What God is in his Essence, and how to be understood in his holy Attributes?

Secondly, it seemeth that this question hath trou­bled many mens mindes; also, who it is that is God: Certainly knowne by so many manifest and many testimonies of godly workes: Further, to know what God is; God is a divine Essence, and Incomprehensible, [Page 6] Immutable, Indivisible, Impassible, Incorruptible, Immortall,1 Tim. 6.16. 2 Cor. 3.17. Unspeakable, perfect and everlasting, dwelling in Inaccessible light, spirituall and infi­nitely perfect; whose being is from eternitie to eter­nity. In the God-head there are three divine persons, the Father, Sonne, and holy Ghost; these three per­sons are not three severall substances, but three di­stinct subsistences, or three divers manner of beings; of one and the same substance and divine essence; so that a person in the God-head, is an individuall un­derstanding, and incommunicable subsistence, abso­lute of it selfe, and not sustained by any other.

The persons in this Mysterie, or divine Essence, are but three: there is another, and another; but not ano­ther thing, and another thing: the divine Essence in it selfe is neither divided nor distinguished; but the three persons in the divine Essence are distinguished a­mongst themselves by their names,Mat. 11.27. Mat. 3.17. Esay 63.16. Eph. 3.16, 17. by their order, and by their actions: in this manner: the first per­son of the glorious Trinitie, is named the Father, first in respect of his naturall sonne Christ: secondly, in respect of the elect; his adopted sonnes, not by na­ture, but by grace: Christ the sonne is the second person of the glorious Trinitie; and the onely be­gotten sonne of his Father, not by grace, but by na­ture;Hebr. 1.3. Esay 36.10. Ioh. 20.21, 22. 1 Pet 1.15. and Thes. 1.2. the third person is named the holy Ghost; first, because he is spirituall without a bodie, secondly, be­cause hee is spired, and, as it were, breathed, that is, proceedeth from them both; because hee is holy in his owne nature, and the immediate Sanctifier of all Gods elect people.

Hence it is, that for as much as the Father is the fountaine & originall of the Trinitie, the beginning of all eternall working; the name of God in relation, and the title of Creator in the Creed,Ioh. 14.1. are given in especiall manner to the Father, our Redemption to the Sonne, [Page 7] and our sanctification to the Person of the holy Ghost, as the Immediate agents of these actions.Rom. 8.3, 4. 1 Cor. 15.24.

This divine order excepted, there is neither first nor last, neither superioritie, nor inferioritie among the three persons: for nature, they are coessentiall:Ioh. 1.1. for definitie, coequall: and for time, coeternall: For the essence doth not beget an essence, but the person of the Father, begetteth the person of the Sonne,Ioh. 5.19. and so hee is God of God, and hath from his Father the beginning of his person and order,Rom. 8.9. but not of essence and time: And the holy Ghost proceedeth equally from both the Father and the Sonne, by an eternall and incomprehensible spiration: for, as the Sonne receiveth the whole divine essence by generation; so the holy Ghost receiveth it wholly by spiration:Rom. 11.36. But because the Father created,As Redemp­tion. Act. 20.28. and Sanctification. and still governeth the world by the Sonne, in the holy Ghost; therefore these externall actions are indifferently, in the Scrip­ture often times ascribed to each of the three persons; and therefore are called Communicable and divided actions;1 Pet. 1.23. so that when wee say that the divine essence is in the Father unbegotten, in the Sonne begotten, and in the holy Ghost proceeding, we make not three essences, but onely shew the divers manner of sub­sisting; by which the same most simple, eternall and unbegotten essence subsisteth in each person, namely, that it is not in the Father by generation, that is in the Sonne communicated from the Father by gene­ration, and in the holy Ghost communicated from both the Father and the Sonne, by proceeding. These are incommunicable, and doe make not an essentiall, accidentall or rationall, but a reall distinction, be­twixt the three persons: And because the divine es­sence common to all the three persons, is but one; we call the same Unitie: But because there be three distinct persons in this one indivisible essence, we call [Page 8] the same Trinity: So that this Unitie in Trinity, and Trinity in Unitie, is a holy Mysterie, rather to be re­ligiously adored by faith,Iob 11.7. then curiously searched in­to by reason.

That God is one in Trinity1. These things be manifest, and must with a simple and cleare faith be believed: that God is one in es­sence, nature, God-head, will, moving and working, three in three persons, of which every one hath seve­rall subsistence and propertie; which for all that be so in God, that the Essence, Nature, God-head, Majesty, working, will, power, honour, and continu­ance for ever is common to them all, all coessentiall, all coeternall;The Appella­tions of the persons. for wee see that these three persons are called in holy Scriptures, God, the Word, the Spi­rit, but more plainly by Christ, the Father, the Sonne, and the holy Spirit.

Matth. 28.19.We see that the faith of this holy Trinitie is not meant to be three Gods, but three unsearchable subsi­stences or persons in one true God, set forth to man for the better knowledge of Christ, his only begotten Son, and for the increase of his glory, according to the measure of his revelation:A Similitude. For, as two divers and sundry natures joyned together in one man, doe not make two men, but both doe still conserve the unitie of one person, so that it remaineth still one man, made of soule and body, why then should it not sinke into our heads, that three subsistences in one God, neither in being, neither in nature be divers, but altogether equall and even, doe not let but that the unitie of God remaineth still one.

A Similitude of the Sunne.Who is so weake of judgement, or so foolish of un­derstanding, to believe that there are three sunnes, be­ing indeed, but one, because there is three qualities or effects in the sunne: First, as it were, a fountaine of light,Note. never ceasing: Secondly, the cleare shining brightnesse which commeth thereof: Thirdly, the [Page 9] heate breathing out and proceeding from them both:The similitude of man. who is so mad to determine or Imagine, that a man hath three spirits, because there are found three, as it were divers substances, the soule, the minde, and the will: the soule whereby man liveth and moveth; the minde whereby hee understandeth, judgeth and discerneth: the heart or will whereby hee willeth or willeth not, hateth or loveth, is sorry or glad, becom­meth good or evill? these things are manifestly found in our selves: wherby we may be led as by the hand, to know the one and true God in this holy Trinity of Persons, and in Trinity a perfect unity of God-head; how may it bee rightly understood,Iob 11.7. how the soule breedeth the minde, and how the will commeth of them both? By what way then can wee understand the divine birth of the Word of God; and the pro­ceeding of the holy Spirit? thus in briefe I thought meete to note, concerning this question, what God is: for the simpler sorts sake, to the intent they may un­derstand how farre forth the use thereof may doe them good that be desirous to apply their knowledge and understanding to God, to the study of true godli­nesse, and not unto curiosity.Iohn 1.1, 2, &c. And take this by the way, that as the naturall sonne of man, is naturally man; so is the naturall Sonne of God naturally God, and of one Essence with his Father; but this know­ledge of the holy Trinity, was somewhat hidden till the revelation of the Word that tooke flesh. When the holy Spirit began more especially to worke, then this mystery of the Trinity in God was openly set forth by Christ, when he said; Goe teach all People, Math. 28.19. The revelation of the holy Trinity. baptising them in the Name of the Father, of the Sonne, and of the Holy Ghost: and then conferred his grace upon them, whereby the ministery of the holy Tri­nity began to be opened unto the world; should bee a manifest witnesse to the people; that whosoever [Page 10] should bee received into that grace, should in the Sacrament of the first admission, confesse themselves to bee sanctified in the name of the Father, of the Sonne, and of the Holy Ghost. Thus farre of the divers manner of being in the divine essence: Now of the Attributes thereof, and first of the Nominall.

The Attributes of God are of two sorts: either Nominall or Reall. The Nominall attributes are of three sorts: the first which signifie Gods Essence. Secondly, the Persons in the Essence. Thirdly, those which signifie his essentiall workes. The first is na­medExod. 6.3, &c. Exod. 15.3, &c. Psal. 83.18 Esay 48.11. Jehovah, which signifieth Eternall being of himselfe, in whom is being without all beginning; all other beings both begin and end: he is named Ie­hovah, not onely in respect of being, and causing all things to be; but especially in respect of his gracious promises, which without faile hee will fulfill in his appointed time, and so causeth that to be which was not before:Esay 55.7. Iohn 14.2, 3. and upon our true repentance hee will assuredly pardon and forgive us all our sinnes, at the time of death receive our soules, and in the resurre­ction raise up our bodies in glory to life everlasting: therefore this Name is a golden pledge unto us, that because hee hath promised, hee will surely performe unto us.

Exod. 3.14. Vers. 13.The second Name denoting Gods Essence is Eheieh, but once read, and of the same roote that Iehovah is, and signifieth, I am that I am: for when Moses asked God by what name hee should call him, God then named himselfe, Eheieh Ascher: Eheieh, I am that I am, or I will be that I will be: signifying that hee is an eternall unchangeable being, and all other crea­tures are temporary and mutable. This name in the New Testament is given to our Lord Christ,Apoc. 1.8. when he is called Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the [Page 21] ending, which is, which was, and which is to come: the Almighty: for all time past and to come is aye present before God. And to this name Christ allu­deth, Before Abraham was, I am: Iohn 8.58. this Name should teach us likewise, to have alwaies present in our mind, our first creation, our present corruption, and our fu­ture glorification.

The third Name is Jah, Psal. 112, &c. Psal. 113.1, 2.3, 4, 5. which as it comes of the same roote, so it is the contract of Jehovah, and signi­fieth Lord: because hee is the beginning, and being of beings. This Name is ascribed unto God: so when this Name is absolutely given to God, it answereth to the name Jehovah; and so translated by the se­venty Interpreters: for God is so a Lord, that he is absolute of himselfe, and Lord of all. This Name should alwaies put us in remembrance to obey his Commandements, to feare his Judgements,Mala. 1.6. to submit our selves in all things to his blessed will and pleasure, saying with Ely, It is the Lord, 1. Sam. 3.18. let him doe whatsoever seemeth him good.

The fourth is God, 600. times used in the New Te­stament, which signifieth, To burne or kindle; for God is light, and the Authour both of heate, light, and life, in all Creatures: either immediately of him­selfe, or mediately by secondary causes; but when it is properly and absolutely used,Note. it signifieth the eternall essence of God, being above all things, and through all things, and seeth all things in all places; giving life and light to all creatures, and preserving and governing them in their wonderfull frame and order: therefore let us take heed every where what wee doe in his sight: thus farre of the names which signifie the Essence of God.

The Name chiefely which signifieth the persons in the Essence, is Elohim.

Elohim signifieth the mighty Judges;Genes. 3.22. Deut. 7.6. it is a name [Page 12] of the plurall number, to expresse the Trinity of persons in the unity of Essence: the mighty God, or all the three Persons in the God-head.Math. 21.37. It is derived of Alah, hee swore: because in all weighty causes, when necessity requireth an oath to decide the truth, we are onely to sweare by the Name of God, which is the great and righteous Judge of Heaven and earth: as oft therefore as we read, or heare this name Elo­him, it should put us in mind to consider that in one divine Essence there are three distinct persons, and that God is Iehovah Elohim.

Now follow the names which signifie Gods essen­tiall workes, which are these five especially:

Math. 27.46. Math. 25.31. 2 Chro. 32.8.The first, El: which is as much, as strong God, and teacheth us that God is not onely most strong, and fortitude it selfe, in his owne Essence: but also that it is hee that giveth strength and power to all crea­tures: therefore Christ is called El Gibbor, the strong, most mighty God: therefore let not Gods children feare the power of enemies, for El, our God, is more strong then they.

Secondly, Shaddai, that is, omnipotent: by this name God usually stiled himselfe to the Patriarchs; I am El Shaddai, the strong God Almighty; because hee is perfectly able to defend his servants from all evill, to blesse them with all spirituall and temporall blessings, and to performe all the promises which he hath made unto them for this life, and in the life to come. This Name belongeth onely to God him­selfe, and to no creature, no not to the humanity of Christ. This may teach us with the Patriarchs, to put our whole confidence in God, and not to doubt of the truth of his promises and the performance thereof.

Thirdly, Adonai, which is, My Lord: this name Analogically is given to creatures, but properly it [Page 13] belongeth to God alone; it notes unto us the mysterie of the holy Trinitie: if I be Adonim, Lord,Malac. 1.6. where is my feare? this name is given to Christ, when he saith, Cause thy face to shine upon thy Sanctuary that is desolate, Dan. 9.17, 18. for Adonia, the Lord Christ his sake. The hearing of this holy name, may teach every man to obey Gods Commandements, and to feare him alone, to suffer none besides him to raigne in his conscience, to lay hold by a particular hand of faith upon his Word and Promises, and to challenge God in Christ to be his God, saying with Thomas, Thou art my Lord, and my God.

4. Helion, that is most high; this name Gabriel giveth unto God, telling the Virgin Mary, Psal. 9.2. Dan. 4.17.24.25. Act. 7.48. Luk. 1.32. that the childe that should be borne of her, should be the Son of the most high. This teacheth us, that God in his Essence and Glory exceedeth infinitely all creatures of heaven and earth, and that no man should be proud of any earthly honour or greatnesse, but to desire true dignitie, and to labour to have communion with God in grace and glory.

5. Abba, signifying Father;Rom. 8.15. Esay 9.5. Jam. 1.17. 2 Tim. 6.16. for God is Christs father by nature, and Christians by adoption and grace: Christ is called the everlasting Father, the prince of Peace, because he doth regenerate us un­der the new Testament: God is also called father of Light, because God dwelleth in inaccessible light, and is the [...]thour, not onely of the sonnes light, but also of all the light both of naturall reason, and of super­naturall grace: this name teacheth us, that all the gifts which wee receive from God, proceed from his meere fatherly love, and that wee should love him againe as deare children; and that wee may in all our troubles be bold to call upon him as a father for his helpe and succour; thus should wee not heare of the sacred names of God, but that wee should thereby be [Page 14] put in mind of his goodnesse unto us, and of our duties unto him; and then we should finde how comfortable a thing it is, to doe every thing in the name of God, a phrase usuall in every mans tongue, but the true comfort thereof through ignorance knowne to few mens hearts, it is a great wisedome, and an un­speakable matter for the strengthening of a Christians faith, to know, how in the mediation of Christ, to in­vocate God by such a name, as whereby hee hath ma­nifested himselfe to be most willing, and best able to helpe and succour him in his present need and adver­sitie. The ardent desire of knowing God, is the surest testimony of our love to God, and of Gods favour to us.Psal. 91.14, 15, 16. Because hee hath set his love upon mee, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath knowne my name; he shall call upon me, and I will heare him, yea, I will be with him in trouble, and deliver him, and bring him to honour, and shew him my salvation. Thus farre of the nominall Attributes:

The reall Attributes are of two sorts, either abso­lute or relative: the absolute Attributes cannot in any sort agree to any creature, but to God alone; these are two, Simplenesse, and Infinitenesse.

Simplenesse is that whereby God is voide of all composition, division, multiplication, accidents or parts compounding, either sensible or intelligible; so that whatsoever hee is, he is the same essentially: it hinders not Gods simplenesse that hee is three, because God is three, not by composition of parts, but by co-existence of persons.Job 11.8. Infinitenesse is that whereby all things in God are void of all measure, limitation and bounds, above and beneath, before and after. From these two doe necessarily flow three other absolute Attributes.

Act. 7.48, 49. 1 King. 8.27.1. Unmeasurablenesse, or Ubiquity, whereby he is of infinite extension, filling heaven and earth, con­taining [Page 15] all places, and not contained of any space, place, or bounds, and being no where absent, is every where present; hee is universally present, repletively every where, inclusively no where;Psal. 19.1. by which God is said to be in heaven, because that there his power, wisedome,Hos. 2.21. Esa. 40.22, &c. and goodnesse is in a more excellent man­ner seene and enjoyed; as also because that usually he doth from thence powre both his Blessings and Judge­ments upon us.

2. Unchangeablenesse, whereby God is void of all change, both in respect of his Essence and Will.

3. Eternitie, whereby God is without beginning of daies, or end of time, and without all bounds of precession. Thus farre of the absolute Attributes: now of the Relative, or such as have reference to the Creatures:

Those are five:

• 1. Life.
• 2. Understanding.
• 3. Will.
• 4. Power.
• 5. Majestie.

1. The life of God is that by which, as by a most pure and perpetuall act,Psal. 36.9. hee not onely liveth of him­selfe, but is also that ever and over-flowing Foun­taine of life, from which all creatures derive their lives, so as that in him they live, move, breath, and have their being; and because his Life onely differs not from his Essence, therefore God is said onely to have Immortality: the second,Tim. 6.16. is Understanding or Knowledge of God, and is that whereby, by one pure act, he most perfectly knoweth in himselfe all things that ever were, are, or shall be, yea, the thoughts and imaginations of mens hearts.

2. This knowledge of God, is either generall, by which God knoweth simply all things eternally; the [Page 16] good by himselfe,1 King. 8.39. Psal. 139.2, &c. the evill by the good opposite unto it, imposing, first, things contingent, the lot of contin­gence, and to things necessary, the law of necessity; and thus knowing all things in and of himselfe,Luk. 16.15. Hebr. 4.22. he is the cause of all the knowledge that is in all, both men and Angells: secondly, the speciall knowledge, called the knowledge of approbation,Rom 11.33. by which hee particularly knoweth, and graciously acknowledgeth onely his Elect for his owne.2 Tim. 2.19. Understanding also containes the wisedome of God, by which hee most wisely ruleth them to serve his owne most holy pur­pose and glory.

3. The Will of God is that whereby of necessitie he willeth himselfe, as the soveraigne good, and by willing himselfe, willeth most freely all other good things which are out of himselfe; though in it selfe the will of God be but one,1 Tim. 2.5. Rom. 9.15, 16, as in his Essence; yet in respect of the divers objects and effects, it is called in the Scriptures by divers names.17, 18. 1 Joh. 3.1. The first, Love, whereby is meant Gods eternall good will, whereby hee ordaineth his Elect to be freely saved through Christ,Psalm. 45.8. Ephes. 1.11. and bestoweth on them all necessarie graces for this life, and in the life to come, taking pleasure in their persons and service.2 Thes. 1.6. The second, Justice is Gods constant will, whereby hee recompenseth men and Angells,2 Tim. 4.8. according to their works' punishing the im­penitent, according to their deserts, called the justice of his wrath,Deut. 7.9, 10. and rewarding the faithfull according to his promise; called the justice of his grace. The third mercy,Psal. 145.7, &c. which is Gods mere good wil, and ready affection to forgive a penitent sinner, notwithstanding all his sinnes and ill deserts.Mat. 16.18, 19. The fourth, goodnesse, whereby God willingly communicateth his good, with his creatures;Psal. 146.6, &c. and because hee communica­teth it freely,Numb. 23.19, 20. it is termed grace. The fifth, truth, whereby God willeth constantly those things which [Page 17] he willeth,2 Pet. 3.9, 10. effecting and performing all things which hee hath spoken, in his appointed time.Rom. 2, 4. The sixt is patience, whereby God willingly forbeares to punish the wicked, so long as it may stand with his justice;1 Thes. 4.3. and till their sinnes be ripened. The seventh holinesse,Heb. 12.14. whereby Gods nature is separated from all prophane­nesse, and abhorreth all filthinesse:1 Pet. 1.5. and so being wholy pure in himselfe delighteth in the inward and outward purity and chastity of his servants,Esay 6.2.3. which hee infuseth into them. The eight Anger whereby is meant Gods most certaine and just will,Psal. 106.23.29 40, 41. in chastning the Elect; and in revenging and punishing the repro­bate, for the injuries they offer to him and his chosen,Reve. 19.1, 2. and when God will punish with rigor and severity,Thes. 1.1.10. then it is tearmed wrath; temporall to the Elect, and eternall to the reprobate.

Fourthly,Gen. 17.1. Psal. 115.3. Math. 11.26. Math. 8.2. Eph. 1.11. Math. 3.9. & 20.34. Rom. 9.17, 18. the power of God is that whereby hee can simply and freely doe whatsoever hee will, that is agreeable to his nature, and whereby, as he hath made, so hee still ruleth Heaven, and earth, and all things therein. This almighty power of God is either abso­lute, by which he can will and doe more than he wil­leth or doth: or actuall, by which God doth indeed whatsoever he will, and hindereth whatsoever he will not have done, Psal. 115.3.

Fifthly, Majesty is that by which God by his abso­lute and free authority, raigneth and ruleth,Chro 29.11.12 2 Sam. 7.22. Apoc. 5.12.13. Rom. 9.15. Luke 19.27. Psal. 2.9. & 110.1. as Lord and King over all creatures, visible and invisible; ha­ving both right and propriety in all things; as from whom, and for whom are all things: as also, such a plenitude of power, that he can pardon the offences of all, whom he will have spared; and subdue all his enemies whom hee will have plagued and destroyed; without being bound to render to any creature a rea­son or account of his doings; but making his owne most holy and just will, his onely most perfect and [Page 16] [...] [Page 17] [...] [Page 18] eternall Law; from all these Attributes ariseth one, which is Gods soveraigne blessednesse or perfection. Blessednesse is that perfect and unmeasurable posses­sion of joy and glory, which God hath in himselfe for ever; and is the cause of all the blisse and per­fection, that every creature enjoyeth in his measure.

Of these Attri­butes we must hold these ge­nerall rules.No Attributes can sufficiently expresse the Essence of God, nor declare what he is; because he is infinite and ineffable: whatsoever therefore is spoken of God is not God; but serveth rather to helpe our weake understanding to conceive in our reason, and to utter in our speech, the Majesty of his divine Nature, so farre as hee hath vouchsafed to reveale himselfe unto us in his Word. All the Attributes of God belong to every of the three Persons, as well as to the Essence it selfe; with the limitation of a personall propriety: as, the mercy of the Father, is mercy begetting; the mercy of the Sonne, is mercy begotten; the mercy of the holy Ghost, is mercy proceeding. Againe, the es­sentiall Attributes of God differ not from his Essence, because they are so in the Essence, that they are the very Essence it selfe; therefore in God there is nothing to bee found, which is not either his Essence or Person: to speake properly, there are not in God many Attributes, but one onely which is nothing else but the divine Essence it selfe: but in respect of our reason, they are said to be many different Attri­butes; for our understanding conceives by the name of mercy, a thing differing from that which is called Justice: Gods essentiall Attributes are not therefore really inseparable, for the Essentiall Attributes of God are not parts or qualities of the divine Essence, nor accidents in the Essence, as in a subject; but the very whole and intire Essence of God: so that such Attribute is not an other, and another thing, but one and the same thing. There are therefore no quan­tities [Page 19] in God by which he may be said to be so much, and so much; nor qualities, by which he may be said to bee such and such: but whatsoever God is, hee is such and the same by his Essence. By his Essence he is wise, therefore wisedome it selfe: by his Essence hee is good, therefore goodnesse it selfe: by his Essence he is mercifull, therefore mercy it selfe: by his Essence he is just, therefore justice it selfe, &c. in truth, and in a word, God is great without quantity; good, true, and just, without quality; mercifull, without passion; an act, without motion; every where present, with­out fight; without time, the first, and the last;Iam. 1.17. the Lord of all creatures, from whom all receive themselves, their being, and all the good they have.

Of the Majesty, Greatnesse and Qualitie of GOD.

THe question here is not of any bodily quality,How the que­stion is of Gods quality, and what manner of thing the quality of God is. but of the Majesty of God: for hee is wonderfull, not in body, which hee hath not; but in godly Ma­jesty: which appeares in his goodnesse, wisedome, power, glory, and eternity: the quality of Gods Majesty is such, that it cannot be expressed, though a man would say, his goodnesse, his power, his wis­dome and glory is the greatest of all; for these words superlative, because they doe include a certaine com­parison of other that be good, wise and strong, doe agree better with men than with God, unto whom they cannot bee attributed, but so that they shall seeme to diminish his divine Majesty and excellency; chiefly because hee is alone good, alone wise, and alone strong; therefore when we consider the quality of the goodnesse, wisedome, strength, glory, and con­tinuance [Page 20] of God, wee must forbeare all comparisons, and acknowledge that his goodnesse, wisedome, greatnesse, majesty, power, and glory, is incomparable, passing great, and his continuance infinite: and this infinite excellency of Gods goodnesse wee must ob­serve,Rom. 1. and honour in his creation, disposition and providence, wherewith hee hath made, disposed and governed all things passing well; chiefly in his loving kindnesse, that hee sent his Sonne into the world for our salvation, the excellency of his strength and power appeareth in his word, whereby he made Hea­ven and earth, and all things of nothing: his infinite wisedome is to be seene, as well in his creation as in his marvellous ordering of all things. Let this be suf­ficient to have touched somewhat pertaining to this matter, now of the workes of God.

After those things that wee have briefly noted of the Essence, Persons, Nature and Majesty of God, the next is to looke into his workes: for it is best knowne by his workes, both, that hee is, what hee is, and of what quality he is, and how great he is. Wherefore every godly heart, will yeeld all his endeavour to looke continually into the workes of God, with the eyes of faith, that hee may be perfectly instructed by them, what he ought to judge of him: God hee wor­keth continually, and without ceasing: Christ saith, My Father worketh even till now. Iohn 5.17.

God is every where present, both essentially, and po­tentially, and vertually; for God is infinite, as well in his Essence, as in his Might, Power, and Working: For as the Apostle saith,Acts 17.24, 25, 26, 27, 28. God worketh all in all; for all things be not onely of him, and by him, but in him, & through him also; he is therefore generally present every where, and in all, and so preserveth, directeth, & governeth all things, but especially touching his spe­ciall majestie and glory, hee is, and dwelleth in Hea­ven; [Page 21] but by his goodnesse and grace, he is, dwelleth and abideth in his elect and faithfull people on earth; such as doe love and obey him, whom he doth especi­ally love, preserve, defend, and keepe; which is cal­led the presence of his grace. Therefore what surer safeguard can there be unto man, subject to so many dangers, afflictions, miseries, and calamities, than to have his God present with him by a certaine speciall grace and favour, but in the wicked and the ungodly, he is in them in his anger and wrath,Psal. 78.31, &c. whom hee doth abhorre as reprobate and cast off. For the presence of him which is the maker, preserver,For as much as the Essence of God is contai­ned in no place yet it cannot be said, that it is no where, so that of neces­sity it is every where. and gover­nour of all, cannnot be idle, but worketh all in all, and with the power, might, and working of him, all things should lie dead, and to no effect; so that of necessitie, God in his Essence and working is every where; like as if a man should say of the soule, that it is contained in no certaine place of the body, yet for all that, it is in every place, and in all parts, and doth fill the whole body; so like as if our body were desti­tute of the operation of the soule, it were dead, there­fore the soule is certainly present in the whole body, and every part thereof essentially and vertually, but more especially in the Memorie, Will,They are the faculties of the soule. and Under­standing: so every man by his contemplative and ima­ginarie presence is every where: as when wee doe set before us as present,Ephes. 1.18. those things which by conside­ring we doe see within our mind in diligent contem­plation and imagination; and by this we doe present unto our minds, both things farre off, past, and to come,1 Cor. 5.3. and this spirituall presence is that whereby we be present in spirit, though farre off absent in body. Againe, God is present every where in his might, power and working: For, as an earthly king is roy­ally present in every place of his kingdome and domi­nions, by his Officers, Magistrates and Ministers, [Page 22] though not in his corporall presence, and this kinde of presence is more fit and convenient for the majestie of a king,Eccles. 17. then if hee were every where present in his person; so it is with God, for though he is, and dwel­leth in heaven principally in his majestie and glorie,1 Cor. 12.6. yet by his might,Ephes. 4.6. power and working, he is every where present on earth, and worketh all in all, and through all; for it is not in mans power to order his own waies, or to rule and governe himselfe,Jerem. 10.23. his steps and goings.

It is not here meant, nor determined, that the qua­litie of Gods nature be that wherein consisteth the habite, disposition, naturall power, or lacke of power, affection,God is three waies to be considered and distinguished, that is to say, of what quali­ty he is in his Essence, what in Person, and what in Na­ture. forme, fashion, and the like, which the Lo­gicians consider in qualitie, but the same which hath his greatest propertie to distinct the nature of God, which distinction is made from all others which be made of him, according to the which, God is of that qualitie as agreeth onely to himselfe, which passeth all things else, not onely in excellencie, worthinesse, and majestie, but also that by his wisedome, might, power, and great goodnesse, hee maketh, governeth, preserveth and nourisheth all things; for looke of what qualitie the works of God and the holy Scrip­tures doe set forth and declare him to be, of such qua­litie wee may well say is his nature, for hee is such in the qualitie of his nature, as hee is tried and found to be in his working.Eccles. 8.17. It is neither necessarie or pos­sible, to finde and search out exactly the qualitie of his majestie and worthinesse,Job 11.7, 8. much lesse of his Essence, but it is sufficient for the godly man to adore the Uni­tie of his Essence, and the exceeding and incompre­hensible highnesse of his Majestie and worthinesse in spirit,Wisd. 12. and to seeke the qualitie of his nature in his workes, and in the holy Scriptures, and so content himselfe with the testimonie of them both. And there­by, and therein, let him learne, understand and know, [Page 23] that the nature of God in it selfe, is to it selfe all-suffi­cient in all points, and that it is everlasting, infinite, unsearchable, incomprehensible, and Almightie, to­wards those things which hee hath made,Jer. 32.20, 21. and that hee hath might, power and authoritie over all things, and ruleth, preserveth and governeth all things that be in heaven, earth and waters; and that hee is good, favourable and loving towards men, gentle,Wisd. 11. and mercifull, fore-seeing, and fore-knowing all things, present every where, slow unto anger, true, wise, just, judging every man rightly, according to their deserts, which is reported and set forth of him in holy Scrip­tures; and thereby wee may be assured of what qua­litie Gods nature is. And seeing these things be pecu­liar, and naturall unto him, and in him, it followeth, that they are perpetuall, voluntarie, accustomable, and very readie in him, without any moving cause in us; therefore, when we doe consider that universall provi­dence and sufficiencie of God, whereby he provideth for the necessitie of all his creatures generally, that be in heaven, earth and waters, that thereby they may live, increase and continue, that one and the same God is the bottomlesse fountaine of all things that be crea­ted by him, hee his alone sufficient to all, and what­soever is in heaven, earth, or waters, is of him,Jam. 1.17. both whatsoever hath, or be without life, heavenly, or earthly creatures, and living in the waters, reasonable,Colos. 1. Jerem. 32.17, 19, 20, 17. or unreasonable, having soule, or without soule, is of him all matter, substance, essence, nature, life, sustenta­tion of life, food, powers, qualities, both of spirit, soule, or body; all-sight, hearing, understanding,1 Cor. 12.4.11. Wisd. 13. wisedome, knowledge, fore-sight, all strength of ima­gining, reason, judging, remembring, loving, hating, desiring, refusing, strength and motion, is of him, yea, whatsoever things else, which doe outwardly happen, or come, either by Angells, men or beasts, or other­wise [Page 24] is of him: For as Saint Paul saith, That of him, through him, Rom. 11.36. and for him, are all things. The holy Scrip­tures doe manifestly teach,Who can mag­nifie him so greatly as he is to be magni­fied? and almost point out unto us, as it were, before our eyes, not onely what, and of what qualitie Gods workes be, but also what his Spi­rit, intent and purpose is towards man-kind, wherein, no doubt, the nature of God is sufficiently declared unto us; wherefore it is needfull, and to great pur­pose, to joyne the lessons of the holy Scriptures un­to the workes of God; for as much as in them both we are instructed of the nature of God, but the know­ledge of his workes is more generall unto us: For as much as the visible points of Gods nature, his ever­lasting vertue and God-head may be seene in them, in the understanding of mans reason, if diligently wee consider and ponder them in our hearts; by those things which have beene done, and be daily done by him universally.Psal. 107.43. That God through the brightnesse of his workes, doth rebound upon the mindes of wise men, and so doth open and manifest himselfe unto them, by the daily experience which the long and continuall order of Gods workes doth yeeld and set forth unto them of understanding,Wisd. 13, but the knowledge which is obtained and gotten out of holy Scriptures, must have faith, whereby to credite and believe the testimonies of the holy Spirit. Thus by experience and faith, the Elect and faithfull may to their sal­vation, attaine to the knowledge of Gods na­ture,Rom. 1.18, &c. which the Reprobates pervert to their owne judgement.

God cannot worke, but ac­cording to the quality of his Nature.But he cannot worke but according to the quality of his nature, for as one said, as each man is, such is his saying and doing: which though it bee verified of men, yet it may be better verified of God, and ap­plied to him, then to man: for mans wit is so per­verse, that by counterfeiting, and dissembling, one [Page 25] may easily deceive and abuse another; having one thing secretly hid in his heart, when outwardly he saith and doth the contrary: upon that is grounded the saying of the Prophet Jeremy, Ierem. 17.9. The heart of man is overthwart, and who shall know it? but there cannot be such a perversity and dissimulation, ascribed unto God: but when he worketh, hee declareth the qua­lity of his nature in his working; so that his workes may be most assured testimonies by which the hearts of the faithfull may bee perswaded of his goodnesse and will:Esay 28. and although he seeme sometimes to worke contrary to his custome, yet that is done to the intent that it shall come to that end which hee hath appoin­ted. This is to worke truly and verily according to the quality of his nature, and to declare openly to the world, the testimony of his good will or anger, by word and deed.

Now there are five kinds of working. One is,Five kinds of working. when things bee wrought according to the strength of their nature, without any governance of understan­ding or will; as in the working of fire, water, medi­cinall hearbes, precious stones, and such other things, whose working, if it bee guided by any reason or will, it is not their owne; but by some outward, ei­ther by Gods or mans directions.

The second kind, is of those things which follow­eth the drift of nature in their working, but not with­out their owne will: though the mastery of reason be lacking in them; yet such is their working, that some­times it is forced against their will: and so worke the bruit beasts.

The third kind, is of men which doe also worke according to the quality of their nature, and joyne theirs unto the governance of reason or will, but wrong and corrupt: and also subject and under a greater power: either of man, either of God, and [Page 26] under this is also comprised the working of evill spirits.

The fourth is of good Spirits, which wee call An­gels: they worke also according to their nature, and that with understanding and will, but without any depravation thereof: wherein they differ from men, and from evill spirits, but they are also subject to a superiour power, by whom their doings be directed.

The fift and last kind of working, is also according to the nature of the worker,Eccles. 42.15. &c. & 43. with understanding and will, and that pure and uncorrupt, and is not subject unto the wisdome or will of any superiour, but is most free, wise, mighty, good, and infinite; upon whom all other things dependeth. This is the work­ing, of one very God; the beginning, increase, kee­ping, repairing, the rule and end of all things: most good, most free, willing, infinite, everlasting, perfect, needing no other helpe,No man is able sufficiently to praise God; for he farre ex­ceeds all praise necessary and profitable: not to the worker, but to the workes, whose incomprehen­sible waies, infinite multitude and unsearchable con­sideration no man may seeke to know; whose infinite Goodnesse, Wisedome, Power, Majesty and Glory, all Angels and men must have in admiration and worship.

Though the Multitude, Variety, Majesty, and Ex­cellencie of the Workes of God be infinite and incom­prehensible, that neither the reason, nor number of them can bee comprehended by any mans imagina­tion or industry,Eccle. 8.17. even as Ecclesiasticus said. Yet among all the Workes of God,Among Gods workes, the worke of Cre­ation is first. wee ought first to un­derstand the workes of the Creation: and herein wee must leave the consideration of those workes that are of the Father towards the Sonne, and of the Sonne towards the Father, and of both of them toward the holy Spirit, and of the holy Spirit toward both of them, which are unsearchable and not necessary to [Page 27] know, nor belonging to Creation. But it is even e­nough, if the creature doe acknowledge, honour and glorifie the workes of his Creator, in that, that he is the Creator, Encreaser, Conserver, Repairer, Gover­nour, and Perfecter of all: when we say, the Father created all things, the Word must not bee excluded, neither the holy Spirit; because that by the Word, and with the Spirit, all things were made and created. When we say, the sunne nourisheth and giveth light unto the earth, wee exclude not his heate, nor his brightnesse, without which he doth not accomplish his worke. Againe, when we say, all things are created of God; we must not include those things that be evill, in respect they be evill; for they be not of God,Iohn 8.44. but of satan, the father of all evill: this is the plaine de­scription of our true and onely God, from all false gods and idols.

To possesse our hearts, with greater awe of his Ma­jesty, whilest we admire him for his simplenesse and in­finitnesse, adore him for his unmeasurablenesse, un­changeablenesse and eternity: seeke wisdome from his understanding and knowledge, submit our selves to his blessed will and pleasure; love him for his love, mercy, goodnesse, and patience, trust to his word, be­cause of his truth; feare him for his power, justice, and anger; reverence him for his holinesse; and praise him for his blessednesse; and to depend all our life on his faithfull promises, who is the onely Authour of our life, being, and all the good things we have.Eph. 5. Let us therefore stirre up our selves to imitate the divine Spirit in his holy Attributes; and to beare, in some measure, the Image of his wisdome, love, goodnesse, justice, mercy, truth, patience, zeale, and anger against sinne; and strive that wee may bee wise, loving, just, mercifull, true, patient, and zealous, as our God is; and that wee may in our prayers and meditations, [Page 28] conceive aright of his divine Majesty, and not accor­ding to those grosse and blasphemous imaginations, which naturally arise in mens braines:Psal. 90.2. Rom. 1 23, &c. as when they conceive God to be like an old man sitting in a chaire, and the blessed Trinity to be like that tripartite idoll, which Papists set up in their Church windowes. When therefore thou art to pray unto God, let thy heart speake unto him,Psal. 90.2. 1 King. 8.27. 1 Iohn 5.7. as unto that Eternall, Infi­nite, Almighty, Holy, Wise, Just, Mercifull Spirit, and most perfect and individuall Essence of three severall substances, Father, Sonne, and holy Ghost; who being present in all places, ruleth Heaven and Earth, under­standeth all mens hearts, knoweth all mens miseries, and is onely able to bestow on us all graces which we want; and to deliver all penitent sinners, that with faithfull hearts seeke for Christs sake his helpe, out of all their afflictions and troubles whatsoever.

If therefore thou dost believe that God is Almigh­ty, why dost thou feare devils or enemies? Confi­dently trust in God, and crave his helpe in all trou­bles and dangers; if thou believest that God is infinite, how darest thou provoke him to anger? If thou be­lievest that God is simple, with what heart canst thou dissemble and play the hypocrite? If thou believest that God is the Soveraigne good, why is not thy heart more setled upon him then on al worldly goods? If thou dost indeed believe that God is a just Judge, how darest thou live so securely in sinne without re­pentance? If thou dost truely believe that God is most wise,Rom. 8.28. why dost thou not referre the events of cros­ses and disgraces unto him, who knoweth how to turne all things to the best, unto them that love him? If thou art perswaded that God is true, why dost thou doubt of his promises? and if thou believest that God is beauty, and perfection it selfe, why dost thou not make him the chiefe end of all thy desires and affe­ctions; [Page 29] for if thou lovest Beautie, hee is most faire; If Riches, he is most wealthy; If thou seekest Wisdome, hee is most wise; whatsoever excellencie thou hast seene in any Creature, it is nothing but a sparkle of that which is in the Infinite perfection in God.Application. There­fore love that one good God, and thou shalt love him in whom all the good of goodnesse consisteth; he that would therefore attaine to the saving Knowledge of God, must learne to know him by love;1 Joh. 4.8. Ephes. 3.19. for God is Love, and the knowledge of the love of God passeth all understanding; for all knowledge in the world, besides to know how to love God,Eccles. 1.2.17. and to serve him onely, is nothing upon Salomons Creed, but Vanity of vanities, trouble of mind, and vexation of spirit; Kindle therefore in mee, my good God, Charity,Rom. 5.9, 10. Joh. 17.3.22. 1 Cor. 15.28. the love of thy selfe in my soule, especially, seeing it was thy good pleasure, that being reconciled by the blood of Christ, wee should be brought by the knowledge of thy grace, to the communion of thy glory, where­in only consisteth our soveraigne good and happinesse for evermore.

Thus by the light of his owne Word, wee have seene the backe parts of Jehovah Elohim, the eternall Trinity, whom to worship, is true Piety, whom to believe, is saving Faith and Verity, and unto whom, from all Creatures in heaven and earth, be ascribed, all Praise, Glory, Honour, Might, Majesty, Power, and Dominion, for evermore, Amen.

Of divine Directions, declaring the variable state and misery of Man, from the time of his Creation, to the time of the Gospel or the new Covenant of Grace.

Of the Creation of the World.

THe Creation of the World, hath beene the ad­miration of all men that knew not God, nor be­lieved Scripture;Wisd. 13. because their understanding was darkned, wanting divine light, they were not able to comprehend the knowledge of so high a secret. There­fore [Page 35] the Philosophers have vainely and diversly disa­greed in their severall constructions of the beginning of the World,The vaine opinion of Philo­sophers. some denying that the World ever had beginning, but that it was derived by the power of nature, from all eternity, and eternall perpetuity: to maintaine which absurdity, they would demand how God made the world, what instruments hee used in the building of so wonderfull a frame: and withall holding that God could worke no otherwise, then the order and meanes of secondary causes would beare and leade him unto. But the truth is,God is free in operation. God is free in operation, and not tied to any second cause, or secondary meanes, without which he can doe what he will, and that which he doth by them, and can al­ter and change them at his pleasure: wherein may appeare their grosse mis-understanding of God his Nature, that he, like man,If wee cannot conceive Gods wonderfull workes, much lesse his un­searchable wisdome. could not worke without the helpe of meanes and instruments. Others more true, more learned, concluded that of necessity, the World must have a beginning, and that there was a Power Eternall, which made, moved and governed all things: and the reason that the World was not eternall, had this sufficient argument, That the World did suffer detriment and decay in it selfe, and the Elements had lost the purity of their nature which they had in the beginning: the moving of the spheares and celestiall bodies, which of all things in the World are most constant, had endured some altera­tion: so that nothing in the World,All worldly things subject to alteration. but did suffer a change, which could not be if it were eternall. This grounded reason did convince the common opinion of the Worlds eternity, and did prevaile with them that could not be perswaded but by the power of rea­son. This is not to perswade Christians, but infidels and epicures,The judgment of reason. that they who deny the judgement of Divinity, may be judged by reason, and the wisdome [Page 36] of nature, which alone is able to convince all oppo­sitions and gain-sayers: but to Christians I will one­ly set forth what God saith, for that may serve to informe and satisfie all and every faithfull Christian;Gen. 1.1. &c. Moses the servant and witnesse of God Almighty, being inspired by the holy Ghost, hath left recorded to all posterities the manner of the Creation of the World,The scripture is onely able to satisfie all doubts. to which authority, not onely my selfe, but every faithfull Christian doth confidently adhere, ut­terly disclaiming all contradiction, all diversity of opinion.

In the Creation is principally considered, the Creator God; and the creatures the workes of Gods Creation. In the Creator is considered, his power, his purpose: his power, in being able by his word to finish such a worke of admiration: his pur­pose,The world was made for man, and man for God. not that hee needed any such thing that he had made, to supply any defect in his Divinity; but for the use of a creature, man, which afterward he was to make; to whom hee gave the Heavens, the earth, and all the host of them for the service of man; reserving onely man for the service of himselfe. In the creatures is considered, their originall or matter of their creati­on:The matter of the creation. for some things he made of nothing, some of fire, some of aire, some of earth, some of water, some of flesh, of nothing he created the Heaven, the Earth, and the Sea, whereunto as is supposed, may be joyned the heavenly Spirits, but under correction of others; of earth hee made and shaped the first man Adam our fa­ther: also of the earth hee made beasts, and all kind of plants, and hearbs: of the aire hee made wind, and blasts:The order God observed. of the waters he created fish, and foule; of flesh he created Eve, the first mother of our kind. Next the order wherein they were created: this originall was nothing, for God created all things by the power of his Word, without matter; there being nothing [Page 37] whereof to make any thing: the order observed in the creation was, that God determined the World, and the workes therein for the service of man, would, before he made man, store the World, mans mansion-house, with very needfull providence; that man, at the very instant of his beginning, might know him­selfe to be in the fulnesse of Gods favour, nothing wan­ting which might either administer to him profit, pleasure, or serve his necessity. Againe, in the creatures themselves God observed a speciall order: First, hee created light, without which the workes of his great­nesse had not beene visible. Secondly, he created Hea­ven, giving that priority,Apoc. 4.11. Of the Celesti­all bodies. for the excellency and dig­nity of the place. Next he made a separation of the Earth and Waters, and gave the Earth a generation of all Plants and Trees bearing good seed. Then hee placed in the Firmament the Planets, and fixed the Starres, and Celestiall bodies: the which serve not onely for light, to distinguish times and seasons; but also by their influence, for the generation and govern­ment of all living creatures. Then God furnished the two elements of Water and Ayre, with creatures of that kind. Last of all, hee stored the Earth with the creatures which live on that element; and when hee had finished the creation of all things, hee then made man after his owne similitude, and gave him the pos­session of the World, and the creatures hee had made; giving him interest in all, and power over all, without exception of any. This knowledge of the Creation is necessary in the understanding of every Christian of carefull conscience: with which knowledge the lesse learned may satisfie themselves, avoyding the curious search of such nice questions, as may distract the sim­ple, and availe not unto salvation.

The knowledge of the power of God in creating the World doth admonish and remember all men, that [Page 38] seeing God created all things by the power of his word:The maine in­terest of all things is in God. therefore the maine interest and principall claime to all things created, remaineth to God on­ly, he being the absolute owner, without competitor; and how man hath onely the use and communication thereof, and that onely with condition and limitati­on of time;Note. it doth also perswade a reverence to the Majesty of God, and a feare of his displeasure; for that God, who is able by his Wod to create of no­thing any thing, is able also by his Word to destroy any thing, and make it nothing, or worse than no­thing. The purpose of the creation of the world by God, being for the use and service of man, doth re­member all men, that the measure of the love of God to mankind is infinite,The infinite measure of Gods love. who of his owne election, did please to make a Creature of such noblenesse, as to be called his Resemblance and Image, giving him a soule of such divine nature, as nothing but God can be more,Every thing created, is ei­ther for use or ornament. for whose sake God made the world, and stored it with the plenty of all things which migh [...] [...] fit ei­ther for use or ornament; all which God hath given man, only requiring acknowledgement and thankfull service, which condition if man performe, God will then a thousand-fold double his favours, and where­as these are but transitory and passible pleasures; God will make them eternall, and unexpressable, both in number and worth;John 1. for he that proveth a faithfull servant, God will make him a sonne, and crowne him with the glory of his Saints in the kingdome of glory, where there is a perpetuity of all happinesse. Againe, the purpose of Gods creating the world for the use of man,Man must use Gods Crea­tures with re­verence and moderation. doth admonish all men to use the Crea­tures of God with moderation, reverence and Christi­an judgement; not to despise them, because they are Gods Creatures; not to adore them, because they are but Creatures, but so to use them, as they may [Page 39] supply that purpose for which God created them.

Thirdly, seeing God created the world for man­kinde in generall, it doth remember us, not to appro­priate the Creatures of God to our owne private ends, but to communicate the use of them, with all such as shall need them; for God gave not the world to Adam onely, but to his posterity also; therefore every man is lawfully interested in the enjoying of Gods Crea­tures,Matth. 25. God gave the world to man­kind in gene­rall, and not to any particular. if by lawfull and allowable meanes hee can at­taine them. Againe, if a Christian mans necessity re­quire reliefe and favourable supportation, hee hath a righteous claime to some part of the superfluous pos­sessions of others, and hee that shutteth up his com­passion against such necessity is guilty of injustice, and must answer the fault at the barre of death; for God hee maketh his Sunne to shine upon all indif­ferently, and hee hath given the world, and the Crea­tures therein to mankinde generally, and not to one man, one family, or one kingdome; this may both teach and judge the mercilesse, who can see, and not relieve the extremities of men, distressed men their brethren.

The meditation of this power, of this love of God, in creating a world of Creatures for the service of man; and seeing it hath pleased him to make a rea­sonable soule, and a sharer of these infinite blessings, I have resolved with my selfe, to declare my selfe in all dutifull demonstrations to my God, and to use the Creatures hee hath given mee with moderation as hee hath commanded. I have made a covenant with my soule, that I will not appropriate that to my pri­vate, which God hath made common. If God give mee abundance, I will open my liberality;Luk. 16.2. How to em­ploy Gods Ta­lents. I will give as God doth, to all, but carefully to the wants of faithfull men distressed; I will remember, that what I have, I must use, what I use not, I must bestow, lest [Page 40] Gods talents be without imployments, and so God discharge mee of trust; if God give me wisdome and knowledge more then some others, I will not be silenced,How to occasi­on an holy me­ditation. I will not obscure the grace and gift of God, I will not deny my God, I will not deny the world my service; but in whatsoever God shall enable me, in that I will be industrious, if I can doe nothing of desert, or common profit, yet will I spend my houres in holy meditation; I have resolved I will still tra­vell in holy exercise; when I cannot profit generally, I will pray generally: wee are all the Creatures of one God: the Word of God gave forme to every Creature; therefore every thing that presents my eye, shall move my holy meditations. When I shall be­hold the wonderfull frame of heaven, I shall revise on the creation, and admire God his Mercy, his Majesty; I shall remember the happinesse of heaven, and re­fresh my selfe in adversity with hopefull confidence.Where to re­pose our confi­dence. When I consider the earth, I shall remember the base­nesse of my beginning, what I was in sinne, what I am in grace; this shall teach me to deny my selfe, and wholly to depend on the favour of my God. When I see unreasonable, noysome and evill Creatures, I shall have cause of acknowledgement; for God might have made me so, or worse. Lastly, when I shall see wicked men pride themselves in their vanities,Pitty can re­spect our ene­mies. I shal both pity and glory; pity the misery of their soules, and glory in the fortune of my owne; and thus, with these, and such meditations, my soule shall breath content.

Of the Angels, their Nature, their Office, their Fall.

Moses of pur­pose did leave to speake any thing of the creation of An­gels, because of the disposition of the people bent to Idola­try. It is suppo­sed, they were Created the first day of the Creation, as appeareth, Job 38.THat the Angels were created, is most certaine, the time of their creation is not certaine, but doubtfully and diversely believed; many men have [Page 41] spent their judgements in conjectures, all such are more curious than wise, because the truth thereof can­not certainly be determined; neither if it could, the knowledge thereof were not necessary or materiall to salvation; for whatsoever knowledge is necessary for the happinesse of our soules, is by God himselfe taught in the testimony of holy Scriptures. This knowledge of the time of the creation of Angels, being not taught by God, doth make the search thereof unprofitable, unlawfull; for God doth nothing at peradventure, but all things in judgement, and with the advice of his divine wisdome; God having denied this knowledge, doth forbid the search of this unknowne, unprofitable knowledge; that which I desire to know, which I de­sire to make knowne, is contained in the testimony of holy Scriptures, the which denying me this know­ledge of the creation of Angells. I forbeare to search the knowledge of Gods secrets, and rather to be thought ignorant, than audaciously bold with for­bidden knowledge.

That which is needfull to be knowne of Angells, is their nature, their office: in their nature must be consi­dered, what they are in substance, what in quality; they be heavenly & invisible Creatures, pure and spirituall, of the substance and nature of our soules, eternall in respect of ending, without corruption: in their quali­ty, is considered their power, being at all times, and upon all occasions, able and ready to performe the ex­cution of Gods service; their office is, that they are Gods messengers, their imployment is either in Judgements or Mercies; this Compendium is the knowledge of them all in generall,The good and evill Angells were all crea­ted in one na­ture. before the fall and apostacy of Angels. The Angells, and those that now are divells, being at the first creation of one quality, of one power, and one excellence of nature, after the fall of Angells, who for their unsupportable pride, [Page 42] were cast from the presence of God into eternall darknesse,2 Pet. 2.4. and damnation: the Angels divided them­selves, the better part keeping their first estate, kept their entertainment with God,Math. 18.10. and continued his favour and service:Iude 6. the worst dividing themselves, left the service of God, and the fellowship of good Angels, and bend their whole endeavour against God; and against his blessed Angels, and against the Saints that love and serve him: this apostacie and division of Angels, have divided them in their nature and in their offices:The full oppo­sition of the good and evill Angels. the good Angels ever labouring the good of men: the evill angels to hinder, and prevent the goodnesse of God, and his good Angels; labou­ring by all meanes to bring mankind to their owne condemnation. In their offices likewise they disagree, for God doth commonly imploy his good Angels in his workes of mercy, and favourable protection: the divels hee imployeth in the execution of his judge­ments, and corrections; not that hee needeth their service, but that hee forceth them against their will to his obedience.God can en­force the divels in workes of his own glory. These severall imployments of the good and evill angels, are not alwaies of necessity, though very common, for God when hee pleaseth, maketh good Angels destroy and inflict vengeance, and the divels hee can and doth use in his workes of greatest mercy: and this the divels doe, not with con­sent, but are either forced by the unresistable power of God, or else deceive themselves in the end of their owne working, God making that which they intend for evill, to tend to a good end; farre beyond and con­trary to their purpose and expectation.

Iude 6.The good Angels have both liberty and pleasure in the service of Almighty God, and they labour with content and alacrity: the divels have neither liberty nor pleasure, but being fettered with limitations, cannot doe what they would, but what they are li­censed [Page 43] to doe. The Angels are Gods servants, the divels are his slaves; both labour in his worke, but with great inequality: the testimony of Scripture doth set forth a number of authorities which because they are frequent, I will produce onely some few,Psal. 104. which may satisfie doubt: the Prophet admiring and praising God for his wonderfull creating and gover­ning the World, saith, God made the Spirits, that is the Angels, Messengers, and a flaming fire his Ministers. Verse 4. For when they be sent, they be Angels; when they be spirits, they bee no Angels; for Angell is the name of the office, and not of nature: for respecting that whereof it is, hee is a Spirit; and in respect of that which he doth, he is an Angell. Againe, who to prove the preheminency of the Sonne of God, saith,Heb. 1.6. that all the Angels worship him: and proveth by the testimony of the Prophet,Vers. 7. that Angels are but messengers or mi­nisters; and that they are of a substance like fire or pure ayre: by which testimony is proved both the nature and office of the Angels: their nature, that they are spirits, like fire; their office, that they are mini­sters or messengers: are they not all ministring spirits,Vers. 14. sent forth to minister for their sakes that shall bee heires of salvation? by which is declared, the purpose of their ministration and service, that is, for the good and benefit of the Elect of God, both to prevent the enemy, and to further them in their holy exercise. To prove the power of Angels, wee may remember in Exodus, what God by an Angell did for the Israelites,Exod. 14. when he brought them out of Aegypt by an Angell: and by an Angell God destroyed in the host of Sena­cherib in one night, 185000.2 King. 29.35. The Scripture is full of demonstrations, of their powerfull acts, God working his admirable effects, by the service of his Angels. Againe, if we reduce to memory the most admirable of all Gods mercies; we shall finde that in the execution [Page 44] thereof, his Angels are either Ministers or Messengers, and oft both: to omit many other particulars, and come to the most worthy, most meritorious, and most happy, the Redemption of mankind, by the birth and by the death of Jesus Christ; were not the Angels continuall workers in that administration? God sent his Angell Gabriel to bring the first newes there­of to the blessed Virgin Mary: Luke 1.26. againe, as soone as Christ was borne of the Virgin,Luke 2.9, &c. the holy Angell did publish and preach it to the Shepherds, and multitudes of heavenly Souldiers, praysed and magnifyed God for so great a benefit. How often did the holy Angels visit and comfort our Saviour?Math. 2.13. Math. 4.11. an Angell bids him flie into Aegypt: the Angels waite upon him in the de­sert:Luke 22 43, 44 the Angels ministred unto him in the holy mi­nistery of his preaching: an Angell was present with him at the agony of death:Math. 28.2. Acts 1.10. Math. 24.31. an Angell appeared at his resurrection: the Angels were present at his as­cension: the Angels shall attend him when he returnes to judgement. So then, as the Angels waited upon Christ,Note. in the daies of his flesh; so are they now solici­tous for all them that are incorporated into Christ by faith: as they served the head, so doe they also serve the members; they rejoyce to serve them here, whom they shall have their companions in Heaven; they doe not deny their ministery unto them, whose most sweet fellowship they hope for hereafter. There ap­peared to Jacob campes of Angels in the way to his Country;Gen. 32.1, 2. so in this life, which is the way to our heavenly Country, the Angels are Conductors, and made Keepers of the holy ones. The Angels defended Daniel in the midst of the Lyons;Daniel 6.22. so likewise they defend all the godly from the treacheries and cruelty of the infernall lyon the divell.Gen. 19.15, &c. 19. The Angels preserved L [...]t from the fire of Sodome, so the Angels doe defend the faithfull, by holy inspirations and gracious pro­tections, [Page 45] against the divels tentations, the Worlds incantations, and the fire of hell.Luke 16.22. The Angels carried the soule of Lazarus into Abrahams bosome: and so they translate the soules of the Elect unto the Pal­lace of all heavenly happinesse:Acts 12.8, 9. the Angell lead Peter out of prison; so he doth deliver the godly out of most apparent dangers. Great is the power of our adver­saries, but the guard of holy Angels is able and will defend the faithfull from them: and doubt not but they will bee with them present,Exod. 25.20. Esay 6.2. to ayde them in all places, at all times, and in all dangers: the Scripture describeth them with wings, under the figure of Che­rubin & Seraphin; because thou maist know assuredly, that they will come with incredible celerity, to bring ayd and succour thee: make no doubt but they will be thy protectours, in all places, in all dangers, because they are most subtill spirits, which no body can resist; all visible things give way unto them; and all bodies, though they bee solid and thicke, by them are made penetrable and passable.Math. 18.10. The looking-glasse of the Deity is no argument of the Angels knowing all our necessities, for that specu­lar knowledge is but dispensa­tory. Doe not doubt thou faithfull soule, but these spirits know thy dangers and afflicti­ons, because they alwaies behold the face of thy hea­venly Father, and are alwaies ready prest for his ser­vice, and thy safegard: know also thou devout soule, that these Angels are holy, therefore study and endea­vour holinesse, if thou wouldst enjoy their fellowship: accustome thy selfe therefore to holy actions, if thou desirest to have the holy Angels thy keepers, in every place and angle; stand in awe and reverence of thy Angell, and doe nothing in his presence, that thou wouldst be ashamed to doe in the sight of man. These Angels are chaste, therefore they are driven away by thy impurity and filthy actions; for filthy and la­mentable sinnes, drive away the Angels, the keepers of our life; if by thy sinne thou deprivest thy selfe of their tuition, how canst thou be safe from the [Page 46] divells trecheries, and the worlds tyrannies; if thou be'st destitute of the Angels protection, how canst thou be safe from the invasions of many imminent and ensu­ing dangers?Hebr. 1.14. if thy soule be not guarded by the An­gels defence, the divell will overcome it by his de­ceitfull perswasions. The Angels are Gods messengers, sent unto us from him; therefore if thou wilt have an Angell to be thy keeper, thou must be reconciled by faith and true repentance; where the grace of God is not, neither is there the guard of Angels; the Angels are as Gods saving hands, which are moved to no worke without his divine direction. The Angels re­joyce in heaven over a sinner that repenteth; the teares of the penitent, are, as it were, the wine of the Angels, but an impenitent heart puts to flight the An­gels our keepers: let us therefore repent, that wee may cause the Angels to rejoyce; the Angels are of a heavenly and spirituall nature, let us therefore thinke upon spirituall and heavenly things, that they may remaine with us, and take pleasure in our company. The heele, which is the extreme part of our body, and the last terme of our life, the wicked Serpent lyeth in wait for at the time of death, therfore in that last ago­ny of death, the Angels guard is most necessary and needfull, that they may deliver us from the firie darts of the divell and carry our soule when it is departed out of the prison of our body, into the heavenly Paradise.Luk. 1.11, 12, 13. When Zachary was in the Temple busie about his holy function, the Angell of the Lord came unto him; so, if thou doe likewise delight in the exercise of the holy Word and Prayer, thou mayst rejoyce to have the Angels thy protectors. Thus wee may see by the testimony of Scriptures, what the An­gels are, what their office, and how they are affected, of so gracious a disposition, and so inclinable to the good of men,Luk. 15.7.10. that they have consolation, and joy [Page 47] in heaven among themselves at the conversion of a sinner; [...]oby 12.15. therefore in all respects of noblenesse and ex­cellency, they are the soveraigne of all Creatures, whom God hath ordained to be continuall waiters in his holy presence, and workers of his blessed Will and Pleasure.

It is by many doubted, by some demanded, Question. whether men may not lawfully implore the favour and as­sistance of Angels; it is dangerous to acknowledge,Apoc. 22 8, 9. lest thereby we take divinity from God, and give it to his Angels; they are therefore dangerously deceived, who for giving the holy Angels demonstration of thankes, give them adoration and divine worship, and so cove­ting to please, displease both God and his holy An­gels that attend on them, this is one extremity. There is another, and that is remissenesse, when men acknow­ledge no reverence, no respect to the dignity of holy Angels. The holy men in all ages, at the sight of an Angell,Gen 18.2, 3. would use extraordinary respect of humility and reverence: as Abraham, hee bowed himselfe to the ground, in reverence of an Angell, and called him Lord: so likewise, in the example of all the godly, though in these times the Angels doe not present themselves, as in the old world, in visible formes; therefore they neede no reverence, yet they are often present in their spirituall natures, which though wee cannot discerne them with our corporall eyes, yet a spirituall judgement by holy contemplation may discerne them with the eye of faith; for if there be a duty of reverence to men, with whom wee converse, doubtlesse there is a reverence also due to the ho­ly Angels, which doe converse, and are conversant with us.

This Doctrine of the Creation, the Nature, the Power, and the Office of Angells, doth admonish and remember all men, to make these and such like [Page 48] profitable uses, to put us in remembrance of the migh­ty power of God, and that in a double respect: first, being able by the power of his Word, to create a Creature of such excellence, and power of nature, in nature excellent, in number infinite. Secondly, being served and attended by these infinit number of power­full creatures, one whereof is able, if God please to command, to destroy the world, and all the genera­tions on earth; God then being of such infinite power in himselfe, in his servants the Angels, it ought justly to move all men, to a reverence of so great a Majesty, and feare to provoke a power so able and infinite. Againe, the apostacy of those Angels that fell from their obedience and first state of happinesse, doth ad­monish all men, that seeing the Angels of such power, of such excellence, and so neere God in his favour and presence, were tempted to fall from so great hap­pinesse. Let no man therefore be secure, or presume in the confidence of his owne trust, but daily beg and crave, wholly to relie upon the mercy and provi­dence of God, without whom there is no safety, no security, the greatest power in the world being but weaknesse without the strength of his supportation: For,2 Pet. 2.4, 5.6. if God spared not the Angels that had sinned, but cast them downe to hell, and delivered them into chaines of darkenesse to be kept unto judgement, nei­ther spared he the old world,Genes. 7. but saved Noah the eight person, a preacher of righteousnesse, and his family,Genes. 19. and brought in the floud upon the world of the ungodly, and turned the Cities of Sodome and Gomorah into ashes, overthrew them, and damned them, and made them an ensample unto those that after them should live ungodly, neither will he spare the transgression of men, that of knowledge and pur­pose offend him; for the Angels are farre exceeding greater then men, both in power and might. If God [Page 49] spared not the better, hee will not spare the worse, but cast them likewise into chaines of darknesse, to bee kept unto the judgement of condemnation. Againe, though the Angels were of this excellency and dignity of nature; and though many fell from their state of innocency, as Adam afterward did, yet the Redeemer of the world, Christ Jesus,Heb. 2.16, 17, 18, &c. did not vouchsafe to take their nature and redeeme them, but left them in the judgement of condemnation; under­taking and finishing the worke of Redemption for man onely, and not for Angels: for as much as there was no recovery, no turning, no hope of salvation for these wicked and trayterous angels: there was also no cause why their sinnes should bee set forth and de­clared, as was the sinne of man,Vers. 15. which had not onely a punishment layd on him immediately, but also a promise made for his reliefe and remedy: in that re­spect the Apostle said, that Christ tooke not upon him the nature of Angels, but the seed of Abraham; for he came not to save the angels that had falne, but men: yea rather to destroy the evill angels and their power; and therefore they cry,Mark. 1.24. What have we to doe with thee Jesus of Nazareth, art thou come before the time, to destroy us? and that they shall never bee saved, it is plaine enough by the words of Christ,Math. 25.41. Goe yee cursed to the everlasting fire, which is prepared for the divell and his angels. Therefore this ought to provoke all men to a zealous affection of love towards God, who gave his onely beloved Sonne for the redemption of men; preferring them in his love, before the angels that had offended him: and, that Angels in their spi­rituall natures are sent to minister,Heb. 1.14. for their sakes that shall be heires of salvation. It doth remember us first, the wonderfull love of God toward mankind, in sen­ding his choice servants the Angels that waite in his presence, neere the person of his Majesty; to be im­ployed [Page 50] about men in the service of their salvation. Secondly, it ought to move men to a precise reverence in the common behaviour of their lives, that they for­beare not only the committing of grosse and capitall sins; but all unseemlinesse both of words and actions, as S^t. Paul saith, For the reverence of Angels: for as di­vels are banished and driven away from the possessed,1 Cor. 11.10. by prayer and holy exercise: so the good Angels then leave our company, when we delight in wicked­nesse and unseemely behaviour: therefore consider thou devour soule, how great the goodnesse of God is toward thee,Math. 1. who hath made his Angels thy keepers; and hath sent his owne Sonne to redeeme thee:Note. the Sonne of God is made flesh to save us, the holy Ghost is sent to sanctifie us,Acts 1. the Angels are sent to protect us. So then, all the Court of Heaven, doth as it were serve us, and convey their benefits unto us; therefore no won­der that all inferior creatures were made for the use of man; seeing the Angels themselves, creatures far more excellent, do not deny their ministry unto us; the An­gels themselves are present with us, and do refresh and ease us, when we are weary with the burthen and heat of temptations, and calamities: therefore, O most mer­cifull God, thou that leadest us through the desart of this World; by the conduct of thy Angels grant that we may at length be carried by them into thy everla­sting Kingdome of Heaven.

