Death Judgment Hell and Heaven, Part

Death Judgment Hell and Heaven · Part

p. 1ISA. XXVI. In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Iudah, &c.

WE have here in this Chapter, First, A Consolation for GODS people in the time of their Captivity. The Summe whereof is this: Though all things seeme to threaten ruine, and tend towards confusion; yet the issue wilbe, that GOD will most mercifully rescue and relieve His owne; who afterwards, will not onelyonly themselves acknowledge p. 2and magnifie His miraculous hand in their preservation and support, but also stirre up others to rely wholly upon that mighty LORD, that never did, or ever will faile or forsake any that put their trust in Him. In the seven first Verses.

Secondly, An Institution or Instruction, How the godly should carie themselves in the time of crosses and chastisements; and what difference there is betweene them and the gracelesse in such Cases. From Ver. 7▪ to the end.

In the first Part we may take notice, and into our consideration these three Points.

1. Provision of a comfortable Song for the people to carie with them, as it were into Captivity, and the fiery Triall; that in the midst of their pressures they might be eased and refresht with a conceit, that the Day would come, wherein they should joyfully sing the song of enlargement, and salvation, Ver. 1. Though when they sate downe by the rivers of Babylon, their hearts would not serve them to sing any Song of Zion, but fell asunder in their brests like drops of water, yet assuredly, all GODS faithfull Ones, who believed His Prophet and Promises, would in the meane time secretly sweeten their sorrowes and sufferings, with a patient expectation of this happy Day, and heavenly mirth.

2. The Song it selfe, Ver. 1, 2, 3. Wherein we may consider, 1. The Time, when the Song shall be sung: In that Day] which we may vnderstand, 1. Historically, literally, typically, of the Israelites deliverance out of Babylon, and the miserable p. 3slavery thereof. 2. Anti-typically, of the blessed enlargement of GODS Elect out of the snares and bondage of the Devill. 3. And mystically also, as some Divines thinke, of the joyfull coming of Christians out of spirituall Babylon, Rev. 17. 5. and from under the tyrannie of Antichrist. 4. Complementally, of gathering the Saints out of this vale of teares, and from the eager pursuit of that great red Dragon, and the powers of darknesse, into Ierusalem which is above, where they shall joyfully sing triumphant Halelujahs in the highest heaven for ever and ever, Galat. 4. 26. 2. The Matter of the Song; which is, Salvation, Ver. 1. Peace; Ver. 3. Holy company, Ver. 2. Pure pleasure, comfort, sound contentment, &c.

3. An Exhortation, or exhortatory apostrophe, to trust in Iehovah. And there is added, for ever; lest upon Gods delay, and respiting reliefe, we should despaire, or have recourse unto the arme of flesh. Reasons to enforce this exhortation are three. 1. In Him is foreign rupes saeculorum, everlasting strength, Ver. 3. A rocke of eternity, upon which we may for ever sweetly and safely rest and repose our selves, amidst the many furious storms and boisterous waves of this troublesome world. 2. He is able to tame, take downe, and trample in the mire, the insolency and pride of the most raging persecutors, Ver. 5. And to raise His, though never so low and languishing, to set them upon a Rocke of safety and salvation for ever, and to give them the neckes of their enemies to tread upon, Verse 6. 3. Hee weighes and watches over p. 4the waies of the just, Verse 7. See Ieremie 17. 7.

Now whereas the Prophet in the first place doth furnish the people of GOD before hand with a strong counter▪comfort and cordiall against their faintings in the furnace of affliction, we may thence be instructed; that,

DOCT. It is an holy wisdome, and happy thing to treasure up comfortable provision against the Day of calamity.

It is good counsell, and a blessed course, to store up comfort against the evill Day.

He that gathereth in Summer, (saith Salomon) is a sonne of understanding: But he that sleepeth in Harvest, is a sonne of confusion, Prov. 10. 5. If not by an immediate sense, yet by a warrantable analogy and good consequent this Place will beare this Paraphrase.

That man which now in this faire and seasonable Sun-shine of his gracious visitation is lull'd asleepe with the Syren-songs of these sensuall times upon the lap of pleasure; swims downe the temporizing torrent of these last and lewdest daies with full saile of prosperity and ease, against the secret wasts and counter-blasts (as it were) of a reclaiming conscience, as thousands do, to their utter undoing for ever; mis-spends his golden time, and many goodly opportunities of gathering spirituall Manna, in grasping gold, gathering wealth, growing great, greatning his posterity, clasping about the arme of flesh, satisfying the appetite, and serving himselfe: In a word, he that while it is called To day, turnes not on Gods side, and by forwardnesse p. 5and fruitfulnesse in His blessed waies, treasures up comfort and grace against his ending houre, shall most certainly upon his bed of death, and illumination of conscience, find nothing but horrible confusion and feare, extremest horrour, and insupportable heauinesse of heart: his soule must presently downe into the kingdome of darknesse, and bottome of the burning lake, there to lie everlastingly in tempestuous and fiery torments, the sting and strength whereof doth not onelyonly surpasse the pens and tongues of Men and Angels, but the very conceipt of those that suffer them, which if a man knew, he would not endure one houre for all the pleasures of ten thousand worlds: His body (the pleasing and pampering whereof hath plunged him into such a sea of calamity and woe) must descend into the house of death, an habitation of blacknesse and cruelty: lie downe in a bed of dust and rottennesse covered with wormes, guarded and kept full sure by the Prince and powers of darknesse unto the judgement of the great Day: and then the whole man must become the woful object, of the extremity and everlastingnesse of that fiercest and unquenchable wrath, which, like infinite rivers of brimstone, will feed upon his soule and flesh, without remedie, ease, or end.

But that happy man, which in the short summers day of his miserable and mortall life, gathers grace with an holy greedinesse, plies the noble trade of Christianity with resolution and vndauntednesse of spirit, against the boisterous current and p. 6corruptions of the times; growes in godlinesse, GODS favour, and fruits of good life; purchases and preserves (though with the losse of all earthly delights) peace of conscience, one of the richest treasures and rarest jewels that euer illightened and made lightsome the heart of man in this world: I say that man, though never so contemptible in the eyes of the worldly wise; though never so scornfully trod upon and overslowne by the tyranny and swelling pride of those ambitious selfe-flattering Giants, who, like mighty winds, when they have blustered a while, breathe out into naught, shall most certainly upon his dying-bed meet with a glorious troupe of blessed Angels, ready and rejoycing to guard and conduct his departing Soule into his Masters joy. His body shalbe preserved in the grave by the all-powerfull providence, as in a Cabinet of rest and sweetest sleepe, perfumed by the buriall of our blessed SAVIOVR, untill the glorious appearing of the great GOD. And then, after their joyfullest re-union, they shall both be filled, and shine thorow all eternity, with such glory and blisse, which in sweetnesse and excellency doth infinitely exceed the possibility of all humane or Angelicall**Quae lingua, vel quis intellectus cape…e sufficit illa superna civitatis quanta sint gaudia; Angelorum choris interesse, cum beatissimis spiritibus gloriae conditoris assistere, praesentem DE… vultum cernere, incircumscriptum lumen videre, nullo mortis metu affi…, incorruptionis perpetuae munere laetari, &c. Gregor. Hom. …7▪ in Evang. conceipt.

Thus you see in short, what a deale of confusion that miserable man heapes up for his precious Soule against the Day of wrath, which spends p. 7the span of his transitory life after the waies of his owne heart: and how truly he is a sonne of understanding, who in the few and evill daies of short abode upon earth, treasures up grace and spirituall riches against the dreadfull winter night of death.

For I would have you understand, that by comfortable provision] I meane not,

Lands, livings, or large possessions; I meane not wealth or riches: Alas! These will not profit in the day of wrath, Prov. 11. 4. They certainly make themselves wings, and in our greatest need, will flie away as an Eagle toward heaven, Prov. 23. 5.

I meane not silver or gold: they shall not be able to deliver in the Day of the Lords wrath, Zeph. 1. 18. Will he esteeme thy riches? no not gold, nor all the forces of strength, Iob 36. 19.

I meane not top of honour, or height of Place: this (without religion) serves onelyonly to make the downfall more desperate and remarkable. They are rais'd on hie, saith the very Poet, that their ruine may be more irrecoverable. But what do I meddle with the Poet? the Prophet is plaine and peremptory against the pride of ambition: Thy terriblenesse hath deceived thee, and the pride of thine heart: O thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rocke, that holdest the height of the hill: Though thou shouldest make thy nest as high as the Eagle, I will bring thee downe from thence, saith the Lord, Ier. 49. 16.

I meane not the arme of flesh, or Princely favours. Assuredly, that man which gratifies great Ones to the wounding of his conscience by the p. 8formall slavery of basenesse and insinuation, or any ill offices of ambitious servitude in feates of irreligious policy, in justice, cruelty, turning Turk and traitour to those that trusted him, &c. shall at last receive no other recompence of such abhorred villany, when divine vengeance begins to take him in hand, than that which justly fell upon Iudas (in the extremity of his anguish and sorrow) from the chiefe Priests and Elders, Matth. 27. 4. If ever great men, or earthly Potentates did take their slattering slaves out of the hands of GOD, at that highest Tribunall, or were able to free a guilty soule from eternall flames; it were something to grow rich, and rise by vile accommodations, and serving their turne in the meane time. But such a man s…all certenly (in the day of his last and greatest need) be cast with horrible confusion of spirit, and … griefe of heart, upon Wolsies rufull complaint, and cry out when it is too late: Had I beene as carefull … serve the GOD of heaven, as my great Master on earth; he had neuer left me in my gray haires. Favours of greatnesse may follow a man in faire weather, and shine upon his face with goodly hopes and expectation of great things, but in shipwracks even of worldly things, where all sinks, but the sorrow to save them; or especially upon the very first tempest of spirituall distresse, they steere away before the Sea and Wind, leaving him to sink or swim; without all possibility of helpe or rescue, even to the rage of a wounded conscience, and gulfe many times of that desperate madnesse, which the Prophet describes p. 9Isa. 8. 21, 22. He shall fret himselfe, and curse his King and his GOD, and looke upward. And he shall looke unto the earth: and behold trouble and darknesse, dimnesse of anguish, and he shalbe driven to darknesse.

By comfortable Provision therefore, I meane treasures of a more high, lasting, and noble nature: The blessings of a better life, comforts of godlinesse, graces of salvation, favour and acceptation with the highest Majesty, &c. They are the riches of heaven onelyonly which we should so hoard up, and will ever hold out in the times of trouble, and Day of the Lords wrath. Amongst which, a sound faith, and a cleare conscience are the most peerlesse and unvaluable jewels; able by their native puissance, and infused vigour, to pull the very heart (as it were) out of Hell, and with confidence and conquest to looke even Death and the Devill in the face. There is no darknesse so desolate, no crosse so cutting, but the splendor of these is able to illighten, their sweetnesse to mollifie.

So that the blessed counsell of CHRIST, Mat. 6. 19, 20. doth concurre with, and confirme this Point: Lay not up for your selves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt; and where theeves breake thorow and steale. But lay vp for your selves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where theeues do not breake thorow, nor steale.

By moth and rust those two greedy and great devourers of gay clothes, and glistering treasures, two capitall vanities upon which worldlings dote, and two greatest inchanters of mortall men, are insinuated, p. 10and signified unto us all those iron teeth, and devouring instruments of mortality, by which corruption eats into the heart of all earthly glory, wasts insensibly the bowels of the greatest bravery, and ever at length consumes into dust the strongest sinewes of the most Imperiall Soveraignty under the Sun. Somtimes, A day, an houre, Dies, hora, momentum, evertendisdominationibus su…icit, quae adamantinis credebantur radicibus esse fundatae. Casaub. Repentè quidem alta seculi co…unt, pulchra transe…nt. Nam cum stare in his floribus suis mundus cernitur, repentinâ fortunâ turbat…: aut festinâ, & omnia deturbante morte cōcluditur. Vana ergò sunt gaudia seculi, quae quasi manentia blandiuntur: sed amatores suos, citò transeundo decipiunt. Greg. in 1 Reg. Cap. 11.a moment, is enough to overturne the things, that seemed to have been founded and rooted in Adamant. The LORD of Heaven hath put a fraile and mortall nature, a weake and dying disposition into all worldly things. They spring and flourish, and die. Even the greatest and goodliest Politique Bodies that ever the earth bore, though animated with the searching spirit of profoundest Policy; strengthened with the resolution and valour of the most conquering commanders, sighted with eagle eyes of largest depths, fore-sights and comprehensions of state, crowned with never so many warlike prosperities, triumphs and victorious atchievements, yet like the naturall Body of a man, they had, as it were, their Infancy, youthfull strength, mans state, old age, and at last, their grave. We may see Dan. 2. 35. The glory and power of the mightiest Monarchies that ever the Sun saw, shadowed by Nebuchadnezzars great Image, sink into the dust, and become like the chaffe of the Summers threshing floores; upon a windy day.VntoUnto all Dominions GOD hath set their periods: who, though he hath giuen to man the knowledge of those waies, by which kingdomes rise and fall; yet hath le…t him subiect vntounto the affections which draw on these fatall changes in their times appointed. S^r Walter Rawleigh P. 1. Lib. 5. Cap. 3. Sect. 13▪ p. 11Heare a wise and noble writer speaking to this purpose, though for another purpose: Who hath not observed, what labour, what practice, perill, bloud-shed, and cruelty, the Kings and Princes of the world have undergone, exercised, taken on them, and committed; to make themselves and their issues Masters of the world? And yet hath Babylon, Persia, Egypt, Syria, Macedon,The ruine of the goodliest Peeces of the world, f…re▪ shewes the dissolution os the whole. Carthage, Rome, and the rest, no fruit, flower, grasse or leafe, springing upon the face of the earth, of those seeds: No, their very roots and ruines do hardly remaine. All that the hand of man can make, is either over-turned by the hand of man; or at length by standing and continuing consumed. What trust then or true comfort in the arme of flesh, humane greatnesse, or earthly treasures? What strength or stay in such broken staves of reed? In the time of need, the Worme of vanity will wast and wither them all, like Ionahs gourd; and leave our naked soules to the open rage of wind and weather; to the scourges and Scorpions of guiltinesse and feare. It transcends the Sphere of their activity, as they say, and passeth their power to satisfie an immortall soule, to comfort thorow the length of eternity; either to corrupt or conquer any spirituall adversaries. For couldest thou purchase unto thy selfe a Monopoly of all the wealth in the world; wert thou able to empty the Westerne parts of gold; and the East of all her spices, and precious things; shouldest thou enclose the whole face of the earth from one end of heaven to another, and fill this wide worlds circumference with golden heapes and hoards of pearle: diddest thou in the p. 12meane time sit at the sterne, and hold the reines in thine hand of all earthly kingdomes, nay, exalt thy selfe as the Eagle, and set thy nest among the starres; nay, like the sun of the morning advance thy Throne even above the starres of God; yet all these, and whatsoever els thou canst imagine, to make thy worldly happinesse compleate and matchlesse, would not be worth a button unto thee upon thy bed of death, nor do thee a halfe-penny-worth of good in the horrour of that dreadfull time. Where did that man dwell, or of what cloth was his coat made, that was ever comforted by his goods, greatnesse, or great men, in that last and sorest conflict? In his wrastlings with the accusations of conscience, terrours of death, and oppositions of hell? No, no: It is matter of a more heavenly metall, treasures of an higher temper, riches of a nobler nature, that must hold out, and helpe in the distresses of soule, in the anguish of conscience, in the houre of death, against the stings of sinne, wrath of GOD, and last Tribunall. Do you think that ever any glorified soule did gaze with delight upon the wedge of gold, that tramples under foot the Sun, and lookes All-mighty GOD in the face? No, no: It is the society of holy Angels, and blessed Saints, the sweet Communion with its dearest Spouse, that unapproachable light which crownes GODS sacred Throne, the beauty and brightnesse of that most glorious Place, the shining Body of the SONNE of GOD, the beatificall fruition of the Deity it selfe, the depth of Eternity, and the like everlasting Fountaines of spirituall p. 13ravishment and joy, which onelyonly can feed and fill the restlesse and infinite appetite of that immortall Thing with fulnesse of contentment, and fresh pleasures, world without end.

