The Godly Mans Journey to Heaven, Treatise 1 · Meditation 15 – Meditation 18
15. EueryEvery Christian will confesse, that the crosse belongeth to him, and yet euen the best Christians, when the crosse cometh neare to them, and lyeth on them, are both afrayd thereof, and murmure vnderunder it.
ALas, ô my soule, when shalt thou begin to know thy selfe, and being sensible of thy owne infirmities, to consider the nature euen of the children of God, hearers of that his sweetest voice of the Gospell, whereby with remission of sins and life euerlasting, first, comfort vnderunder affliction and oppression, and then deliuerie from them both, is clearely promised to God his afflicted and oppressed ones! While the Gospell is sounded in their eares, they are contented, not onelyonly to heare that Iesus Christ by his death, hath freed them from their sinnes, and by his rising againe, hath conquessed vntounto them euerlasting righteousnesse; and so that Christ bringeth not onelyonly with him vntounto them, a soft shining crowne of vnspeakable glorie, to be worne by them in heauen for euermore, but also a most bitter cup of diuerse crosses, and a pricking crowne of thornie troubles, to be drunke and worne by them on earth here for a while. Yea not onelyonly are the children of God content to heare this, ô my soule, but they be readie also, euen while they possesse honours, wealth, and pleasures in great abundance, to professe and confesse, that as they hauehave right to a crowne hereafter, so they must looke for the crosse here: and yet when this comes to practise, which they hauehave heard, which they do professe, and so when God their Father layeth that crosse on them, which he foretold them, and which they confessed, that he doth lay on all his owne: O then, alas, ô my soule, euen the child of God beginneth to murmure against God, to grudge with his crosse, and to offend with the instrument of it. And yet, ô what mad follie is this! Thy Sauiour hath said to thee, ô my soule: If any man will follow me, let him forsake himselfe, and take vp his crosse and follow me. Hereupon I answer him againe: If I shall forsake the crosse, I must want the sweete Iesus, but I am heartily content to be crossed, yea to be crossed ten thousand wayes, to the end that I may possesse thee. And yet when all this is done, I dare attempt to murmure euen against this Christ, when I am crossed with him, and for him, whom I can neither find nor keepe without the crosse. Tell me, tell me, ô my soule, what shalt thou see, if thou looke backe vntounto thy Baptisme, whereby thou madest thy first acquaintance with Christ. What eatest thou, what drinkest thou, when thou presentest thy selfe to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper? In Baptisme I see matter not onelyonly assuring me that I am throughly washed from all sinne in the bloud of Christ, but that I must be contented from the day in the which I gaue vp my name to Iesus, to the very minute in the which I shall lay down my life, to be bedewed and drenched in the cold waters of grieuous tribulations, albeit (honour be to God) I cannot be drowned by them.Isa. 43. 2. When I participate the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, I see and eate bread, yea broken bread, telling me, that Iesus my Sauiour being that wholsome and nourishing good wheate, was contented to be ground betwixt the heauiest and sharpest milstones of his Fathers wrath, to the end he might become foode to me, and that I being fed by him, should not refuse to be ground betwixt the weightiest milstones of the sharpest crosses it pleaseth his Maiestie to trie me with, in declaration of my thankfulnesse to him for feeding of me. I see and drinke wine, yea wine powred out, telling me that blessed Iesus, being that sweetest wine grape, full of spirituall iuyce and nourishing heauenly liquour, was heartily contented to be pressed in the winepresse of his Fathers indignation, to the end that he might become wine, to quicken, to refresh, and to comfort me. And should not I be heartily content to be prest with the heauiest crosses his Maiestie shall measure out vntounto me, in declaration of my thankfulnesse towards him, for humbling himselfe to be pressed, to the end he might become wine, to comfort, refresh, and quicken me? This moued the Spirit thus to charge the dispersed crossed Christians:2. Pet. 4. 12. 13. Dearely beloued, thinke it not strange, concerning the fiery triall which is amongst you, to proue you, as though some strange thing were come vntounto you. But reioyce, in as much as ye are partakers of Christs sufferings, that whē his glory shal appeare, ye may be glad and reioyce. And indeed he must needs prooue, ô my soule, a man euill schooled in grace, who dare thinke affliction to be a strange thing to the child of God. For can that possibly be iustly counted strange to a man, which is consonant to the law of that countrie where he dwelleth, wisely and well established by his King? Now hath not thy God, ô my soule, by a very ancient law appointed all those who be his, to affliction on earth here? Be not these the words of that first Euangelicall Sermon sounded by God to Adam, being yet in Paradise (hauing established that new coueuant of grace with him in the blessed Messiah, promised after that the old couenant of workes was broken by him:)Gen. 3. 