This knowledge of the Mercy and Power of God in creating the Angels, and appointing them to Mini­ster to all the children of grace, shall bind mee in the most assured bonds of duty and thankfull acknow­ledgement to my God,To repose in God, is assu­rance of safety. I will also confidently repose in the trust of Gods promises, being assured that him­selfe, that his holy Spirit, that his holy Angels are my supporters: therefore I will never despairingly feare the power of adversaries, evill men or divels, or what [Page 51] evill power so ever; because I know the guard of An­gels are my supporters: I will therefore reforme the errours of my life, and watch my owne behaviour; I will endeavour to avoyd both sinne and unseemeli­nesse in all my actions, that the holy Angels may love and not loath my company. I will so endeavour that my conscience may assure me, that I am thine appoin­ted to salvation: therefore in the protection of An­gels, I shall also receive content, and pleasure unex­pressable. The holy Angels have joy in heaven, at the newes of mans Salvation; holy and blessed Spirits,Heb. 1.14. Luke 15.7. they are so delighted with the use of mercy, as that they rejoyce and congratulate the prosperity of men, hoping to enjoy their fellowship. O my God, I will acknowledge thy greatnesse and thy goodnesse in the creation of Angels:The Saduces deny that there are Angels. I will condemne their infidelity that believe it not, thou hast said it, who dare question it? I will therefore believe it, acknowledge thy power, praise thy mercy, and with reverence remember the office and ministration of thy holy Angels.

Of man his first beginning.

WHen God created the World, he said,Gen 3, &c. Let there be; and all things were: and by his word he gave being and proportion to all creatures, save man. That hee might conclude his labour with a worke of extraordinary admiration; he then made man, giving him the possession of the world: in this wonderfull worke of God, is to be had these three considerations: First, the advice and deliberation of the Trinity in determining this worke. God said, Verse 26. Let us make man af­ter our owne Image, according to our likenesse. Secondly, [Page 52] God made man of a preexistent matter, not creating him of nothing as hee did the other creatures,Gen. 2.7. The Lord God made man of the dust of the ground. Thirdly, God gave man the rule and government over all crea­tures, giving him liberty over all, to use them in their kind with moderation: and let them rule over the Fish of the Sea, Gen. 1.26. and over the Foules of the Ayre, and over the Beasts of the Earth, and over every thing that creepeth and moveth on the earth. Fourthly, the end of mans crea­tion was for the honour and glory of God that made him,Esay 43.7. Every one shall be called after my Name, for I formed them, made them, and created them, for my owne glory. Though no man can bee able to give a reason of the secret will of God, yet this may bee imagined that seeing the world and all the creatures therein, save onely man, have a generall respect to the honour of God: therefore they were by the generall power of Gods divinity created, but man being determined in the counsell of God, that man should bee an occasion that the whole Trinity should have divine exercise, in the government of his life, and every one in their severall assignements,A supposed reason of Gods secret will. as should please themselves to appoint: therefore God in the Trinity of persons made man; because afterward in the Trinity of per­sons, hee was to governe him: God gave man a Law, which he being not able to keepe did condemne him: Christ the second person, moderateth the Law, and giveth the Gospell, promising Salvation to all them that will believe in him, the holy Ghost moveth in the hearts of Gods Elect, and giveth them grace to ap­prehend by faith, the meanes of their Salvation. Thus are they personally busied in the government and pre­servation of man;The holy Ghost moves grace. thus were they personally at his Creation. The second consideration, is the mat­ter of mans creation, which in a double respect is considerable in the person of God. First, when God [Page 53] formed other creatures, hee required no matter, but gave them being by his Word, but when hee formed man, he first prepared his matter, then gave the forme,Note. and created man, wherein God doth use a double care, a double diligence; not that he could not create man of nothing, as hee had done the rest of his Creatures, but he did it in the wisdome of his divinity, for respect and causefull consideration, for to expresse his double, or rather his manifold affections to the creature, man. Secondly, to prevent the proud imagination man might have of the noblenesse of his nature, it be­ing yet in the pride of mans flesh to boast his descent, and to derive his families from antiquity and great­nesse. The third consideration is, the distinguishing forme of man, his reasonable soule, whereby God doth distinguish him from all the creatures on earth, giving him Reason and Discourse to helpe him, for the ser­vice of himselfe, and the government of the world: this is also considerable in these respects: first the or­der God observed in the creation. God first made the world, afterward made man, and gave him the posses­sion prepared for him. So when he made man,Note. he first framed the body, then formed the soule; for he made not the body and the soule at one instant, but in their times and order; for when he had made the house, he then put in the Tenent, and not before. Secondly is considered, the excellency of our soules; for God neither made nor created our soule, but inspired it, by the vertue of his divinity,Genes. 2.7. The Lord God made man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrills the breath of life, and man became a living soule. There was both the matter of his body, and the nature and excel­lency of his soule, being the breath of Almighty God, divine, spirituall, and eternall; for before God inspired the soule, man was onely framed, and not formed, his reasonable soule being that which doth di­stinguish [Page 54] him from all other creatures. Mans soule, being in respect of reason and eternity,Note. a resemblance of Gods divinity. The fourth consideration is the rule and government God gave man over all the creatures. God giving man this authority over all his Creatures, doth not dis-inable himselfe of the government of his owne workes,1 Cor. 10.26. but doth reserve to himselfe the sove­raigne regality, giving man onely a stewardship and superintendence over all.Psal. 24.1. Holy David saith, The earth is the Lords, and all that therin is, the round world, and all that dwell therein. Secondly, in that it is said, God gave them rule, so the power is derived upon all: For God communicateth his power to man-kind in gene­rall, and not upon one, or any number of certaine par­ticulars. Againe, these words, he gave them, have rela­tion to the words, he created them. God created man in his owne Image, Gen. 1.27. and 5.1. in the Image of God created he them, male and female; so he gave them the rule and government of the world, that is, the man and the woman: For as God did not divide them in their natures, neither would hee divide them in the use and government of his Creatures; but whatsoever is lawfull to the one, is lawfull to the other, both of them having equall and indifferent rule and power in the use of Gods Crea­tures. Lasty is considered, the end of mans creation, which is, that God may be glorified and honoured in a double respect: first, in acknowledgement, when men have a thankfull remembrance of Gods mercy, in the creation, preservation, and in the redemption of man-kind; this acknowledgement is declared in holy Meditations, Prayers, Thankesgiving and Re­verence to the Name, the Memory, and the Majesty of God: as Moses acknowledging Gods mercy, in their deliverance out of Egypt, the Lord is my strength and praise, Exod. 15.2. and he is become my salvation, he is my God and my Fathers God, and I will exalt, or honour him: the Pro­phet [Page 55] David hath it common in his holy Meditations, he doth honour God in his acknowledgements, and condemneth the hypocrisie of evill men,Mark. 7.6. that honour God with their lips,Gal. 6.14. and have their hearts farre from him; and Saint Paul in the heate of his zealous affecti­on, calleth this glory his rejoycing, and disclaimeth every other object of glory, but Jesus Christ, and him crucified. Secondly, God is honoured in the personall services of men, that is, when they carefully travell in the exercise of such Christian duties, as he hath com­manded them, this hath relation to the conditionall proposition of our Saviour Christ: If you love mee, Joh. 14.15. Our actions witnesse our affections. keepe my Commandements: For if wee doe neither keepe his Commandements, nor endeavour to keepe them, we love not God; and whom we love not, we cannot honour, as Christ saith of himselfe, The workes which I doe beare witnesse of mee; so the endeavours of our lives witnesse what wee are, and whether wee love and honour God, or not. The consideration of these mat­ters, whereby, though we understand not the causes of all his workes, yet wee may partly observe, what hee hath done for us, and make some difference of them, and withall, enter into contemplation of such things, as wee may in some degree, with admiration consider, and apply according to the measure of the gift of God. God willeth us to be lookers on, wonderers, and praisers of his workes and glory: wherefore hee doth also give so much understanding herein to his elect, as may be requisite to the establishment of them in the faith, of the providence, goodnesse and and might of God, to the glory and service of his Creatour.

The generall use of this Doctrine, is a generall ac­knowledgement of duties that all men owe to God their Creatour, who of his owne accord,Man made noble out of basenesse. hath beene pleased to make man so noble a Creature of so base a [Page 56] a matter, and to endowe him with a soule so neere the nature of his divinity, to give him such rule, and to or­daine him for such an end, equall to the honour of An­gels, equall to their happinesse; this should put them in remembrance, what God hath done for them, what God doth expect from them; it may also remember all men, what they were, what they are, what they shall be, and what they should be; this knowledge may both remember, admonish, and prevaile in all the hearts of the faithfull, that have the best movings of Gods holy Spirit in them: For hee that knoweth this, and is not moved at the consideration thereof, doth both declare and judge himselfe to be repro­bate, who failing in the purpose of a Christian life, doth not onely dis-inherite himselfe of Gods gifts on earth, but of the kingdome of heaven, which hee would give, and doth by that act of disobedience, both deprive himselfe of Gods favour, which is hap­pinesse, and purchase to himselfe a state of damnation, infinite in time, infinite in torment; and seeing man was made of so base a matter, of the dust of the ground, the basest part of the basest element, it should disgrace and abate the pride and ambitious spirits of men,Note. who vaunt themselves in the noblenesse of their descent and birth, or in the prosperity of this worlds happinesse, which many call fortune: For God hath given one and the same beginning to all men,Jerem. 4.2. the ho­norable and the base, the rich and the poore, being all derived from one first matter, earth, a matter so base, that nothing could be more, being the refuse and off-scourings thereof, which we were be­fore our creation, and which all of us shall be in our graves, where wee shall be all reduced and brought backe to our first matter earth:Genes. 3.19. this being consi­dered, how vaine a folly is it, for man to pride and boast himselfe in his prosperitie, and disgrace­fully [Page 57] to repute men, for their difference of fortunes?Pride the vai­nest folly in mans nature. for the best man, is but base earth, and the basest man is created of God in his owne Image, all of one na­ture, and in one office, and all to one end ordayned: therefore in a Christian judgement there is no diffe­rence of men, but the difference of good, and of bad men; and this inequality is not in their nature,The difference of grace and fortune. but in the corruption and defect of their nature, and the best and safest way to esteeme men, is to compare them in their gifts of grace, and not of fortune:Note. for with God the least Spirit of grace, though in the lowest degree of fortune, is of more value and esteeme, then the greatest of the world, if not gracious.

This knowledge of our creation should remember us in our dutifull obedience to God, that seeing his hand hath fashioned us, and that his mercy hath made our bodie a Temple or Sanctuary for his holy Spirit to dwell in,1 Cor. 3.17. therefore let us carefully keepe the temple of our bodies from the filth of sinne: and endeavour our selves in such holy exercises, that our soules may have the perpetuall fellowship of the holy Ghost, without which there is no happinesse nor salvation: let us therefore refraine to accompany with the le­prosie of sinne, lest we runne into their danger in de­filing our bodies, the Temples of the holy Ghost with diseased company, let us hate the imitation of mens vices: let us not bee tempted with their fellowship, because we know that when we prophane our bodies the temples of the holy Ghost, wee shall banish that sweet society, frustrate our hope, and wound the quiet of our conscience. O God of all goodnesse, of base earth thou madest us noble creatures: we had no life, no soule, before thou inspiredst it: thou gavest us rea­son and understanding, to enable us for thy divine service, and worship: thou hast given us thy favourable entertainement, continue us wee beseech thee, in this [Page 58] service;God that gave grace can only continue it. let our soules, let our bodies, let every power, let every part thereof, have their imployments therein, we desire no change: we are thine from the beginning, O continue us thine for ever; thy selfe, good God, in­spired our soules; it is thy breath, and therefore preci­ous, it was thine before we had it, helpe as to keepe it, in the time, and in the danger, of this our progresse, in this our pilgrimage, through this sinfull and wic­ked world, and when thou shalt call it home, we may gladly breathe it backe; for with thee there is onely safety,How and where to repose our confidence. with thee there is happinesse, infinite, without time, without measure: in the meane time keepe us from the danger of leesing, let us walke in the directi­ons of thy holy Spirit: we are not able to walke; to move our selves, in any holy course: if thy hand lead us not, wee shall either faint or wander. O keepe us from both, that we may travell in the passage of this life, with alacrity and spirituall profit, that this earth, our bodies of earth, may passe to the grave in hope, & that this breath,A needful care. our soule, may returne from whence it came, with confidence: this is the happinesse for which I will onely endeavour, for which I will alway pray, O my God, make me resolute in this my inten­ded course.

Of the state of Mans Innocence before his fall.

THat man was created, good, holy, and innocent is evident by the testimony of Scripture, neither is it doubted of the Christian world; for when God had ended the Workes of his Creation,Gen. 1.31. the holy Ghost saith, That he viewed all that he had made, and loe it was very good: for God being the father and fountaine of [Page 59] all goodnesse,Nothing but [...]ood can be derived from God. Eccle. 15.14, 15, 16, 17. it was not possible that any thing that was evill should bee derived from him; but like him­selfe, so his workes were perfectly good, without ble­mish, without defect: it is therefore generally to be believed, that Adam at the first creation was holy and innocent, no defect of nature, no corruption of sinne, and that God gave him liberty and power, of free­will, if so he would, to continue his estate and happi­nesse, for Adam in the estate of his innocence had this condition of happinesse. First, he was in the full fa­vour of God, a joy unexpressable. Secondly, hee had the world and the creatures therein for his use and pleasure, which then were perfectly good, hee had power also given him of God to continue this hap­pinesse, to himselfe and his posterity for ever, for the gifts both temporall and spirituall, which God gave him, doe well declare the infinite measure of Gods love to him, God giving him all that was created,Note. and enduing him with a divine soule, and with that such endowments of grace, as made him both excellent and happy: that God gave him the possession of the world both for his use and pleasure is already proved: yet more, God for an extraordinary demonstration of his favour to him, planted a garden in Eden, Gen 2.8, 9. of admi­rable variety, both for use and ornament. For out of the ground, made the Lord to grow every tree pleasant to the sight, that was for ornament, and good for meate: the tree of life also in the middest of the garden, and the tree of Knowledge of good and evill. These were there both for the beauty of the place, and for the triall of mans o­bedience,Verse 16, 17. and God gave Adam liberty to eate of every tree thereof freely, onely prohibiting him to taste of the tree of Knowledge of good and evill. These be­nefits, this bounty was large, yet doth God still en­crease his favour to Adam and deviseth to make him an helpe fit for him: for he said,Gen. 2.18. It is not good for man [Page 60] to be alone: as if God had laboured his invention to devise for the good and for the helpe of man;1 Tim. 2.14. then God made woman, and gave her for the consolation of man. Thus did God derive his blessings by degrees upon man, still inlarging the measure of his bounty and goodnesse towards him; so as there wanted no­thing, which in the wisedome of God was thought fit for mans prosperity. Lastly, to all these favours, God yet giveth one more then all, and that was a free will and power in himselfe to derive these infinite blessings upon himselfe and his posterity for ever: no mixture of griefe to distaste them, no death to de­prive them, but themselves and these pleasures to bee infinite and unspeakeable, and all these pleasures and continuance, was given upon such easie condition, as in our imagination, could hardly tempt a reasonable man, to a small forfeiture: an Apple perhaps no better, or not so good in taste, as many other in the garden, whereof Adam might have freely eaten, without feare, or forseit; all this doth witnes Gods infinit love to his creature, man, who gave him so great a power, and had purposed so inestimable a reward for so small a service.

This is the summe of this place.But so great is the mischiefe, strength, and working of sinne, that it hath bereft all mankind, in the very beginning, and first entry of our nature, from the purity of good conscience, trust in God, streightnesse of justice, liberty of will to doe good, quietnesse of life, the honour of being the Image of God, of our governance, and from the incorruptnesse also of na­ture, and immortality, and hath infected it with wic­ked hypocrisie, and brought us into danger of all evill, made us slaves of sinne, subiect to the wrath of God unto corruption, to innumerable calamities, and unto death,Apulaus. not onely of body, but everl [...]sting. So that the scholler of Plato, when he describeth man: Man, saith hee, dwelt upon earth, glad of reason, able to [Page 61] talke, having a soule immortall,Jerem. 4.2. members subject unto death, of light and carefull mindes, bruitish and ser­vile bodies, not like in conditions, but like in errours, of peevish boldnesse, stiffe in hope, vaine in labour, brickle of fortune, every one mortall, and yet to­gether continuing ever their whole kind, by mutuall succession of their brood changeable, their time ever fleeing away, long ere they be wise, soone dead, in their life never content, this saith Apulcius, which it seemeth he marked well the corruption of our nature, though hee knew not the beginning thereof: thus it is better to speake to mans understanding with profit, then be vainely curious.

This, as doth the former, remembers all men, how surpassing the love of God is to man-kind, who not­withstanding, man was made of a matter so base and unworthy, as nothing like him, yet doth God de­scend his Majesty to dignifie his basenesse, and did heape such honour, such favour upon man, as made him the most excellent and most happy of all the crea­tures of God, giving him felicity and power to con­tinue it, which of all the blessings of God was the greatest: for that is thought to be the greatest misery,To have beene happy is a mi­sery. to have beene happy, and to fall from that happinesse; and the greatest happinesse, is to be able to continue happy, which power God gave to the liberty of man, to be, or not to be happy for ever. This extraordi­nary degree of favour to our first father, Adam, doth deserve a thankfull acknowledgement from all men, because the favour did reach to all the generations of Adam, even to us, and to them that shall succeed us for ever. All men being then in Adam, and Adam the Compendium of all men, the honour and the grace being conferred to every man in generall without ex­ception of any.

Seeing God hath thus honoured our father Adam, [Page 62] and enlarged his benevolence unto him above the rest of his creatures; and seeing this was not given unto Adam onely, but to his posterity for ever, even to us, being the sonnes of Adam, and derived from his be­ginning. Let us therefore acknowledge our selves in as great a debt of beholding to our God, as Adam our father was, to whom God gave these blessings by name, and in speciall manner, wee being interested in the benefit as well as Adam; but as his sinne made him­selfe and us his posterity both alike miserable: so if hee had continued constant in his innocency, he had made himselfe and us alike eternally happy, with­out feare, without hazard, without forfeit, without interruption; let us therefore advise and remember our selves, what honour, what thankes, what service is due from Adam and his posterity unto God: Let us compare the infinite greatnesse and goodnesse of God to Adams nothing: let us measure [...]hem in the infinite distance of their worth: let us study to know what desert, what moving cause of ours could pro­voke God to these degrees of favour: let us search this desert in the excellency of mans nature, doubt­lesse it is not there to be found, though wee search with diligence. Let us then resort to the mercy of God, and there inquire, there wee shall rightly under­stand this knowledge; For thy selfe, O God, did move thy selfe to these effects,Note. thy Mercy did move thy Majesty, thy favour did move thy Power, thy good­nesse did perswade thy greatnesse, thy greatnesse did effect what thy goodnesse caused; thus was God tempted by himselfe to dignifie our Father Adam, therefore Adam could be no cause of his owne ho­nour, because it was in Gods decree before Adam had being; therefore Adam had greater cause of thanke­fulnesse, that God did please without cause thus to advance him, and to multiply his infinite and a­bundant [Page 63] favours upon him; Adams honour was ours, Adams duties are ours,Resolution. wee are as strictly bound in our dutifull obligation to God, as our father Adam was; let us therefore his posterity, be constant in that duty wherein he failed, and though Adam hath dis­inherited us his posterity of that power, which hee had to performed his divine acknowledgements; yet let us by our best endeavour, strive with our nature to reforme our errours, to imitate so neere, as wee can, Adams innocency: thus let us ever be resolved to con­tend against the corruption of our nature, and with a holy ambition, to covet, to equall, or exceed the ho­nour and happinesse of our father Adam, in his in­nocency, and seeing God did make us so wonderfull in our frame, so excellent in our nature; let us there­fore with modesty and reverence to God esteeme our selves; let us understand and remember our selves, that God hath made us creatures of note and excellence, ordained for holy ends, and made us Masters of in­finite other creatures; let us remember that our soule is the divine breath of God, our bodies the temple of the holy Spirit; let us therefore bend all our endeavours to fashion the government of our lives in some proportion, to [...]his excellency of our nature; let us hate the company of the wicked and imitation of evill, because God hath created us good; let us value the posterity of our soule before the possession of the whole world; let us be jealous of our selves, and carefull to feare to give entertainment to any evill cause that may move, deprave, or corrupt us; let us love our owne salvation above all but God, because God did honour us above all but himselfe in our creation. Thus may wee lawfully with religious modesty en­deavour and esteeme of our selves; God did grace us in our creation; but then God will double that grace in our salvation: for this I doe earnestly intreat, I pray, I hope.

Of originall Sinne, the Fall and Apostacy of man.

VVHen man was in the height of his prospe­rity, having all things requisite to make him both happy and great, and wanting nothing that might minister the fulnesse of content to his desire;Man did de­grade him­selfe. hee then suddenly by himselfe, cast from these plea­sures into a state most miserable, depriving himselfe and posterity, not onely of the pleasures, but the usefull necessaries of this life,Gods favour the highest be­nefit. and that which is in­finitely more worth than the rest, the blessed favour and presence of God, which of it selfe, without ad­dition, is able to make the enjoyer most happy and absolute in his felicity. Thus in a trice, was man, the glory of Gods workmanship, by sinfull disobedi­ence spoyled of his innocency,A strange alte­ration. which when hee lost and wanted, his very nature endured alteration, and hee that but lately was made Lord of all the world, is now made subject to all extremities; this one touch of sinne, being of that infectious nature, that like a leprosie,A generall de­cay. it spreads over all his whole nature, his body, his soule, his workes, nay, his very af­fections are infected with this venome, his holinesse, his innocency, and all his divine graces abandon his nature; disdaining to consort with the fellow­ship of sinne: God also, who had made him, and had so wonderfully inrich'd him with benefits, takes off the majesty and ornaments he had given him, and in stead thereof investing him with poverty and ex­tremity of fortune;What bitter ef­fects sinne causeth. Genes. 3. and whereas before he had made him immortall, hee now makes him subject to the stroke of death; and in this array, thus altered, he excludes him his sacred presence. This sinne bran­ding not onely Adam with this disgrace, and these [Page 65] deformities, but himselfe and his posterity for ever, being all disgraced from their innocency, and also degraded from their excellency of nature: now to describe Adams griefe in this alteration,Anunutterable measure of griefe. the power of mans invention is not able to doe it: there are not words, nay imagination hath not thought to con­ceive it; for to fall from the happinesse of prosperity, is a strange degree of griefe, but to be deprived from that felicity is a torment, which without extraordi­nary patience, no man is able to beare. In the fall and apostacy of man, is principally to be considered these particulars: First, from whence he fell. Secondly, to what he fell. From whence he fell, was from the fa­vour of God, considered in the excellencie and inno­cency of mans nature, in his large endowments of grace, in his power, and in his possession of pleasure, in which respect, Adam the first man, was so aboun­dantly favoured, as that his soule could desire no en­largement; God having given him so many and so great demonstrations of his love and favour towards him as nothing could bee more, this is abundantly proved before. Secondly, to what he fell,Gen. 1.2. chapt. this is fa­miliarly knowne in the experience of every mans life, being full of the marks of this misery, as you may read in Ecclesiasticus, a catalogue of mans misery:Eccle. 40. what Adam was in his sinne, and the miserable change hee endured by the alteration of his fortune,The miseries of this life. doth give us a particular knowledge of our owne condition; Adam our father by generation was the father also of our corruption, & we his generation, deriving our substance and nature from him, have with him derived his sinne and punishment, the which as they were inseparable in the nature of Adam at and after his fall; so are they necessarily descended down upon us his posterity: the trespasse being in him, from whom we are all derived, makes that we are all guilty of the sinne of Adam, and [Page 66] are all deservers of the like punishment:Rom. 5.12, &c. this is S^t. Paul his judgement, Wherefore as by one man sinne entred into the world, and death by sinne, so death went over all men, for as much as all men have sinned. As Adam was, so are we;4. Esd. 4.48. such a father, such children: the best way to understand our nature, is to consider it in Adam; but to understand his fall and the miseries thereof, it is palpably evident in the knowledge of our own parti­culars: the torments of our transitory life are sufficient arguments to perswade and resolve us thereunto; for the extremities of fortune and her variable turnings, remember all men the miserable conditions of sinne­full man,Ier. 4 2. all men being at all times subject to all ex­tremities, and sometimes taste the bitternesse thereof: in the booke of Ecclesiasticus, as aforesaid, there is a Catalogue of the miseries of mans life; all which hap­ned to us for sin of Adam, who by his sin, not only did deprive himself of the inestimable worth of Gods favor, but also brought the like condemnation upon his seed, & their posterity for ever, & by his one sin, overthrow­ing the blessed estate of many millions of people, as if at one blow he had cut off the heads of a world of people, and doubtlesse but the sorrow for leesing the favour of God,Adams sorrow. Adam could not have a greater then this, because there is nothing, doth more move griefe and pity in gentle minds, then a compassion of general calamities, especially then when they are caused by their mis-for­tune,Ier. 2.3. that have the grace to pity them. To undertake to ranke the calamities incident to sinnefull life were intricate:N [...]te. therefore we will omit the greater number, and somewhat insist upon the greatest in the number, that is the displeasure of God, which is damnation; a misery infinite in time, infinite in torment, a judge­ment denounced against all men, for the sinne of one man: because at the committing of sinne, all men were then present in Adam, and with him did both [Page 67] combine and conspire in the trespasse. Adam then by his sinne did bring a generall destruction on his nature, and thereby made himselfe and all men, not onely subject to death, but to an everlasting death and damnation, to inflict eternall and unexpressable tor­ments; on the bodies, on the soules of men. It is not in the capacity and power of man, to describe the tor­ments of damnation: for as they are infinite in time,No man can describe at full the torments of damnation. so also in number and greatnesse, there is misery without hope, torments without number, without measure, without end, they are above our strength, above our patience to beare them, they are not utterable for number, nor sufferable for torment: the very soule though eternall, is continually wasted with that af­fliction: neither could it endure and last in such extre­mities, but that God hath made it eternall. Againe, it is not onely infinite and eternally great in personall sufferings, but also in griefe, and spirituall discontent­ments and vexations: the soule that is damned grie­vously afflicting it selfe with rage and intestine dis­pleasure,Discontent the sicknesse of the soule. when it considereth from what dignity it is falne, and the honour and felicity it might have had, if it had continued in the favour and presence of Almighty God; it will also enviously remember the prosperity of others, what glory, what happinesse they enjoy for their constancy in their godly conver­sation, and holy travell,The nature of envie. and that it selfe and the dam­ned should have had the same degrees of happinesse, if like them, they had continued constant and faithfull in their duty and service to God: and this is a grea­ter torment to the damned, then that which they shall endure in their personall afflictions; the remem­brance whereof doth so distract the very powers of their soules, as that desperately they inflict their owne vengeance, and execute upon themselves,Note. the punish­ment of their owne condemnation: for in our nature, [Page 68] we have lesse patience, and more affliction, when by our owne defaults wee loose prosperity, then when for our deserts wee endure any personall punishment: this is the reward of Adams disobedience, that did by sinne, disinherit himselfe and his posterity of the in­finite treasure of Gods favour, and did thereby pur­chase a life, whose daies are consumed in vexations and miserable change, and whose end doth not end his misery,Death is the life of torment to the damned. but renew and enlarge it with an addition and perpetuity of torment.

This is the plaine and necessary knowledge of the fall of man from the state of innocency. In which ar­gument the overcurious wits of men have travelled in the search of many intricate questions; I will therefore forbeare to relate the number of mens o­pinions.

The fall of man from the first state of his innocency, doth remember all men what the miserable condition of our nature is, what glory wee have lost, and into what degree of adversity we are falne: wee that were the most excellent of Gods creatures, are now the most miserable; provoking, not onely God, to be our enemy,Gen. 3.14. but the creatures of God also, to hate and dread us. Because for our disobedience, God did curse them, and that for our annoyance God did suffer the goodnesse of their nature to be altered, in so much as that they which before sinne entred our nature, were our servants, are now become our enemies; and wee that then were their Lords, and had power to com­mand them, are now in bondage of feare, and dread their power,A miserable al­teration. for that supremacy, power and govern­ment, which Adam had over all the world, was con­ferred to us that are his posterity. He had it, and lost it by sin, we should have had it but are prevented by sin, sin being the cause both in him & us, why we are degra­ded from our dignity,Ierem. 14.2. and cast into this contempt and [Page 69] disgrace of fortune. Whensoever therefore God shall please to punish any mans prosperity, and to tempt his patience with the burthen of adversity, his care must be, to search the cause of his affliction, and when he hath found the cause, to labour by all meanes to remove it: For diseases are not cured before their causes be both knowne and removed. And as diseases of the body are not ingendred without their corrupt cause, no more our spirituall afflictions are not in­flicted without their evill cause, which is sinne, the originall and continuall cause of all our evill. Thus ought Christians to judge of themselves, and to un­derstand the miseries of their life, to inquire at their own hearts, and to search their own actions, and their owne transgressions; for there, and but there,Note. shall they finde the true cause of all their misery, and not as doth the foolish and wicked, who when they have extraordinary discontents, or mis-fortunes, blame their nativities,Psal. 34. and search the motions and conjun­ctions, falls and exaltations of the stars and celestiall bodies; as if by their influence and constellation, their grievous alterations were occasioned; such fondnesse is ridiculous, and to little purpose, and they are much deceived who seeke for that farre off, which is to be found onely at home, even in their hearts, in their sinfull natures, and in their sinfull actions. Againe, the fall of Adam from his innocency because of sinne, doth instruct every man in the knowledge of Gods divine nature; for God is so respectively holy, that hee will not entertaine familiarity and neerenesse with any creature that hath the least touch or spot of sinne;The nature of holinesse. therefore did hee banish the Angels out of his pre­sence, though they offended, as some thinke, but in thought: Adam also, though it was his first sinne, and not of his owne election, but doubly tempted by his wife and the divell,Genes. 3. yet could not the holy pre­sence, [Page 70] of God indure him, but cast him out of Pa­radise into misery and tribulation; therefore ought all men to make conscience of all sinne, and to feare the committing of the least, because there is no sinne, be it never so little, that God will dispense withall, but as himselfe,All sinne is in Gods hatred. so is his affection. Hee is holy with­out staine, without imputation, and his favour is to­wards them onely, that with all their power, endea­vour themselves in all the workes of his Comman­dements.

Now, if the over-spreading of sinne, whereby this mischiefe passed through, infected, corrupted, and made subject unto death all man-kind, we must harken unto the Apostle, who appointed this over-spreading, neither to the divell,Rom. 5. neither to the woman, but unto Adam: For the divell did not convey over sinne un­to Eve, Ephes. 2. nor Eve unto Adam by propagation or in­crease of kinde, but onely by entisement: For the Serpent corrupted the woman, and the woman the man by intisement.2 Cor. 11.3. But the man being corrupted with sinne, did by increase of nature, shed out his poyson into all the posterities of the world, descen­ding from him, therefore though the beginning came of the divell, and Eve seduced by him, finned be­fore Adam; yet the nature of man-kinde had not beene so infected with sinne, that the evill thereof should have corrupted all his posterity with the in­crease of all flesh, and made it subject unto sinne and death, if Adam had not sinned: for the increase and succession pertaineth not to the woman, but unto the man;Note. yet because he did harken to the voyce of the woman, and did eate, hee became a transgressor of Gods Commandements; the accomplishment of the sinne, beganne in the divell and the woman, the spreaders abroad of the whole mischiefe,Gen 4.10, 11.12, 13. whereof there was a most manifest argument declared in Caine, [Page 71] his first begotten sonne: also the misery, corruption and decay which followed the fall of our first parents, and invaded all man-kinde, doth set forth the power and vertue of Gods providence, to be much greater unto us: for that we are repaired and renovated by Christ after our fall, to a farre more blessed estate then we were created in before wee fell,1 Cor. 15.53. like as in the day of resurrection, when wee shall be all raised up out of the dust of the earth, and the corruptible put on incorruptible, and the mortall put on immortality, and the vertue of the power of God shall be declared much better than if we had still lived and continued in this life without corruption and death. And fur­ther, whereas by the sinne committed, man-kind pe­rished, and fell into so great corruption,It was not Gods fault that man sin­ned and lost his innocency. depravati­on and death, it is not such, that it ought to be imputed unto God, but rather such as the justice of God may appeare therein; therefore it was meet and needfull, that Christ should not be conceived and borne in the wombe of the Virgin, of the seed of man, lest he should be borne partaker of sin, but on­ly by the working of the Holy Ghost. Lastly, seeing the sinne of Adam, by the intisement of the woman, did so deface the excellence and innocence of our nature, as that the corruption thereof did descend from him to all posterities, this ought to abate the pride of man, that no man dignifie or exalt him­selfe in the pride of his nature; for all men are of one and the same nature, and all men in one and the same condemnation, there being no power in mans nature to raise himselfe to the dignity of Gods favour, that being onely in the power of him that first created us holy and innocent, who againe will restore us, if we faithfully spend our indeavours in holy actions. Againe, it ought to move all men to beare indifferent favour to all the children of [Page 72] God, and not to despise any, either for the defect of nature or fortun, but to pitty and commiserate the common calamities, because there is no judgement or punishment inflicted upon any man,How to judge calamities. but it is generally caused by all men: all men having offended God with Adam, and all men for that sin of Adam being subject to all misery: for those calamities and greater, are due to us, though other men indure them; and those benefits which some injoy,Gods favour is not by desert, but by bene­volence. and others want, they have them not of desert, but of benevolence from the favour of God, who giveth them according to the pleasure of his will, without respect of persons.

Seeing that Adam, who had such extraordinary indowments of grace, and whose nature God had so adorned with excellence, that hee delighted in his company; and seeing he was innocent, and his nature unstained with corruption or infirmity,We farre more easie to be tempted then Adam. did notwith­standing, run in contempt of Gods Commandement, and thereby did purchase Gods indignation: Let us therefore be extraordinary carefull to withstand all provocations that may tempt us to any sinne; for our nature is much more easie to be tempted than Adams was, his being innocent and holy, ours in corrup­tion stained, he having power in himselfe to with­stand his tempter, we having no power in our nature to resist, but rather an appetite and affectation to evill, naturally inclined to neglect that grace, which should make us able to resist temptation, and to with­stand the assaults of the divell,The depraved­nesse of na­ture. and because our nature is thus depraved, and that our owne blind directions would but leade us to condemnation; let us there­fore with humble confidence implore the favour of God,How to pre­vent the power of temptation. that by his spirit hee would give us directions, and that by his mighty hand hee may support us against the power of all temptations; for we know our strength is but weaknesse, and if God take his [Page 73] hand of favour from us,If we will affy in God we must deny our selves. wee shall fall into the hands of our tempters, and remaine their spoile: for if Adam in his innocence was vanquished, we in our sinne can­not bee able to withstand them: therefore let us not trust in our owne strength, but deny our selves, and repose our whole confidence in the strength of his arme, for it is thou, O God, that savest and defendest us from and out of the hands of our enemies, and put­test them to confusion that hate us. Thus let us pra­ctise against our spirituall tempters, and thus we shall prevaile.

Againe, seeing God hath not spared Adam, nor the Angels that sinned, who in their natures were much more excellent then we, but for their sinne, gave them over to condemnation:2 Pet. 2.4. how much lesse will he spare us if wee continue in the committing of sinne, and not endeavour our selves with all diligence in godly exercise? Assuredly this should make us fearefull to commit any sinne, with consent or know­ledge. Let us therefore flie all sinne,The wages of sin in death. as we would death, because the earnest of sinne is certainely rewar­ded with death; sinne and death being inseparable in fellowship: for the soule that sinneth must die the death, and no soule dieth but the sinfull. Therefore let us resort our prayers to the holy presence of God,Resolution. let us earnestly intreat, that his providence may direct us in an holy course, to an holy end: let us avoyd all acquaintance with sinne; let us hate it in our selves,Charity will pitty misery. let us hate it in others, pity their misery, and pray for their amendment; let up prove our selves vowed ene­mies to sinne, and practise in that profession: thus let us perswade, thus let us resolve. Againe, seeing Adam and his posterity, were not cast into condemnation,Man was not condemned without hope as the angels were. without hope, without mercy, as the angels that sin­ned were; but had hope given him to be againe resto­red to the favour, and blessed presence of God, by the [Page 74] righteousnesse of Jesus Christ, the Sonne of God; this admirable degree of love and favour of God to man­kind, should keepe all our actions in awe, and make us carefully feare to offend our God, who hath so farre exceeded to us in the favours of his love: therefore let us not onely feare him because hee hath power to destroy us, but let us feare him for the reverence of his love, and preferre his love even before our soules: our meditations cannot present to our soules a greater Heaven of joy,To meditate God and his favours. then to understand our selves to be be­loved of God; neither can wee have more delightfull action, then to meditate his love, and to love him a­gaine for his love to us: for to love him for the safety of our owne soules, is most necessary; but to love him for his love only, is more commendable, and declareth a notable degree of Christian zeale. Thus did Moses love the Israelits:Exod. 32.30.31, 32. thus did S^t. Paul the Iewes; and thus will I my God, by whom I was created, by whom I am restored, and in whom I will alwaies trust. Amen.

Of the Divels trecheries, and how to prevent him.

SEing the Divell is so apt and ready to assault and tempt the faithfull, and the elect of God, consider therefore thou devout soule in what danger thou art, because the divell thine adversary is alwaies lying in wait for thee: hee is an enemy for boldnesse, most ready, for strength most powerfull, for subtilty most cunning, for engines well stored, in sight indefatiga­ble, into all shaps changeable, he intiseth us into many sinnes, and having inticed us, hee accuseth us before Gods judgement seate;2 Cor. 2.11. 2 Cor. 11.14. hee accuseth God to men, and men to God, and one man to another: hee exactly considereth every ones inclination, and then hee layes for them the snares of temptations: for the devill when [Page 75] he assaulteth the soule of man, first sets upon that part he findes softest and best affected for his purpose, for him the easier to worke upon; and if hee once be withstood, and overcome, hee doth not presently re­move nor give over, but comes againe to tempt with greater force, that so hee may by tediousnesse and neglect, overcome those whom by violence and force of temptations he could not overcome. Against whom will he not be bold to use his subtill trickes, when hee was so bold to set upon the Lord of Majesty himselfe with his craft and subtilty,Math 4.2, 3. when hee had fasted forty daies and forty nights? what Christians will he spare, when hee sought to winnow Christs Apostles like wheate? He deceived Adam in his nature instructed, whom then can hee not deceive in his nature corrup­ted? he deceived Judas in the schoole of our Saviour,Luke 22.31. and whom will hee not deceive in the world,Gen. 3.4, 5. the schoole of errours? in all states the divels trecheries are to bee feared. In prosperity hee lifts us up with pride, in adversity he drives us downe to despaire; if he sees a man delighted with frugality, he intangleth him in the fetters of insatiable covetousnesse: if hee sees a man of an heroicall spirit, hee sets him on fire with flaming anger: if he sees a man somewhat merrier then ordinary, hee incites him to burne with lust: those whom he sees to be zealous in religion, he labours to entangle in vaine superstition: those whom he sees exalted to dignities, hee prickes them forward with the spurres of ambition: when hee allureth man to sinne, hee amplifieth Gods mercy; and when hee hath cast him headlong into sinne, then he shewes and amplifies Gods justice: first, hee will lead a man to presumption, and afterwards he labours to bring him to desperation; sometimes he assaults outwardly by persecutions: sometimes hee assaults inwardly, by fiery tentations, sometimes he sets upon us openly and [Page 76] by force, sometimes hee sets upon us secretly and by fraud: in eating he sets before us gluttony, in genera­ting luxury, in exercising sluggishnesse, in conversing envie, in governing covetous extortion, in correcting rage, in dignity pride; he possesses the heart with evill cogitations, in the mouth he puts false speakings, in the other members wicked actions, when wee are a­wake he moves us to evill workes, when we are asleepe he moves us to filthy dreames: so then at all times, in every place, and in every thing we must beware of the divels trecheries, wee sleepe, but hee watcheth, wee are secure, but he goes about like a roaring Lyon seeking whom he may devoure.1 Pet. 5.8. Consider therefore thou faith­full soule, the trecheries of this most potent enemy; and seeke the ayd of spirituall armes to defend thee from his subtilties: let thy loynes be girt with the girdle of truth,Eph. 6.14. and covered with the brest-plate of righteousnesse, put on Christs perfect righteousnes, & thou shalt bee safe from the divels tentations:Iohn 14.30. as Satan hath no power over Christ, neither hath he power over the faithfull his members. Let thy feet be shod with the preparation of the Gospell of peace, so the fiery darts of the divell shall not hurt thee: take the shield of faith to defend thee from the assaults of this most wicked enemy.Eph. 6.15. Math. 17.20. Faith is that which removes Mountaines, which is to be understood, the mountaines of doubts, persecutions and tentations: if thou hast faith, neither shall any thing be unpossible unto thee.Vers. 20. Exod. 12.17.12.13. The Israelites whose doore posts were figured with the blood of the paschall Lambe were not smitten with the destroying Angell, so likewise those whose hearts are by faith sprinkled with the blood of Christ, shall not be hurt by this destroyer: faith relies upon Gods promises, in the mercy of the Almighty; and Satan cannot over­throw them that believe; faith is the light of the soule, and hath a bright eye, a holy eare, a cleane heart, [Page 77] and a sure foote, shee is the strength of hope, the trust of truth, the honour of amity, and the joy of love, and Satan cannot prevaile against it, and the tentations of this malignant spirit are easily discerned through this light.Mich. 7.19. By faith our sins are throwne into the profound sea of Gods mercy, and in that the firy darts of the divell shall be easily quenched, we must likewise put on the helmet of salvation, that is,Ephes. 6.17. holy Hope, endure tentation, and expect an issue thereof by hope, and thou shalt find comfort thereby: For God is an Assister of them that contend, and the crowne of them that overcome;Vers. 19. wee must also take the sword of the spirit, that is, the Word of God: For the consolations of the Scripture will prevaile against the contradictions of the divell;Nazianz. for by the Word Christ overcame all Satans temptations,Math. 4.4, &c. 11. and still the faithfull shall overcome the divell and all his subtilties. To conclude, by prayer thou hast great aid against tentations; for as often as the little ship of thy soule is ready to be overwhelmed by the waves of tentation, awake Christ by thy prayers: we over­come visible enemies with striking, but wee overcome our invisible enemies by powring forth prayers un­fained; fight thou, O Christ, both in us, and for us, that so through thee we also may overcome our dead­ly enemy with victory, that in thee, and through thee, we may triumph gloriously.

Of the Morall Law of God, the ten Commandements.

THe Law of God,The morall Law of God and the Law of nature is all one. though it was not given to man with solemne promulgation, before the time of Moses, yet was there a generall sense thereof given to [Page 78] Adam in his creation: For when God gave him his nature, and endued him with the use of reason and discourse, he gave him capacity to understand his du­ty, the which duty is nothing else, but the observation of the Law of God; and therefore, when Adam had transgressed the commandements of God, and had eaten the forbidden fruit, the reason of his naturall soule could tell him his offence, and then his con­science judged him; he was afraid, and hid himselfe from Gods presence. If therefore wee compare his sin to the Commandements of the Law, wee shall find it to be a direct breach of some, and a conse­quent breach of all: For Gods first Commandement saith,Exod. 20. Thou shalt have no other Gods but mee. Adams sin by the eating of the forbidden fruit, by the tempta­tion and perswasion of the divell, doth contradict the Commandement of God, and saith, Nay, but my wife and I will both be gods. Gen. 3.5. Againe, Caine, the second man, he committed murther, and thereby di­rectly broke the sixt Commandement, which when God and his conscience made him to understand,Gen. 4.8. hee made a most desperate acknowledgement of his sin:Vers. 13. so that the Law being nothing but a reasonable du­ty, which the creature oweth to his Creator; there was therefore a generall knowledge of this Law in the reasonable nature of man at his creation, and so to the succession of them of the old world unto the time that the Law was given to Moses by the or­dinance of Angels:Gal. 3.19. the old world then from Adam to Moses, were not lawlesse and free from the service of the Law, but had the law of nature for their direction, which being grounded upon reason, was even the very same with the law of the ten Comman­dements, and the law of the ten Commandements before it was given to Moses, was in the ages be­fore going commonly transgressed; and that law did [Page 79] both judge and condemne them, the which law God gave man when he gave him his nature; every man having the knowledge of this law in the naturall use of his reason. This was the state of the old world before Moses, all sinned, and all were judged by the law of nature. Now, when iniquity began to raigne, and be strong in the hearts of men, and that their conscience became senslesse of sin, neither would they admonish and judge their transgressions, then God thought convenient to publish to man­kinde this law, binding the consciences of men to a strict and dutifull observation of every particular statute of the law,Baruch 4.1. denouncing the judgement of condemnation to all them that transgresse against the least breach and particular of those Commande­ments.

A second reason why God ordained the Law, Reason 2 was, that men might rightly understand themselves, and thereby know in what degree of holinesse they were; because that men are often partiall in their owne judgement, and willingly blinde themselves in the view of their owne calamities; wherefore then serveth the Law,Gal. 3.19. it was added because of trans­gressions, that by the Law men might know where­in they have transgressed.

A third reason of the ordination of the Law, is, Reason 3 to provoke men to endeavour themselves with all diligence in a holy course, to travell in godly ex­ercise, and to avoid both evill actions and idlenesse, the Law giving every man sufficient matter of im­ployments, wherein he is bound to spend his houres,4. Esd. 9.31. his daies, nay, his life, in the carefull service of his God: For behold, I sow my Law in you, that it may bring forth fruit in you; and that yee may be honoured by it for ever.

Fourthly, the reason that the Law was given, Reason 4 [Page 80] is, that by the severity thereof, we might be disci­plined, and made fit for the mercy of the Gos­pell; for the judgement of the Law will humble us, make us understand our misery,Gal. 3.24. and provoke us to implore mercy; for by the documents and directi­ons of the Law, wee are led to salvation in Jesus Christ; wherefore the Law is our Schoolemaster, to teach and bring us to Christ, that wee might be made righteous by faith in him.

Lastly, the Law was given for the glory and Ma­jesty of God, that all the world might judge of his infinite mercy to mankind. In this respect, that not­withstanding all men are judged and condemned by the law of nature, and by the Law of his Com­mandements; yet in the greatnesse of his love, hee is content to forgive the trespasse, and the judgement therefore due unto mankind,Gods admi­rable mercy. and finally, to enter­taine these transgressors his enemies, into the bosome of his mercy, giving them Mercy in stead of Justice, and eternall life,Rom. 5.20, when they deserved death and dam­nation.21. Moreover, the Law entered thereupon, that the offence should abound; neverthelesse, Where Sinne abounded, there Grace abounded much more, that as Sinne had raigned unto death, so might Grace also raigne by righteousnesse unto eternall life, through Jesus Christ our Lord, and this is an admirable degree of love in God, that he will decline, or lay by his Majesty, and to mise­rable, wretched, nay, sinfull creatures exercise his Mer­cy, in restoring and advancing us, that have so highly offended his Majesty, and abounded in transgressions; for these causes was the Law given and delivered to man;Deut. 27.26. The matter of the Comman­dements. God thereby commanding every mans absolute obedience, upon forfeiture of his soule, to the paines of everlasting condemnation. In the Law of the ten Commandements, is to be considered the substance, which is the matter of the Law, and the circum­stance [Page 81] which is the manner of the delivering it. The matter is contained in ten Commandements; the first foure teacheth us directly our duty to God: the six last, our duties to our neighbour. In the manner of giving the Law, we may principally consider these circumstances: First the principall giver of the Law, God. Secondly, the servants attending this office, the Angels. Thirdly, to whom it was given, to Moses. Fourthly, for whom it was given, for the children of Israel, who were then the people of God; and by consequence to every people that professe themselves the servants of God: these are the maine particulars in the circumstance of giving the Law. First,Exod. 20.1. Exo. 19.18. &c. God was the principall authour of this worke, to give it coun­tenance and authority; for who dare quarrell his worke, and the operation of his hands: therefore did God himselfe speake all the words of the Com­mandements, he also spake in a fearefull and terrible manner, to gaine the businesse a fearefull estimation,Vers. 9. he spoke in the hearing of the people, that they might know it was Gods owne act, and to prevent the di­strust they might have in his servant Moses. Secondly, the Angels attend this holy service, to declare the most excellent Majesty of God, who in all his occa­sions is served and attended by an infinite number of that excellent nature. Againe, the Angels were there because they are most desirous of the good of man­kind,Heb. 1.14. Luke 15.7, 10. and doe willingly attend the service of our sal­vation, having joy among themselves in Heaven at the conversion of a sinner; they were also, to be wit­nesses, betweene God and his people, that the cove­nants might remaine established for ever: therefore S. Paul saith, The Law was ordained by the Angels, Gal. 3.10. by the hand of a mediator: not that the Angels did principally give the Law, and appoint the covenant, but that there service was to attend, by the holy ministration. [Page 82] Againe, the Law was given by God, by the hand of Moses, in the presence of the Angels, to give unto the Israelites, because the Spirit of God had so sanctified Moses, that hee was able to stand in the presence of God,Exod. 20.18, 19 the which the host of the Israelites could not doe, but became astonished and exceedingly afraid, at the voice of Gods thunders, and therefore they desi­red Moses to negotiate betweene God and them, they being not able to endure the presence of his Majesty. Againe, it was given by the hand of Moses, because God would honour him above the rest of his brethren, he having beene most industrious and constant in the service of God, and therefore as God had by the hand of Moses given them deliverance out of Aegypt, so by the hand of Moses hee would give them the cove­nants of his everlasting love,Note. and deliverance out of the bondage of sinne, which grace was promised to all them that would live within the compasse of these lawes, and is now given to all them that faithfully endeavour them, though they faile in the maine per­formance therein:Iohn 1.17. For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. Lastly, the Law was given by name to the Israelites, but in the pur­pose of God to all men, all men being under the bon­dage of the Morall law of God, the Law being able to judge and condemne all men. Againe, God gave it by name to the Israelites, because they were then the choyce and select people of God, for whom hee had done his wonders, and to whom hee had promi­sed a faire inheritance, it also derived downe upon us, and upon all posterities, all men having entred into covenant with God, to endeavour themselves in the faithfull keeping of his Commandements: these cir­cumstances are all necessarily considered in the maner of Gods delivering the Law. From this may be gene­rally observed, that God in all his actions hath prin­cipall [Page 83] respect to holinesse, and that no prophane cir­cumstances assist him in his actions, but as himselfe is most holy, so his delight is in holy actions, and ha­teth all prophanation, both in matter and circum­stance. In the Law may generally bee observed an impossibility in the precise performance and keeping thereof, no man being able,An impossibili­ty in the strict performance of the Law. Acts 15.10. without favour to give a true account, and to make an even reckoning with the Law, the law being able to conclude us all under sinne: it is an argument of Saint Peter: now there­fore why tempt ye God to lay a yoke, that is, the per­formance of the Law, on the disciples neckes, which neither our fathers nor we were able to beare?Gal. 2.16. Saint Paul also to the Galatians, concludeth an impossibility to be justified by the Law. By the works of the Law no flesh shall be justified, so that no man ought to repose his Justification in the Law;Gal. 3.22. All men are judged by the Law. yet every man ought to endeavour therein his utmost performance. Secondly, men are judged by the Law, to be guilty, and deservers of everlasting damnation. This generall judgement of the Law against all flesh, doth concl [...]de all men in the state of damnation, no man being able to deliver himselfe from this judgement, before the Law be fully satisfied, which could not be done by other meanes, then by the righteousnesse and death of Jesus Christ,Gal 4.5. the Sonne of God, and Redeemer of the World.

Seeing, the severity of the Law of God,Deut. 5, 2. &c. that no flesh can be saved by the workes of the Law; therefore at the delivering of the Law, when the Israelites pro­mised Moses that they would doe whatsoever God should command them, God seemes to expresse a pas­sion of his love, and to require lesse then the Law; for the Law requireth a precise performance upon paine of damnation, but God promised the blessing of his favour to all them that zealously endeavoured to keep the Law:Vers. 19. for howsoever no man can observe the or­dinances [Page 84] of the Law,Gal. 3.11. as thereby to be righteous, and to deserve the promise, yet did God accept the faith­full endeavours of men, and supply their defects by the grace and operation of his holy Spirit. There­fore God saith to Moses, O that there were such an heart in them, to feare me, and to keepe my Commandements, t [...]at it might goe well with them, Deut. 5 29. and with their children for ever. God is merci­full in his seve­rest justice. This doth prevent an objection, which the wic­ked disobedient children might make against God, and his Law, seeing the Law of God doth require a greater duty then is in any mans performance: and seeing that the Law doth condemne all them that faile in the least particular duty of the Law; where­fore God might seeme to bee mercilesse in the severity of his justice,God that made the Law is a­bove the Law. and their labour fruitlesse to attempt that which was unpossible, both which are wickedly false: for though the Law condemne every man, yet God that made the Law is above the Law, and d [...]th often grant his dispensation; and pardon them whom his Law condemnes. Secondly, though no man can performe the Law, yet all men may endeavour it, the which endeavour being faithfull and industrious, is accepted of Ood, as if it were performance: and this doth take from all men all matter of argument whereby they would excuse their disobedience,He that ende­vours the Law hath the pro­mise. and neglect in their dutifull service to God; for as is said, though no man be able to doe the Law, yet all men are able to endeavour it: and this doth necessa­rily admonish all Christians in these times, who pre­sume over boldly on the liberty of faith, that because Christ Jesus the Saviour of the world, hath satisfied the justice of the Law,Man must nor presume on the liberty of faith. and wrought righteousnesse to all them that faithfully believe, and apprehend his merits: therefore they despise the workes of the Law, holy and charitable exercises, and repose themselves on the bare confidence of faith onely, the which be­ing [Page 85] altogether fruitlesse in the works of the Law,A fruitlesse faith profiteth nothing. is but presumption and vaine confidence, and will dange­rously deceive all them that affie therein; for though Christ Jesus, hath abolished the ceremoniall Law, and satisfied the justice of the morall Law, the which is availeable to all them that shall be heires of salvation, yet his righteousnesse in observing the Law,Christ hath not destroyed the Law, but qualified it. doth not destroy the substance of the Law, and make it fruit­lesse and uselesse, but doth rather command our imita­tion, that as he hath performed the Law in all sincerity and righteousnesse, so we should endeavour a strict imitation of his vertuous doings; for such faith on­ly hath the benefit of the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ, as is proved by the testimony of holy life,Workes the testimony of faith. and hath the witnesse of vertuous living: therefore it doth needfully behove all men carefully to endea­vour in the exercise of the Law of God: for though no man can be justified by the workes of the Law, so no man can declare and approve himselfe to be justified, but by the workes of the Law; for it is God that doth justifie effectually, faith doth justifie apprehendingly, and good workes doe justifie decla­ringly. Againe,By the Law we may judge our selves. the knowledge of the Law of God may give every man a true understanding of the state of his life, whereby to know in what condition hee standeth, whether in the favour, or displeasure of Al­mighty God; for the Law is the revealed Will of God, to which all men owe conformity upon paine of grievous forfeit; and therefore, whosoever shall examine the behaviour of his life, and compare his se­verall committings and omittings, with the duties of the Law, for all ought so to doe, shall be well able to understand, and judge himselfe;The Law a patterne to a Christian life. for the Law is the patterne of our lives, to which wee ought to square our actions. So then, when wee find a dissimilitude betwixt the Law and our lives, we cannot but judge [Page 86] our selves to be disobedient, and rebellious to God and his Lawes, and consequently, to forfeit our soules to the state of damnation. This judgement ought to cause humiliation in all men, and so it will in them that God shall make gracious, who, when they know themselves to be in the disease of sin,How the Law doth humble us. and that the Law doth wound their consciences with guiltinesse; and that themselves have a naturall pronenesse, rather to cause then to cure their infirmities; this maketh them to deny themselves and their owne power, which is but weaknesse, and with humblenesse to resort to the mercy and merits of Jesus Christ, the Sonne of God, and the Physician of our soules,Christ the Physician of our soules. who only hath beene able to satisfie the justice of the Law, and who onely hath beene able to worke the Redemption of man­kinde, and to repossesse them of Gods favour who had lost it by their transgressions; and this our Redeemer hath done by assuming our nature,Christ hath fulfilled the Law for us that could not. bearing our sins, sa­tisfying our contempts, and finishing our neglects, who in our nature hath fulfilled the Law for us that could not, who hath triumphed over sin, and made con­quest of hell, and by his death hath slaine death, which but for him, had seized our soules into ever­lasting condemnation. Thus will the knowledge of the Law admonish us; and thus it will remember us.

This knowledge presents our soules with matter of serious meditation, wherein wee may have a full view of the miserable condition of our life, what strength is in our nature, what endeavour in our actions; for when wee finde an impossibility of our dutifull and strict obedience to the Law, wee shall then ac­knowledge our defects, and the corruption of our na­ture, when we examine the particulars of our life, and compare them with our duties, we shall acknowledge the neglect of our endeavours, and that wee have failed, not onely in the maine performance of the [Page 87] Law of God, which our nature could not performe, but in our desires and carefull endeavours, to doe well,The effects in the Reprobate issuing from the meditation of the Law. which our nature might. And from this meditation doth necessarily follow, one of these two effects: in the Reprobate and gracelesse, it causeth desperation, and a hopelesse distrust of their salvation; for when the divell and their consciences expose before them the justice of God, the severity of his Law, and the infinite measure of their offence, the extreme terror and sense of their wickednesse, doe so confound their understandings, that often they execute upon them­selves torment and death, despising and despairing of the mercy of Jesus Christ; in whom, if they had reposed trust,The effect of grace in the Regenerate. believed and apprehended his righteous­nesse, their sins had not beene imputed, neither had their soules perished. But in the children of grace, this meditation doth produce a contrary effect; for when they by the Law understand the misery whereinto their sins have brought them, it causeth in them a won­derfull degree of feare, but not desperate; for though the divell presents their sinnes in most ugly formes, and urge them to a desperate apprehension, yet the Spirit of God in thē, doth withstand this temptation,God suppor­teth the Elect against temp­tation. and giveth them holy motions, to devise the meanes of their salvation, presenting them in their spirituall sor­rowes, with the mercy and merits of Jesus Christ, then giving them grace to understand the mysterie of his death, and the promise of the imputation of his righteousnesse, which when the grieved sinner under­standeth, he allayeth and mitigateth his sorrow, and affieth in the mediation and merits of Jesus Christ his Redeemer.The divers ef­fects of the Law. Thus the Law produceth contrary ef­fects in contrary spirits; it damneth the Reprobate without hope; it condemneth the Elect, but not dam­neth them, but instructeth and giveth him hope: them it judgeth without mercy, these it teacheth, admo­nisheth, [Page 88] and bringeth them unto Christ; therefore, though the Law condemne us,Resolution. let it not condemne our hope; for though wee cannot our selves performe the righteousnesse of the Law, yet there is one hath done it for us, our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, in whom let us confidently repose our hope, and re­spire new life,The worke of Faith. because we know that his righteous­nesse is ours by imputation, and that our sins were nailed upon his crosse, and suffered death with him, when he wrought our redemption. Let us therefore enlarge our love without limits to this our Saviour, who for our salvation, hath beene pleased to under­goe so great a travell. Let us admire the admirable degree of his love, that for our sakes did descend from his Majesty, to take and dignifie the basenesse of our nature;Christ hath freed us from the judgement of the Law. let us with unspeakable joy, meditate his most holy sufferings, whereby we are released from the condemnation of the Law; let us despise our selves and our owne righteousnesse, and apprehend him the onely staffe of our confidence; let us never despaire, because we know our Redeemer liveth, the hope of our salvation; but in all the extremities of our life, and in all the sorrowes of our conscience,To whom re­pentant sin­ners should resort. let us resort to Jesus Christ, the Physician of our soules; let us en­quire for him at the mercy of his Father; let us enquire at his owne righteousnesse; let us seeke him in his holy sufferings; let us seeke him at the crosse of his death, and when wee have there found him, let us expose our griefe, and implore his fa­vour; let us shew him what the Law hath done un­to us, what wounds, and how dangerous it hath given our soules;How to im­plore his fa­vour. let us therefore confesse our sins, and professe our faith; let us also promise to cor­rect the errors of our life; let us carefully endeavour every circumstance he hath commanded us, and being thus rectified in our resolution, let us reach our par­ticular [Page 89] hand of faith to our salvation,How to appre­hend Christ. apprehend him and apply him to our wounded conscience, and by this blessed meanes, satisfie the justice of the Law, and restore our soules.

Of the purity of Conscience.

IN every thing thou takest in hand, have a care of thy conscience; if the Divell incites thee to any sin, stand in feare of thy conscience, for thy conscience within thee condemneth thee; if thou art afraid to sin in the presence of men, let thy conscience much more deterre thee from sinning; the inward testimony of thy conscience is of more efficacy then the testimony of men: for though thy sins could escape the accusation of all men, yet can they never escape the inward witnesse of thy conscience:Reve. 20.12. the register of thy con­science shall bee in the number of those bookes that shall be opened at the day of judgement: the consci­ence is a great volumne in which all things are writ­ten by the finger of truth. The damned cannot deny their sinnes at the day of judgement, because they shall bee convinced by the testimony of their owne conscience; they cannot flie from the accusation of their sinnes, because the tribunall of the conscience is at home and with them, a pure conscience is the cleare glasse of the soule, in which she manifestly be­holds God and her selfe: this booke of thy conscience should indeed be written according to the copy of the booke of life; Christs Gospell is the booke of life,Reve. 13.4. Phil. 4.3. let the profession of thy faith be conformed according to the rule of Christs doctrine, and let the course of thy life be conformed according to the rule of Christs life; thy conscience cannot but bee good, if there be purity in thy heart, truth in thy tongue, and honesty in thy actions; these will avoide the judgement of thy conscience, in which one and the same shall bee both [Page 88] [...] [Page 89] [...] [Page 90] defendant, and plaintife, witnesse, judge, tormentor, scourge, and executioner: what escape can there be, where it is the witnesse that accuseth thee, and where nothing can be hid from him that judgeth thee: what doth it profit thee to live in all abundance and plen­ty, and to be tormented with the whip of conscience? the fountaine of mans felicity and misery, is in his minde, what then doth it profit a man in a burning feaver to lie in a bed of gold? what doth it profit a man to enjoy all outward felicity, and to be tormen­ted with the firebrands of an ill conscience? as much as we regard everlasting salvation; so much let us re­gard our conscience, for if wee have not a good con­science, we have not faith; and if we have not faith, we have not the grace of God: and if wee have not the grace of God, how can wee hope for everlasting life? as the judgement of thy conscience is, such judgement thou mayst expect from Christ. Sinne whilst it is in the action, doth blind the minde, and like a thicke cloud doth obscure the brightnesse of true judgement: but at length the conscience is rou­sed and gnaweth more grievously then any accuser. There are three judgements, the judgement of the world, the judgement of thy selfe, and the judgement of God; and as thou canst not escape the judgement of God, neither canst thou escape the judgement of thy selfe: although thou mayst sometime escape the judgement of the world; nothing can hinder thy conscience from seeing all thy actions. What excuse then can save thee, when thy conscience within thee doth accuse thee?Note. the peace of conscience is the be­ginning of everlasting life: for by Gods judgement and thine owne, thou shalt be either saved or fall ever­lastingly: the conscience is immortall, as the soule is immortall; and the punishment of hell shall torment the damned, as long as the accusation of conscience [Page 91] shall endure: no externall fire doth so affect the body as the inward fire doth inflame the conscience: the soule tormented is eternall, and so is the fire of con­science eternall: no outward scourge is so grievous to the body, as these whips of conscience are unto the soule. Avoid therefore the guilt of sinne, that so thou mayst avoyd the torment of conscience: blot out thy sinnes, out of the booke of thy conscience, by true and hearty repentance; that they be not brought forth and read at the day of judgement against thee; that so thou mayst avoyd the feare of Gods dreadfull sentence against thee: mortifie the worme of consci­ence, by the heat of devotion, that it doe not devour thee, and beget eternall horrour: extinguish the heate of this inward fire by the teares of repentance,2 Tim. 4.7. that so thou mayst attaine to the joyes of heavenly happi­nesse. Grant, O Lord, that we may fight this good fight, keeping faith and a good conscience, that at length we may come safe and sound into our heavenly Countrey to our eternall joy, and endlesse comfort.

Of the accusation of Conscience.