Thrice blessed and sweet then is the advice of our Lord and Master IESVS CHRIST, who would have us to turne the eye of our delight, and eagernesse of affection from the fading glosse, and painted glory of earthly treasures; wherein naturally the worme of corruption and vanity ever breeds, and many times the worme of an evill conscience attends; the one of which eats out their heart when we expect an harvest; The other seizes upon the Soule in the time of sorrow, and sinks it into the lowest hell: And as Men of GOD, and Sonnes of Wisdome, to mount our thoughts, and raise our spirits, and bend our affections to things above; which are as farre from diminution and decay, as the Soule from death; and can be no more corrupted or shaken, than the Seat and Omnipotency of GOD surprised. For, besides that, they infinitely surpasse in eminency of worth and sweetnesse of pleasure, the comprehension of the largest heart, and expression of any Angels tongue; they also out-last the dayes of heaven, and run parallell with the life of GOD, and line of Eternity. As we see the Fountaine of all materiall light to powre out his beames, and shining abundantly every day upon the world without wearinesse, emptinesse, or end; so, and incomparably more doth joy and peace, glory and blisse, spring and plentifully flow every moment with fresh p. 14streames from the face of the Father of Lights upon all His holy ones in heaven, and that everlastingly. O blessed then shall we be upon our beds of death, if (following the counsell of our dearest LORD, who shed the most precious and warmest bloud in His heart to bring our soules out of hell) we treasure ap now in the meane time, heavenly hoards which will ever happily hold out, a stocke of grace, which never shrinks in the wetting, but abides the triall of the spirit, and touch-stone of the Word in all times of danger, and Day of the LORD: even that accurate, circumspect, and precise walking, pressed upon us by the Apostle, Eph. 5. 15. Though pestilently persecuted and plagued by the enemies of GOD in all ages: And that purity which Saint Iohn makes a property of every true-hearted Professour, 1 Iohn 3. 3. So much opposed and bitterly opprest by the world; and yet, without which none of us shall ever see the face of GOD with comfort. If while it is called To Day, we make our peace with His heavenly Highnesse, by an humble continued exercise of repentance; by standing valiantly on His side; by holding an holy acquaintance at His mercifull Throne with a mighty importunity of prayer, and godly conversation above; by ever offering up unto Him in the armes of our Faith (when he is angry) the bleeding Body of His owne crucified SONNE, never giving Him over, or any rest, untill He bepleased to register and enroll the remission of our sinnes in the Booke of Life, with the bloudy lines of CHRISTS Soule-saving sufferings, and golden p. 15characters of His owne eternall love. If now, before we appeare at the dreadfull Tribunall of the euer-living GOD, (and little know we whose turne is next) we make our friends in the Court of Heaven: the blessed Angels, in procuring their joy and love, by a visible constancy in the fruits, teares, and truth of a sound conversion. The Spirit of comfort by a ready and reverent entertainment of His holy Motions and inspirations of grace: the Sonne and Heire of the King of glory, the Foundation and Fountaine of all our Blisse, in this world and the world to come: from whose meritorious bloud shed and blessed mediation arise all those flouds of mercy and favour, which refresh our Soules in this vale of teares; and also those unknown bottomlesse seas of pleasure, peace and all unspeakable delights, which will superabound, and overflow with new and fresh sweetnesse for ever and ever in the Paradise of GOD. Blessed are they, that ever they were borne, who have already got Him their Advocate at the right hand of His Father. For, besides many other glorious priviledges thereby, in all their exigents and extremities, they may be ever welcome to the Seat of mercy, and be sure to speed. If a man had a suit unto the King, it were a comfortable and happy thing to find a friend in Court. But if the Kings speciall and choisest Favourite; nay, His own only Son were his Intercessour; how confident would he be to prevaile and prosper, to conquer his opposites, and crowne his desires? Why then should any poore Christian be discomforted p. 16and cast downe: nay, why should he not be extraordinarily raised and ravished in spirit with much joyfull hope, and sweet assurance, when he throwes himselfe downe at the Throne of grace; sith the dearest Sonne of the eternall GOD, the Heire of heaven and earth, the Mediator of the great Covenant of endlesse salvation is his Advocate at the hand of His All-mighty Father in the most high and glorious Court of Heaven? Wherefore when an humbled soule, and trembling spirit is sore troubled, and almost turned backe from his purpose of prayer, and prostration at the foot of heavenly Majesty, by entertaining before hand a feeling apprehension of his owne abhorred vilenesse, and the holy purity of GODS all-seeing and searching eye, which cannot looke on iniquity; let this consideration comfort and breed confidence, that IESVS CHRIST the Son of GODS love doth sollicite and tender the suit, who out of His owne sense and sympathy of such like troubles and temptations, doth deale for us with a true, a naturall, and a sensible touch of compassionatenesse and mercy. Shall that blessedHeb. 4. 1…. Luke 23. 34.Heb 4:1Luke 23:34 Saviour of ours call and cry for a pardon to His Father, for those which put Him to death; who were so farre from seeking unto him, that they sought and suckt his bloud; and shall He shut His eares against the groanes of thy grieved spirit, and heavy sighes of thy bleeding soule, who values one drop of His bloud at an higher price, than the worth of many worlds? It cannot be.

Thus that saying of Salomon, and this counsell p. 17of CHRIST makes good the truth of the Point, which may further appeare by these Reasons.

1. Taking this counsell betime, and hoarding up heavenly things in this harvest time of grace, mightily helps to asswage the smart, mollifie the bitternesse, and illighten the darknesse of the evill Day. It is soveraigne, and serves to take the venime, sting and teeth, out of any crosse, calamity, or distresse: and so preserves the heart from that raging hopelesse sorrow, which, like a devouring Harpie, dries up, dissolves, and destroyes the bloud, spirits, and life of all those who are destitute of such a divine Antidote. What vast difference may we discerne betweene Iob and Iudas; David and Achitophel, in the daies of evill? The two men of God being formerly enriched with his favour and familiarity, so behaved themselves, the one in the ship-wracke of his worldly happinesse, the other in the hazard of his Kingdome, as though they had not beene troubled at all: The LORDIob 1.Job 1 gave; and the LORD hath taken away, saith Iob, when all was gone, blessed be the name of the LORD. If I shall find favour in the eyes of the LORD, saith2 Sam. 15. 25. 26. 212 Sam 15:252 Sam 15:262 Sam 15:21 David, He will bring me againe, and shew me both it, and His habitation. But if He thus say, I have no delight in thee: behold, here am I, let Him do to me, as seemeth good unto Him. But the spirits of the other two false and rotten-hearted fellowes in the time of trouble were so overtaken, nay, over whelmed with griefe, that they both hanged themselves.

2. This holy providence before hand may p. 18happily prevent a great deale of restlesse impatiency, reprobate feares, forlorne distractions of spirit, hying to the caves, crying to the mountaines, bootlesse relying upon the arme of flesh; Cursing their King and their GOD, and looking upward, roaring out with hideous groanes; Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us shall dwell with the everlasting burnings? &c. All which desperate terrours and tumultuations of conscience are wont to surprize and seize upon unholy and unprepared hearts, especially when GODS hand is finally and implacably upon them.

3. And we shall hereby excellently honour and advance the glory of Profession; when it shall appeare to the world, and even the contraryminded are enforced to confesse; that there is a secret heavenly vigour, undauntednesse of spirit, and noblenesse of courage which mightily upholds the hearts of holy men in those times of confusion and feare, when theirs melt away within them like water, and be as the heart of a woman in her pangs. Worldlings wonder, and gnash the teeth hereat: When they see, as Chrysostome truly tels us, the Christian to differ from them in this; that he beares all crosses couragiously; and with the wings (as it were) of faith, out soares the height of all humane miseries. He is like a Rocke, incorporated into IESVS CHRIST, the Rocke of eternity, still erect inexpugnable, unshaken, though most furiously assaulted with the tempestuous waves of any worldly woe, or concurrent rage of all infernall powers. But all the imaginary p. 19man-hood of gracelesse men doth ever in the day of distresse either vanish into nothing, or dissolve into despaire.

4. Expression of spirituall strength in the time of trouble from former heavenly store, is a notable meanes to move others to enter into the same good way, and grow greedy after grace; to draw and allure them, to the entertainment and exercise of those ordinances, and that One necessary thing, which onelyonly can make them bold and unmooveable like Mount Zion in the day of adversity. I have knowne some, the first occasion of whose conversion, was, the observation of their stoutnesse and patience under oppressions and wrongs, whom they have purposely persecuted with extremest malice and hate. So blessed many times is the brave, resolute, and undaunted behaviour of GODS people in the time of triall, and amidst their forest sufferings, that it breeds in the hearts of beholders, thoughts even of admiration and love, nay a desire of imitation, and turning on the other side. When they represent to the eye of the world their ability to passe thorow the raging flames of fiery tongues untouched, to possesse their soules in peace, amidst scorpions, thornes, and rebels, to passe by basest indignities from basest men without wound or passion, to hold up their heads above water in the most boisterous tempests, and deepest seas of danger, to triumph over all adversary power in the evill day; I say, by GODS blessing, this may make many come in and glorifie GOD, marvelling and enquiring, p. 20whence such invincible fortitude, and bravenesse of spirit should spring; concluding with Nabuchadnezzar: Surely, The servants of the most high GOD. And so at length their affections may be so set on edge after the excellency and amiablenesse of IESVS CHRIST, who being, The mighty GOD, and The Lion of the Tribe of Iudah, doth alone inspire all His with such a Lion-like courage; that they may seriously and savingly seek His face and favour; saying with those, Cant. 5. 9. What is thy Beloved more than another Beloved, O thou fairest among women?—That we may seeke Him with thee. When they behold such a deale of Majesty and mi…th to shine in his face whom they make the marke of all their spitefull rage and revenge; their teeth with which they could have torne him in peeces, may water; and they industriously desire to know, what that is, which makes such a man so merry in all estates.

