAP. VIII We must study to know Christ with a virtuall and operative knowledge FOurthly and lastly we must study to know Christ with an operative and powerfull knowledge For so know ledg is oft taken in Scripture Oh that thou hadst known in this thy day the things that belong to thy peace h Luk. 19. 42. that is seriously considered of them cum affectu effectâ— to repent and imbrace Christ Adam in honour is said to have no understanding i Psal 49. ult because he made no use
that it answered all things perhaps speaking according to the opinion of the world but I am sure it is true of Christ that he answers all things CHAP. XVI An exhortation to all to study the knowledge of Jesus Christ THe fifth use is a use of exhortation seeing the knowledg of Christ is most excellent most profitable and most comfortable it should stir us up above all things in the world to study take pains to know Iesus Christ savingly and bewail our study of other things with the neglect of Christ This is our great work to give all diligence to make our calling and election sure that is make Christ sure Omnia siperdas 2 Pet. 1. 10. animam Christum servare memento whatever we loose be sure we loose not our soules we loose not Christ one soul is worth all the world and one Christ is worth a 1000. soules therefore let this be our greatest care to enquire with the Acts 16 3. Iailor Sirs what shall I do to be saved what course shall I take to come to know that Christ is my Saviour To excite us thereto let us seriously ponder in our hearts these two things First What do we more stand in need of or can do us more good then Iesus Christ is it â—â—â—es honours pleasures or any thing the world hath or can help us unto Secondly how ready and willing is God to give Christ God is as willing to give Christ as we can be willing to receive him upon the termes he hath offered him which appears in that â—e cals upon us to receive him 1. By Acclamation Preach the Gospel to every creature Matth. 16. 16. 1 Iohn 3. 19. And let whosoever will take of the water of life Rev. 22. 17. 2. By Exhortations and persuasive arguments Turne you turn you why will you die Ezek. 33. Come unto me all you that are weary c. Matth. 11. 28. 3. By Impetrations and intreatyes I pray be reconciled to God 2 Cor. 5. 20. 4. By Injunction and oommand say not I dare not beleeve for it s your duty I command you to beleeve 1 Iohn 3. 23. This is his commandment c. 5. By Comminations and threatnings If you will not receive Christ it will lie heavy upon you Matth. 11. 21. Wo be to thee Chorazin wo be to thee Bethsaida c. 6. By Patheticall lamentation As when he wept over Ierusalem and said Oh that thou hadst known in this thy day the things that belong to thy peace Luke 19. 42. Oh that my people hâ—â— harkened to me Psal 81. 13. 7. By Continuation he continues perswading again and again yea a 1000. times Behold I stand at the door and knock Rev. 3. 10. O Ierusalem how often would I have gathered thee and thou wouldst not Matth. 23. 37. 8. By inward motions and excitations of his spirit striving Acts 7. 51. with our spirits to perswade us to come unto him My spirit saith God shall not alwayes strive with man Gen. 6. 3. We know the Prodigals father met him halfe way when he returned to shew how ready Christ is to embrace those that come to him and sure if Christ knocks at our door that we might open if we knock at his door he will open and if God gave Christ when we never begd him he will not deny him to those that ask him Open to me my sister my love my dove my undefiled for my head is filled with Cant. 5. 2. dew and my locks with the drops of the night saith our blessed Saviour to his spouse Quest But you will say how should a man come to attain to the knowledge of Iesus Christ with application Answ I answer briefly and plainly for the help of the ignorant and young beginners First labour to see the worth and excellency that is in Christ â—f thou knewest that gift of John 4. 10. Ignoti nulla Cupido Voluntas sequiturdictamen intellectus God thou wouldst have asked you see because she knew it not she asked not our affections are kindled according as our understandings apprehend The eye affects the heart beauty draws affection Hence the Lord Christ sets forth himselfe in all his robes of glory in the Canticles to this end that the spouse might be the more ravished with his love and to win her affection to him Because of the savour of thy good ointments poured forth therefore the virgins love thee Cant. 1. 3. yea hence it is that the whole book of the Canticles is so bespangled with the praises of Christ as the firmament with starres but especially in Cant. 5. 9. to the end And what 's the reason why men set so light by Iesus Christ is it not because they see nothing in him why they should desire him Es 52. 