EVery man that would prevent the dreadfull dan­ger of Gods generall judgement, must in this life while he hath time arrest his owne soule, examine his particular actions, and by the evidence of his con­science judge himselfe and his transgressions against the Law of God:1 Pet. 4.17. Prov. 11.3, &c. for as Gods judgement doth begin at his owne house, because his principall care is for his owne, the Elect: so should men judge themselves, and have principall care to examine their owne parti­culars, and as Saint Paul saith, When we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, 1 Cor. 11.31, 32. because wee should not bee con­demned [Page 92] with the world. So likewise, we must judge our selves, lest we be condemned with the world: for as the Israelites, because they wanted judges became idolaters;Iudges 17.6. Eccle. 18.19. so our lives, when they are not examined and judged by our consciences, wee become remisse, disobedient, idolatrous, and desperately runne on with licentious and lawlesse appetite, in the common and curious committing of sinne. And this necessary judging of our selves, is well knowne to our reasona­ble soules, who when we have committed sinne, pro­voke our conscience to accuse and judge us, as if with­out this judging of our selves, wee could not prevent the judgement of God,By judging of our selves we prevent the heavy judge­ment of God, the manner how to judge our selves. which would prove much more terrible unto us: the manner of this judgement is thus: when the Spirit of God moves in any mans heart, a desire to understand themselves, the soule as­sembles the powers, of his understanding and exer­ciseth the severall faculties in severall assignements, and within himselfe, by serious meditation, can frame the order of a court; the man, body and soule, hee is the prisoner at the barre, hee is also both the witnesse and the judge: the matter of his inditement is sinne, his conscience is his accuser,Conscience is our accuser. his memory doth pro­duce the witnesses, his judgement doth pronounce the sentence, and the divell attend the execution, thus are the faculties of the soule disposed in judging of it selfe, the soule against the soule, producing the Law, proving the forfeit, and urging the penalty. Now that which hath most busie care in this spirituall and most serious examination and judgement of our selves, is the conscience by which the soule hath true intelli­gence and understanding in what condition it is,1 Cor. 11.31.32 and by whose authority the judgement of that spirituall Court is swayed, the conscience giving testimony of all our actions, good and evill, whereby our judging part is directed, without errour, and to make a just [Page 93] proceeding without all parriality, and therefore saith the wise man,Eccles. 14.2. Blessed is he that is not condem­ned in his owne conscience. For if there be any just matter of condemnation against us, there is no fa­vour can bribe our conscience, for that will to our selves, accuse our selves of every sinne, and reduce to memory many our sinnefull actions, which but for our conscience, we could not remember, and therefore the Scribes and Pharises that brought the woman ta­ken in adultery, to Christ,John 8.9. and demanded what judge­ment shee deserved, were remembred and accused by their owne conscience of their owne guilt of sinne, whereof they seemed to bee innocent or ignorant, when [...]s Christ said, Let him that is without sinne, Vers. 7. cast the fi st sto [...]e at her: so that they that were so busie in the c [...]demnation of another, were condemned them­selves by the testimony of their owne conscience, their conscience making them apply their accusations to themselves, which but then they had urged against anothe [...].

And doubtlesse,The spirituall power of the conscience. it is a wonderfull degree of power the conscience hath in the spirituall triall of our soules, in two respects. First, it knoweth all our sins, both secret and open, no man being able to hide them from the knowledge of his conscience. Second­ly, it spareth no man, neither any sin, but without re­spect of any, it urgeth all against all men, yea, the very sinnes of our thoughts are not privileged, but are even in the knowledge and hatred of our con­science; therefore saith Sai [...]t Paul, Rom. 2.15. Their conscience bearing witnesse, and their thoughts accusing or excusing one another; and Almighty God, when hee shall ga­ther together all flesh to judgement, and expose be­fore the Saints and Angels, the severall actions of every mans life, whereby they may be judged accor­dingly, either to mercy or justice; He hath devised in [Page 94] his wisedome,Our consci­ence shall re­prove us in the day of judgement. that every one should have a witnesse in himselfe, which is their conscience, the which in our life time doth register both our good and evill acti­ons, and at our judgement, doth both witnesse and declare them, and at that day the booke of every mans conscience is opened, wherein is writ a true circum­stance of every particular action of every mans life; and these records, these consciences, are they that give evidence, for, and against our selves at the day of Gods generall judgement.Rev. 20.12, &c. And I saw the dead both great and small stand before God, and the Bookes were opened, that is, all mens consciences, wherein was writ the report of all their actions. Thus wee may see what the office of our conscience is, both in re­spect of our owne spirituall judgement, which is our reformation, and in respect of the generall judgement of God which must be to every one,The manner of the accusation of conscience. either eternall salvation, or damnation. Now, the manner that con­science useth in this administration, is worth our con­sideration, that all men generally have a conscience, the which God hath united inseparably to our rea­sonable natures.

And therefore, not onely they that are of Christian beliefe, and have the rules of Religion to teach them, but men meerely naturall and ignorant of divine wor­ship, doe suffer the affliction of their wounded con­science; which though it be in a farre inferiour de­gree of that of understanding Christians, yet it doth in some proportion exercise a judgement on the soule, and doth both remember and terrifie them that grosse­ly offend against the Law of nature, which to them is the Law of reason and Religion; this is proved by the same place of Scripture before alledged, that the Bookes of all the dead were opened, Rev. 20.12. the word all excludes none from them the accusation of conscience, all are then afflicted by conscience, but not all alike effectually. [Page 95] The Infidells that know not God,The difference in the consci­ence of Chri­stians and In­fide [...]ls. but onely as they are taught by the wisdome of nature; their conscience doth but remember the offender his great sins only, and that sparingly, and with favour; a Christian conscience is more severe, for it remembers all men, all their sins without favour, without exception; there is this difference also; that of Infidels and wicked men doth often remember the offender his sin, but afflicts him not,A Christian conscience hath griefe. neither provokes him to re­pentance; but the conscience of Christians doth feare­fully remember the sinner his sinne, and doth wound the soule of the offender with sorrow and spiritu­all griefe, making him pursue the meanes of his re­formation, and hate the cause for which his conscience doth so afflict him;The difference of conscience among Chri­stians. this is the difference betwixt the conscience of a Christian, and an infidell. There is also great difference of conscience amongst Christi­ans: for as in the common sort that professe the Christian Religion, the greater part is by much the worse, and the choice particulars being the true wor­shippers of God are but few, drawne out from an inf nite number of people: so also though all that have a Christian name professe to have a Christian conscience,The consci­ence of a Re­probate. yet their conscience is no better then their Christianity, onely a bare name, whereof they have no spirituall use nor comfort. Conscience in the Re­probate, is either silent, or outragious; the silent con­science in the Reprobate, is when custome and long continuance of sinning doth dull the sense of con­science;Looke to your conscience what consci­ence yee have, for conscience will damne, and conscience will save. and this is when men give themselves over to commit sin with affectation, and greedy appetite, and oppresse their conscience with the multitude of their committings; so that such conscience doth not remember us our sins for the outragious conscience in the Reprobate, is when the conscience of the Reprobate hath for a time beene silenced, and hath [Page 96] given the sinner an unchaste liberty in his ungodli­nesse; yet so, as that once apprehending the know­ledge of his sin, and knowing the state of condem­nation wherein it is, it breaketh out into violence, which wanting moderation, urgeth the sinne [...] to ex­ecute upon himselfe some desperate vengeance; such was the conscience of Judas, the traitor, which slept all the time hee was plotting and practising his treason, but when his sinne was brought into act, then his conscience, though evill, did upbraid his sin with such violence as made the griefe unsupportable; and the traitor, not able to indure the torment of his conscience, thought, as Caine, that his sin was greater then the mercy of God, and so despairing of mercy, he desperately hanged himselfe;Mat. 27.3, 4, 5. such is the conscience of the Reprobate, their conscience is sleepy, and doth reprove but seldome, yet when it doth reprove, it is then most terrible and without all comfort; and though conscience in this life never afflict for sin, but seeme senslesse and dead in its appointed offices, yet in the day of judgement,Rev. 20.12. when the booke of every mans conscience shall be opened, then will their consciences that in this life have beene most silent, be most loud and terrible in their accusations, de­nouncing judgement,Wisd. 17.9, 10, 11. and inflicting a greater torment on the soule, then the damned can have patience to beare; this is both the office and end of an evill conscience.

A good con­science.Now, the conscience of the childe of grace is in full opposition to the conscience of the Reprobate: for when God shall please to call his servants to the know­ledge of themselves,How God mo­veth the con­science. and to a detestation of their sin, the grace of his holy spirit moveth in the hearts of such: and first awaketh the conscience, and giveth it sense to understand the calamity of the soule, and spirit to reprove and admonish it in needfull [Page 97] directions; and this grace of God, giving the consci­ence sence to understand sinne, and spirit to reprove it, is the first degree of our reformation, and a preparati­on to our spirituall conversion, God himselfe being the prime and principall author thereof:When God doth stirre our conscience, it continueth that holy motion to our reforma­tion. for when our conscience is once touched with this godly desire to examine the errors of our life, God doth not then leave us, but giveth us assistance continually, to finish that needfull care without despaire, without fainting: the conscience being once instructed by grace under­standeth that the soule is in danger of Gods judge­ment: this knowledge causeth a desire in the soule, to examine the particulars of our life; then doth it compare our severall actions,The manner how a good conscience worketh. with the severall duties of the Law, and thereby is made manifest the many and great defects and transgressions of our life, and that therefore our soules and bodies are guilty, and stand in the danger of condemnation. From this knowledge doth arise the griefe of a wounded consci­ence: for the statute Law of God condemning us for the trespasse of our lives,The cause of the griefe of conscience. the conscience then whose office is to excuse or accuse, upbraideth our sinne, and denouncing the judgement of the Law against us, which is eternall damnation; neither can we free our soules from these extremities, untill God, who is the judge of all the world shall please to offer mercy, and the benefit of his cleargy, which is nothing else but the story of the meritorious sufferings of Jesus Christ, the Lambe of God, which is in spirituall characters upon the crosse of his death; and this booke being the testament, and writ with the blood of Christ, the most righteous God presents to all the world: all the world in respect of themselves, being guilty and con­demned by the Law, doth promise remission of sinnes,How to quiet the trouble of [...] grieved conscience. a generall pardon, to all them that with their eyes or faith shall be seene and read in the booke of life, and [Page 98] apprehend and apply Jesus Christ, the contents thereof to their salvation.

Thus, and but thus it is possible to quiet the trou­ble of a grieved conscience: the conscience being never satisfied for sinne, before the justice of God be satis­fied by the apprehensive righteousnesse of Jesus Christ;Rom. 5.1. and therefore, saith Saint Paul, Being then justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Iesus Christ: for before we can live to God, wee must die to our selves; neither is there a spirituall re­generation, where there is not first a spirituall morti­fication: and where grace would enter, sinne must avoyd; for he that would follow Christ, must deny himselfe: therefore let no man presume to apprehend the mystery of the righteousnesse of the Crosse of Christ before hee hath reformed his actions, quieted the clamour of his conscience, and utterly denyed the strength of his owne nature: for how shall hee beare the Crosse of Christ,No man can be able to ap­prehend Christ before his con­science hath thus prepared him. that is laden with his owne infirmities, or how shall hee be benefited by the pro­mise of the Gospell, that doth not first judge himselfe by the Commandements of the Law, for hee that knoweth not his disease, seeketh no physicke, and Christ came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

This doth admonish all men carefully to watch the behaviour of their lives;Revel. 20.12. for if the conscience of every man be a book, wherein is writ the records of all his actions, good and bad; and that seeing this booke must be read at the day of judgement, in the audience of all the world, before God and his Angels and Saints, what manner of men ought all to be in godly conversation? This ought to move in every one a dou­ble care: First, that they avoyd carefully all ungodli­nesse both in thought and action, whereby they may suffer disgrace, before God and all his creatures at [Page 99] the generall day of judgement, when the booke of their conscience, shall bee opened to every ones eye. Secondly, it doth perswade a diligence in all godly exercise, and that all men contend with a holy emulation to exceede in godly actions, whereby they may receive applause and generall reputati­on in the generall assembly of God and all crea­tures, for as in earthly affaires, men covet most desirously to gaine reputation and a generall good name,There is no ambition law­full but the covetous de­sire of heaven. because it argueth an extraordinary degree of desert in him that hath it: so in contending for this spirituall garland, Heaven, it cannot but be an extra­ordinary degree of content, and spirituall pleasure, to be named in the ranke of best deservers. And as malefactors that suffer publique punishment for their offence, esteeme the shame more then the paine of their corrections, so ought all men to feare the shame they must endure,The booke of conscience cannot be defaced, but onely by the precious blood of Christ. when their conscience disgraceth them before so great a presence, as will be at the gene­rall day of judgement. For let all men be perswaded, that all their faults are so written in the booke of their conscience, that there is no meanes to obscure their knowledge, and to raze them out: neither will the conscience though it bee our owne, bee corrupted to connive and dissemble with God, but even to our owne faces it will produce all our sinnes, whose me­mory is not blotted out by the righteous blood of Jesus Christ the Sonne of God:1 Pet. 3.21. and seeing the witnesse of our conscience is the evidence, where­by wee are all judged either to life or death: wee all ought most carefully to avoyd the doing of ought that may offend our consciences,Not to offend our consci­ence. but rather to live in feare and awe of conscience; because our eternall state dependeth upon the report and accusation of our owne conscience. This ought to prevent all uncon­scionable actions in us, and to move a dread in us, to [Page 100] have a detestation of every sin, because when we have committed sinnes, wee have hired so many witnesses against our owne soules, to urge our eternall condem­nation.The silent con­science will be most terrible and loud at the day of judge­ment. Customary sinning duls the sence of conscience. Lastly, seeing that, that conscience which in this life is most silent, will notwithstanding at the day of judgement bee most terrible and clamo­rous, it admonisheth all men not to rebell against their conscience, and to runne on without checke in the committing of sinne, but rather to yeeld themselves to the correction of their conscience, left by their customary sinning, they dull the sence of conscience, and so runne on the race of all unlaw­fulnesse: for though the reproofe of conscience bee very terrible to him that rightly understands it, yet ought it to bee carefully apprehended, and respe­cted as a moving cause to reformation and repen­tance, and let no man incourage himselfe with com­mon example, that because the common sway of mens actions, respect greatnesse more then goodnesse, and craft more then conscience, that this can warrant any ones imitation, but rather wheresoever we see un­conscionable dealing; if in our friends wee ought to admonish them, and tell them of their fault; if in our enemies, we must hate the sin, but pity the sinner, and labour if it be possible,The office of charity. his conversion, but not his imi­tation: and this direction is both wisedome and cha­rity; for he that is wise shall be armed, and not harmed by ill example: and he that is charitable will doe all the good he can, and wish the good he cannot doe.

Let us therefore constantly endeavour, to re­duce to memory the severall actions of our life past; let us then compare them to the duty of our consci­ence,Good consci­ence is in hatred with sin. and thereby understand in what degree of sinne we are; what our conscience shall approve, let us con­tinue; what it condemneth, let us hate, be it our plea­sure, be it our profit, be it our neerest, or our dearest [Page 101] sin, if our conscience call it sin, let us despise it; let there be nothing shall make us alter or suspend this resolution; let us be constant in the love of con­science; what we have done amisse, let us reforme it by conscience; what we have to doe, let our conscience judge it lawfull before wee doe it; if our conscience presents us profit, let us despise it, if it be not honest; if pleasure, and not lawfull, let us loath it; let us undertake no action, nor entertaine no favour, but by the direction of conscience; in every judgement, and in all our actions,To consult with con­science. let us consult and be led by the rule and voyce of conscience; if the world com­mend a sin, and our conscience condemne it, let us condemne the world, and commend our conscience, let us credit our conscience more then common ex­ample, because our conscience must judge us, and not example; if our conscience accuseth us secretly of sin, wee shall certainly know there is cause; let us not silence our conscience from all reproofe, let us only avoid the cause of reproofe, sin, and that care­fully; when our conscience shall urge us, the Law, our sins, and the condemnation of the Law we have de­served, let us not despise our conscience, nor despaire mercy, but direct our hearts and our eyes of faith, to Jesus Christ, the strength of our salvation,Rom. 5.1. by whose favour wee shall both satisfie the Law and our con­science; the hope and comfort we have in his righte­ousnesse, will quiet the trouble of our conscience; and hee that hath reconciled God and us, will also recon­cile us to our conscience,Conscience that did ac­cuse, will com­fort. and make it that was our accuser our comforter: This direction I propose to my selfe, and doe perswade all men as I propose and purpose, that in all our actions and consulta­tions, we judge nothing convenient, that is not law­full, and nothing may be thought lawfull, but that which hath the warrant of a good conscience.

To avoid Security.

COnsider, thou devout soule, what a matter it is to be saved, and thou shalt easily shake off all securi­ty: at no time, and in no place is there security, nei­ther in Heaven, nor in Paradise, much lesse in the world.Genes. 3.17. An Angell fell in the presence of the divinity, and Adam fell in the place of pleasure. Adam was cre­ated after the Image of God, and notwithstanding, hee was deceived by the trecheries of the divell. So­lomon was the wisest of men,1 King. 3.12. and 11.3. and yet his wives turned away his heart from the Lord. Judas was in the Schoole of our Saviour, and did every day heare the saving Word of that chiefe Doctor,Luk. 22.3. and yet was hee not safe from the snares of Satan; hee was plunged headlong into the pit of covetousnesse and desperati­on, and so into the pit of perpetuall punishment. David was a man according to Gods owne heart,1 Sam. 13.14. and was unto the Lord a most deare sonne, and by mur­ther and adultery,2 Sam. 12.6, 7. hee became the sonne of death. Where then, and when is there security in this life? Relie with an assured confidence of heart upon the promises of God, and thou shalt be safe from the in­vasions of the divell;There is no se­curity in this life, but in the life to come. there is no securi [...] in this life, but that which is infallibly promised in Scripture to those that believe, and walke in the [...] of the Lord; but when we come unto the future happinesse, promised unto us, then shall wee have full security; for in this life Religion and feare are coupled toge­ther, neither can the one be without the other; there­fore thinke upon the grievous spots of thy sins, and feare him that according to justice will judge thee for the same. What are the afflictions of the godly, but bitter arrowes, sent from the sweet hand of God [Page 103] for their correction? many that escape unpunished in this life, God thinkes them unworthy of punishment, whom notwithstanding he reprobateth for ever. Out­ward felicity is often times a signe of eternall damna­tion; nothing is more unhappy than the happinesse of sinners; and nothing more miserable, then hee that knowes no misery.Augustin. Whatsoever thou beholdest with thine eyes, thou seest cause of griefe: which duly considered, are remedies against security. Behold God above whom we have offended; thinke upon hell be­neath which we have deserved; thinke upon the sin behinde, the which wee have committed; thinke upon the judgement before, which wee dread and stand in feare of; thinke upon the conscience within, the which wee have defiled; and thinke upon the world without, which wee have too much loved; consider whence thou camest, and be ashamed; consider what thou art, and be sorrowfull; consider whither thou goest, and tremble. Let a man therefore lament and grieve, and shake off all security, lest in the just and secret judgement of God hee be forsaken, and left in the power of the divell to be destroyed; if thou hast grace, so delight thy selfe in it, and acknowledge it to be the gift of God, and that thou dost not possesse it by any hereditary righteousnesse of thine owne.Security is a pernicious sin. Happy shalt thou be, if thou labourest with all care and diligence to avoid security, the mother of all evill: God will not forsake thee; but take heed thou dost not forsake him; God hath given thee his grace, pray thou earnestly unto him, that he would also give thee perseverance in that grace. God bids thee be certaine of thy salvation, but he bids thee not be secure; therefore thou must fight valiantly,2 Tim. 4.7, 8. that thou maist at length triumph gloriously: thy flesh within thee fighteth against thee, and the enemy, the neerer he is, the more to be feared; the world about [Page 104] thee fighteth against thee, and the greater the enemy is, the more to be feared; the divell about thee fighteth against thee, and the more potent the enemy is, the more to be feared; through the power of God feare not to encounter with these enemies; through the power divine, thou shalt be enabled to obtaine the victory; but thou canst not overcome these so great and potent enemies by security, but by assiduity in fighting: then doe the enemies most gather their forces together, when they seeme to grant truce, they are vigilant and watchfull, and thou sleepy and slug­gish: they make themselves ready to assault and hurt thee; make thou thy selfe ready therefore to resist. Many faint by the way, and never come home into their countrey:Deut. 1.35. how many Israelites did there die in the wildernesse, and never came to the promised Land of Canaan? how many spirituall sonnes of Abraham doe perish in the wildernesse of this world, and never come to enjoy the promised inheritance of the Ce­lestiall Canaan? Let it be therefore our onely desire to attaine to the glory which is in heaven; wee live in security, as we were past the snare of death and the day of Judgement.Matth. 24.44. Christ saith, he will come to judge­ment at such an houre that wee thinke not of, this saith Truth it selfe. And againe, he repeats it, heare and feare; for, the Lord will come at an houre wee thinke [...]o of. Wee have therefore great cause to feare, that we come not to judgement unprovided; for how shall we be able to endure the strict examination at the day of judgement. Seeing we cannot recover for ever, that which is lost in this one moment, in the shortnesse of this one moment judgement shall passe either to mercy or condemnation, what we shall be for all eternity: in this one moment, life and death, damnation and sal­vation, punishment and eternall glory shall be appoin­ted to every one: Lord, thou that hast given us grace to [Page 105] that which is good: give us also grace to persevere in that goodnesse, least wee fall into the ensuing danger prepared for the reprobates and the ungod­ly, which is hell and damnation, and the torments thereof.

Of the knowledge of mans corruption and state of his misery in this world, and the miserable state and condition in the life to come, without we be reno­vated by Christ: which Lord God grant us all grace so to be.

O Wretched man, where shall I begin to describe thy endlesse miseries, who art condemnable, as soone as conceived; lyable to eternall death before thou wast born to a temporall life.A miserable change hapned to all posteri­ties, by the fall of Adam. A beginning indeed I finde, but no end of thy miseries: for when Adam and Eve being created after Gods owne Image, and placed in paradise, that they and their posterity might live in happy and blessed estate of life immortall, ha­ving dominion and rule of all earthly creatures, and onely restrained from the fruit of one tree, as a signe of their obedient subjection, to their Almighty Crea­tor, though God forbad them this one small thing under the penalty of eternall death; yet they belie­ved the divels word before the Word of God; making God, as much as in them lay, a lyar: and so being unthankefull for all his benefits, which God bestow­ed upon them, they became male-content with their present state, as if God had dealt enviously or niggard­ly with them, and believed that the divell would make them partakers of farre more glorious things, then ever God had bestowed upon them, and in their pride [Page 106] they fell into rebellion, and committed high treason, against the most high Almighty, and disdaining to be Gods subjects, they affected most blasphemously to be gods themselves, equall unto God their maker: hence till they repented, loosing Gods Image, they became like unto the Divell; and so all their posterity like a traiterous brood whilst they remained impenitent like them,Math. 13.42. are subject in this life to all cursed miseries, and in the life to come to everlasting fire and damnation, prepared for the divell and his angels. Consider therefore, thou faithfull soule, the miserable condition of man, and thou shalt easily avoyd all temptations: man is vile in his ingresse, miserable in his progresse, and lamentable in his egresse; he is assaulted by divels, provoked by tentations, allured by delights, cast down by tribulations, entangled by accusations, bestripped of vertues, snared in all evill customes, and drowned in all manner of vices.

Lay aside then for a while thy doting vanities, and take a view with mee of thy dolefull miseries, which duly surveyed and truly considered, I doubt not but that thou wilt conclude with mee, that it is farre better never to have natures being, then not to bee by grace a practitioner of religious piety: consider therefore the miseries in thy life, and first of thy infancie.

Of the wretch­ednesse of man, being concei­ved in sinne, brought forth in uncleannesse and his dayes miserable.What wast thou being an infant, but a bruit, and a lumpe of sinfull flesh conceived in the shape of man? and thy body conceived in the heate of lust, the secret of shame, and staine of originall sinne? and thus wast thou cast naked upon the earth, all imbrued in the blood of filthinesse, filthy indeed, so that thy mother was ashamed to let thee know the manner thereof. What cause then hast thou to boast thy birth, which was a cursed paine to thy mother, and to thy sel [...]e: the entrance into a dangerous and troublesome [Page 107] life? the greatnesse of which miseries, because thou couldest not expresse in words, thou didst shew forth as well as thou couldst in weeping teares. Secondly, of the miseries of thy youth.

What wast thou in thy youth, but like a wild and untamed beast? all whose actions are rash and rude, not capable of any good counsell when it is given thee, and Ape-like delighting in nothing but toyes and baubles, foolish and vaine things? therefore thou no sooner begannest to have a little strength and dis­cretion, but forthwith thou wast kept under the rod of correction, by feare of parents and masters, as if thou hadst beene borne to live alwaies in subjection, and discipline of others, rather than to be at the dis­position of thine owne will: no tyred horse was ever more willing to be rid of his burthen, then thou wast to get out of the servile state of this bondage. Third­ly the miseries of manhood.

What is mans state, but a sea wherein as waves one trouble ariseth in the necke of another, the latter worse than the former? no sooner didst thou enter into the affaires of the world, but thou wast enwrapped about with a cloud of miseries:The miserable state & condi­tion of man in his midle-age. thy flesh provokes thee to lust, the world allures thee to pleasure, and the divell tempts thee to all manner of sinnes: feare of enemies affrights thee, suits in law doe vexe thee, wrongs of ill neighbours doe oppresse thee, cares of wife and children doe consume thee, and disquiet­nesse twixt open foes and false friends doe in a man­ner confound thee, finne stings thee within, Satan layes snares before thee, within thy conscience accuseth thee, thy sinnes past dogge behind thee; now ad­versity on the left hand frets thee, anon prosperity on thy right hand flatters thee: over thy head Gods ven­geance due to thy sinne, is ready to fall upon thee;2 Cor. 11 25, &c. and under thy feet hell mouth is ready to swallow thee [Page 108] up; and in this miserable estate, whither wilt thou goe for rest and comfort? the house is full of cares, the field full of toyles, the Countrey of rudenesse, the City of factions, the Court full of envie, the Church full of sects, the Sea of Pirats, the Land of robbers, that thou canst be no where safe, or free from danger: or in what state wilt thou live in, seeing wealth is envied, and poverty contemned; wit is dis­trusted, and simplicity is derided; superstition is mocked, and religion is suspected; vice is advanced, and vertue is disgraced, Oh! with what a body of sinne and misery art thou compassed about in a world of wickednesse? what are thine eyes, but windowes to behold vanities? what are thine cares, but flood-gates to let in streames of iniquity? what are thy senses, but matches to give fire to thy lusts? what is thy heart, but the anvill whereon Satan hath forged the ugly shape of all leud affections? Art thou Nobly descended? thou must put thy selfe in perill of forraigne warres, to get the reputation of earthly honour, oft times hazzard thy selfe in a desperate combate to avoyd the aspersion of a coward. Art thou borne in meane estate? Lord what paine and drudgery must thou en­dure, both at home and abroad, to get thee mainte­nance; and all perhaps, scarce sufficient to relieve thy necessity, and to supply thy want; and when after much travell, service and labour, a man hath got something, how little certainety is there in that which is gotten? seeing thou seest by daily expe­rience, that hee who was yesterday rich, to day is a begger:How sudden is change of state hee that yesterday was in health, is to day sicke: hee that a yesterday was merry and laughed, hath cause to day to mourne and weepe: hee that yesterday was in great favour, is to day in as great disgrace: hee that yesterday was alive and in health, is to day dead: and thou knowest not how soone [Page 109] and in what manner thou shalt dye thy selfe, and who then can innumerate the losses, crosses, griefes, dis­graces and calamities which are incident to sinfull man: and to let passe the death of wife, children and friends, which seemes oft-times to be farre more bitter unto us then present death it selfe. Fourthly, the miseries of old age.

What is old age, but the receptacle of all maladies?The condition of old age. for if it be thy lot to draw thy daies to a long date, in comes bald-head [...]d old age, stooping under dotage, with his wrinckled face, rotten teeth, stinking breath, testy with choler, withered with drinesse, dimmed with blindnesse, obsurded with deafenes, overwhelmed with sickenesse, diseased and pained with bone-ach, decrepid with age, and almost bowed together with weaknesse, having scarse use of any sense, but the sense of paine, which so racketh every member of his body, that it never easeth him of griefe, till it hath throwne him downe into his grave; for the earth is the wombe that hath bred us, and the earth is the tombe that must receive us. Thus endeth the miseries of the body in this life.

Of the Meditation of the misery of the body and soule in this life.

SInfulnesse in man, is an universall corruption,Ephes. 2.3. Genes. 6.5. Rom. 12.2. 1 Cor. 2.14. Phil. 2.3. Rom. 3.12. Rom. 7.19. both of nature and actions; for by nature wee are infected with a pronenesse to every sin; conti­nually the mind is stuffed with vanity, the under­standing is darkened with ignorance, the will af­fecteth nothing but vile and vaine things, all her actions are evill; yea, this deformity is so violent, that oftentimes in the regenerate soule, the appetite [Page 110] will not obey the government of reason, and the will wandreth after, and yeelds content to sinfull mo­tions. How great then is the violence of the appetite and will in the Reprobate soule, which still remaines in her naturall corruption? Hence it is, that thy wretched soule is so deformed with sinne, defiled with lust, polluted with filthinesse, outraged with passions, over-carried with affections, pining with envie, overcharged with gluttony, surquedred with drunkennesse,John 8.44. boyling with revenge, transported with rage, and the glorious Image of God transformed to the ugly shape of divell,Genes. 6.6. so farre forth, that once it repented the Lord, that ever hee made man.

After that the aged man hath conflicted with long sicknesse, and having endured the brunt of paine, should now expect some ease, in comes death, na­tures slaughter man, Gods curse, and hells purvey or, and lookes the old man grim in the face, and neither pittying his age, nor regarding his long endured do­lours, will not be hired to forbeare, either for silver or gold, but batters all the principall parts of the body, summons him to appeare before the terrible Judge of heaven and earth. Now the miserable soule perceiveth her earthly body to begin to dye; for as towards the dissolution of the universall frame of the great world,Mark. 13.24, 25, 26. the Sunne shall be turned into darkenesse, the Moone into blood, and the Sta [...]res shall fall from heaven, the aire shall be full of stormes,Luk. 21.25, 26. and flashing meteors, the earth shall tremble, and the sea shall rage and roare, and mens hearts shall faile and tremble for feare; so towards the dissolution of man, which is the little world, his eyes which are as the Sunne and Moone, lose their light, and see nothing but bloodguiltinesse of sin, the rest of the senses, as little starres, doe one after another faile and fall; his minde, reason and memory, as heavenly powers of the soule, are shaken [Page 111] with fearefull stormes of despaire; and first, flashing of hell fire, his earthly body begins to shake and tremble, and the humours, like an overflowing sea, roare and rattle in his throat, still expecting the wofull end of his dreadfull beginning.

Whilest hee is thus,The soule summoned to appeare at the tribu­nall. Zach. 5.2, &c. summoned to appeare at the great assises of Gods generall Judgement, behold, a quarter sessions and goale delivery is held within himselfe, where Reason sits as Judge, the Divell puts in a bill of inditement, as large as that booke of Zacha­ry, wherein is alledged all thy evill deeds that ever thou hast committed, and all the good deeds that ever thou hast omitted, wherein is written, lamenta­tions, and mourning, and woe,Ezech. 2.10. and all the curses and judgements thar are due to every sinne; thine owne conscience shall accuse thee, and thy memory shall give bitter evidence against thee, and death stands at the barre ready,1 John 3.20. as a cruell executioner to dispatch thee. If thou shalt thus justly condemne thy selfe, how shalt thou escape the just condemnation of God, who knowes all thy misdeeds better than thy selfe? Faine wouldst thou put out of thy minde, the re­membrance of thy wicked deeds that trouble thee, but they flow faster into thy remembrance, and they will not be put away, but cry unto thee, Wee are thy workes, and wee will follow thee; and whilest thy soule within thee is thus out of peace and order, thy children, wife and friends, trouble thee as fast, to have thee put thy goods in order, some crying, some cra­ving, some pittying, some cheering, all like flesh flies, helping to make thy sorrowes more sorrowfull. Now the divells, who are come from hell to fetch away thy soule, begin to appeare to her, and wait as soone as shee comes forth, to take her and carry her away: stay shee would within, but that shee feeles the body begin by degrees to dye, and ready, like a ruinous house, to [Page 112] house, to fall upon her head, fearefull shee is to come forth, because of those hell-hounds which wait for her comming. Oh, shee that spent so many daies and nights in vaine and idle pastimes, would now give the whole world, if shee had it, for one houres delay, that shee may have space to repent and reconcile her selfe unto God: but it cannot be, because her body which joyned with her in the actions of sin is altogether now unfit to joyne with her in the ex­ercise of repentance, and repentance must be of the whole man.

The dolour of the soule.The soule now seeth that all her pleasures are gone, as if they had never beene, and that but onely tor­ments remaine, which never shall have end of being: who can sufficiently expresse her remorse for her sins past, her anguish for her present misery, and her ter­ror for her torments to come? In this extremity she lookes about every where for helpe, and finds her selfe every way helpelesse; thus in her greatest miseries desirous to heare the least word of comfort, shee di­rects this or the like speech unto her eyes, saying; O eyes, who in times past, were so quicke sighted to behold the vanities of the world, can yee spie no com­fort for mee, nor any way how I might escape this dreadfull danger: but the eye-strings are broken, they cannot see the candle that burnes before them, nor discerne whether it be day or night: the distressed soule finding no comfort in the eyes, speakes to the eares; O eares, who were wont to recreate your selves with hearing new pleasant discourses, and musicks sweetest harmony, can yee heare any newes or tidings of the least comfort for mee to escape this dreadfull danger? the eares are so deafe, that either they cannot heare at all, or the sense of hearing growne so weake, that they cannot endure to heare his dearest friends to speake; and why should the eares heare any glad [Page 113] tydings of joy in death, who could never abide to heare the glad tydings of the Gospell in his life, the eares cannot minister no comfort. Then she intimates her griefe to the tongue: O tongue,The reprobate soule can finde no comfort in her extremity. who was wont to make bold challenges with the best, and bragge it out with the bravest. Where are now thy big and daring words, now in my greatest need, canst thou speake nothing in my defence? Canst thou neither daunt these enemies with threatning words, nor intreat them with faire speeches? Alasse, the tongue two daies agoe lay speechlesse, that it cannot in his greatest extremity either call for a little drinke, or desire a friend to take away with his finger the flegme that is ready to choak him. Finding here no hope of helpe, she speakes unto the feet: where are ye, O feet, which sometimes were so swift and nimble in running to all manner of leud­nesse?All places are penall unto the reprobate which doe al­waies carry torments and vexation about them. can yee carry me no where out of this dange­rous place? The feete are stone dead already, that if they be not stirred they cannot stirre. Then she directs her speech unto her hands. O hands, who have so often beene approved for manhood, in peace and in warre, and wherewith I have so often defended my selfe and offended my foes; never had I more need then now, death lookes me grim in the face and kills mee: hellish fiends wait about my bed to devoure me, helpe mee now or I perish for ever: Alasse the hands are so weake, and doe so tremble, that they cannot reach to the mouth a spoonefull of supping, to relieve langui­shing nature. The wretched soule seeing her selfe thus desolate, and altogether destitute of friends, helpe, and comfort; and knowing that within an houre she must be in everlasting paines, retires her selfe to the heart, which of all members is the first that lives,2 Sam. 22.5, &c. and the last that dies; from whence she makes this dolefull lamen­tation, with her selfe: O miserable caitife that I am, how doe the sorrows of death compasse me? how doe [Page 114] the terrors of Belial, make me afraid? how have the snares both of the first and second death overtaken me at once? Oh! how suddenly death hath stolne upon me, with unsensible degrees, like the Sunne which man perceives not to move, and yet is most swift of moti­on? How doth death wreake on me his spite, with­out pity? What joy remaines now of all my former fleshly pleasures, wherein I placed my chiefest de­lights? those foolish pleasures were but deceitfull dreames, and now they are all past like vanishing shadowes: but to thinke of those eternall paines, which I must endure for those short pleasures, paines me as hell before I enter into hell: yet justly I con­fesse, as I have deserved I am served; that being made after Gods Image, a reasonable soule, able to judge my owne estate; and having mercy so often offered, and I intreated to receive it; I so wilfully neg­lected Gods grace, and preferred the pleasures of sinne, before the religious care of pleasing God, leudly spending my short time without considering what account I should make at the last day: and now all the pleasures of my life put together, coun­tervaile not the least part of my present paines: my joyes were but momentary, and gone before I could scarce enjoy them; but my miseries are eternall and never shall have end. Oh! that I were now to be­gin my life againe, how would I contemne the world and the vanities thereof! how religiously and purely would I lead my life! how would I serve my God, frequent the Church, and sanctifie the Lords day! if satan should offer mee all the treasures, pleasures, and promotions of this world he should never intice mee to forget my God, and these terrours of this last dreadfull houre.Esay 66.24. But, O corrupt carkasse, and stinking carion, how hath the divell deluded us? and how have wee served and deceived each other, and [Page 115] pulled swift damnation upon us both! now is our cause more miserable then the beasts that perisheth in the ditch: for I must goe to answere before the righ­teous Judge of Heaven and Earth, where I shall have none to speake for me; and these wicked fiends who are privie to all my evill deeds, will accuse me: and I cannot excuse my selfe, my owne heart already condemnes me: I therefore must needs bee damned before his judgement seate, and from thence be car­ried by these infernall fiends, into that horrible pri­son of endlesse torments and utter darknesse. Oh!Math. 22.13. where shall I lodge to night, and who shall bee my companions? O horrors to thinke! O griefe to con­sider! Oh! cursed be the day wherein I was borne: how is it that I came forth of the wombe to endure these hellish miseries and sorrowes, and that my daies should thus end with eternall shame! Cursed be the day that I was first united to so leud a body: oh, that I had but so much favour as that I might never see thee more! our parting is bitter and dolefull, but our meeting againe to receive at that dreadfull day, the fulnesse of our deserved vengeance will be farre more terrible and intollerable. But what meane I thus by too late repentance and lamentation to seeke to prolong time? my last houre is come, I heare the heart-strings breake, this filthy house of clay ready to fall on my head; here is neither hope, helpe, nor place of any longer abiding:The separation of the soule from the body. and must I needs bee gone? thou filthy carcase, with fare ill, farre well, I leave thee. And so all trembling shee comes forth, and forthwith is seazed upon by infernall fiends, who carry her with violence torrenti simili to the bot­tomelesse lake, that burneth with fire and brim­stone, where shee is kept as a prisoner in torments, till the generall judgement of the last great day.Apoc. 21, 8. 1 Pet. 3.19. The loathsome carkasse is afterward layd in the [Page 116] grave; in which action, for the most part, the dead bury the dead: that is, they who are dead in sinne, bury those who are dead for sinne. And thus the Godlesse and unregenerated worldling, who made earth his paradise, his belly his god, and his lust his law; as in his life hee sowed vanity, so now hee is dead and reapeth misery: in his prosperity hee neg­lected to serve God, now in his adversity God refu­seth to save him; and the divell, whom he long ser­ved, now at length payes him his wages: detesta­ble was his life, damnable his death; the divell hath his soule, the grave hath his carcase. In which pit of corruption, den of death, and dungeon of sorrow let us leave the miserable caitiffe rotting, with his mouth full of earth, his belly full of wormes, and his carkasse full of stench, expecting a fearefull resurrecti­on, when it shall bee reunited with the soule; that as they sinned together, so they may be tormented toge­ther eternally. Thus farre of the miseries of the soule and body in death, which is but cursednesse in part: now followeth the fulnesse of cursednesse, which is the miserie of soule and body after death.

Meditations of the misery of man after death, which it the fulnesse of cursednesse.

Luke 8.28.9. & 16.23. Thess. 1.10. Math. 23.33. Luk. 16.22, 23, 24.THe fulnesse of cursednesse, when it falles upon a creature not able to beare the brunt thereof, presseth him downe to that bottomelesse deepe of the endlesse wrath of Almighty God, which is called the damnation of hell, and the torments thereof. This ful­nesse of cursednesse, is either particular or generall: particular, is that which in lesse measure of fulnesse, lighteth upon the soule immediately as soone as shee [Page 117] is separated from the body;1 Pet. 3.19. for in the very instant of dissolution, shee is in the sight and presence of God; for when she ceaseth to see with the organes of her fleshly eyes, shee sees after a spirituall man­ner, like Stephen, who saw the glory of God, Acts 7.55. and Iesus standing at his right hand, and there, by the testimo­ny of her owne conscience, Christ the righteous Judge, who knoweth all things, maketh her by his omni­present power, to understand the doome and judge­ment that is due unto her sins, and what must be her eternall state, and in this manner standing in the sight of heaven, not fit for her uncleannesse to enter into heaven, shee is said to stand before the throne of God, so forthwith shee is carryed by the evill angels, who came to fetch her, with vio­lence into hell, where shee is kept as in a prison,1 Pet. 3.19. in everlasting paines and chaines, under darknesse, untill the Judgement of the great day,Luk. 16.23. Matth. 13.42. but not in that extremity of torment, which shee shall receive at the last day.

The generall fulnesse of cursednesse, is in a greater measure of fulnesse,Joh. 5.28.29. Luk. 16.24. Luk. 1.31, 32. Apoc. 11.18. which shall be inflicted upon both the soule and body, when by the mighty power of Christ, the supreme Judge of heaven and earth, the one shall be brought out of hell, the other out of the grave,Dan. 12.1.2. Apoc. 20.13.14 as prisoners to receive their dreadfull doomes, according to their evill deeds; how shall the Reprobate, by the roaring of the Sea, the quaking of the earth,Mat. 24.29, &c. Luk. 21.25, 26. the trembling of the powers of heaven, and terrors of heavenly signes, be driven at the worlds end to their wits end? O what a wofull salutation will there be betwixt the damned soule and body, at their re-uniting at that terrible day!

O sinke of sin! O lump of filthinesse, will the soule say unto the body, how am I compelled to [Page 118] re-enter into thee,The damned soules apostro­phe to her bo­dy at the se­cond meeting. not as into an habitation to rest, but as into a prison to be tormented together with thee, would God thou hadst perpetually rotted in the grave, that I might never have seene thee againe; Oh, how shall wee be confounded together, to heare before God, Angels, and men, laid open all those secret sins which we committed together! Oh earth, would thou wouldst open thy mouth and swallow us up,Numb. 16. as thou didst Corah, Dathan and Abiram, that I might be seene no more. O damned furies, would yee might without delay teare mee apieces, on condition that yee would teare me unto nothing; but whilest thou art in vaine bewailing thy misery, within thee, thine owne conscience, more then a thousand witnesses, shall accuse thee, and the divell, who tempted thee to all thy lewdnesses, shall with thy conscience, testifie against thee; and on the other side, shall stand the holy Angels and Saints, approving Christs Justice, and detesting so filthy a creature; behinde thee an hideous noise of innume­rable fellow damned Reprobates tarrying for thy company; before thee all the world, burning in fla­ming fire; above thee an irefull Judge, of deserved vengeance, ready to pronounce his sentence against thee; beneath thee, [...]he firie and sulphurous mouth of the bottomlesse pit gaping to receive thee: in this wofull estate to hide thy selfe will be impossible, to appeare will be intollerable, and yet thou must stand forth, to receive with thy fellow Reprobates, this thy deserved sentence, Depart from mee yee cursed, into everlasting fire, Matth. 13.42. and 25.41, &c. prepared for the divell and his angels. Depart from me, there is a separation from all joy and happinesse, yee cursed, there is a blacke and dire­full excommunication, into fire, there is the cruelty of paine, everlasting, there is the perpetuity of punish­ment, prepared for the divell and his angels, here are thy [Page 119] infernall tormenting, and tormented companions. O terrible sentence, from which the condemned can­not escape, which being pronounced, cannot possibly be withstood; against which a man cannot except, and from which a man can no where appeale, so that to the damned nothing remaines but hellish torments, which knowes neither ease of paine, nor end of time: from this Judgement-seat, thou must be thrust by An­gels, together with all the damned divels, and Re­probates, into the bottomlesse lake of utter darknesse, that perpetually burneth with fire and brimstone,Apoc. 21.8. where there shall be such weeping, woes, and wailing, that the cries of Corah, Dathan and Abiram, when the earth swallowed them up, wap nothing comparable to this howling, nay, it will seeme unto thee a hell before thou enterest into hell, into which bottomlesse lake, after that thou art once plunged, thou shalt ever be falling downe, and never finde a bottome; in it thou ever shalt lament, and none shall pitty thee,Apoc. 14.10. Matth. 22.13. thou shalt alwaies weepe with paine of the fire, and yet gnash thy teeth with the extremity of cold; thou shalt weepe, to thinke that thy miseries are past remedy; thou shalt weepe, to thinke that to repent is to no purpose; thou shalt weepe, to thinke, that for the shadow of short pleasures, thou hast incurred these hellish sorrowes of eternall paines; thou shalt weepe, to see, how that weeping it selfe can no­thing prevaile; yea, in weeping, thou shalt weepe more teares, than there is water in the Sea; for the water the Sea is finite, but the weeping of the damned shall be infinite.

Of the grievousnesse of the torments of Hell.

THinke, O devout soule, upon the grievousnesse of hell torments, and it will draw thy affecti­ons from wicked pleasures, and thou shalt thereby easily get the mastery of thy sins; in hell there shall be the presence of all evill, and the absence of all good; there shall be the heat of fire to burne thee,Matth. 22.13. and the freezing of cold to pinch thee, perpetuall darknesse, continuall teares, terrible fights, lamentable howlings and cryings for ever;Hells cloudy darknesse is marvellous: the bitternesse of paine un­measurable and infinite, everlasting­nesse of all miseries. there shall be drinesse, thirst and stinke of brimstone; there shall be the worme of con­science, which shall sting worse than an Adder, for sins made manifest to all; there shall be envie, hatred and sorrow, and want of the vision of the divine Essence, and the beatificall glory and losse of all hope of good and goodnesse, and by the power of God, the light of the fire shall be separated from the burning quality, the light shall serve to rejoyce the Saints, and the burning quality to torment the damned. And not as an object of comfort, to see it and rejoyce, but to the increasing of their misery, that they may see it and grieve the more;Mat. 13.42. there shall be weeping for griefe, and gnashing of teeth for madnesse; they shall be by the worme of conscience tormented in the flesh; every fin there shall have its proper torment: for if in this life, by Gods permission, the divell doth so grievously afflict the Saints, how muchmore grie­vously shall hee then afflict and torment the damned which are given up to his power for ever? There thy lascivious eyes shall be afflicted with the fight of gastly spirits, thy curious eares shall be affrighted with hi­deous noise of howling divels, and gnashing teeth of damned Reprobates; thy dainty nose shall be cloyed [Page 121] with the noysome stench of sulphur: thy delicate taste, shall be pained with intollerable hunger: thy drunken throat, shall be parched with unquenchable thirst: thy mind shall be tormented, to thinke how for the love of abortive pleasures, which perished ere they budded; that thou so foolishly lost heavens joyes, and incurred hellish paines, which last beyond eternity: how shall the understanding be racked, to consider, how for mo­mentany riches, thou hast lost the eternall treasure, and changed heavens felicity, for hels misery: where every part of the body without any intermission of paine, shall be alike tormented continually. In these hellish torments? thou shalt be deprived of the beatificall sight of God; wherein consists the soveraigne good,Math. 25, 10. and life of the soule: for when the Virgins that are prepa­red are entred in with the Bridegroom, the gate shal be presently shut against the reprobate and damned; that is, the gate of indulgence, the gate of mercy, the gate of consolation, the gate of hope, and the gate of holy conversation: the damned shall hate all the creatures of God, they shall hate one another, they shall hate the holy Angels, and the Elect of God, and even God him­selfe; but not properly in his owne nature, but in the effects of his justice. All the evils present in this life are single and by degrees; one is troubled with poverty, another is tormented with sicknesse, another is oppres­sed with grievous wrongs, another with hard servi­tude, another over-burthened with calamities, and a­nother contaminated with reproches; but there, all at once shall be tormented with all evils, the paines there shall be universall,Every member for his sinnes shall have his proper punish­ment. in all the sences & members of both body and soule: in this life hope of release mitigateth all troubles, but there is left no hope of deliverance, there is no hope of mitigation or ease, not so much as for one moment; but the punishment of hell is eter­nall: there shall be no order, but horror; no voice, but [Page 122] blasphemers and houlers; no noise, but of tortures and of the tortured; no society, but of the divel and his an­gels; who being tormented themselves shall have no other ease, but to wreak their fury in tormenting their fellowes damned: there shall be punishment, without pity; misery, without mercy; sorrow, without succour; crying, without comfort; mischiefe, without measure; torment without ease; where the worme never dieth, nor the fire never quenched:Mark. 9.44. Esay 66.24. in which flame thou shalt be ever burning, and never consumed; ever dying, and never dead; ever rowing in the paines of death, & never rid, nor knowing no end of those pangs: So that after thou hast endured them so many 1000 yeeres, as there is grasse on the earth, or sands on the sea shore, thou art no neerer to have an end of thy torments, then thou wast the first day that thou wast cast into them: yea, so farre are they from ending, that they are ever but be­ginning: but if after a thousand times so many thou­sand yeeres, the damned soule could but conceive a hope that those her torments should have an end, this would be some comfort, to thinke that at length an end will come: but as oft as the mind thinketh of this word never, it is another hell, in the midst of hell.

Therfore, O devout soul, think upon the eternity of hell torments, & thou shalt the more truly understand the grievousnes thereof. Oh! eternity, not to be termed: O eternity, not to be measured by any space of time! O eternity, not to be conceived by any humane understā ­ding! how much dost thou augment the punishment of he damned after innumerable thousands of yeeres they shall be compelled to thinke that then is but the beginning of their torments. Oh eternity, eternity, it is thou alone beyond all measure that dost encrease the punishment of the damned: grievous is the punish­ment of the damned, for the cruelty of the paine; yet it is more grievous for the diversity of the punishment;Math. 21.13. [Page 123] but it is most grievous for the eternity of the punish­ments: that life shall be mortiferous,The damned shall seeke death and shall not finde it, be­cause they had life and lost it. and that death shall be immortall: if it be life, why doth it kill? if it be death, why doth it alwaies endure? What eternity is, is not perfectly knowne; and it is no wonder: for what created mind can comprehend that, which can­not be measured by any time? but if thou wilt guesse what the space of eternity is, think upon the time that was before the world was created; if thou canst finde Gods beginning, then mayst thou finde when the pu­nishments of the damned shall have end, & not before, hence shall arise their dolefull, wo and alasse, for ever­more. Oh, Lord Jesus, which by thy passion, hast made satisfaction for our sins, deliver us from eternall dam­nation.

This is the second death, the generall perfect ful­nesse of all cursednesse and misery, which every dam­ned reprobate must suffer so long as God and his Saints shall enjoy blisse and felicity in heaven for e­vermore.

Thus farre of the misery of man in his state of cor­ruption, unlesse he be renewed by grace in Christ.

This is the portion, this is the state of the evill dis­posed wicked wise men of this world; and are here ad­verrised of their greedy groping after the sweet temp­tations of the divell; wherein such doe rejoyce and take their pleasure, till death comming suddenly up­on them, then fall they into the horrible pit of de­solate darknesse, due unto their sinnes and wicked deserts.

Thus farre I have proceeded in the first part of this tractate of the divine essence of God, and how hee is to be understood in his holy attributes: and of the state, death, and misery of man put for the whole passage of the old Testament, from the creation of man to the in­carnation of the Son of God, which doth humble us [Page 124] with the knowledge of our own unwor [...]hines, & therby doth prepare us, and make us fit for the mercy of the Gospell, and to apprehend and apply the righteousnes of Jesus Christ to our Salvation. Thus endeth the first part of this tractat.

Now let us see how blessed and happy a godly man is in his state of renovation, being reconciled to God in Christ.

Esay 40.1, 2. COmfort my people, O ye Prophets, comfort my people, saith your God: Comfort Ierusalem at the heart, and tell her that her trauell is at an end, and that her offence is pardoned.

Esay 43.1, 3, 11 Now the Lord that made thee, O Jacob, and hee that fashioned thee, O Israel, saith thus: Feare not, for I have redeemed thee: for I am the Lord thy God, the holy one of Israel, thy Saviour: I am, even I am the onely Lord: and besides me there is no Saviour.

Esay 54.8. When I was angry, I hid my face from thee for a little season; but through my everlasting good­nesse have I pardoned thee, saith the Lord thy Re­deemer.

Vers. 10. The Mountaines shall remove, and the Hils shall fall downe, but my loving kindnesse shall not move, and the bond of my peace shall not fall from thee: saith the Lord thy mercifull lover.

Esay 55.6, 7. Seeke the Lord while hee may be found, and call upon him while he is nigh: and let the ungodly man forsake his owne waies, and the unrighteous his own imaginations, and turne againe unto the Lord; so shall he be mercifull unto him: and to our God, for he is very ready to forgive.

The Lord alloweth the righteous, Psal. 11.6, 7. but the ungod­ly, and him that delighteth in wickednesse doth his soule abhorre; and upon the ungodly he shall raine snares, fire and brimstone, storme and tempest; and this shall be their portion to drinke.

But if that people, Jerem 18.8. against whom I have thus de­vised, convert from their wickednesse; I will re­pent of the plague that I devised to bring upon them.

For mercy and wrath is with him, Eccles. 16 11. hee is both mighty to forgive, and to powre out displeasure: like as his mercy is great: even so is his punishment al­so, and he judgeth a man according to his works.

Therefore feare the Lord, 1 Sam. 12.24, 25. and serve him in the truth, and with all your hearts, and consider what great things hee hath done for you: but if yee doe wickedly, then shall you perish.

O that men would therefore praise the Lord for his goodnesse, Psal. 107.31, 43. and declare the wonders that he doth for the children of men; who so is wise will ponder these things, and they shall understand the loving kindnesse of the Lord.

But who so despiseth wisedome and nurture, Wisd. 3.11. is unhappy; and as for the hope of such, it is but vaine, their labours unfruitfull, and their workes un­profitable.

Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, Psal. 106.46. from everla­sting, and world without end; and let all the people say, Amen.

Of the New Covenant of the Gospell, or the Cove­nant of Grace.

THe whole Scripture of the Bible is divided into two Testaments,The Gospel. the Old and the New, which Bookes be of divers natures; some Legall; some Historicall; some Sapientiall, and some Propheticall. The Old teacheth by Figures, Shadowes and Ceremonies;Exod. 20. that the Law was given terribly in lightning and thundring, to induce the people thereby [Page 128] to the observance thereof by feare. The New Testa­ment, all Mercy, or the Covenant of Grace, came in more gloriously, with the gentle name of the Gospell and good tidings, to induce the people to the observa­tion thereof by love.

The Story of the Bible, from the first beginning, to the birth of our Saviour Jesus Christ, doth for the most part declare the miserable condition of man-kind, how hee hath falne from the innocency of his nature, which God gave him in his first creation, and how he hath continued in sin, and the curse of God for sin, having no power in himselfe to satisfie the justice of God,How to use and apply the Scriptures. or to reconcile himselfe to his favour; there­fore did God give the Law of the ten Commande­ments, the particulars of his revealed Will, both to provoke men to endeavour in the exercise of all god­linesse, and also that by the knowledge of the Law, men might know their owne defects of nature, and the frailnesse thereof, and by their humiliation might be prepared and made fit for the mercy of the Gospell: for though Jesus Christ,Gen. 3.15. & 12 3. Rom. 1.1, 2, 3, 4, 5. the substance of the Gospell, was in the counsell of God from all beginnings, de­termined to be the Redeemer of man-kinde, being also promised to our first Parents, and by whom all the faithfull before his incarnation, had the pardon of their sins, apprehending by faith, the promise of his righteousnesse, yet was not this grace declared unto them in such plaine and direct evidence, as now it is to us in the preaching of the Gospell,Hebr. 9. it being then delivered onely in Shadowes, Ceremonies, Pro­phesies, and in the mysticall sense of Allegories, so that few had capacity and grace, rightly to under­stand them, all which difficulties are now vanished in the preaching of the Gospell; the Gospell pre­senting us in most familiar and easie demonstrations, the Substance without the Shadowes, and the Truth [Page 129] without the Figure, withall, giving directions and in­fallible rules, not onely to know the meanes of our salvation, but how to make it ours, to apprehend and apply it to our owne particular comfort,The great fa­vour and li­berty of the Gospel. and this grace doth the Gospell give with such favour, as that the necessary doctrines exceed not the understanding, of men of meanest capacities, but that all that will, without respect or exception, may reach their hands of faith to the crosse of Christ, and freely apprehend the meanes of their salvation, which is the Lord Jesus, triumphing at the conquest of his death, over sin, hell and damnation.

This is a blessed alteration in the state of the world; for in the time,A happy alte­ration. when the grace of the Gospell was hid in the clouds of the Ceremonies, the observers of the ceremoniall Law, did seldome understand the mysti­call sense of the Ceremony, which did alwaies allude to some particular grace in the Gospell. Therefore,The ceremo­nies of the Law did al­lude to the grace of the Gospel. though God was pleased to accept of their carefull endeavours in the religious observing the Ceremony, which indeed was but a Figure of the Truth included in the Ceremony, yet they wanted a great part of that spirituall comfort, which wee have in the obser­ving the Covenant of grace, the Gospell, the grace of God appearing to them,Tit. 2.11, &c. as God himselfe did to the Israelites their fathers, at the delivering of the Law in clouds, in fire, in smoke and thunders,Exod. 19.16. but to us he doth appeare more familiarly by Jesus Christ his Sonne, the most lively representment of himselfe, assuming our nature; and conversing with us, did wound our sin, and healed the wounds sin had made in our soules; whose words taught salvation; whose actions wrought it. This is the difference betwixt the Law and the Gospel;What the Law commandeth, and what the Gospel. the Law commandeth to doe and live, if not, to die; the Gospell all mercy, requireth to believe onely, and live; and this is a wonderfull degree of Gods favour, that [Page 130] because wee are not able to keepe the covenants of the Law, is pleased therefore to yeeld to our infirmities, to alter our obligation, and enter new covenant with us; the covenant of grace,The wonder­full love of God towards us. whereby God doth indent with man, and binds the justice of the Law, in the bonds of his mercy, promising salvation to all them that faith­fully believe in the merits and mediation of his Sonne Jesus Christ. Thus doth God allure us by easie meanes and faire promises to everlasting life, which the Law denieth to all men; no man being able to satisfie the justice of the Law. If it be objected then that the grace of the Gospell doth destroy the workes of the Law, be­cause that mercy is given of grace, and not of desert: it is answered, that the Gospell doth not destroy the workes of the Law, and the substance thereof; but onely doth mitigate the rigour and severity thereof. As God when he preserved Daniel in the Lyons denne, hee did not destroy the Lyons, but onely shut their mouthes, and bound their power, that they might not hurt Daniel: Dan. 6.16. so he did not destroy the Law, but onely restraine the violence thereof from hurting his Daniels; that is, his faithfull servants: and as when King Darius tooke Daniel from the denne, and cast in his accusers, the Lyons power was no longer shut up,Dan. 6.24. but had the mastery and devoured them, their wives, and children; no more shall the reprobates avoyd the condemnation of the Law, notwithstanding the promise of the gos­pell, and the new covenant of grace. Because no man hath the benefit of mercy, but hee that first is the child of faith; therefore the great King of all the world shall take his faithfull Daniels his Elect, from the power of the Lyons, the Law, but leaveth the reprobate in the state of their destruction. Thus much in generall of the Gospell, and the difference betweene that and the Law, and them that lived under the bondage of the Law, and us that now live in the liberty of the Gospell: the [Page 131] purpose of the Gospell, is the salvation of man.

And therefore the Angell that was the first preacher of the gospell, told the shepheards, that hee brought them tydings of great joy:Luk. 2.10. indeed a greater could not be, then to bring them tydings of their salvation. The matter of the gospell is the life, the death, and the do­ctrine of Jesus Christ: for they are the onely meanes by which wee attaine to the favour of salvation:Esay 43.11. his doctrines were directions, his life examples, and his death was, and is life eternall, to all them that ap­prehend him by a lively faith. In the circumstance of the gospell is principally considered: First, God who of himselfe, and of his owne election, without any cause in man, did enter this covenant of grace; being moved onely by the pleasure of his owne most holy will, and by his owne gracious love to his creatures: for so saith the Holy Ghost, God so loved the world, Iohn 3.16. that he gave his onely begotten Sonne, that whosoever believed in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Whereby it is evident that the love of God was the onely cause that moved him to this effect: for God can glorifie himselfe aswell in the damnation,Gods love to man is the mo­ving cause of the covenant of grace. as in the salvation of men. For hee needeth no addition of honour, that is infinite both in greatnesse and goodnesse: but as his mercy is most eminent, over all his attributes; so in this new covenant of the Gospell, hee doth give us the greatest demonstration of his mercy that can be, in gi­ving his only begotten Son to die on the Crosse for the redemption of mankind. In every word there is a pas­sion of love, infinitely beyond all comparison, wherein it seemeth that God doth, as it were, put off his Ma­jesty, and descend himselfe in his care to pity; and re­dresse the ruined state of sinfull man, his enemie. Se­condly, in the person of Christ, who is the cause both moving and finishing the covenant of the Gospell, there is matter of most worthy and admirable conside­ration. [Page 132] For Christ is not onely to bee understood, as the instrumentall cause whereby this covenant of grace betweene God and man was effected; but also as the first moving cause and deviser thereof, it being impossi­ble to assigne him offices without his appointment; hee being equall to God the Father, and the holy Ghost, and they having all but one divinity undivided. This the unbelieving Jewes could not comprehend, and there­fore they derided Christ when he said: Before Abraham was, Iohn 8.58. I am: not knowing that hee was God, equall and coeternall with the Father; and was begotten before all beginning. It is therefore most wonderfull in the per­son of Christ, that hee being Lord of all the world, that he would leave the bosome of his Father, and for a time to put off the presence of his divine Majesty, and to take our nature upon him in humility,Strong witnes­ses of the love of Christ to­wards us. and in a base estate: to undertake not onely to satisfie the Law, and to make good our defects; but also to beare the displeasure of his Father, and to suffer the malice of wicked men to prevaile against him, even to his death: and that he hath endured all this for the sinnes and good of man; a crea­ture that by sinne had brought himselfe in disgrace and heavy displeasure with God: and which is most of all, that hee hath done all this by his owne appointment, without either command or direction, there being no power above him by whom he could bee commanded. This incomparable love of God, is able to astonish a Christian meditation, and to make a man admire, and say with holy David: Lord, what is man that thou hast such respect unto him, Psal. 144.3. or the sonne of man that thou so re­gardest him? This doth strongly relieve our faith against all diffidence; shewing that our salvation hangs not like a meteor in the ayre, but is firmely fixed upon the love of God in Christ:Iere 31.3. & 32.40. 2 Tim. 2.19. and it furthereth our spirituall joy, in that it teacheth us, that the love of God is con­stant; and his decree concerning our welfare eternall. [Page 133] And it also eclipseth the pride of the heart, shewing that Gods dignation, and not mans dignity; his fa­vour, not mans faith; his mercy and not mans merite, is the fountaine and foundation of mans felicity.

Thirdly is considered,The Ministers [...]n the office of the Gospell. the officers in the holy mini­stration of the gospell, by whose faithfull endeavour and vigilance, the spirituall graces of the gospell are distributed to the children of faith, for whose sakes the covenant of grace is given: the first officers in this kind, were the twelve Apostles; of purpose chosen by Christ Jesus himselfe, that they might bee the faithfull wit­nesses of the whole passage of his life; and that after his ascention they might plant in mens hearts a know­ledge of the gospell, by their prayers, preachings, and godly exhortations; to dispose the holy seed of grace in their hearts, whom God should make capable to entertaine it with profit. These holy labourers being assisted by the holy Ghost, travelled in Gods husbandry with such alacrity, as that the Gospel in their times spread it selfe into very large limits, and building upon the foundation of the rocke Christ; they have erected such a frame as shall remaine to all posterity; these ho­ly Ministers were the conducts, whereby God did con­ferre his spirituall waters of life into all the parts of the world, who spreading themselves in their painfull tra­vels over all the knowne world, spred the Gospell as they went, and left in every place where they came, a memory of their Lord and Master, Jesus Christ. Af­ter them succeeded others in their example, who both taught the Gospel, and confirmed it with the testimony of their death, these are the holy officers in the admini­stration of the Gospel, and all that live in the Church, and are truly of the Church of God, in their office and in their example, shall with them receive the wages of faithfulnesse. Lastly, is considered to whom the benefits of the Gospel appertaine, and that is to the Elect, name­ly, [Page 134] such as are most industrious in the faithfull executi­on of the Law: For, as it is said, God hath not given the Gospel to destroy the Law, but to preserve it and re­vive it, that men may be allured by the sweet promises of the Gospell to endeavour with alacrity and hope in the exercise of the Law;Joh. 14.15. and therefore Christ himselfe saith, If you love me, keepe my Commandements, that is, en­deavour to keepe them with all diligence; for he that is carelesse in the service of God, is not to hope that God will be carefull of his salvation: this is proved in the Pa­rable of the labourers in the Vineyard, the Master of the Vineyard is God, the Vineyard is the world, the labou­rers are the faithfull and painfull Christians,Mat. 20.1, &c. their wages is the benefit of the Gospel; so that not the lookers on, but the labourers in Gods Vineyard shall receive the wages of everlasting life. These considerations are most weighty in the generall understanding of the Gospel, to which is added this admonition, that it behoves every man carefully to esteeme worthily and reverently of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, because God doth judge the contemners thereof to be guilty of the deserved and eternall damnation;2 Thes. 2.10, 11, 12. and that if God present them the meanes to communicate with the benefit of the Gos­pel, that they then neglect rather all the profits in the world, then the rich treasure of the Gospel; for it is that one thing, that is onely necessary and availeable to salvation, and that pearle of price, for which wee are advised to sell all that wee have to purchase it; for he that hath that precious Jewell,Mat. 45.46. hath sufficient wealth, and hee that hath all things but that, hath nothing, if hee hath not that: for if one man had that all men have, he nothing had, unlesse he also had a soule; alas, what will it advantage a man, to win the whole world, and lose his owne soule? and what enlargement can he de­sire, that hath the hidden treasure of the Gospel in his heart, whereby hee hath continuall comfort, and [Page 135] thereby is led in the path to his Salvation?

