The Godly Mans Journey to Heaven, Treatise 4
THAT LANTERNE MERCIFVLLY, AND wisely prouided by this blessed Spirit, the owner, and leader, director, and keeper, of these babes of God in that heauenly Chariot iourneying towards heauen, is that sacred written word of God, contained in the bookes of the old and new Testament.
OVr God hauing brought the Israelites (after manie wonders wrought by him, in the land of Egypt, vponupon Pharoah, vponupon his people and countrie,)Exod. 13. 21. 22. out of the land of Egypt, and set them in their iourney through the wildernesse towards that promised Canaan, did mercifully prouide them with a faire pillar to leade them in their way. And will his Maiestie, alwayes mindfull of the wants of his owne, & euer delighting to be good to them (euen while thee repine against him) leaue vsus, ô my soule, without a light to guide our pathes through this darke wildernesse of this world towards his Canaan which is aboue? not so, not so, ô my soule. But what is that light by the which he will hauehave our pathes thus directed, not anie light deuised beneath here, kindled beneath here by the darke braine of liuing, deceiuing, and deceiued man? but that light, which hath that blessed Father of lights dwelling in that light inaccessible, which neither man saw, neither shall see for the author of it, and sent downe by him from that his highest throne to enlighten all these, who intended to liue here for a while before him, looke hereafter to liue by sight with him for euer? Now this light is that written word of God contained in holy Scripture:Mat. 13. 19. which is seene,1. Pet. 2. 13. not mortall, but immortall seed, whereby sonnes and daughters are begotten, and borne againe through the force of his grace, of these who by nature are the sonnes and daughters of Adam, 1. Pet. 2. 1.yea, the children of wrath. This word is milke, yea sincere and pure milke, whereby the sonnes and daughters of God thus borne ouer againe are made to grow vp in grace, till they become perfect men in Christ Iesus.Deut. 8. 3. This word is Meate, yea meate whereby these children of God are strengehened,Ier. 15. 16. and confirmed, and so led forward in their spirituall growth. This word is Raine,Deut. 3…. 2. whereby the children are made fruitefull to the glorie of God,Esay 55. 10. to the good of their brethren,Heb. 6. 7. and to the furthering of their owne saluation. This word is Wine,Esay 55. 1. whereby the soules of Gods children fainting and falling in a swound as it were, and dying within them because of their furious persecutors, and manie crosses are refreshed, quickned and set vp againe, making them to crie with Dauid: Except thy Law had bene my delight I should hauehave perished in my affliction. Psal. 19. 92.This word is Honie,Ezech. 3. 3. whereby all bitter tentations and crosses are sweetened to the child of God.Ier. 5. 14. This word is Fire, whereby the child of God is purged.Ier. 23. 29. This word is a Hammer, whereby the proud and hard heart of man with his loftie foolish affections is broken and brought low. This word is a Sword,Esay 49. 2. yea a two edged sword, by the which the children of God are first spiritually wounded,Eph. 3. 17. Reu. 19. 15. and then happily healed.Ezech. 4. 7. 12. This word is a Medicine, whereby all the sicknesse, and sores of Gods children are cured: yea this word of God which is that onelyonly lanterne, which directes the steps of Gods child, yea that onelyonly Law of God,Psal. 119. 1. whereby he rules his children:Ibid. that onelyonly testimonie of God whereby he reuealeth to mans will concerning his glorie, and mans saluation. The onelyonly Way of God,Ibid. wherein he will hauehave vsus to walke, if we would walke with him here, and rest with him hereafter. The onelyonly Precept of God, whereby he informeth vsus concerning these things he would hauehave vsus his children to do.Ibid. Yea, this lanterne, is the Statures of God, whereby our God prescribeth vntounto his people the Iewes, vnderunder the pedigree of the Law, these outward Ceremonies which they behoued to obserue in the worshipping of him, not onelyonly to the end that by them they might be furthered in the inward and onelyonly true worship of his name, but discerned from the rest of the world aud knowne for his people.Ibid. It is the Commandement of God, whereby his Maiestie commands these things his children should embrace, and forbiddes these things they should eschew. It is the Iudgement of God,Ibib. acquainting his children with these punishments, God their Father hath appointed for such, who dare (abusing this lanterne of his word, and refusing to be led by it) attempt to walke in the broad way of wickednesse. Yea, this lanterne is stiled by the verie stile of the feare of the Lord,Psal. 19. 9. because it is out of this booke alone, and by this booke alone of the written word of God; God the maister, and teacher of his owne, teacheth them the same lesson of his sauing feare, whereby they are made to eschew euill, and to do good. Yea this lanterne,Psal. 19. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. which is also. The Law, the Testimonie, the Way, the Precept, the Statute, the Commandement, and the feare of the Lord: is so excellently excellent, that it is Perfect, conuerting the soule; that it is pure, giuing wisedome vntounto the simple; that it is right, reioycing the heart, that it is pure, giuing light to the eyes; that it is cleane, and endureth for euer; that it is true and righteous altogether: and therefore more to be desired then gold, yea, then most fine gold; sweeter also then the honie, and the honie combe; by the which the seruāt of God is made circumspect, and in keeping whereof there is great reward. Further I must tell thee, ô my soule, that this lanterne of the written word, set by God before his babes, for leading of them towards him; is so profitable for them, that it is able to redresse, and order the way of a very yong man,Psal. 119. 9. raging in the feauer of his furious lusts: if he can be content to take heede to it, and to be led by it. That it is able so to strengthen the babe of God, that he cannot sinne against his God, prouiding he keepe this lanterne in the estate of his heart.Ibid. 10. 11. And no wonder, for where this Lanterne is looked vntounto, and followed; it proues a counsellor to all such as followes it, making them wise to eschew euill and to do good. And in a word,Ibid. 24. this Lanterne is the onelyonly comfort, delight, and meditation, yea, the verie ioy of the hearts,Ibid. 50. 92 and heritage of the children of God; making them stand vnderunder,97. 111. 148. 162. and against all troubles; and therfore they shaking off all drowsinesse, securitie can preuent the night wiches to meditate therein, reioycing more in it then that man doth who hath found a spoile. From my heart I wish, that the Preachers, and professors of this time could beginne to thinke of this lanterne of the word, directing Gods babes towards heauen,Aug. as Augustine thought, and write of it long ago: Doctrina Apostolica tamsalubris est, atque vtilis; vt pro capacitate vtentium neminem sui exhortem relinquat quia siue paruuli siue magni, siue infirmi siue fortes, habent in ea vnde alantur, vnde satientur. The doctrine of the Apostles, is so wholesome and profitable, that according to the capacitie of these who vse it, it leaues no man without profiting by it; because in it, be men yong, be they old, be they weake, be they strong, they hauehave whereupon they may feede, and with the which they may be filled. Oh, Lord God, when shall the loose Christians of this last age be enlightened, and quickened in soule by thy Maiestie, in merciemercy looking on their dead soules, in the face of thy well beloued Sonne, begin to account of that heauenly, and wholesome poole of thy sacred, and sauing word (now through the force of thy tender mercies towards vsus) running plentiously through euerie Citie, euerie village, euerie cottage? so that all persons of all rankes (blessed be thy Maiestie for thy kindnesse) may fully without feare (in season, and out of season) resort hnto it as these old Iewes accountd of that perishing poole of Bethsesda? which was not to be found but in the holy land, neither in it euerie where but in the tribe of Iudah; and that at Ieausalem onelyonly. I must confesse, ô my soule, that that Iewish dead poole of Bethsesda, in foure things resembled our Christian liuely poole of the blessed word of God, and yet, I dare affirme before God, Angels, and men, that our blessed poole of the word surmounteth that of Bethsesda, so farre in one thing, that if men could take it to heart; where one Iew esteemed of this poole, and resorted vntounto it, hundreth thousands should esteeme of this poole of Gods word; not onelyonly carefully resorting vntounto it, but induring all their life here, ioyfully delighting to dwell beside it. First, whatsoeuer disease bodily a man was subiect vntounto, that Iewish poole was able to cure: euen so, this our poole of the word of God is able to cure the sinner, of whatsoeuer spirituall sicknesse can ouertake his soule, by reason of anie sinne he can fall into. Secondly, as none could be cured in bodie by that Iewish poole, but such as stepped into it, and were wet there with; so impossible is it that any sinner can be freed from his sinnes by the meane of Gods word, till his soule be bedewed with it, and so till he be moued and perswaded to heare, beleeue, and obey it. Thirdly as that Iewish poole could not possibly cure so much as one mans bodie, till the Angell came downe and troubled the water of it; so this poole of the word cannot cure the soule of any sinner,1. Cor. 3. 6. 