15. I will also put enimitie betwixt thee & the woman, and betwixt thy seed and her seed, he shall breake thine head, and thou shalt bruise his heele. Hereby placing as it were with his owne hands all those he was to saue by the promised Messiah, in a field to fight with Satan, while they should soiourne here, that obtaining the victorie, through the strength of their head and brother, they might reigne through him and with him for euer, hauing Satan trampled vnderunder their feere. Yea do not Gods children endure troubles here by a very necessitie, seeing the Spirit their teacher, who cannot lie,Act. 14. 22. speaketh thus: We must through many afflictions enter into the kingdome of God. 2. Tim 3. 12.All that will liue godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecution. Againe, can that be counted strange in any nation, which being warranted by Gods Law, agreeth also with daily practise, allowed of by the most religious and prudent in the kingdome? Search the old and new Testament, my soule, and thou shalt see there the dearest Saints of God, not onelyonly cloathed with that rough coate of affliction, but reioycing vnderunder it, and exhorting others not to refuse it when it is offered vntounto them. View for thy satisfaction in this point,Rom. 5. 3. that cloud of witnesses presented to thine eyes in the 11. Chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrewes. Yea, hearest thou not Paul crying: We reioyce in tribulation: 2. Cor. 11. 30.If I must needs reioyce, I will reioyce in my infirmities. And yet while all these things & many moe be brought vntounto our eares by holy Scripture, knowest thou not, ô my soule, that so soone as our God, according to his promise and decree, layes the crosse vponupon his owne, that then they begin to whisper, and whispering to thinke somewhat hardly of him their Father, and of the crosse, and to murmure against the crosse his rod? Moses in the 4. of Exodus resolued the distressed Israelites according to that God had put in his mouth, that they should be deliuered from the bondage of Pharaoh, notwithstanding he was to harden Pharaoh his heart, so that they should not be deliuered from vnderunder his hand, but by the strong arme of God which he was to stretch out smiting Egypt by it with many plagues, before Israel his first borne should be brought out of it. And yet no sooner find the Israelites (being thus resolued) their afflictions increased, but incontinent lifting vp their hearts and voices against Moses and Aaron, they crie out, The Lord looke vponupon you and iudge, Exod. 5. 21.for ye hauehave made our sauour to stinke before Pharaoh, and before his seruants, in that ye hauehave put a sword into their hands to slay vsus. But what speake I of the children of Israel? No sooner doth Moses and Aaron the commissioners of the high God, and deliuerers of the alledged promise, heare these speeches spoken to them and of them by the people, but immediately Moses murmuring against God,Exod 5. 22. 23. also crieth out, Lord why hast thou afflicted this people, wherefore hast thou thus sent me, for since I came to Pharaoh to speake in thy name, he hath vexed this people, and yet thou hast not deliuered this people. Paul was that scholler who kept his Maisters speeches in better memorie, and who heartily could submit himselfe alwayes in euerie place to the good will of his Maister, knowing what he had told and decreed touching him. Iesus Paul his Maister being to make him a Preacher who was before a persecuter, speaketh of him thus vntounto his seruant Ananias, Act. 9. 15. 16.He is a chosen vessel vntounto me, to beare my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel, for I will shew him how many things he must suffer for my names sake. And doth not Paul being resolued hereof through the grace of his Maister, with a good heart and a chearfull countenance, expect crosses, and gladly welcome them when they come to him? For hearest thou him not say,Act. 2. 22. 23. ô my soule, Behold I go bound in the Spirit to Ierusalem, and know not what things shall come vntounto me there, saue that the holy Ghost witnesseth in eueryevery citie, that bonds & afflictions abide me. Seest thou not, ô my soule, the Prophet Agabus taking Paul his girdle from him, and hauing bound Paul his hands and feete therewith, say vntounto him,Act. 21. 10. 11. Thus saith the holy Ghost, so shall the Iewes at Ierusalem bind the man that oweth this girdle, and shall deliuer him into the hands of the Gentiles. Hereupon hearest thou not those who were with Paul, beseeching him that he would not go vp to Ierusalem? And yet, ô my soule, hearest thou not Paul, as a most valorous conquerour through him that died for him, euen with rare courage, out of heauenly resolution answering them thus, What do ye weeping and breaking my heart, for I am readie not to be bound onelyonly, but also to dye at Ierusalem for the name of the Lord Iesus. Wilt thou it offend thee, ô my soule, when after death thy God shall make thee to rest from all thy wearie labours, & posssesse thee with life euerlasting? Be offended therefore as litle with thy God, when here before death he visits thee with his corrections, considering yt the same God who hath promised vntounto thee refreshment after death, hath prepared labours for thee before death, & therefore as thou doest expect that endlesse crowne, euen with ioy before it come, and shalt beyond measure reioyce when thou shalt enioy it; so learne to expect crosses while thou liuest here,Act. 5. 41. & 16. 25. and when they come, tread in the paths of the holy Apostles, and with singing and much reioycing welcome them chearefully.