This doth generally remember all men the admi­rable degree of Gods favour to man-kind, that not­withstanding our apostacy from the favour and service of God, and our continuall trade of sinning, which might incense the justice of God, to destroy us at once, and for ever, yet doth he continue himselfe in his owne kind a loving God, and a father compassionate,2 Pet. 3.9. Pitty in God is most natu­rall. who in­clineth rather to pitty, then to punish our infirmities; therefore did the Almighty God take from man the burthensome condition of the Law, and promise him everlasting life, upon much more easie conditions; the which grace and love of God doth challenge from all men a dutifull thankes to God, who hath taken from their neckes the unsupportable burthen of the Law, giving a greater liberty and ease in the worke of their salvation. Secondly, it doth admonish all men careful­ly to apprehend the grace of the Gospell, and not to neglect the present, and the pretious opportunity, that God hath given them, because he that shall breake this Covenant of grace, shall doubtlesse forfeit the estate both of body and soule unto eternall damnation; for this Covenant of the Gospel, as it is the greatest of all the favours of God, so it is the last, and that being neg­lected, there is no other to be hoped for. Thirdly, see­ing the Gospell doth not destroy the substance of the Law, but onely mitigateth and sweetens the severity thereof, by a gracious dispensation from the extremity of justice; it behoveth all men to be equally as carefull in the performance of the duties of the Law, as if there were no other Covenant but the Law to judge them:The Law makes us fit for the Gos­pell. Gal. 3.24. for there is no man fit for the grace of the Gospell, but hee that is first disciplined and schooled in the Law of Gods Commandements; therefore is the Law said to be a Schoolemaster to bring us to Christ by faith, be­cause it doth humble us in the knowledge of our infir­mities. [Page 136] Fourthly, seeing the purpose of the Gospell is the salvation of man, it behoveth all men to respect the Gospel, as they would their salvation, and labour by all meanes, not onely to advance the prosperity thereof, but also to resist the cause that may occasion the slander or disgrace of that sacred Word and Profession. Fifthly, seeing the matter of the Gospel is the story of the words and workes of Jesus Christ our Saviour, while hee was upon earth, it do [...]h bind every mans conscience to have a reverent and confident opinion of the truth thereof, and that all men labour by all convenient meanes to maintaine the memory and reputation of those sacred writings, the which are onely able to guide us without errour in the right way of our salvation. And seeing that God of his owne favour, without any deser [...] of ours which were falne from him, enters this Covenant of grace, binding himselfe in the surety of his most sacred Word, to give salvation, upon the easie conditions of the Gospel, to all those that walk in the sincerity there­of, through the merits of Jesus Christ, who did please to appoint himselfe to take our sins upon him, and to descend his Majesty in great humility, to establish our salvation in the merits of his holy workes, this should move all men to give thanks for so great benefits, and to live in godly conversation. Sixthly, seeing the officers appointed and chosen by Jesus Christ himselfe for the ministration of the Gospel, were the holy Apo­stles, and after them the godly and reverend Martyrs in the primitive Church, by whose diligence the Gos­pel spred it selfe over all the knowne world; this doth admonish all them that either are Ministers of the Gos­pell, or that have power to make them, what choice and care is to be had of their uprightnesse and godly con­versation, and what diligence is required of their spiri­tuall travells; all which ought to fashion themselves as neere as they can, to the example of the holy Apostles. [Page 137] Lastly,The promises of the Gospell belong to the faithful onely. seeing the promises of the Gospell belong to the faithfull onely, that is industrious in the service of the Law; this ought to provoke all men to contend in godly exercise to exceede one another, and to stirre up their frozen and dead desires with the hope of the promise of the Gospel; and that they thinke not the Law burthensome, being now made easie by the grace of the Gospel, and therefore to travaile in the duties of the Law with alacrity and spirituall comfort; having their confidence and eyes of faith upon the promise of Christ made in the Gospel. Thus if men dispose them­selves and their affections, they shall find the great and happy difference betwixt Mount Sinai and Mount Sion; the Law, and the Gospel:The difference betweene Mount Sinai and Mount Sion. in both which the gracious may finde comfort, but with great inequality, for unlesse wee be throughly perswaded that our salva­tion doth flow from the fountaine of Gods mercy, and acquaint our selves with eternall election, which God hath set forth in the holy Scriptures, the schoole of the holy Ghost: wherein as nothing is omitted, necessary to bee knowne, so nothing is taught but that which is expedient for man to know. The ministers of Gods Word, must therefore beware, that they doe not keepe the faithfull from that which the Scripture delivereth unto them; lest they seeme maliciously to defraud them,Ephes. 1. of that which God doth afford unto them; or reprove his Spirit, as if hee had revealed things, fit, for some considerations, to be revealed. The Word is a sure rule, to direct our understanding, and it is the chiefest point of sobriety in us, when wee learne, to make God our schoole-master; and then to leave learning, when hee leaves teaching; and when hee leaves speaking, wee should leave inquiring: hee which curiously pries into Gods secrets, runnes himselfe into an inextricable laby­rinth, and findes not that wherewith his curiosity may be satisfied.

Religion is not an indiffe­rent thing, but wholly to be imbraced, and constantly professed.The Gospell therefore being a covenant betweene God, and our soules; our care should be rightly to un­derstand this covenant, lest by mis-understanding and false construction, we breake the covenant of grace, and so runne our selves into a dangerous hazzard. Let us therefore search the sence of the mysteries of the holy gospell, and if they exceed our understanding, let us compare them with the holy writings of the Prophets and Apostles: if they exceed our capacity, let us con­sult with the learned expositions of reverend fathers of the Church: if all these satisfie not, let us daily resort to the servants of this ministration, and by diligent ob­serving their sermons, expositions, and spirituall ex­hortations, we shall both learne what is the covenant we have entred with God, and the meanes we must use to keep that covenant, and when wee have obtained this forwardnesse,1 Tim. 4.1.2. and hope of better knowledge: let us carefully avoyd the dangerous inchauntments of he­retiques, schismatiques, and all false teachers: let us beware and not taste of their poyson, though they pre­sent it in cups of gold: let their bayte make us suspect their hookes, and their faire and holy pretences, their foule and wicked purposes; for having found the Lord Christ which is all truth, and hath sealed his covenant with us, let us preserve that truth from defacing; and laying that for our foundation, let us build thereon the whole frame of our life, and fashion all our actions by the rules of the gospell, as the example of Christ hath commanded us; that so wee may keepe covenant with our God, and obtaine the promise of the gospell, which is the salvation of our soules: and then with holy Ia­cob, Gen. 45.28. let us boast of our happinesse, and say unto our soule, wee have enough, wee desire no enlargement. A­gaine, when wee meditate the matter of the gos­pell, that is the words and workes of our Saviour Christ, then it should move us to a reverend esteeme of [Page 139] the story of the gospell, and make us delight to exer­cise our time in the often reading and conferring there­of; for if they that have estates of temporall possessions, be most carefull to preferre such evidences and writings as is delivered them for their security and assurance, and often times spend a great part of their wealth and labour to confirme and continue such estate and such evidence: shall we not then much more, spend our best diligence, and meanes to keepe covenant, and under­stand rightly the writings of the holy Gospel, which are the deeds and evidences betweene God and us, tou­ching the everlasting state of our soule, and carefully to keepe such covenants as give us claime and interest in the possession of a Kingdome? Shall men give their sub­stance to Lawyers, to maintaine their beggerly posses­sions on earth, beggerly indeed in respect of Heaven, though it were the possession of the whole earth; and shall we neglect the covenants of everlasting life, and may have Law, without money? let us never doe it,Note. let us never give testimony of such madnesse, let them labour their earthly possessions that will, but let us la­bour the possession of Heaven; let them waste their sub­stance on Lawyers, wee can have Law and Lawyers much more reasonable. Let the Prophets and Apostles be our Counsellors, their hands will not be corrupted, their judgement cannot erre: let us therefore affy in their confidence, and endeavour as they direct us. Last­ly, when we meditate upon the particulars of the story of the Gospel, let us despise all other histories in com­parison of them, and the old Testament: for the wri­tings of men commonly labour, vaine, vile and unwor­thy arguments; and those of them that travell in a good cause, yet are they defective either in matter or forme: but the Gospell, and other holy Scriptures, being writ­ten by the direction of Gods holy Spirit, they are nor onely holy in their matter, but excellent in their forme, [Page 140] and most able to give the desirous Reader infinite va­riety of content. Therefore when wee desire to read of Majesty, and great action, of Empire, warre, conquest, government, policy, and infinite other of this kind, that depend on greatnesse; we may finde both stories, and examples in the Scriptures, many and unmatcha­ble. If we desire to read the stories of mercy, love, peace, humanity, civill action; and the rest that depend on goodnesse; every page in the Gospel can furnish us either with some story or some example of that kind: if wee desire to read of wonders and miracles, of most admirable credence, they are in the Scripture most fre­quent, yet most true; in other writings, not common, yet commonly false. Therefore let the holy Scriptures, and especially, the holy Gospell, which is the covenant of our salvation, be our continuall exercise: let us exer­cise our pleasure in reading, and meditating the excel­lent variety of matter and Majesty of the phrase in the Gospel, being the rhetorique and eloquence of the holy Ghost: let us also exercise in studying, rightly to un­derstand the covenant of our salvation: to keepe which covenant, wee shall therein often be admonished, by promises, threats, intreaty, and by examples; in all which the knowledge and meditations of the Gospel will instruct us. This doctrine is very usefull and sola­tious, and may be applyed to many notable purposes; for it shewes us the true causes of all our happinesse, it also confuteth the Pelagians, who ascribe salvation to mens owne strength and merits; and it serves to correct the course of those that hinder their owne happinesse, by their owne presumption, diffidence; incredulity, pro­phanenesse, sensuality, and other irregular, and irreli­gious courses. Lastly, it proves the deity of Christ; for in that he hath elected his faithfull unto eternall life; we conclude that he is very God: for these respects and reasons, let us enter covenant with our soules, to be care­full in keeping our covenant with God.

Of the Incarnation of the Word, Christ.

IT is necessary and meet to shew something of the In­carnation of Christ; for because that the same doth chiefly belong to the worke of our Redemption, we will note those things onely which shall seeme to helpe towards the stay of the purity and certainnesse of our faith, and to cut off all curious and unprofitable questions, it is needfull for them that will consider the mystery of the word Incarnate.Not of mans word, but of Gods Word. For as much as this Incarnation is reported not of every word, but of the Word of God; it is first needfull for the confirma­tion of our faith, that wee doe heare the testimony of holy Scripture, that the word is in God, it is declared even in the beginning of Genesis, wherein the History of the Creation of all things is so oftentimes reiterated,Gen. 1 &c. and God said, let it be, and it was done: he said, and they were made, he commanded, and they were created, and in another place, By the Word of the Lord, the heavens were fastened: in the beginning was the Word, John 1.1. and the Word was God, and God was the Word: Paul saith, By the vertue of his Word, and the brightnesse of his Glory, Hebr. 1, &c. upholding all things by the word of his Power. Againe, By faith wee un­derstand, that the worlds were framed by the Word of God: Hebr. 11. so that our faith is confirmed in this by the testimony of holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, that we doe believe the word to be in God, of which thing there be found sufficient testimonies also in the writings of the Ethnickes, which did attribute unto God-head the Mind, the Word, and the Spirit; wherefore wee Christians may so much the more stedfastly stand unto our faith, because that those things which wee doe be­lieve of God the Father, and his Word, are so certaine and manifestly true, that they be approved, not onely [Page 142] by the infallible testimonies of holy Scriptures, but of Ethnickes also,Act. 7.51. &c. and doth openly reprove the blindnesse of the unhappy Jewes: but how the word is in God, no Christian man must be too curious, to search those things which be spoken of God, which be so attempe­rate unto our capacity, that they be spoken upon some likenesse, rather then according to any exact property of Gods Nature and Essence. And because we should not thinke of God, to be onely but an Essence, but as a most high and excellent Essence, dissevered and separa­ted from all others, as well spirits as bodies; he is cal­led Jehova, Ebrew word. as existent every where, in all places, and making,Greeke. preserving, and governing all things; and is called God, which is piercing and passing thorow, and to signifie that he is the same to the end of the world: as the minde is in man, they called him the Mind, the Word, and the Spirit, to give us to understand, that the same infinite Essence in Godhead, doth not altogether rest in it selfe, and keepe his vertue, goodnesse, and wisdome to himselfe alone, but rather set it forth and reveale it: even as the mind of man cannot be idle, but doth expresse in word, whatsoever it doth conceive in it selfe, by the meane of the spirit, which is, as it were, the Conduit whereby the word is brought forth from the deepe secret parts of the mind:Similitude. As for example, Imagine that God the Father were like as a lively and endlesse Fountaine, and his Sonne the Word, to be as a River, continually flowing out of this Fountaine, and that the holy Spirit might be the very moving and flowing out, whereby the water floweth out of the com­passe of the Fountaine, which moving cannot be with­out the moving of the aire.The Word is the Sonne of God. Now, whereas this Word is called the Sonne of God, it is like as if a man should call the River the sonne of the Fountaine, and our word that wee doe speake, the sonne of the Mind, but all this is but by way of accommodation to our weake­nesse; [Page 143] for no Angel were able to utter, nor no man able to understand him, if he did only speake of the Nature and Essence of God, as it is in it selfe.

What wee ought to judge of this Word of God, no man is able better to set it forth, then the holy Scrip­ture did expresse by the Evangelist Saint John, where he saith, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word, John 1.2, 3, 4, 5. the same was in the beginning with God: all things were made by it, and without it was made nothing that was made; In it was life, and the life was the light of men, and the light shined in the darke­nesse, and the darkenesse received it not, and a little after,Verse 14. and the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among u [...], and we saw his Glory, as the Glory of the only begotten Sonne of the Father, full of Grace and Truth.

Now, touching the Incarnation, it is said,1 Joh. 4.3. that the Word was made flesh, which is nothing else, but the Word was made man; now whereas hee saith that the Word was made man, of which he said now before, that it was God, he doth without contradiction, say, that God was made man, or flesh; and though the Apostle saith, God the Word is made flesh, it is not said of the Father, neither of the holy Spirit, but the Word to be Incarnate, not onely for that, that he is the Sonne in Godhead, and that by him the world was made, but for this cause also; chiefly, because the Word is that Counsell coeternall with God the Father, purposed to save man-kinde, in whom our Redemption is predesti­nated even from everlasting; in whom also wee be chosen into the adoption of the children of God, as we may see in the first to the Ephesians, Ephes. 1.4. wherefore the worke of our Redemption was not ordained to be brought to passe, but by this Word, this way being agreeable with the eternall predestination of the Will of God.

The Word is made flesh, for Christ is the Incarnate [Page 144] Word, God and man, to admonish us whereof Christ is, that is, of the Word and flesh; so that wee must con­sider, that in his nativity there is not onely the nature of man, but the nature also of God, joyned together per­sonally with the nature of man: wherefore we must use, and hold most firme and stedfast this circumlocution of Christ,Christ taketh the man-hood into his God­hood. as is expressed by the holy Spirit; for though it is said, the Word is made flesh, hee doth not meane simply flesh, but the soule and spirit, with the flesh also, that is, the whole man; for by the word of flesh, there is not meant that man onely, whom the Virgin did beare, was received of the word into this conjunction, but the very nature of man-kind, for the redeeming and restoring of which, this Incarnation of the Word was predestinated from everlasting; so that wee must judge that the Word was made not onely the Sonne of the Virgin Mary, Luke 3. but surely also the sonne of Adam and of Eve, which is diligently expressed by Luke in the gene­alogie of Christ:The weaknesse of man taken upon the word. the word flesh also signifieth mans weaknesse, that we may also know, that the Word of God is not so made man, that it tooke those things on­ly upon it, which pertaine to mans spirit and foule, but it tooke the infirmity of our flesh also, saving sinne onely,Mat. 21.18. Mar. 14.33.34. which is sufficiently expressed in the very race of his dispensation, when he hungred and thirsted, ate and dranke, was made merry, slept, wept, was made sorry, and after suffered death: all which things were not fained by him by counterfeiting, but truely decla­red according to the truth of mans nature. What can be more conjunct and more united, then that everla­sting Trinity in the God-head of the Persons? yet it cannot be said, that the Father is made the Sonne, or the holy Spirit; or the Sonne the Father, or the holy Spirit;An excellent note to be ob­served. or the holy Spirit the Father, or the Sonne, as it is here spoken of the Word, that it is made flesh. Why? because the unity of the holy Trinity, is of godly [Page 145] nature, and not of person, that is to say, consisteth not,Ephes. 5.31. The commu­nicating of nature doth consist in get­ting and bea­ring, and not in creating and making. of one and the selfe same person, but of one selfe-same na­ture. Againe, the man and the woman be so joyned, and united by wedlocke, that they doe become into one flesh: for saith the Apostle, They be not two, but one flesh: and yet no man can truely say, that the man is made the woman; why? because the man and the wo­man be not coupled into one selfe-same person, but in wedlocke they bee two persons joyned together into one flesh and nature: but it may bee sayd, that the word was made flesh, though it did not simply take our flesh, but ioyned it selfe unto it in unity of person,Personall unity. and the condition of personall unity: that albeit it doe comprehend divers natures, yet it is reported of the one, that it is the other; as in this cause it is reported of the word, that it is made flesh: he doth not say that the word was changed into flesh, but the word was made flesh; for then this change must have had an alte­ [...]ation of nature, which cannot bee, or take place in Christ; for the word is not changed, but still re­taineth his nature; neither, it receiving flesh,It is not possi­ble God can leave to be God. left his nature; it is not possible that God can leave to be God; the nature of God suffereth neither change nor end, for it is immutable and infinite, neither could the dispensation taken in hand, beare it, that the nature of man joyned unto the nature of God, should loose those things which be proper unto it, for so it might be infer­red that Christ were not true man, nor truly conceived, nor borne of the Virgin Mary, did not suffer, dyed not, nor rose againe from the dead, w^ch notwithstanding the holy Scriptures doe manifestly ascribe all these things unto him. Wherefore the whole universall Church doe hold firmely and rightly, that God was made man, he tooke upon him that which he was not, and lost not that which hee was: neither doth the unity of person require the change of natures, but doth reteine them [Page 146] both perfect and sound.A similitude. The soule and spirit is hea­venly immor­tall and incor­ruptible, but the flesh is earthly mortal & corruptible. The testimony of the God­head, and man­hood of Christ cannot be vain. Coloss. 1. The person of man being one, doth consist of a soule and body, personally joyned together, the soule is of a heavenly nature, and begin­ning; the body of an earthly: the soule is immortall, and not suffering corruption; the body is mortall and corruptible: and yet they be joyned together, without confusion, that in both remaineth still his owne nature.

The testimonies of the Godhead which bee given unto Christ in holy Scriptures, should bee altogether vaine, if the word were changed into flesh. And againe, if the flesh had beene changed into the word, then all those testimonies and writings, which the Evangelists doe set forth of the true manhood of Christ, were not worthy to be believed. The Apostle saith, that all things are by Christ, and that there dwelleth in him bodily, all fulnesse of the Godhead: take from him the nature of the word, and this testimony of the Apostle is of no weight. The Euangelists and Apostles doe witnesse of him,Math. 1.1. Rom. 1.3, 4. that hee is of the seed of Abraham and of David, according to the flesh: the fruit of the wombe of Mary conceived in her body; and, according unto the fulnesse of time appointed to women with child, borne, and such other things as they doe make mention, of the course of his dispensation: to manifest unto us, that he was true man,Eph. 5.30. passing over that which the Apostle witnesseth of him, that wee are bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh: therefore, all these things shall be false. if the flesh of him lost that her nature by the conjuncti­on of the word, and turned it into godly nature. Wherefore wee must diligently looke to our selves, in this matter, for because of false Doctors, which doe be­reave Christ of the true nature of our flesh; because hee saith, The word was made flesh. Thus briefly to note, of the beginning of the flesh of Christ; whereby it is ma­nifest enough how wicked an opinion they had, which denyed the truth thereof, which they doe also, which [Page 147] doe fondly devise it to bee conceived of the nature and substance of the holy Spirit, for like as Christ said unto Nicodemus, Iohn 3. T [...]e same which is borne of the fl sh is flesh; and the same which is borne of the Spirit is Spirit. If Christ be borne of the substance of the holy Spirit, and not of the substance of the Virgins flesh; it followeth, he is a Spirit, and not flesh: for the substance of any thing that is borne, is most rightly deemed to be of the substance of it from whence it is, & hath his beginning. Adam was called earthly, because hee was taken out of the earth; Thou art earthly, saith God,Gen 3.19. and shalt returne into earth againe. But if we doe say, Christ is a Spirit, in as much as he is borne of the Virgin, what doe wee else, but deny that hee is man, and so doe bring to no­thing, all his dispensation which hee tooke upon him in the flesh, and withall the whole hope and certainety of our redemption which God forbid: it appeareth clearer then the Sunne, of the very birth of the flesh of Christ, wrought by the holy Spirit, by the power of the highest, in the wombe of the Virgin, and by the promises which went before, and of those things which he suffered, spake, and did, that he is true man, yea the very sonne of man; which can not be true, unlesse hee hath the truth of our flesh. It is very hard to finde out how the naturall child is conceived, quickened, nouri­shed, and growes in the mothers wombe, of the seed of man, after the accustomed course of nature; much more how this unwonted and wonderfull incarnation of the word was perfected, it passeth the compasse of mans understanding to yeeld a reason thereof,Rom. 11.33, 34. otherwise then was answered to the blessed Virgin her selfe, by the Angell; which is, that it doth consist of the seed of man, but of the vertue and operation of the holy Spirit: for the Angell saith unto her, The holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the highest st [...]ll shadow thee: Which was conceived by the holy Spirit the blessed Virgin wondred, saying, shee had not touch [...]d [Page 148] a man, how then should shee bring forth a child? the Angell doth open the matter unto her; that it shall not be by the accustomed course of nature, by the seed of man,Luke 1.26, &c. but by the singular working of the vertue of God: for the vertue and power of the highest, is the holy Spirit, wrought in the wombe of the Virgin, and forming the sonne of man of her flesh & blood, and per­forming this incarnation of the word without any seed of man; but the same man which the Virgin did beare, was not onely man, but through the conjunction of the word, was both God and man. And whereas it is hol­den by some,Apollinaris Bi­shop of Laodi­cea. Math. 26, 38. Iohn 12.27. that the word tooke upon him flesh onely, and not soule; against such opinion, marke what Christ said, My soule is heavie, even to death: and in Iohn, Now my soule is troubled. By which words certainely he wit­nessed, not onely that hee had a soule, but such a soule also, as was subject unto heavinesse and trouble: which thing can in no wise be attributed unto the nature of the word, in it selfe; wherefore it must needs be under­stood of the soule of man, which he tooke upon him. Marke againe,Luke 23.46. what Christ saith, who speaking of his Spirit, Father I commend my Spirit into thy hands: and Jesus crying with a loud voyce, Math. 27.50. gave up his Spirit. These places cannot be understood, as spoken of the Word of God, nor of the holy Spirit; but in any wise of the spirit of man, which he tooke upon him. By the con­sideration of these matters it is manifest,Mans spirit is subject to pas­sion, and not Gods. that the word is not so incarnated in the wombe of the Virgin; that it tooke upon him either the bare flesh without the soule, either the flesh and soule without the spirit of man, but that this incarnation was so made, that therein is com­prehended both the soule and the spirit; that is, that the word tooke upon him the whole man,As the soule is the life of man so is God the life of the soule. with flesh, spirit, and soule; of whence it commeth, that some had rather call this conjunction of the word and flesh, to be man rather then flesh: for that, that the fulnesse of the [Page 149] taking upon him of man, or of mans nature, is more expressed in the word of humanation then of incarna­tion. Lastly, is added also the cause of this incar­nation: the generall and summary cause is, that man­kind should be redeemed from sinne, the Kingdome of Satan, and everlasting condemnation, and that he might abolish him by death, which had the dominion of death, that is the divell; and to make them free, which through feare of death were subject unto bondage: for hee tooke not upon him the nature of Angels, but the seed of Abraham: Joh. 3.16. For God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Sonne, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life; therefore the Apostle saith he ought to be made in all points like to his brethren; For both he that doth sanctifi [...], Hebr. 2.11. and they which are sanctified be all of one. Againe, that he should be a mercifull and faithfull mediatour for his people,Hebr. 2.17. con­cerning those matters which were to be wrought wi [...]h God the Father, to cleanse the sinnes of the people which concerne our salvation. Last of all, he saith, he was borne for us, to the intent that hee which granted to us, that we should be; might grant to us also, to continue in his favour and grace: or rather to the in­tent that as we through the malice of the Divell, fell from the state of innocency might be by his incarnati­on renovated againe by the comming of Christ unto men, is that wee may returne againe unto God, and putting off our old man sinne, may put on the new man Jesus Christ, and that like as wee dyed all in Adam, so we may live in Christ, be borne with Christ,1 Tim. 3.6. crucified, buried, and rise againe also with Christ to glory everlasting.

Of Christs Nativity.

LEt us withdraw our minds awhile from temporary things, and let us contemplate the holy mysterie of the Lords Nativity, [...]al. 4.5. the Sonne of God came downe from heaven unto us, that by him wee might obtaine the adoption of children. God made man, that man may be made partaker of divine grace and nature; his birth was pure and holy, to sanctifie our impure and polluted nativity; he is borne of a Virgin betrothed to an husband, to honour both Virginity and Matrimony which was Gods institution; he is borne in the darke­nesse of the night,Luk. 2.7. because he was the true Light which illuminateth the darkenesse of the world; hee is laid in a manger, because hee is the true Food of our soules; hee was borne betwixt an Oxe and an Asse, that men which were become as beasts, beastly, might be restored to their former dignity; he is borne in Bethlehem, which is the house of bread, because he brought with him the most plentifull food of divine benefits; hee is the first and onely begotten of his Mother upon earth,2 Cor. 8.9. because he was according to his divine narture, the first and on­ly begotten of his Father in heaven; he is borne poore and naked, yet to purchase for us celestiall riches; he is borne in a stable,Luk. 2.10, &c. yet to bring us to his royall palace which is in heaven: the Angels from heaven brought the first message of this great Joy and benefit, because no man on earth understood the greatnesse thereof. And further, it was meet that the messenger of celestiall gifts should be celestiall; the armies of the Angels rejoyce, because we are by the incarnation of the Sonne of God, made partakers of their heavenly happinesse. To the Shepherds first is declared this so wondrous and great a miracle, because the true Shepherd of our lost soules [Page 151] came to bring backe the lost sheepe into his fold. The quire of heaven which became sorrowfull for the sinne of our first father, doth now sing and rejoyce: the brightnesse and glory of that Lord and King appeareth now in the heavens, whose lowlinesse men despised here on earth; joy was declared from heaven, because the Author and Giver of Joy was borne; joy is comman­ded, because the enmity betweene the just God and sin­full man, the cause of all sorrow is removed, glory in the highest is rendred unto God, which our first father Adam, by his unlawfull transgressions of Gods Com­mandements had taken away; true peace is obtained by his nativity, because before, men were enemies unto God and their owne consciences; true peace is restored to the earth, because he is overcome which held us cap­tive.Joh. 8.5, 6. Abraham rejoyced when hee saw the Lord in an humame shape, assumed for a time, and appeared unto him; and shall not we rejoyce, seeing Christ hath cou­pled and taken upon himselfe our nature, by an ever­lasting and inviolable covenant? Let us here admire the infinite goodnesse of God; let us also admire the in­finite power of God, who of two things most different and distant one from the other, I meane, the divine and humane nature, could make one so neerly, that one and the same should be God and man.1 Tim. 3.16. Let us admire the infinite wisedome of God, who could find out a meanes to worke our salvation: when men nor Angels could find no meanes of reconcilement; the infinite good­nesse of God was offended, and an infinite satisfaction was required; man had offended God, and of man was satisfaction required; neither could an infinite sati [...] ­faction be made by man; neither could Gods justice be satisfied without an infinite price, therefore God was made man, that both he which had sinned might satis­fie, and he which was infinite might be paid an infinite price. Let us admire this wonderfull temper of Gods [Page 152] Justice and Mercy, which no creature could find out before God did manifest it unto him, neither could any fully perceive it after it was manifested; let us admire these things, and not curiously pry into them; let us desire to understand this high and secret mysterie, though wee cannot rightly conceive all; let us rather confesse our ignorance,Luk. 2.10. then to deny Gods Omipotence. I bring tidings of great joy unto you, saith the Angel at our Saviours Nativity; of great joy indeed, such as passeth mans understanding. It was a very great evill and dan­gerous, that we had incurred the wrath of God, and were held captive under the power of the Divell, and under eternall damnation: but it was yet greater, be­cause men knew not it, neither could eschew the danger thererof; or else did wilfully neglect the meanes of their owne salvation. But now great joy is declared un­to us, because he that delivereth u [...] from all evill, is come a Saviour into the world; he is come a Physician to the sicke, a Redeeme [...] to the captive; he is the Way to the wanderer, Life to them that were dead in sinne, and Salvation to them that were condemned.Exod. 3.10. As Moses was sent from the Lord to redeeme the children of Israel, which were the select people of the world, from the ser­vitude and bondage of Egypt: so Christ Jesus was sent from his Father, to redeeme all man-kind, from the slavery and bondage of the Divell, and to preach peace, and the reconciliation of man with God; therefore we have great cause to rejoyce, and conceive great things of the goodnesse and mercy of God; for he which loved us so being his enemies, that hee did vouchsafe to assume our nature to be united to his divinity; what will hee deny us,Rom. 5.10, &c. being joyned unto him by participation of our flesh. An infinite goodnesse was offended, and none could intercede but a Mediatour of infinite power; and what is infinite but God? therefore God himselfe re­conciled the world unto himselfe:2 Cor. 5.19. God himselfe re­deemed [Page 153] man-kind by his owne blood: God himselfe became Mediatour for us: who can conceive the great­nesse of this mysterie? the chiefe Creatour was offended with sinfull man,Acts 20.28. and the creature sought not with di­ligence to appease God, or to reconcile himselfe unto him. So hee that was offended, assumed the flesh of the creature, and becomes reconciliatour: man had for­saken God, and turned himselfe unto the Divell,Heb. 2.14, 15. the enemy of God & man; and he that was forsaken, makes diligent inquisition after the forsaken, and incites him most bountifully to come againe unto him, and when man had departed from that infinite good, and falne, into that infinite evill: then that same infinite good, by giving an infinite price of redemption, delivered the creature from that infinite evill. Is not this infinite mercy of God, farre exceeding all the finite understan­ding, and thought of man? for our nature is become farre exceeding and more glorious by Christ, then it was debased and dishonoured by the sinne and fall of Adam; Rom. 5.20, 21. we have received more in Christ then we lost in Adam: for where sinne did abound, Gods grace doth much more abound: in Adam we lost our innocency, in Christ we have received perfect righteousnesse.Eph. 2.4.5. Let us admire Gods power, but his divine mercy, is yet more to be admired: although power and mercy are both equall in God, for both are infinite. Let us admire our crea­tion, but rather let us admire our redemption: although creation and redemption are both acts of infinit power in God. It is a wondrous great thing to create man; having deserved nothing, for as yet he had no being: but it seemes to be yet greater, to take upon him to sa­tisfie for the debt of man, for the sinne of man: and to redeem him when he had deserved evill and condemna­tion; but it is more wonderful, that God would become flesh of our flesh, and bone of our bone.Eph. 5.30. Be thankefull therefore, O devout soule; give praise unto God who [Page 154] created thee, when thou wast not: who redeemed thee from sinne and misery, when for sinne thou wast con­demned; and who hath prepared for thee the eternall joyes of Heaven, if by faith thou adhere to Christ and his righteousnesse: which the Lord of his goodnesse give us grace evermore to doe.

Christ Iesus is the summe or compendium of the Gospell.

Christ the summe of the Gospell.IN whose actions and holy sufferings, the maine exe­cution of the Gospell, was onely and wholy finished: for hee being the seale of the covenant of grace, the covenant was onely promised, but not performed, untill Christ himselfe came in our nature, who did first dis­charge our former debts,Why the Gos­pell is called the new Testa­ment. we ought the justice of God, before he did seale and ratifie the new covenant of the Gospell: therefore is the Gospel called the new Testa­ment of our Saviour Jesus Christ; because the title and interest of salvation, could not be derived on the chil­dren of God, but by Christ the testator, his sufferings and death, in his humane nature. It is also called the last will of Jesus Christ,Why the last Testament. because God hath fully deter­mined that this Testament, this covenant shall remaine unalterable to all posterity, there being no purpose in God, no power in man to alter, repeale, or change the forme of this covenant, being determined by the whole Trinity, from before all beginning; to be the last refuge for sinnefull man, and the onely and most safe meanes of their spirituall deliverance:The Gospell is the last refuge for sinfull man. it was also in the fulnesse of time, perfectly finished by Christ, as it was before determined in the Counsell of the Trinity: and from this doctrine doth issue this foundation of Christian religion, that the covenant of grace was purchased [Page 155] onely by the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ our redemp­tion, who in our nature satisfying our contempts, and in our nature working our righteousnesse, did in our nature, and in our behalfe, indent with God, and enter these covenants with him for us and our salvati­on. And lastly, to ratifie all, hee did die in our nature,The foundati­on of Christian Religion. and with the blood of his most sacred hand subscribed and sealed his testament, our covenant, whereby it is made unquestionable true, and unalterable to all times and posterities. It is evident then that the matter of the Gospell,The words and workes of Christ, the matter of the Gospell. is wholly contained onely in the words and workes of Jesus Christ; and that Christ is the contract compendium of all such particulars as are contained in the covenant of mans salvation, and that therefore the Canons and decrees of Counsels and Ecclesiasticall States: nay the very writings of the Prophets and A­postles, adde not any matter to the substance of the covenant of grace, but rather to bee understood as in­terpretations, and plaine expositions of such secrets as the wisedome of Christ Jesus, thought good to fold in­allegories and darke sentences; for Christ left not his worke defective and imperfect, whereby it might require correction of any, but in a most exact performance: therefore, saith Saint Paul, 1 Cor. 3.11, 12, 14. Other foundation can no man lay, then that which is already layd; which is Christ Iesus. And he assureth a reward to them that build upon this foundation, and not to them that build a new foun­dation, or alter this which is already laid, Christ: then the foundatlon of Christian regligion, and the sub­stance of the Gospell, did execute his divine office with a double diligence, his word, his worke: by his word is understood such spirituall doctrine as hee daily deli­vered to his hearers, whether it were direction, admo­nition, reformation, or interpretation; in all which our Saviour hath so aboundantly travelled, as that not onely the Apostles, but the Catholique Church also [Page 156] may receive ample and sufficient direction,The words of Christ give all men sufficient divine directi­on. both for divine doctrine, and spirituall discipline. By his workes is understood every act, and all the passages of his tem­porall life, from his incarnation to his death upon the Crosse: in all which time he was continually working somewhat that was availeable and necessary to the re­demption of mankinde, Thus is Christ generally to be understood,A generall un­derstanding of Christ. as that hee was the principall matter of the Gospell, and the onely working meanes of our savation.

Now to make this doctrine both familiar and profi­table to Christian men of easie understanding, this double care of Christ, is subdevided into these particu­lars.The duties of the soule. The words of Christ in the time of his incarnation did instruct us the duties of our soules, and the duties of society: the duties of the soule are all those things that are needfully required in the state of Christianity, whether wee respect the necessary faith of the Church, the necessary orders in the Church, or the necessary obedience to the Church.The duties of society. The duty of society is civill action, and humanity, that is, a loving, charitable, and orderly conversing of Christian men one with another; and this our Saviour Christ called, the great Comman­dement: great indeed, and of great consequence because; without this duty of humanity, wee cannot performe unto God our duty of divinity;1 Ioh. 4.12, 20. For hee that loveth not his neighbour whom he hath seene, cannot love God whom he hath not seene: and this society and duties of the soule comprehend generally, the substance of such doctrines as Christ Jesus himselfe hath delivered and left behind him for our examples. Also the matter of the Gospell are the workes of Christ, and therein such things are comprehended as were necessary to be done by Christ,Heb. 10.9, 10. and necessary to be knowne and believed of us; being the price of our redemption, without which it was im­possible wee should be reconciled to Gods favour, and [Page 157] by which the Covenant of the Gospel, is both obtai­ned and confirmed unto us, which workes of Christ be reduced to these principalls: to his birth, to his life, and to his death, what hee did by assuming our nature, what hee did and suffered by living in our nature, and what he did by suffering when he died in our nature;What hee did in being borne. this is the most orderly understanding of the workes of our Saviour Christ: for when Christ did assume our nature, and was borne of the blessed Virgin, hee did an act of wonderfull great love, and of great humility; of great humility, in that hee deigned to descend his Ma­jesty, and to take our nature into his divinity,Hebr. 2.9. whereby he became subject to a temporall death, and in that re­spect a little inferiour to the Angels, his owne creatures.

Secondly,The respect Christ had of sinfull man. it was an act of wonderfull goodnesse and love, because the end thereof had not respect to any meanes that might enlarge the honour and felicity of Christ himselfe, in whom all true honour and happi­nesse consisteth in an infinite measure; but had onely respect to poore and sinfull man, that by this meanes he might repossesse the favour of God, from which he cast himselfe by his owne disobedience and rebellion. Object. Now if it be demanded, that seeing the nature of man is so poysoned with hereditary sin, as that all the children of men have a naturall corruption derived on them, the which like a generall leprosiie deformes the ancient beauty of our nature, and presents us in ugly formes before the Majesty of God; how then could Christ take such nature so deformed without imputation of sin, and without fouling the exact holinesse and since­rity of his divine nature? It is answered, Answ. 2 Cor. 5.21. that Christ tooke our nature, nay, all our nature upon him, yet not those staines,Christ tooke our nature, but not the corruption of our nature. nor that corruption wherewith sin had deformed our nature: for though sin be derived natu­rally upon us, yet is it not of the Essence of our nature, but a defect of our nature, and an accidentall deformity, [Page 158] which happened to our nature since our first creation, and not given to us when God first gave us our nature, but after it was given, and all those staines and defor­mities which are naturally bred in us in the wombe, and at our conception, were all voided and absent; at the incarnation of our blessed Saviour, the holy Ghost sanctifying and preparing the sacred Virgin,Mat. 1.18, &c. ordained for that holy office and purpose, whereby she was only made able to derive her nature with her issue, Immacu­late without sin, without spot, without corruption, but not without infirmity; and this sacred deriving of a sanctified nature from the blessed Virgin, is not to be considered as the act or power of the holy Virgin, but of the holy Ghost, who being God coequall with the Father and the Sonne,The holy Ghost the principall mover in san­ctifying the blessed Vir­gin. was able to separate our nature from corruption, and so to sanctifie the sacred Virgin, that her nature might be derived as innocent and spot­lesse as God had created it; therefore it is necessary and infallibly true then, that Christ tooke our whole nature [...]pon him, even our infirmities, and avoided onely sin, which accidentally did happen to our nature; the which being not of our nature,Ephes. 5.30. but in our nature; and there­ [...]e the holy Scripture saith, that Christ Iesus was like [...] all things, sinne onely excepted.

Secondly, is to be considered, what Christ did and suffered, whilest he lived in our nature, which was the time of his personall and visible conversing with men here on earth,What Christ did suffer for us. is comprehended in this, that hee lived righteously in the duties of the Law, and in exact obedi­ence to the Commandements of God, and this was ne­cessary in the office of our redemption, which Christ had undertaken to finish for us; for it was not possible to make God the Covenant of grace,Christ did sa­tisfie our con­tempts. before our contempts against the Law were satisfied, which Christ by his active and passive righteousnesse did fulfill for us, when he lived in a precise conformity to the Law of God; by [Page 159] his passive righteousnesse, when he suffered punishment for the sins of his people, whereby the Law and the Justice of God had satisfaction for all our former con­tempts committed against the divine Majesty of God and his Lawes:The Gospel is the onely true history of the life of Christ. it shall not need to report the particu­lars what our Saviour Christ did and suffered in the time of his conversing with men on earth, the Scriptures of the Gospel is best able to give satisfaction, wherein is registred, not all his life, but so much as the wisedome of God hath thought convenient for a Christian know­ledge, wherein is evident,The power and patience of Christ. that Christ continually did both exercise his power and his patience; his power was exercised in doing good, his patience in suffering evill; what he did, it was for the redemption of man; and what hee suffered, was for the sin of man. Christ both dyed and suffered, that man might not suffer.

Thirdly, it is to be considered, what Christ did by suffering, when he dyed in our nature.What Christ did by suffe­ring for us. Christ when he dyed in our nature, did by death, overcome death, and by suffering, did an act of admirable power, and in­finite glory, both his power and his glory were declared in the conquest he made of sin, hell and death, enemies to our nature, and had wasted the sonnes of Adam but now themselves wasted and vanquished for ever by one sonne of Adam; 1 Cor. 15.54. The Victory of Christ over sin, hell, and death. death and hell are the servants of sin, the originall or first cause thereof is sin: whom sin marketh, death destroyeth his body, hell tormen­teth his soule, yet is sin, death, and hell swallowed up in victory by one Christ, who in the forme of man offering up himselfe a sacrifice to God his Father, hath re­conciled God and man by his own righteousnesse; God and man leading into perpetuall captivity the ancient enemies of our nature, sin, hel, and death, sealing the new covenant of grace with the crosse of his death, whereby he hath opened the gates of heaven, and removed all dif­ficulties that might let and hinder us in our passage or progresse to everlasting happinesse.

This Doctrine whereby to know the sonne of God in his two natures; his Divinity and Humanity united in one Christ, is most necessary in the knowledge of eve­ry Christian, it being the maine foundation of Christi­an religion,The necessity of knowing Christ. whereupon all piety and faith is grounded; for he that understandeth not Christ in his natures, and offices, cannot apprehend and apply him for his salva­tion, because his assuming our nature, and the execution of his offices, are the onely meanes of our salvation, without which, God would not be pleased, neither could the Law be satisfied, and therefore this generall knowledge doth generally belong to all men, and that upon necessity. Secondly, seeing the Sonne of God was content for our sakes to undergoe so great a travell, and for our sakes to unite our farre unequall and most un­worthy nature to his divinity; wee ought for his sake to refuse no travell that may advance his honour, or expresse our thankefulnesse for his infinite favours done for us, and by whose onely meanes our soules have deliverance from eternall captivity and torment.

Thirdly, seeing Christ Jesus is the matter of the Co­venant of grace, betweene God and man, it doth also most neerely concerne all men to endeavour all meanes possible,A most need­full care is to be had of all men. and by their eyes of faith to apprehend Christ, who is onely to be apprehended by faith, and so to re­ceive the forme and impression of his sacred Image, whereby they shall be truely interested in the possession of heaven, when those that want this shall be rejected of God with this answer, Away from me yee wicked, for I know you not, because yee have not the Image of my Sonne.

Fourthly, seeing the whole matter of the Covenant of grace is fully contained in the words and workes of Jesus Christ, and that all things necessary, both to a civill and Christian life, are contained in the Story of the holy Gospell, it behoveth all men to give that [Page 161] sacred Word preheminence, and that no man,All directions must be con­formed to Scripture. neither any state or fellowship of men whatsoever, presume to decree or ordaine Canons, or Statutes Ecclesiasticall or civill, which is any way repugnant, or may prejudice the directions of Jesus Christ, delivered and set forth, in the most holy Gospell; but as Christ our Prince, our Priest, and our Prophet, hath given us, either by do­ctrine or example;Eccle. 18. Reve. 22.18, 19 which needfull directions are neces­sary and of lawfull use, either in a Christian Church or State: so no Christian Church or State should presume to innovate or alter those directions, which Christ our high Priest, and great Prince, hath left established unto us: but in all directions both in Church and State, there must be needfull care, that every particular have relation to the truth of holy Scripture, and be confor­med to the example of Christ; for whatsoever directi­on, whether it concerne the soule or society, if it bee not either necessarily grounded, or agreeth with the Word of God, is altogether unlawfull in a Christian Church and State,How to square every particu­lar action. neither can dispensation make it lawfull or tollerable. Therefore by the square of the Scriptures all men ought to measure the Lawfulnesse of every action, and direction, and that whatsoever shall disagree from God, and the holy Scriptures, may be judged error and intrusion of disorder; and therefore of necessity to be spewed out of every Church and State of Christian men.

The meditation of this doctrine, and these duties, should make us serious in our Christian care: let us not now content our selves to have onely a generall know­ledge of Christ Jesus our Redeemer,To consider God in his Majesty onely is terrible. but let us labour to understand him in his double nature; for if we consider him in his divinity, as he is God onely, it is a terrour to our remembrance: but if we consider him in his double nature, it gives us hope and alacrity; for the Majesty of God is terrible to sinfull man, but his mercy is [Page 162] comfortable, and supporteth the falling spirits of our soules, which would faint and die in despaire, if the grace of God did not succour and give supply to such extremities: therefore as God doth most delight him­selfe in the use of his mercy, so let us delight our soules most in the holy contemplation of his mercy; and as Christ Jesus is the most lively character of his mercy,Christ Iesus is the character of Gods mercy. so let our cares bee most busie in the meditations of Christ: his Gospell is the booke of Gods mercies, wee have eyes of faith, and can both see and read the stories of mercy; let us therefore direct our labours and en­deavour our studies in the most happy knowledge of our Saviour Jesus Christ,Note. and in him wee shall finde all goodnesse, and infinite variety of matter: in him wee shall finde the cause of our redemption;Where to finde the cause of mans redemp­tion. wee shall finde it in his will: wee shall finde it in his working: he did cause our good, he did effect it also; in his will was the cause, in his workes was the effect. This godly medi­tation may kindle a zeale in them that were dead in sinne, and provoke holinesse where it is not; to see the infinite greatnesse,Ier. 4.2. Psal. 34.20. the infinite goodnesse, of God om­niscious, of God omnipotent, to yield himselfe to such a wonderfull difference of fortune: he that had all hap­pinesse in the highest degree, breathing unutterable pleasure in the bosome of his Father, and he that made the heavens, and the earth, should descend from heaven to earth, and there assume the forme of wretched man, and in that forme worke such righteousnesse as might satisfie God, satisfie the Law for the sinne of man: and in that forme to bee borne in poverty, to live in con­tempt, and die in disgrace; and all this to be done by the onely begotten Sonne of God, for the good of man, a creature that was become apostate, a traytor to God, a rebell to his lawes, and the very cause and actor of his disgrace, death and Tragedy. O that I had but words to expresse the imaginations of my soule, what [Page 163] formes of mercy we may see in our Saviour Jesus! what slackenesse, what scantinesse,We must me­ditate what we cannot ex­presse in words nay what foulenesse of desert we finde in our selves; his good and our evill are infinite, therefore what we cannot expresse in words or workes, let us devise it in our thoughts; let us learne to believe and know our Saviour to bee infinite good; though we cannot expresse his infinite goodnesse: what we can doe to his glory, let us by all meanes endeavour it; what wee cannot doe our selves, let us perswade o­thers; let us endeavour any thing, that may adde any thing to the honour of our Saviour, for in gaining his favour, we shall have the fulnesse of all favour: and in losing his favour, we have naught but tribulation and misery: he is the seale of the covenant of grace betweene God and as; if wee want our seale, wee shall want our assurance and so lose the favour of God,A dangerous forfeit. and forfeit our eternall estate in Heaven. Therefore let us esteeme the favour of our Saviour before all things; let us e­steeme all things nothing in respect of him; if he sub­scribe not to our pardon, wee are but dead; the Law hath cast us, without him there is no grace, no hope of favour, no hope of pardon: let us direct our eyes of faith unto him upon the bended knees of our heart, and when we have found him whom our soule loveth, let us resort to him in daily prayer; winne his favour by endeavour in faithfull and carefull serving him, and make him the sole end of our desires, who hath wrought who hath effected our salvation. Thus by the assistance of his grace I purpose to doe in my owne particular: Thus I wish to all in generall.

Of the Crosse of Christ and of his holy suffering for our sinnes.

BEhold thou faithfull soule, the griefe of him that suffered,Rom. 3.24, 25, 26. the wounds of him that hanged, the tor­ments of him that died on the Crosse: that head at which the Angels tremble, is crowned with thornes: that face which was most beautifull above the sonnes of men, is defiled by the spittings of the ungodly: those eyes which were more brighter then the Sunne, are darkned in death: those eares which were wont to heare Angelicall praises, did ring with the proud speeches and derision of wicked men,Mat. 27, 29, &c. sinners: that mouth which taught the Angels, hath no other drinke but Gall and Vinegar: those feete which are to bee adored; those hands,Iob 9.8. which stretcheth forth the Heavens, are stretched forth and nayled on the Crosse: that body which was the most sacred Temple of the Deity, is whipped, and wounded with the speare:Iohn 19.34, 37. neither remaines there any part in him whole, save onely a tongue, and that to pray for them which crucified him:Christ decla­red himself to be the Sonne of God three manner of waies. First, by his power or working of miracles. Secondly, by the holy Ghost appearing in visible signes. hee that raigneth with the father in the Heavens, is grievously by sinners afflicted on the Crosse. God suffers, God dies, God powreth forth his blood upon the Crosse; and all for the redemption of man: judge therefore the greatnesse of the danger, by the greatnesse of the price; judge the danger of the disease by the valew of the remedy. Surely those wounds in sinfull man, were great and dangerous indeed, which could no otherwise be cured, but by the wounds of the everliving and quickning flesh of Christ: and the disease most dangerous, which could not bee c [...]red but by the death of the Physitian. Consider thou faithfull soule the heavie and fierce displeasure of God against us after the fall of our first Father Adam and [Page 165] his posterity after him, that nothing could appease his anger for our sins, but the ignominious suffering of his deare and only begotten Sonne upon the corsse. Christ his eternall and well beloved Sonne, became suter to God his Father for us; yet his anger was not turned from us; he by whom the world was made,Hebr. 1.2. Thirdly, by his resurrecti­on from the dead. interceded for us, became our advocate, and tooke the cause of us miserable sinners upon himselfe, and yet his anger was not turned from us; our Saviour tooke upon him our flesh, that by the glory of the divinity communicated unto the humanity, hee might expiate and purge our sinfull flesh,Eph. 2.13, &c. that by the saving vertue of his most perfect righte­ousnesse communicated unto our nature, he might wipe away that venomous quality of our sin, which cleaveth so fast unto us, and in stead thereof, conferre grace upon us;Esay 9. 2 Cor. 5.21. and yet the anger of his father was not turned away from us: our sins, and the punishment due unto them, he taketh upon himselfe; his body is bound, whipped, wounded, pierced, crucified, and buried,Matth. 27. Luk 22.44. his blood like a dew most copiously distilled downe all his members; at his passion his most holy soule is made sorrowfull above measure, even unto death; hee feeleth the paines of hell, the eternall Sonne of God cryeth out that he is forsaken of God; so great was his anguish,Vers. 46. so great was his bloody sweat, that he that comforteth the An­gels, stood in need of an Angel to comfort him; hee dyed for us sinners, who is the authour and giver of life to every living thing:1 Pet. 3.18. If God be so highly offended with the most just and holy One, what shall become of us sinners? how will God punish us for our sins, who is so wrathfully displeased with his owne Sonne, for the sins of others? and if his Sonne was so grie­vously punished for us, shall we his servants thinke to escape unpunished? what shall the Reprobate suffer, if such be the sufferings of his best beloved?

Surely, if our hearts be not harder then the Adamant, [Page 166] and more flinty than a stone, they must needs be woun­ded, and bleed within us, to thinke how Christ was wounded for our sakes: For Christ truely tooke our infirmities upon himselfe:Esay. 53.4. and bare our griefes, and healed our sicknesses: that which in us merited eternall punishment and condemnation,Mat. 8.16.17. thou Lord Jesus tookest upon thy selfe, that burthen which would have pressed us downe into hell; thou tookest our sins upon thy selfe,Rom. 3.24, &c. and bestowedst thy righteousnesse upon us; death which is due unto us, thou undertookest thy selfe, and conferredst life upon us; we cannot therefore by any meanes, doubt of thy grace, or despaire by reason of our sinnes; therefore, if thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lord Jesus,Rom. 10.9, 10. and believe in thine heart, that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved; for by faith we apprehend that Christ hath given satisfacti­on for us, he bare the iniquities of those that are his; he suffered for the sins of many; he interceded for the transgressors:Note. 4 Esd. 4.66. &c. for he should have had very few just, un­lesse in mercy he had received sinners, and remitted the sins of the unjust. How then shall Christ judge accor­ding to severity the sins of the penitent, which he hath taken upon himselfe; how shall he condemne him that is guilty of sin for whom he dyed?Joh. 15.13. will he condemne those whom hee loveth and calleth his friends? will he condemne those for whom he hath intreated? will he condemne those for whom hee dyed? no: Lift up thy selfe therefore,Psal. 42.14. & 43.5. Ezech. 18.22. O devout soule, and forget thy sins; for the Lord hath forgotten them, hath forgiven them: whom then dost thou feare, as the punisher of thy sins, but the Lord, who himselfe hath made satisfaction for thy sins? if any other had paid the price of my redemp­tion I might have doubted,Esay 53. whether the just Judge would have accepted of that satisfaction; if either man or Angel had satisfied for my sins, yet still I might have doubted, whether the price of my redemption were suf­ficient; [Page 167] but now there is no place for doubt, all doubt is taken away and removed from the faithfull and peni­tent sinner; how can it be, that hee will not accept of that price which himselfe hath paid;Psal. 25.9. Psal. 43.15. Psal. 42.6. how can that but be sufficient, which is from God himselfe? Why, art thou yet troubled, O devout soule! all the waies of the Lord are mercy and truth, just is the Lord, and just are his Judgements. Why art thou so troubled, O my soule! let both the Mercy and Justice of God raise thee up; if God be just, hee will not exact double satis­faction for one offence; for our offences he hath smit­ten his Sonne; how then can he smite his servants for them, how can he punish our sinnes in us, for which his Sonne hath already given satisfaction.Psal. 117.2. The truth of the Lord endureth for ever: as I live, saith the Lord, I will not the death of a sinner, Ezech. 33.11. but much rather that he may turne from his wickednesse and live, Come saith our Saviour,Mat. 11.28. un­to me all you that are heavy laden, and I will refresh you: shall wee then make God a liar, and labour with the weight of our sins, to beare downe his mercy? to make God a liar, and deny his mercy, is a greater sinne then all the sins of the whole world:Mat. 27.5. Rom. 5.20. therefore Iudas sinned more in despairing of Gods mercy, then the Jewes in crucifying Christ: but rather where sin hath abounded, there grace hath also much more abounded, and over­weigheth our sins by infinite degrees:Jude 21, &c. for sins are but the sins of men, but grace is the grace of God; sins are but temporall, but the grace of God is from eterni­ty to eternity:2 Cor. 5.18, &c satisfaction by Christ hath beene made for our sins, and the grace of God is repaired in us by the death of Christ, and is established in us through him for ever.

Of Repentance, or sorrow of the Soule for sin.

VVHen Christian men have understanding by the Law of God, of their miserable estate, in respect of sin,Joh. 15.22.24. Repentance. what they were in innocency, what they are in sin, and what they shall be in judgement; it brin­geth a generall sadnesse on the soules of men, dulleth the spirit and delight they have had in their prosperous fortunes; for when God giveth grace to any one to examine his life,God gives the first grace to repentance. and to view his owne deformities, consider his neglect in his dutifull and obedient service which hee oweth unto God: the first knowledge there­of and apprehension of his miserie is most terrible, be­cause his conscience doth forcibly checke the former proceedings of his life, and violently hale him against the currant of his owne affections: for as rivers are not forced against their ordinary streame, but by the tide, which is more forcible than the streame it selfe; so our sinfull actions,The difficulty of repentance. being in all men common and naturall motions, is not reformed in us, but by the spirit of God, a power above our nature, yet it is done with such con­tention and strife in our flesh and nature which for the time doth wonderfully distract the soule of the party repenting, and needs it must: for he that hath wasted and spent his time in the delicacie of fortune,The reason. glutting him­selfe with variety of pleasures, and in the hight of his vaine prosperity, is admonished that he hath fed on poi­son, and therby run himself into a desperate hazard, wil, doubtlesse, hardly endure the extremity of griefe which sudden feare and amazednesse can lay upon him: for so it is with sinfull man, who not regarding the danger of their soule, before they are warned and admonished by God and their conscience, are taken unprovided with sudden griefe, which doth alway inflict an unexpressible [Page 169] measure of sorrow,The sorrow of a repentant soule. and often times death and despe­ration, when being taught by the Law to know our sinnes, our miserable condition, and the diseases of our soules; so the Gospell teacheth us the cure, both what and how to administer physicke to our sicke and dis­eased soules: for else the knowledge of our sinnes were extreame misery without profit,The sudden griefe is vio­lent. if wee should not also know the meanes of our recovery, and to know also how to administer and apply them to our soules com­fort: for vertue hath no vertue but in use and that phy­sicke which the sicke patient receiveth not, cannot pro­fit him bee it never so excellent, or standeth never so neere him: and as in corporall so in spirituall sicknesse, the disease must first be knowne, the physicke then ad­ministred; for hee that ministreth before hee knoweth the cause; or knoweth onely the cause, and admini­streth not; or administreth and taketh not away the cause of the disease, can never recover his patient, be he never so skilfull or industrious: so in repentance and sorrow for sinne, which is a sickenesse of the soule,What must cure diseased soules. must necessarily bee considered these two particulars; the cause, the cure. The cause is either the materiall cause, or the moving cause: the materiall cause is sinne;The cause of repentance. that being the matter of our offence, for which wee so sor­row and grieve at the time of our repentance. This is proved in the examples of all men, that have had the grace of true and unfeyned repentance: every penitent child of grace having sorrow and affliction in his soule, because of his sinne by which hee hath provoked his God and his Creator against him. Thus did Iob, and thus did David repent them: and so doe, and will doe, all that would profit by their repentance.Iob 42.6. 2 Sam. 12 13. And here is necessarily to bee considered and observed, that though our repentance have respect to the benefits of our owne estate as being a most necessary service in our salvation, yet the maine respect we ought to have to God, whose [Page 170] glory we must preferre,God must be respected be­fore our soules even before the salvation of our soules; making him the principall, and our selves but secondary respects of our repentance. And herein ap­peareth the difference betweene true and false repen­tance: for the false and Godlesse repentance sorroweth for their sinne, onely because God doth punish and af­flict them for their sinne;Exod. 9.27. 1 Sam. 15.24, 25 King. 21.27. Math. 27.3, 4. and therefore their sorrow is chiefly for the punishment, and but respectively for their sinne. Thus did Pharaoh, Saul, Ahab, and Iudas, repent them; and so doe all false and feyned repenters, that feare God for their owne respects, and not themselves for God.Note. A true and godly repentance sorroweth for sinne, because it is sinne, and not because it deserveth punishment: and here the maine respect is to be had to God, and to our selves onely for Gods sake: for though the feare and dread of punishment be sufficient to move any mans repentance, yet wee must not make that the cause of our spirituall sorrow, but much rather because we have offended so gracious a God, who hath declared himselfe to us in so many and great demonstrations of his love to mankind: this ought to be more sensible to our wounded soules then the horror wee have of our condemnation: thus are holy men moved in their griefe and passion of their repentance: the maine difference then betweene true and false repentance is this:Note. true repentance is caused by reverence wee have of the love of God; false repentance by the feare we have of Gods justice, and the punishment due to our sinnes: the one is the office of a sonne; the other is the office of a slave: both of them repenting one matter, but for divers re­spects. Sinne then is the materiall cause of repentance; the moving cause is God, who moving by his holy Spi­rit in the hearts of his Elect, presents them the ugly formes of their sinnes;God is the moving cause in every office of grace. awakes their consciences, and stirres them to a serious cogitation of their sinnes, and wretchednesse; giving them still such proportion of [Page 171] grace as the degrees of their repentance and spirituall sorrow shall require, and that God is the first moving cause to godly repentance is evident by many places of Scripture: namely, the second of Timothy, where Saint Paul advising Timothy to instruct them that are contra­ry minded, he giveth this reason,2 Tim. 2. Vers. 25. Because ye shall thereby prove if God at any time will give them repentance, that they may know the truth. Here repentance is called the gift of God, which doth utterly barre man from all cause of boasting his owne ability in this necessary du­ty, for saith the Apostle,Eph. 2.8.9. You are saved by grace through faith, and that not of your selves, it is the gift of God, not of workes, least any man should boast himselfe. Also in the Acts of the Apostles, proving Jesus to bee Christ, and God, coequall to his Father;Acts 5.31. useth this argument before the counsell of the Jewes: that God made him a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance to Israel, and forgivenesse of sins: where the power of forgiving of sins, and giving repentance, is made a proofe of his di­vinity, interposed betweene his office of Saviour and his power of forgiving of sins. These places out of many sufficiently prove that God is the first and principall moving cause of fruitfull repentance:Note. now God moveth not repentance in all them that repent for sin, but onely in them that truly repent, his chosen Elect.

Now of the cure or meanes of deliverance from spi­rituall griefe. In the curing is considered: first, the pre­paring and dressing of the wounded soule, whereby it is made fit for curing. Secondly, the matter to be ap­plied to the soule. Thirdly, the manner of applyment. In the preparing of the wounded soule, there be foure things necessary: First, a spirituall sorrow for sinne; that is ascent of sorrow in the soule, caused by a cogi­tation of sin and guiltinesse, and this is a necessary pre­parative in a repentant soule: for that soule cannot de­sire a spirituall refreshment, that hath not first a sense of [Page 172] sorrow, and feeling of present calamity. This prepa­rative to repentance was in the Jewes that were hearers of holy Peter, when he declared before them their sinne in crucifying the Lord Jesus;Acts 2.37. for the text saith, When they heard it, they were pricked in their hearts, and said, what shall we doe? as if the present sorrow and anguish did so astonish them, as they knew not what to doe, nor how to advise themselves.Humble ac­knowledge­ment. The next preparative, is an humble acknowledgement of the soule, of the misery it is in, and an exposing of such particular griefes as we finde in the register of our conscience: this is also neces­sary in the preparing of our soules. For though God, the Physition of our sicke soules, understand our sinnes better then our selves, and can remember them better then conscience; yet it is great reason, that hee which desireth the health of his soule, should declare so much of his griefe as hee can remember; not to instruct or helpe the knowledge of God, but to confesse and ac­knowledge our selues, and our dutifull desires. This acknowledgement of sinne was common in the custome of holy David, The example of holy David. Psal. 32.5, 6. how often hath hee confessed his sinne and exposed his griefe before God? for God is so de­sirous of our good, as that then he readily helpeth us, when we doe but carefully desire it. Therefore saith the Prophet David, I said I would confesse my sinne unto the Lord, Vers 6. and so thou forgavest the wickednesse thereof. David did but say he would confesse his sinne; God taketh his word, and forgave him his sinnes: and certainely hum­ble and unfeyned acknowledgement in our repentance, is an undoubted testimony that God doth give us grace, and that he will without question give us his fa­vour. The third preparative consisteth in holy action, that is,No man can satisfie Gods justice for sin. when we endeavour a reformation, and declare our repentance in a conscionable discharge of our duty: for though no man can satisfie the justice of God for sinne, yet ought all men so much as they have by the [Page 173] power of grace given them to satisfie men: For ex­ample, he that stealeth or defraudeth, be it by force, or of fraud, is of necessitie bound to make restitution, if he be able. And this the reformed Publican Zacheus well understood, who professing before Christ his reforma­tion and repentance, to witnesse it to be true and un­feigned, hee gave this infallible token: Behold Lord, Luk. 19.8 9. saith he, the halfe of my goods I give to the poore, and if I have taken from any man by force, or forged cavillation, I restore him foure-fold, and the Text saith in the next Verse, that then salvation was come into his house, and so Zacheus endevouring that hee could not, did at one time entertaine both his Saviour and his salvation; therefore, though no man can satisfie the Law, yet every man must endeavovr it: otherwise his repentance is idle and but vaine, neither can hee have part in the righteousnesse and redemption of Jesus Christ.Psa. 25.1, 2, &c. The last preparative is prayer, that is, a lifting up of the heart to God with faith unfeigned, and hopefull con­fidence; in the exercise of prayer, there is a double office: First, wee must expose our griefe; next, we must implore his favour: for as in ordinary cures in surgery,Note. the patient must first suffer his wounds to be ript, launst and search'd, before the remedy can be applyed to the sore; so must wee rip and search the wounds of our soule, avoid and empty the infectious matter, and when we have it out,2 King 19.14, 1 [...], 16. we must use it as Hezekiah did the blas­phemous letter of Rabshakeh, spread it all before the Lord, and then with earnest humblenesse implore his favour, lay open our sins unto him, and confesse that these are they that have wounded our soules, troubled our conscience, for which we grieve, for which we pray; when our soule is thus prepared, there is joy in our re­pentant teares, pleasure in our griefe, and hope in our spirituall sorrow, and then, and not before, are wee made fit to apprehend and apply Christ Jesus, the salva­tion [Page 174] of our soule.The matter of the cure of our soule. The second thing in the cure of our soules, is the soveraigne matter by which the diseased soule is cured, the most soveraigne balsome, the sacred blood of the Lambe of God, of the Sonne of God, shed for the redemption of man-kind;1 Pet. 2.24. for so saith his holy Apostle Saint Peter, who his owne selfe bare our sins in his body on the tree, that we being delivered from sin, should live in righteousnesse, by whose stripes we were healed; our sins are taken from us by his bearing them; our wounds are cured by his wounds; our eternall death prevented by his temporall death: for but the Sonne of God,No physicke but the blood of Christ can cure a woun­ded soule. Christ Jesus, there is no Empyricke, no quintessence, no physicke, can cure a wounded soule, so venomous is sin, and so incurable are the wounds that sin hath made; onely the blood of the holy Lambe is altogether able to deliver and heale them, and that is both so certaine and present in vertuous operation, as that one drop rightly applyed, is able and sufficient to cure the wounds of a world of soules. The last thing in the cure of our soule, is the manner of applying this most soveraigne medicine,The manner of applying Christ. Hebr. 11.6. Christ Jesus, and that is by a true and lively faith: for without faith it is impossible to please God, and without faith, it is impossible to ap­prehend the Sonne of God; neither let this seem strange to a Christian judgement, that wee should be able by faith to apprehend Christ, and to apply him to our re­pentant soules; for hee himselfe hath taught us, that whatsoever wee shall aske in prayer,Matth. 21.22. if we believe, wee shall have it, whereby he maketh faith the covenant and condition of prayer, and promiseth, that such prayer that is directed to him by a living faith, shall onely, and alwaies prevaile,No resistance against a true faith. against which there is no resistance; therefore to apprehend & apply Christ to our wounded soules, we must reach with our hands of faith to his Fa­thers bosome, take him from the altar of his crosse, and by faith apply his precious blood, nay, his bloody bo­dy, to our wounded soules, for he that doth it faithfully, [Page 175] doth it effectually, and shall doubtlesse find assurance in himselfe, that the wounds of his soule are cured, and that sin is for ever dis-inabled from hurting him that hath Christ fully applyed: for, where he is in mercy, there is assurance and safety of divine protection; and this is the order that all Christians should take in repentance and spirituall sorrow: First to prepare their soules, then to apply Jesus Christ their salvation,Note. in whom there is safety, without whom none. To declare the manner and the causes of godlesse sorrow, and false repentance, wee will avoid them; for their number and variety, let the true judge the false; and let this true forme of re­pentance here prescribed, teach the Christian Reader, to avoid all dissimulation and hypocritical sorrow for sin,Hypocriticall sorrow is in God hatred. 2 Cor. 7.10, 11. and remember that godly sorrow causeth repentance, not to be repented of, but worldly sorrow causeth death. But gentle Reader, let mee admonish thee, that we despise not Christ, because upon his crosse he hanged betweene two thieves, neither that wee honour thieves,Mat. 27.38, 39. because they hanged upon the crosse with Christ, for that which is but meere truth, is no truth, and the best vertue is ever placed betweene two extremes.