3. But the excellency of Christ hath been at large handled before in the ninth tenth and eleventh chapter to which I refer the Reader Secondly labor to see thy need of Christ that without him thou art most wretched and miserable a Rev. 3. 17 yea more miserable then any creature that ever God made except the divels which appears in five particulars 1. Consider seriously the multitude of sinnes thou art guilty of even more then the haires of thy head or the sands on the sea-shore or the starres in the heavens which are innumerable Innumerable evils saith David hath campassed me they are more then the haires of my head therefore my heart faileth me b Ps 40. 12 2. And yet alas one of thy sinnes were enough to sink thee into hell for ever c Gal. 3. 10. Consider also the foulnesse and greatnesse of thy sins which will one day stare upon thee as so many divels thy Atheisme and blasphemy thy pride hypocrisie vain glory thy oaths and perjury filthinesse and uncleannesse coveteousnesse deceit oppression malice envy and a world of wickednesse Mine iniquities saith David are gone over my head like a heavy but then they are too heavy for me d Ps 38. 4â— 3. Consider them likewise with their aggravating circumstances many of them committed with deliberation and wilfulnesse against thy knowledge and conscience the motions of the holy spirit against thine own vowes covenants and resolutions thy reiterated relapses like the dog returning to his former vomit which he had cast up or the washed sow to her wallowing in her former mire Thy continuing in thy sins 20. 30. 40. 50. years till perhaps thy glasse be halfe run or almost out and all this time hath been spent in serving the divel thy lusts and the world and in enmity to God and his righteousnesse 4. Because we are ready to say Alas we are all sinners who can say non peccavi Consider thy sins thy spots are not the spots of Gods c Deut. 32. 5. people for they sin but they hate their sins mourn under them are weary of them but thou lovest them takest pleasure in them and art loath to forsake
263 for mihi plausum r. sibi plausum p. 264. r. De Pad p. 270. for fight r light p. 272 for smoakes r. smothers p. 285. for woâ—d r. world p. 306. for Psal 6. r 76. p. 308. r. and as Micha for Ps 123. r. 132. The Contents CHAP. I. THe openining of the words of the Text. pag. 1. Doct. The great lesson that every one ought to study and learn is to know Jesus Christ p. 4. CHAP. II. Of the Incarnation of Christ 1. That Christ is the second pâ—rson and why p. 6. 2. That Christ is the son of God and how he is said to be his son p. 7. 3. That Christ is truely God p. 10. 4. That Christ is truely man p. 11. 5. That Christ is God and man united together p. 15. CHAP. III. A short view of the sufferings of Christ before he suffered upon the crosse p. 17. In eleven particulars In his 1. Conception p. 17. 2. Birth ibid. 3. Circumcision p. 20. 4. Temptation ibid. 5. Private life p 21. 6. Agony ibid. 7. Apprehension and betraying p. 22. 8. Arraignment p. 23. 9. Mocking ibâ—d 10. Scourging p. 25. 11. Condemnation p. 27. CHAP. IV. A relation of the sufferings of Christ upon the Crosse p. 27. First in that Christ dyed for us ibid. Secondly in that Christ did more then barely dye for us in three respects 1. First In that he dyed a shamefull death p. 29. It was shame full in five respects because 1. They made him carry his owne Crosse p. 30. 2. They stript him naked ibid. 3. He was hanged ibid. 4. He was hanged in the midst between two theeves p. 31. 5. He was insulted over in his misery ibid. II. Secondly in that he dyed a bitter and painfull death in two respects p. 32. 1. In what he suffered from men in foure particulars ibid. 1. They gave him Gall and Vinegar to drink ibid. 2. They racked him p 34. 3. They nayled his hands and feet to the Crosse ibid. 4. He continued hanging about six houres ibid. 2. In what he suffered from God even the heavy wrath of God due to us for all our sins p. 35. III. Thirdly In that he dyed for his enemies c. p. 37. CHAP. V. Of the satisfaction of Christ p. 38. 1. That there is salvation in no other p. 38. 2. That there is full perfect salvation in Christ p. 40. CHAP VI. We must study to know Christ with particular application That Christ is our Saviour and that he dyed for us and gave himself for us p. 43. Obj. A man may be saved without this knowledge Answ Affirmatively p. 45. Negatively p. 46. Obj. No man can know Christ to be his in particular with the Answere p. 47. 48. CHAP. VII We must study to know Christ with an affectionate knowledge p. 49. CHAP. VIII We must study to know Christ with a virtuall and operative knowledge p. 54. 1. In Giving us power against the dominion of sinne p. 55. 2. In raising us up to newnes of life p. 57. CHAP. IX Of the sweetnesse and excellency of the knowledge of Christ p 58. 1. Because it hath the most excellent Revelation p. 60. 2. Because the excellency of all other knowledge is supereminently in Christ in five respects p. 61. 