Vses▪ 1. This may serve to awaken and reprove all those secure and carelesse companions, who, if they may enjoy present contentment, and partake in the meane time of the prosperity and pleasures of the times, wherein they tumble themselves with insolency, luxury, and ease; take no thought, make no provision at all against a day of reckoning, provide no food against a foule day, treasure up no comfort against the LORDS coming, prepare no armour or aid for that last and dreadfull conflict upon their beds of death. Alas poore soules! Did they know and feelingly apprehend what a deale of horrour, astonishment p. 21and anguish dogs them continually at the heeles, ready and eager after a few daies of filthy and fugitive pleasures, to seize upon them like travaile upon a woman with child, suddenly, unavoidably, and in greatest extremity, and that so intolerable, that they shall never be able either to decline or endure, the very weakest biting of the never-dying worme, or the least sparkle of those everlasting flames; they would think all the daies of their life few enow to gather spirituall strength against that fearefull houre. Nay, some are such cruell caitifs and Cannibals to their owne soules, and so accursedly blinded by the Prince of darknesse, that instead of comfortable provision, they heape up wrath against the day of wrath; instead of grace, GODS favour, and a good conscience, peace, joy, and refreshing from the presence of the LORD, they lay up scourges, and Scorpions for their naked soules and guilty consciences against the time and terrour of the LORDS visitation. For, let them be most assured; all their lies, oathes, rotten and railing speeches; all their covetous, lustfull, ambitious and malicious thoughts; all their swaggering and furious combinations against GODS people, sensuall revellings, joviall meetings, &c. will all, When their feare commeth as desolation, and their destruction commeth as a whirlewind, like so many envenimed stings, run into their sinfull soules, and pierce them thorow with everlasting sorrow. Alas! What will the sonnes and daughters of pleasure do then? And all those spirituall beggers and bankerupts, who have greedily p. 22hunted, all their life long after these mortall things of this life, as if their soules had beene therein immortall; and utterly neglected those things which are immortall, as if their selves after the world had been but mortall? What do you think wilbe their thoughts upon the very first approach of the Port of death, to which in the meane time all winds drive them? Fullsad, and heavy thoughts (LORD thou knowest) then at leisure enough to reflect severely upon their former folly, though formerly beaten from them by their health and outward happinesse, and will pay them to the uttermost for all the pleasing passages of their life past. O then they shall lie upon their last beds like Wild Buls in a net, full of the fury of the LORD; And in the morning they shall say, would GOD it were even: and at even they shall say, would GOD it were morning, for the feare of their heart wherewith they shall feare, and for the sight of their eyes, which they shall s…e. Then (though too late) will they lamentably cry out and complaine: What hath pride profited us? Or what good hath riches with our vaunting brought us? All those things are passed away like a shadow, and as a Poste that hast…th by. And as a ship that passeth over the waves of the water, and when it is gone by, the trace thereof cannot be found: neither the path-way of the keele in the waves. Or as when a bird hath flowne thorow the aire, there is no token of her way to be found, but the light aire being beaten with the stroke of her wings, and parted with the violent noise, and motion of them, is passed …horow, and therein afterwards no signe where she went p. 23is to be found. Or like as when an arrow is shot at a marke, it parteth the aire, which immediately commeth together againe; so that a man cannot know where it went thorow: Even so we in like manner, assoone as we were borne, began to draw to our end, and had no signe of vertue to shew: but we consumed in our owne wickednesse. For the hope of the ungodly is like dust, that is blowne away with the wind, like a thin froth that is driven away with the storme. like as the smoke which is dispersed here and there with a tempest, and passeth away as the remembrance of a guest that tarieth but a day. If a Minister who labours industriously all his life long, to worke upon such as sit under him every Sabbath; Of which, some all the while preferre some base lust before the LORD IESVS: others will not out of their formality to the forwardnesse of the Saints, do what he can, or presse he them never so punctually and upon purpose; I say, if it were possible, that he might talke with any of them, some two houres after they had been in hell: Oh! How should he find the case altered with them? How would they then roare, because they had dis-regarded his Ministry? What would they not give to have a grant from GOD, to trie them in hearing but one Sermon more? How would they teare their haire, gnash the teeth, and bite their nailes, that they had not listened more seriously, and taken more sensibly to heart those many heavenly instructions, spirituall discoveries, secret (but well understood) intimations, that their state to GOD-ward was starke naught, by which he sought with much earnestnesse and p. 24zeale, even to the wasting of his bloud and life, to save the bloud of their soules? And yet for all this, you will not be warned in time, charme the charmers never so wisely: But some of you sit here before us from day to day, as senslesse of those things which most deeply and dearely concerne the eternall ruine, or welfare of your precious soules, as the sea…es upon which you sit, the pillars you leane unto; nay, the dead bodies you tread upon: others looking towards heaven afarre off, and professing a little, sit before us as though they were right and truly religious; and they heare our words, but they will not do them: For with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousnesse. And loe, we are unto them, as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: For they heare our words, but they do them not. They are friends to the better side, may go farre, and even suffer somtimes in good causes, &c. But let us once touch them in point of commodity, about their enclosures, immoderate plungings into worldly affaires, detaining Church-dues, usury, and other dishonest gaine, and base niggardise; If out of griefe of heart for their shaming Religion, exposing the Gospell of IESVS CHRIST to blasphemy, and …dening others against Profession, we meddle with their fashions, their pride, their worldlymindednesse, and conforming to the world almost in every thing, save onelyonly some religious formes; If we presse them more particularly upon danger of damnation to more holy strictnesse, precisenesse p. 25and zeale, knowing too well, by long observation and acquaintance, that they never yet passed the perfections of formall Professours, and foolish Virgins: Alas! We then find by too much wofull experience; if they politikely bite it not in, that this faithfull dealing doth marvellously discontent them; and these precious Balmes do break their heads with a witnesse, and make the bloud run about their eares; whereupon they are wont to fall upon us more foule, (such true Pharisees are they) than would either the drunkard or good-fellow, the Publicans and harlots do in such cases: they presently swelling with much passionate heat, proud indignation, disdaine, and impatiency to be reform'd, have recourse to such weake and carnall cavils, contradictions, exceptions, excuses and raving; that in nothing more do they discover to every judicious man of GOD, or any who doth not flatter them, or whom they do not blinde with their entertainments and bounty, or delude with painted pretences, and art of seeming, their formality, and false-heartednesse. And yet, as they are characteriz'd Isa. 57. 2. They seeke the LORD daily, and delight to know his waies, as a nation that did righteousnesse, and forsooke not the ordinance of their GOD: they aske of Him the ordinances of justice: they take delight in approaching to GOD: They may have divine Ordinances on foot in their families, entertaine GODS people at their Tables, fast and afflict their soules upon dayes of humiliation, as appeares in the fore-cited Chapter, Verse 3. Heare the word gladly, with Hero…; and p. 26with much respect and acceptation observe the messenger, &c. But they will not stirre an inch further from the World, or nearer to GOD, say what he will, let him preach out his heart, as they say. They will not abate one jot of their over-eager pursuit after the things of this life, or wagg one foot out of the un-zealous plodding course of formall Christianity; no, not for the Sermons, perhaps of twenty yeares, and that from him who hath all the while laboured faithfully so farre to illighten them, as that they might not depart this life with hope of heaven; and then with the foolish Virgins, fall (utterly against all expectation, both of themselves and others) into the bottomlesse pit of hell. O quàm multi cum hac spead aeternos labores, & bella descendunt! How many (saith one) go to hell with a vaine hope of heaven; whose chiefest cause of damnation is their false perswasion, and groundlesse presumption of salvation! Well, be it either the one, or the other; the besotted sensualist, or selfe-deluding formalist, could we speake with them upon their beds of death (their consciences awaked) or the day after they were damned in hell; we should find them then, though in the meane time they suffer many sowre apprehensions to arise in their hearts against us, in a much altered tune and temper. Then would they with much amazednesse and terrible feare, yell out those now too late hideous complaints: We fooles counted his life madnesse, &c. we wearied our selves in the way of wickednesse and destruction, &c. What hath pride profited us? &c. Then would they curse all p. 27dawbers, and justifie all downe-right dealers: contemptSe… Basil. Tom. 1. Pag. 469. of whose counsell, would now cut in peeces their very heart-strings with restlesse anguish and horrour, and mightily strengthen the never-dying worme; whereby the enraged soule will thrust its owne hands, as it were, into its owne bowels, and teare open the very fountaine of life and sense to feed upon it selfe. For, the worme of conscience (say Divines) is onelyonly a continuall remorse and furious reflexion of the so…le upon its owne wilfull folly, and thereby the wofull misery it hath brought upon it selfe.

2. This may serve to stirre up all the sonnes and daughters of wisdome to hoard up with all holy greedinesse, instead of earthly pelfe, transitory toyes and shining clay, the rich and lasting treasures of divine wealth and immortall graces. For, these heavenly jewels purchased with CHRISTS bloud, and planted in the heart by the omnipotent hand of the HOLY GHOST, will shine comfortably upon our soules with beames of blessednesse and peace, amid all the miseries and confusions, the darknesse and most desperate dangers of this present life: nay, in the very valley of the shadow of death, their splendour and spirituall glory will not onelyonly dissolve, and dispell all mists of horrour which can possibly arise from the apprehension of hell, the grave, those last dreadfull pangs, or any other terrible thing; but also illighten, conduct and carie us triumphantly thorow the abhorred confines of the King of feare upon the wings of joy, and in the armes of Angels, to unapproachable light, p. 28unknowne pleasures, and endlesse blisse. It may be, as yet, thou standest upright without any changes, unstir'd in thy state by any adverse storme, supposing thy mountaine so strong, that thou shalt never be mooved. Thus long perhaps the Allmighty hath beene with thee: His candle hath shined upon thy head, and His patient providence rested with all favour and successe upon thy Tabernacle; so that hitherto thou hast seene no dayes of sorrow; but even washed thy steps with butter, and the rocke hath powred thee out rivers of oyle, &c. Yet for all this, the day may come, before thou die, that thou maist be stript of all, and become as poore as Iob, as they say, by fire, robbery, suretiship, ship-wracke, the destroying sword, desolations of war, or by the hand of GOD in some other kind; Even, A day, an houre, a moment (saith one) is Dies, …, momentum, evertendis dominationibus sufficit, quae adamantinis credebantur radicibus esse funda…ae. Casaub.enough to over-turne the things that seemed to have beene founded and rooted in adamant: Labour therefore industriously before-hand so to furnish and fortifie thine heart with patience, noblenesse of spirit, Christian fortitude, the mightinesse of Iobs faith, Cap. 13. 15. And his manifold integrities, Cap. 31. That if such an evill day should come upon thee (and who can looke for exemption when he lookes upon Iobs affliction) thou maist with an unrepining submission to GODS good providence and pleasure, take up his sweetest resolution and repose: Naked came I out of my mothers wombe, Iob 1. 11.Job 1:11and naked shall I returne thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away, blessed be the name of the LORD. Though, as yet, by a miracle of p. 29rarest mercy, calmnesse and serenity rest upon the firmament of our state; yet who knowes how soone, especially, sith many of GODS dearest servants beyond the seas have lyen so long in teares and bloud, some dismall cloud and tempestuous storme may arise out of the hellish …ogs of our many hainous sinnes and crying abominations, and breake out upon us, and that with greater terrour, and farre more horribly, by reason of the unexpectednesse and our present desperate security: Though the Sun of the Gospell, and glory of a matchlesse Ministry shine yet full faire among us in the Meridian of our peace and prosperous daies, yet little know we, how soone and suddenly it may decline and set in a sea of confusion, calamity and woe: And therefore hoard up greedily in the meane time, and while the Sun shines, a rich treasury of saving knowledge, grace and good life; that if need require, thou maist then resolutely reply with blessed Paul against all contradictions and temptations to the contrary: I am ready not to be Acts 28. 13.Acts 28:13bound onelyonly, but also to die for the name of the LORD IESVS: Though at this present thou doest perhaps with much sweet contentment enjoy thy GOD comfortably, and His pleased face; many heavenly deawes of spirituall joy, glorious refreshings, and abundance of spirituall delights fall upon thy soule from the Throne of mercy every time thou commest neare Him; Thou canst say unto thy Dearest out of thy present feeling, I am Cant. 6. 13.Song 6:13my Beloveds, and my Beloved is mine, and in some good measure keepe a part with the Saints of old, p. 30in such victorious and triumphant Songs as these▪ Oh that my words were now written, Oh that they were Iob 19. 23▪ 24, 25.Job 19:23Job 19:24Job 19:25printed in a booke! That they were graven with an iron pen and lead, in the rocke for ever. For, I know that my Redeemer liveth, &c. We will not feare, Psal. 46. 2, 3.Ps 46:2Ps 46:3though the earth be remooved: and though the mountaines be carried into the middest of the sea: though the waters thereof roare, and be troubled, though the mountaines shake with the swelling thereof. Selah. I am perswaded that neither death nor life, nor Angels, Rom. …. 38.nor principalities, nor powers, &c. Yet for all this, that onelyonly wise GOD of thine may hereafter for some cause seeming good to Himselfe, and for thy good, with-draw from thee the light of His countenance, and sense of His love, and leave thee for a time to the darknesse of thine owne spirit, and Satans …orest temptations, &c. Ply therefore in this prosperity of thy soule all blessed meanes; the Ministry, Sacraments, Prayer, Conference, Meditations, humiliation-dayes, holinesse of life, clearenesse of conscience, watching over thy heart, walking with GOD, sanctified use of afflictions, experimentall observation of GODS dealings with thee from time to time, workes of justice, mercy, and truth, &c. Thereby so to quicken, fortifie and steele thy faith, that in the bitterest extremity of thy spirituall distresse, thou maist be able to say with Iob, Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him, Iob 13. 15. A thousand crosses moe, calamities and troubles may over-take thee before thou takest thy leave of this vale of teares: It will be thy wisdome therefore, now in this calme to p. 31provide for a storme; to treasure up out of GODS Booke many mollifying medicines and soveraigne antidotes against all slavish and vexing forethought of them in the meane time, and their bitternesse when they shall come upon thee. Thou maist be assured, if thou be a sonne, thy heavenly Father will ever correct thee; 1. aa1 Pet. 1. 6.1 Pet 1:6Never before there be need: and alwayes in 2. bb…eb. 12. 9, 10. Isa. 2…. …6, &c.Isa 2:6Wisdome. 3. ccIsa. 27. 7, 8. And 28. 27, 28. …em 46. 28. 1 Cor. 10. 13.Isa 27:7Isa 27:81 Cor 10:13Measure. 4. ddProv. 3. 1…. Hebr. 12. 5, 6. Rev 3 1… Isa. 63 9. Psal 103. 13, 14 Hos. 11. 8, 9. Isa. 40. 11. And …. 13, 14, 15. And 54. 11. Psal. 56. 8.Prov 3:1Heb 12:5Heb 12:6Rev 3:1Isa 63:9Ps 103:13Ps 103:14Hos 11:8Hos 11:9Isa 40:11Ps 56:8Love and tendernesse. 5. For eePsal. 30. 5. & 103. 9 & 125▪ 3. Isa. 10. 25. And 54. 7, … And 57. 16. Ier. 3. 12. Mic▪ 7. 18.Ps 30:5Ps 103:9Ps 125:3Isa 10:25Jer 3:12Mic 7:18a moment onelyonly. 6. To ffDeut. 8. 2. P…alme 66. 10. Proverb. 17. 3. 1 Pet. 1. 6, 7. …am. 1. 2.Deut 8:21 Pet 1:61 Pet 1:7trie thee; what drosse of corruption, and what sound metall of grace is in thee. 7: To ggIsa 1. 25 And 4. 4. And 27. 9. Prov. 20. 30. Psal. 119. 67.Isa 1:25Prov 20:30Ps 119:67purge out sinne. 8. To hhDan. 11. 3… ▪ & 12. 10, Zech. 13. 9. 1 Pet. 1. 6, 7.Dan 11:3Dan 12:10Zech 13:91 Pet 1:61 Pet 1:7refine thee, and make the vertues of CHRIST in thee more shining and illustrious. 9. To iiIoh. 15 2. Rom. 5. 3, …, 5. Isa. 26. 9. Iam. 1. 2, 3.John 15:2Rom 5:3Rom 5:5Isa 26:9Jas 1:2Jas 1:3stirre up, quicken and increase all saving graces in thy soule. Of which see my Exposition upon the 26 Chapter of Isa. Amongst all the rest, Faith ever becomes most famous by afflictions. Witnesse that cloud of witnesses, Heb. 11, 10. To kkIob 5. 17. Iam. 1. 1…. And. 5. 1…. Psal. 94. 12.Job 5:17Jas 1:1Ps 94:12make thee blessed. 11. To ll1 Cor. 11. 32. 2 Cor 4. 17.1 Cor 11:322 Cor 4:17save thee. 12. And He mmIsa. 41. 10, 11, 12. And 43 2. Psal. 91. 1Isa 41:10Isa 41:11Isa 41:12Ps 91:1wilbe ever with thee in trouble. 13. He nnIob 5 18, 19. Psal. 34. 17, 18, 19. And. …0▪ 1…. And 91. 15.Job 5:18Job 5:19Ps 34:17Ps 34:18Ps 34:19will deliver thee. 14. Nay, and never was Gold-Smith more curious and precise to watch the very first season, when his gold is thorowly refined and fitted for use, that he may take it out of the fornace; than our gracious GOD ooIsa. 30. 18.Isa 30:18waits in such cases with an holy longing, that He may have mercy upon thee and deliver thee. But how soever, or whatsoever befall thee in this life, thou must upon p. 32necessity ere it be long, lie gasping for breath upon thy dying bed, and there graple hand to hand with the utmost and concurrent rage of all the powers of darknesse, and that king of feare attended with his terrours: and therefore let the whole course of thy life be a conscionable preparative to die comfortably: Suppose every Day thy last, and thereupon so behave thy selfe both in thy generall and particular calling, as though thou shouldest be called to an exact account at night for all things done in the flesh, before that last and highest Tribunall: In all thy thoughts, words, actions and undertakings in any kind, say thus unto thy selfe: would I do thus and thus, if I certenly knew the next houre to be my last: In a word, so live, that upon good ground thou maist bring Davids undaunted boldnesse to thy bed of death: Though I walke through the valley of the shadow of death, I will feare no evill.