This Doctrine of Repentance and spirituall sorrow, doth remember all men very needfull admonishments. First, seeing that sin is the cause for which we repent us, and by whose poyson our soules are so grievously in­fected, and so fouly deformed and wounded; it ought to move all men to a loathing and detestation of sin, by which we are grieved in our selves, and brought in ha­tred and displeasure of Almighty God;Note. for if wee so carefully avoid all such annoyances as bring any little taste of griefe to our bodies in this temporall life, wee ought much more to avoyd sin, which causeth such ex­tremity of griefe in our soules, and doth both deprive us of Gods favour, and bringeth an everlasting destru­ction upon us. Secondly, seeing there is no repentance [Page 176] profitable to salvation, but that which is caused in us by the moving of Gods holy Spirit; it behoveth all men to be serious in their repentance, and not to con­tent themselves with a slender examination of their sins, and then returne againe to their former remissenesse and disobedience, but to be heedfully carefull to repent them of all sinne, and to be constant in that care, without alteration, without interruption; and that our repentance respect rather a shame and griefe, to have offended so gracious a God, then any feare of temporall or eternall punishment,Saul and Ahabs repentance. lest, as did Saul and Ahab, by such false and feigned repentance, they lose their soules. Thirdly, seeing the soule cannot be cured but by repentance, neither can apply or apprehend Christ Jesus, unlesse it be first prepared and made fit by the exercise of these duties, and not to satisfie them­selves with the exercise of one or two of them; but to endevour them all, because they are all necessary to re­pentance: for as in the Commandements of the Law, he that faileth in one breaketh all; so in these duties of re­pentance, he that neglecteth one,The danger of presumption. profiteth by none, but annihilateth the purpose of his spirituall sorrow. Let no man therefore flatter himselfe with this presumpti­on, that if hee hath beene an extortioner, a thiefe, or a godlesse person, that his repentance will suffice, though hee be sorry for his sins, and acknowledge them to God; though these be very needfull and necessary du­ties, yet they are not all the duties of our soule in our preparation to repentance; therefore if hee hath ex­torted,Luk. 19.8. or as Zacheus did, taken by forged cavillation from any man, that is, by indirect or dishonest course or meanes,Verse 9. hee must repent as Zacheus did, and make restitution, as farre as he can, otherwise salvation can never come to his house; therefore, as they are all ne­cessary, so are they all joyntly necessary, every man being bound to all these, as God and grace shall enable [Page 177] him. Fourthly, seeing Christ Jesus is that Physician, and that onely salve which is able to cure a wounded soule; and that without him there is no working, no cause, no meanes of spirituall deliverance from sinne,We must sell all to purchase Christ. and griefe of a wounded conscience. Therefore it most neerely concerneth all men to endeavour all meanes to purchase this Christ their salvation and righteousnesse, and to despise all things in respect of him their Savi­our; and the onely soveraigne salve to heale their woun­ded conscience.

And seeing wee have Jesus Christ proposed us to be our salvation,The willing­nes of Christ, to bee appre­hended of the faithfull. who is alwaies willing and ready to bee apprehended and applyed to our soules, by whom wee onely enjoy the peace of conscience, and the hope of Heaven: therefore no man ought to affy and have any confidence in the pardons of Popes, dispensations, in­dulgences, and such trash and merchandise; whereby the besotted and blinded people of this world is won­derfully delighted: for such dangerous pedling stuffe,Note. must not bee thought to have equall vertue with the blood of Christ, or that they have any power in the cure of soules: but on the contrary, they surfeit the conscience, and poyson the soules of them that trust in them; inlarging the wounds both in number and griefe,Dangerous Physicke. and maketh the soule incapable of cure, and most un­fit to have the precious blood of Christ Jesus applyed unto it. Lastly, seeing there is no meanes to apprehend and apply this Christ, the physicke and Physitian of our soules, but onely by a true and lively justifying faith:Christ cannot be apprehen­ded, but by a true faith only. therefore it most necessarily concerneth all men, to have this meanes of apprehending Christ; because, as it is said, The salve, though most soveraine, cannot profit the sore, unlesse it bee applyed by faith, that being the maine act of our spirituall health: all other offices and duties, being but circumstances to assist and forward this act. Moreover the faith by which wee apprehend [Page 178] Christ, must be more then a generall faith, for it profi­teth not to our health and salvation, to know onely that Jesus Christ is the present cure of our soules; unlesse we also by a confident and a lively faith apprehend, and apply him to the sore of our soules. Againe, seeing Christ is our only salvation, and seeing faith is the only meanes of apprehending him; we ought not to seeke or appoint any other meanes or matter of salvation; nei­ther any other manner of applying it: and therefore no man ought to ascribe righteousnesse to himselfe or his workes, or to the supererogating workes of his friends, but onely to Jesus Christ: and that this Christ is onely apprehended by a saving faith: for by faith we live,Note. by faith we walke, by faith wee are justified, and our hearts purified; by it we vanquish the world; and without it it is impossible to please God.

Let us therefore often meditate this doctrine of re­pentance: what feare, what care, what affliction is in the soule at such occasion? let us practise it in our selves, and pity it in others: let us condemne sinne to bee the greatest cause of such misery; and let us condemne our selves to be the greatest cause of that sinne. When wee exercise this spirituall office of repentance, let us bee carefully busie in the duties thereof;A necessary resolution. let us search the wounds of our soules, expell and empty the rotten­nesse and putrefaction thereof: search and dresse them, search them by a serious examination of our sins; and dresse them by an humble and hearty acknowledge­ment:How to dresse the wounds of our soules. let us also examine the actions and particulars of our lives; let us compare them with our duties, and those that proportion not thereto, let us call them our errors and our sinnes, and the wounds of our soules: let us by meanes of faith and prayer, referre our defects to bee supplyed to the most absolute satisfactory righ­teousnesse of our Saviour Jesus Christ:The righteous­nesse of Christ must supply all our defects. what we finde sin let us call it sin; let us not flatter our errors, nor [Page 179] smooth our deformities, and defects in our selves: let us not pretend health, when wee are dangerously sicke; nor safety when wee are mortally wounded:We must not foster nor fa­vour no sinnes. let us not favour our sins; be it a sin of profit, or a sin of plea­sure, in this cause let us despise both; let us be sorry for all, acknowledge all, and earnestly pray for the remis­sion of all: if we have gained possessions, and wealth by theft, extortion, or forged cavillation; let us restore as our present estate shall enable us; let us be ashamed that Zacheus the Publicane shall restore his extortions foure-fold, and we not to restore the principall. Shun all such sin as the plague or leprosie, because we know that salvation will not come to the house that is so infected, but as of necessity all sin must bee cured,All sinne of necessity must be cured. otherwise there is no cure in our repentance: let us hate all sin, without dispensation of any; otherwise we repent not, but flat­ter our selves in presumption, and vaine confidence: and because nothing can apprehend and apply salva­tion to our soules, but onely by the hands of saving faith: let us therefore bee sure that our faith bee lively and stedfast faith; let us trie it by the evidence of our workes, they will beare us witnesse and testifie what it is, and of what nature:Workes must try our faith. for as our faith in Christ doth justifie us before God; so the workes of our faith doe justifie us in the sight of men. If the fruit of our faith be good, our faith it selfe then must needs be good, and availeable to apprehend and apply Jesus Christ our sal­vation. Let us therefore be plentifull in the exercise of good actions, that our conscience may testifie our faith, and that our faith may bee able to execute the holy office assigned it:We must be plentifull in good workes, and why. when wee have the assurance of this faith, let us then with stedfast confidence looke up to Heaven; let us seeke him whom our soule loveth, and when we have found him, let us expose before him the calamity of our soules, and our present condition wee are in: let us lay open our sins, discover our wounds, [Page 180] declare our endeavour, and report our faith: when we have thus done, wee may assure our selves that our Sa­viour will rejoyce at our recovery, be glad of our con­version and returne, and will shew us his righteousnesse, and will also willingly yeeld himselfe unto our faith, and give us free liberty in the use of his righteousnesse.Apprehension of Christ. Let us busily apply our cares to apprehend him in his righteousnesse, and stretch our hands of faith, to the altar of his Crosse, and with a wonderfull degree of comfort apply his sufferings, his wounds, and his death, to heale the wounds which sin hath made in our soules,Note. and infuse his most precious blood into them, and with that blood shall enter the spirit of health, and everlasting safety. Thus in an instant shall wee finde, the happy alteration of our soules, and wee that but then were in spirituall griefe,The happy al­teration of our soules. anguish, and tribulation, shall now finde joy and strength in our soules: and our soules that were before wounded, de­formed, and full of the markes of sinne, shall now have the markes of righteousnesse of Jesus Christ, whereby wee shall be distinguished from the ungodly and unre­pentant sinners, and have the seales, and assurance of everlasting salvation, and eternall happinesse.

Of the two Sacraments, Baptisme, and the Lords Supper; and first of the fruits of Baptisme.

BAptisme is the Sacrament of regeneration, clean­sing or washing, admission, sanctification, incorpo­ration, whereby they which doe repent, and professe the faith and religion of Christ, are incorporated into Christ, and joyned unto his Church, that being washed from their sins, they may walke in newnesse of life, and the outward signe of the invisible grace, which the Spirit of Christ doth worke in the hearts of the faithfull elect. Remember therefore, thou faithfull soule, the grace of God conferred upon thee, in the sa­ving laver of Baptisme, which is the fountaine of re­generation,Tit. 3.5, 6. and renewing of the holy Ghost, which is shed on us richly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; at the first creation of all things, the Spirit of God moved upon the waters, and gave a vitall force unto them; so in the water of Baptisme, the holy Ghost is also pre­sent, and makes it a saving meanes of our regeneration; and there was in Ierusalem, about the sheepe market, a poole, into which at a certaine time, the Angel of the Lord descen­ded, Joh. 5.2. & Vers. 4. and troubled the water; and hee that first descended into it after the troubling of the water, was made whole of what disease soever he had; the water of Baptisme is that poole, which healeth us of every disease of sin, when the holy Spirit descends into it, and troubles it with the blood of Christ,Matth. 3.16. who was made a sacrifice for us: at the baptisme of Christ, the heavens were opened unto him; so as our baptisme the gate of heaven is also open­ed unto us; at the baptisme of Christ, the holy and sacred [Page 183] Trinity was present: so are they likewise at our bap­tisme; for by the word of promise, which is annexed unto the element of water, faith receiveth the grace of the Father adopting, the merit of the Son cleansing,Note. and the efficacy of the holy Ghost regenerating. Pharaoh and his host was drowned in the red Sea, the Israelites passed thorow safe, secure and sound: So in baptisme,Exo. 14 27, &c. all the host of vices are drowned, and the faithfull safely attaine to the inheritance of the kingdome of heaven: in the Church, the spirituall Temple of God, the sa­ving waters of baptisme doe spring forth, into the pro­fundity wherein our sins are throwne;Mich. 7.19. whosoever come unto it, shall be healed and live: Baptisme is the spiri­tuall flood in which all sin of flesh is drowned. The impure crow goes forth like the Divell, but the holy Ghost like the Dove, brings the Olive branch, that is,Gen. 8.11. peace and tranquillity unto our mindes. Remember therefore thou faithfull soule, the greatnesse of the grace of God conferred upon thee in Baptisme, and render due thankes unto him.

The more plentifull grace is conferred upon us in Baptisme, the more diligent and carefull must wee be in the custody of the gifts conferred. Wee are buried with Christ by Baptisme into his death; therefore, as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of his Father; so we also should walke in newnesse of life, to the glory of our Redeemer,John 5.14. by whom wee are made whole: let us sinne no more, lest a worse thing happen unto us; wee have put on the most pretious robe of Christs righteousnesse, let us not therefore defile it with the staines of sin;Ephes. 4.23. by baptisme we are regenerate and re­newed in the spirit of our minde; therefore let not the flesh dominere over the spirit; by spirituall regenerati­on we are made the sonnes of God, let us therefore live as the sons of such a Father; we are made the Temple of the holy Ghost, let us therefore prepare a thankfull [Page 184] seat for such a guest; wee are received into Gods Co­venant, let us therefore beware we doe not serve under the Divell, and so fall from the covenant of Grace: for our conversation according to the old man is cor­rupt,Ephes. 4.22. according to the lusts of errours; therefore beseech God, that he will [...]per and moderate it in us, by the grace of his holy Spirit, and grant that wee swerve not from the right marke, the truth of his righteousnesse: and the holy majesty of the mysteries of God, that be so miraculous and wonderfull, effect in us all these things. O blessed Trinity in Unity, thou that hast conferred such grace upon us in Baptisme, give us also the grace to persevere in a godly course according to thy testi­monies.

Of the Lords Supper and Institution of Christ.

1 Cor. 11.23▪ 24. THe Lord Jesus in the night that he was betrayed, tooke bread, and when hee had given thankes, hee brake it, and said: Take, eate, this is my body which is broken for you; this doe yee in remembrance of mee.

The summe of these words, is the Institution and the use of the Lords Supper, which is a witnesse of Gods promises,1 Ch [...]o 35.4. &c. a remembrance of Christs death, and a seale of our adoption; therefore, as the Levites under the Law were bound to prepare their breth [...] before they came to the passeover, so should all men prepare themselves before they presume to come to the supper of the Lord. After he had given thankes, hee brake it, and gave unto them, and said, take, eate: for when he had given than [...]s to God, then it was sanctified and blessed, and law­full to eate: So, when wee have served God, then it is lawfull for us to use Gods blessings, and not be­fore, then may wee eate and drinke, as Christ did; for these things were created to serve them which serve [Page 185] God: therefore if thou doest not serve him for them, thou incroachest upon Gods blessings, and stealest his creatures, which are no more thine then thou art his;This doctrine intendeth not the exclusion of worldlings from tithe to their goods, as usurpers over the creatures. Math. 26.26, 27 Gen. 27, &c. for the good God created all things for good men, as the divels possessions are reserved for evill men. It followeth This is my body; here is the fruit of his thankes-giving, before hee prayed that the Bread and Wine might bee blessed, and they were blessed: As Isaacks blessing shewed it selfe upon Iacob, whom he blessed, so Christ his blessing appeareth streight upon these mysteries, because his blessing did sanctifie the Sacrament, and infuseth vertue into it, and ever since hath hee gi­ven this blessing its efficacy, and sanctified it unto us, as well as it did to the Apostles; for before it could not be said, this is my body. Now you shall see, by what a mysticall resemblance Christ is united unto us: First,Rom. 2.17. as Christ in the supper tooke Bread to feed us, so in his birth, he tooke our flesh upon him to save us. Secondly, as Christ when hee had taken the bread, blessed it to make it a spirituall food unto us; so Christ when hee had taken our flesh, poured forth his most rich and pre­cious graces into it, to make it foode of life eternall unto us. This is my body, is a figurative speech,Confutation of the Papists. and must not be construed I t [...]rally; then where are the Papists, which say, that after the words of consecration, the Bread and Wine are transubstantiated into the very Body and Blood [...] Christ, really and substantially: they may aswell prove that Christ is a doore,Iohn 10.7, 9. Iohn 15.1. because he saith, I am the doore: or a Vine, because he saith, I am a Ʋine: for his sayings are like figurative speeches, and must not be construed literally.

This is my body. Math. 26.26. 1 Cor. 11.23, 24 Now may we see whether these words doe prove that the Bread is turned into Christs body. Paul saith, Iesus tooke bread; well then, yet it is bread: when he had taken it, then he blessed it; what did hee blesse? the bread which hee tooke; well then, yet it is [Page 186] bread when hee had blessed it, then hee brake it: what did hee breake the bread which he blessed? well then, yet it is bread: when he had broken it, then he gave it; what did he give the bread which he brake? well then, yet it is bread: when that hee gave it, they did eate it: what did they eate the bread which he gave them? well then, yet it is bread: when they did eate it, then hee said, This is my body; what did hee call his body the bread which he gave, which they did eate? well then, yet it is bread: if it be bread all this while, when hee did take it, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it, and they did eate it;Math. 22, 34. when then is it turned into his body? here they stand like the Saduces, as mute as fishes: now see whether their argument hath either face or force. Againe, it is not onely wee that say, it is bread and wine,Math. 26, 27, 28 29. Mark. 14.25. after consecration; but Christ himselfe doth call it bread and wine after he had given it, as he did before: and in Marke saith, I will drinke no more of the fruit of the Ʋine. Here Christ saith, that it was the fruit of the Vine which hee dranke; but his blood is not the fruit of the Vine; therefore hee dranke wine, and not blood. For if Christs body were offered in the Sacrament, then were it no Sacrament, but a Sacrifice; which two differeth as much as giving and taking: for in a sacri­fice we give, and in a Sacrament we receive: and there­fore wee say our Sacrament,Eph. 3.16.17. and Christs Sacrifice; as Christ dwelleth in us, so he is eaten of us, but he dwelleth in us onely by faith, therefore he is eaten by faith onely. Againe, none can be saved without the communion of the body of Christ, but if all should communicate with it corporally, then neither infants; nor the Patriarks, our Fathers, nor any of the Prophets should bee saved, because they received not so;Iohn 3.36. for Christ was not then come in the flesh: Saint Iohn saith, He that believeth in the Sonne shall be saved. The Cup is called the new Te­stament, because it signifyeth the New Testament: so [Page 187] the Bread and Wine are called Christs body, because they signifie Christs body: no more is the Lambe the Passeover, though Christ called it the Passover; nor Cir­cumcision is not the Covenant, though God called it the Covenant; that Baptisme is not the Regeneration,He calleth the signe the thing which it signi­fieth. though it bee called Regeneration: neither is the Cup the New Testament, though Christ called it the New Testament; the Sacrament is the signe which presents the thing signified: when this Sacrament was institu­ted, and Christ said, This is my body, he had not then a glorified body; therefore it is demanded whether they received a mortall or glorified body,Demand of the Papist. because one of these two bodies they must needs receive: if they say a mortall body, that cannot profit them; for mortall foode is but for mortall life: neither now hath Christ a mortall body to communicate to them, because it is changed to an immortall body; therefore they cannot receive his mortall body. And if they say, that they receive his glorified body, they must fly from this text; for at that time Christ had not a glorified body: if they received then the same body which the Apostles received, as they say they doe, they cannot receive a glorified body, because then Christs body was not glorified; therefore they could not communicate with his glorified body. Thus are they hedged in with rocks and the sands on every side of them: they received a body neither mortall nor immortall; it seemes it was a phantastical body: if Christ had such a body, let all men judge: here they are at a stand,Dan. 4.5. like one that cannot tell on his tale. Nebuchadnezzar dreamed a dream, and knew not what it meant, and so doe they.

How absurd and heretically doe these Papists hold in their opinions? and this surpasseth them all; that Christ must bee applyed like Physicke: as though his blood cannot profit us, unlesse we drinke it, & swallow it like a potion: is this the Papists union with Christ? is [Page 188] this the manner whereby we are made one flesh with Christ,Iohn 1. to eate his flesh, and drinke his blood? nay, when he tooke our flesh unto him, and was made man, then we were united unto him in the flesh, and not by receiving his body: Christ tooke our flesh and nature, we tooke not his; but believe that he tooke ours: now if you would know whether Christs body be in the Sacrament, it is said unto you, as Christ said unto Thomas, touch, feele, and see: in visible things God hath appointed our eyes to be judges: For as by the Spirit wee discerne the spirituall objects; so our sence discerneth sensible objects: as Christ taught Thomas to judge of his body, so may we, and so should they, if they were not, as it were hood-winked through errour and mis-beliefe: Christs saying to Thomas was that hee would have him believe it to be his body,Iohn 20.27. for my body saith Christ, may bee seene and felt; and thus transub­stantiation is found a lyar.

It is shewed before, that every Sacrament is called by the name of the thing which it doth signifie and pre­sent. The reason why the signes have the name of the things which they represent and signifie, is to strike a deeper reverence in us,Note. to receive this Sacrament of Christ; reverently, sincerely, and holily, as if Christ himselfe were there present in body & blood. This is the reason why Christ calleth the signes of his body, his body; to cause us to take this Sacrament with feare and reverence: because wee are apt to contemne it as the Jewes did their Manna.Num. 12.6.

The worthinesse of the Sacrament is to be considered three waies: First, by the Majesty of the Authour or­daining it [...]condly, by the preciousnesse of the per­sons whereof it consisteth. Thirdly, by the excellency of the ends for which it was ordained. The Lords Sup­per is a pledge and a symbole of the most neere and effe­ctuall communion which Christians have with Christ: [Page 189] The cup of blessing which we blesse, Cor. 10.16, 17. is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread of Christ which we breake, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? That is dwel­ling in our hearts, abiding in us. that is a most effectuall signe: and pledge of our communion with Christ, and hath divers similies set forth in holy Scrip­tures: First, of the Vine and Branches: Secondly, of the Head and Body: Thirdly,Joh. 15.5. of the Foundation and the Building: Fourthly, of one Loafe confected of ma­ny graines: Fifthly,Colos. 1.18. of the Matrimoniall communion betwixt man and wife, and is three-fold betwixt Christ and Christians: the first is naturall, betwixt our hu­mane nature, and the divine nature of Christ in the per­son of the Word: the second is mysticall,Eph. 5.31, 32. betwixt our person absent from the Lord, and the person of Christ, God and man, into one mysticall body: the third is ce­lestiall, betwixt our persons present with the Lord, and the person of Christ in his body glorified; these three conjunctions depend each upon other. The mysticall communion chiefly here meant, is wrought betwixt Christ and us; by the Spirit of Christ apprehending us, and by our faith stirred up by the same Spirit,Note. ap­prehending Christ againe: this union hee shall best un­derstand in his mind,Every one re­ceiveth, but few under­stand what they receive. who doth most feele it in his heart; but of all other times this union is best felt, and most confirmed, when wee doe duely receive the Lords Supper; for then wee shall sensibly feele our hearts knit unto Christ, and the desire of our soules drawne by faith and the holy Ghost, as by the cords of love, neerer and neerer to his holinesse. This union betwixt the faithfull is so ample, that no distance of place can part it; so strong, that death cannot dissolve it; so durable, that time cannot weare it out; so effectuall, that it breeds a fervent love betweene those that ne­ver saw one anothers faces: and this conjunction of soules, is termed the communion of Saints,1 Cor. 12 12, 13. & 27. which Christ effecteth by six especiall meanes: First, by go­verning [Page 190] them all by one and the same holy Spirit: Secondly, the enduing them all with one and the same faith:Ephes. 4.4, 5. Thirdly, by shedding abroad his owne love into all and every one of their hearts:Rom. 5 5. Tit. 3.5. Fourthly, by regenerating them all by one and the same baptisme: Fifthly, by nourishing them all with one and the same spirituall food:1 Cor. 10.17. Colos. 1.18.22 Note. Acts 4.32. Sixthly, by being one quickning head, of that one body of his Church, which hee reconciled to God his Father in the body of his flesh. Hence it is, that the multitude of believers in the primitive Church, were of one heart, and of one soule, in truth, affecti­on and compassion; and this doth teach all Christians, to love one another, seeing they are all members of the same holy and mysticall body,Ephes. 4.3. whereof Christ is the head; and therefore they should have all a Christian sympathy and fellow-feeling, to rejoyce one in ano­thers joy, to condole one anothers griefe, to beare one with anothers infirmities;Ephes. 4.2. and mutually to relieve one anothers wants; to this end hee bestoweth upon them all saving graces, necessary to eternall life: as the sense of Gods love, the assurance of our election, with Rege­neration,2 Cor. 3.18. Justification, and grace to doe good workes, to feede soules;Iohn 15.5. therefore of the poore and faithfull, is the assured hope of life eternall: For, as it is said, this sacrament is a signe and a sure pledge unto as ma­ny as shall receive the same according to Christs institu­tion,Joh. 1.16. that hee will, according to his promise, by the vertue of his crucified body and blood, as verily feed our soules to eternall life, as our bodies are by bread and wine nourished to this temporall life; and to this end, Christ in the action of the Sacrament, re­ally giveth his body and blood to every faithfull receiver.

1 Cor. 11.24. & 2.5.Christ is verily present in the Sacrament, by a double union; whereof the first is spirituall, twixt Christ and the worthy receiver: the second is sacramentall, twixt [Page 191] the body and blood of Christ, and the outward signes in the sacrament; if you looke to the things that are united, this union is essentiall; if to the truth of this union, it is reall; if to the manner how it is wrought, it is spirituall, it is not our faith, that makes the body and blood of Christ to be present in the Sacrament, but the spirit of Christ dwelling in him and us;Note. our faith doth but receive and apply unto our soules those hea­venly graces which are offered in the Sacrament; the other being the sacramentall union, is not a physicall or locall,The Word and the Sacrament are the two briefly where­with our Mother the Church doth nourish us. but a spirituall conjunction of the earthly signes which are bread and wine, with the heavenly grace, which is the body and blood of Christ, in the act of receiving; as if by a mutuall relation, they were but one and the same thing: hence it is, that in the same instant of time, that the worthy receiver eateth with his mouth the bread and wine of the Lord, hee eateth also with the mouth of faith, the very body and blood of Christ; not that Christ is brought downe from heaven to the Sacrament, but that the holy Spirit, by the Sacrament, lifts up his minde unto Christ, not by any locall mutation, but by a devout affection; so that in the holy contemplation of faith, hee is at that present with Christ, and Christ with him; and thus be­lieving and meditating, how Christ his body was cru­cified, and his pretious blood shed for the remission of his sins, and the reconciliation of his soule unto God; his soule is hereby more effectually fed in the assurance of eternall life, than bread and wine can nourish his body to this temporall life.

There must be therefore of necessity, in the Sacra­ment both the outward signes, to be visibly seene with the eye of the body, and the body and blood of Christ to be spiritually discerned with the eye of faith. But the forme how the holy Ghost makes the body of Christ, being absent from us in place, to be present [Page 192] with us by union:Ephes. 5.32. Saint Paul termes a great mystery, such as indeed our understanding cannot worthily comprehend. The sacramentall bread and wine there­fore are not bare signifying signes, but such as therewith Christ doth indeed exhibit and give to every worthy receiver, not onely his divine vertue and efficacy, but also his very body and blood, as verily as hee gave to his Disciples the holy Ghost, by the signe of his sacred breath;Joh. 20.22. or health to the diseased, by the Word of his mouth,Mar. 6.56. or touch of his hand or garment; and the appre­hension by faith is more forcible, than the exquisite comprehension of sense or reason. To conclude this point; this holy Sacrament is that blessed bread, which being eaten,Luk. 24.30.31. opened the eyes of the Emmauites, that they knew Christ:1 Cor. 12.13. this is that Lordly cup, by which wee are made to drinke into one spirit; this is that rocke flowing with hony,1 Sam. 14.27. that reviveth the fainting spirits of every true Jonathan, that tasts it with the mouth of faith;Judg. 7.13, this is that barly loafe, which tum­bling from above, strikes downe the tents of the Mi­dianits of infernall darknesse. Eliahs angelicall Cake and water,1 King. 1 [...].7, 8. Psal. 78.25, 26. preserved him forty daies in Mount Horeb, and Manna, Angels food, fed the Israelites forty yeeres in the wildernesse:Exod. 16.15. Joh. 6.32, 35.49.50, 51.58. but this is that true bread of life, and heavenly Manna, which if wee shall duely eate, will nourish our soules to eternall life, and doth binde all Christians, as it were, by an oath of fidelity, to serve the one onely true God,Deut. 8.19. and to admit no other propitiatory sacrifice for sins, but that one reall sacri­fice, which by his death, Christ once offered up for all true believers,Hebr. 9. and by which hee finished the sacrifices of the Law, and effected eternall redemption and righ­teousnesse for all them that faithfully believe in him, and so to remaine for ever a publike marke of professi­on, to distinguish Christians from all sects and false Religions; and seeing that in the Masse there is a strange [Page 193] christ adored; not he that was born of the Virgin Mary, but one that is made of a wa [...]er cake: and that the offe­ring up of this breaden God, is thrust upon the Church as a propitiatory sacrifice, for the quicke and the dead: therefore all true Christians that have sufficient infor­mation, and have means to escape invincible ignorance, are to account the pretensed sacrifice of the masse,Note. as derogatory to the al-sufficient world saving merits of Christs death and passion: for by receiving the Sacra­ment of the Lords Supper, we all sweare that all reall sacrifices are ended by our Lords death: and that his body & blood crucified and shed for us, is the perpetuall food and nourishment of our soule. The bread of the Lord is given by the Minister; but the bread which is the Lord, is given by Christ himselfe. Therefore when thou takest the bread at the Ministers hand to eate it, then ronze up thy soule to apprehend Christ by a lively faith; and to apply his merits to heale thy miseries;Note. and as thou eatest the bread, imagine that thou seest Christ hanging upon the Crosse, and by his unspeakeable tor­ments fully satisfying Gods Justice for thy sinnes,Iohn 19. and strive as verily to be partaker of the spirituall grace, as of the Elementall signes, for the truth is not absent from the signe: Neither doth Christ deceive when he saith, this is my body; but hee giveth himselfe truely and indeed to every soule, that spiritually receives him by faith. For as ours is the same supper, which Christ administred to his Disciples; so is the same Christ veri­ly present at his owne Supper: not by any papall tran­substantiation, but by a Sacramentall participation, whereby he doth truely feed the faithfull unto eternall life: not by comming downe from heaven unto thee, but by lifting thy heart unto Heaven,The duty of the redeemer. where hee sitteth at the right hand of God. And when thou seest the wine brought unto thee apart from the bread, then re­member that the blood of Christ was as verily separated [Page 194] from his body upon the Crosse, for the remission of thy sinnes; and that this is a seale of the new covenant, which God hath made to forgive the sinnes of all peni­tent sinners, that faithfully believe in the merits of his bloud-shedding.

Iohn 6.54. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, saith our Saviour Christ, shall live forever. Exceeding great was the bounty and goodnesse of our Saviour, in that hee did not onely assume our flesh, and exalt it to the Throne of celestiall glory,The saving participation of the body and blood of Christ. Vers. 56. but also feedeth us with his body and blood, unto eternall life. Oh the saving de­licates of the soule! Oh the Heavenly and Angelicall food to bee desired above all the delicates upon earth! for He that eateth the flesh, and drinketh the blood of Christ, dwelleth in Christ, and Christ in him. This is meate in­deed; when wee eate it wee are changed, not into the nature of our body, but into the nature of it: wee are the members of Christ,By it we are sanct [...]fied. and are united by his Spirit, and fed with his body and blood. This is the bread which came downe from Heaven, and giveth life unto the world; hee that eateth thereof shall never hunger: this is the bread of grace:Psal. 34.10. Iohn 6.58. this is the bread of Life, who­soever shall eate thereof shall live for ever: neither is it onely heavenly, but thou that eatest thereof art heaven­ly: that is, they that eate it savingly in the Spirit, shall become heavenly. This is the true Fountaine of life, be that shall drinke of this water, Iohn 4.14. shall never thirst; but it shall become in him a fountaine of water springing up unto eternall life.Esay 55.1, 2, 3 All yee tha [...] thirst, come unto these waters: and yee that have no silver make haste, come, buy without money: let them that thirst come, and come thou soule th [...]t [...]rt vexed with the raging heate of sinne; and if thou wantest the silver of thy merits, make haste the ra­ther: if thou hast no merits of thine owne, make haste the more ardently to the merits of Christ,Vers. 1. Make haste therefore and buy without money or money-worth; [Page 195] here is Christ the habitation of the soule, from which let not thy sinnes deterre thee, and into which let not thy merits enter; for what can be our merits? our la­bours doe not [...]tiate; neither is the grace of God bought with the silver of our merits. Therefore, heare O ye devout soules, and eate that which is good, and thou shalt be delighted with fatnesse.John 6.63. These words are spirit and truth, and the word of eternall life, the cup of benediction,1 Cor. 10.16. is the communion of the blood of Christ;1 Cor. 6.17. and the bread which we breake is the partici­pation of the Lords body: wee cleave unto the Lord; therefore we are one Spirit with him. For wee are uni­ted unto him, not onely by the communion of nature, but also by the participation of his body and blood:John 6. [...] let us not therefore with the Jewes say, How can this man give us his flesh to eate? let us not pry into his power, but let us admire his benevolence; let us not examine his Majesty, but reverence his goodnesse: the manner of his presence I know not, but his presence I believe; and am certainely perswaded, that it is inward, and neere unto us: for we are members of his body,Eph. 5.30. John 6.56. flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bones: he dwelleth in us, and wee in him. My soule desireth to dive by cogitation into the secrets of this most profound abysse, but can­not finde, with what words to set forth and declare that infinite goodnesse; and therefore am altogether amazed at the sight of the greatnesse of the grace of the Lord, and the glory of his Majesty.

In this Supper of the Lord, there is set before us, a mystery to be trembled at, and by all meanes to be ado­red of us; there is the treasury and treasure of divine grace.Gen. 2. [...]. We know in Paradise there was a tree of Life planted by God, whose fruit might have conserved our first parents and their posterity, by the fertility, and fe­licity thereof. There was also placed in Paradise, a Tree of knowledge of good and evill, but even that [Page 196] which was appointed by God, for their life and salva­tion, and for to exercise their obedience, became unto them an occasion of death and condemnation,Ezech. 47.12. while they obeyed their owne desires, and the divels allure­ments. Here is also prepared a Tree of Life, whose wood is sweete, whose leaves are for medicine, and whose fruit for meate;Revel. 22.1, 2. the sweetnesse thereof doth take away the bitternesse of all evill, yea of death it selfe. Unto the Israelites was given Manna, that they might be fed with heavenly food, here is that [...]r [...]e manna of our soules, which came downe from Heaven to give life unto the world:Iohn 6.51. this is the heavenly bread, and Ange­licall meate, of which whosoever eateth, shall never hunger:Col. 2.3, 5. here is the true Arke of the Covenant, that is, the most sacred body of Christ, wherein the treasures of all science, knowledge, and wisedome, are layd up in store for all penitent soules, that faithfully believe in his merits: here is the true Mercie-seat in the bloud of Christ,Rom. 3.25. which makes us happy and beloved in the most deare and beloved Christ;Gen. 28.15, 17, 12. here is the gate of heaven in­deed, here is the Angell sladder. Can heaven be greater than God? can heaven be more united unto God, than the flesh of humane nature, which he hath assumed un­to himselfe? Heaven indeed is the throne of God, but in the humane nature assumed by Christ resteth the holy Spirit.Esay 11.2. God is in heaven, but in Christ dwelleth the fulnesse of divinity.Col. 2.9. Certainly this is a great and in­fallible pledge of our salvation by assuming our humane nature into the fellowship of the most holy, and blessed Trinity, in which all heavenly good is layd up in store for us: how can hee forget those unto whom hee hath given the pledge of his owne body? We are deere unto Christ, how then can Satan be able to overcome us? be­cause Christ bought us at so deare a price: we are deare unto Christ because he feeds us with his most deere and precious body and blood: wee are deere unto Christ, [Page 197] because wee are flesh of his flesh,Ephes. 5.2, 3. and members of his bo­dy; this is the only soveraine and precious Balmesome of all spirituall diseases; this is the onely soveraigne medicine of immortality: for what sin so great, that Gods sacred flesh cannot expiate? What sin so great, that the quickning flesh of Christ cannot heale? What sin so mortall, that is not taken away by the death of the Sonne of God? What fiery darts of the divell, can be so mortiferous, that they cannot be quenched in the fountaine of divine grace? What so great a staine of the conscience, that his blood cannot purge? Here is not felt the fire of Gods fury, but the heat of his love; here is the Sonne of righteousnesse,Malac. 4.2. the present light of our soules; our first Parents were brought into Para­dise, that most sweet and fragrant garden,Gen. 2.8. the type of eternall beatitude: behold, the penitent conscience is here cleansed by the blood of the Sonne of God, and by the body of Christ are nourished, the members of Christ the head; the faithfull soule is fed with divine and heavenly dainties, the sacred flesh of God, which the Angels adore in the unity of person, which the Arch-angels reverence;Psalm. 18. at which the powers doe tremble, and which the vertuous admire, is the spi­rituall food of our soules. Let the heavens rejoyce,Psal. 96.11. let the earth be glad, but much more the faithfull soule, upon whom such, and so great benefits are bestowed.

Our most bountifull God,Matth. 22.4. hath prepared a great feast, hearts that be hungry must be brought unto it, he that tasteth not thereof, feeleth not the sweetnesse of this heavenly feast; to believe in Christ is this heavenly feast: but no man believeth,Note. unlesse he confesse his sins with contrition, and repent him of the same. Contri­tion is the spirituall hunger of the soule, and faith is the spirituall feeding. God gave Manna,Exod. 16.4. the bread of An­gels, to the Israelites in the wildernesse. In this feast of [Page 198] the new testament, God giveth us the heavenly Manna, that is, his grace and forgivenesse of sins, yea, his Sonne, Christ Jesus. The Lord of the Angels is that spirituall bread which came downe from heaven, to give light and life unto the world. The desire is the food of the soule, and the soule comes not to this mysticall feast, unlesse it desires to come thereto;Matth 25.8. Verse 10. and it cannot desire the heavenly sweetnesse, if it be full of this worlds comforts; at the comming of the Bridegroome, the Virgins that had no oyle in their lampes, staying too long, were shut out; so they whose hearts in this world are not filled with the oyle of the holy Spirit, shall not be admitted by Christ, to the participation of the joy of this holy feast, but shall have the gate of indul­gence, the gate of mercy, the gate of consolation, the gate of hope,Rom. 5.20. the gate of grace, and the gate of good workes shut against them. Our Saviour Christ hath yet another kinde of calling, and happy is hee that heares and obey it. Christ often knocks at the gates of our heart by holy desires,Note. devout sighes, and pious cogita­tions; and happy is hee that openeth unto him: as soone therefore, as thou feelest in thy heart any holy desire of the heavenly grace, assure thy selfe that Christ knockes at thy heart; make haste, let him in lest hee passe by, and presently shut the gate of his mercy against thee: as soone as thou feelest in thy heart any sparke of holy motions or godly meditations, perswade thy selfe, that it is kindled by the heat of divine grace and love, that is, of the holy Spirit; cherish and nourish it,1 Thes. 5.19. that it may grow to be a fire of love in thee; and take heed that thou quench not the Spirit,1 Cor. 3.17. and hinder the worke of the Lord; our heart is the Temple of the Lord; hee that destroyeth the Temple of the Lord, shall feele his severe judgement, and he destroyeth it, whosoever refuseth to give place to the holy Spirit, inwardly calling him by the Word. In the [Page 199] old Testament the Prophets could heare the Lord spea­king inwardly in them; and so all the true godly doe feele those inward motions of the holy Spirit drawing them unto goodnesse;Ephes. 4.3. therefore all men must endeavour to keepe the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

A preparation to the receiving of the holy Commu­nion of the Body and Blood of Iesus Christ.

THere is a hearing, and a preparation before hearing; there is a praying, and there is a preparation before praying; and there is a receiving, and there is a prepa­ration before receiving, which if it be wanting, the re­ceiver receiveth uncomfortably, the prayer prayeth vainly, and the hearer heareth unfruitfully; like those which doe eate before hunger, or drinke before thirst; this preparative before hearing, praying, and receiving, for the health of our soules, doth signifie the rules of physicke; for preparatives are ministred alwaies be­fore physicke:Note. and as the preparative which goes be­fore maketh way to the physicke, or else it would doe no good, but hurt; so, unlesse examination goe before the Sacrament,1 Cor. 11.27, 29. wee seale up the threatnings which are pronounced against us, in stead of the promises which are made unto us; for the Sacrament is a seale, and sealeth good or evill, as every other seale doth; there­fore all men ought carefully to examine themselves; but they that are suspected of a crime, doe not examine themselves, but are examined of others, lest they should be partiall in their owne cause; but a faithfull Christian should examine himselfe of his crime,Verse 31.32. Note. and be his owne judge, his owne accuser; and his owne condemner, for no man knowes the spirit of man, but the spirit which is in man, which will condemne him, if he be guilty, and tell him all that he hath done, and with what minde he [Page 200] did it, and what punishment he deserveth for the same; this is the close sessions, or private arraignement, when Conscience sits in her chaire to examine, accuse, judge and condemne her selfe,Eccles. 18.19. because she will escape the just condemnation of God.

Thus have holy men kept their sessions at home, and made their hearts the fore-man of the Jury, and ex­amine themselves,Note. as wee examine others. The feare of the Lord stood at the doore of their soules, to examine every thought before it went in; and at the doore of their lips, to examine every word before it went out; so shouldest thou sit in judgement of thy selfe, and call thy thoughts, words and actions, to give in evidence against thee, whether thou be a Christian or an Infi­dell, a sonne, or a bastard, a servant, or a rebell, a sin­cere believer, or an hypocrite; if upon examination thou find not faith, nor feare, nor love, nor zeale in thy selfe, let no man make thee believe thou art holy, that thou art godly,Note. that thou art sanctified, that thou art a Christian, that thou art a believer, because thou art worse then thou seemest to thy selfe to be; there­fore, if my heart tell mee that I love God, whom shall I believe before my selfe?1 Cor. 2.11. No man can search the heart of another man; so Paul saith, No man knoweth the spirit of any man, but the spirit which is in man, that is, no man feeleth the heart of man so well as himselfe; and yet himselfe, though he hath lived with it, ever since hee was borne, doth not rightly know his owne heart, unlesse hee examine it narrowly, no more then he knoweth his owne bones or his veines, sinewes, arteries, or his muskles; how they are in his body, and where they lie, or what they doe; this may seeme strange, yet it is true: for Christ saith to his Disciples,Luke 9.55. You know not of what Spirit yee are, that is, you thinke better of your selves than you are, and know not what the clocke striketh within you; [Page 201] for there is a zeale without knowledge, and a know­ledge without zeale: there is faith without obedience, and there is obedience without faith: there is love without feare, and there is feare without love, and both are hypocrites. Judg. 16.18. Therefore as Delilah searched where the strength of Sampson lay, so let every one search, where their owne weaknesse lieth, and strengthen themselves by faith; and alwaies be filling the empty gap, by en­deavouring to supply the want of their owne defects.

Holy and godly men are distinguished in their ends: for the children of God, propose the glory of God, and levell all their thoughts, speeches and actions, as if they were messengers sent to carry him presents of honour. Thus did David, when he said,Psal. 103. All that is within me praise the Lord: but the children of this world, without feare or reverence, extoll themselves and their owne worthinesse, and set up their owne glory for their marke: like Nebuchadnezzar, which said,Dan 4.30. For the ho­nour of my majesty. Therefore they speake, and looke, and walke, as if they did say to their tongue, eyes, and feete, and apparell as Saul said to Samuel, Honour me before this people. 1 Sam. 15.30.

The ungodly when they have received the Sacrament into their bellies, thinke all is well, and have done all that they went for: as Micah, when he had received a Levite into his house,Judg. 17.30. thought that God loved him for the Levites sake: but as the Levite did not profit him, because he received nothing but the Levite; so the Bread and Wine doth not profit them, because they re­ceive nothing but Bread and Wine, for want of faith. Marvell not then, if you have not felt that comfort after receiving of the Sacrament, which you looked for, be­cause you did not receive it as you ought: for it yields comfort to none, but to them which prepare their hearts, and examine themselves before, and apprehend Christ by a lively faith, & apply his merits to heale their [Page 202] miseries;Iohn 13.30. Some receive the outward signe without the spirituall grace, as did Iudas: some receive the spiritual grace without the outward signe, as the Saint thiefe on the crosse; and all the faithfull who dying desire it, but cannot receive it through some externall impediments. But the wor­thy receivers to their com­fort receive both: the bread of the Lord, and the bread which is the Lord. But some receive the bread of the Lord, but not the bread which is the Lord. for it is not the mouth but the heart which receiveth comfort: now there is many which bring a mouth to receive, but not a heart to believe; these goe away from the Sacrament to despight Christ, as Iudas went from the Lords Supper to betray him: but the faithfull believer goes away like one which hath received a cheerefull countenance from his Redeemer; and his thoughts are joy and gladnesse, as one which hath received the hope of salvation. As hee that hath eaten sweet meate, hath a sweet breath; so they which have eaten Christ, with the mouth of faith, all their sayings and doings are sweet; like a perfume to men, and incense to God: their peace of conscience, and joy of heart, and desire to doe good, will tell them, nay re­solve them, whether they have received the bare signes, or the thing signified: for every one which receiveth this Sacrament of the Lord, shall either feele himselfe better after receiving it, like the Apostles; or find them­selves the worse after it, like Iudas: to conclude, exa­mine your selves, before you presume to come to receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper.

Adam the first man, was forbidden to eate of the fruit of one tree which was fore-shewed to be mortall; and hee did hasten to eate thereof: wee the children of the second Adam, are commanded to eate of the lively and saving fruit, the body and blood of Christ to our Salvation; yet how slacke are wee to partake thereof, and to prepare our selves thereunto? The first steppe therefore of true preparation, is to search the Scrip­tures, which teacheth the mystery of this Communion, and the institution of the same: and also the significa­tion of the outward signes which are bread and wine; and the things signified, the body and blood of Christ, shed for all true believers:1 Cor. 11.25. the end the receiving there­of is to retaine the remembrance of the death and pas­sion of Christ, which he suffered for our sinnes: by the [Page 203] true receiving of this Sacrament, wee are united unto the love of God, in and by the death of Christ, and are made heires by adoption of eternall salvation, in,Note. by, and with Christ. The true receiving of this blessed Sacrament, must be in sincerity, with a penitent heart, and faith unfained: but sinners, who come there­unto unworthily, eate and drinke their owne dam­nation. Therefore we must before wee come thereunto,1 Cor. 11.27. cleanse our soules from all sinne, which cannot bee done without diving into our owne soules, with an impartiall search to finde our owne corruption, and truely repent us of our sinnes:Vers. 28. it is not fit to come to this holy banquet abruptly, as men doe to their ordina­ry feasts, where they ceremoniously and pharisaically will wash their hands before they eate; but to this most holy Supper wee must not presume to come without in­ward washing of our soules from sinne: for if unwashed hands prophane the meate for the belly, how much more unwashed hearts, the sacred Sacrament, the food of the soule? Let us therefore by inward examination,Ecclus. 18.19. impartiall accusation, and absolute condemnation of our selves for sinne, make our selves fit to come to this holy Table. This caveat is no inhibition, but a terri­fying of the soule, not to presume to come to this holy Table without purification, and sanctification,Note. Math. 7.6. and not with polluted hands and hands full of bribery, and extortion; or to take it with lips defiled with blasphe­my, cursing, and lying; or to put it into a stomacke gorged with drunkennesse, gluttony, and with a heart fraught with envie,1 Cor. 5.7, 8. making no difference of the Lords body. We must therefore lay aside all our old sinnes, and put on the new man, a righteous, a holy,Note. and Chri­stian conversation and disposition; wee must bee holy and heavenly minded towards God; we must be friend­ly and loving to our neighbours; slow in taking ad­vantages, renewing or revenging of wrongs? wee must [Page 204] be humble and lowly in our owne eyes, meeke and so­ber in all our actions; and because herein are exhibited and offered things of such wonderfull valew and price to the worthy receivers, wee must bee cleansed of our spirituall leprosie, before wee presume to communicate in the company of Saints. We must therefore assure our selves that we are in the number of those, to whom these holy things doe appertaine; for whosoever is prophane in his person, and an unsanctified creature, let him forbeare to come to this holy banquet, till he have first used the meanes of better assurance by repentance for his sinnes, and amendment of his corrupt and sinnefull life, let him often call upon God by zealous and faith­full prayers, for the remission of his omissions and trans­gressions, let him earnestly crave the assistance of his holy spirit to assist him in the mortifying and beating downe of sinne, and that his heart and conscience may be sanctified and made fit for so holy an exercise. When he is thus cleansed, let him shew himselfe to the Priest his Pastour, and let him take knowledge by his outward confession of his inward contrition. And then in all reverence and in the feare of God let him come to this holy Table; let him eate the body and drinke the blood of that Lambe that taketh away the sinnes of all penitent sinners, and will present him pure unto the Lord: for the Lords eye is pure and can abide no wic­kednesse; the Sacrament is holy, touch it not rashly: if thou have not the wedding garment of sincerity, come not thereto,Math. 22.11, 12 13. for the Lord will finde thee out, and thrust thee forth out of his presence, among the unbeleevers, whose portion shall bee with the divell and his angels, Let us therefore search and examine our waies, let us lift up our hands with our hearts unto God, and feed on this holy mystery,1 Cor. 11.25, 26 the life of our soules, in remem­brance that Christ died for us, untill his second com­ming. Blesse me, O Lord, so that my sins may wholly [Page 205] be remitted by thy blood, my conscience sanctified by thy Word, my mind enlightened by thy Truth, my heart guided by thy Spirit, and my will in all things subdued to thy blessed Will and pleasure. Blesse mee with all graces which I want, and increase in mee those good gifts, which thou hast already bestowed upon mee.

Of the Ordinance of Christ, concerning the translation of the Sabbath.

THe Primitive Church had farre greater reason to celebrate Sunday in memory of Christs resurrecti­on, then to keepe the Sabbath; because that by his re­surrection from the dead,Isay 65.17. & 66.12.13. there is wrought a new spiri­tuall creation of the world, without which, all the sonnes of Adam had beene turned to everlasting perdi­tion and destruction, and so all the workes of the first creation, had ministred no consolation unto us. In respect of this new spirituall creation,2 Cor. 5.17, 18. Rev. 21.1. Gal. 6.15. 1 Pet. 2.10. Ephes. 4.24. Colos. 3.10. Matth. 26.28. 2 Pet. 3.13. Isay. 66.12.13. Chro, 4.9, &c. the Scripture saith, that old things are passed away, and all things are be­come new: new creatures, new people, new men, new knowledge, new Testament, new Commandements, new Heaven, new Earth; and therefore there is in stead of the old, a new holy day to honour and praise our Redeemer, and to meditate upon the workes of our re­demption, and to shew the new change fo the old Te­stament, because that on this day, Christ rested from all the sufferings of his passion, and finished the glo­rious worke of our redemption. If the finishing of the worke of the first creation, whereby God mightily ma­nifested himselfe unto his creatures deserved a Sabbath for to solemnize the memoriall of so great a work,Esay 58.13. to the honour of the worker, and therefore God calls it mine [Page 206] holy day; much more doth the new creation of the world, effected by the resurrection of Christ, whereby he mightily declared himselfe to be the Sonne of God,Rom. 1.3, 4. deserve an holy festivall for the perpetuall commemo­ration thereof to the honour of Christ; and therefore most worthily called the Lords day:Apoc. 1.10 for as the deli­verance out of the captivity of Babylon, being greater, tooke away the name from the deliverance out of the bondage of Egypt;Jer. 23.7, 8. & 16.13. so the day whereon Christ finished the redemption of the world, did more justly deserve to be kept holy than that day wherein God ceased from creating the world:Gen. 2.2. as therefore in the creation, the first day wherein it was finished was consecrated for a Sabbath;Lev. 23.32. Neh. 13.19. so in processe of time, after our redemption, the first day wherein it was perfected, was dedicated to a holy rest. The Jewes kept their Sabbath on the last day of the week, beginning it with the night, when God rested from finishing the worke of his creation, but Christians honour the Lord better, on the first day of the weeke, when the Lord arose. They kept their Sabbath in remembrance of the worlds creation, but Christians celebrate it in memoriall of the worlds re­demption;Matth. 28, 1. Acts 20.7 & 2.46. yea, the Lords day being the first day of the creation, and redemption puts us in minde both of the making of the old world, and redeeming of the new world.

Many godly Writers doe record many memorable things, which were done upon the first day of the weeke, as so many types that the chiefe worship of God should under the new Testament be celebrated upon this day:Exod. 31. as that on this day the cloud of Gods Ma­jesty first sate upon his people; Aaron and his children first executed their Priest-hood; God first solemnely blessed his people, the princes of his people first offe­red publikely unto God the first day, wherein fire de­scended from heaven: the first of the world, of the [Page 207] yeere, of the moneth, of the weeke, all shadowing, that it should be the first and chiefe holy day of the new Testament;Gen. 17.12. and circumcision being commanded on the eighth day, which was foreseene by the holy Fathers and Prophets, to be a type of the Lords day,Esay 58.13. that the Sabbath should cease, and give place to the eight or first day of the weeke. If this mysterie were so clearely seene by the Fathers and Prophets, under the shadowes of the old Testament;2 Cor. 4.4. surely the God of this world hath deepely blinded their mindes, who cannot see the truth thereof under the cleere shining light of the Gospel. This change of the Sabbath under the new Testament, was nothing but a fulfilling of that which was solemn­ly prefigured, and fore-prophesied under the old;1 Cor. 14.36, 37 therefore all true Christians, according to the Lords minde and Commandement, and the direction of the holy Ghost, should keepe the holy day upon that Lords day or Sunday,Apoc 1.9.10.11. agreeable to the practise of the ancient Church, and worthily solemnize it on the first day of the weeke, in memoriall of the worlds redemption, to the honour and praise of the Lord Jesus, who rose from death to life upon that day. This should stirre up all Christians to a thankfull remembrance of their redemp­tion by Christ his resurrection from the dead.Hebr. 2.5. & 2.11. & 5.9. And note that with the day, the blessing of the day is likewise translated to the Lords day, because all the sanctifi­cation belonging to this new world is in Christ, and from and by him conveyed to Christians; and because there cannot come a greater motive or cause then the new cre­ation of the world, therefore the worship of God is fitler solemnized on this day then on any other.

The holy Sunday is the Lords market day for the weeks provision,Esa. 55.1, 2, 3. wherein he will have us to come unto him, and buy of him without gold or silver, the bread of Angels, and water of life, the wine of the Sacraments, and the milk of the Word, to feed our soules, tried gold [Page 208] to inrich our faith;Apoc. 3.18. Gen. 2.2, 3. Exo. 20.10, 11. precious eye salve to heale our spirituall blindnesse; and the white rayment of Christs righteousnesse, to cover our filthy nakednesse.

Of Christs Ascension.

MEditate upon thy Saviours ascension, by a holy contemplation,Joh. 20.29. thou faithfull soule; for Christ withdrew his visible presence from the faithfull, to exercise their faith, by holy contemplation; and bles­sed are they that see not,Mat. 6.21. Act. 8.21. Colos. 3.2. and yet believe: where our treasure is, there let our heart be also; Christ our trea­sure is in heaven, let our hearts therefore be set upon those things that are heavenly, and meditate upon those things that be above; let us put our confidence in the pledge of the holy Spirit which the Lord left unto us at his departure; let us put our confidence in the body and blood of Christ, which wee receive in the mysterie of the holy Sacrament; and let us believe that our bo­dies which are filled with this incorruptible food, shall at length be raised up againe, and that which we now believe in faith, wee shall then see with our eyes; and our hope wee have now in Christ, shall then be reall fruition to our soules; the Lord is present unto us here but in part;Colos. 3.4. but in the mansion of his heavenly kingdome,Act. 1.9.10.11, 12. we shall behold him in his glory, and know him as hee is, which is our life: our Saviour ascended up from the Mount of Olives, the Olive is the signe of peace and joy; therefore not without great cause hee ascended up from Mount Olivet, because by his passion and holy sufferings, he hath purchased peace and tran­quillity, for amazed and terrified consciences; not with­out cause did hee ascend up from the Mount Olivet, for the court of heaven exceedingly rejoyce to receive [Page 209] him: the Mount doth not onely put us in minde, but doth also call and invite us to heavenly things; and see­ing we cannot follow him with the feete of our body, let us follow him with the feete of our holy desires; The disciples stood lifting up their eyes,Vers. 11. and looking towards Heaven, so let all the true Disciples of Christ, lift up the eyes of their heart to behold, and desire hea­venly things. Sweet Jesus, what a blessed and glorious alteration followed thy passion! Oh happy and sodaine change! how didst thou suffer on Mount Calvary, for our sinnes? and how doe I now behold thee in the Mount of Olives! there thou wast alone, here thou art accompanied with many thousands of Angels: there thou didst ascend up to the Crosse in disgrace,Luke 24.52. here thou didst ascend up into Heaven in a cloud and in glory: there wast thou crucified betweene thieves, here thou dost rejoyce amongst the company of An­gels and Saints: there thou wast nayled to the Crosse as a condemned man; here thou art at liberty and dost deliver those that were condemned;Eph. 5.23. & 30 there suffering and dying, here rejoycing and triumphing: Christ is our head, and the Saviour of the body, we are his members. Rejoyce therefore, and bee glad, thou faithfull soule, for though our sinnes doe hinder us, yet the communi­on of nature doth not repell us; where the head is, there shall the members be also; our head is in heaven, there­fore the members have just and great cause to hope for entrance there, not onely so, but they are assured alrea­dy that they have possession there. Christ descended from Heaven to redeeme us: and againe, hee ascended up into heaven to glorifie us: unto us was he borne,Note. for us did he suffer, and for us did he ascend; our charity is confirmed by Christs passion; our faith by Christs resurrection, and our hope by Christ ascension. Let us strive to follow Christ our Bride-groome, not onely with our ardent desire, but also with our [Page 210] good workes;Acts 21.27. Acts 1.10. for nothing that is defiled, shall enter into this heavenly City. The Angels that came from heavenly Ierusalem appeared in white robes; by purity and innocency is figured, that no pride can ascend with the Doctour of humility; nor no malice with the Authour of goodnesse; with the lover of peace there ascends no discord; and with the sonne of the Virgin, there ascends no uncleannesse; after the parent of vertue, there ascend no vices; and after the just per­son, there ascends no sinnes. Therefore he that desires to see God face to face; let him so live here in this world as in his sight; and hee that hope for cele­stiall things, let him contemne terrestriall things. Our Saviour Christ promised unto his Apostles, that after his departure, he will send unto them from his father a comforter,John 14.26. & 15.26. Luke 24.47. Vers 47. John 24.17. the holy Ghost the Spirit of truth to testi­fie of him, and to teach them all things: and to endue them with power, to preach repentance, and remission of sinnes in his name among all Nations, saying, Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you. Therefore let not our hearts be troubled, neither let us feare, but that our Saviour which redeemed us will also through his merits and mediation glorifie us in Heaven, O sweet Jesus draw our hearts unto thee, whether thou art gone before, and that in the meane time wee may immitate thy goodnesse mercy, truth, and patience, and follow thee in the same. Amen.

Of the holy Ghost.

OUr Lord Jesus ascending up into the Heavens, and entring into his glory,Acts 2.4. Vers. 1. Exod. 10.11. sent the holy Ghost upon the Apostles on the day of Penticost: as in the old Te­stament, when God proclaimed the Law in Mount Si­nai, he came downe unto Moses. So when the Gospell [Page 211] was by the Apostles to be propagated throughout the world, the Holy Ghost came downe upon them, there was thundring and lightning, and the lowd sound of the trumpet, so that all the people were afraid;Vers. 16. because the Law doth thunder terrible things against our dis­obedience, and makes us subject to Gods indignation. But here is the sound of a gentle wind, where the Lord from heaven doth powre out his Spirit upon all flesh;Acts 2.2.17. for the preaching of the Gospell doth lift up the soules that are cast downe with dispaire by reason of their sinnes: there was feare and trembling of the people be­cause the Law bringeth wrath;Rom. 4.15. but here the whole multitude doe flocke together to heare the wonderfull things of God: for by the Gospell we have accesse un­to God; their God descended in fire, but it was in the fire of his wrath, therefore was the mountaine moved, and did smoke: but here the holy Ghost descended in the fire of his love, so that the house is not shaken by the wrath of God; but rather replenished,Exod. 19.18. Acts 2.3. with the glory of the holy Ghost. What wonder is it that the holy Ghost bee sent from the Court of Heaven to san­ctifie us, seeing the Sonne of God was sent from Hea­ven to redeeme us. But the holy Ghost came upon the Apostles, when they were assembled together in prayer with one minde; for he is the Spirit of prayer, which moveth us to pray, and is obtained by prayer. Where­fore,John 20.19, 22. Zach 12.10. because hee is that bond by which our hearts are knit and united unto God, as he doth unite the Father with the Sonne, and the Sonne with the Father; for hee is the mutuall love of the Father and the Sonne. This our spirituall conjunction with God, is wrought by faith in Christ, but faith is the gift of the Spirit; and is obtained by prayer, but true prayer is made in the Spirit. In the Temple of Salomon, when Incense was offered unto God,1 King 8.10, 11. the Temple was filled with the glory of the Lord; so if thou offerest unto God the [Page 212] sweet odours of prayers: the holy Ghost shall fill the temple of thy heart with glory. Let us here admire the grace and mercy of God:Psal. 50.15. Rom. 8.34, 35. Gal. 4 6. the Father promiseth to heare our prayers; the Sonne intercedeth for us; and the holy Ghost prayeth within us; the Angels of Hea­ven carry our prayers unto God, and the Court of Heaven is open to receive them. God of his mercy doth give unto us the effect of prayer, because he giveth unto us the Spirit of grace and prayer; and doth alwaies heare our prayers, if not according to our desire, yet according to that which is most profitable for us. The holy Ghost came when they were all met together with one accord in one place;Acts 2.1. for hee is the Spirit of love and concord,Note. that joyneth us unto Christ by faith; and unto God by love; and to our neighbour by cha­rity; because he is the Authour of all goodnesse, and the fountaine of all grace and mercy. Now the Spirit of God effects in man such motions as himselfe is; for as the soule giveth unto the body life, sense and moti­on, so the holy spirit maketh man spirituall; seasons his minde with divine saltnesse,Note. and directs all his members to the performance of all good duties towards God, and towards his neighbours, and proceedeth from all eternity: he came in the type of breath, and affordeth unto the afflicted conscience, quickening con­solation, because wee live according to the flesh by the reciprocall breathing out and sucking in of the aeriall spirit, he came under the type of spirit and breath, be­cause he giveth us to live according to the better part: The winde bloweth where it lusteth, Iohn 3.8. and thou hearest the sound thereof, but thou knowest not whence it commeth, nor whither it goeth. So is every one that is borne of the Spirit: it was meete that he should come in the type of breath, because hee proceedeth from both the Father and the Sonne, by one incomprehensible breathing from eternity; it was a powerfull breath, because the [Page 213] grace of the holy Ghost comes with power, and moveth the godly in whom he dwelleth to all that is good, and so effectually moveth, and strengtheneth them, that they neither regard the threats of tyrants, nor feare the trecheries of the Divell, nor the hatred of the world;Psal. 19.3.4. hee conferreth upon the Apostles the gift of tongues, because their sound was to goe into all lands; and so the confusion of tongues which was the punishment of pride and rashnesse in the building of the tower of Ba­bel was taken away, and the dispersed nations,Gen. 11, 7, 8, 9. by the gift of the holy Ghost, through the diversity of tongues, were gathered together into the unity of faith. Againe, it was meet that he should come in the figure of tongues, because holy men of God did speake as they were in­spired by him: For hee spake by the Prophets and Apostles, and putteth the Words of God into the mouthes of the Ministers of the Church; therefore the Prophets in the old time, came not by the will of man,2 Pet. 1.21. but were moved by the holy Ghost; for these great gifts, blessed and praised be the holy Ghost, to­gether with the Father and the Sonne, now and for ever.