7. till that blessed vncreated Angell, euen the Spirit of the Father, and of his dearest Son come downe as it were to his soule, ioyning his inward vertue with his outward word, and that way striking the heart by his owne finger, as he striketh the eare by his truth. Fourthly, as among the Iewes no man knew when the Angell would come downe & trouble the water for curing of their diseased bodies, which moued the sicke persons, looking and longing for health, resorting to that poole, constantly to lye still at it, not departing for many dayes, weekes, moneths, yea yeares, as is manifest by the practise of that man who lay there 38. yeares. So amongst vsus Christians, there is neither Preacher nor hearer, king nor subiect, man nor woman, old nor yong, can possibly know what day, what houre, what minute that blessed Spirit of God will ioyne his force & vertue with that his word which is heard, making it effectuall to quicken the dead, to enlighten the blind, to conuert such as hauehave gone astray, to comfort the broken hearted, and to confirme those who stand. I would therefore aduise thee, ô my soule, if thou be sensible of thy spirituall wants, and if thou long to hauehave them supplied, to resort thither where thou mayest heare his word, crying to thy God with Dauid. Psal. 27. 4.One thing hauehave I desired of the Lord, that I will require, euen that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the dayes of my life, to behold the beautie of the Lord, and to visit his temple. Yea, it were good, ô my soule, in this respect that thou resolued with Anna, Luk. 2. 36. 37.that religious old widow neuer to go out of his Temple, but to serue him there with fasting and prayer night and day. But, ô my soule, lift vp thy selfe on high, and hearken euen with greedinesse, I pray thee, to the end thou mayest heare, and consider that one thing, yea, that incomparable, profitable one thing, wherein this heauenly poole of Gods word, accompanied by his Spirit, excelleth, yea, surmounteth that visible Iewish poole of Bethesda. Could that Iewish poole, ô my soule, euen being troubled by the Angell, possibly cure moe at once, or one onelyonly? one onelyonly, for no moe at one time were cured by it, beside that person who first stepped in after the troubling of it, as the Scripture testifieth. But as for our poole of the Word (blessed be that God who hath inriched and honored thee, ô my soule, with it) it can cure and make whole at one time scores, hundreths, thousands, diseased in soule, what euer sinnes they hauehave committed. O Peter, the healing streames of this curing poole did flow so abundantly out of thy mouth, that Spirit of Iesus thy Maister (who came downe vponupon thee in the day of Pentecost) ioyning his vertue with them, that not one soule onelyonly, nor ten, nor twentie, nor an hundreth, nor a thousand, but euen three thousand diseased, yea, dead soules were that day added vntounto the Church.Act. 2. 41. Could this be considered, ô my soule, ô how frequently, ô how busily, ô how ioyfully would men of all rankes and conditions resort to this blessed poole of the word of God! O how carefully and attentiuely would men, resorting to it with Cornelius, Act. 10. 33.hearken to it! yea, ô how earnestly would they in their chambers (awayting for the Spirit of God with the Apostles) pray for the spirit, to the end that his vertues being ioyned with that word, they resolue to heare in the publike congregation, they might hauehave their dead diseased soules cured and quickned thereby! Woe is me, woe is me, ô my soule, that so many enioying great peace, hauing neither forraine nor intestine enemies inuading them, should so grosly neglect this Lanterne of the good word of God setled among them, and shining so clearely before them, should refuse to eate with pleasure that nourishing quickening bread, and to drinke with delight in this their great peace, that refreshing strengthening wine offered to them by this Lanterne; wherewith besides this their peace, they are inriched and blessed by that great God, who is the sole giuer and continuer of spirituall and temporall blessings? When I begin to compare the 3. verse of the 8. of Deuteronomie with the 54. 55. 56. & 57. verses of the 28. of Deuteronomie, with the 28. and 29. verses of the 6. of the 2. of the Kings; with the 10. verse of the 4. of the Lamentations of Ieremie, and with the 11. and 12. verses of the 8. of Amos; I must deplore the deafenesse of the eares of men, refusing to heare, and the hardnesse of the hearts of men refusing to beleeue; and the leudnesse of the liues of men refusing to obey, that onelyonly louing true God, trauelling by the lanterne of his word to winne them from sinne to himselfe. Man liueth not by bread onelyonly, Deut. 8. 3.but by euerie word which proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord. Alwayes because man cannot be content willingly to embrace this bread of the word, to eate this bread of the word, and by faith ioyfully, not without a speciall sense and triumph to digest it. Alas, alas, that sweetest God of rarest mercies who delightes alwayes to benefit his owne, and cannot from his heart punish them, is compelled at length to make the tender and exceeding daintie husband,Lam. 3. 