1. The excellency of the knowledge of God consisteth in the knowledge of Christ in three respects ibid. In regard of 1. His person ibid. 2. The worke of Redemption p. 62. 3. Our Relation to God p. 63. 2. The excellency of the knowledge of the word of God consists in the knowledge of Christ p. 66 3. The knowledge of Christ is more excellent then all other knowledge whatsoever p. 68. 4. The excellency honour of a man is that he knoweth Jesus Christ p. 70. 5. The excellency of all our workes is from our knowledge of Christ p. 73. CHAP. X. That the knowledge of Christ and him Crucified is the most profitable knowledge p. 75. 1. Reason because Christ gives us better things then the world can help us to p. 76. As the grace of 1. Justification p. 77 78. p. 79. 2. Acceptation 3. Sanctification 4. Adoption 5. Reconciliation 6. Co-operation 7. Corroboration 8. Co-agulation 9. Preservation 10. Consolation 11. Glorification 2 Reason because Christ gives that which contents and satisfieth the soule of man p. 80. 3. Reason because Christ gives more durable riches then the world p. 81. 4. Reason because Christ gives earthly things also into the bargain p. 82. Which appeares in foure particulars 1. Certainty of provision p. 82. 2. Better right p. 85. 3. With our fathers blessing ibid. 4. As pledges of future hopes p. 86. CHAP. XI That the knowledge of Jesus Christ and him crucified is the most comfortable knowledge p. 87. Especially in foure conditions of In time 1. Spirituall distres 88. 2. Greatest persecution p. 89. 3 Greatest afflictions 92 Because they shall worke for our good ibid. A threefold good 1. Temporall 2. Spirituall p. 39. For they 1. Keep the heart tender p 94. 2. Keep us from back-sliding p. 94. 3. Make us fear to sin ibid. 4. Make us grow in holinesse ibid. 3. For our eternall good p. 95. 4. The knowledge of Christ is most comfortable in the houre of death p. 96. Because we are sure to dye 1. Comfortably ibid. 2. Blessedly p. 98. CHAP. XII Use 1. A reproofe of those that know nothing of Jesus Christ as Heathens Turkes Jewes Papists and ignorant persons p 101. Because 1. Their ignorance is inexcusable p. 105. 2. An ignorant heart is an evil heart p. 106 3. All their workes are works of darknesse ibid. 4. They can have no Repentance ibid. 5. They are full of feare p. 107 6. Such have no part in Christ ibid. Qu. What helps are there to get knowledge p. 108 Ans 1. To study a Catechisme ibid. 2. The use of other meanes p. 109 3. To practise what we know ibid. 4. To be much in prayer p 110 CHAP. XIII Vse 2. A reproof of those that study to know all things else save Jesus Christ and him crucified p. 110. Viz. Such as study vanities curiosities arts and sciences c. with the neglect of the study of Christ 111 CHAP. XIV Use 3. A reproofe of three sorts I. A reproofe of those that study to know Christ only by speculation p. 124 1. Because it is unprofitable and vain p. 121 2. Because it is very dangerous and hurtfull p. 123 It is dangerous in three respects 1. Because it breeds bitternesse and vexation p. 123. 2. Because if Christ be not our Saviour he will be our judge p. 124. 3. Because it will aggravate our condemnation p. 125. II. A reproofe of those that know Christ with speculation but not with affection p. 130 III. A reproofe of those that content themselves with a speculative knowledge of Christ but know him not virtually and operatively CHAP. XV. Use 4. An exhortation to be thankfull and contented in every condition if
gleaned And Iob awhile may be stript of his goods Children and all his comforts but ere long he doth enjoy them doubled to him even as much more of every comfort as he had before Iob 42. 12 13. 2. But however it shall alwayes worke for our spirituall good By the sad Eceles 7. 3 Heb. 12. 10 Iohn 15. 2. looke the heart shall be made better Like those in the time of the sweating sicknesse that were smitten with Rosemary branches to keep them waking and from sleeping to death though they cryed out at the smart of the blows against those that smot them O you kill me you kill me whereas alas they had beene killed with their disease if they had not been smitten Or as tender mothers that give their children sometimes bitter wormwood and Aloes but t is to kill the wormes or else they would never let their children tast so bitter a potion and likely too it is sweetened with sugar There is a foure fold spirituall good by afflictions to every one that knowes Iesus Christ savingly 1. They keepe the heart tender and humble pliable and buxome to God Remembering my wormwood and my gall my soule hath them in remember ance and is humbled in me Lamenta 3. 19. 