Here, upon this seasonable occasion, give me leave to commend and tender unto you some speciall preparatives, rules, motives and meanes to furnish before hand, and fortifie your spirits against all future evils, and terrible things that are towards.

1. Treasure up richly and abundantly before hand the precepts, practice and experimentall sweetnesse of patience, that most usefull and precious vertue, which may serve (when time serves) as a soveraigne antidote, to abate, and abolish the sting and venime of all crosses, afflictions, and mortall miseries; and as a comfortable cordiall to p. 33support and hold up thy heart in the bitternesse and extremity of the sorest.

Mighty and miraculous was the worke of this glorious grace in blessed Iob. By its heavenly and invincible influence upon his humble soule, it did not onelyonly utterly extinguish (which was a very admirable and extraordinary thing) all that desperate anguish and slavish griefe, which such variety and extremity of greatest miseries, that ever befell any mortall man, would have naturally bred in the hopelesse hearts of impatient worldlings; least of which is many times enough to drive them to despaire and selfe-destruction; but also **Quanta adversus eum jacula missa▪ Quanta admota tormenta? jactura rei familiaris infligitur: numcrosae sobolis orbitas irrogatur: Dives in censu Dominus; & in liberis Pater di…ior: Nec Dominus repentè, nec Pater est. Accedit vulnerum vastitas, & tabescentes, ac dcfluentes artus vermium quo que edax poena consumit, &c. Nec tamen Iob gravibus & densis conflictationibus frangitur, quo minus inter illas angustias & pressuras suas DEI benedictio victrice patientiâ praedicetur. Cyprian. de'bono Patientiae. Nihil in Domo remanserat, omnia in uno ictu perierunt, quibus opulentus paulò antè videbatur. Subitò mendicus in stercore sedet, a capite us que ad pedes vermibus scatens. Quid istâ miseriâ miserius? Quid interiore foelicitate foelicius? Perdiderat omnia illa quae dederat DEVS, sed habebat Ipsum qui omnia dederat DEVM.—Certè pauper est, certè nihil habet. Si nihil remansit, d… quo thesauro istae gemmae laudi… DEI proferuntur?—O virum putrem, & integrum; O foedum & pulchrum; O vulneratum & sanum; O in stercore sedentem, & in coelo regna… tem! August. de Temp. Serm. 105.enabled him with the sweetest calmnesse of a well-composed and unshaken spirit, even to blesse the LORD his GOD for taking from him these transitory things, of which he was the true Proprietary, and which in much undeserved mercy He had lent unto him so long. The LORD gave, (said he) and the LORD hath taken away, blessed be the name of the LORD.

With what infinite, implacable indignation, and bloudy rage would Shemeis railing have rent p. 34in peeces the heart of many a gracelesse King? And yet David by the helpe of this holy vertue, passed on along patiently without wound, or passion.

That heavy newes which was so horrible, that it made both the eares of every one that heard it, tingle, brought by Samuel to Eli immediately from GODS owne mouth, might have made many an earth-worme to have run mad with the very fore-thought of so much misery to come: But good old patient Eli, when he had heard it all, sweetly ejaculates: It is the LORD: Let Him doe what seemeth him good.

The taking away of two sonnes at once by a sudden and violent death, with visible vengeance from heaven, and in the middest of a most horrible sinne, is naturally matter of sorrow which cannot be exprest, and extremest griefe: yet Aaron in such a case having learned conformity of his owne will to the divine pleasure of the onelyonly wise GOD; when Moses told him that the LORD would be sanctified in them that come nigh Levit. 10. 3▪Lev 10:3Him, and before all the people H… would be glorified; He held his peace: And Aaron held his peace. So quieting his heart because GOD would have it so. See further for this purpose, 2 Sam. 3. 15. 26. Isa. 39, 8. &c.

By these few precedents you may easily perceive what singular and soveraigne power patience hath to pull the sting, and extract the poyson out of the most grievous calamities and greatest troubles.

But now on the contrary: Impatiency and unpleasednesse p. 35with GODS providence in sending both good and aaIn the equity of an holy and jus… proportion, wee must expect as well ill as good, at th… hands of GOD. What? (saith Iob) shall wee receive good at the hand of GOD, and shall wee not receive evill? Cap. 2. 10.ill, yet ever in love, and for our good; For bbMagis timere debemus▪ si aut nullas, aut parvas tribulationes in hoc saeculo patimur: quia si DEVS flagellat omnem filium quem recipit, sine dubio quē non flagellat, non recipit: Aus… de Temp. Se. m. 105.what sonne is he, whom the Father chasteneth not? doth more afflict us than all our afflictions. The storme of GODS wrath breaks out sometimes upon the outward state of some greedy fretting mammonist, and He justly sinites him for his wicked covetousnesse and dishonest gaine, perhaps in the height and hot gleame of his prosperity and thriving, by some sudden visible consumption, or secret wasting curse: He (as such covetous wretches are wont) takes on extremely, farre beyond the rage of the maddest bedlam. He stamps and stares (as they say) roares and raves; g…asneth his teeth, teares his haire, bites his nailes, almost like a damned soule, that hath new lost heaven; untill at length the Devill lead him to lay violent hands upon himselfe. Now, are not these selfe-vexing tortures farre more rerrible than the taking away of his transitories? Is not the cutting of his owne throat incomparably worse than the crosse? A bird that is intangled amongst limetwigs, the more she stirres and struggles, the more she is made sure, and doubles her danger: A ccQuid indigna… Querclae & indignatio nil aliud, quam accessio mali sunt; nihil enim tam exasperat fe…vorem vulneris, quàm serendi impatientia. Omnis indignatio in tormentum suum proficit. Sic laqueos fera dum jactat, astringit; sic aves viscum, dum trepidantes excutiunt, plumis omnibus illinunt: nullum tam arctum est jugum, quod non minus laedat ducentem, quàm repugnantem Vnum est levamentum malorum ingentium etiam pati, & necessitatibus suis obsequi. Quid igitur mor…o corporis, animi morbum addere juvat, te que miseriorem facere murmurando, &c.repining reluctation, and angry striving (as it were) to get out of GODS hands, doth ever enveaime and exasperate the wound, and makes us ten times worse, and more miserable, than if we fairely and p. 36patiently submitted to his omnipotent and most mercifull will. Neither doth want of patience onelyonly mightily enrage a crosse, but it also embitters all our comforts. The bare omission of a meere complement in Mordecai did not onelyonly fill Hamans proud heart with many raging distempers of hatred, malice, revenge, foolish indignation and much furious discontentment; but also turned al the pleasure, and kindly relish in his courtly pleasures, riches, honours, offices, extraordinary advancements and royall favours, into gall and wormewood. And Haman told them of the glory of his Ester …. 11, 12, 13.riches, and the multitude of his children, and all the things wherein the King had promoted him, and how he had advanced him above the Princes and servants of the King. Haman said moreover, yea Esther the Queene did let no man come in with the King unto the Banquet that she had prepared, but my selfe, and tomorrow am I invited unto her also with the King. Yet all this availeth me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Iew sitting at the Kings gate. Whereas now David, a King, as I told you before, by the benefit of this blessed grace, did not suffer his Princely spirit to be un-calmed at all, no not by the traiterous and most intolerable reviling of a dead dog, and his baseft vassall.