16. While thou liuest here, desire not to liue, but to that God, and for that God, who made thee and sent thee hither.
EVerie man naturally loueth life, and louing life desireth to liue: but, alas, scarce one of a thousand do know and consider wherefore life should be loued, and so wherefore man should desire for to liue.Esth. 5. The ambitious man with Haman, desireth to liue, to the end his honour may be increased. The lecherous man with Ammon, 2. Sam. 13.desireth to liue, to the end he may satisfie his beastly lust. The seditious man with Achitophel, 2. Sam. 15.desireth to liue, to the end that accomplishing his peruerse and wicked plots, he may throw downe such as he hateth, and aduance those that follow him. The auaritious man with the foole in the Gospell,Luk. 12. would liue, to the end he may enlarge his bounds, and augment his summes.Luk. 16. 16. The bellie-god would liue, yt with the rich glutton he may please his taste, and fat his vile bellie with the daintiest fare. But are not these men, ô my soule, with their desires, more then abhominable in the eyes of that holy God who made all men for himselfe, and no man for any thing besides his Maiestie? Wherefore ô my soule, if thou louing life, wouldest louelove it as becommeth the child of God to louelove life, and so if desiring to liue thou wouldest liue for the right end, I would aduise thee to learne of that heauenly wise and graue learning Father Dauid, Psal. 119.that this life is not to be desired nor loued but for Gods cause onelyonly; and that no man should desire to liue, but to the end he may know the Law of his God, and by keeping of it may procure honour to his name. This was that end wherefore man hauing lost himselfe in Adam, Luk. 1. 74. 75.was redeemed by Iesus Christ; yea this is that end, for the which dead vncleane man is quickened,Rom. 8. 11. 12. 13. renewed, and sanctified by the Spirit of the Father, and of his dearest Sonne.
17. Long not for death, but to the end that thou mayest ceasse to sin, and be with Christ, if thou wouldest not after that first death die that secōd death also.
ALas, ô my soule, as men desire to liue, and in desiring to liue, sinne grosly, because they desire not to liue for the right end. So men desire also to dye, but, alas, they sinne in desiring to dye, because the grounds of their desire are vile before God, and no wayes profitable, but hurtfull to themselues. Could we desire to liue submitting alwayes humbly and holily our crooked wills to the good and straight will of our God, to the end that with Dauid we might keepe his law,Psal. 6. and with Ezekiah we might aduance his worship here;Isa. 38. could we desire to dye, submitting also herein our will to the good will of God, to the end that we might ceasse to breake the law of our God, and so to sinne against his Maiestie, yea to the end that we might be with Iesus,Phil. 1. who is our onelyonly aduantage both in life and death; holy should this our desire be, and happie should we prooue, hauing such a desire wrought in our soules. Vnderstand, vnderstand ô my soule, that this naturall life is no benefit vntounto man, nor can be any benefit at all, but only so farre as it goes before spirituall and eternall life, and so farre as it hath spirituall and eternall life following it. For as that old saying abideth euer true, Nemo renatus qui non prius natus: No man is borne ouer againe by the Spirit of God, that he may become the child of God, but he who was borne first of a woman to be the child of man: so that shall hold infallibly true which our Maister spake of Iudas: Mar. 14. 21.It had bene good for that man, who is not borne ouer againe of the holy Spirit, that he had neuer bene borne of a woman: for death seising on such a man, cannot but possibly send him to hell for euermore. When on the contrarie, that man who through God his grace is made to dye to sinne before he dye before the world, shall after his first death ceasse from his labours, and rest with his God for euer, singing sweetly, Well is me that euer I was borne ouer againe by the Spirit of my God, to be the child of God, after I was borne of a woman to be the sonne of man.Bernard. Bernard meditating long ago vponupon this, and subscribing vntounto the truth of it, from a renewed humble honest heart, drew vp this prayer vntounto his God: Commoda mihi tres