20 as they did David when Shemei cursed him and when God chastised him with the pestilence It 2 Sam. 24. me me adsum c. is I have sinned what have those sheepe done And Jonas after he was cast into the sea and restored the second time he could find his way to go right to Nineveh 2. They keepe us from backsliding for else we would lose our graces as too much sunneshine makes the corne to shale and lose its fruit 3. They make us feare to sin that have so smarted for sin The burnt child dreads the fire exellent is that speech of Iob Iob 34. 31 32. Surely it is meet to be said unto God I have borne chastisement I will not offend any more That which I see not teach thou me and if I have done amisse I will doe no more As a child will feare to commit that fault for which he hath well smarted 4. They make us grow in holinesse and weane us from earthly delights as the Israelites bondage made them weary of Egypt They are but Gods pruning knives to let us bleed and purge us that we might bring forth more fruit John 15. 2. like as we see flowers smell sweetest after a shower Or as the burning bush that burned yet consumed not but was the brighter for the fire Or as gold put into fire loseth its drosse but nothing of its substance and is made the purer gold Or as grapes under the presse make the sweeter wine Or as wheat under the flaile hath its chaff beaten off and is the purer corne So are afflictions to all that are in Christ and know Christ theirs They make them like Roses which though sweet alwayes yet they never drop sweet water but when the fire is under them Or as spices when beaten to pouder then they smell the sweetest 3. Thirdly Afflictions shall increase 2 Cor. 4. 17. Mat. 5. 12 our crown of glory the deeper our die is in affliction the better shall we weare our scarlet robes in heaven Rom. 8. 18. I reckon saith Paul our sufferings in this life are not worthy our glory that shall be revealed Chrysost said if one man did suffer all the sorrowes of all the Saints in the world yet they are not worth one houres glory in heaven 4. Fourthly and lastly The knowledge of Christ and him crucisied with a saving applicatory knowledge is most comfortable in the hour of death Such a one can triumph over death saying Death where is thy sting Hell where is thy victory Because 1 Cor. 15. 56. though death in it self be full of anguish and is the destruction of nature yet if thou art in Christ and knowest Christ is thine the cup is sweetned with good ingredients For thou art sure of two things 1. Thou art sure to die comfortably ordinarily and not fearing but longing for death we know saith Paul when this our tabernacle is broken we have a house not made 2 Cor. 5. 1 2 3. with hands eternall in the heavens wherfore we sigh and grone to be clothed with our house which is in heaven When I walk through the the valy of the shadow of death saith David I will feare no evil for thou art with me and thy rod and staff comforteth me Psal 23. 4. Luke 2 29 Phil. 1. And Simeon Now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace for mine eâ—es have seene thy Salvation Yea somtimes before they go into heaven they are rapt up into the third heaven with joy as Paul was in his rapture 2 Cor. 12. though in another manner Some have professed they never felt such joy in all their lives as at the hour of their death Paula that noble Lady when one did read to her Cant. â— 11. The winter is past and the singing of Birds is come yes she replyed the singing of birds is come and so she went singing into heaven another being as they thought in a swound a little before her end they cryed give her some Rosa Solis but she put it back saying I have Rosa Solis you know not off Ambrose said to his friends about him when he died I have not so lived that I am ashamed to live nor yet feare I death because I have a good Lord. Glover from whom God did hide his face long before yet when he was going to the stake said to his frind Austen he is come he is come But you will say Object do such alwayes die comfortably I answer Answ Not alwayes but ordinarily for sometimes God hides his face from his own at death as a just punishment for their want of close walking with God in the time of their prosperity c. and besides we know death is fearfull in its best lookes called the King of feares as is a lion though his teeth and claws be beaten out or as the Hauk to the Partridge who trembles at the very fight of her scattered feathers or like a serpents skin that is formidable though stuft with straw The vertuous Lady Jane when she covered her eyes with her handkerchief and was to ly down on the block to receive the stroake of death she cryed out O what shall I do where is it where is it she was filled so full of feare though her faith failed not yea Christ himselfe feared death with a naturall holy feare Yet I say thou art sure at the least to be freed from despairing feare and to be able John 13. 13. to say with Iob Though he kill me I will trust in him as our blessed Saviour on the crosse stil called the Lord his God when he felt no comfort from God my God my God why hast thou forsaken me And the reason is because Christ hath