2. Keepe off thy heart from the world, in the greatest affluence of wealth and worldly prosperity. Earthly-mindednesse ever sharpeneth and keenes the sting in all distresses. It gives teeth to the crosse to eat out the very heart of the afflicted. Had not Iob beene able to have professed, that in p. 37the height of his happinesse he was thus affected: If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the …ine gold, Thou art my confidence: If I rejoyced because my wealth was great, and because my hand had gotten much: [Here aaHic subaudienda imprecatio, dispeream, &c. Mer… in Loc.say Divines, somthing is understood, as dispeream, then let me perish, or the like] If bbQuidam hoc ita exposuerūt, quasi Iobus profiteretur, se Solem & Lunam non adorasse: quià antiquis ea superstitio valdè usitata erat, praesertim in Oriente:—Is verò sensus verus quidem est, sed tamen loco praesenti non convenit: Iobus hic voluit aliâ similitudine uti, & equidem juxta sermonem, quem jam habu…mus de eo quod professus est se nullâ superbiâ & arrogantiâ laborasse, &c. Calv. in loc.I beheld the Sun when it shined, or the Moone walking in brightnesse: And my heart hath beene secretly entised, or my mouth hath kissed my hand:—Then should I have denied the GOD that is above. If I grew proud, puft up, or pleased my selfe with the glistering brightnesse of my earthly abundance, let it be so and so with me: I say, except Iobs heart had beene thus ccSi laetatus sum, inquit, multis mihi affluentibus undi que divitijs, si recondidi aurum in pulverem, si spem in pretiosis lapidibus habui. Haecille. Proptereà nec quum erepta quidem omnia subitò essent, turbatus est, quippe qui praesentibus non delectantur, &c.—Quas omnes ob res mecum ipse plerum que admitari s…leo, quare in mentem Diabolo venit, exercitationes istius non ignoranti, tot tantos que adversus ipsum cogitasse labores. Cur igitur illi venit in mentem? Truculentissima certè bestia nunquam solet despera…e victoriam, quod ad condemnationem nostram spectat: nam ille nunquam, ut dixi, nostram desperat perditionem: nos de salute nostrâ saepius desperamus. Chrysost. Hom. 34. in M….wained from the world, when as yet he wallowed in wealth; he had never been able to hold out in the evill day, and to have borne so bravely the ruine of so rich a state without repining. But now churlish Nabal, whose affections were notoriously nail'd to the earth; though perhaps once or twice a yeare he made a joviall and frolicke feast, as other cunning worldlings are wont to their good-fellow-companions, upon purpose to procure and preserve a Pharisaicall reputation of bounty with some flattering dependants, p. 38and for a cloke to colour their covetousnesse and cruelty; yet he was of a …linty bosome in respect of doggednesse and extreme niggardise, especially towards GODS people, and his heart by excessive rooting there, was turned wholly into earth: and therefore in the evill day, it died within him, and he became as a stone. To keepe off the world in a fit distance, that it do thee no deadly hurt, and undoe thee quite; keepe still fresh and strong in thy thoughts a true estimate and right conceipt of the ddQuid sunt …os humanae? Cinis▪ pulvis, sumus, umbra, solia …dentia, …los, somnium, fabula, ventus, aër, penna mobilis, …da decu…ens, & si quid istis inserius Chrysost In Epist. ad Heb. H…m. 9. Inquiramus, si placet, quae sunt illa prae sentis vit… p… … Divitiae, glo…ia, potenti…, magnum ex… ab hominibus? Sed videbis nihil illis esse i…certius,—… vid…ti … in …, aliqua pars ejus, eò quod … siunt ima, & ima summa: ita & nostra…um re…um imp…tus … ve…untur summa facit in…ma: ut videre … indivitijs, potenti…, …. Nunquam enim in e…dem …atu manent, sed semper inflabiles, fluminum fluxus imitantur. Idem. Hom. de Nomine Abram.mutability of all things here below, and thine owne mortality. In their best condition and highest confluence, they are but 1. Vanity: We shall never …ind in them any solidity, or that good or comfort which we still with much eager pursuit and thirst expect and labour in vaine to extract from them: but upon triall and trust in them, they will ever proove empty clouds, broken staves of reed. eePoma Gomorrhaea pulchra quidem sunt, sed cum frangu…ur in vagum pulve…em fatiscunt.App…s of Sodom, Wells without water. And when we graspe them most greedily, we embrace nothing but smoke, which wrings teares from our eyes, and vanisheth into nothing. 2: Vexation of spirit. Besides the emptinesse and absence of that imaginary felicity which we hunt after in them; there is also the presence and plenty of much … and hearts griese, which the p. 39slaves of pleasure, and lovers of the world little looke for, when they at first resolve to sell their soules for such transitory trash. Divitias invenisti? (saith one) Requiem perdidisti. Hast thou found riches? Thou hast lost thy rest. A man that will be rich, takes no more rest, than one upon a racke, or bed of thornes▪ like ffAnacreo… quin que talentis Poly…rate donatus, cum per duas noctes pro ipsis solicitus fuisset, reddidit …a, inquiens; no… tanti esse quatâ ipsorum nomine curâ laboraret. St…b. Cap. 39.Anacreon with his five Talents, still distracted with worldly thoughts, and continually prickt with cares and feares. 3. They cannot satisfie the soule. Gold can no more fill the spirit of a man, than grace his purse. Betweene heaven and earth, spirits and bodies, soules and silver, there is no proportion. And therefore no earthly excellencies, no carnall pleasures, no worldly treasures are fit matter, or a full object, for such an immateriall, immortall and heavenly borne-being to feed upon with any proper delight, true comfort, or sound contentment. Not all this great materiall world, or greatest masse of gold can possibly fill the mighty capacity and immeasurable appetite of this little sparke of heaven breath'd into us by the infinite power of an Almighty hand. A man may as well fill a bag with wisedome, as the soule with the world; a chest with vertues, as the mind with wealth. 4. They cannot helpe in the evill day. Their bloud (saith the Prophet) shalbe powred out as Zeph. 1. 17, 18▪Zeph 1:17Zeph 1:18dust, and their flesh as the dung: neither their silver nor their gold shalbe able to deliver them in the day of the LORDS wrath. Put a man into a pang of any painefull maladie, and bodily torture; as into a fit of the Stone, Strangury, p. 40ggNo torture of body like unto it, no strappado's, hot-irons▪ Phalaris Buls, all feares, griefes, suspicions, discontents are swallowed up and drowned in this Euripus, this …sh Sea, this Ocean of misery, as so many small b…ooks. This is th… Quintessence of humane adversity; all other diseases whatsoever are but flea-bi…ings to Melancholy in extent. 'Tis the pith of them all And a melancholy man is that true Prometheus which is bound to Caucasus the true Titius, whose bowels are still by a Vul…r d…voured, is Poe…s seigne, and so do…h Litius Gi…aldus interpret it, of anxieties, and those gripi…g …ares. In all other maladies whatsoeuer we seeke for help…: If a leg or an orme ake through any d…stemperature …r wound: or that we have any ordinary disease, above all things whatsoever, we desire helpe and health, a present recovery, if by any means possi…ly it may be procured We will …ly part with all our other substance, endure any miserie, drink▪ bitter pot…ons, swallow those … pills, suff…r our joints to be seared▪ to be cut off, any thing for future health; so sw…et, so dea…, so precious above all other things in the world is life: but to … melancholicke m…n, nothing so ted…ous, nothing so odious; that which they so carefully secke to p…eserve, …e a…res; he alone, so intolerable are his paines. Bur…on of Melanch. pag. 274.deepe Melancholy, Gout, Cholicke, or the like: let some incurable devouring Ulcer, Canker, Elephantiasis, the Wolfe, the hhA most lothsom… and horrible disease in the haire, unheard of in former times, as Morbus Galli…us, and Sudor Anglicus; bred by moderne luxurie and excesse. it seizeth specially upon women; and by reason of a viseous v…imous humour, glues together (as it were) the haire of their head with a proaigious ugly implication and en…anglement: sometimes taking the for me of a great snaks, sometimes of many little serpents: full of …astinesse, v…rmine and noiso…e smell: And that which is most to be admired, and never eye saw before, pricked with a needle, they yeeld bloudy drop…; And at the first spreading of this dreadfull dis…se in Poland, all that cut off this …orrible and snakie haire, lost their eyes, or the humour fall…g dow…e upon other parts of the body▪ tortur'd them extremely. Heare my Author, that learned and famous Professour of Physicks in Padua, Hercules Saxonia, in his …wue word: Plica, est agglutinatio, vel invis…atio quaedam pilorum ex humido viseido, lento ac glutinoso. Nunc primum peruniversam ferè Poloniam grassatur; i…ò verò per quasdam Germaniae partes divagatur—Maximam partem …oeminas in▪ vadit: Eos etiam qui …orriginem capitis, quam vulgus tineam vocat, medicamentis …epercutientibus represserunt: Praetereà f…minas, quae menstruis temporibus nonsatis purgantur.—Quis non novum, mirabile, & horridum putet capillos ex prop…ia naturâ planos, denussos a… simplices, momento temporis sponte suâ sub coelo admodum …gido incrispari, paulo post e…igi, involvi, at que indissolubili…er conjungi, va…ias recipere sigmas, quando que maximi cujusdam anguis, aliquandò plurium & minotum se pentum, undi que vermes, … …oetorem que redolere: Quod que omnium maximum est, & a saeculo inauditum, a…u perpunctos, vel transfixos sanguinem essundere.—Expertum est, qui tales sas…iculos implicatorum peractè interse c…nium deraserint, eos oculis cap…. aut detluxibus ad alias partes corporis gravissi…e to…queri. It begun first not many yeares ago in Poland. It is now entred into many Parts of Germany. And me thinks, our monstrous Fashionists, both male and female; the one for nour…shine their horrid bush…s of vanity; the other for their most unnaturall and cursed cutting their haire should every houre feare and tremble, lest they should bring it upon their owne heads, and awor… us in this Kingdom… ▪Plica, &c. take hold upon p. 41any part of his Body; and let him tell me then, what account he would make of all the Imperiall Crownes upon earth, attended with the height and utmost of humane felicities? Or what comfort could he take in the riches, glory and pleasures of the whole world? Or what ease and refreshing can large possessions, sumptuous buildings, pleasant walks, princely favours, dainty fare, choisest delights, or any thing under the Sun, afford in such a case? The very pricke of a needle, or paine of a tooth for the time, will take away the taste of all carnall contentments, and pleasure of the worlds Monarchy. If the LORD should let loose the cord of thy conscience, and set His just and deserved wrath a worke to enkindle flames of horrour in thy heart, what helpe couldest thou have in heapes of gold, or hoards of wealth? Remember Spira. They would be so …rre from healing the wound, or allaying the smart, that they would yet more horribly afflict thy already enraged spirit, and turne them even into fiery Scorpions for thy further torment. Let thy last sicknesse seize upon thee, and then say (for the houre of death, as they say, is the houre of truth) whether all the gold and goods in the world can any more deliver thee from the Arrest of that inexorable Serjeant, than can an handfull of dust? Nay, whether then the extremity of thy spirituall affliction, and anguish of soule, will not be answerable to the former excesse of thine inordinate affection to earthly things, and delights of sense? Or suppose thou shouldest be surprized p. 42by that last and great day, which the LORD in mercy hasten; how wilt thou then rescue thy free-hold, when the whole frame of the world is on fire? 5. They cannot possibly lead us beyond this life, or extend to eternity. If we see a servant follow two gentlemen, we know not whose man he is; but their parting will discover to whether he belongs; When death shall sever the owner from the world, then will riches and revenewes, offices and honours, stately buildings, and all outward bravery cleave to the world, and leave him to the world to come as poore a worme and wretch, as when he first came into this world: and therefore they are all the worlds Heireloomes, and none of his: Even as Absaloms mule went away, when his head was fast in the great Oake, and so left him hanging betweene heaven and earth, as a wofull spectacle of misery and shame to all beholders: So will all their wealth and worldly felicities deale with their most greedy ingrossers, and dearest minions upon their dying-beds. They will then most certenly (as Salomon Prov. 23. 5Prov 23:5…aith) make themselves wings, and flie away as an Eagle toward heaven: And leave their now forlorne former favourites to the fury of a guilty conscience for their cursed forsaking the Fountaine of living I…i. 2. 13.waters, all their life long, and hewing them out such cisternes, broken cisternes that could hold no water; nor help in the evill Day. We all stand at the doore of eternity; if death but once open it naturally or violently, or by any of his thousand thousand waies, we are presently stript of all, and immediately enter p. 43upon it, either that of everlasting pleasures, or the other of everlasting pains. And therfore it wilbe our wisdome in the mean time to value worldly vanities at no more than their own price; and industriously to ply all meanes which may enrich us with heavenly treasures of that divine stampe and lasting temper, which may attend us thorow all eternity. And as all these things here below are thus mutable and fugitive, so thy selfe art mortall and fraile. A creature as it were but of one daies lasting, like that iiFlos est, Hemerocallis, cujus vita & pulchritudodiaria est. Sed & volucris ad Hippanim fluvium est, Hemerovio… dicta, quae non ultra di…m vivit; sed …adem omnino luce, qu… lucem inchoat, si…it, mo…ienti que Soli commoritur: eodemdie, pueri, …uvenis, …enis aetatem experta manè nascitur, miridie & viget, vesperi consenescit & moritur. Animal…lo huic …millima est humana vita. Ad fluvium illa est perpetuò fluen…is temporis, sed & … est, magis quam avisulla, v…l …, & saepè o…nissuae pompae di…m uni▪ cum, terminum habet, saepè horam, saepè pa…iò pr…ductius momentum. Quid ergò annos meditamur & saecula, saepè brevior is aevi quam flor… aut storum umb…a, aut si quid umb…ā vanius, brevius. Ae…ernit. Pro…ho. pag. 10.Flower and Bird which as naturalists report, receive their being and birth in the morning; but wither and die at night. Thy abode upon earth is like a vanishing kkOptimè Io…us: Et qui cum, inquit, viderant▪ dicent ubi est? Velut somnium a…olans non invenietur, (somniare ina…issimum, v…lare celerrimum) trans…et sicut visio noctu…na. Vita quid est' Flos est, sumus est, umbra est, & umbrae umbra; Bulla, Pulvis, Spuma, Ros, Stilla, Glacies est▪ …idis arcus deficiens cereus, surculus pertusus, ru…nosa domus, einis dolosus, Dies …, April…s constantissimus, unicus testudinis tinnitus est▪ Hydria frac…a▪ … rota, aranea…m tela, maris guttula, vilis s…ipula, sols…itialis herba, brevis fabula, voluc…is, seintilla, tristis nebula, vesica ven…o plena, rut… lans ad solem columbula▪ vita, vit…um tenerrimum, follum levissimum, filum subtilissimum, p…mum aureum est, sed intus putridum, &c. Si nihil est umbra, di… quid umbrae somnium? Sexcenta mill… talia de vitâ …umanâ rectè pronunciantur. Mihi omnium rectissimè videntur dixisse, qui vitam vocant Somnium umbrae brevissimum▪ Compendio…em dicamus▪ vita est Somnus, Bulla, Vitrum, Glacies, Flos, Fabula, Foenum, Vmbra, Cinis, Punctum, Vox, Sonus, Au…a, Nihil. Ibid. Vita praesens figura est & deceptio, & a somnijs nihil dissert… Ergo mens ea est pu… rilis, quae ad umbras spectat, de somnijs superbi…, & rebus fhixis alligatur. Chrysost▪ in Gen. Hom. 35▪vision of the night, a flying dreame, the very dreame of a shadow, &c. This p. 44swift tide of mans life, after it once turneth and declineth, ever runneth with a perpetuall ebbe and falling streame, but never floweth againe: Our leafe once fallen, springeth no more; neither doth the Sun or the Summer beautifie us againe with the garments of new leaves and flowers, or ever after revive or renew us with freshnesse of youth, and former strength. Not onelyonly Salomon (Eccles. 1.) makes us in this respect more miserable than the Sun and other soule-lesse creatures; but even the Poet also by the light of naturall reason (whom I urge onelyonly to make Christians, mindlesse of their owne mortality, athamed, who have thoughts of heaven and earth, as though eternity were upon earth, and time onelyonly in heaven) tels us that, Soles occidere & redire possunt: Thus in English;

The Sun may set and rise:

But we contrariwise,

Sleepe after one short light,

An everlasting night.

Which we must onelyonly understand of returning any more to life and light in this world. Nay, in a word, lay thy selfe loaden with the utmost of all earthly excellencies and felicities in the one scale of the ballance, and vanity in the other, and vanity will weigh thee downe. Take heed therefore of trusting to the world in the meane time, lest it torture thee extremely in the time of trouble.

3. Take heed of weakening in the meane time, and unnecessarily over-wearying thy spirit:

p. 451. By carking fore-thought of future evils, which forty to one may never fall out. Many men I am perswaded, (such is the naturall vanity of our minds) do more vexe themselves with feare and fore-conceipt of imaginary evils, which never befall; then they have just cause, to take on and trouble their hearts for all other true, reall, actuall troubles, which fall upon them. Thus many times do men torture themselves vainly with immoderate feare of forreine invasion, home-bred confusion, change of religion, the fiery triall, burning at a stake, distraction of mind, surprize by the Plague, Small Poxe, Purples, Spotted Fever, distresse and going backward in their outward state, losse of some child they love best, destruction of their goods by fire, robbery, ship-wracke, the frownes of greatnesse, hurt and revenge from those that hate them, hardnesse of heart, failing of their faith, spirituall desertion, overthrow by temptation, despaire of GODS mercies, sudden death, discomfortable cariage in their last sicknesse, the king of feare himselfe; what shall become of their children, when they are gone, &c. By these and millions moe of such causelesse and carking fore▪imaginations, the very flower and vigour of mens spirits may be much emasculated, and wasted wofully. A godly care to prevent them by repentance and prayer; and a carefull preparation by mortifying meditations, and Christian magnanimity to beare them patiently, if we be put unto it, is commendable and comfortable: but in the meane time to unspirit and macerate p. 46our selves with much distrustfull misery and needlesse torture about them, to our hindrance, distraction and discomfort in any businesses of either of our callings, or any waies, unchearefull walking; by slavish pre-conceipts to double and multiply their stings, and to suffer them so often before they seize upon us, is both un-noble and un-necessary: most unworthy the morall resolution of a meere naturall man, and the generous spirit of an honest Heathen; much more the invincible fortitude of any of CHRISTS favourites, and heires of heaven.

Or▪

2. Selfe-created crosses, that I may so call them. For so it often is, that many maried couples, governours of families (to instance there) having the world at will (as they say) and wanting nothing that heart can wish from GODS hand for outward things: and yet (I know not how) by reason of passion, covetousnesse, pride, waiwardnesse, frowardnesse, or something, they mutually embitter their lives one unto another with much uncomfortablenesse, discontentment and jarring. I would advise all such (and there are many and many such abroad in the world) punctually and impartially to examine their consciences; whether such secret sinnes as these, of which they take no notice, may not be the causes of it.

1. Matching, as being not mooved principally and predominantly with portion, parentage, personage, beauty, lust, riches, lands, slattery, friendship, greatnesse of family, forced perswasions, Parents p. 47covetous importunity, or some base and irrellgious by-respect and gracelesse ground. This the Apostle calleth marrying in the LORD: that is, for no by respect, but in the feare of GOD, 1 Cor. 7. 39. Without which all matches are miserable, though they should be made up with hoards of wealth and heapes of gold as high as heaven, crowned with honours transcendent to the starres. The basenesse, folly and iniquity of these times is not more visible and eminent in any thing, than in making, or rather marring of marriages. How often may we see by ordinary observation a little golden glue to joyne fast in the dearest bonds, pearles and clay? And silken fooles to carie away sufficiencies above their worthlesse weight in richest jewels? The world is stark mad in this Point. But they are rightly served; noble miseries and golden fetters are fit enough for such couples. For from this bitter root of a covetous, carnall, ambitious, or any wayes unconscionable choice, springs a world of misery and mischiefe; overthrow and ruine of great houses, scandalous divorces, unlawfull separations, dishonour, disturbance, jealousies, adulteries, bastardies, brawlings, mutuall exprobration of each others infirmities, deformity, portion, parentage, or some other cutting and netling matter of discontent; sinfull disorders in families, ill education of children, &c. And, without repentance, after a few and wretched dayes tediously worne out with much irksomnesse and hearts-breake, lying together everlastingly in the lake of fire, there banning each p. 48other with much desperate horrour, and many bitter despairefull gnashings of teeth, that ever they entered into that estate.