panes, nempe vt sciam, vt diligam, vt faciam voluntatem tuam. I beseech thee, ô Lord▪ my Father, to bestow on me thine hungrie child three loaues, that I may know, that I may louelove, and that I may do thy will, so shall I liue: for in these three standeth the whole life of my soule. And againe. Vulgò dicitur, qui bene pascit, bene vixit. It is commonly said among men, He that feedeth well, liueth well. But herein wickednesse, ô my God, doth grosly bewray it selfe, for none can possibly liue well, but he that liueth ordinately, sociablie, and humblie. Ordinatly, studying to procure honest things both before God and men. Sociably, liuing so that he studie to be loued of others; and humblie, that while he is made thus through the grace of his God to carrie himselfe, he be not puft vp with pride; as, alas, too many be, but that contrariwise with the holy Saints of God, yea with his most blessed Angels, he cast himselfe alwayes downe before that Maiestie,Reuel. 4. 9. 10. who hath bene so mercifull and beneficiall vntounto him.
18. Endeuor thy selfe, ô man, to know before thou dye, of whom thou holdest thy life, lest after death thou repent, albeit too late, that euer thou liuedst.
FOolish man pitying many, cannot, alas, pitie himselfe: yea he cannot so much as dreame that he is to be pitied; and yet what creature is so much to be pitied as man, who should proue Gods best creature beneath here? Oh Lord God, how many men lay downe their liues daily, and so are remoued from this earth by death, before they know by whom and wherefore they were endowed with life, and placed on this earth: and if man in this respect be not to be pitied, let all such who be sensible of humane misery, iudge. O my soule, if liuing here I know not of whom I hauehave my life, and so who is he vntounto whom I should looke, after whom I should seeke, studying alwayes to serue & to please him, euen in the whole course of my life; had it not bene better I had neuer tasted of life? That man who neuer was, who neuer shall be, shall neuer indeed tast of that sweetest milke, and most wholsome honie, which is in that heauenly Canaan which is aboue, neither shall he euer be tormented with that euer burning fire which is in that deepest gulfe, out of the which there is no redemption. But as for that man, ô my soule, who liues and knowes not him from whom and for whom he hath his life, be sure if he die before his minde be enlightened to see his God, and before his heart be moued to louelove him, and to beleeue in him, and his life so sanctified, that in some measure he may serue and please him; not onelyonly shall he be depriued of that immortall heauenly inheritance, but also adiudged to remedilesse and comfortlesse condemnation. Oh, oh, when shall the inhabitants of the earth hearken vntounto that wise aduice giuen by that wise Preacher, Remember now thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth, Eccl. 12. 1.while euill dayes come not, nor the yeares approach in the which thou shalt say, I hauehave no pleasure in them. When shall they suffer that great conclusion to take place in their hearts, which would quicken the deadest, and awake the most secure, which the same Preacher setteth downe in the same place,Eccl. 12. 13. 14. Let vsus heare the end of all, Feare God and keepe his comandements, for this is the whole dutie of man: for God will bring eueryevery worke vntounto iudgement, with eueryevery secret thing whether it be good or euist. Oh, oh, when shall Preachers, when shall hearers, out of a sense thereof learne to crie vntounto God with Dauid: Psal. 119.Open mine eyes that I may see the wonders of the law. Teach me O Lord the way of thy statutes, and I will keepe it to the end: giuegive me vnderstanding and I will keepe thy Law, yea I will keepe it with my whole heart. Yea would to God that thou, ô my soule, couldst in this last age see and feele that which Augustine saw and felt in his time, to the end that out of that sight and sense, thou mightest make the like confession before God which he made, and send vp the like petition which he sent vp to him;August. My bodie, ô Lord, liueth by my soule, and my soule liueth by thee, ô my God. Be neare me therefore ô God, neare in my heart, neare in mine eyes, neare in mine eares; yea neare in my bodie, and eueryevery member of it, that they may all serue thee.