Of the Love of God.

THis love of God is commanded by God, to the Is­raelites, by the mouth of Moses, being then the se­lect and peculiar people of God, saying,Deut. 6.5. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, and with all thy soule, and with all thy might: and Christ himselfe in the Gospel doth alledge this Precept to the Doctor of the Law, which tempted him, saying, Master, which is the greatest Commandement in the Law? He answering,Matth. 22.36, 37, 38, 39. said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy [Page 214] heart, with all thy soule, and with all thy mind, and thy neighbour as thy selfe: this doth teach all Christians, that without the knowledge of this love of God, they can never attaine to the saving knowledge of God; and without the love of God, all knowledge is unprofi­table: For love is the life of Nature, and the joy of Reason; in the Spirit of grace, where Vertue draweth affection, the concord of sense makes an union unsepa­rable in the divine apprehension of the joy of election; it is a ravishment of the soule, in the delight of the spirit, which being caryed above it selfe into inexplicable comfort, feeles that heavenly sickenesse, that is better then the worlds health. When the godliest of men in the swounding delight of his sacred inspiration, could thus utter the sweetnesse of his passion; my soule is sicke of love; for love is a healthfull sicknesse of the soule, it is a pleasing passion in the heart, a contentive labour in the minde, and a peaceable trouble in the senses.

Wherefore love exceedeth all the knowledge of all other mysteries, and cannot be but in the godly. The reason why our love of God is not perfect in this life, because the measure of our love is according to the mea­sure of our knowledge;1 Cor. 13.12, 13. now in this life we know God but in part, as in a glasse, but then shall we know him face to face, and then shall wee be perfectly blessed; and because wee shall then perfectly know him, there­fore we shall then perfectly love him; but no man can hope to have the perfect love of God in the world to come,Note. which beginneth not first to love God in this world. The kingdome of God must begin in the heart of man in this life, or else it cannot be consummated in the life to come; without the love of God in this life, there is no desire of eternall life. How then can that man be partaker of the chiefest good, which seeketh it not, which desireth it not, which loveth it not? such as thy love is, such art thou, because thy love transfor­meth [Page 215] thee into it selfe; for love is the chiefest couple, because the lover and the thing beloved, becommeth one. What hath conjoyned the most just God and wretched sinners, being infinitely distant in worth,Note. one from the other, but the infinite love of God? And be­cause the infinite justice of God might not be weakned, the infinite price and love of Christ interceded betwixt sinfull man, and the infinite justice of God. Againe, what hath joyned together God the Creator, and the faithfull soule created, things infinitely distant, but love? In the life which is eternall, wee shall be joyned to God in the chiefest degree, because wee shall then love him in the chiefest degree: love uniteth and trans­formeth, therefore he that loveth carnall things shall be carnall; if thou lovest the world, thou shalt become worldly,1 Cor. 48.49, 50, &c. but flesh and blood cannot inherite the kingdome of God, neither doth corruption inherite incorruption, but if thou lovest God and celestiall things, thou shalt become celestiall.Note. The love of God is the Chariot of Elias ascending up into heaven; the love of God is the joy of the mind, the Paradise of the soule; it excludeth the world; it overcometh the Divell; it shutteth hell; it openeth heaven unto us, and pleadeth mercy, in the justice of the Almighty; the love of God is that seale, with which God sealeth his servants the elect.Rev. 7.3, 4. Ephes. 4.30. At the last judgement, God will acknowledge none to be his, but those that are sealed with this seale: For faith it selfe, the onely instrument of our Justification and Sal­vation, is not true faith, unlesse it doe demonstrate it selfe by true love; for there is no true faith, unlesse there be a firme confidence; and there is no firme confidence, without the love of God, and that benefit received, is not acknowledged for which wee doe not give thankes; and we doe not give thankes to him which wee doe not love. If therefore thy faith be true, it will acknowledge the benefit of our redemption wrought by Christ Jesus; [Page 216] it will acknowledge and give thanks;Note. it wil give thanks, and love that gracious God, who hath bestowed all these saving benefits upon us; the love of God is the life and rest of the soule: when the soule by death departs from the body, then the life of the body departeth; but when God departeth out of the soule, by reason of sins, then the life of the soule departeth. Againe, God dwels in our hearts by faith,Ephes. 5.17. Rom. 5.5. God dwels in the soule by love, because the love of God is infused into the hearts of the elect, by the inspiration of the holy Spirit; there is no tranquillity of the soule, without the love of God: the world, the flesh and the divell doe much disquiet it, but God is the true rest of the soule,Ephes 3.19. and the fulnesse of the knowledge of Christ, is the fulnesse of the knowledge and love of God; there is no peace of conscience, but to those that are justified by faith in Christ; there is no love of God, but in them that have a filiall confidence in God. To conclude, in the praise of this peerelesse ver­tue; love is the grace of nature, and the glory of reason, the blessing of God, and the comfort of the world; there­fore let the love of the world, the love of our soules, and the love of the creatures die in us, that the love of God may live and abound in us, which God of his grace be­ginne in us in this world, and perfect in the world to come. This love of God, is wrought by the meanes of the same spirit, dwelling in Christ and the faithfull, and incorporateth the faithfull as members unto Christ their head,Rom. 8. and so makes them one with Christ, and partakers of all the graces, holinesse, and eternall glory which is in him, as sure, and as verily, as they heare the Word of promise, and are partakers of the outward signes of the holy Sacrament.Verse 39. What then can be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord?

The properties of Charity, and true Love to our Christian brethren.

CHrist Jesus our Saviour gave himselfe for us, to redeeme us from all our sinnes and wickednesse;Titus 2.14. and to purge us a peculiar people, followers of good workes. To this purpose wee are admonished of the Lord, Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good workes, Math. 5.16, &c. and glorifie your Father which is in Hea­ven. Therefore whilst wee have time, let us doe good towards all men, and especially towards them of the household of faith. To this use the holy Scriptures were given unto us: for all Scripture inspired from God,2 Tim. 3.16, 17 is profitable to teach, to reprove, to correct, to instruct in righteousnesse, that the man of God bee perfect and instructed to all good workes. It is cleare then, that we be not so justified by faith, that wee should bee un­profitable, barren, and unfruitfull of good workes, but rather that giving our selves continually unto good workes, wee should advance the glory of Gods grace, and shew it before the eyes of all men, as the light of our new creation. for we are regenerated in Christ,Eph. 4.23, 24. and thereby wee doe declare our selves to bee justified before men. Therefore let us not onely shew our selves to be Christians in name, but to become good of evill, and to declare that goodnesse received of Christ by good workes; for they be as certaine fruits of our life, witnessing the goodnesse of our mind; and declaring the nature of our heavenly Father. Good workes bee the workes of faith, which worketh by love; they be the workes of God, which hee worketh in us, and by us, but it must be considered with what minde those things be wrought which be of themselves good, whe­ther of the affection of love and mercy, or for some o­ther [Page 218] cause;Let us not love in word nei­ther in tongue but in deed & verity. 1 Iohn 3.18. for hee is not worthy straightway to have the commendation of good workes, which doth bestow meate, drinke, and cloathing, upon the poore, not of the desire to do good, but rather to hunt & hauke for glory and praise in the sight of men; wherefore all be not im­mediately good workes which be esteemed to be good, unlesse they be such as doe profit their neighbours, and that they do proceed from a good and faithfull heart, and the affection of charity: thereby our faith is exer­cised, fed, encreased and strengthened by good workes, and that wee be assured by them in our consciences of our election and calling, in that wee doe daily more and more feele the grace and vertue of Christ encrea­sing in us by meanes thereof: like as on the contrary part, evill workes doe expresse and shew forth more and more the malice and wickednesse of our hearts. Therefore Saint Peter admonisheth us to make our ele­ction and vocation sure:2 Pet. 1.10. Eccles. 28.10. for like as the fire, by wasting much wood waxeth greater and stronger, so is godli­nesse and faith fedde and maintained in Christian men, by the study and use of good workes: even so by use & exercise of vertuousnesse, men doe come to a perfect habite of the same, and so by imitation of their good workes others bee stirred up to the like desire of godli­nesse, when they doe see some lively examples in their neighbours, that by the applying of good workes, to the reliefe and necessities of the poore,Jam. 1.27. John 3.17. Hebr. 13.1, 2, 3, 16. needy, wid­dowes, fatherlesse, prisoners, sicke folkes, and all other distressed; which kind of goodnesse doth resemble the very disposition of God himselfe; for the goodnesse which wee are created unto, is not determined in the workes of mercy onely, but it doth extend unto our whole life and common trade of living together,Amity is the true bond of all humane society. wherein one man is so knit unto another by mutuall love, ayd and service, even as the very members and parts of our body doe service, one to the necessary use and [Page 219] ayde of the other, wherefore they be not men, but vaine shapes of men,John 5.5. which doe vainely and idlely spend all their life, as though they were borne to no other intent and end, but to waste and consume upon themselves without regard to their Christian brethren, or relie­ving and supplying their wants and necessities in time of need, to which end they were chiefly and necessarily ordained of God, next then to doe him service and divine worship: for Saint Paul admonisheth all men to walke worthily in the sight of the Lord,Col. 1.10. to please him in all points, being fruitfull in all good workes: for hee that is fruitfull in all good workes, doth please the Lord in all things, if they be done with a pure and sin­cere faith, for they bee the fruits of faith: for good workes are pleasing to God,Good workes be done by the Spirit of God. because they bee done by his Spirit; for he doth worke in us both to will and to performe according unto his good will and pleasure: therefore forasmuch as they come from him, it cannot be, but that they must be liked of him,That which is just and good, is loved of God. as the authour and beginner of them. Such is his justice, that he loveth the same which is just and good, being himselfe of all other most just, and the rewarder of all good workes that proceed of faith: but wee must not assume the re­ward of our good workes to proceed of our owne de­serts, but unto the goodnesse of God, who doth worke the effects of godlinesse and charity in them that believe.

True and sincere love is an inseparable property in the godly: no Christian without faith,Iohn 15.17.12, 13, 14. and no faith without charity: where there is not the brightnesse of charity, neither is there the zeale of faith:Note. take away the light from the sun, and thou maist aswell take chari­ty from faith. Charity is the outward act of the inward life of a Christian; the body is dead without the spirit,James 2.26. so faith is dead without charity. He is not of Christ that hath not the Spirit of Christ, and hee hath not the [Page 220] Spirit of Christ,Gal. 5.22. that hath not the gift of charity; for charity is the fruit of the Spirit, and the bond of perfe­ction.Col. 3.14. Note. As the members of the body are knit together by the Spirit, that is the soule: so the true members of the mysticall body of Christ, are united by the holy Spirit in the bond of charity.1 King. 6.21, 22 Salomons Temple was all cove­red with gold within and without, so let Gods Tem­ple be all beautified with love and charity both within and without; let charity move thy heart to compas­sion, and thy hand to contribution; for compassion is not sufficient, unlesse there bee also outward contribu­tion; neither is outward contribution sufficient unlesse there be also inward compassion:1 Iohn 4.7, &c. faith receiveth all from God, and charity giveth againe unto our neighbours. God is love, and by faith we are partakers of his divine nature, no man believeth in Christ, which loveth not Christ; and no man loveth Christ, unlesse he love his neighbour: neither doth he apprehend the benefits of Christ with true confidence of heart, that doth deny his neighbour the office which hee oweth unto him. That is not truly a good worke which proceedeth not from faith;Rom. 14.13. neither is it truely a good work which pro­ceedeth not from charity: charity is the seed of all ver­tues, it is no good fruit which springeth not from the root of charity, for charity is the spirituall taste of the soule; for unto it alone is every good thing sweet and pleasant, every hard thing sweet; yea, all troubles and adversities sweet.1 Ioh. 13.34, 35 It profits not to give all that one hath unto the poore, if hee hath not charity: for the outward action is done in hypocrisie, if there bee not inward love: Rivers of bounty profit not, unlesse it spring from the fountaine of charity. Charity is pati­ent, for no man is easily angry with him that he loveth: charity is bountifull, for hee that by charity hath be­stowed his heart, which is the chiefe good of the soule, how can he deny his outward goods to his neighbour, [Page 221] which are of farre lesse worth: Charity envieth not, because hee that hath charity looketh unto anothers good as upon his owne: Charity thinketh no ill,1 Cor. 13.1, &c. but loveth truly and from his heart: Charity is the bridle of anger,Charity is simply, greater and more ex­cellent tha [...] either faith or hope, because it is more ne­cessary to the life of man, and also in [...]i­uturnity, be­cause it never dieth, nor hath any end, and so extendeth further. Walker. and keepeth a man from doing hurt unto his neighbour: Charity seeketh not those things which are her owne, because that shee loveth her neighbour, and preferreth his good before her owne: Charity is not provoked to anger: Charity imagines no mischiefe: Charity rejoyceth not in an­others iniquity; but Charity condoles anothers griefe, and maketh anothers misery to be her owne: Charity suffers all things, believes all things, endures all things, and hopes of good issue in all things: Charity refuseth not to doe unto others, as she desires that others should doe unto her: for Charity is not partiall in her owne cause; tongues shall cease; prophesies shall cease; Sciences shall be destroyed, but Charity shall never cease, but remaine for ever; the perfection and fruition thereof shall be compleate in the life to come. Thinke upon these things, O devout soule,Note. to study and endevor godly charity, the maine ground of Christian ami­ty. Whatsoever thy neighbour be,Eph. 4.31, 32. yet he is one for whom Christ dyed; why dost thou then deny to shew thy charity unto thy neighbour, whom God hath commanded thee to love? Christ laid downe his life for him, why shouldest thou then deny thy love unto him? If thou truly lovest God, thou must al­so love his Image. Wee are all one spirituall body, let us therefore have all one spirituall minde. Why should those soules live at variance here upon earth, which one day must live together in heaven? Whilest our minds agree in Christ,Eph. 4.5, 6, 7. let our wills also be con­joyned in one; wee are all members of one body, let us not live at variance, but cherish one another; that member of the body is dead, which hath not a [Page 222] feeling sense of anothers griefe; neither let him judge himselfe a member of Christs mysticall body, who doth not grieve at the misery of another which suf­fereth; we have all one Father, that is, God, whom Christ hath taught us to call upon daily,Matth. 6.9. saying, Our Father, and how shall hee acknowledge thee to be his Sonne,Hatred stirreth up strifes, but loue covereth a multitude of sinnes. Matth. 6.14.15. Eccl. 28.1, &c. unlesse thou againe owne his sonnes to be thy brethren: love thy brethren which God hath commanded thee to love; if he be worthy, doe it, because he is worthy; if he be not worthy, yet for his sake who hath commanded thee, and whom thou oughtest to obey, if thou lovest him that is thine enemy, thou shewest thy selfe to be a friend to God, and in his favour: doe not marke what man doth against thee, but what thou hast done against God, whom by thy sinnes thou hast offended in a farre more grievous manner; observe not the injuries of­fered thee by thine enemies, but observe the infinite benefits God hath conferred upon thee in Christ,Ephes. 5.2. who commandeth thee to love thine enemies: by the condi­tion of our earthly nativity, we are neighours; and by the hope our celestiall inheritance, wee are brethren. Marke what Christ saith,Matth. 5.44. Love your enemies, blesse them that curse you, doe good to them that hate you, and pray for them that hurt and persecute you; therefore let us love one another in a brotherly love;Psal. 133.1. kindle in us, O God, the fire of true love and charity, by the operation of thy holy Spirit.

Of Gods eternall Election and Predestination.

OF the eternall decree of God, concerning Predesti­nation, surely no man of Christian beliefe, doth make doubt thereof. The consideration whereof doth commend unto us,Ephes. 1.3. the wonderfull power and purpose of God, wherein hee determined with himselfe upon [Page 223] our salvation before the world was made:Esa. 43.11.13. For what else is it to choose and elect men that be not, but to fore-see and appoint unto them their salvation before they were borne; and it is an incredible matter, how great an assurance of salvation there riseth in the hearts of the faithfull, to understand and believe,Rom. 4.16. &c. that God had a care of them before the world was made, and that they were chosen by him unto salvation before they had being; hereupon the faithfull Christian may gather confidently and most assuredly, that God cannot for­sake them after they be made, and are existant, whom he choose and appointed unto salvation before they were existant, and before the world was made.God elects the faithfull unto salvation be­fore they had being. No man will deny that God hath not liberty to doe with his owne what he listeth; for seeing that hee is the Maker, Creator, preserver, and conserver of all things, and Lord of heaven and earth, it followe [...]h,Rom 9.18. Esay 45.8, 9. that he hath power upon all things; for, he hath mercy on whom he will, and whom he will he hardeneth: when he made the world, hee made it after his owne will; when hee dissevered those things that he had made, he disserved them as hee would; the heavens from earth; fire from water; dark­nesse from light; beasts from beasts; plants from plants; times from times; seasons from seasons, and man from man; therefore we may assure our selves, and stand in this, that God hath power to determine at his owne will of the salvation of man; either else wee must ut­terly deny him to be God, and say, that hee hath not power over all his creature. O man!Esay 43.13. Rom. 20.21. Reade the whole Chap­ter. what art thou that thus disputest with God? shall the worke say to the worke-man, why hast thou made me on this fashion? Hath not the Potter power over his clay, even of one lumpe to make one vessell to honour, and another to dishonour; who is able to resist his will,Joh. 36.23. albeit hee did know before what we should be; yet for all that hee found nothing in us, whereby hee should be moved [Page 224] to choose us; wee are all by nature borne the chil­dren of wrath; hee knew before wee should be such, wherfore he had cause to refuse us, rather then to choose us;The free ele­ction of God is the efficient cause of our salvation, the materiall cause is Christs obe­dience, the for­mall cause is our effectuall calling, and the finall cause is our sanctifi­cation. neither can wee boast, that hee chose us in respect of our godlinesse and justice that was to come; for if there be any godlinesse and justice in us, it is in us; not as a cause, but as the fruit of election and grace of God: for as is said, hee chose whom hee would of his free mercy, not because they would be faithfull, but because they should be faithfull; and he gave them grace, not because they were faithfull, but to the intent and end they might be made faithfull; wherefore it appeareth, that the choyce or election of us, is made by no manner of respect of any quality of ours; neither doth God elect any man for his birth or beauty, or for any prerogative or excellency in his per­son;Rom. 2.11. for God is no accepter of persons, and these things are not before election, but come after it; for that which Moses saith of the generall election of all the Israelites,Deut. 7.7. may be as truly said of the speciall electi­on of all faithfull Israelites, that God hath not cho­sen them for their multitude, but of his owne love; nor for any dignity,Gen. 4.3. but of his owne mercy; wee see God respected not the older-ship of Cain, but chose Abel; hee regarded not the riches of Nabal, the wisedome of Achi [...]ophel, 2 Sam. 17. 2 Sam. 18. 1 Sam. 28. 2 King. 9.10.33. the beauty of Absalom, the comlinesse of Saul, the princely blood of Jezabel; neither were all the seed of Abraham elected as was Abraham; it is God that hath chosen us, and doth make us meete to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints, and not any prerogative or dignity in us. Wee call Christ our Saviour, because hee by his dignity and me­rit, hath deserved our salvation of God for us.

Therefore in no wise must wee attribute our election unto any respect of our quality and worthinesse, but unto the onely respect, will and purpose of God, and [Page 225] that wee can give no reason for it,The respect of our election is to be sought in God himselfe. Psal. 8.4. &c. but onely his [...] and infinite goodnesse was the cause of it, for the per­ceiving of our owne unworthinesse and depravation doth drive us not this: for saith David, Lord, wh [...] is man, that thou art so mindfull of him, and the sonne of man, that thou so visitest him? Psal. 444. Eph. [...] & [...] The Apostle doth so expound this cause, that hee doth wholy attribute it u [...] God, and nothing at all unto us; he doth turne the respect of our election unto the good pleasure, will purpose and grace of God, according unto the good pleasure of his will, according to the riches of his grace, and accor­ding to his good pleasure which hee purposed in him­selfe; therefore he predestinates according to his pur­pose. So that we must believe, that these be the causes of our election and choice, for all men should know that there is a supernaturall cause which is the cause of all things, and that the cause of the cause,Esay 43.13. God hath cho­sen us because it hath so plea­sed him. is the cause of the thing caused. Therefore God hath determined it, who can alter it; he hath chosen us, because it so plea­sed him; he would doe so because he purposed in him­selfe so to doe: wee must rest here and seeke [...] other cause of these causes; therefore we must not rashly and ungodly, search and travell, why it hath so pleased him, and why he would and purposed so to doe, but wee must impute it wholy and onely unto the infinite goodnesse and riches of his grace: our Saviour Christ; when he said, I thanke thee, O Father, Math. 1 [...].25, [...] Lord of Heaven and Earth, because thou hast hid these things from the pru­dent and wise, and hast revealed them unto [...]abes: Hee did referre the cause hereof to nothing else, but to the good pleasure and will of God his Father: add [...] and saying, Even so, O father, for so was it thy g [...]od plea­sure. Rom. 9.15. And the Apostle when hee disputed of election and refusing, he doth openly and stedfastly referre the causes of both refusing and electing unto the will of God, saying, He hath mercy on whom he will, and ha [...]d [...]eth [Page 226] whom be wi [...] h [...]e hardned. Therefore we must consider and certainely ground our election and salvation upon his good pleasure, will, and purpose; whose will is most free interest and right, most highest over all things, truth [...]ble, his pleasure stedfast for ever, his purpose most effectuall, and power not to be withstood,Job. 36.5. and without let or hindrance, all which doe agree with the nature of Gods goodnesse, whose property is ever to have mercy and to doe good; there, it is no [...] possible that the election of us, made ac­cording to his pleasure,Esay 43.1, 3. will and purpose, should be altered or made voyd, but stand firme and stable for ever.

For like as reprobation doth exclude all manner of conjunction, of them that hee refused with the refuser God; so doth election joyne the chosen with the chu­ser: which knitting together of two most sundry na­tures of God and man, could not be made without the closing up of some mediatour. Hot and cold cannot be united, but in some meane, which may receive b [...] their is much lesse possible that man, which is colder then Ice,Heb. 12.29. should bee united with God, who is a consuming fire. This cause is most cleare, to all of reasonable under­standing, saving onely to them which neither conside­ring the highnesse of Gods wrath,1 Pet. 1.20. The mediator betwixt God and us. nor the basenesse of mans weakenesse and corruption, doe thinke they may be joyned unto God without a mediatour; now who that mediatour is, in whom God hath chosen us before the feding of the world, and hath joyned us unto him in a perpetuall conjunction, the Apostle doth diligently expresse to the Ephesians saying:Eph. 1.1. Blessed be God, the Fa­ther of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us in all man­ner of spirituall blessing in heavenly things by Christ; accor­ding as he hath chosen us in him, before the foundation of the world. Therfore we are chosen by God the Father in Christ his Sonne, in an everlasting election, before times [Page 227] and seasons, when the world was made. Wherein wee do see that it was so determined for ever, that we should bee saved by Christ the Sonne of God our mediatour, and it was so predestinated, that the same eternall Word should be borne at his time in our flesh; so that by the same through which wee should be created by, in him, wee should be chosen also to bee redeemed and saved: and this our faith in our Mediatour and Savi­our Christ hath a most ancient foundation, that is to say, eternall before all times,The foundati­on of our faith is most anci­ent. and layd before the world began. In this wise also wee were in Christ before the world was made, by the strength of this eternall electi­on as his chosen; but hee did choose us to the intent that wee should be in him and be saved by him. For Christ was made the Mediatour, head, and Saviour of the Elect, before the nativity of his flesh, but he was ap­pointed so by the Father for evermore;Rom. 9. and wee were chosen in him, before we were borne, at the same time when God determined upon the head and Mediatour of them that should bee saved; and did also determine upon them that should bee saved by him as his mem­bers; which determination the Apostle doth call the election made in Christ: wherefore wee must consider of this mystery of our election as it is whole and sound, with both the parts of it joyned together with sincere faith, with all devotion, honour, and thankfulnesse in Christ our Mediatour, Head, and Saviour, and for the confirmation of the certainty of our salvation in our hearts: wee must ponder also in our selves, how that the election and choosing of us is grounded and buil­ded upon the same purpose and counsell of God,1 Pet. 1.20, 21, 22. in the same eternity, yea and the very same certainety that the mystery of Christ is: but concerning those which be chosen of God, they be chosen generally to this pur­pose, to be made happy for evermore. To this point of true felicity those things doe belong, which be rehear­sed [Page 228] particularly by the Apostle,Psal. 32. for what can we make of it else but to bee holy and blamelesse, then to bee adopted to be the children of God? to be beloved, re­deemed, and favourably pardoned of our sinnes, to be lightned with the wisedome and knowledge of Gods will and purpose, to be called to the portion of inheri­tance, and to be signed with the holy Spirit, as the ear­nest-penny of our inheritance; but to bee made happy forever, and to be the heires of God, and coheries with Christ, and to be taken into the glory of his children. If the Prophet pronounce him happy whose sinnes bee forgiven,Vers. 1, 2. how much more are they to be counted hap­py, which bee chosen to that intent from everlasting, that they should be adopted the children of God, made holy and blamelesse, and partakers of the heavenly in­heritance this grace of Gods election is incomprehen­sible, and therefore can never be so esteemed of us, as it ought to be.

This certainty doth beget exceeding joy in the elect, for what can raise a greater joy in faithfull hearts then this, that wee know and believe verily that we shall see the infinite good pleasure of the Lord,Psal. 27.15. The infinite joy of the faithfull. in the Land of the living, and shall have an inheritance not earthly, but eternall in the heavens; and what greater joy can any man desire to enjoy, then to believe himselfe to be ele­cted to eternall joy? This assurance in the elect, is the more excellent,Note considering the woe of the reprobates which want it; and the wearisome sighs and inex­plicable terrors of such as are swallowed up: in de­spaire▪ This privilege is the more to be accounted of, because wee may enjoy it daily thoroughout our life, and that the longer we be partakers of it, the sweeter it is unto us: for this assurance is infallible so long as we have true faith in us,Rom. 4.20. Heb. 11.1. by which we come to Christ, approach to the Father, and hasten to Heaven, for faith is an undoubted certainty or perswasion in us▪ [Page 229] and an enemy to doubting and incredulity. This electi­on of God is most free, without obligation, compulsi­on, externall instigation: For, hath not the Potter liberty over his clay, &c? Who can compell the Al­mighty, who can resist his power,Rom. 9.21. or what is before his will? for the election of God is constant, perpetuall, immutable, inviolable, and unresistable;Esay 43.13. it is firme grounded, stable and unmovable; for those things which be contingent, mutable, and uncertaine, are bar­red and utterly excluded from being an originall cause or ground thereof. Now, the decree of election, is the foundation, and scaturidge of salvation, and is certaine, stedfast, and unchangeable; therefore God the authour of election,Jam. 1.17, 18. Mal. 3.6. doth seriously and effectually separate and elect the faithfull unto himselfe, and the reprobate un­believers; therefore his decree must be fulfilled▪ the Scriptures are manifold and evident in avouching this truth. In the beginning, saith the Lord, I shew the end of things,Esa, 46.10.11. and I tell before things that are not yet come to passe; my device standeth stedfastly stablished, and I will fulfill all my pleasure, as I have spoken, so will I bring to passe; as soone as I devi [...] thing I doe it. The foundation of God, saith Saint Paul, remaineth sure, 2 Tim. 2.19. having the seale, the Lord knoweth them that are his. Therefore this decree of election is the foundation, be­cause it is the wel-spring and beginning of our salvati­on, and of all the meanes tending to salvation, and is sure and firme, and never shaken, but remaines im­mutable for ever; for whosoever are elected, shall still remaine elected, and shall never be rejected:Joh. 6.39. This is my Fathers will, saith Christ, that of all which he hath given mee, I should lose nothing, John 13.1. those whom he ever loved hee loveth for ever: For neither any of those can perish whom God hath predestinated unto the kingdome of heaven, nor that any of those can come, whom hee hath not predestinated unto life; neither doth God [Page 230] offer the least injury to any; though he doth not choose all, because he is not tied to choose any; his Lordship is above all,Rom. 9.18. his authority is absolute, hee may doe with his owne what hee will, who can hinder him? the doctrine of election doth manifest the glory of God;Thes. 1. for it sheweth that we are elected to the honour of God, and to the praise of his glorious grace, and it argues and illustrates his essentiall properties: as his omnipoten­cy, omniscience, eternity and mercy, and doth both de­monstrate and defend the free grace of God against all contrariant heresies and errors, and will arme us against impetuous enemies of the truth; therefore it is worthy to be learned. Now the love of God is the ground of election, and Gods love is best knowne by his best gifts; the best things he reserveth for those he best loveth: as Joseph sent unto Benjamin more messes of meat,Gen. 43.34. and gave him richer gifts, and more costly apparell than to the rest of his brethren:Gen. 45.22. So the Lord bestoweth the best gifts upon the elect, his owne children. Now the graces of regeneration and spirituall gifts of faith, hope, and love, are without comparison the most principall; therefore hee that hath faith, hope and love, may assure himselfe of Gods love, and that hee is in the number and ranke of Gods elect, these being infallible tokens and undoubted effects of election, and fore-runners of eternall life. Now, this knowledge in God, brings [...]orth another knowledge in us,Gal. 4.5.9. whereby we know God to be our God, and this election of God workes in the elect another election, whereby they choose God for their God; and the love whereby God loveth us, works in us another love, whereby we love God; for Christ first apprehends us, and this apprehension of his,Rom. 4.20. workes in us the apprehension of faith, wherby wee lay hold upon him and his promises. If these things therefore be in us, wee may conclude infallibly, that wee are the elect of God: for they are the fruits [Page 231] of his love, and the workes of his spirit, and therefore irrefragable testimonies and tokens of election; the Sunne by his light shines upon us, and by the same light wee view and behold the Sunne againe: a man may be elected, though for a time he live unconverted,Acts 9.1, &c. Luk. 23.40, 41, 42, 43. and in his sins, as wee may see by the examples of Saint Paul, and the thiefe upon the crosse; for it is true, that whosoever is converted, is elected; yet whosoever is not converted, the same may be elected, because the elect may be aliens for a time from God,Ephes. 2.1. Cor. 6.10.11. Colos. 2.13. 1 Pet. 4.3. and unregene­rated, as were the Ephesians, Corinthians, Colossians, yea, all men are such by nature: so one good and constant motion or resolution of grace is sufficient to prove a mans election unto glory. By this we may know that wee belong to God: if wee finde the impression of the grace of God constantly in us; there is yet matter of true comfort: but if all these signes be wanting, that a man shall not alwaies finde all these things in himselfe, yet must wee not despaire, but commend our selves to the grace and mercy of God, and use the best meanes of our salvation; therefore, O devout soule,Rom. 4.25. as often as thou dost meditate upon thy predestination, be­hold, and thinke on Christ hanging upon the crosse, dying for the sinnes of the whole world, and rising againe for our justification: Begin from Christ lying in a manger,Ephes. 1.4, 5, &c. and so thy disputation of predestination shall proceed orderly; God the Father elected us in Christ before the foundations of the world were laid; if there­fore thou art in Christ by faith, doe not doubt but that election belongeth unto thee: if with a firme confidence of heart thou adherest unto Christ, doe not doubt, but that thou art in the number of the elect; but if thou goest further beyond the limits of the Word of God, and wilt search into the profundity of predestination, it is greatly to be feared, that thou wilt fall into the pro­fundity of desperation: God by the voice and seve­rity [Page 232] of the Law accuseth all, without Christs satisfacti­on; take heed therefore that thou drawest not the mystery of predestination out of the Law; search not into the reasons of Gods secret Counsell, lest thy cogitations doe much seduce thee. God dwelleth in the light that no man can attaine unto;1 Tim. 6.6. presume not therefore to come unto it rashly; but God hath revealed it unto us in the light of the Gospel; in this thou mayst safely inquire into the doctrine of this se­cret;Psal. 36.9. and in this light thou shalt see true light: search not into the profundity of this eternall decree, made from eternity, but convert thy selfe to the clearenesse of the manifestation of the Gospel, which was made in time; and in the glasse of Justification, thou mayest behold thy election made without time; out of the Law take notice of the wrath of God for sins, and repent; out of the Gospel take notice of the mercy of God through the merits of Christ, and apply that unto thy selfe by faith; take notice of the nature of faith, and shew it by thy godly conversation; take notice of Gods fatherly castigation in crosses and en­dure through patience; then at length thou shalt come to the doctrine of predestination:Note. but in this mysterie there are alwaies three things to be observed: the mercy of God loving us; the merit of Christ suffering for us, and the grace of the holy Ghost by the Gospel sanctifying us. Gods mercy is universall, because hee loved the world;Psal. 33.5, 6. the earth is full of the mercy of the Lord, yea, his mercy is greater then heaven and earth, for he hath promised,Ezech. 33.11. as truely as I live, saith the Lord, I will not the death of a sinner, but much rather that he may turne from his wickednesse and live, yea, he hath con­firmed it with an oath; if therefore thou wilt not be­lieve him for his promise, yet believe him for his oath. The merit of Christ is also universall, because hee suf­fered for the sins of the whole world; therefore doubt [Page 233] not of the universality of Christs merits; Christ dyed, and suffering prayed for them that crucified him, and shed his most precious blood for them that persecuted him: the promises of the Gospell are universall, because Christ saith unto all them that labour and are heavie laden, Come unto me, and I will refresh you. Math. 11.28. God denies his grace unto none, but to them that thinke them­selves not worthy of it, by thinking that their sinnes are greater then the mercy of God is able to pardon & forgive, & so despairing of mercy, desperately cast away themselves. Consider therefore thou faithfull soule, these three props of predestination, and rest upon them with a firme confidence of thy heart. Consider also the benefits of Gods grace & wonderful mercy towards thee that are past; and thou wilt not doubt of his finall per­severance towards thee: for when as yet thou wast not, God created thee;Rom. 1.16. when by the fall of Adam thou wast condemned, he redeemed thee: when thou livedst in the world out of the Church, hee called thee by his word: when thou wast ignorant of the truth hee instructed thee: when thou wentest astray out of the way, hee re­duced thee home: when thou sinnedst he gently corre­cted thee: when thou wast falne hee lifted thee up; when thou camest unto him hee most graciously recei­ved thee;2 Pet. 3.15. his long suffering appeared in that hee ex­pected thee, and his mercy in that he pardoned thee. Gods mercy prevented thy destruction, hope there­fore firmely that his loving kindnesse and mercy will also follow thee. Consider thou faithfull soule,Psal. 23.6. that we were elected of God in Christ by faith: faith shews it selfe by love, and love hath hope of the promise: therefore, where there is not love, neither is there faith; where there is no faith, neither is there apprehension of Christ; and where there is no apprehension of Christ, there is not election; and where there is no election, there is no hope of salvation.

Of Mortification.

HE that is resolved to endeavour his godly repen­tance, and labour the reformation of his sinfull life,Note. must labour two things principally, and of ne­cessity. The first is mortification, the next is regenera­tion: he must first destroy his sinfull estate, before hee can obtaine the estate of grace; for God and the gifts of God are so absolutely holy, that they cannot admit any mixture or cooperation with sinne and wicked actions. For as in curing of bodies infected with poy­sonous diseases;Note. the Physitian by severity and strict dyet bringeth downe the body of his patient to ex­treme poverty and leanenesse, and then in that extre­mity, helpeth the weaknesse of nature, and by restora­tives and requisite dyet, brings a new flesh, wholesome and without disease; the former diseased flesh being utterly wasted and consumed with the extremity of Physicke:How to morti­fie our diseased actions and affections. So he that is resolved in his repentance, and hath a loathing and detestation of his sinnes, and de­sire to free his soule from the contagion of sinne, must also resolve to endure such bitter physicke and strict dyet, as the judgement of spirituall physicke doth prescribe him; whereby all the evill depraved and cor­rupt affections of his soule may be utterly wasted, that thereby his soule may have new and fresh endowment of grace without taint, without disease, without griefe. This was figured in the manner of Gods calling Moses to his Princely and Propheticall office: for when Moses made offer to come neare the presence of God in the bush;Exod. 3.5, 6. God forbad him saying, Come not hither: put thy shooes off thy feete: that is, before thou presume to approach my presence, thou must put off thy sinfull and corrupt affections: for hee that hath base and vile [Page 235] affections, is not fit, is not worthy the presence of God. It was also commanded of God, in the ceremoniall Law, that they that were polluted with the touch of any uncleane thing,Levit. 15.2. were for a time prohibited the Sanctuary and the presence of God, and had a time limited to cleanse themselves, before they were allowed and admitted for cleane persons: all which ceremo­nies doe but note unto us the nature of holinesse, how impossible it is to be reconciled with sinne: for as the two contrary elements, fire and water, cannot possibly be in any one substance, without intestine strife;No peace be­tweene God and Belial. so God and Belial, grace and sinne, can never conspire in any one particular subject in the same respect; but what is gracious cannot be sinfull; and what is sinfull cannot be gracious, there being in them a full opposi­tion of nature not to bee reconciled.Phil. 2.12. Therefore it is necessary and needfull, that before wee entertaine the graces of Gods holy Spirit, wee must first discharge and abandon our sins, which have had so long enter­tainement in us, and before that wee can be regenerate and made the sonnes of God, we must mortifie our sin­full affections whereby wee were made the servants of sinne.

Saint Paul admonishing the Colossians to the imita­tion of Christ and his holinesse; adviseth them first to mortification, as if without that meanes the other were impossible: Mortifie therefore, saith he, your members, Col. 3.5, 6. which are on the earth, fornication, uncleannesse, &c. And hee giveth a reason of this direction, in the Epistle to the Romans, For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die; Rom. 8.13. but if ye mortifie the deeds of the body by the Spirit, yee shall live. By which place wee are taught what mortification is, and of what necessity it is. Mortification is the aboli­shing of the deeds of sinne in our flesh,What mortifi­cation is. by the grace and operation of Gods Spirit. By the deeds of the flesh, is meant not onely our evill actions, but our desires [Page 236] and carnall affections. Saint Paul in the place before alledged,Col. 3.5, 6. calleth them members of the earth: Mor­tifie therefore your members which are upon the earth, for­nication, uncleannesse, inordinate affections, evill concupi­scence, Luke 5.6. and covetousnesse, which is Idolatry; for which things sake the wrath of God commeth upon the children of disobedience. In which hee comprehendeth not onely our sinfull actions but our affections also; nay, the very naturall concupiscence and depravednesse of our nature:To endeavour exactly is ex­actly to per­forme. not that any man is able exactly to performe these duties, but sincerely to endeavour them: and that our defects may be in our power, but not in our purpose and endeavour: therefore you must mortifie your sinnes of action, your sinnes of affection, and your sinnes by descent; and seeing mortification is an office of the Spirit, Quest. here importeth a question, whether the word Note. spirit, in this place, is meant of the Spirit of God the holy Ghost; or the spirit of man our naturall soule. It is answered, Answ. that the spirit executing this office of mor­tification, is principally meant of the holy Ghost, who giveth the first motion of desire in every godly action: it is also respectively meant of the care and travell of our owne spirits or soules;Note. Phil. 2.13. not that our owne spirits is the cause of our mortification, but being first caused by the holy Spirit of God, it is entertained and continued by the exercise of our owne reformed spi­rits, our spirits having no such strength in their owne nature, but as they are prepared by the grace of the holy Ghost. For as in casting a stone, or running of a boule, though the strength of the arme give the first motion to the boule or stone, yet afterwards is the mo­tion continued a competent time; as well because of the powerfull moving of the arme, as also because of the aptnesse or fitnesse of the thing moved: so in the office of mortification,Note. and in all other divine offices of the soule, though the soule move not it selfe to these [Page 237] holy actions,No soule can move it selfe to divine acti­on. yet by reason of the spirituall nature of our soules, when it is once moved by the holy Ghost, it then continueth such motion toward perfection, so the prime honour of the holy exercise of mortification, and so of all other spirituall offices is wholly to be ascri­bed to the power of Gods holy Spirit, which moveth in our hearts every act, and every purpose of well-doing, and he doth also illuminate us by his holy Spi­rit, infusing a new and heavenly light into our minds, being so blind before, as that it neither saw, nor could see the things which doe belong to the Spirit of God:1 Cor. 2.14. the naturall man, faith Saint Paul, perceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, neither can hee know them through ignorance; in like manner also in the will, which is altogether perverse, and wholly falne from God; hee worketh an uprightnesse, and in all the affections a new holinesse. Hence proceedeth that new man which is created after God in true holinesse and righteousnesse,Ephes. 4.24. and causeth us being enlightened and thus changed, to apprehend his mercy, to desire and affect our amendment, and to answer his call like David: For when God had pierced Davids eare by his Spirit, he answered, Loe, I come.Psal, 27.9. There is also a necessity of mortification imposed upon every man, upon pain of condemnation; this is shewed in the words before alledged by S. Paul: for, saith he, If ye live after the flesh, ye shall dye; but if ye mortifie the deeds of the body, Rom. 8.13. yee shall live, whereby the Apostle proposeth life and death before the Romanes, admonishing them that of necessity they must chuse one, either to mortifie the flesh and live or pamper the flesh and die, there being no meanes, no cause of avoydance of this necessity; and S. Paul hath admiration at their simplicity that cannot apprehend this mystery, who in the Allegory of seed proving the resurrection of the body, proveth also the necessary mortifying of the flesh: O foole, saith hee,1 Cor. 15.36. that which [Page 238] thou sowest is not quickened, except it die; for as the blade of seed corne cannot appeare, before the graine be first rotten in the earth; and as there cannot be a resurrection to life, before there be first a separation and rottennesse by death: so there cannot be a rege­neration by grace before there be a mortification to sin, for new birth is gotten by the death of sin, and mortifi­cation is the predecessour and next parent to regenera­tion, they being necessary Relatives; for where one is, both are, and where both are not, neither is; therefore it is generally necessary, all men being bound to mortifie all sin, without favour or dispensation of any. Lastly, it is moved in us by the Spirit of God, but it is exer­cised by our owne reformed spirit.Note. God first kindling the fire of zeale in our hearts, which when it is kindled, burneth of it selfe, but not without divine assistance; for when it shall please the Almighty God by his grace to call us out of the grave of sin, by hearty and serious repentance unto newnesse of life by faith in Christ, and by the motion of his holy Spirit cause in us a loathing and a detestation of our sins, then wee may assure our selves, that the gracious goodnesse of God will not give us over, but will assist us with his holy Spirit, and sup­port us with his divine grace, so that we shall never fall away, except wee prove voluntary revolters from him: for by the promise of God made to his elect in the co­venant of grace,Ierem. 32.38, 39, 40, 41, 42. hee saith, They shall be my people, and I will be their God. And I will give them one hearts and lead them in one way, that they may feare mee all the daies of their life. I will make an everlasting covenant with them, namely, that I will never cease to doe them good, and that I will put my feare in their heartt, so that they shall not depart from me, yea, I will have a lust and pleasure to doe them good, with my whole heart, and with my whole soule; even so will I also bring upon them, all the good that I have promised them; and marke our Intercessour and Mediatour, [Page 239] Christ,Ioh. 17.11.15.20. who hath prayed effectually unto his father for our preservation and conservation in the world, because we are his subjects and members, who is a most puissant and gracious Prince and Advocate, and a most perfect and blessed head; and therefore wee may be sure that hee will protect and preserve his subjects, profligate and extirpate their sins, their enemies, and by his Spirit con­vey spirituall sense and motion into all his members.

To conclude, this calling is an argument of admi­rable power in God and of his infinite mercy to us: for as hee shewed his power in creating and making of things to be, that before were not; even so he manifests his power in his effectuall calling men that were dead in sin, and worse then nothing by their owne deserts, to live the life of grace, and in breathing into them the breath of new life, which was utterly expired by their fall in Adam, yea, the Lord may seeme to exhibite more power or mercy when he calls men out of their sinnes, then when hee did create them: For, at his creati­on there was none to hinder him, but at his vocation there were many hinderers, and great impediments, though all inferiour unto God; there is the Divell and his suggestions; there is the world and her incantati­ons, scandalls and allurements; and there is our owne flesh, the rebellious corruption of the heart; all these God must vanquish and overcome,2 Cor. 8.12. and perswade and incline our hearts and wills; and of nillers make us willers to come unto him, before he perfect and accom­plish in us this his glorious and thrice happy worke of grace; indeed there is more goodnesse shewed, more grace exhibited in restoring of man out of his grievous and intollerable misery, and in curing him of his cursed blindnesse: then giving him a being,Psal. 27.1. having none before, and in making him to see, which before in spirituall things was blinde; to raise a dead soule from the death of sinne unto a supernaturall life is a greater [Page 240] worke of mercy, than to raise a dead body from bodily death to live a naturall life;Joh. 11.43, 44. when Christ had cryed to Lazarus, being dead, and said, Lazarus come forth, hee forthwith revived, and came forth of the grave: So when Peter had said to dead Tabitha, Acts 9.40. Tabitha arise, shee immediately opened her eyes, and sate up; even so when God shall please to vouchsafe to call a man with his powerfull voyce, and shall effectually speake unto the heart, and say, Arise thou that sleepest in sin, come forth of the grave of iniquity, stand up and walke in the waies of righteousnesse; his voice is so mighty, and his Word so powerfull, that the man to whom he doth so speake, must needs awake, arise, come forth and walke. The voyce of the Lord, Psal. 29. saith David, it mighty in operation, the voyce of the Lord breaketh the Cedars, it divideth the flames of fire, it maketh the wildernesse to tremble. The voyce of the Lord is a glorious voyce, that maketh the thunder, these are the effects of that voyce; like­wise the voyce which God speaketh to the eare of the soule in his effectuall calling is so mighty and so glorious,Heb. 4.12. as that it rendeth the heart, and maketh it tremble;Ioh 6.20. it discovereth the soule, and pierceth into the most secret parts of it; and looke as at the sound of the seven trumpets, the wall of Iericho fell flat downe, and as at that efficacious voyce of Christ, saying, I am hee, Ioh. 18.6. his enemies that came to apprehend him, went backward, and fell to the ground: even so, when Gods voyce shall sound in a mans eare, and when Christ shall speake effectually unto the heart, the walls of hell shall reele and totter, the fortresses of iniquity shall be ruina­ted; the castles of sinne shall be cast downe; our spiri­tuall enemies shall be driven backeward; the strong man Satan shall be fettered, and his cursed workes dis­solved; these are the admirable effects of his glorious voyce;Rom. 11.16. these are the worthy and wonderfull workes of Gods effectuall calling; wee may therefore justly [Page 241] say: The voyce of the Lord is mighty, the voyce of the Lord is glorious, and bringeth wonderfull things to passe: this inward vocation is an infallible pledge of salvation to the Elect.

The necessity of mortification, doth require in every one an exact diligence in that Christian office, for see­ing the hazzard of eternall life dependeth upon the death or not dying of sinne: and that necessarily, there is no man of that simple understanding, but will thinke it expedient, nay necessary wisedome, rather to destroy his sinne, then himselfe; for one of the two must of necessity be mortified, suffer death, and die: and if any man thinke to devise a meanes to save both him­selfe and his sinne, and in the reformation of himselfe to over-leape the duty of mortification, as a duty too precise and of grievous performance, and shall thinke that mortification is not of necessary substance, but rather a severe circumstance which may be safely avoy­ded: to him may bee said, as Saint Paul saith to the Corinthians with admiration, O foole! 1 Cor. 15, 36. that which thou sowest is not quickned, except it die: and let him be sure, that if hee either faile or faint in this endeavour, there is no endeavour can purchase him the favour of God, and the salvation of his soule. Therefore, it most neerely respecteth all men, not to esteeme their sinne, which is their enemy and would destroy them, more then God which is their friend and would save them; nay more then their soules, and their salvation. There­fore let every man make warre upon himselfe and his owne flesh;To subdue our owne sinfull affections, is the greatest conquest in the world. and let him bee valiant to conquer him­selfe, and triumph in the spoile and death of his sin­full actions and affections: for there is no warre can gaine our names a greater glory, then to victor our selves; and he is most redoubted, and most valiant that can conquer his owne affections; the which all men must doe before they can have the garland of holy [Page 242] victory from the hand of God. Againe, seeing that in our mortification there is no respect of favour had to any sinne, but that all sinne must die, the sinnes that have gained us either our profit or our pleasure, for all sinne being in hatred with God, all sinne is therefore commanded to die, without dispensation, proviso, or exception of any. It therefore behooveth all men to hate as God hateth, even all sinne, because all sinne is in Gods hatred; lest they provoke God as Saul did, and with Saul to declare themselves reprobates. God commanded Saul to destroy the Amalekites,1 Sam. 15.1. &c. a sinfull and God-lesse people; Saul performed his Comman­dement but in part, for though he destroyed many, yet he spared some; for which God cast him from his fa­vour, and rent his Kingdome from him. Our sinnes are those Amalekites; God hath commanded us to de­stroy them utterly; if therefore any man presume a­gainst Gods Commandement to spare any, God will certainly cast him with Saul from the hope of salvation: This doth admonish all to avoyd the common custome of men, that commonly hate the sinnes and infirmities of others; but flatter and feed their owne with sa­turity: the usurer, hee condemneth the prodigall; the prodigall condemneth him; the drunkard condemneth the glutton;Every contra­ry despiseth one another. the glutton he condemneth the drunkard: age and youth have each their particular sinnes, yet doe they despise one another, and so doe every par­ticular his contrary: so that many can abhorre those sinnes to the which they are not naturally addicted, but few doe mortifie them that are neerest and dearest unto them. These are they that our Saviour Christ calleth hypocrits,Math. 23. that point at little sinnes in others, but flatter and foster maine ones in themselves: this evill custome is farre short of the duty of mortificati­on, which requireth a loathing and detestation, nay a death, not of some sinnes, not of other mens sinnes, [Page 243] but of our owne sinnes, and of all our owne sinnes with­out exception of any: and seeing that the holy Ghost doth move this grace in our hearts, and doth give us spirituall power in the office of mortification. It be­hoveth all men to addresse their prayers to God that he will give them the direction of his grace, to guide them in so needfull a performance, and that when they finde in themselves a desire to mortifie their sinnes and sinnefull affections;Titus 1.12, &c. then let them assure themselves that they are called by the divine and efficatious po­wer of God to the performance of that duty, that then they yeeld their endeavour, with all diligence, to doe as the holy Ghost directs them, lest by neglecting the admonishments of Gods Spirit, they bring upon them­selves a greater condemnation. The life and soule, as it were thereof, is the illumination and reformation of the minde and an efficatious bending, conforming and working of the heart and will, whereby it becomes o­bedient to the voyce of God, and returnes, as it were, an audible and lively eccho into their eares: the end thereof is first the glory of God, and the commenda­tion of his mercy; to whom wee must ascribe both grace and nature; and of whom wee have received our soules and bodies, yea, and the very soule of our soules, which is his spirit. The second end of this vo­cation is our deliverance and translation out of igno­rance, infidelity, sensuality and rebellion,The soule of our soules is the Spirit of God. 2 Thes. 2, 14. unto spi­rituall grace and glory: for wee are called out of darknesse into light, that we might walke in light, and no longer serve the Prince of darknesse: wee are cal­led out of the world unto God, to the end that wee should relinquish the lusts of the flesh, the pleasures of the world, and to serve God in newnesse of life, that walking uprightly before him in this world, we may live and raigne with him for ever in the world to come.

The meritorious cause of this effectuall calling, is Christ and his merits; for Christ hath merited in our behalfe, and hath promised that the holy Ghost should had sent into us,John 15.26. & 16.7, 8. even the Spirit of truth, to illumi­nate and adorne our hearts with his graces, and is wrought in us by a speciall powerfull and inward worke of the holy Spirit. For like as when a skilfull Musitian, hath once strung, tuned, and strucke his in­strument, it sends forth many pleasant and sweet sounds; so when the Lord hath once breathed his spi­rit of life into the nostrils of our so [...]les, and when hee hath once tuned the jurring strings of our sinnefull hearts, and hath toucht them with the finger of his spirit, he makes them send forth many delectable and harmonious sounds,Tokens of mortification. Rom. 1.6. & 6.17, 18. 1 Cor. 6.9, 10, 11. wherein he takes delight. So then it as with the Romans wee performe hearty obedience to the Word of God; if with the Corinthians, wee be rich in spirituall graces, and have purged our hearts by true repentance from our former iniquities, and if wee be mortified, and renued in the Spirit: And if like those good Thessalonians we receive and believe the Gospell, and entertaine the word with joyfulnesse, notwithstan­ding all afflictions;1 Thes. 1.5, 6, 9. & 1.3, 4. if wee turned God from all our false Gods, our owne delights and vanities, to which wee have wedded our hearts: and if our faith increase and our love abound, and if we have faith and patience as they had, in all our crosses and afflictions, then may wee assure our selves that wee are effectually called, as they were,John 10, &c. out of the vast [...] wildernesse of this woefull world unto Christ our Shepheard; for our Saviour Christ saith, that his sheepe know him, heare his voyce, and follow him. If therefore wee know, acknowledge and embrace Christ; if we heare and hearken unto his voyce, and doe it; if we study to resemble, imitate, and follow him in love, meeknesse, patience, humility, ju­stice, fidelity, truth, confidence and compassion, then [Page 245] we may confidently assure our selves, that wee are his sheepe, effectually called home into his fold.

Mortification being of such necessity in the ordinary meanes of our salvation, as that wee cannot be regene­rate before wee carefully discharge this office of morti­fication: let us therefore endeavour this duty with all diligence; let us denounce a bloody and generall warre against all our sinnes; let us entertaine favour and cor­respondencie with none: but let those sins that have beene our delight be in our hatred; let us not love them for their profit, because transitory;Wee must not foster our sins, neither for profit nor pleasure, nei­ther feare them for their number. If sin over­come us we are their slaves. let us not favour them for their pleasure, because moment any; let us not feare them for their number, though infinite many; nor for their strength, though they have con­quered a world of people; let us have confidence in God, because hee is on our side, and hath a care of us: when sin got the upper hand of us, and wee victoried by them; we were then their servants, their slave: when wee overcome and have victoried them; let us make them our slaves perpetually; let us bind them in chaines, cast them in prison, and for ever utterly destroy their evill power: Let us have no pity, no favour,Note. no com­passion on sin, because when we were overcome by sin, sin was mercilesse against us: let us not as did Saul, spaire any for their dignity or worth, but with David, let us mortifie and destory all; let us hate the sins of youth, and despise the sins of age; let us not be partiall in our owne particulars; let not prosperity alter us, neither let poverty tempt us; but having undertaken to warre with sin, let us be full in opposition against it; let us not end our warre without victory;Let us strive to overcome sin with a con­stant resolu­tion. let us not interrupt it by truce, but let us be resolute in our purpose, and con­stant in our resolution, and at all occasions, and in every distresse; let us resort to the throne of Gods mercy, and crave the assistance of his holy Spirit: hee is our Conductor, hee is our Commander, and the Generall [Page 246] in this spirituall warre; let us consult with that Oracle, and by it receive direction; let us fight with the arme of his might, and win the garland of holy victory: for having God on our part, whom then shall we feare? and if he be with us, who can be against us? his po­licies cannot be prevented, nor his power with victory opposed. What wee want of spirituall power in our selves,Psal. 18.1. &c. shall be abundantly supplyed by the infinite power of the holy Ghost; for by him wee shall be able to overthrow an host of sin, and by the strength of our God,Note. wee shall overcome all extremities and avoyd all dangers; hee is the end of our hope, and the maine battell of our power; wee are but the reare, hee is our Generall:Hebr. 12.2. we are his souldiers; his holy Crosse is our colours; his holy Word our weapons. And be­ing thus appointed, we dare confront all the enemies of our soule, the Divell, our sins, and all that doth oppose us; wee dare undertake their conquest, spoyle their power, discipline their errors; and by the perpetuall death of our sins, obtaine a perpetuall quiet of our con­science, and the everlasting peace of our soules.

Of Regeneration.

VVHen all things was first created, every thing was perfectly good, no defect, no blemish, no need of correction; Quest. the first defection was sin; the first sin was the sin of Angels; the next the sinne of man. Here may be demanded a question, why God did per­mit Adam to fall from his integrity, and suffer him and his sonnes to revolt and fall into sinne, and did not hinder the fall, which hee could have done, if it had pleased him? Answ. But hee would not hinder it, because such was his pleasure for certaine causes best knowne [Page 247] unto himselfe; in the meane, let no man thinke that God was injurious, for he was not indebted to us,Job 36 23. to confirme us by his grace, and to keepe us from decli­ning; but this fall was permitted by God, for the grea­ter benefit of his elect: for their glory procured by Christ,Esa. 46.10, 11. doth farre exceed and surpasse the glory which was given them in their creation, which had never beene if man had never falne by sin; great are the evills which we suffer by reason of that first offence: but what faith­full man would not endure farre greater, rather then to want so great a Redeemer; God not bound to let, did permit this fall, yet it is not to be ascribed unto him, as the cause thereof, but to mans owne will: for hee did not incline Adams heart unto sinne, nor did he infuse the least corruption into his soule,Jam. 1.13, 14, 15. neither did he withdraw any grace from him before hee inspired into him, but hee fell by his free will, through his owne default at the perswasion and suggestion of the Divell; man was therefore the cause of his iniquity in his owne proper will, and not from Gods predestination:As God brought man into the state of life, so man brought him­selfe into the state of death. for if any man decline from piety and justice, hee runs head­long of his owne will, hee is drawne by his owne concupiscence, and is beguiled through his owne per­swasions: the Father hath no hand in this fall; the Sonne is no agent of this sinne,Note. the holy Ghost is no worker of this wickednesse; therefore the fault of mans choosing of that which was forbidden, is not by any meanes to be transferred, or ascribed unto God; for God punished the sin of Angels in their owne particulars on­ly, for they were to derive their natures to posterity by generation and naturall descent, because they were ordained for the service of God in certaine particular offices assigned them in the government of his creatures, the creatures not being ordained for the service of them, but man, for whom all things were made, and from whom was to be derived a world of people; when [Page 248] he sinned, God himselfe punished him and his posteri­ty, and the creatures he had made, and had given him: For, as the sin of man had infected the whole world, mans house, so the curse of God, and the worke of his displeasure was seated on that house, the world; all things then being subject to alteration and evill change: from this curse, is the inecessity of regeneration; all things being now in their owne nature, in the state of corruption and death; therefore Saint Peter saith, When Christ shall come to [...]udgement, 2 Pet. 3.10.7. the heavens shall passe away with noyse, and the elements shall melt with heat, and the earth, with the workes therein shall be utterly burned up, and there shall be a new heaven, and a new earth, according to the promise of God,Verse 13. wherein dwelleth righteousnesse. What manner of persons ought wee then to be in holy conversation and godlinesse of life;Verse 11. seeing that all these things shall perish; so that nothing shall be able to abide the glory of Gods presence, but that which is reformed and regenerate; not the ele­ments, nor earth, no, nor heaven it selfe; but as all have endured for sinne the bad alteration, so must they endure by grace the good alteration; all were trans­formed by the sin of one man Adam; all must be re­formed againe by grace in Christ, or else remaine still in their deformity. Saint Paul is peremptory in this opinion;Gal. 6.15. for he saith, in Christ Jesus, neither circumci­tion availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new crea­ture, that is, a regeneration by a lively faith in Christ, is onely necessary, at many [...]n walke according to this rule, peace be upon them, and me [...]y upon them that be of God, Verse 16. all ceremonies being insufficient, and not effectu­all: and our Saviour Christ preached to Nichodemus the necessity of regeneration, and affirmeth his doctrine with a double asseveration, saying, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, John 3.3. except a man be borne againe, hee cannot see the kingdome of God, if not to see the kingdome of God, [Page 249] we cannot inherit it. This may suffice to perswade the necessary knowledge; and the necessary care of regene­ration; being that without which it is impossible to be saved: now to know what regeneration is; it is an act of the holy Ghost in Gods elect, whereby they are admitted and entred into a constant and faithfull exercise of godly life, for as it is said before, all grace is the gift of God,Iam. 1.17, 18. and every motion to good is caused onely by the spirit of God, of his owne good will hee begat us by the Spirit of truth, our selves being meerely passive in the first action of grace, God himselfe be­ing the actor and principall mover thereof; for the holy Ghost by whose directions we learne the use of all spirituall exercise, doth move both our capacity and power to understand the knowledge and use of neces­sary and Christian performance without which wee should never be able to comprehend the rudiments and first elements of divine learning: regeneration being then a Christian office of most necessary performance, it must needs then be caused in us by the inspiration of the holy Ghost, who is the first mover of every grace. This Doctrine Saint Peter concludeth in expresse words: saying, Blessed be God, 1 Pet. 1.3. even the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ, which according to his b [...]den mercy hath begotten us againe, unto a lively hope, by the resur­rection of Iesus Christ from the dead: so that wee are re­generate and new begotten by God in Jesus Christ, at the motion and instance of his abundant mercy cowards us.

Regeneration or sanctification, is the gift of God, whereby our corrupt nature is renewed to the Image of God by the operation of the holy Ghost, or it is an inward change of man justified,Hippocates. whereby the Image of God is restored in him: for as one saith, that phy­sicke is an adjection and a substraction; an adjection of things wanting, and a substraction of things redoun­ding [Page 250] in the bodies of men. Even so is sanctification a removing of the corrupt humours of our soules, and adjection or infusion of spirituall graces which are wanting in us:Greenham. for in every generation there is a cor­ruption, and we see that the seed sowne is much chan­ged, before it grow up and beare fruit; then it is need­full in generation, that there be a corruption of sinne: so that as the seed in the ground, so sinne in our mor­tall bodies must decay, that the new man may be rai­sed up, by the Spirit of God taking possession of our soules.

Heb. 12.14.This transformation of man is very requisite to salvation, for without holinesse no man shall see God. Therefore if wee will not live to God by grace upon earth,Ezech. 18.30, 31, 32. Rom. 6.23. we shall not live with him in glory in the Hea­vens: if we will not die to sin in this world, we shall not escape death the wages of sin in the world to come: if we do not live to God in holinesse in this life, wee shall not live in happinesse with God in the life to come: it is not onely necessary to him that is to be saved that sinne bee abolished by remission, but that it bee like­wise mortified by regeneration: our regeneration must then of necessity be wrought in the whole man ac­cording to both soule and body,Albeit our san­ctification be the worke of the whole Tri­nity, yet it is immediately performed by the holy Ghost. yea and like also. This act of regeneration is caused by the holy Ghost in the hearts of the Elect; and Gods labour is never fruit­lesse, but what he willeth to attempt is finished, there being no resistance of his power, nor any greater then himselfe to countermand him; as holy David saith, The Lord hath done whatsoever pleased him. By this act of grace, they are entred and admitted into the exer­cise of godlinesse, which doth promise us an extraor­dinary degree of hope, that wee are in Gods favour, yet have we then our best assurance, when we are adopted his children by regeneration; for then wee bring our holy purpose of reformation into act, and faithfully [Page 251] endeavour those duties which before wee had onely de­termined; we are then made fruitfull, and the Sonnes of God, and not before: for wee are then Gods first fruits, because we are then first made fruitfull: we must therefore bee constant and faithfull in the exercise of good workes, because that not those that faint in the race of godlinesse, but those that goe on with hope and alacrity shall obtaine to the ends of their progresse and have the garland, for so saith Saint Iohn, Revel. 2.26. Hee that overcommeth and keepeth my workes to the end, to him will I give power over Nations. Not hee that endevoureth the beginning, the middle, or a part of his life; but hee that endureth to the end, he shall be saved. This salva­tion by Christ Jesus, is the crowne of glory for which all men strive, which none can gaine; but he that run­neth the race of his life faithfully and constantly:1 Cor. 9.24. therefore Saint Paul saith, So runne that ye may obtaine: that is, endeavour your strength with your time to the utmost; for though ye begin well, it is nothing, unlesse ye also end well; for as the tree falleth, so it lyeth,Note. and as men die, so shall they rise to judgement: for the grave can give no holinesse, no perfection, but doth onely continue us in the state it found us, earth and corruption.

The manner of regeneration, is how the children of God bee borne a new, and how it is caused by the secret working of Gods holy Spirit in the chil­dren of grace:John 3.8. he giveth an instance by the moving of the ayre: that is, when wee heare a whistling of the wind, we know it bloweth, yet doe we not know from whence it commeth; so in the act of regeneration, when we feele in our hearts the motion of Gods holy Spirit breathing salvation into our soules, and when our workes and consciences give us an undoubted testimo­ny, that we are regenerated and borne of God: it is then as vaine a care to search into the secret working [Page 252] of the Spirit of God was to enquire of the mind, from whence it commeth or whether it goeth: this thing is not necessary, though regeneration is most neces­sary, and not to be neglected upon paine of condem­nation.