2. Predominancy of carnall love. Which may be justly punished with many fits of frowardnesse and falling out, from such small occasions and light grounds; that the Parties may well perceive, that the correcting hand of GOD is in it leading them thereby to the sight and notice, to remorse and reformation of the brutish sensuality and sinfulnesse of their matrimoniall affection; which should ever be rectified by reason, and spiritualiz'd with grace. Mariage is rather a fellowship of dearest amity, then disordered love. And love and amity are as different as the burning sicke heat of a fever from the naturall kindly heat of a healthfull body.

3. Immodest or immoderate abuse of the mariage. Which, though it lie without the walk of humane lawes, yet divine justice doth many times deservedly chastise it with variety of visitations upon themselves, families, outward state, good name: with miscariages, barrennesse, bad children, giving them over to unnecessary distempers and strangenesse in their cariage one unto another, and other such like discomforts and crosses. Which (though they may also befall GODS children for other ends, yet) let all guilty couples in such cases conceive, that they fall upon them for such secret sensuall exorbitancies and excesse.

4. Want of a comfortable communion in p. 49prayer, godly conference, mutuall communication of their spirituall estate, and how they stand to GOD-ward, daies of humiliation, helping one another towards heaven, and that joyfull forethought of most certaine meeting together in the ever lasting mansions of glory, joy and blisse above. Such divine fellowship would incredibly sweeten that dearest indissoluble knot, and make that state a very earthly Paradise to those few black Swannes, that love so sweetly and graciously together.

5. Ignorance, or negligence in the right understanding and practising both of the common and severall duties pertinent and proper to that estate. In all other Arts, Professions, and Trades of life, the Practitioners desire and endeavour to be ready in, and ruled by the precepts and directions thereof: but as concerning this great mysterie of managing the mariage-state with wisdome, conscience and comfort, the most are as ignorant in those Treatises which teach their Duties (of which there are many excellent ones extant) as they are basely insolent in clownish frowardnesse or imperious tyranny, to create a great deale of needlesse discontent and misery, both to themselves and their yoke-fellowes.

4. Helpe also we may have for the Point in hand, even from the wiser Heathen. Who out of the very light of nature and grounds of reason, did learne and labour to mollifie and asswage the stinging fore-thoughts of ills to come; p. 50and to llVidentur omnia repentina graviora.—Praemeditatio futuro…um malorum lenit corum adventū. Tusc …. lib 3. Quoniam mul…um po…est provisio animi, & praeparatio ad minuendum do sorem, … s…mper omnia …omim … meditata. Haec est illa praestans & divina sapientia:—Nihil … acciderit: Nihil, antequam …, non … ▪ venire posse a. bit…ari … Ib…d. Mani qui … aud…ta a docto me…inissem viro, Futaras … comment …bar miserias: Aut mo…tem acerbam, aut ex…lij moestam …, … aliquam molem meduabar mah; Vt … invecta …as casu sor…, Ne me imparatam … laceraret repens. …uripid. Quamobrem omnes, cum secundae sunt maximè, tum maximè Meditari secum opo…tet, quo pacto adversam aerumnam serant: Pe…ida, damna, exilia peregie reatens semper cogitet: Aut silij …, aut uxo…is mortem, aut mo…bum sili…: … esse hec, fieri posse: ut ne quid animo sit novum: Q…quid …aeter spem evenia… omme id deputare esse in luc…o. Terent. Drumes a … th…s … and preparation, but upon better grounds, and by the rules … very powerfull to s…able us to passe more patiently thorow crosses when they coma. … ita praemedita… …; sucrat, ut ad omnia ingenti animo … to…ius substanti…, & tam multarum terum …acturam, ad filiorum amarissimum obitum, ad uxoris affectum, ad acerba cornoris ulcera, ad injusta amicorum opprobrla, ad ancillarum contemptum at que servorum. Chrys…. in Mat. Hom. 34. Nullus sit casus, quem non meditatio tu… perveniat: nullus s…t casus, quite impatatum inven…t: Propone … esse quod tubi accidere non possit. Bern. de interiori Dom Cap 4…. Mens solicita antequam agere quod libet incipiat, omnes sibi, quas pati potest … propo…at: quatenus Redemptoris sui probra cogitans, ad adversa se … Que nimirum venientia tantò fortius excipit, quantò se cautius ex praesci… … Qui enim improvidu… ab adversitate deprehenditur, quasi ab hoste … …nvenitur: e…ni que … inimiens necat, quia non repugnantem perforat. Nim qu… mala … per solicitudinem pernotat, hostiles incu…sus quasi in in… vigilans expectans: & indead victoriam valentèr accingitur, unde nesciens deprehendi putaba…ur. Solerter ergo an…us ante actionis siae primordia, cuncta de… adversa meditari ut semper haee cogitans, semper contra haec thorace patientrae manitus, & … acciderit, providus superet: & quicquid non accesserit, lu…rum …. …. lib. 5. Cap 31.prepare for a more easie and patient passage thorow them, by entertaining a resolution before-hand to looke for as no uncouth thing, any calamity crosse or casualty, incident to mortality, and the condition of man; and if they escap'd p. 51them, to hold it a gaine and advantage, and as it were, an exemption from ordinary frailtie, and common miserie of mankinde. If they fell upon them, the bitternesse would be much abated by their former preparednesse and expectation. But we who professe Christianity, and to whom the Booke of GOD belongs, have farre more soveraigne antidotes to allay the smart, more sacred and surer meanes to mitigate and take off the furyof feared future evils: even the sure Word of GOD, many exceeding great and precious Promises, confirmed with the oath of the All mighty, and sealed with the bloud of His Son. Every one of them is farre more worth (though the worldling thinkes not so) than all the wealth and sweetnesse of both the Indies. GOD is faithfull, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able: but will with the temptation also make away to escape, that ye may be able to beare it, 1 Cor. 10. 13. The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us, Rom. 8. 18. All things worke together for good to them that love GOD, Vers. 28. He that spared not His owne Son, but delivered Him up for us all: How shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Vers. 32. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burnt; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee, Isa. 43. 2, &c. If thou truly feare GOD, feare nothing that shall hereafter fall upon thee; temptation, triall, disgrace, distresse in outward things, the face of man, fiery p. 52times, danger from men or Devils, Death it selfe, or whatsoever can be imagined most formidable to flesh and bloud. For assuredly, He that is afflicted with thee in all thy afflictions, will ever fortifie thee with sufficient strength before-hand, uphold thee with His all-powerfull presence in the middest of them, and at length most gloriously deliver thee in despite of all hell, and the whole world.

5. It is comfortable to consider; that GOD never puts His servants to suffer, but He furnisheth them with spirituall sufficiency to go thorow. If He meane to bring thee to the stake, He will undoubtedly give thee a Martyrs strength. It is His sweetest method and mercy, first to fit His children with divine ability and answerable endowments, and then sets them on work to do or suffer any thing for His sake. He suffers some to become extraordinary objects and the speciall aime of extremest malice, spiteful railings, and all the keenest arrowes of lewdest tongues; when He hath fil'd him first with so much Christian magnanimity and noblenesse of spirit, that he is able to passe by the most scurrill gybe of the impurest drunkard, or the disdainefull frowne of the proudest Haman, without wound or passion; and doth resolvedly and bravely contemne all contumelies and contempts for his conscience: taking them as Crownes and confirmations of his conformity to the LORD CHRIST: others to be afflicted with variety of worldly crosses, whose heart He hath already happily crowned with contempt of the world▪ some to be exercis'd with fiercest assaults, and Satans p. 53sieriest darts, having been formerly brought up in the Schoole of temptations: others to be exposed to the fury of Popish flames, when He hath so inflamed their hearts with the love of the LORD IESVS, that they dare undauntedly looke the bloudiest persecutor in the face. The prudent Commander makes not choice of fresh-water or whitelivered souldiers (as they say) for any hot service or high attempt; but of Veterans, and those of greatest experience and most approoved valour: A discreet Schoole-Master gives not the longest lessons and hardest taske to dullards and blockeheads, but such as are of pregnantest wits, and best capacity: the understanding armourer tries not common Armes with Musket-shot, but that of Proofe. The skilfull Lapidary doth not trie the tender Crystall or softer stones by the stiddy and hammer; but the Adamant, which is readier to bruise the hardest iron or steele: the carefull Husbandman thresheth not the fitches with a threshing instrument; Isa. 28. …7.Isa 28:7neither turneth a cart-wheele upon the cummin: but beates out the fitches with a staffe, and the cummin with a rod. For his GOD (saith the Prophet) doth instruct him to discretion, and doth teach him. Now if the LORD of Hosts, who is wonderfull in counsell, and excellent in working, give this discretion and wisdome to fraile man; Himselfe is infinitely more mercifully wise, to proportion and sit His trials to the state and strength of His Patients; singling out His valiantest souldiers for the strongest encounters; His best schollers, for the largest lessons; His choisest Armour, for the highest p. 54Proofe; His hardest Adamants, for the most steely Anvill: the most couragious Christians, for the …orest conflicts: His ablest Followers, for extraordinary service and sufferings. Abraham the Father of the faithfull, and Friend of GOD; Iob, the justest man upon earth; David, a man after GODS owne heart; Paul, abounding in the riches of grace, and the rarest revelations: I say, these eminent Champions thus highly favoured, and heroically …itted, were put to it indeed, as appeares in divine Story. The LORD in mercy did first infuse an invincible mightinesse of spirit and much flaming zeale into the brests of those three Christian Worthies, Athanasius, Chrysostome, and Luther, before He imployed them in His so glorious service, and exposed them to the rage of so Athanasius per sex annos va…iè afflictus, in … tandem, dum pet totum Orientis Imperium magna sedulitate exerci…ibus quo que ad investigandum eum conductis▪ quae…retur, delituit. Tantae molis erat CHRISTI consodere servum; ut omnis Imperij vis adversus unum hominem, qui DEVM habebat desensorem▪ commoveretur Proditus tandem per ancillam, quae ei ministrabat, ex dominorum suorum jussu, qui latebras Athanasio praeparaverant, divino admoni…us Spiritu, ea nocte quà eum comprehendere veniebant ministri, aufugit. Func…ius▪ A^o. CHRISTI 343. Cur verear Chrysostomum appellare Marty…em, qui tot injurijs, tot contumelijs, tot afflictionibus, nec ad impatientiam perpelli, nec a propagandâ Christianâ pietate depelli potuit. Non percussus est securi, sed calu…nijs omni securi acutioribus non …emel ictus est. Hoc praemij vir optimus pro tam praeclaris in Ecclesiam meritis retulit per Episcopos Orthodoxos, & sub Imperatore Christiano. In vita Chrysost. per Erasm. Rhoterod. Quis non putasset Lutherum in tanto cunctorum odio, & invidiâ, cui totus penè mundus insidiabatur, etiam ille cujus pedibus Imperatores olìm cogebantur cervices … non …lle mo…tes occubiturum? &c. …rightm▪ in Cap. 3. Apo…aly.many implacable persecutions in their severall ages. The first stood at swords point (I meane the Sword of the Spirit) with the whole world: The whole world against Athanasius, and Athanasius against it, saith Hooker, out of the Ecclesiasticall Story; p. 55Halfe an hundred yeares spent in doubtfull triall, which of the two in the end would prevaile, the side which had all, or els the Part which had no friend, but GOD and Death: the One, a Defendour of his innocency; the other, the finisher of all his troubles. After the Church of GOD, (hunted like a Partridge on the mountaines by the Arrian Bishops) wofully wasted and wearied, had laid downe her head in the bosome of this blessed man ready to breathe out her last, he had never quiet day. Heare my Author: By the space of sixe and forty yeares, from the time of his consecration, to succeed Alexander Arch-Bishop of Alexandria, till the last houre of his life in this world, they never suffer'd him to enjoy the comfort of a peaceable day. The second was a mighty Thunderer against the corruptions of the times; feared not the face of the greatest woman in the world, armed as well with might, as enraged with malice, (I meane Eudoxia the Empresse.) but told her undauntedly of her raging, nnIoannes per celebrem illam concionem in Ecclesiam recitavit, cujus exordium est: Herodias denuò insa…re, denuò commoveri, denuò saltare pergit: denuò caput Iohannis in disco accipere quarit. Socrat. Hist. Eccles. Lib. 6. Cap. 16.dancing, persecuting cruelty &c. Besides a world of wicked oppositions, insidiations and envy; (for by downe-right dealing in his Ministry, he had drawne upon him the hatred of ooPeccata tanta severitate arguebat, ac si ipse etiam per injuriam …aesus esset: & omnium ordinum delicta magnâ dicendi libertate taxabat: ita quidem, ut etiam Ducum (Evtropij & Gain… ) imò ipsius Imperatoris errata reprehenderet.—Omnes propemodum ordines in se concitavit.—Clerici & Aulici occultè suas & ipsi operas adjungebant. Osiand. Hist Eccl…s. Cent. 5. Lib. 1. Cap. 6.all sorts, Court and Clergy, &c.) He was divers times silenced, deprived and banished. But he was so much honoured of GODS people every where, that when he came into Taurocilicia, p. 56as himselfe reports, there flocked about him abundance of Christians, weeping and wailing most bitterly for his banishment, and said, ppVbi autem in Cappadoci… provinciam vcnimu…, multi sanctorum Patrum chori—juges lachrymarum fontes effundentium, & flentium, eò quod in exilium nos prosi…isci videbant; dicebant que Tolerabilius fuisse, Si Sol radi os suos retraxisset obscuratus, qua quod os I…hannis tacuit. Epi… 2.That it had beene better that the Sun had been deprived of her light, and all her glory turned into darknesse, than that the mouth of Chrysostome should be stopt from preaching. In the last banishment, by reason of the barbarous usage and immanities of the souldiers that led him along, qqMilites praefecti praetorij, qui illum deducebant, non dissimulabant sibi promissa praemia magnifica, si … in itinere moreretur. Ita que mensibus … bus per imbres, per aestus, sine ulla refrigeratione corpusculi durissimum iter pert…ht, Erasm in vitâ Chrysost.hired for that purpose, he sweetly and blessedly breath'd out his last. But how bravely he bore, and with what invincible divine resolution he passed thorow these indignities, oppressions, and cruell wrongs, we may well perceive by his owne words to another banished Bishop: rrEtenim ego cum a civitate fugarer, nihil horum cuzabam, sed dicebam intra memet ipsum: Si quidem vult Regina me exulem, agat in exilium. DOMINI & terra & plenitudo ejus. Et si vult s…care, secet. Idem passus est & Esaias. Si vult in pelagus mittere; Im… recordabor: Si vult in caminum in …cere, idem passi sunt … …lli pueri. Si … feris vult objicere, objiciat: Daniclis in lacum leombus object… …. Si me lapidare vult, lapidet me: Stephanum habeo primum … socium Si & caput tollere vult, tollat: habeo socium Iohannem Baptistam. Si & substantiam aufe…e, auferat. Nudus exivi de utero matris, nudus etiam abibo. Me adm…net Apostolus, Etsi adhuc hominibus placerem, servus CHRISTI uti que non essem. Armat me & David, d…cens: Loquebar coram Regibus, & non confundebar. Multa quidem adversus me consinxerunt, & dixerunt, quod ad communionem non jejunos receperim. Et si quidem hoc feci, expungatu… nomen meum ex Albo Episcoporum, & non scribatur in Lib…o Orthodoxae Fidei: Quoniam ecce si tale quid admisi, … me etiam CHRISTVS e Regno suo. Si autem pergunt hoc mihi objicere & contendere; Deponant & Paulum, qui postquam coenavit, totam domum baptizavit. Deponant & CHRISTVM Ipsum, qui postquam coenatum …st, Apostolis Communionem dedit. Dicunt quod cum muliere dormiverim: Exuite me, & inveni…tis membrorum meorum mortificationem. Sed haec omnia per invi…iam excogita…unt. Iohannes exul, Cyriaco Episcopo exuli. Tom. 5▪ Epist. 3….When I was driven from the City, none of these p. 57things troubl'd me, but I said within my selfe: If the Queene will, let her banish me: The earth is the LORDS, and the fulnesse thereof: If shee Psal. 24. 1.Ps 24:1will, Let her saw mee asunder: Isaiah suffered the same. If she will, let her cast me into the sea, I will remember Ionah. If she will, let her cast me into a burning fiery fornace; or amongst wild beasts; the three Children and Daniel were so dealt with. If she will, let her stone me or cut off mine head; I have then S^t. Stephen and the Baptist my blessed companions. If she will, let her take away all my substance: Naked came I out of my mothers wombe, and naked should I returne thither. The Apostle tels me, If IGal. 1▪ 10.Gal 1:10 yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of CHRIST. And David encourageth me, saying: I will speake of thy testimonies also before Kings, and Psal. 119. 46.Ps 119:46will not be ashamed. The third is the third Elijah of later times, I meane blessed Luther: Who by the invincible might of his heroicall spirit, and one of the greatest courages that ever dwelt in humane brest, did sustaine and subdue the hellish rage of that Man of Sinne, and all his bloudy Emissaries and Agents; stood upright and unshaken, like an unmooveable Rocke, against all the tempestuous stormes and swelling seas of the most furious persecutions that ever were rais'd by the powers of hell against mortall man: and did so shake the kingdome of Antichrist, that since that time, the most glorious light of the Gospell, and resurrection of Saving Truth hath broken out upon, and blessed the face of Christendome, that did ever shine upon earth, or was seene amongst the sonnes p. 58of men. Herein was he like unto Athanasius: As he opposed the Arrian, so Luther the whole Antichristian world; and they both in despite of all adversary malice, both from Man and Devill, ssInvitis, Diabolo, persecutoribus, Papis…s, Athanasius & …utherus, nobile Heroum par, placidissimâ morte ex hâc vitâ excesserunt. Heare the story: Athanasius post multiplicia certamina▪ (qualia vix ullum E… clesiae Doctorem sustinuisse legimus) placidissimá morte ex hac vitâ excessit: cum ab initio us que ad finem sui Episcopatus Alexandrinae Ecclesiae praefuisset quadraginta sex an…is: adversus quem …otus penè orbis conspiravit. Ne que tamen (ut D. D. Lutherum) eum violent… morte ex hoc mundo exturbare potuit. Osiand. Hi…. Eccles. Cent. 4. Lib. 2. Cap. 16.gave up blessedly their happy soules in peace into the bosome of IESVS CHRIST, whom they had formerly served so faithfully, and for whose sake they had gloriously suffered so much. Thus you see, when GOD singles out and designes any of His for some speciall services, and extraordinary sufferings, He ever furnisheth them before-hand with singularity of gifts, and sufficiency of spirituall abilitie to go thorow, and stand to it to death. But now on the other side, He will never breake a bruised reed, nor quench smoking flaxe, Isa. 42. 3. but will ever gather the Lambs with His arme, and carie them in His bosome, and gently lead those that are with young, Isa. 40. 11. I make no doubt, but that in Queene Maries daies He mercifully hid many a good soule from the implacable fury of those Popish morning Wolves: who, though they were in a saving state, and loved the LORD IESVS in sincerity, Ephes. 6. 24. yet they wanted strength to stand in the face of the fiery tempests of those times.