33. brother, father, mother, content when peace shall be farre from them, yea, when they shall be vnderunder bloudie warres, to eate euen with greedinesse the very flesh of their wiues, their brethren, and their children. Oh, ô my soule, when shall the eares of those who in this our great peace neglects, contemnes, and in a vowed manner mockes, that wholsome and healing bread, that comforting wine of the good word of God; lend with a hearing eare, an vnderstanding heart, to perceiue that which I finde written beside Ieremiah? Lam. 4. 10.The hands of the pitifull women hauehave sodden their owne children, which were their meate in the destruction of the daughter of my people. Yea, when shall that complaint made by that woman vntounto the king of Israel vponupon her sister, while Samaria was besiedged hardly by the king of Aram, be hearkened vntounto, be regarded by our contemners and mockers of that word of God? This woman said to me, 2. King. 6. 28. 29.giuegive thy sonnè that we may eate him to day, and we will eate my sonne to morrow; so we sod my sonne, and did eate him: and I said to her the day after, giuegive thy sonne that we may eate him to day, but she hath bid her sonne. Be wise, be wise, ô my soule, I pray thee, for he whom thy God hath once, out of vndeserued louelove and merciemercy, possessed with that bread and wine of his blessed word, being in Gods iustice for sinne depriued of it, shall with griefe of heart, bitter teares, and laborious paines, be compelled to seek after it: for is not this threatened, ô my soule, against the abuses of that food of the word by thy God: Behold the dayes commeth, Amos 8. 11. 12.saith the Lord, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine for bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the word of the Lord, and they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the North euen to the East shall they runne to and fro, to seeke the word of the Lord, and shall not finde it. These of the first world refuse in most stubborne manner, in the day of their peace, to drink in these sweetest waters of the cleansing and cooling word of God, distilling from the soft lippes of faithfull Noah, that painfull Preacher of righteousnesse. But alas, are they not compelled when their long abused peace is ended, and iustly turned in fearefull warre, not onelyonly to swallow in, but to be drowned in these deuouring waters of that fearefull deludge,Gen. 6. 7. 8. which they by their contempt of that sweetest Lanterne & bread of Gods word (louingly for the space of a hundredth and twentie yeares with manie grones and teares offered vntounto them) from the heauens brought vponupon themselues? Those yong men who should hauehave married Lots daughter, refuse tauntingly to admit that purging fire of Gods word, brought to their eares from God by the mouth of Lot, which had proued sufficiently able to hauehave saued them, if they had hearkened to him: and therefore consuming fire must come from the Lord (who cannot suffer his word and seruants to be mocked) to destroy them. Ierusalem hath that two edged sword drawne vntounto her by our sweetest Maister, and his painfull Apostles; first, to wound and lance her for her many grosse sinnes, and thereafter to cure her if she could hauehave beleeued and repented. But, alas, is not Ierusalem compelled within a few yeares afterward to see that strange sharpest bloudie sword of the Romane Emperour drawne against her ancients, her counsellers, her priests, her people, her infants, to her finall and most fearefull destruction, as by-gone ages these sixteene hundred yeares hath seene, and as we presently may heare? I tremble, I tremble, when I thinke vponupon this, ô my soule, and shake when looking vntounto God, I remember how gratiously, how mercifully, and how miraculously our God hath inriched this kingdome with that shining lanterne, that wholsome bread, and purest wine of his word, and that in despight of the subtiltie of the power, and of the diligence of hellish and earthly powers; so that no kingdome, no Prouince, nor Citie, in this earth had that Lanterne of Gods word more clearely, more purely shining among them, then Scotland had; and yet how grosly, and in a vowed vnnaturall maner, as if that Booke of God had neuer bene seene, or hard by vsus, do men giuegive ouer themselues to the committing of those sinnes which were neuer committed by the very Gentiles, who had no such Lanterne to direct them but were left to the direction of blind nature altogether? And therefore I must thinke, that not onelyonly shall we be depriued of this Lanterne, but beside it, of that peace we hauehave enioyed with it; hauing our rulers, our people, men, women, old, yong, cruelly cut in peeces with the bloudie sword of some mercilesse stranger dwelling abroad, or of some cruell brethren lodging amongst our selues; because we will not suffer our sinnes to be slaine by that sharpe shearing, and yet happily sauing sword of that good word of God our mercifull Father.