Seeing regeneration is of such absolute necessity to salvation,Iohn 3.5. that Except a man be regenerate, and borne anew of water and of the Spirit, hee cannot enter into the King­dome of God: neither bee sonnes, nay the servants of God, though we never so much endeavour in the ser­vice of other Christian duties. This doth admonish all men to have principall care to labour all meanes pos­sible to have faithfull and sufficient witnesses both from their consciences, and by testimony of their workes, that they are the adopted children of God, established in the assured hope of their salvation, being knowne and sealed of God with the marke of regeneration: for it must needs bee sufficient to resolve a conscience of Gods favour, when we know we are his children, it is a grounded cause to make us hopefull and confi­dent in the trust of Gods mercy. And seeing regene­ration is an act of the holy Ghost, every man ought so to rectifie and reforme the errors of his life, as that the Spirit of God may not take loathing to enter our soules, but rather that by mortification and holy ex­cercise, wee may be prepared to entertaine that sacred guest into our hearts, least when hee commeth hee finde us, as God will finde the reprobate in the day of judge­ment, unprovided, carelesse, and secure; and so not seale us for his sonnes, but marke us the children of death, and the friends of Antichrist. Againe, seeing the regenerate are made the children of God, it ought therefore to be a principall care of every man to be re­generate, because regeneration is the undoubted wit­nesse of the child of God.2 Pet. 1.10. Wherefore Saint Peter ad­monisheth all men, to give diligence to make our [Page 253] calling and election sure, which can be no way better assured us, then by assuring our regeneration, which is the certificat and testimony of our election; and seeing the workes of regeneration must be both constant and faithfull; by constancy is meant perseverance; by faithfulnesse a choyce of lawfull particulars: therefore every man ought to exercise his devotion and zeale in lawfull argument, and that hee run in the spirituall race which God hath proposed him, and not in the by waies of error, of false and selfe opinion, and that in this course he faint not in his spirituall courage, but that hee hold out the race of his life with ala­crity and hopefull confidence to win the garland of salvation, which all shall both win and weare, that constantly and faithfully endeavour themselves in god­ly actions. The ordinary outward meanes to bring us to holy and godly action,2 Thes. 2.14. is the preaching of the Gospel; Saint Paul saith, whereunto you are called by the Gospel to the obtaining of the glory of the Lord Iesus Christ. The Law serves to prepare our hearts for grace, but it is the oyly drops to the Gospel, by the power of the Spirit, that doe soften and mollifie the heart, and makes it supple and pliable, and like Balme, it doth revive and comfort the heart and senses, and makes them pliable to that which is good and godly:Rom. 1.16. the Gospel is the power of God, that is, the instrument of Gods power unto salvation to all them that believe: also good ex­amples, afflictions, losses, crosses, want, sicknesse, and the like, are by the blessing of God,1 Pet. 1.23. good preparatives to grace; but the preaching of the Gospel is the proper instrument of the Spirit, for the effecting of grace: for by the word of the Gospel, God speakes to the eares of the soule, and by it, as by a pipe, hee conveyes his graces into the cisternes of our hearts.

Regeneration then being of such infinite & excellent worth, and of absolute necessity; let us take off our cares [Page 254] and endeavours from worldly occasions, and apply them to this holy purpose; for being regenerate, wee shall avoyd the danger both of sin and death, and live in the favour of God, and be graced with the honorable title of his Son; then let us remember them that proud­ly vaunt and boast their pedigree, and their descent from honorable parents; let us pity their errour, and despise their vaine glory; let us compare such honour with the honour of Gods regenerate children, wee shall find an infinit distance of their worth: theirs to be tran­sitory passable and of short continuance, vaine and full of bitter mixture, this without comparison to be eter­nall and infinite, infinite in worth, infinite in time: let us therefore despise that, to gaine this; let us desire no other honorable title, then to be called the children of God,To be the child of grace is the greatest honour in the world. that will give us the most sufficient and greatest reputation that can be; for that in the least degree will exceed and out-glory all earthly honour in the highest degree; let us not care how base the world repute and esteeme us, nay, though the world persecute us, let us not faint nor feare; for wee know that our Saviours kingdome is not of this world, neither is the glory of his children of this world; but in him that hath begot­ten us by the grace of his holy Spirit is our glory, and by him wee are made honourable; let us therefore de­spise the world and the vanities thereof, to gaine this honour, and for to gaine this honour; let us spend our houres, spend our actions, and our endeavours; nay, let us spend our honours and all to make this purchase; let us run our spirituall course with alacrity; seeing this honour is proposed us, when we have it let us esteeme it precious; it was given by grace, it cannot be redeemed by nature; let us esteeme it as it is worthy; and having once obtained the honour to be the childe of grace, nay, the childe of God; let us carry that honourable title to our grave, and with that wee will present our [Page 255] selves in the day of judgement before God our honou­rable Father, and before the honourable company of Angels and Saints, and then it will appeare by direct evidence before all the world, whether our honour in being the childe of God, regenerate and made the sonne of God, which the world despised,Jerem 4.2. or their transitory honour and prosperity of fortune wherein they gloried and proudly exalted themselves, be of better proofe, worth, or esteeme, when God shall call us his sonnes, and bid us enter the Kingome of our joy, and call them reprobates, and bid them enter their prison, bonds,Matth. 25.46. John 5.29. and paines perpetuall; this will be the blessed priviledge our honour will then give unto us; therefore to be re­generate thereby, to have God our Father and our friend; let us not care what neglect, what scorne, and what disgraces the world cast upon us: for as those will vanish with time, yet so will our honour be, as God our Father is infinite in joy, infinite in worth, infinite in time; let us therefore infinitely esteeme of it, and by all meanes strive to attaine it, Amen.

Of Sanctification.

SEeing that hee which is regenerate, is also sanctified and made holy, but it is not derived to us from our parents.Ephes. 2.10. But Almighty God is the fountaine and pro­per efficient cause of our sanctification and holinesse, whose worke-manship wee are, created in Christ Jesus unto good workes,Colos. 1.13. who in mercy hath translated us out of the kingdome of darkenesse, and hath delivered us from the power of the Divell, and made us fit for the Kingdome of his beloved Sonne,Ephes. 2.4, 5. in whom hee hath quickened us through his love and riches of his mercy, together with Christ, even when wee were dead in sins, [Page 256] him hath God lifted up with his right hand,Acts 5.31. to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance unto his chosen,Hebr. 2.4. and forgivenesse of sinnes; and albeit our san­ctification be the worke of the whole Trinity, yet it is immediately performed by the holy Ghost, because hee doth set us on fire, and inflame us with a zeale of Gods glory, with a care of our duty, and with a love of all men: Sanctification is the very translation and al­teration of the heart and life of man, or a spirituall re­duction and conversion of a man from his wickednesse unto God, and from the uncleannesse of sin, to true puri­ty and Christian sanctity. The persons sanctified, are such as are elected,Rom. 8.30. called and justified; therefore the A­postle saith, that whom God predestinated, called, and justi­fied, them also he glorified: these are truly sanctified whom he maketh to be the temples of his Spirit. Sanctificati­on of the body, is that whereby the members thereof are made fit instruments for the soule regenerated to worke the workes of God with, it being become obedi­ent to the minde illumined,1 Cor. 6.19. and the heart reformed, through the worke of the Spirit, who now hath made it the temple of his holinesse, whereas before it was a slave to the flesh, and a shop of uncleanenesse and ini­quity.

Ephes. 2.8.It is a most gracious and free worke of the Lord with­out all obligation or merite of ours; for the Spirit of God bloweth with the blasts of his grace, both when, how, where, and on whom he lifteth; and the Apostle teacheth us,Verse 4, 5. that wee are quickened together with Christ, through whose great love and grace wee are saved: this is the vertue of Christs resurrection, by the power of his God-head, raising up his man-hood, and releasing him of the punishment and tyranny of our sins, by which vertue and power wee are quickened and restored, that wee might live unto God in holinesse and newnesse of life.Note. Now the sanctification of the soule consists in the [Page 257] alteration of the mind; the renovation of the will,Note. the sanctification of the memory, and the regeneration of the conscience: in the alteration of the mind, whereby ignorance is by little and little abolished, and the mind enlightened to know the true God, and his mercy in Christ, and to know and understand a mans selfe, and his secret corruptions against the Law of God, and to know how to behave himselfe towards God and man, as also to prove the things of God, and to mind and meditate on things spirituall and celestiall. The renovation of the will is when God gives a man grace truely to will good, as to believe, honour, feare, and obey God: the sanctification of the memory, is an aptnesse by grace, to keepe, and to bee mindfull of good things, especially of the doctrine of our salva­tion, and such like: the regeneration of the consci­ence is when it is fitted to give true testimony to a mans heart of the remission of his sinnes, and of the carefulnesse of his care to serve God, and to doe other good duties concerning our Christian brethren; it con­sists also in the spirituall transformation of the affecti­ons, as joy, love, sadnesse, feare, anger, and such like, whereby a man that is justified doth so temper them, by his reason refined, and by the light of the Law, with the helpe of the holy Spirit, that they do not break out, as in the wicked, that give the reines to their lusts, but are held in some good order; howbeit in this life, this is not done without much strife and reluctation of the flesh and Spirit, and is rather affected then effected. Here we must observe that sanctification doth not alter the substance of man; but onely his corrupt and sinfull qualities, it rectifieth affections, but abolisheth them not; it corrects and moderates mirth, sorrow, anger, and such humane passions, but takes them not quite away; it tunes the jarring strings of a mans heart, but breakes them not in peeces. As the fall of man did not [Page 258] abolish a mans essence, but corrupt his faculties; even so, the raising up and renovation of man doth not alter his very substance, but doth onely change his corrup­ted qualities and powers: this visible reformation of a man is, when hee dedicates himselfe unto God and good duties to his neighbours, whose sinnes bee a­bandoned which before raigned in his heart. This worke of the Spirit is wrought in the whole man, but it belongs chiefely to the faithfull and elect of God, for civill moralities and outward formalities, and such graces, as doe onely bridle and represse sinne, may be­fall the reprobate: but Christian vertues, and such graces as doe supplant and suppresse sinne in our soules, and doe revive and restore Gods Image in us, such workes of the Spirit,Heb. 2.11. are constantly to be found onely in true believers. This new birth of regeneration or sanctification in man is so needfull as that without it we cannot be saved. The Kingdome of grace is the sub­urbes of the Kingdome of glory: hee therefore that walkes not through the suburbs shall never enter into the City. A man must first walke in the Kingdome of grace, or else hee shall never be admitted into the King­dome of glory; no grace, no glory; no holinesse, no happinesse;John 3. no heaven, no heavenly honour; Except a man bee borne againe, hee cannot see the Kingdome of God: neither in this woeld, or in the world to come. Sanctification is an unresistable act of the Spirit; for when the holy Ghost doth intend to sanctifie a man, he doth so worke upon him with his power, that he shall willingly yeeld to the holy Spirit, how unwilling so ever his will be by nature: for the body must first rot before grace shall raigne without disturbance.Note. Titus 3.5, 6, 7. It is true indeed, that the corruption of our nature is abolished in baptisme in respect of guilt and condemnation, but not in regard of existence and being of it: but in that it shall be no impediment of salvation to them that are [Page 259] baptised with water, and the holy Ghost; for it is to such no Prince, but a rebell onely, neither shall it dam [...]e them, nor dominere within them, yet so long as wee live, sinne will not die in us, nor be utterly abolished;Greenham. for before there be an universall cleansing, there must [...]e a dissolution of nature, and death must end the conflict betweene the flesh and the Spirit.

And although those that are regenerated may bee termed just and perfect, yet it is onely in comparison of the wicked, who are in bondage under sinne, and for that they are perfect in respect of imputative righ­teousnesse, because,Psal. 32.1, 2. like infants they have all the parts of a Christian, though not the perfection of those parts: all the seeds of saving graces are sowne in their hearts; but they have not the full growth of them in this life: sinne will still remaine within us, but it shall not raigne over us, and albeit holinesse and sinne be contrary, yet may they bee both in one subject, as night and dark­nesse in the ayre at the twilight, be remisly there, and neither of them predominant or absolute victor: but remayning in continuall combate. Now why the Lord doth not finish sanctification in man in this life, the reasons may be these, that wee might seeke diligently after perfection, and more earnestly and ardently to covet and desire it more and more, that in despising this world and the vanities thereof, wee might the more earnestly affect and contemplate our heavenly Country and life, as knowing that our perfect sancti­fication shall not be wrought till wee come in Heaven:Ʋrsine. and that thereby wee might be humbled and exercised in faith, patience, hope and prayers, and that conten­ding and skirmishing with the flesh and the lusts there­of, we might not wax proud with conceit of our owne perfection, but daily pray,Psal. 143.1. Math. 6, 12. Enter not into judgement with thy servants, O Lord, forgive us our trespasses: and that we may exercise our selves in repentance all the daies of [Page 258] [...] [Page 259] [...] [Page 260] our life, knowing that there is no end of this warfare but in death. Thus doth the Lord continue us in his service, that wee might exercise our spirituall wis­dome,Revel. 5.6. Christian fortitude and magnanimity in defea­ting the wiles of sinne, and the plots of the divell, and like couragious Captaines to contend against all our spirituall adversaries, and finally in disdaining to give way and place to the flesh, that abominable and fil­thy wretch. The Lord by this doth shew his absolute authority over us, that hee is not bound unto us, to perfect his graces in us in this life; for then were it in­justice in him not to doe it:Psal. 145.17. for God is righteous in all his waies, and holy in all his workes, and cannot offer the least injustice: but God doth this to manifest his mercy to us, and to teach us thankfulnesse to him, who pardoneth our weake obedience, and accepteth of our poore endeavours, unperfect holinesse, and im­perfect righteousnesse and perfection, our weake reso­lutions, our imperfect desires, motions, and meditati­ons; if they bee faithfull and intire, and directed to the right ends, he for his Christs sake doth pardon all our defects, which argueth mercy on his part, and claymeth gratitude on ours. In this the Lord doth de­monstrate his wonderfull providence and power in protecting, defending and conserving us against so ma­ny puissant and pernicious enemies, as wee are begirt with, notwithstanding our great unworthinesse, weak­nesses and imperfections.Rom. 11.29. This worke of the Spirit is never cleane extinguished, and the gifts of God are without repentance. The graces of God in his children are not as morning mirts, but as well built towers to withstand the assaults of their enemies: let us be per­swaded in our selves,Phil. 1.6. that hee which hath begun this good worke of sanctification in us, will continue, per­forme, and end it: for what should hinder? his good will is most constant, and his might is over all, sinne, [Page 261] Satan, and all the enemies of our soules, must yeeld their power to his obedience; his eye is waking and all see­ing; his wisdome is infinite; his Essence every where; his power divine without resistance, and his mercy en­dureth for ever. What then can, what then shall hin­der his worke of grace? hee hath joyned us to Christ,Hos. 2.19. who shall dis-joyne us? hee hath wedded us unto him­selfe, what can divorce us? hee is with us, who can be against us? Christ is our King, wee are his subjects, wee need not therefore doubt of his favour and protection towards us;Matth. 16.18. hee hath built us upon a rocke that hell gates shall not prevaile against us; by faith wee believe in Christ, that faith is a rocke, fixed and inviolable;2 Tim. 1.1. it will shine like a star in the night of adversity; it maketh the elect joyfull under the shew of sorrow, and quicke­neth them under the shew of death; it healeth them under the shew of sickenesse, and enricheth them un­der the shew of poverty, and savours most like Ca­momel when it is troden upon; and hope is the anchor of the soule; it will endure both winds and waves,Hebr. 6.19. and this worlds stormes, and love is as strong as death. Know yee not, saith the Apostle,1 Cor. 3.16. that yee are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? Know you not that your body is the temple of the holy Ghost, which is in you, whom yee have of God, bought with the price of redemption? therefore glorifie God in your body, and in your spirits, 1 Cor. 6.19.20. which are Gods: Examine your selves, prove your selves: know you not your owneselves; how that Jesus Christ is in you, 2 Cor. 13.5. except yee be reprobates? Thus wee may assure our selves of our sanctification by the undoubted testimony, and inward suggestion of the holy Ghost, assuring our spirits of the same, and also by certaine undoubted testimonies and tokens of it;2 Joh. 3.8.9. if therefore wee doe not commit sin with full consent of will, if wee doe not continue in sin, to be led wholly by it, but when wee doe sin,Mark. 14.72. to recover our selves, as Peter did, by true and hearty repentance, [Page 262] then wee may know, that wee are not in the slavery of the Divell,Goade. but the children of God; for hee that be­lieveth that Jesus is Christ, and borne of God, it is a certaine token of his regeneration:1 Joh. 5.1. hereby shall yee know the Spirit of God; for, every spirit that con­fesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh,1 Joh. 4.2. the Sonne of Mary, and is the anoynted King, Head, Priest, and Prophet of his people, which God raised up for the salvation of the soules of the elect of God; hee that striveth to keepe the Commandements of God, over­come and vanquish the vanities, the vaine allurements, and alluring inchantments and obstacles of the world, and keepe a constant course in piety, he is undoubtedly the true child of God; he that keepeth continuall watch and ward over his heart, and is circumspect in his wal­king, and fearefull to offend God, and rather forsake the world then God, he doth plainly shew, that he is the childe of Grace, and belongeth to God and his Kingdome, and not to this world; to grieve for sin, be­cause it offends God, and hurts his owne soule, is a no­table signe of a mortified heart.

A sanctified man doth manifest the grace of his heart by sanctifying the name of God, and by conversing with sanctified men; as also by seeking the sanctifica­tion of others:Note. For, a good man doth love to com­municate his goodnesse, and not to keepe it lockt up in his owne breast; it is also a notable and infallible signe of holinesse, when a man doth more and more contend against his owne sins and wickednesse, and labour con­tinually to draw neerer unto God by holinesse. Lastly, when we feele the inward corruptions of our hearts, and a desire to be dis-burthened of them, and avoyding of the actions of sin, and an anger against our selves for sinning, doe evidently shew, that the Spirit of God hath taken possession of our hearts, and hath begun to worke a most happy change within us. Where these [Page 263] graces are, there is also the God of grace, the Spirit of grace; a man of grace; a true dying unto sin, and a living unto God: sin is dismounted, the sinner is re­newed; for Gods Image is restored. Hee that is thus truely sanctified, is also glorified; for glorification is the communication of true holinesse, and happinesse to them that are elected, called and justified: For glory comprehendeth in it both holinesse and happinesse, ho­linesse is one degree of happinesse, and happinesse is the highest degree of holinesse; no man is holy but the same is happy; and no man can be happy, but hee must be holy: grace is the inchoation of glory, and glory is the consummation of grace; he that sits in the throne of grace, is truely intituled to the crowne of glo­ry: and it is one point of glory to be a man of grace, for a gracious man may rightly be stiled a glori­ous man.

Of Justification.

IUstification is a gracious forgiving of sins, by the im­putation of the righteousnesse of Christ,Psal. 32.1, 2. and Gods gracious acceptation, whereby he doth for the merit of Christs active obedience, by faith received of us, ac­count us just and pure, and honours us with the crowne of life; and in this respect wee may be truely said to be just, perfect and holy, because wee stand clothed with the most perfect righteousnesse of Christ, which is re­puted ours, in which appearing before our heavenly Father, we doe receive a blessing, as Jacob did of Jsaak, Gen. 27.15.27. having on his elder brothers garments; this may seeme strange unto us, that wee should be accepted righteous for the righteousnesse of another: for albeit this righte­ousnesse is Christs primarily, and by way of inherence, [Page 264] yet it is ours by Gods free donation, and by the appli­cation of faith, the head, and the faithfull his members, is all one mysticall body;Rom. 4.2. and therefore the satisfaction of Christ pertaineth to all the faithfull, as to his mem­bers: the forme or formall cause of Justification is not faith, love, nor other vertue; neither is it an infused quality or habituall sanctity inherent in us;Phil. 3.9.10. but the righteousnesse of Christ considered, as it is reputed of God, is the forme of Justification, or the proper and onely true forme of Justification, is the free imputation of the righteousnesse of Christ, by which the merits and obedience of Christ are applyed unto us, by vertue of that neere communion whereby hee is in us, and wee in him. Now God is said to impute righteousnesse in­to a man, when hee doth adjudge, decree, and give it to him, and account and reckon it as his owne, and for the merit and worthinesse thereof, doth pardon, acquit, and repute him righteous. Saint Paul expostu­lateth this doctrine with the Galatians, whom he calleth foolish for doubting it,Gal. 3.2. saying, This onely would I learne of you, receive yee the spirit by the workes of the Law, or by hearing of faith preached? Vers. 3. Againe, are yee so foolish, that after yee have begunne in the Spirit, yee would now be made perfect by the deeds of the flesh? where he ad­mireth their simplicity that seeke righteousnesse in the flesh, but rather, and onely by the meanes of faith in Jesus Christ, because our justification is spirituall, and not of the flesh; and this doctrine he concludeth by an invincible argument,Verse 26. saying, that seeing yee are the sonnes of God by faith in Christ Jesus; wee are therefore also justified and made the servants of God by faith: For, saith he, we are all the sonnes of God by faith in Christ Jesus; and if faith be able to make us sonnes, it must be also able to make us servants: for that which is able in the greater performance, is able in the lesse. O sweet exchange! O unsearchable worke-manship! O benefits [Page 265] surpassing all expectation,2. Cor. 5.21. that the iniquity of many should be covered in one just person! now Christ beares our sins, and was made sin for us which knew no sin, not as if our sinnes had beene infused into him, and had beene inherent and inhabitant in him: but be­cause they were imputed to him, and reputed his; as if they had beene committed by him, he supplying our place, as our surety, and mediatour: even so his righ­teousnesse is made ours, not as though his were infu­sed, or translated into us, as a thing inherent and in­habiting in us: but because it is reputed ours, and imputed freely to us, as if we our selves,Note. We are the righteousnesse of God in him, as he is sin in us, by imputa­tion. had wrought it in our owne persons: for justification and remission of sins are all one and the same, for to justifie is for God not to impute sin unto us, but to accept us for righteous, and to pardon, absolve, and pronounce us just, for the righteousnesse of Christ imputed unto us. For so soone as the elect are absolved from their sins, they are forthwith adopted into the right and priviledges of the children of God; the effect of justification, is peace of conscience; that is, when wee perceive our selves to bee delivered from our sinnes, before Gods Judgement seate, and the judgement of our owne con­sciences:Rom. 8.1. Rom. 5.1. For there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ: and being justified by faith, wee have peace with God: Even that peace which passeth all understanding, whereas there is no true peace to the wicked, but they are like the raging sea that cannot rest, whose waters cast up nothing but mud, filth, and mire:Esay 57.20, 21. even so the wicked hath no peace, saith God. Againe, our justification makes us have free accesse to God by prayer, with confidence to be heard for Christ his sake; for sinne was the make­bate and wall of partition betwixt God and us. Now our sinnes are done away when wee are justified, and therefore with boldnesse wee may approach unto the [Page 266] throne of grace,Rom. 8.15, 16. For wee have now received the spirit of adoption, by which we cry Abba Father: the Spirit it selfe beareth witnesse to our Spirit, that we are the sonnes of God. By which wee conceive very great good hope in him, to whom we pray like suppliants, that hee will in his fatherly affection towards us, and in his good time give us those things whereof wee stand in need: justification also begets patience in afflictions, and ma­keth a man rejoyce in the midst of his tribulations, knowing that tribulation produceth patience,Rom. 5.3, 4. patience proofe, and proofe hope, through the perswasion of our reconciliation unto God, and our assurance that all things how bitter and grievous soever, doe worke for the best unto them that love God,Rom. 8.28. and are pleasing unto him in their good actions. Now glorification is an inseparable companion, and a notable effect of justification being freed from sinne, and made the ser­vants of God;Rom. 6.22, 23. we have our fruit in holinesse, and the end is everlasting life; for the reward of sinne is death, but the gift of God is eternall life, through Iesus Christ our Lord. The obedience of Christ by grace imputed to us, and by faith received of us,Note. workes in us a desire, care, and endeavour to obey God, and his death for which our sins are remitted, workes in us another death, whereby we die to sin; and his glorious righteousnesse, where­with wee are invested, and made to be reputed righte­ous, doth purchase and merit for us eternall life and glory.

Remission of sins is a gracious act of God, whereby for the merits and satisfaction of Christ, hee doth per­fectly forgive both the fault and punishment. Therefore Saint Paul saith, That by him we have redemption, through his blood, Eph. 1.7, &c. even the forgivenesse of sinnes, according to the riches of his grace: Rom. 8.1. Heb. 1.3. and that there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus; who hath by himselfe pur­ged our sinnes, and by whom the father hath reconciled us [Page 267] unto himselfe. Therefore it were absurd to thinke that the punishment is retained, when the sinne is remitted; for if the proper cause be defaced, then the effect there­of must needs bee abolished: if the body bee removed, the shadow thereof remaines not: so if sins bee par­doned, the punishment is remitted; as for the crosses which the faithfull suffer, they are not to be reputed as curses or penalties of vengeance inflicted of God, as of an irefull and direfull Judge; but they are to bee esteemed onely as tryals or as punishments of castiga­tion imposed of God: as a loving father desiring the welfare and weldoing of his children,Revel. 3.19. Heb. 12.6. As many as I love, saith the Lord, I rebuke and chasten; he scourgeth every sonne which he receiveth. The Lord tries us by af­flictions as gold is tryed with fire in the furnace, hee keepes us by the crosse within our limits, as water is held in with bankes,Note. and with the thorny hedge of troubles and vexations hee keepes us within our bounds and walkes, being given by nature to breake out and stray; therefore David saith, Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now have I kept thy word: Psal. 119.67. It is the Lord, which sendeth crosses to his children to save them, that they perish not with the wicked world:Augustin. Augustine saith, that sorrowes before pardon of sinnes are punishments of sinners, but after pardon, they are tryals and exercises of just men, and so for death it selfe; the sting and strength thereof which is sin,1 Cor. 15, 56, 57. is abolished by the death of Christ upon the Crosse, and therefore it is to be reputed but as a tryall or chastise­ment, whereby the Lord doth humble us, and teach us humility and the flight of sin, and doth exercise and prove our faith, fortitude, and patience.Note. Justification is a most free act of God, and performed freely by God, without coaction, or the least inducement by any dignity present, or foreseene to be in us hereafter; for being absolute Lord of all, hee may shew mercy on [Page 268] whom he list,Eph. 2.3. for we are by nature all the children of wrath, and the vessels of the divell, destitute of all true grace,Rom. 5. and subject to the curse of the Law: remember then that it is free in regard of us, that did not, nor could not no way deserve it, and free also in respect of God, who did freely devise and dispose the meanes thereof, and freely worketh faith within us, by which we doe apply it to us, and is justly performed in regard of Christ, who by his all-sufficient merits did deserve it, and by desert did acquire it for us.

Justification is also one absolute, entire, and indivi­duall act, it is onely acted in this life, although it bee divers times renewed and applyed afresh in us, as when the person justified doth fall into sin, and repent: now though it be a most perfect and plenary worke of God, yet we come to the full perswasion of it, but by degrees, and though God at once forgive a man his sins by an absolute act, which admits neither increase nor decrease, yet that man receives his pardon by such a faith, or such a perswasion of faith, as is not alwaies one, but is sometimes stronger, and sometimes weaker, ebbing and flowing like the salt waters, sometimes ap­pearing, and sometimes hidden; like the sunne, with a thicke mist, or a duskie cloud. Now our justification may be perceived and knowne three waies: First, by the suggestion of Gods Spirit. Secondly, by faith, which is a certaine assurance of perswasion of Gods love in Christ. Now a man may assure himselfe of faith, if hee love God for God himselfe;1 Tim. 1.5. and his neighbour truely as himselfe; for love accompanies faith, as the light doth the sunne, indeed it proceeds from faith: for as one saith,Gregory. Such as is our faith, such is our love; a man may assure himselfe of a justifying faith, if he doe strive against his doubtings, and with an honest heart doe will to believe and unfainedly desire to bee recon­ciled unto God, and withall doe use constantly the [Page 269] good meanes that God hath ordained to beget and in­crease it in himselfe:Gal. 2.16, &c. for God accepts the will to be­lieve for faith it selfe, and the will to repent for repen­tance; the reason hereof is plaine, for every supernatu­rall act presupposeth a supernaturall power or gift; and therefore the will to believe and repent, presupposeth the power and gift of faith, and repentance is in the heart: for a man may come to be assured of his justifi­cation by certaine infallible signes and tokens of it: as when we see our selves by the righteousnesse of Christ, of the free grace of God redeemed from death, delive­red from hell, and freed from the fearefull condemna­tion of the wicked, there is a joy most unspeakeable and glorious, wherewith our hearts must needs be ravished: The second is the peace of conscience: while sin and the guilt of sinne remained, there was no peace nor quietnesse to be found, but feare within, terrors with­out, and troubles on every side. But when our sins are once nayled to the crosse of Christ, and forgiven us,Note. then the winds are laid, the waves are settled, the sea is calmed, the soule is quieted, and imparked within the pales of peace. Againe, wee may know that our peace is good, and that our justification is past with God; if wee shall find a promptitude and nimblenesse in our selves to doe that which is good: For when a man doth finde favour from God for the forgivenesse of his sins, then the love of God constraineth him that joy which hee receiveth, and putteth new life into him,Greenham. and enforceth him to the performance of those things which are pleasing unto God; then his understanding is enlightened, his judgement is reformed, his affections are bettered, his joyes are in heaven, his desires are to Christ-ward, his progresse to Canaan, his course to Ie­rusalem, and his anger is consumed upon his owne cor­ruptions: For wee must know, that when God doth impute righteousnesse unto us, to prevent our damna­tion [Page 270] by sin, then he doth also infuse righteousnesse into us, to hinder the domination of sin; therefore Saint Paul sath,1 Cor. 1.30. that Christ is made unto us righteousnesse, wise­dome, sanctification and redemption; and he tels his Co­rinthians, 1 Cor. 6.11. that they are washed, sanctified and justified: so then hee that circumciseth the fore-skin of his heart by true repentance, hee that warreth against his owne lusts, and truely striveth to serve the Lord in all his pre­cepts, he may know for certaine, that God hath cut the cords of his sins, and buryed them all in the blood of Christ; but let the ungodly and uncircumcised heart know, that so long as they addict themselves to their knowne enormities without repentance, they are not of the Kingdome of Christ, neither are they clothed with the robes of his righteousnesse, but covered with the rotten rags of their owne wickednesse; for those that are in Christ, Rom. 8.1, 2. walke not after the flesh, but after the spirit: they that are his, have crucified the flesh with the affecti­ons and lusts thereof; Gal. 5.2. but to live and continue in sin, is to take sin downe from the crosse, and to put life and spirit into it:Luther. For as one saith, that a man may try and know whether hee be incorporated into Christ or not, by this; that as a man feeleth his heart cheered and sweetened by the sense and feeling of Gods promises and favour, grounded and setled in his heart; so such a man as no man is, but he that is justified, hath forth­with regard of his neighbour,Note. Lev. 19. Jam. 2.8. and helpeth him, as his brother careth for him, lendeth him, giveth him, com­forteth and counselleth him, yea, hee is grieved if there be none towards whom hee may be serviceable; hee is patient, tractable, and truely friendeth all men; he doth not esteeme the temporall pleasure and pride of this life; he judgeth no man; he defameth no man; he in­terpreteth all things for the best; and when hee seeth not the matter goe well with his neighbour, as that hee fainteth in faith, waxeth cold in love; hee prayeth for [Page 271] him; hee reproveth him; he is sorely g [...]ieved for him, for any thing committed against God or his neighbour; and all this proceedeth from the root and juice of Gods grace: for that the bountifulnesse, love and goodnesse of Christ, hath sprinkled and replenished his heart with sweetnesse and love, that it is a pleasure and a joy for him to doe good to his neighbour, and is grieved for his sins, as Samuel for Sauls: 1 Sam. 15.35. by these and such like workes of grace, a man may come to a certaine know­ledge of his justification, which how well worthy it is of our knowledge, they can best tell, which feele most the comfort of it; and let no man thinke it impossible to be discerned by man, because it is performed by God without man: For, though it be acted by God in heaven; yet it produceth many notable graces in man upon the earth, by which it may be per­ceived as a Vine by her grapes; or as a Lampe by her light.

Besides. Regeneration and Justification, have such re­lation and neerenesse one to another, as that they seeme to be almost but one act, caused and effected at one in­stant of time: for when we are regenerated, then are we justified; and when wee are justified, wee are then rege­nerate, and not before. These two offices in our salvati­on being distinguished, rather by their names, then by any speciall marke of difference in their severall execu­tions. Againe, the Apostle in his Sermon at Antioch, Acts 13.38. concludeth, saying: Be it knowne unto you, yee men and brethren, that through this man Christ, Vers. 39. is preached unto you the forgivenesse of sinnes, from which yee could not be justi­fied by the Law of Moses: by him every one that be­lieveth is justified; so that hee absolutely denyeth the power of Justification to be in the workes of the Law, and doth absolutely ascribe it to the power of faith in Christ; and he giveth a reason of this doctrine: for, saith hee, If righteousnesse be by the Law, Gal. 2.21. then Christ dyed [Page 272] without cause: So then the very cause why Christ died, was, that righteousnesse might be imputed and appre­hended by faith to all them that believe; seeing that by workes it is impossible: and therefore saith the Prophet David, Psal. 32.1. Blessed is he whose unrighteousnesse is for­given, Verse 2. and whose sinnes are covered: Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth no sinne: so hee thinketh them most righteous, that have their unrighteousnesse forgiven them, and them most holy, that have not their sins imputed unto them:Rom. 4. The fourth to the Romanes, the whole Chapter, is an earnest and suf­ficient proofe of this argument and doctrine; where the Apostle laboureth by direct evidence to satisfie all doubt, as if hee had fore-knowne the stiffe and un­reconcileable oppositions of these times, against this doctrine of Justification, in which Chapter he maketh Abraham his instance, in whom there was as much cause of boasting, and as much righteousnesse as in any other particular, save Christ Jesus onely; yet he there proveth, that Abraham, upon whom God had founded his peculiar people, was not justified by the righteousnesse of his workes; but that this faith was imputed unto him for righteousnesse, and for proofe alleadgeth Scripture,Gen. 15.6. And Abraham believed the Lord, and hee accounted that to him for righteousnesse: so that the matter of our justification is the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ onely; and the meanes of apprehending it, is onely by faith. This doctrine howsoever it is made strong and unresistable by many testimonies of holy Scripture; and though it be zealously maintained by men of great learning and religious judgement, yet it hath endured violence, and suffered disgrace, both by ignorance and envie; this age maintaining such opposi­tions of error, as the ignorance of former times first occa­sioned; therefor [...] at this day this argument of justifica­tion is one of the maine controversies of the world, the [Page 273] one maintaine justification by faith onely, the other by workes; that defending truth, this opposing it: and though a faithfull man would be willing to quarrell in defence of faith,Note. Psal. 91.4. faith being our shield of defence a­gainst all gaine-sayers, sin and the dwell; yet know not how to give addition of strength to them that have already exceedingly travelled in this manifest truth, and whose faithfull paines have maintained this quarrell, with valour and victory, against all op­position; neither is it in the purpose of this businesse to dispute questions of truth, but to deliver truth, as it is, by admonitions and plaine teachings, to men of simple & easie understanding, for whose Christian good these paines are principally taken; whose simplicity might most easily be confounded in the intricate search of cunning arguments, for these respects. And because all contention and strife of words is in the hatred of my nature, I will as I finde it written downe sparing­ly deliver my selfe in a large argument and strike one­ly one blow at the enemy of faith, that I may bee knowne to be an enemy of that enemy; and that by a familiar proofe I may instruct the knowledge of them that are lesse learned: For they that deny justification by fayth, and approve it by works would frame this ar­gument from the testimony of Saint James, Jam. 2.17. &c. who spea­king of a generall faith, doth utterly disable it from the office of justification: and therefore he saith, that Faith without workes, is dead in it selfe; for as the body without the spirit is dead, even so faith without workes is dead also. Therefore, say they, that the Apostle conclu­deth, that of workes a man is justified, and not of faith onely. To this is answered, it is most true that fruit­lesse faith is dead, neyther can justifie, and that good workes are the spirit and soule of a living faith; for as the body without the soule, is not a living man but a dead carcase; so faith without workes is not living, [Page 274] is not saving, nay, is not true faith, but onely beares a generall name: and with Saint Iames wee may con­clude against all such faith. But if there be a faith that hath a necessity depending of good workes, as neces­sarily as the soule to the body, and the fruit to the tree, and that this faith declare it selfe to bee plenti­full in good actions, the fruits of a living faith; we may then with Saint James conclude against them: for hee doth not as they doe, disinable all faith in the worke of justification, but onely that faith which is dead,Note. and without workes. So both opinions im­ply a necessity of workes; the one as the cause of justification, and the other as an effect in them ju­stified.

It were easie to be large in numbring authorities, and in reporting such distinctions and shifts as the decei­ved use in supporting their erroneous opinions: they are but inventions, therefore without respect wee will passe them over,Note. but advise the Christian Reader to beware of both extreames, and modestly and mode­rately to understand the meanes of his justification, that his zeale carry him to no extremity, but to the vertuous meane onely, and not to ascribe all to fayth, and nought to workes, but to give them both their necessary respects: for as wee are not justified but by fayth, so our fayth is not justified but by our workes: for if our works be not faythfull, & our fayth working, we are not justified, neyther can be saved. For when it is said, that fayth onely justifieth, it is meant and not denyed that charity is joyned with that fayth which justifieth, being inseparably united unto it; but that onely fayth, and not charity is the meanes by which we embrace Jesus Christ, our justification & righteous­nesse. As for example, the fire hath heate and light, which qualities cannot bee severed in that subject;Note. yet the fire burneth by heate only, and not by light: now if [Page 275] they will reason & say, if the heate of the fire only burn,Similitude. then it burneth without the light of the fire, but that it cannot do: such is their reason against justification only, because it cannot be separated from charity. Likewise, though the parts of mans body bee joyned together, and one is not without another in a perfect body, yet the eye onely sees, and the eare onely heares, and every part hath his distinct office; and so hath faith and cha­rity. Thus may the seeming difference betweene Saint Paul and Saint Iames bee reconciled:Heb. 11. but such fayth and workes as Saint Paul meaneth, justifie us before God; but such fayth and workes as Saint Iames mea­neth justifie us before men; but God doth justifie effe­ctually, fayth doth justifie apprehendingly, and good workes doe justifie declaringly; that is, we doe declare our selves by our workes unto men to bee justified: therefore good workes doe not precede a man to bee justified, but follow him being justified, as the ef­fect and fruit of faith: that is, our workes shall bee our witnesses what wee are in heart, and what wee are in fayth:Rom. 4 22.23. Eph. 2.10. but by faith wee are justified and made righteous in the sight of God. Saint Paul saith not, that wee are the creatures of God in Christ through good workes, but that wee are created of God in Christ to doe good workes. Againe, you are saved by grace through faith, and that not of your selves: it is the gift of God; Vers. 8, 9. not of workes, least any man should boast himselfe. Math. 9.22, 29. Marke 5.34, & 10.52. Luke 7.50. & 8.48. Acts 26.18. John 1.12. Our Saviour Christ as it is in sundry places of the Evangelists re­corded, saith often, thy faith hath saved thee, onely be­lieve: believe onely, and thou shalt receive remission of sinnes, and inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith in mee: as many as believe in me, to them hath God given power to become the sonnes of God: whosoever believeth in me, shall not be condemned, shall not perish, but have everla­sting life; these be the words of our Saviour Christ: now Saint Paul saith, Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, Acts 16 31. [Page 276] and thou shalt be saved: Gal. 3.8. Rom. 4, 3, &c. God doth justifie through faith, we are blessed by faith: we are the children of Abraham, yea, we are the children of God by faith; the righte­ousnesse of God commeth by the faith of Jesus Christ, unto all, and upon all that believe. If therefore thou confesse with the mouth of the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thy heart, that God raysed him from the dead, thou shalt bee saved, for with the heart man be­lieveth unto righteousnesse, Rom. 3.24, &c. and with the mouth man con­fesseth unto salvation. Wee are freely justified by his grace through faith, but justification is onely proper to Gods children, so that all prophane and ungodly people are out of possibility to bee justified and made righteous in the sight of God: this is proved by Saint Paul to the Romans,Rom. 8.3. Whom he predestinated, them also he called, and whom he called, them also be justified. And againe, justification is a righteousnesse in the sight of God; that is, such as have a true, a living, and a saving faith: and by faith wee doe apprehend the righteous­nesse of Jesus Christ. God is content to accept of such in the righteousnesse of his Sonne, and to obscure their sins, and to make them to appeare, and stand before him, as actually and verily just, by his imputative righteousnesse, as if they had wrought it personally, in the practise of their owne lives. If any make de­mand, how can these things be; I answer with the A­postle,Vers. 33, 34. Rom. 5.1. It is God that justifieth, who shall condemne? Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Iesus Christ. Thus farre Saint Paul, whereby we may see, that if justification and salvati­on should bee attributed to the merits of mans good workes: it would occasion boasting and glorying in the flesh, and challenging of our justification and sal­vation, as due to the merit of our good workes, and so much ab [...]te and abase the glory of Gods grace, that grace should then no more deserve the name of [Page 277] grace;The Scripture is full of proofes in this argument, looke, Gal. 2.16. Rom. 3.21.22.28 30. Act. 13.38. Rom. 1.29.30, 31. but if Justification and Salvation be as it ought to be, wholly given and ascribed unto Gods grace and mercy promised unto us in Christ Jesus, which we doe apprehend and lay hold of onely by faith, as the onely instrumentall cause under Gods grace, then is all the glory and honour of our justification given onely un­to God, without any merit of man; and so as it is said before, is concluded, that we meane not by faith onely, to exclude the doing, but the meriting of good workes.

Seeing that none can be saved but those that are first justified, and seeing none can be justified, but they that have a true, living and a working faith. It behoveth all men to have a principall care to have the assurance of this faith, that so they may be sure to be justified, that they may be sure to be saved. And because all men are naturally prone to deceive themselves with flattery and favourable opinion of themselves and their owne actions; because Saint James, and so the Scripture,James 2. in many places, doth utterly dis-inable an idle dead and a fruitlesse faith, from the office of Justification: it therefore neerely concerneth all men, seriously, and without private respect to examine their faith, and compare their faith and their workes together, that their workes being good, those workes may justifie their faith to be a living and a saving faith, and that they content not themselves with a bare and common historicall faith, the which the Divell and the damned soules may have; but that their faith may be approved good; by the sufficient testimony of their good works, without which their faith cannot be good: For as the tree is knowne by his fruit; and as it is impossible to gather grapes of thornes, or figs of thistles: even so is our faith judged by our workes; and so it is impos­sible that good workes should proceed from an evill faith; or that a good faith should not produce good [Page 278] works, good works being a necessary dependance upon a good faith. This ought to provoke all men to an emu­lation of godly exercise, to contend to exceed in holy actions, and to square and fashion all their workes by their faith,Note. and to make every act of theirs, a testimony that they are truly faithfull: For he that is not with us, is against us, and those workes of ours that witnesse not for us, will be witnesses against us, and will condemne us in the sight of all men, that our faith is not good, or not at all; and that therefore wee are not justified, neither can be saved. This may judge all those actions of men, that disproportion a good faith and a good conscience: For though men flatter themselves, and promise peace to their soules, and thinke to be justified and saved by a bare acknowledgment of God, and their common historicall faith; yet in a time, when they thinke not on't,Note. their ungodly workes will make warre upon their soules, and bring upon them a sure and a sudden destruction. Againe, seeing justification is a meanes ordained by God to bring us to salvation, this ought to move all men to a faithfull acknowledgement of Gods love, who onely is the principall and first mo­ving cause in every circumstance of our salvation, and that we doe acknowledge our selves in great humility, to be altogether defective and unable in the worke of our owne salvation, and that every grace in us, is both caused and continued in us by the secret power of God, our selves being meerly passive, and moved to divine ex­ercise by the onely direction of the holy Ghost; and therefore, that we doe ascribe the honour of every good action to God, by whom it is caused, and utterly dis­grace our selves in our owne estimation, because Gods grace doth leade every man to every particular action of goodnesse.Note.

Againe, seeing that by faith in Christ, God doth both cancell and abolish our sinnes, and repute us [Page 279] righteous in his presence; it doth remember all men the admirable degree of Gods favour, and the power­full operation of faith: First, Gods favour towards us, hee being pleased to forgive us our sins and deserts of condemnation, and to give and impute the most abso­lute righteousnesse of his deare Sonne, Christ, to all men upon this easie condition of faith, that such, who have a true faith to apprehend him, shall be accepted in his favour as sonnes, and shall appeare in the presence of God as equally righteous, as if themselves had actu­ally performed righteousnesse in their owne particular persons: Secondly,Heb. 11.1, &c. wee are taught the powerfull ope­ration of true faith; that it is able to enter heaven, and to apprehend and apply Christ and his righteousnesse, to reconcile the favour of God unto us, and to satisfie his displeasure, to wash off the leprosie and spots of our sins, and to put on us the garment of righteousnesse, even Jesus Christ the Sonne of God, by whom, and through whom, wee are justified in the fight of God, and by whom also wee shall be saved.

Let us therefore carefully endeavour our selves in a constant exercise of all godly actions, not that we repose our justification in the vertue or merit of our owne workes, but that by the testimony of our good works we may approve our selves to be faithfull; and that our faith is more than a common or a generall historicall faith, even a living and a saving faith, which is, and must be the onely meanes of our apprehending Christ, who is the all-sufficient and onely matter of our justifi­cation; and let this be the onely glory and pride of our well-doing, that this witnesse of workes shall gaine us the reputation of Gods servants; and that Gods faith­full children here on earth shall esteeme and repute us to be of their fellow-brethren, then which, let us never desire a greater cause of boasting; and this judgement of good men, must needs rise from the testimony of [Page 288] good workes, because there is an inevitable necessity of consequence, and necessary dependence betweene faith and workes, they being as inseparable as the heat from the fire, and as necessarily depending as the body and the soule; let this provoke us to a zealous forward­nesse of all godly actions, because thereby we shall con­clude the assurance of our justifying faith, and thereby satisfie the desire of our owne soules, and that doubt which otherwise might justly be had of us in the com­mon opinion of men: From this argument must needs follow this conclusion, that seeing we have the fruits of faith,Note. good works; therefore we have also the cause of workes, true faith; and that therefore this faith thus working, is a tree of Gods owne planting; this is that use, this is that comfort and consolation which wee shall understand and find in the nature of our best de­serving workes; thus let us esteeme them, and but thus; let us therefore avoid and abolish that dangerous opi­nion of meriting by workes, because it is farre better to want honour, then to force it from God by violence; nay, let us rather disgrace our selves, then to dis-inable our Saviour Jesus Christ: for if righteousnesse be from our selves, it is not onely from him, and then would follow that absurd and blasphemous conclusion, that he is not the onely Saviour; neither hath perfected the worke of mans salvation; let us therefore doe all the good we can:Note. but let us repute our deeds, though never so good, to be the effect, and not the cause of goodnesse in us; let us also confidently hold, that nothing is able to merit salvation, but onely the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ; let us therefore utterly disclaime our selves and our owne power, which is nothing but weaknesse, and wholly ascribe all vertue, and all power to our Saviour Christ, for it is safer to give him honour, then to take it from him; and it will farre better become our Christian modesty to acknowledge our weakenesse [Page 267] and infirmities, then proudly to boast and advance our selves above our deserts, and worthinesse. If therefore God by the moving of his holy Spirit, doe incline our hearts unto godlinesse, hee will also give us grace to continue in the same, and give us a desire and power in godly exercise; which when it makes us grow plen­tifull in the demonstration of holinesse, let us ascribe the glory thereof unto God to whom it is due onely; and onely acknowledge our selves to be that instrument, whereby his holy hand of grace is pleased to work with to our salvation.

Of Faith.

FAith is the ground, the foundation, and the pillar of the truth,1 Tim. 3. and it is the constant assent of the heart unto those things which bee taught and promised by the word of God; for to believe is to assent unto the same which we doe heare: it is also a certaine and sure perswasion of the heart,What it is to believe that there is a God. whereby wee doe believe cer­taine things of God, as that there is a God, and that there is but one and none other besides him: that hee is omnipotent, the creator of heaven and earth: that he is just, doing good to the righteous, and punishing the wicked: that he is good, gentle, and mercifull to them that doe amend their sinfull life: that he is true, and keepeth promise; that he is able to performe what hee hath promised; that hee is everlasting, and many other things that bee reported of him in holy Scrip­tures; and to beleeve also of Christ; that hee is the onely begotten Sonne of God, the word of God, made flesh, true God and true man, our onely Lord, re­deemer, Saviour, and Mediatour; hee was crucified, dead, buried, and rose againe, taken up into Heaven, [Page 282] touching his manhood; and that he sitteth at the right hand of the father; and that he shall come at the end of the world to judge the quicke and the dead; and many other things set forth in the Evangelists and Apostles: and to believe of the holy Spirit, that he is of the same Godhead equall with the Father and the Sonne: that he is of the light giver of the minds, the comforter, tea­cher, reliever, renewer, sanctifier and governour of the elect of God, this maketh a great matter to the salva­tion of man, how it be grounded in their hearts. Se­condly,To believe God. that we doe believe God also: that is to cre­dit and to believe his word, as the word of God, of whose truth being a thing altogether infallible, it were a wicked matter to doubt: that wee doe believe also Christ the Sonne of God, as when we doe believe his Word to be the Word of the onely begotten Sonne of God, sent unto us from his Father: for Christ saith, He that believeth in me shall have life everlasting; John 6.40, &c. Vers. 29. 1 John 3.23. this is the worke of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. To believe him as Christ the anoynted of God, is to believe him in all poynts, his words, his actions, and not to doubt any whit of any his sayings; wee should not onely believe of God, and God, but also in God; and to believe in God is to direct all our hope unto God, and with sure confidence and trust to depend upon his goodnesse. This third degree of fayth riseth upon the first two; for whosoever doe believe of God, and believeth God also aright, cannot choose, but as­suredly and with all his heart depend upon the truth and goodnesse of his promise, for otherwise it is no Christian fayth, but a false fayth, which is not faith, but opinion:John 14.1, 11, 12. for Christ saith unto his Disciples, Let not your hearts be troubled: yee believe in God, believe also in me. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me. Ʋerely, verely I say unto you, h [...]e that believeth on me, the workes that I doe, the same shall he doe also. By which [Page 283] words he requireth beliefe and trust in him aswell as in God the Father. This Christian fayth is onely true and necessary to the obtayning of everlasting salvation: but we must understand that the nature and dispositi­on of God is such, that no unfaithfull person can please him; for how should the unfaithfull person please him, who is the most true and faythfull of all? thereupon commeth that saying to the Hebrews,Heb. 11.6. that without faith it is impossible to please God. Therefore no man can be blessed without fayth; for how can hee be blessed, which pleaseth not God? but such that have no care for their everlasting salvation, they be not com­pelled by any necessity to believe, for they may perish without faith. But they that doe desire to be saved must of necessity thinke upon faith,John 3.16. without the which they cannot be saved. Our Saviour sayd, that God so l [...]ved the world, that he gave his onely begotten Sonne, to that end, intent and purpose, that whosoever doe believe in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. It is also necessary for every Christian man to know that Christ the Sonne of God is sent into this world from the father, to re­deeme and save sinners: Christ saith, This is everlasting life, to know God the Father, John 17. and Iesus Christ the Sonne whom he hath sent. This knowledge is so incomprehen­sible to mans understanding, that it seemeth unto him meere foolishnesse, because the wisdome of the world is not capable to comprehend it: therefore it is neces­sary that it be attayned by fayth, by the power of the spirit, By this mee know that Christ is the Sonne of God. John 6.29. Wee ought likewise to believe all those things which doe concerne the resurrection, the ascension, the Priest­hood, and everlasting Kingdome of Christ; and that he sitteth and ruleth at the right hand of his Father, and for his comming againe to judge, with the rising to judgement and life everlasting to come, all which mat­ters cannot be comprehended without faith.

Rom. 4, 5, & 6. chap.Wee are required also of necessity to believe those things which the holy Spirit doth worke in our hearts to our salvation: when as Christ doth forgive us our sinnes through fayth in his blood, and so doth justifie us, and when hee by his grace makes us the children of God by adoption,1 John 1, &c. Acts 15. Gal. 5. Rom. 10. 1 Pet. 5. Rom. 5. Heb. 10. when hee doth purifie our hearts, and maketh us able to doe good workes, and to love our Christian brethren; when hee stirreth us up by godly motions to call upon our Father by prayer, to withstand Satan, to be constant and persevere also in troubles; all those things bee so wrought in the Elect of God by the vertue of the grace of Christ, that none of them can be done in any man unlesse he hath Chri­stian fayth: this is a great poynt of wisdome in man to know from whence these gifts doe come. This con­sideration doth admonish us, that they which doe lacke true fayth, must cry unto him who doth only worke the same in our hearts by the operation of his holy Spirit:Faith is the gift of God, and we doe re­ceive it into the soule by the instru­ment of the body. for so wonderfull great is the grace, and the lovingnesse of God toward us, that hee doth not only promise ever­lasting life and salvation unto us wretched sinners, if we doe believe in him; but hee doth also give them this gift, that they may believe in him: therefore it is a cleare matter that we have nothing in our flesh whereof we may glory. Let them therefore which have but a weake and a small fayth, pray with the Apostle, Lord increase our faith. Let them which bee strong in fayth, acknowledge the gift of God, and magnifie his grace: if they doe see any that doe lacke the same gift of fayth, let them pray to God for them, the authour and giver of fayth, that hee will vouchsafe to give them also the spirit of fayth. It is manifest that true fayth is the gift of God,How Gods gifts be given. and Gods gifts are bestowed two manner of wayes: some hee gives immediately, without any ministry or helpe of man; as the soule, life, understan­ding, will, appetite, and those things which doe helpe [Page 285] towards the sustentation of our life, love, hatred, feare of evill, power to see, to heare, to smel, to taste, and to touch; and those outward things, as the Sunne, Moone, light, day, night, aire, summer and winter, &c. and some things the attained by the meanes of mans ministery and industry, as a secondary meanes: as the body, the nu­triment of the body, corne, bread, wine, clothes, and such other like, yea, civill governement, publique quiet, by true justice in the magistrate, arts, sciences, tongues, usage and experience of things. Againe, some things be so given of God; that hee which receiveth them, doth not perceive that he receiveth them; as when the soule is joyned to the body, and life put into it, and some things are received with perceivance of mans under­standing, as those things be which are given to men of ripe and good yeers, and they may be perceived either in body, as corporall gifts, either in spirit, as spiritual gifts.Whether faith be given with­out measure. Consequently, we must consider also that all and singu­lar gifts of God, as well corporall as spirituall, whe­ther that they be given immediately from him, or by some meane are bestowed in a certaine measure; for no man in all points hath granted unto him such a per­fection of any gift, but that hee may be made more perfect in the same gift: for whosoever is wife, is so wise in measure, that he may yet be made wiser in that; of that sort is the gift of faith, and all other the gifts of God granted unto men: this the Apostle witnesseth, saying, that no man esteeme of himselfe more then he ought; Rom. 12. but so esteeme himselfe, that he behave himselfe discreetly ac­cording as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. Againe, the Apostle saith, that there is given to some a greater, to some a lesser measure of faith; Ephes. 4. yet there is one Lord, one Faith, one Baptisme, one God, One selfesame, but not all one measure. one Father of all, which is above, and through all, and in you all. Wherefore the faithfull be not alike in those things which doe grow upon faith, and doe follow the same, [Page 286] as in knowledge, in love and feare of God; also in hope, love to our neighbours, patience, and study of godly life. Againe,Measure of faith sufficient to salvation. 1 Cor. 12. the measure of faith is so divided by the provi­dence of God, that to the elect there is no lesse given him then is sufficient to salvation: For he giveth a sufficient proportion to every one; for he that hath the greater, hath never a whit the greater salvation, nor hee which hath the lesse hath never the lesse salvation; the truth thereof is set forth in Exodus, and they gathered Manna, some more, Exod. 16, 17, 18. some lesse, and unto him that gathered much re­mained nothing over, and unto him that had gathered little, there was no lacke. True faith whereof wee doe speake is not given unto all men; therefore it is that the Apostle saith,2 Thes. 1. Rom. 10.16. Esay 65.12. all men have not faith, all men doe not believe the Gospel; for Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our say­ings? To obey the Gospel, is to assent unto it with true faith, and to repose our selves in it, with a good and assured trust; therefore the true faith of Christ is not in all men, that is to say, it is none of those common gifts of God, which are commonly given unto all men; but it is one of the speciall graces, which are onely given unto some few, by the providence of God: of this kinde be also the heavenly and spirituall gifts, which be necessary unto true and everlasting feli­city; such as faith, hope, charity, patience, the study of godlinesse, and the feare of the Lord, and the like.

No doubt, this gift of faith is a singular gift of God, but it is not enough for a man to have it,When it is once gotten, it must be nou­rished when we have it. unlesse that after hee hath it, it be continually conserved, increased and practised throughout all our life: for faith is of the same nature that the vertues be, which be naturally powred into us, and be necessary for the conservati­on of this present life, which it is not sufficient to have received them, unlesse they be also furthered, amplified and encreased in us: as for example, the power of rea­son, [Page 287] which wee received at the first birth of our flesh, which must alwaies be nourished, advanced, and exerci­sed to the necessary uses of our life:Note. So this Christian faith, which is, as it were, a certaine reason of our se­cond birth and new man in Christ, must like an infant, be fed and furthered, to the spirituall life; the increase of faith, is when it groweth and increaseth in the hearts of the faithfull, whereby it waxeth stronger and stron­ger by the grace of God, that we be now able to believe those things, which before wee could not believe, al­though they were never so true, and set forth in the Word of God, that Christ is the Saviour of the world.2 Thes. 1. The Thessalonians increased in faith abun­dantly: this increase of faith doth depend upon the increase of the knowledge of Christ; so the faith­full be admonished of Saint Peter, that they should increase in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ:2 Pet. 3. the increase of faith may be perceived in the mutuall love towards our brethren in their patience and suffering of troubles: So the Apostle meant when he said, For as much as your faith increaseth,2 Thes. 1. and the charity of every of you one towards another aboundeth; so that wee our selves doe glory of you in the Church of God, for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations which you doe suffer, on the other side staggering and carefull feare, doth argue a weaknesse of faith; so it was said to Saint Peter, Why doubtest thou, O thou of little faith? Mat. 14.30, 31. and they which doe start backe in the time of tempta­tion, persecution, affliction, or tribulation, are tryed to be weake in faith, and doe prove themselves so to be: so the faith of S^t. Peter was weake,Mat. 26.71, 72. when he was proved by the maydens word, and denyed his Master. And seeing that there is given to all the elect of God, a measure of faith from the Lord, and that the same is not all one, in all men, and yet sufficient for every one unto salva­tion; [Page 288] and is such, that it is not perfected in any certaine space of time, or yeeres, but that wee must travell in it, and endeavour it as long as wee live in this world: as soone as faith is conceived by the gift of God,Faith breedeth true repen­tance. it pro­duceth and bringeth forth, as her daughter, true repen­tance, and that so soone, that it seemeth to bring it with her from heaven, as her waiting mayd, whereof there be many examples in the holy Scriptures: Za­ch [...]us, as soone as hee was come to the faith of Christ, said,Luk. 19.8. Lo, Lord, I doe give the one halfe of my goods to the poore, and in case I have beguiled any body, I doe re­store, foure times as much; which words doe manifestly declare the judgement of true repentance; and when a great sort of people began to believe the saying of S^t. Peter, Acts 2.37. they had remorse in their hearts, and brast out, saying, What shall wee doe brethren to be saved? and ma­ny of them that began to believe, came to the Apostles, and disclosed their doings, moved, no doubt, by the spi­rit of repentance.

The true knowledge of God.Faith doth take hold of the true knowledge of God, and of Jesus Christ his Sonne, which the world here cannot attaine unto. The holy Spirit doth kindle a light in the hearts of the faithfull, so that they may most certainly know those things to be most true, which they doe believe in faith, so Saint Peter said, to whom shall wee goe? Joh. 6.68, 69. thou hast the words of eternall life, and wee are sure and believe, that thou art Christ, the Sonne of the living God; and Christ said unto them which believed in him,John 8. if you abide in my word, you be verily my Disciples, and you shall know the truth; thereof commeth that as­surednesse of faith,Note. whereof mention is made before. In Gods case and Religion, all things are blind and doubt­full to mans naturall reason, but unto faith they be cer­taine and cleare, and thereby we know, that wee be the children of God; faith doth take hold of the gifts of God, which we doe request of him in prayer, the attain­ment [Page 289] of the which, cannot be hoped for, nor trusted up­on without wee aske in fayth;James 1.6. wherefore Saint Iames saith, Let him aske in faith doubting nothing, for hee that is doubting and wavering, is like a wave of the Sea, tost to and f [...]owith the wind, and carried with violence. And Christ sayth, Ʋerily I say unto you, Mark. 11.23 24 whatsoever you request in your prayers, believe that you shall obtaine it, and it shall befall unto you. Againe, fayth doth worke in him that is justified, a peaceable, quiet, good, and contented con­science towards God through Christ: so the Apostle testifieth saying, Therefore being justified by faith, Rom. 5. we have peace with God, through our Lord Iesus Christ: without this fayth it is impossible that wee should have a quiet conscience towards God; for as is sayd before, that by fayth wee doe apprehend the grace of reconcilement and justification, purchased for us in the blood of Christ: fayth must needs therefore worke in us the in­vocation, adoration,Rom. 10. and worship of him whom wee doe believe in. How shall they call upon him, sayth the Apostle, in whom they have not believed? and the blind man which our Saviour made to see, when he had sayd, Lord I doe believe, John 9.38. The confessi [...]n of truth. hee worshipped him immediately in whom he beleeved. For by fayth wee doe confesse the truth that is once beleeved and knowne of us. So the Apostle doth joyne fayth and confession together, for to beleeve with the heart justifieth, and to acknow­ledge with the mouth maketh a man safe, having the selfe-same spirit of faith. At the poynt of death wee doe by fayth commend our soules and spirit unto the Lord. So did the thiefe upon the Crosse,Math. 27. Acts 7.59. and Saint Stephen also when he was stone: this is the last worke of faith towards God; for after the yeelding up of the Spirit once, there is no longer place nor use of faith. These bee therefore the workes of fayth towards God, first the love of God, a good conscience towards our neighbour, hope of things to come, a boldnesse to re­paire [Page 290] by prayer to the Throne of grace, invocation, adoration, and worship, confession of the truth, obedi­ence, perseverance, and the yeelding up of the Spirit to goe immediately unto God, the faithfull are comforted in the Lord by the benefit of fayth: whereupon Christ also when hee admonished his Disciples from whence they should seeke their comfort in adversity, he said,John 14.1, &c. Let not your hearts be troubled; believe in God, believe also in me; for there is in none greater goodnesse, in none greater mercy, in none greater knowledge of those things wherewith all our hearts be tormented, in none more knowledge and power to helpe and ayde then is in God himselfe;2 Cor. 1.3. so that he is justly called the father of mercies and God of all comfort. For he that is faythfull doth apply himselfe to the goodnesse of God, and by it wee doe perceive the efficacy and sence thereof, and it bringeth comfort unto the troubled heart. By fayth wee doe believe the promises of grace, and doe by it embrace those things which be spoken of God, in his word: fayth doth also mortifie the concu­piscence of the flesh, and maketh a mans mind humble and lowly, and worketh many other notable matters in the hearts of the beleevers. This excellent and rare jewell, is faith, the excellence whereof is surpassing pre­cious, wherewith we must of necessity be endued to be­come perfect men.Heb. 11. Saint Paul sayth, that Faith is the ground of things hoped for, and the evidence of things which are not seene. This is a speciall jewell, and happy is the man that hath it but in quantity comparable to a graine of Mustard seed: it is the ground of things hoped for; as if it were sayd, whatsoever crosse or calamity vexeth us, if wee hope for reliefe and ease, wee must ground it upon fayth, otherwise our hope is no hope: It is the evidence of things not seene, Note. it is the patefacti­on or laying open as it were, of the very thing, though farre from our sight, which is expected and longed for [Page 291] in hope, the thing hoped for through it, is as it were,Eph. 1. evidently seene, and layd before our eyes, wee may upon this ground build so certaine a foundation of hope of the joyes to come, as if we were setled in Hea­ven it selfe with Christ. It is indeed the assurance of all our comforts in the promises of God; and whensoever wee lay this evidence before the celestiall Judge by prayers, for therein it appeareth to be fayth, or not to be; he cannot but allow it so current, lawfull, and ef­fectuall, as that whatsoever wee aske, though wee see nothing to answere our hope, yet wee may assure our selves that wee shall obtaine our desires at such time, and in such sort, as shall bee most fittest for our necessi­ties; in so much as wee may be bold to say, wee are al­ready partakers of that we looke for before it come,Psa. 34.8, 9, 10. be­cause comming it will come: and our fayth which is the ground and the evidence of things hoped for, shall not be in vaine: and therefore, in what danger so ever we are, we must open this evidence, even our fayth unto the Almighty in humble suit and hearty prayer, that as his promises are manifold, for the releefe of his children, and his meanes infinite; so will he accept of our faith,Psal. 91. wherein wee stand assured that hee is God al-sufficient, full of mercy and truth, able and willing to grant what we aske: and first we must consider, that there is no dissembling with God; neyther can wee bragge of this rare jewell, and yet bring forth the fruits of infidelity, which then appeareth when wee shew our selves impatient at the chastisements and cor­rections of the Lord, and when we grudge to stay the Lords leasure for helpe; and when leaving the meanes commanded by God wee runne to worldly and forbid­den meanes; these things can we not shroud nor cloake under any colour or pretence: for hee that searcheth the heart, findeth every dissimulation:Acts 5. he found out A­nanias and Saphyra in their hypocrisie, and gave them [Page 292] the reward of death; because they would seeme to have faith, and dissembled. Learne of the good King Heze­kiah, 2 King. 20.5, 6. whose successe of his faith was such, as it effected what he desired; namely, in his sicknesse hee recovered health, and had fifteene yeares added to his life, after the Lord sayd by his Prophet that he should dye. This is a comfortable example to bee applyed to the case of him that is deeply diseased within with sin, and with­out with crosses and calamities, wherein if he seeke the Lord in this lively and working faith, hee will offer himselfe unto him,The efficacy of faith. and make him see the issue of his hope, even delivery out of all his troubles. The pray­ers of the faythfull are of wonderfull effect; for thereby God sheweth himselfe to bee a God of great compas­sion, and exceeding in mercy towards all believers; and at an instant hee heareth and in his good time for Christ his sake, hee granteth our desires, as is seene in this example of Hezekiah, whose prayer no sooner issued out of his mouth, but his petition was granted, and the Lords mercy came to meete, as it were, the Kings miseries: whereby we may learne that the fayth­full soule being in distresse hath God as present as if Heaven and earth were conjoyned together. No distance of place, or processe of time can prevent God to per­forme his will in a moment of time: but where prayer is, and fayth the ground of it, there is the presence of God,Esay 49. who giveth presently, or delayeth for a time, ac­cording to his will, alwayes for the best, and good of the faythfull petitioner. God delayed to grant Davids request a long time, suffering him to live in banish­ment, and in the wildernesse, crying; yet at the last, in an acceptable time, hee delivered him and made him King over Israel:Gen. 41.1, &c. so Ioseph made long suite and prayed unto the Lord being in prison, and no doubt the Lord heard him, yet in two yeeres he gave him not his liber­ty: but when the time was come, wherein occasion [Page 293] was administred for his advancement; hee then not on­ly gave him freedome, but also made him viceroy, as it were, over all Egypt; thus doth God often try our faith, whether it be sound or not, and after proofe there­of by patience, then it hath the reward. Infinite ex­amples might be shewen of the force of faith,Hebr. 11. how it stopped the Lyons mouthes, how it qualified the heat of the fire, and how faith gave David the victory over Goliah; but let these suffice. And sith that faith and humble prayer are so effectuall;1 Sam. 17.46, &c. let us not rest dissolute and carelesse to seeke it, but with all diligence and care­fulnesse, let us aske it of the Lord, and hee will give it us abundantly, so shall wee be able to performe and bring mighty things to passe beyond humane expecta­tion; the examples in the Scriptures are common, they are infinite, which may confirme our faith: seeke there­fore the Scriptures, the sweet Manna of our soules, they will shew us the admirable things which have beene wrought by lively faith; let us therefore assure our selves, that this God, who hath done for us wonderfull things, will be present also at our prayers; and if wee aske faithfully, he will bring such things to passe for us, as shall seeme marvellous to the eyes of men. Now, sith this excellent sweet and surpassing jewell is the gift of God, and that he giveth all his rich blessings freely and for nought; let us not feare to frame our prayers unto him in all humble obedience, and goe freely to the throne of Grace, and he will give us at large, what wee shall desire in faith. In briefe, faith is the hand of the soule, which layeth hold of the promises of Christ in the mercy of the Almighty; she hath a bright eye that pierceth heaven, a holy eare, a cleare heart, and a sure foot standing upon a rocke; she is the strength of hope, the trust of truth, the honour of amity, and the joy of love; she is rare among the sonnes of men, and hardly found among the children of women, but to the sonnes [Page 294] of God; she is the assurance of their inheritance, and in the children of grace, she is the promise of their porti­ons; shee lookes toward heaven, but lives in the world, in the soules of the elect, to the glory of the Electour; shee was wounded in Paradise by a dart of the Divell, and healed of her hurt by the death of Christ Jesus; faith is Gods blessing, and mans blisse, reasons comfort, and the glory of vertue.