6. Beware lest any earthly contentment encroach upon, empaire, and eat up thy delight in heavenly things. But let thy spirituall joy ever utterly over-weigh all humane miseries, and overtop incomparably all worldly pleasures. And there is good reason for it: In respect, Of the 1. Object. The matter, whereupon earthly joy p. 59doth feed, is base and vile, filth and fashions, gaming and good-fellowship, revelling, and in our daies, even roaring, lust and luxury, &c. and other such froth and fooleries, the very garbage of hell; at the best corne, wine, oyle, gold, greatnesse, offices, honours, high roomes, Princely favours, &c. as transitory as an hasty headlong torrent, a shadow, a ship, a bird, an arrow, a Poste that hasteth by; or if you can name any thing of swifter wing, and sooner gone. But the object about which spirituall joy is exercised, are ttNehem. Cap. 8. 10. Be not sorie, for the joy of the LORD is your strength. Psalme 73. 25. Whom have I in Heaven but Thee? And there is none upon earth, that I desire besides Thee.Ps 73:25IEMOVAH blessed for ever, uuHos. 14. 4. I will love them s…eely Ier. 31. 3. I have loved Thee with an everlasting love.Hos 14:4Jer 31:3His free and everlasting love, xxPsal. 30. 5. In His favour is life.Ps 30:5the light of His countenance, His yyExo 34. 6. The LORD, The LORD GOD mercifu… and gracious, &c.Exod 34:6sweet name, zzLuke 10. 10—Butrather rejoyce because your names are written in he… ven.Luke 10:10That our names are written in heaven; the aaCol 1. 13 foreignCol 1:13Son of His Love, His Person, whose glory, beauty, amiablenesse, sweetnesse and excellency is somthing shadowed (but infinitely short) by outward beauties, Cant. 5. 10. bbZech. 13. 1. In that day there shall be a fountaine opened, &c.Zech 13:1The preciousnesse of His meritorious bloud, cc2 Pet. 1. 4.2 Pet 1:4exceeding great and precious Promises, ddIsa. 40. 1, 2. Comfortye, comfortye, &c.—Her iniquity is pardoned.Isa 40:1Isa 40:2pardon of sinnes, eeEph 4. 24. The new man after GOD is created in righteousnesse and true hol…nesse.Eph 4:24CHRISTS glorious Image shining in our soules, ffPsal. 16. 11. In thy presence is fulnesse of joy, at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.Ps 16:11eternity of unconceiveable joyes. 2. Of continuance. Earthly joy is like the crackling of thornes under a pot, a sudden blaze with some noise, but soone extinct, and comes to nothing. ggIob 20. 5.Job 20:5The triumphing of the wicked is short, and joy of the hypocrite but for a moment. But spirituall joy is like the fire upon the altar; it hath ever fewell p. 60to feed upon, though we do not ever feele it. Rom. 14. 17.Rom 14:17The Kingdome of GOD is righteousnesse, and peace, and joy in the HOLY GHOST. Isa. 35. 10.Isa 35:10The ransomed of the LORD shall returne and come to Zion with songs, and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtaine joy and gladnesse, and sorrow and sighing shall slie away. **Psal. 32. 1…Ps 32:1Be glad in the LORD, and rejoyce ye righteous: and shout for joy all ye that are upright in heart. 3. Sincerity. Earthly joy is cruelly embittered with many slavish, stinging and envenimed mix…ures and marre-mirths: but GOD gives joy to the upright heart, and no sorrow with it. 4. Effects. Carnall joy utterly unfits for all holy imployments; but spirituall joy is to the faculties of the soule, as oyle to the joynts of the body; it makes quicke, active, and excellent for the discharge of any divine duty. 5. Calling to mind, carnall joy in the evill day torments extremely, and turnes it into gall and worme-wood: but remembrance of those sweetest glimpses, and heavenly deawes of spirituall joy which were wont to shine into, and refresh our humbled soules when we were conscionably busied in the waies and worke of the LORD, will serve as a precious cordiall, to re-comfort our spirits in sadder times, and surest pledge of their most certaine returne in due time. 6. Spirituall joy is many times much enlarged in times of tribulation: But the heart of the wicked is sorrowfull in laughter, and troubled with melancholy amidst their greatest mirth. 7. Spirituall joy is ordinarily most free, full, and at the highest in solitarinesse, soliloquies, and the p. 61most retired exercises of the soule: but carnall joy and want of company are for the most part incompatible. And it is kept in that poore little dying life it hath, by good-fellowship, and sensuall imployments. 8. Carnall joy ever ends in bitternesse, spirituall in blessednesse. As the rivers of fresh water run their course with an hasty current to fall into the salt Sea; so the Posting Sun of all worldly pleasures after a short gleame, and vaine glistering, sets in the Ocean of endlesse sorrow.

7. Make thy peace with GOD upon good ground in the meane time, and graciously walke with Him by a rule and daily direction. Watch over thine heart with extraordinary industry. Mortifie thy members which are upon earth; pride, choler, covetousnesse; selfe-love, hankering after the fashions, &c. Strangle thy lusts, stand at the Swords Point with thy most beloved sinne. Beare the yoke from thy youth, and llQuum nem… in arenâ seipsum exerceat, quomodò aliquis in certamine insignis erit & conspicu…s? Quis unquam athleta non ab incunte adolescentia in Palaestrâ corrobora…s, potuit in Olympicis, excelso, ac magno animo adversarium aggredi▪ An non oportet quotidiè luctari at que currere? Nonne videtis …os quos quin que certaminum athletas appellan…, quum nullum fortè reluctatorem repererint, ad saccum arenâ plenum, vires suas excitare.—…os imitari stude—sunt enim multa quae ad irae no… rabi…m incitant, multa quae concupiscentiae flammam incendunt. Insurge igitur contra passiones, vinca… animi labores, ut corporis quo que labores possis perferre. Chrys. In Mat. H…m. 34.exercise thy spirituall armes every day. Get a habit of heavenly-mindednesse and holy familiarity with GOD aforehand; and then shall we hold up our heads and our hearts with boldnesse and undauntednesse of spirit in the evill day. The strongest and stoutest creatures (saith a godly Divine, pressing this Point) p. 62are afraid of those things which are contrary to their natures, which other creatures never so weake, feare not, being of the same nature. No more fearefull creature than a …ish, flying at the shadow of a man; yet it feares not the Ocean Sea, because of its owne nature and acquaintance: which Lions, and the stoutest creatures feare.—A sheepe …eares not his shepheard, by reason of acquaintance, whom yet the beare and the wolfe feare: Whatsoever is strange and unacquainted, is fearefull. If we acquaint our selves with GOD, and walke with Him as His friends, we shall have the more boldnes with Him, when we have most need of Him. In a word, be very temperate, honest, holy. For, theTit … 12. more conscionable thou hast formerly beene, the lesse power will the crosse have when it comes. It was the saying of a reverend man, where sinne lies heavy, the crosse lies light: and contrarily, that heart is like to be most lightsome in a storme, which hath beene the holiest in a calme.

8. Possesse thy mind betime of many mortifying motives and meditations, to master the immoderate feare of death the king of terrour, and then thou wilt be able with farre more patience and resolution to digest all petty troubles and miseries in the meane time. For which purpose Ponder upon these Points.

1. There is almost no man, but he hath suffer'd more paine in his life, than ordinarily he shall passe thorow in death. The pangs of death (saith M^r. Ward) are often lesse than of the tooth-ache.

2. The covenant of GOD is offorce with us,Life of …aith in death. pag. …. as we lie in the dust of the earth, Mat. 22. 31, 32.

p. 633. Our union with CHRIST holds still, Col. 1. 18. As the Hypostaticall did, when CHRIST lay in the grave.

4. Death is but a sleepe, 1 Thess. 2. 13. Acts 7. 60.

5. mmIn CHRIST… morte mors obijt. Gregor. in 1 Reg. Cap. 2.CHRISTS death hath taken away the sting, and sweetned it to all His, Heb. 2. 15.

6. It is but a sturdy Porter, opening the Doore of Eternity, and letting us into Heaven… A rougher passage to eternall pleasures.

7. It is but like the fall of a wheat corne into the ground, and dying, that it may spring up afterwards more gloriously, Ioh. 12. 24.

8. It is but a Departing out of this world unto the Father, Ioh. 1. 31.

9. It is called in the Old Testament, A gathering to their Fathers.

10. Iacob made nothing of it. And Israel said unto Ioseph: Behold, I die. Gen. 48. 21. And when Iacob had made an end of commanding his sonnes, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yeelded up the ghost, and was gathered unto his people.

9. Let us trimme our lamps betime, I meane try our spirituall states: for there are many foolish virgins; and many thousands, who for want of a true touch-stone and sound triall this way, find the pit of destruction to have shut her mouth upon them irrevocably and for ever, before they will acknowledge themselves to be wide of the right way to heaven. I have beene often upon this argument, at this time I desire onelyonly to discover the d…lusion of the greatest part by an imaginary p. 64faith; and of understanding and worldly-wise men by a temporary faith, and that in short.

For the first sort; these foure Demaunds may easily discover and destroy the vanity of their spirituall selfe-cousenage and soule-deceit.

1. Aske them how they came by their faith, when they begun to believe, &c. and their ordinary answer wilbe this, or the like: We cannot tell: we are not such Atheists, or so prophane, but we have believed ever since we were borne: we have ever trusted in CHRIST, and made account of Him as our Saviour: We never doubted, but that He which made us, nnNay, but beare the Prophet: It is a people of no understanding: therefore He that made them, will not have mercy on them; and He that formed them, wil shew them no savour. Isa. …7. 8….Isa 7:8will have mercy on us, &c. but now these poore deluded ignorants are in the meane time meere strangers to any worke of the spirit of bondage, and pangs of the new-birth, which would have taught them with a witnesse to have taken notice what a mighty worke and admirable change the glorious Sun of saving faith is wont to cause wheresoever it comes. They could never yet sensibly and heartily cry, We are uncleane, we are uncleane; we are sicke, we are lost, we are heavy-laden, we are undone, we die, we are damn'd; except we drinke of the water of life, wash in that Fountaine opened for sinne and for uncleannesse, and have a blessed part in the passion and purity of IESVS CHRIST, &c. Whereas now the true believer can tell you readily and experimentally, that he was first enlightened, convinced and terrified with sight, sense, and sorrow for sinne; and so on, as you shall find it Instruct. for comfort▪ afflict. Consc. pag. 324. & seq. But especially p. 65faire fall one good token: ever when justifying faith is infused, there is a thorow-sale of all …, The Pearle of great price will never be had, except all be sold: which is a matter so remarkable, a…d makes such a miraculous change in a man, that i… cannot chuse but be strongly remembred, and with greatest astonishment, and th… even for ever, both in this world and th… world to come. Sensuall pleasures and bosom… si…es are notoriously na…l'd and glued to a ca… …: they are as neare and deare unto it, as … dainty and delicious meat to the p…te; … (saith Zophar) is sweet in his m…th, he hi…es i… under his Iob. 20. 12.Job 20:12tongue; he spares it, and for sakes it not; but keepes it still in his mouth: not onelyonly as ordinary garments, but as the most costly jewels, and richest chaine: Pride (saith David) compasseth them about as Psal. …3. 6.Ps 3:6a chaine; violence covereth them as a garment: as the very limbes of the Body. Mortifie therefore (saith Paul) your members which are upon earth: fornication, Col. 3. 5.Col 3:5uncleannesse, inordinate affection, evill concupiscence, covetousnesse: nay, and as the most necessary and noble parts, the right eye, and the right hand; If thy right eye offend thee (saith CHRIST) plucke it out, and cast it from thee:—And if thy Mat. 5. 29, 30.Matt 5:29Matt 5:30right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: yea dearer then very life it selfe to flesh and bloud: For we may observe and see too often such sonnes of pleasure, and slaves of lust to have no joy in this life, after they have lost the joy of this life. Hence it is, that many times the wretched worldling being robbed one way or other of the very p. 66life of his life, his wedge of gold and hoards of wealth, makes an end of himselfe: that the wanton missing of his lustfull aime and much desired choise, finds no pleasure in this life; but cuts off himself by a violent and untimely death: that Achitophel being disgraced and over-top'd in a Point of Policy, the crowne and pride of his worldly happinesse, put his houshold in order, and hang'd himselfe. Well then, if it be thus, that parting from carnall pleasures be as painfull and vexing, as if a man should pull the meat from our mouth, the chaine from our necke, clothes from our backe, the limbes from our body, the right arme from our shoulder, the eyes out of our head, and as the losse of our life, that happy soule which bids adieu everlastingly to all earthly delights, must needs take extraordinary notice, and be able for ever to give a ready and most sensible account of such a mighty change and marvellous worke.

2. Aske them, how they keepe their faith: and they will tell you, they thanke GOD, they are not troubled about it. They find no such scruples, doubts, distrusts, feares, jealousies, terrours, temptations, desertions, wants, weakenesses, &c. as some preciser fellowes, who stand so much upon their profession, strictnesse, conscience, and other singularities above ordinary, so much talke of, and take to heart. They see no such necessity of running after sermons, so much reading, prayer, poring upon precise bookes, recourse to Puritan-Ministers, Humiliation-daies, &c. They can believe quietly, follow their businesse, and go to p. 67Heaven without so much adoe. Nay, they are so farre from being troubled in any of these kinds, that if any amongst them be troubled in mind, and extraordinarily visited with spirituall distresse, the portion many times of GODS dearest children; they presently please and applaud themselves, that they are free; and conceive and peremptorily conclude that the afflicted is an hypocrite, hath beene a more hainous sinner then others, or medled too much with Scripture-businesses and divine matters. But now the true believer holds the precious heavenly Iewell of justifying Faith with much adoe, difficulty and **That Sa… may worke our finall over throw, it is his usuall custome to tell the true believing Christian that he is destitute of saith; and contrariwise the … worldling, that he hath a strong saith; whereas in truth, there is nothing in him, but secure pre… Down▪ Christ. Warf. Cap. 42.doubtings. He is as carefull and covetous (if it be possible) to preserve and save this Pearle, as the worldling his gold. For this purpose, he passeth thorow many fore and bitter conflicts with the fiercest assaults and fieriest darts of the Devill; (for he knowes full well, that that is the arme and power of GOD unto us, for all sound comfort and spirituall wellbeing, and therefore he is most furious to weaken us there) with infinite gaine-sayings and temptations of our inbred insidelity, native ignorance, diffidence, wisdome of the flesh, our owne sense and feeling, and a world of oppositions continually. He is driven many and many a time to the Throne of Grace with prayers, teares, and strongest wrastlings for auxiliary forces, and renewed strength. O how often doth he resort with extremest thirst, and dearest longings to all the blessed Fountaines, that feed his faith; the person of CHRIST, His meritorious bloud, the Promises, p. 68GODS freest love, His sweetest name; the covenant of grace, all the Ordinances, those Ones of a thousand, who are able to discover both the depths of the Devill, and the mysteries of Evangelicall mercy, &c. and for all this is glad many times to say unto his GOD: Though Thou slay me, yet will I Iob 13 15. Ma…k▪ 9. 24.Job 13:15trust in Thee: LORD, I believe, helpe Thou mine unbeliefe, &c. The difference then stands thus: They hold it the easiest thing of a thousand; but he finds it the hardest matter in the world, To believe.

3. Aske them, what it hath wrought upon them: and they cannot give an account of any alteration to any purpose, or sanctification at all. Imaginary Faith is but an idle Idea, a naked Notion, a meere fancy, a groundlesse presumption and true dreame; and therefore it is not active or productive of any reall effects, or true religiousnesse. But now saving …aith doth ever beget a blessed change in the whole man, body, soule, spirit, calling, company, conver…, &… ▪ …f any man be in CHRIST, he is a new creature: Old things … Cor. 5. 17.are passed away, Behold all things are new. It is ever attended with those three great works of grace: 1. An universall repentance and returne from all sinnes: from grosse ones in practice and action; and from the most unavoidable infirmities at least in allowance and affection. 2. An universall sanctification in all the parts and powers of body and soule; though not in height of degree, yet without exception of parts. 3. An universall obedience to all GODS commands; p. 69though not to perfection, yet in sincerity and truth: and with an heavenly traine of glorious graces▪ love, hope, vertue, knowledge, temperance, 2 Pet 1. 5, 6. Gal. 5. …, 23.2 Pet 1:52 Pet 1:6Gal 5patience, godlinesse, brotherly kindnesse, charity, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentlenesse, goodnesse, meeknesse, &c. And even in the lowest ebbe and greatest weakenesse, it is ever wont to discover it selfe at least by poverty of spirit, hungring and thirsting after righteousnesse, striving against doubting, bitter complaints for want of former feelings, industrious seeking to be setled in believing, earnest and greedy longing after grace, highly prizing the LORD IESVS, and preferring Him infinitely before all the pleasures, profits and felicities of this life, resolving rather to die ten thousand deaths, than to returne any more to folly; selfe-deniall, contempt of the world, care to search out the sin that may possibly hinder comfort, and be rid of it, continuall watchfulnesse and holy jealousie, lest we should be deceived, and faithfull labouring to subdue corruption.

4. Fourthly, aske them, How they prize the object they apprehend imaginarily; for it is no better: and it is but thus: If you were able to assure them of wallowing in all worldly pleasures with constant health, and immortality upon earth: they would with all their hearts, part with all their hope of heaven hereafter: For they are yet but carnall, though selfe-confident. But now the divinenesse and excellency of spirituall delights which justifying Faith doth extract from the Objects about which it is exercis'd, doth so affect and p. 70ravish the heart of the true Believer; that well advised, in cold bloud, and out of temptation, he holds all the corporall felicities of ten thousand worlds, even world without end, in comparison of them, but as drosse, and dung, and dust in the ballance. Our part in the person of CHRIST, with the purchases of His dearest bloud, and possession of the Deity blessed for ever by His meanes, do more than infinitely transcend the utmost of all earthly contentments, rais'd above the highest possibility, by the most inventive and strongest imagination, and to be enjoyed thorow a thousand eternities.

The second sort, which are a generation of more understanding men; stand thus for their spirituall state, and thus fearefully couzen their own soules, and come short of salvation: They assay indeed to be religious, give up their names to Profession, and would go to heaven with all their hearts, so farre as the way holds, with enjoyment of temporall happinesse: and therefore, they put on a forme of godlinesse, and faire out-side; furnish themselves with an artificiall habit of talking well; take part in all companies with the better side; follow and frequent Sermons with good forwardnesse; set up prayer and other religious exercises in their families; put themselves upon daies of humiliation; leave many sinnes, do many things, hold an universall outward conformity to all the ordinances and divine Duties at the instance of the Ministry. And if they be of ability, countenance godly Preachers, stand for them, and entertaine p. 71them into their houses with much affectionatenesse and bounty, especially such as (perhaps) by reason of too much charity, unacquaintednesse with their wayes, lothnesse to be accounted too pragmaticall and rough, or something comply with them in a false conceipt of their spirituall well-being, &c. But presse them further, over and besides all this, to the heart and life of religion, to the power and pith of godlinesse, crucifying of their corruptions, strangling their lusts, mastering their passions, parting with all sinne, unfashioning them to the times, abandoning for ever their darling pleasure, deniall of themselves, contempt of the world, daily walking with GOD, delight in the way of holinesse, an holy keeping of theIsa. 35. ….Isa 35 LORDS day, fruitfulnesse in all good workes, living by faith, an uncowardly opposition to the iniquities of the present, &c. which (they well know) wilbe necessarily accompanied with Drunkards songs, railings of the basest, discountenance from ungodly greatnesse, the worlds deadliest enmity, speaking against every where, &c. O then,Acts 28. 22.Acts 28:22 you strike them starke dead on the nest, as they say. These are hard speeches, very harsh, grating and ungratefull to their eares, and go to their very hearts: and therefore in such Points as these pressing more precisenesse, you may as well remoove a mountaine of brasse with your little finger, as stirre them an inch. Say what you will, and preach out your heart, (as they say) they will no further. Thus farre as they go already, shall either serve their turne for salvation, or they will p. 72venture their soules with thousands that are worse than themselves. They pitch upon a safe, wise, moderate and discreet temper of religion, as they conceive and call it, and neither desire, or endeavour to go any further, or grow any better. A faire day mends them not (as they say) and a soule day paires them not. As they are peremptorily consident, the Pearle wilbe had at their price; so they are constantly peremptory never to become more precise. And if it fall out sometimes, that they meet with some faithfull man of GOD, who hi…s right upon their humour; discovering the insufficiency of their present spirituall state, for future happinesse; and perswading them upon a necessity of salvation, to an universall resignation of themselves with unreservednesse and zeale to all the world, and will and waies of GOD; they are wont to put it off thus, or in the like manner: The man is a good man, and of good parts, one whom I love well; but a little too hot, too boisterous and rough, and pinches too much upon precisenesse and particularizing mens spirituall states; that is all his …ault: I must confesse, I am of such a nature and disposition, that I shall be more mooved with milder sermons, and calmer cariage in the Pulpit: I do not see p. 73how this Ministeriall severity and roughnesse, **And yet the Apostle saith, foreign …. 1. 13. Reprove them sharply, severely, cu…gly; of foreign Quemadmodū m…us, qui b…li vult mede…i, amaris utitur pharmacis, ita obdurati, prae…racti, at que contumaces homines duris & severis verbis arguendi sunt: malo enim nodo malus quaerendus est …unens. Mega…der in …. Vt caro quae callo obdu…uit non sacilè accipit vib…ces plaga…um, nisi improbis & crebris ictibus▪ ita animus assuetus peccatis, non commovetu… correctione nisi seve…ā & ac…i. Idem Ibid. Haec …hementia & severitas, quam hic Paulus in Pastore requirit, non vacat omni i…á: quam & CHRISTVM invasisse Evangelista testis est. Ma…. 3. 5. Haec autem justa est, & pia…ra, quam Scripturae vocant Zelum DEI, cum sit iracundia amore DEI & pietatis excitata: qualis CHRISTVM invasit cum negotiatores expulite Domo Patris sui. Ioh. 2. 15. Hoc loco non alienos dicit, sed domesticos esse coarguendos. Theophylactin L…c Ne que alienos solùm hic taxat Paulus, sed cos nominat…m qui CHRISTO nomen dederant. Calvin. in Cap 1. ad Tit. For of all others, those which give their names to religion, and are unsound at the heartroot: who mony times also most fearefully and scandalous…y shame their P…osession, and cause the good way to be evill spoken of, by their worldlinesse, pride, fashions, … tonguednesse, passions …y, detaining Church dues, cowardlinesse in good causes, impatiency of Ministeriall reproofe, i… it crosse them in their commodit…, strangenesse of apparell, intimate correspondence with the prophan…, &c irreligiousnesse of their servants and f…llowers, &c. are to be scarched thorowly, and most severely censured, that they may be saved at the length, truly humbled, Christians indeed, and not onelyonly in their owne conceipt, and such as GOD would have them.John 2:15sharpnesse of reproofe, and such searching into, and peremptory censuring mens state to GOD-ward, doth so much good, &c.

My whole Discourse of true Happinesse is a touchstone and looking glasse for a triall and discovery of the unsoundnesse and spirituall selfe-deceit: and therefore thither I remit them.

10. A serious and fruitfull meditation upon the foure last things, hath been ever holden very materiall, and of speciall moment, to make us (by GODS blessing) more humble, un-worldly, provident and prepared for the evill Day. Give me leave therefore, to select and propose some profitable p. 74Considerations thereabouts, and Conclusions thence, which may serve to mortifie our affections to the world, take off the edge and eagernesse in pursuit after earthly things; mollifie, and make fit our hearts for a more easie entrance, and effectuall entertainment of all saving impressions, and motions of the Word and Spirit, for our spirituall good; that in times of terrour, we may stand like Mount Zion, unmooveable and magnanimous.