Of Hope.

AFter the knowledge of God, which is by faith, there followeth hope, love, patience, invocation, and feare of God, obedience, and such other like, which doe belong unto true godlinesse; wherefore like as be­fore is noted those things, which a godly person ought to consider of God, and to conceive by the knowledge of him, and his Sonne Christ: So it is meet to speake of those things which doe follow in the knowledge of God in us, without the which, true godlinesse can take no place; for those things which be recited before of God, cannot doe us any good, unlesse wee doe depend upon him in sincere faith, hope, charity, patience, in­vocation, reverence and obedience: for as of true faith is said sufficiently before,What is the hope of Chri­stian men. Rom. 1.24, 25. it is not amisse likewise to note something touching hope; for the definition of hope, it is an expectation of things to come: for the Apostle saith, that we are saved by hope, but hope which is seene is no hope, but if we hope for that we see not, then doe wee with patience abide for it, looking and hoping to be adopted the children of God, and to looke for the delivery of our bodies which is to come, by the resur­rection and glorifying of the children of God; there­fore the hope of true Christians, is the assured and un­moveable [Page 295] expectation of those things which be promi­sed unto us in Christ Jesus,1 Pet. 1.13. Hebr. 6.17, 18, 19, 20. whereof nothing doth ap­peare to us in this life, but wee shall have the full fruiti­on of our constant hope in the world to come, at the comming of our Saviour to deliver us, and to bring us out of the middest of evill, the rising againe of our bodies to glory and life everlasting, salvation and feli­city, the fellowship of Angels, yea, of Christ himselfe, and the perfect sight and knowledge of God besides, that which neither eye hath seene, nor eare hath heard, nor the heart of man conceived, which is provided for the elect of God: Christian hope is bred of faith, and commeth of the knowledge of God, because wee doe know that God is in creating Almighty, in gover­ning wise, in preserving just, in helping good, and in his promises true and sure, and wee doe credit his pro­mises, and the same which wee doe credit and believe in faith, that wee doe looke for also with a fast and a firme hope; for the Apostle saith of Abraham that he believed in hope against hope, Rom. 8. because hee knew that God is so mighty, that he is able to performe, whatsoever he pro­miseth; faith commeth not of hope, neither doth knowledge come of hope, but hope is bred of the faith of the promises and knowledge of the might of God, the Prophet saith, They shall hope upon thee, O Lord, Psal. 9. which have knowne thy name; for that thou dost not forsake them which doe seeke thee, and doe hope upon thy mercies in Christ.

But for as much as it is not possible, that the heart of a sinner, which is troubled for his sinnes, and afflicted for Christ, should be faithfull without hope, whilest hee is in the very temptations and sufferings of his troubles, the beginning of hope cannot come of proofe; wherefore that which the Apostle saith,Rom. 5.3, 4. that proofe breedeth hope, is to be understood, not of the begin­ning, but rather of the encrease of hope, and maketh [Page 296] up and perfecteth it: for the Apostle meaneth not that troubles laid upon men for Christs sake, should decay the hope of the glory of the children of God,God is our hope and strength, a very present helpe in trouble. but en­forceth it the more, making it therby more supreme and fast: so then the beginning of hope comes of faith, and the knowledge of God. For as much as hope is of things invisible and to come, and not of things visible and pre­sent; it falleth out oftentimes, that the hearts of them which live in hope be sore assaulted, and their hope so impaired in their troubles; miseries and afflictions, that they need aid, succour and strength, whereby it may be cherished and encouraged, lest it doe utterly decay and perish, yea, the very tarrying in the deferring of those things which we doe hope for, is so troublesome, irke­some and loathsome, that though there be no tempta­tion at all joyned with it, yet it is alone sufficient to drive a mans hope unto desperation, unlesse it be up­holden by the divine assistance of Gods grace;Prov. 13.12. this Sa­lomon meant, when he said, the hope which is deferred and prolonged, doth afflict and torment the soule: who doth not see what great need wee have of the helps and ratifying of Gods grace, especially, if wee doe consider the weaknesse of our flesh, ready to mistrust & despaire, and the understanding of our owne sins and unworthi­nesse, according unto the which wee doe esteeme our selves, as the refuse and cast-awaies of the people, the very shame and filth of all men, to stand steddy in assu­red hope, but by the vertue and might of God; therefore let us see whereby the hope of a Christian man is nouri­shed and strengthened:The Christian hope is nouri­shed and con­firmed from God. Job 39. for it is a cleare case, that both hope and faith are the speciall gifts of God; so that the strength and nourishment thereof, doth come specially from God, in as much as he which giveth us the hope, doth also nourish and confirme the same in our hearts; God doth not forsake his gifts, as wee doe reade of the Estrige in Job, which departeth and leaveth her egges in [Page 297] the ground, and careth not for them, whether that they be saved or doe perish, but hee doth nourish, encrease, and preserve all those gifts which hee hath once given unto any man:Note. and this hee doth by the operation of the holy Spirit, whereby he doth cherish, feed, defend, and strengthen both the fayth and hope, in the hearts of the Elect. For this is the sure anker of our salvation which the divell may endeavour, but never breake the cable hold thereof, for God doth fasten and make it tough by his grace and vertue; so that he doth preserve the same by his strength and ayd, which could not bee wrought by all the power and might of man.

The party which is in hope when hee feeleth the strength of temptation,Prov. 15, 8. he flyeth immediately unto his Lord God, by prayer, earnestly requesting that he may be preserved, and not to be overcome by temptations: so the Lord warned his Disciples in the garden, when the ppwer of darknesse was at hand, saying,Math. 26.41. Watch and pray that yee enter not into temptation; indeed the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weake: and hee himselfe hath taught us in the Lords prayer, to say:Luke 11. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evill. In the Psalmes of David, the Prophet had made such formes of prayers, whereby he sought comfort and strength to his hope, by praying and singing, to bee delivered out of all his troubles. Therefore the fayth of Gods pro­mises, and the knowledge of the truth and might of God to performe,Rom. 4 13, 15. doth minister much helpe and strength to the travelling hope, for the hope of things to come is nourished by the milke of the same fayth which breeds it, and the strength of fayth, is made the strength of hope.Augustin. cha. 14. Augustine in his booke of meditati­ons writing in the confirmation of his hope, saith, There bee three things which doe strengthen and con­firme my heart, that no lacke of deserts, no conside­ration of my owne basenesse, no regard of heavenly [Page 298] blessednesse, can thrust mee downe from the high expe­ctation of my hope, for my soule is fast rooted therein. Now to know the matter why wee must consider and weigh three things, in which our whole hope doth consist, the love of adoption, the truth of Gods pro­mise, and his power to performe what he hath promi­sed, and if thus to beleeve, we may be assured, that God in his exceeding great love hath adopted us his chil­dren.Patience of afflictions. Rom. 5.1, &c. Againe, the very sufferance also of afflictions, wherewith the Christian man is tran [...]aled, and tryed, doth make hope lusty and strong, as appeareth by the Apostle: and on the contrary, impatience doth decay that hope that is,The example of godly per­sons. and makes it unprofitable unto us, the examples also of godly men which have holden on their hope firme and sure in all kind of their temptati­ons and troubles; even till the very end, have received the crowne of immortall life; as the reward of their hope,Heb. 11. may profit much to the cherishing and establi­shing of our hope, as is shewed in the Epistles to the Hebrews, and straight addeth in the beginning of the twelfth Chapter.Heb. 12.1, 2. Therefore seeing that wee have so great a number of godly fathers our witnesses, let us shake off that burthen of sinne, which sticketh so fast unto us, and would presse us downe; and with joy and sufferance,Vers. 3. let us runne the race appoynted us, ever loo­king unto Jesus the Captaine and finisher of our fayth; and for the joy that is set before us, let us with hope endure the crosse: hope keepeth and stayeth the worke­man in his worke, and desperation is full opposite against it; for when it doth but slightly assaile the mind of man, it putteth into him a fansie to forsake his worke he hath begun; but as long as a man doth continue fast his hope;Gal. 5.1. it suffereth him not to forsake his worke, so the stedfastnesse of hope maketh up the worke. For like as hope to gaine riches and wealth keepeth the workman in his worke, and maketh the [Page 299] Merchant-man to venture; so the hope wee have of the felicity to come, keepeth the Christian man in the course & study of godlinesse: for like as fayth is effectu­all by love, so it is made also effectuall by hope, with­out which it is utterly voyd and dead; for what shall it profit to believe of those things which are to come, if we have not hope of them to come:Note. Fayth doth also establish patience in her bold: and maketh us invinci­ble, when wee be strengthned by hope to heare con­stantly all adversity with patience; so hope and pati­ence by an intercourse of ayd, doe one helpe the other, and the one doth strengthen and support the other in continuall troubles, crosses and afflictions, and conten­tion of godlinesse, it maketh the minde of him which is in hope, quiet in the middest of his troubles, which the counsell of mans wisdome is not able, to worke, but doth rather disquiet the travelled conscience then ap­pease it: hope grounded upon the certainety of Gods promises, keepeth us safe from confusion: so witnes­seth the Apostle, that Hope maketh not ashamed, Rom. 5.5. because the love of God, is shed abroad into our hearts by the holy Ghost, which is given unto us: but the hope of the world is so vaine and fond that it doth daily deceive & shame her darlings.

But blessed is the man which hopeth upon thee, O God, Psal. 84.5. Prov. 16.20. Psal. 4.5. The blessed­nesse of them which be in hope, is of God and blessed i, he that putteth his trust in the Lord: blessed is the man whose hope is in the Name of the Lord. This bles­sednesse is not to bee attributed neither to the hope, neither to him that hopeth, so that of n [...]cessity it must be of God. Hereof the Scriptures doth often testifie of God, that hee is well pleased with them which doe hope upon his mercy: as the Prophet David singeth, that hee is good to them which doe trust upon him: Blessed is he that hath the God of Jacob for his helpe; Psal. 146. and whose hope is in the Lord his God. What favour, grace, and benefits can they lacke, which doe feele of his [Page 300] goodnesse, and doe well please him? is not that true blessednesse, when a man pleaseth God and findeth him favourable, and loving in all things, how can hee but have mercy upon them, which doe hope upon him, which doe please him, those hee willeth well unto; yea those he doth specially regard and esteeme. Great plagues shall remaine for the ungodly, Psal. 32. but whose putteth his trust in the Lord, mercy imbraceth him on every side: Againe, the eyes of the Lord bee upon them that doe feare him, which doe hope upon his mercy. Againe, our fathers hoped upon thee, Psal. 22.4. Psal. 37.5. and they were not confounded. For looke what the hopefull man is not able in his necessity to bring to passe of himselfe, that will the Lord their God, in whom they doe put their hope bring to good effect and end, They called upon thee, and were hol­pen; Psa. 22.5. Psal. 17.7. they put their trust in thee, and were not confounded. Thou art the Saviour of them which putteth their trust in thee, and keepest them as the apple of thine eye, and hideth them under the shadow of thy wings:Prov. 28.25. and Sa­lomon sayth, He which hopeth upon the Lord shall be saved. Here may wee see how blessed are they which hope upon the Lord; they doe well please him, and they shall feele his goodnesse in time convenient,Psal. 91. whom the mercy of God doth compasse and embrace, and upon whom his eyes bee bent, can be neither forsaken nor confounded, but doth deliver them, preserve and save them by the might of his power; whereupon there commeth the blessednesse of them that doe hope upon God, but in the meere goodnesse and truth of God, whereby he is so affected towards them, that he cannot forsake them, which doe hope upon him, and that without any desert of ours, so that our heart be cleane towards him; and that they hope heartily upon that which they doe hope for, for no other respect, but only in respect of his goodnesse, mercy, and truth.

Of Patience.

THe vertue of Patience is commendable and profi­table, yea, and also necessary, and is adorned with many excellent gifts:The singular gift of pa­tience. Patience is a kinde of heavenly tenure, and a sweet temper in the spirit, whereby the soule is held in possession which restraineth nature from exceeding reason in passion; shee attendeth wisdome in in all her workes, and proportioneth time to the neces­sity of matter; shee is the poyson of sorrow in the hope of comfort, and the paradise of conceit in the joy of peace; shee is the Imitator of the incomprehensible, in his passage to perfection, and a servant of his will in the map of his worke-manship; she pacifieth wrath, and puts off revenge, and in the humility of charity,She is estee­med of God amongst the best vertues. shewes the nature of grace; she is beloved of the highest, and im­braced of the wisest, honoured with the worthiest, and graced with the best: Therefore let us commend pa­tience as it is of it selfe commendable, and commanded by the testimonies of holy Scriptures; therefore we will note somewhat of patience, which may profit not only others, but my selfe also: For, when I doe write of those things which concerne our salvation, I doe as well instruct my selfe as others. Patience is a kind of perse­verance, when wee doe willingly and constantly suffer those things that be hard, painfull, sorrowfull, and to our losse; every suffering of adversity is not straight­way to be termed patience; for there is no man in the world,It is requisite that a patient man do sustain and suffer his adversities willingly. but hee suffereth many things that hee would not doe, if he could any waies withstand it; yet they are not to be called patient men, neither are they called impatient, which do suffer adversity, but doe sustaine it with an evill will, and discontented minde; for it is im­patience when we doe unwillingly, strivingly, and with [Page 302] anger suffer that which wee doe suffer. Patience is not onely the willingnesse, but also the long sufferance of evills; for the vertue of patience consisteth also in the constancy of suffering: there be many that are willing to suffer for a while, but they be soone weary, and be­come impatient, unto them cannot be attributed true patience, which must be both willing and continuall: like as the faith of them which doe believe for a time, and doe shrinke away at time of temptation, is no true faith, nor their love true, which doth love to day, and hate to morrow, or hate upon every sleight occasion; neither is it true patience, to be pa­tient for a season,Note. and after a while, to change their patience into impatiency; for the truth of vertues can­not stand without constancy.

Patient abi­ding is con­stancy to suf­fer and sus­staine all ad­versity.This patient abiding, is the vertue and constancy to suffer and sustaine all adversity with patience: it is impossible that any man can be voyd and free from the disposition of anger; but by impatience wee be over­throwne, though wee be but sleightly assaulted, and thereby are driven from the purpose of godlinesse, righteousnesse and truth: but the parts of true repen­tance, be the calmenesse which is not stirred to anger; the assured looking for Gods ayd and helpe, is the con­stant abiding in that which is right, just, true, and good, and the vertue to suffer and sustaine all troubles and adversities; by these parts, patience is made perfect, and in the faithfull man, there cannot one of them be wanting, without the hinderance of the whole: true pa­tience is commanded unto us in holy Scripture,Rom. 5.3.4. as to the Romans: Rejoyce in tribulations, knowing that affliction worketh patience, and patience triall, and proofe hope; what­soever things be fore written, they be written for our learning, that we may have hope through patience and comfort of Scrip­tures; Gal. 5.22. and to the Galatians, the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, gentlenesse, goodnesse, faith, against such [Page 303] there is no Law; and to the Thessalonians, 2 Thes. 1.4, 5. In so much that wee our selves doe glory of you in the Churches of God, for your patience and faith in all your afflictions, tribulations, and persecutions which ye suffer, that yee may be counted wor­thy of the kingdome of God, for which yee also suffer: Luke 8.15. and our Saviour Christ himselfe commending patience unto us, saith, that the seed which fell upon the good ground, be they which with a pure and good heart doe keepe it, and bring forth fruit through patience; againe,Luke 21.19. through patience, saith hee, you shall possesse your soules.

Againe, by the Scriptures we are advised, counselled, and admonished to patience, as to the Corinthians, 2 Cor. 6.4, 5, 6. Let us be have our selves, saith S. Paul, in all things as the Mi­nisters of God, in much patience, in troubles, in necessities, in straits and dangers, and so forth; and to the Ephesians, Ephes. 4.1, 2. I which am in bonds for the Lord, beseech you walke wor­thily, in the vocation whereunto yee be called, with all weeke­nesse and humblenesse, with patience, forbearing one another in love; therefore put you on, saith hee,Col. 3.12, 13. as the holy wel­beloved and chosen of God, the bowels of mercy, gentle­nesse, humblenesse, sobernesse and patience, forbearing and forgiving one another, even as Christ forgave you: Againe,1 Tim. 6.11. follow after righteousnesse, godlinesse, faith, love, meekenesse, patience: exhort, rebuke them, saith he, with all patience, 2 Tim. 4.2. Tit. 2.2. and to Titus, Advise the elder men to be watching, grave, sober, sound in faith, in charity in patience: and to the Hebrewes, Take heed that yee faint not, Heb. 6.12.15. but be yee followers of them which through faith and patience inherit the promises, and through patient abiding hee obtained the promise, 2 Pet. 5.6, 7. and Peter saith, hereunto apply all your endeavours, and declare your faith in your vertue, and in your vertue knowledge, and in your knowledge temperance, and in your temperance, patience, and in patience godly life, in your godly life, brotherly love, and in your brotherly love, charity to all men; thus wee may see how wee are commanded and admonished in [Page 304] the new Testament to patience; as also there be many places in the old testament, wherein the great vertue of patience is highly commended unto us, especially in the Psalmes of David, and the Proverbs of Salomon; all which be to this purpose set forth, that wee should be moved and stirred up to the study of true patience, by the commandement and authority of Gods Word, that wee being exercised and tryed thereby, wee may constantly without feare or fainting persevere and continue in the course of holy exercise and god­ly life,Psal. 91.14, &c. and after long continuance have the reward of eternall life.

Now will I call to remembrance some of those holy Fathers, in which the godly person may, as it were, in a glasse, behold, and consider the patience of the holy Saints, and appoint himselfe ever to endeavour and follow the same. And first, and before all, and farre surpassing all others the example of patience,God. is in God himselfe, who in his infinite mercy and good­nesse,Whereas wee have deserved his indignati­on malligrace and curse. towards us, doth bring forth his Sunne, up­on both the good and the evill; that hee suffereth and directeth the times and seasons, the services of the ele­ments, the increase of all things that are bred, to serve the turnes and use of the wicked and the unworthy, as well as the worthy and godly, and in his long suffering, bearing with the wicked and unworthy, whereas of his just judgement,Christ. he might destroy them all at once, but the mirrour of example of Gods patience, is shewed un­to us in Christ our Saviour, whose whole life doth re­present unto us a wonderfull degree of patience in all points, and thereunto wee ought all of us to frame our selves, as many as doe glory of his name, and doe shew to be Christians and professors of his faith and Religion:1 Pet. 2 20, 21, 22, 23. For Saint Peter saith, If you doe abide and continue pa­tiently in well-doing, there is grace and favour with God; for thereunto you be called: for Christ also suffered for us, [Page 317] leaving in an example to follow his steppes which committed no sinne; neither was there any guile found in his mouth, who spake no evill when he was evill spoken of: when he suf­fered, he threatned not, but yeelded the revenge to him which judgeth righteously. Wee should follow the example of Christs patience, not onely in his suffe­rings; but in his upright living also, and in pa­tiently abiding the afflictions laid upon us for our up­rightnesse, and other waies. And thus wee be moved and provoked unto true patience, both by the examples of our heavenly Father, and of Christ our Saviour, his onely begotten: by the following of whom wee shall declare our selves to bee the children of God. Let us therefore follow the bright shining vertue of God, ac­cording to the proportion of his heavenly grace: such a one was Noah, who living in the middest of the malice of the most wicked and corrupt world,Noe. Gen. 6.5, 8, &c. being armed with the vertue of patience, continued in the trade of godly life, and innocency untill the end: and procee­ded still in the worke and making of the Arke well neere an hundred yeeres; notwithstanding that he was mocked to skorne, and overthwarted of the wicked. In the History of Abraham, we shall finde many goodly examples of patience; there wee may see what hee did upon the faith and obedience of God, which was wrought and lightned by this vertue of patience: o­therwise he could not have patiently forsaken the Land wherein he was born, his kindred and his fathers house, and undertaken to wander like a stranger in an un­knowne Country, at the will and Commandement of God:Gen. 20. Gen. 12. Abraham. likewise through patience he continued to dwell under the tents in the promised Land, like as a stranger, and patiently abode the accomplishment of the pro­mises,Gen, 25.8. which was to come and so departed out of this life, and dyed in a quiet age. Who can sufficiently expresse with what patience he used the matter, when [Page 308] he was commanded of God to offer up his sonne Isaac: Gen. 22. Isaac. and did not Isaac declare a singular patience, in that he did patiently abide and suffer the froward and stub­borne stopping up of his welles and water-pipes by the Philistins his enemies,Gen. 26 15. and that hee did patiently forbeare to doe any thing against his sonne Jacob, Gen. 27, 28, 29. when he so deceived him with subtilty, and whereas hee thought to blesse his eldest sonne Esau whom he loved, he bestowed his blessing upon Iacob.

Iacob. Gen. 28.5.And Iacob declared himselfe also to bee patient, in that he did obediently obey his parents, and was con­tented at their commandement, to forsake them, and to travell like a stranger into Mesopotamia,Gen. 29. & 30. & 31. yea and did there oftentimes patiently suffer the unjust and wrongfull dealing of his unkle Laban, and that hee did so humble himselfe to appease the displeasure of his brother Esau; Gen. 33.3, 4. yea and hee did so patiently digest, and yet not without griefe,Gen. 34.25. the cruelty of his sonnes shew­ed both against the Sychemites, and against his most deare sonne Ioseph. Joseph. Gen. 37.22. The like spirit of patience is also set forth of Ioseph, in that hee did not revenge the ma­lice of his brethren, being well able to have done it, but did exceeding much good for them: neither did disclose the wickednesse of his mistresse,Gen. 39.20. although hee were clapt into prison for her wickednesse; but he did constantly conceale it,Moses. and abode patiently the helpe of God. Who is able to utter the great paines Moses tooke, being strengthned by the vertue of patience, in the delivering, leading out, and governing of the Israe­lites, a most froward and stubborne people, who often murmured and rebelled against him:Gen. 11. & 12. what misli­kings, and contradictions hee sustained of them; yea, and of his owne brother and sister;Numb. 12.3. so that in Num­bers, it is not spoken for nought, That hee was a man most afflicted, being most meeke of all men on the earth.

After Moses cometh King David, a notable example of patience, in that hee did by the vertue of patience overcome the rages of King Sauls most sore and conti­nuall persecutions,2 Sam. 16.5, 6, 7, 10. and in that hee patiently forbare Semei, when he railed upon him, and would suffer that no wrong should be done unto him. Who can wonder enough at the exceeding patience of Job? for which he is called, Patient Iob: when hee was hurled downe from the highest degree of earthly felicity unto the very botome of misery,Iob. hee neither did nor spake any other­wise than became a godly and patient man,1 Sam. 2.6, 7. hee tare and rent his cloathes, hee shore his head, hee fell to the ground and prayed, saying: Naked came I from my mo­thers wombe, and naked thither shall I returne againe; the Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh, blessed be the Name of the Lord. And when he was strucken with most pestilent and poysoned blaines and sores, from the sole of his foot to the crowne of his head,Iob 2.9, 10. and that his wife said unto him; standest thou still in thy integrity? curse God, and die: he did not for all that speake any one word of impatience, but said: Thou hast spoken like a foolish wo­man; we have received good things at the hand of the Lord, why should we not then suffer the evill? After the Prophets, and Christ Jesus our Saviour; there followeth the pa­tience of the holy Apostles and Martyrs, yea all the holy Saints have wrestled in this field of patience:Mat. 5. of which some have sustained scornes, and stripes, fetters, and imprisonment, and some have beene stoned, sawne, and put to death with the sword; some have wandred and gone about in Goates and beasts skinnes; poore, needy, vexed, and afflicted, which the world was not worthy of; wandring in wildernesse, in mountaines, in caves, and in dennes. Thus setting before our eyes all this company of patient godly men; let us both imitate and endeavour their patience and righteous­nesse, and cast off the heavie burthen of our sinnes, [Page 310] wherewith wee be incumbred,Heb. 12.1, 2. and with patience and alacrity runne the race, and gaine the reward, and in spite of hell gates doe the will of God, and wholly endeavour our selves to attaine the felicity which is promised us, which is eternall life.

And for as much as the godly in this world, must by many troubles enter into the Kingdome of joy: who perceiveth not how necessary this use of patience is, to beare constantly,Proofe requi­reth patience. Rom. 5. all adversity for the truth of God? It is required of the faithfull, that they be sufficiently pro­ved and tryed in the faith of Christ, and no man can be well tryed by troubles but through patience: for as the Apostle saith, trouble breedeth patience, and pati­ence worketh the proofe or tryall of men; for it is not possible,Luke 21.19. By patience we doe save our soules. that being once under the crosse, wee should any otherwise save our soules but by patience: where­fore our Saviour saith, In your patience you shall possesse your soules: therefore wee must in this life strive against sinne, the world, and the Prince of the world, if wee doe not strive wee shall not overcome, and in case wee overcome not, we shall not be crowned; and we cannot overcome without patience: and though notwithstan­ding that charity beareth the chiefe swing in the com­mon course of mans life, for the nourishment of peace and concord, yet unlesse there bee adjoyned patience withall, there cannot continue any quiet betwixt nee­rest and dearest friends; for unlesse quarrels and offen­ces be borne and kept off by the vertue of patience, no love amongst friends can long endure; for what straighter band is there then that betwixt man & wife, whereby two are made one flesh?Math. 19.5. and yet unlesse that both their minds & stomackes be armed with patience, the one shall not be able to beare the conditions, contra­dictions, and cumbers of the other, and so the unity and concord betwixt them might soone bee broken: but impatient hearted men, they doe stirre great vari­ance, [Page 311] strife and contention, and doe breake the tran­quillity of quiet and peace;Patience is the gift of the ho­ly Spirit. in this respect we may well call patience the preserver, yea, the repairer of peace, it cannot worthily enough be expressed how large, how notable, and necessary the use of true patience is, all which doth stand upon the strength of mens desires.

For without patience, all the rest of our vertues will be altogether blemished; therefore in any wise, let us not stay untill wee have attained true patience, the mistresse and governesse of all our affections, which keepeth us within the lists of a contented mind; howsoever it fa­reth with the outward man: this patience therefore which we must seeke and imbrace in all things, must be a joyfull acceptation of our miseries, not as compelled, but cheerefully resting under the burthen of our adver­sitie, which then, although it seeme to make us figh, by reason wee see no end of the griefe; yet it shall in the meane time, cloath us with spirituall joy; for patience stayeth the patient man from fainting in any distresse, yea, when neither friend, counsell,Hebr. 6.12, &c. nor any comfort ap­peareth, then is patience the remedy, which like a mighty Gyant, beareth it out with a godly courage; true patience loveth the afflictions which shee suffereth, and if wee doe attaine to this patience, then shall wee give praise to God in the midst of our miseries, and commit our selves to his providence and care in all our troubles and adversities; neither can poverty keepe us backe or hinder us from commending highly the great bounty and goodnesse of Almighty God, who is able to restore and bring us out of all our afflictions: the mo­ther of this precious and admirable jewell,Rom. 5.4, 5. is tribula­tions, afflictions, persecutions, poverty and crosses; pa­tience begetteth experience, and experience hope, and hope maketh not ashamed; it is concluded then by the holy Apostle, that tribulation maketh not ashamed: Faith, [Page 312] whereof wee have spoken before, is the evidence of things not seene, which so worketh in time of tribula­tion and affliction,Psal. 22.4, 5. that it assureth the afflicted, that his delivery is easie and at hand, his comfort and re­liefe is comming: So that tribulation and affliction seasoned with faith, worketh patience, and a conten­ted tolleration and sufferance of the misery present, which patience bringeth forth experience, namely, it hath proofe of Gods continuall providence, wherein he worketh mightily beyond all humane expectation and mortall reason of mans capacity; the great joy, ease, comfort, reliefe, and release of all the faithfull afflicted members of Christ, and that by so many and admi­rable meanes, that of this experience springeth hope, which worketh through the same experience by an un­doubted assurance, that such successe will follow pa­tient expectation: So that faith, hope and patience, appeareth to be the whole furniture of a true Christian, which being joyned together in man, hee shall finde, that as faith is the ground of things hoped for, and maketh them, as it were, present before our senses, and our selves as certaine of them, as if wee were already possessed of them; so hope maketh us attend the time of delivery, restraining our corrupt natures from practi­sing any unlawfull and forbidden meanes, for the sup­ply of that wee looke for, and having the working of faith and hope, those two singular vertues in us, there is no place of impatience, of grudging, of griefe, nor of desire to seeke sinister devices, for ease or reliefe, but set­teth downe his rest and resolution to be as cheerefull and full of joy in distresse,Dan. 3.17.18. as in any prosperous events whatsoever: So said the three children: when they went to the fire, though God would not deliver them; yet would they not dishonour him, so resolute and pa­tient was Job, who said, though he kill me, yet will I trust in him, such is the fruit of true patience; it is [Page 313] necessary that we be tryed with affliction, and delay of comfort, to the end that wee should be well armed with these vertues, and have experience how God in his pro­vidence worketh for us, yea, wee shall finde, that as the promises of God are irrevocable, firme and sure: so is our faith and hope grounded upon God and his pro­mises, also stable and sure, and shall have the reward which is eternall and everlasting life. To conclude, pa­tience is the gift and grace of Christ, the true vertue of Christianity, it is the praise of goodnesse, and the pre­server of the world, and rests upon the providence of God, to the exceeding comfort of the afflicted.

Of Prayer.

VVE be charged by the Commandement of God, to offer unto our Lord God, thankesgiving and praise, who saith, Call upon me in the day of trouble, Psal 50.14. and I will deliver thee; this calling upon him, is a point of service required of us, and doth serve to the glory of his name: for hee saith, thou shalt glorifie me; Vers. 15. wee be therfore as necessarily bound to pray and call upon the name of God, as wee be bound to the study of his obe­dience and service: this prayer and calling upon the name of God, is not onely profitable unto us, but also necessary unto godlinesse and exercising of our faith: for without faith, we cannot truely call upon the name of God,Rom. 10.13, 14 Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved; but how shall they call upon him on whom they have not believed? whereby it manifestly appea­reth, that study and use of prayer is an exercise of our faith; in this respect wee are specially, by the provi­dence of God, required to aske such things of him, as our necessities doe require; hee could liberally bestow [Page 314] on us all things unasked for,Before thou prayest, pre­pare thy soule, and be not as one that temp­teth God. as hee doth to the Repro­bate, and other living beasts, but his will is to be called upon of his children, to the intent that they should practise the assured trust of their hearts towards him, and be the more out of doubt of his goodnesse and promise, when they doe obtaine that, which in faith they doe desire at his mercifull hands; hee which doth truely pray unto God, doth accuse and esteeme himselfe unworthy, and therefore doth submit himselfe onely and wholly to the will of God.Psal. 34.16. The holy men of God, when they pray, doe powre out the ferventnesse of their hearts before the Lord, with most earnest meditation and wayling, accuse and judge themselves; they doe be­seech the mercy of God; they doe expresse the sorrow of their heart with crying and lamentation, and also in words doe set forth Petitions and Prayers: but gene­rally prayer is the lifting up of the minde and heart un­to God; for prayer is the devotion of the heart in the turning unto God, by godly and humble affection and bewayling of an afflicted heart, whereby the aid of God is most humbly besought;When prayer is in season. whether wee doe the same by words, or by wayling, or sighes; wee are to pray in due season with regard of minde, upon reaso­nable cause, correspondent and proportionable to the present necessitie and case;James 1.5. and therefore Saint James saith,James 5.13. If any man want wisedome, let him aske it of God: againe, If there be any among you afflicted, let him pray: is any merry? let him sing Psalmes; if we consider the parts of prayer, which be to aske, to request, and to beseech, to lament, and to make more, to cra [...]e aid, to make in­tercession for others or our selves,1 Tim. 2.1. to praise and give thankes, wee shall easily understand when the time ser­veth to pray; our wants shall declare unto us, what is to be desired and demanded at Gods hand, the con­science for our sin doth enforce us unto prayer, to ob­taine forgivenesse for our sins, and to turne away the [Page 315] wrath of God from us: the slaunders and rebukes offe­red of the reprobate and ungodly doe make the afflicted and miserable to burst out into wailing and lamenting, trouble and affliction doth instruct us when wee ought to crave and desire ayd and helpe from God;Psal. 34.14. 1 Tim. 2. Charity and pity doe move us to make intercession for our neighbours, and brethren, that be falne into adversity or otherwise subject unto temptation, and the anger of God: the perseverance and continuall supply of the benefits of God, and the zeale of his glory: doe stirre us unto praise and thankesgiving, and where there is no feeling of these things in the heart and minde of man,Without fee­ling of these things our prayers will not be heard of God. there is prayer in vaine, and out of season, at what time soever it bee made. The Christian man is both Lord and master of times and seasons; so that he may pray freely at all times and in all places, where and when he lift, at his owne liberty, u [...]o his commodity and necessity, levelling his prayers in all things unto the right marke, which is to worke and proceed reli­giously, faithfully and truely with his Lord God; ha­ving regard of his owne and his neighbours necessities and good, he ceaseth not to pray in his heart, which cea­seth not to doe good.

The necessity of prayer is either spirituall or tempo­rall: the spirituall necessity,Two kinds of necessities in praying. Note. is of things which doe concerne a godly mind, soundnesse of religion, and de­sire of salvation. By this wee bee compelled to aske of God, a good and right spirit, the gift of faith, trust in hope, forgivenesse of our sinnes, patience in adversity, continuance of true godlinesse, and the like; without which wee cannot be saved. Our corporall necessity is the same which concerneth the sustentation of our life; as the nourishment of our body, ayd, succour, and re­leife in all our wants and necessities. Therefore we doe say in the Lords Prayer, Give us this day our daily bread: and when wee doe desire the health of the sicke and dis­eased, [Page 316] and the ease and delivery of the afflicted and persecuted, and the preservation of them which are in perill and danger. In Prayer there be requisite certaine outward behaviours and gestures, which doe declare a lowlinesse and an humble submission unto God: as that of Daniel, who fell upon his knees three times a day and made his petition,Dan. 6.10. Luke 22.41. and praised his God. And our Saviour Christ prayed upon his knees in the Gar­den:Ephes. 3.14. and Saint Paul fell upon his knees when hee prayed for the Churches of the Gentiles. Others doe lift up their hands toward Heaven,1 King. 8.22. as wee read of Salo­mon, that prayed unto God before the Arke. Others doe cast up their face unto Heaven;Mat. 26.27.39. and others doe lie groveling upon their face, as Christ also did. Others doe pray and humble themselves in haire and sack­cloth as David did,Psalm. 35.13. Ionas 3.6. and as the King of the Ninevites: and some prayed [...]nto God sitting, as Elias did sitting under the Juniper tree:1 King. 19.4. and David prayed also sitting before the Lord. The Publican whose prayer God heard,1 Sam. 17. Luke 18.13. 2 King. 20, 2.3. hee prayed standing; and smote his hand upon his brest, and said, God be mercifull unto me a sin­ner: and Ezechias prayed, lying in his bed. There­fore, whether we doe fall upon our knees, or lie grove­ling upon our face, or in ashes, haire, or sackecloth; either sitting, standing, or lying or walking, so that we doe pray earnestly,Jam. 5.15, 16, 17. faithfully, and substantially, with humble and contrite heart and mind, no question it will be acceptable and well pleasing unto God.Acts 10.31. Almes-deeds no doubt doth commend and set forth our pray­ers well unto God; as wee may perceive by Cornelius, unto whom the Angell said, Thy prayer is heard, and thine Almes-deeds are had in remembrance in the sight of God: Note. The manner of praying. For that godly disposition is acceptable unto God; which hath both mercy and well-doing joyned withall. The manner of praying peculiar to Christi­ans, is, when wee doe offer our prayers unto God the [Page 317] Father, by our Lord Jesus Christ our onely Saviour and Mediatour, and faithfully deo desire to be heard for his sake: thereunto serveth the promise of Christ, in Iohn, saying, Ʋerily, verily, I say unto you, John 16.23, 24. whatsoever ye aske the Father in my Name, he shall give it you. Hither­to ye have asked nothing in my Name, aske and ye shall have it, that your joy may be full. Iohn 14.13.14. And whatsoever ye shall aske in my Name, that will I accomplish, that the Father may bee glorified in his Sonne. Then if thou callest, Esay 58.9. the Lord shall answere thee; if thou cryest, he shall say, Here I am.

It is an exceeding great benefit of God towards us, in that he requireth us to conferre with him familiarly, by pious prayer; hee bestoweth upon us the gift and the fruit of prayer: great is the force of prayer which is poured forth on earth, but hath its working in Hea­ven: the prayer of the just is the key of Heaven; prayer ascendeth up from us to Heaven, and deliverance de­scends from God to us: prayer is the shield and buck­ler of the faithfull, by which they repell all the fiery darts of their adversaries; the anger of God is also repelled by the prayers of the faithfull. Our Saviour himselfe prayed; not that hee had need to pray,Eph. 6.16, 17. but to commend unto us the dignity thereof: prayer is the tribute of our subjection, because God hath comman­ded that wee should every day offer unto him our pray­ers as a spirituall tribute. Prayer is the ladder of our ascension unto Heaven; for it is nothing else but the soules travelling unto God. It is the sword of our de­fence;Eccles. 35.17, 18. for the soule of him that continueth in prayer is secure and safe from all the assaults of the divell: for God doth alwaies heare the prayers of the faithfull; if not according to their desire, yet to their salvation and profit: and we may assuredly hope, that either he will give us that which we aske, or else that which he in his wisdome knoweth to be more profitable for us: [Page 318] for God gave us his onely begotten Sonne, that infinite and most excellent gift, wee being not worthy of it, nor hee being not intreated thereunto; what will he then deny us, if hee be intreated by earnest and faithfull prayer? We cannot doubt of the Fathers hearing, or the Sons interceding, upon all occasions: wee may with Moses by prayer enter into the Tabernacle,Numb. 7.89. and con­sult with the Lord our God, and we shall speedily heare his divine answere.Luke 9.29. Our Saviour Christ was transfigu­red when hee prayed; so are there many changes wrought in the soules of the faithfull in the time of prayer: for prayer is the light of the soule, and often­times leaves him in joy, whom shee found in despaire. With what face canst thou behold his Majesty, unlesse thou dost first worship him,Eccle. 53.1, 2. who sends that glorious light for thee to looke upon? how canst thou at thy table fall to thy meate, unlesse thou doest first worship and give praise unto him, who in his bounty bestowes those good creatures upon thee? with what hope da­rest thou commit thy selfe to the darknesse of the night, and bee safe from the dangers of the day, unlesse thou dost first fore-arme thy selfe by faithfull prayer? what fruit canst thou expect of thy labours, and successe in thy travels, unlesse thou dost first worship him, and commit thy selfe to his gracious care and providence by prayer,Math. 7.7. without whose blessing all labour is un­profitable and vaine? If therefore thou wantest tem­porall blessings, aske in faith, and it shall bee given you: if thou desirest Christ, seeke him by prayer, and thou shalt finde him: if thou desirest that the gate of divine grace and eternall salvation, should be opened unto thee, knocke and it shall be opened, and if in the desert of this world the thirst of tentations, & the penury and want of temporall things afflict thee, come with devotion unto the spirituall rocke,1 Cor. 10.4. which is Christ, and strike it with the rod of prayer, and thou shalt feele the [Page 319] streames of divine grace to coole the thirst of thy penu­ry:Gen. 8.21. offer the sweet smelling and acceptable sacrifice of prayer unto God, and his wrath shall cease from thee: converse with him every day by faithfull prayer, which is the spirituall conference betweene God and the de­vout soule; prayer pleaseth God; therefore invite the Lord to the house of thy heart by earnest prayer, and he will be thy guest, and not forsake thee.Psal. 29.2. Whosoever desireth to be heard, let him pray with wisdome, with fervency, with humility, with faith, with perseverance, and with confidence: let him pray with wisdome for such things as tend to the glory of God, the good of his neighbour, and the salvation of himselfe: God is omnipotent, therfore do not thou in thy prayers tie him to means, God is most wise, doe not thou in thy prayers ascribe him an order; let not thy prayers breake forth rashly, but let the conduct of faith guide thee, which hath respect unto the Word; therefore such things as God hath absolutely promised in his Word, pray for absolutely; and such things as he hath promised with condition, as temporall things,To the repro­bate and un­godly person. pray for with condi­tion; and such things as hee hath not promised in his Word, in no wise pray for: God doth often give in his wrath, that which in his mercy hee doth deny; there­fore follow the example of Christ, who resigned his will wholly unto God: pray with fervency; for how canst thou desire that God should heare thee, when thou hearest not thy selfe, but the tongue out-runneth the minde? Wouldst thou have God mindfull of thee, when thou art not mindfull of thy selfe? God will not heare thy prayers, without the affection of the heart;John 4.23. Luke 6.12. John 17.1. the minde must be so inflamed with the heat of cogitation, that it may farre surpasse what the tongue expresseth; and this is to worship in spirit and truth; for such worship the Lord requireth: Christ prayed in the mount, and lifted up his eyes toward heaven: So [Page 320] must wee turne away our minde from the creatures, and turne them unto God; for otherwise thou dost injury unto God, to pray unto him, to attend unto thee, when thou art not attentive unto thy selfe. And seeing God dwelleth in the hearts of the faithfull and godly, there needeth not alwaies words, because hee is present even with the thoughts;Luther. oftentimes one sigh moved by the holy Ghost, and offered in the spirit, is more acceptable to God, then long repetitions of prayers, where the tongue prayeth, and the heart is plainly dumbe: let him pray with humility, and place no confidence in his owne merits, but onely in the grace and mercy of God. Christ being the Temple of the divinity, at his passion he cast himselfe to the ground,Marke 14, 35. and prayed; behold how that most holy soule humbled it selfe before the divine Majesty: let us pray with faith, the sooner one prayeth, the more profitable, the oftener the better, the more fervently,2 Cor. 6. the more acceptable with God: let us pray with perseverance; for if God delay his benefits, and doth not presently give them, he commends them unto us, and doth not deny them: the longer things are desired,Matth. 21.22. The efficacy of faithfull prayer. the sweeter and the more acceptable they are, being obtained: let us pray with confidence of heart, that is, aske in faith without doubting, and thou shalt have what thou desirest, either ease, reliefe, redresse, or comfort; the examples are many, they are infinite, set forth in Scripture, of our godly Fathers, Prophets and Apostles, amongst which is declared the wonderfull effect of prayer,Josh. 10.12, 13. that at the instant request of Joshua made unto God, the Sunne stood still in the middest of the sky the space of one whole day, untill the people of God had revenged themselves upon their enemies: and Elias prayed unto the Lord that it might not raine upon the earth,1 King. 17 1. & 18.1. Jam 5.17, 18. 1 King. 17.22. and it rained not for the space of three yeeres and sixe moneths: and againe, he prayed, and the sky gave raine, and the earth yeelded her fruit. Againe, Elias [Page 321] by prayer unto God,1 King. 18.37, 38. raised up the dead child of the widow of Sarepta, and at his prayer fire falleth from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering; the wood,Gen. 20.17. stones, dust, and water: at the prayer of Abraham, God healed King Abimelech his wife, and his hand-women, and they bare children: Isaac prayed unto God for his wife, because shee was barren,Gen. 25.21. and the Lord well heard him; and Rebecca his wife conceived, and was delive­red:Gen. 32.11. & 33. Jacob prayed to God that hee might be delivered from the hand of his brother Esa [...], and the Lord heard him, and reconciled him to his favour, and imbraced him, fell on his necke, and kissed him:Exod. 8.12, 13. Exod. 9.28, 29, 33. as often as Moses prayed unto God, hee was well heard; when the frogs at his prayer were taken away from Pharaoh, and the flies, the hayle and thunder ceased, the locusts were rid away,Exo. 10.18, 19. the Amalechites which were the enemies to the people of Israel, were overcome by prayer: the Lord,Exo. 17.11.13. at the prayer of Moses, was appeased with Israel, with whom he was angry for their grievous offence in setting up a golden calfe: his sister Miriam, at his prayer,Exod. 32.11. was healed of her leprosie: the wrath of God,Numb 12.13. Numb. 14.19, 20. when hee went to destroy the Israelites, which murmured, and desired to returne into Egypt againe, was at the prayer of Moses pardoned: by the prayer of Moses, Numb. 21.7, 8. Iudg. 6. the people were cured from the fiery serpents: Israel being brought low, and distressed by the Midianites, cryed unto the Lord, and was delivered: Manoah, the father of Samson, Iudg. 13. prayed unto God, that the Angel might againe appeare, which was granted him: Samson being sore athirst,Iudg. 15.18, 19. prayed unto the Lord, and the Lord sent him water out of a tooth, and when hee had drunke thereof,Iudg. 16.28, 29, 30. his spirit came againe, and hee revived: Samson by his prayer made unto the Lord, received his old strength, and was at once revenged on his enemies,1. Sam. 7.9, &c. when he was blind: Samuel prayed unto the Lord, for to deliver the Israelites out of the hands of the Philistims, and hee [Page 322] was well heard;1 Sam. 12.16. and the Philistims were discomfited: at the prayer of Samuel, the Lord sent noises & raines from heaven to terrifie the people, and they feared the Lord.

David.We may see the effect of Davids prayers every where in the Psalmes, where hee saith oftentimes, I have cryed unto the Lord with my voyce, and hee hath heard mee: when I cryed unto the Lord, of my righteousnesse, he heard mee: and in my trouble I called upon the Lord, Psal. 18. and cryed unto my God, and bee heard my voyce from his holy Temple, and my cry entered into his eares; I will, saith hee, call upon the Lord, which is worthy to be praised, so shall I be safe from mine enemies; 1 King. 2. 2 King. 9.13. I cryed unto thee, and thou hast healed me: Salomon prayed unto the Lord God, concerning the people of Israel,2 Kin. 4.28, &c. and is heard of the Lord, and his prayer and intercession is granted: Elizeus by prayer raised up the dead childe of the Shunamite:2 King. 6.17. againe, he prayed unto the Lord, and the young mans eyes were opened, and he looked, and behold, he did see aid from heaven:2 King. 20. Ezechias by prayer obtained at Gods hand both recovery of his health, and also the prolongign of his daies: Jobs friends talked amisse before the Lord,Job ult. and yet their offence was pardoned at the prayer which Job made for them.

The Apostles prayed unto God, and the place was moved where they were assembled together, and they were filled with the holy Ghost:Acts 4.31. Acts 9.40, 41. Acts 10.4. Peter making his prayer unto God, raised up Tabitha from death, and restored her to life: Cornelius prayed unto God, and his prayer was had in remembrance before God: the Church prayed for Peter when Herod had cast him into prison,Act. 12.5, &c. and the Lord delivered the Apostle from his bonds, and out of prison: at the prayer of S. Paul, and Silas, Acts 16.25, &c. the prison was shaken with an earth-quake, and all the dores thereof were opened, and their bonds loosed: Paul prayed for Publius father,Acts 28.8. who lay sicke of a fever, and of a bloody-flixe, and restored him to health; [Page 323] these examples out of the Scriptures doe sufficiently de­clare how attent the Majesty of God is, to heare and grant their prayers, who doe heartily call upon his holy Name, either for themselves, either for others; whereby we may perceive, what the wonderfull efficacy of prayer is before God: the prayers of the faithfull be alwaies acceptable unto God; and that hee hath a much better regard and consideration of our necessities, then we our selves be able to understand; although he doe not at all times performe, the same which wee doe desire, or not after the same manner, or so soone as we doe aske it; fot as Saint Iames saith,Note. you doe de­mand, and not receive what you desire,Iam. 4.2, 3. because you aske [...]misse, even to consume it upon your lusts and unlawfull desires. Therefore hee that desires to pray effectually unto God, and be heard, must not be violent and wrath­full, cruell and unmercifull against his Christian bre­thren; neither proud nor mistrustfull, but they must be quite voyd from anger and strife, and ready to forgive, when they have any quarrell against their neighbours: For God is so offended by these faults, that in respect of them hee doth abhorre our prayers. There be many other hindr [...]nces, but these bee the most generall, and therefore with the greater circumspection to be eschu­ed; Aske in faith and waver not, Iam. 1.6. for hee that wavereth is like to the wave of the Sea, which is tost and carried about with the wind. Therefore let not that man suppose that hee receiveth any thing from the Lord: some­times wee doe pray so coldly without heart or spirit,Ecclus. 18, 22. that we our selves perceive not what it is that we mum­ble in our mouth. Therefore hee that so prayeth and heareth not himselfe; how can hee hope to be heard of God? we must not put the fault in God, if wee obtaine not what we desire at his hands, but in our owne sinnes and wickednesse, vices and naughtinesse, whereby wee doe hinder his goodnesse, grace, and mercy from per­forming [Page 324] those things which wee doe aske; for hee is so good and mercifull unto us, that he hath a regard of our health and salvation; and doth give us such things as doe serve for our necessities: but it falleth out often­times that he doth not grant us our petitions, because if we had them, they should be more harmefull then profi­table unto us. Therefore we must pray with continuall and unfeigned hope and trust in God, that in his good time, he will heare our prayers, and grant our requests.

Therefore hee that prayeth unto God to bee heard, must pray heartily, with all his heart, with all his soule, with all his strength.Deut. 6.5: Thrice hee requireth all, least wee should keepe a thought behind: and God saith, My sonne give me thy heart: Pro. 23.26. that is, which Christ calles spirit and truth, without hypocrisie; for untill wee doe give our hearts unto God, our hearts are vaine, barren, and sinnefull; and then it is the Spouse of Christ, the Temple of the holy Ghost, and the Image of GOD, so changed, reformed, and refined, that God calles it a new heart: so that when the heart sets for­ward to prayer, and is willing to serve God, then all the members will follow after, and yeeld con­sent; the tongue will praise him, the foote will follow him; the eare will attend him, the eye will watch him, and the hands will serve him; nothing will stay behind if the heart pricketh them forward: such motion hath the heart, that it maketh all the rest of the sences, pliant, nimble, and currant about it, and yeeld consent unto the heart. Therefore it is almost as easie to speake well, and doe well, as to thinke well: for if the heart indite a good matter, no mar­vell though the tongue bee the Pen of a ready writer:Psal. 45.2. Heb. 3.12. but if the heart be dull, all the sences are out of tune, like a left hand, they are unapt and untoward to any good; the tongue will not praise because the heart doth not love; the eare will not heare, because the heart [Page 325] doth not mind, the hand will not give because the heart doth not pitty; the foot will not goe, because the heart willeth not to stirre; all depend and stay upon the heart. Therefore the Lord requireth the heart, which is the first motion to all goodnesse in man: if the heart be perfect all is good; for our heart gives consent to all our actions: when wee speake, wee should speake as if our heart did speake, pray, as if our heart did pray; heare, as if our heart did heare; give, as if our heart did give; remit, as if our heart did remit; and counsell, as if our heart did counsell: as the Apostle saith,Cor. 3.23. Doe all things heartily as unto the Lord, and not as done unto men: for there is nothing troublesome unto our conscience, but that which goeth against the heart, wee should therefore serve God with all our hearts, for his honour, and for his Names sake, and not for our owne respects, and our owne ends: for he which giveth his heart un­to God, doth all things for the love of God, and to his glory. As Ioseph charged his brethren,Gen. 42.15. &c. that they should not come to him for more Corne, unlesse they brought their brother Beniamin unto him, whom they left behind at home: so God will not have us to pray and seeke unto him for any thing,Math. 15.8. unlesse wee bring our hearts unto him, which oftentimes we leave behind: the tongue that prayeth without the heart, is a flatte­ring tongue: the eye, without the heart be godly, is a wicked eye: the eare without the heart, is a vaine eare; the hand, without the heart bee right is a false hand. Dost thou thinke that God will accept a flatte­ring tongue, a wicked eye, a vaine eare, a false hand, without the sacrifice of thy heart? Saint Paul saith, If I give all that I have, and speake with the tongues of men, and of Angels and have not love, that is, give not my heart,1 Cor. 13.1, &c. it availeth nothing. Therefore who so feareth the Lord, it shall goe well with him at the last, and in the day of his death hee shall be blessed: the heart is the Temple [Page 326] of God, and he that giveth it to any thing but to God, committeth sacriledge, and breaketh that Commande­ment, Give unto God those things which are Gods: that is,Math. 22.21. an upright heart, with due honour and worship. Wherefore when you pray, let your heart pray; when you heare, let your heart heare; when you give, let your heart give; whatsoever you doe, set the heart to doe it, and let your godly heart guide you in all your actions; if it be not so perfect as it should be, yet God will ac­cept it for his sake that gives it, & redeemed it: to whom let us by faithfull and earnest prayer, commit our hearts, our soules, our bodies, and all that ever wee have, unto his most gracious and mercifull protection and tuition.

Of Afflictions.

2 Cor. 1.5, 6, 7.FOr as much as it is almost unpossible, for the inno­cent and faithfull soule to attaine to the end of her progresse,Acts 14.22. the heavenly Canaan, but that shee must passe through the troubles, crosses, and miseries of this wicked and wretched world, and whiles wee doe live in the flesh, we be subject to all kind of afflictions, by the speciall providence and purpose of God, both thorough the weaknesse of our nature, and also through the malice of this present world: especially the poore, the needy, distressed, and godly disposed persons. Therefore it behoveth all men how to understand and undertake, to beare and overcome the adversities, which through the malice of the world, and our owne infir­mities cannot be avoyded, yet there is nothing so trou­blesome and sorrowfull, which the patient man and well disposed Christian is not able to overcome by the [Page 327] grace of his Saviour that strengtheneth him:1 Cor. 10.13. For the Apostle saith, there hath no temptation taken you, but such as followeth the nature of man; but God is faith­full, which shall not suffer you to be tempted above that which you are able to beare, but shall with the tempta­tion, make a way to escape: indeed, our whole nature is generally corrupt, weake and feeble,There be a passing num­ber of the sorts of afflictions. and the corrup­tion thereof doth customeably breed certaine peculiar griefes to every age; who can account the griefes of the flesh, which cold, heat, and hunger, thirst, diseases, and severall dangers doe enforce upon every age and condition? but most generally afflictions doe chance unto men, as base in condition, and low in degree; as contempt, oppression, pillage and poverty, with all manner of wrongs and injuries, whereby the meaner sort be without respect troden downe by the greater and stronger, and be devoured in this world; even as the smaller fishes be in the Sea by the greater, and the mightier: whereof Habakkuk doth complaine, saying, O Lord, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not heare mee? I call unto thee whilest I suffer, and thou wilt not save mee: Habak. 1. why dost thou shew mee wickednesse and trouble; to see spoyling and violence before my face? and they doe raise up strife and contention: the Law is dissolved, and judgement hath no execution; Psal. 82.2, 3, 4. for the wicked doth compasse about the righteous, and wrong judgement proceedeth.

This manner of afflictions, wherewith the poore and the widowes, the fatherlesse, desolate, strangers,Job 30.25. and the innocents are oppressed in this world, without care and conscience,Eccles. 8.11. and doe reigne without regard or looking to: the poore lieth oppressed in every corner without reliefe or redresse of their wants or wrongs:Psal. 69 21, 22 the Apostle maketh mention of many other afflictions; as tribulation, anguish, perill, persecution, hunger,Rom. 8.35. naked­nesse,Verse 18. 2 Cor. 4.17. all which shall not separate us from the love of God: for saith he, I am certainly perswaded, that the [Page 328] afflictions of this world, are not worthy of the glory which shall be shewed upon us in the life to come: the occasions of these evills, wherewith we be afflicted, doth proceed of our selves,By the provi­dence of God. Psal. 89. because of our sins; therefore the Prophet saith, I wil visit their wickednesse with the rod, and their sinnes with stripes; neverthelesse, my loving kind­nesse will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my truth to faile: as the Lord said to him that was sicke of the palsie,Matth. 9.2. Be of good cheere my sonne, thy sins be forgiven thee: Againe, hee said to him that had beene diseased thirty eight yeeres,Joh. 5.5.14. Lo, thou art made whole; sinne no more, lest a worse thing happen unto thee. Every man must be fully perswaded,Afflictions be sent from God. that troubles, crosses, losses, and all manner of afflictions, doth come and fall upon us, by the dispo­sition and ordinance of God, and no otherwise: this is confirmed by the testimony of God himselfe,Esay 45.5. saying, I am the Lord, and without we there is no God; it is I that cre­ated light and darkenesse; it is I make peace, and trouble, yea, Verse 7. even I the Lord doe all these things, whereby we doe perceive, that wee be scourged of God for our sins and iniquities, and by them wee doe provoke the wrath of God upon us; besides, there be some sins that of nature,A covetous minde is never satisfied, nor thinkes any thing unlaw­full. they doe afflict both our bodies and soules: as drunkennesse doth trouble and marre mens bodies and minds, and covetousnesse and envie the mind and soule; one saith, that every disordered affection, is a punish­ment to it selfe. There be also many afflictions, where­with the godly, just, and innocent be oppressed by the wicked in this world, by their ungodlinesse, malice, anger, hatred, enmity, envie, pride, and delight in strife and variance, in which they doe hate and trouble them without desert;Iob 37.23. it is not the property of God to afflict, but to deliver, and save the afflicted: for hee is good, gentle, milde and loving towards man-kind; so that he delighteth in doing good to them, according to the saying of Jeremy, Ierem. 1.19. I will rejoyce in them, when I shall doe [Page 329] them good; but it is wrought by the malice of our na­ture, that hee is compelled like a most loving father, to chasten and instruct us by the rod of discipline,Afflictions are sent as chastis­ments tempo­rary to the e­lect, but eter­nall to the re­probate. to the intent to save them, which otherwise should perish: to this intent, hee did often times afflict and scourge the people of Israel, because of their intollerable sins and rebellion, to bow and turne them unto himselfe: so he doth punish sinners, to the intent they should leave off their trade of sinning, and turne unto him, and amend their lives: thus the godly be exercised in the faith of Gods providence, to the intent, that knowing their owne weaknesse, they may put their trust in their Lord God, and have hope upon him,Eccles. 51. whose aid doth com­fort them in all their afflictions, and who in his good time will bring them out of all their troubles: thus they be trained up to call upon the Lord, in whom they doe depend in stedfast trust and hope, and not in the vaine hope and trust in man, or worldly meanes, and to offer the sacrifice of continuall praise unto God, by whom they have hope to be delivered out of all their afflictions.Afflictions do confirme the faith of the godly. Patience and sufferance of afflictions maketh our faith strong; whereupon commeth our hope, which doth not confound: this is the assurance of our salva­tion, when a man hath a tryed faith towards God, and an assured hope against all temptations as armed against the very gates of Hell.

Againe,Iob 5.15, &c. wee be not onely allowed and well tryed by afflictions to be the sonnes of God,By affliction we be brough to be the chil­dren of God, and be assured of his care of us. 2 Cor. 1.3, 4. but the very care of God is commended unto us, whereby hee doth marvel­lously comfort the afflicted: of this the Apostle maketh mention, saying, Blessed be God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is the father of mercies, and the God of all comfort, which doth comfort us in all our tribulati­ons: like as the passions of Christ doe abound in us; so by the grace of Christ, our comfort doth more abound: and David saith, According to the multitude of the sorrowes [Page 330] in my heart thy comforts doe rejoyce my soule; Psal. 93.19. so that by the grace of God, the troubled and afflicted are com­forted in all their troubles and afflictions; in these ex­tremities, the afflicted have great need to be strengthned and cōfirmed in the grace of Christ,Without faith wee cannot have the com­fort of the Spirit. to believe that they be chastened, exercised, reformed, tryed, and saved from ruine and destruction, by the immediate hand of God their heavenly father; unlesse that they have this faith, they cannot have the comfort of the Spirit; wee must have also stedfast hope, whereby wee must not doubt, but that God in his mercy, and in his good time, shall once deliver us from all our tribulations, crosses and af­flictions, which by his chastening hand, and in his love he hath laid upon us; this hope cometh of faith, in that we doe believe that God is faithfull, standing to all his promises, and able to performe what he hath promised, and that he will not suffer us to be tempted further than we be able to beare, and that this hope is not vaine, it appeareth by that which God himselfe faith:Psal. 91.1, &c. For as hee hoped upon mee, I will deliver him out of all his tribulations and afflictions: after his stedfast faith and strong hope, there followeth that unknowne and excee­ding commendable vertue, Patience; of these three most excellent vertues, doth come the rejoycement of the spi­rit.Acts 5. So S^t. Paul doth testifie, that he doth not onely re­joyce in the hope of the glory of Gods children, but al­so rejoyce in their troubles:James 1. and Saint James saith, My brethren, Rom. 5. count it all joy, when yee fall into divers temptations, knowing, that the triall of your faith worketh patience; therefore we must so beare our afflictions, that wee must abide them, not onely patiently, but with joy also, through faith and hope.

Whosoever is wretched and afflicted, is to be pitied and relieved, for that he is distressed and afflicted: the Samaritan which is spoken of in the Gospel, did pity, Luk 10.30, &c.relieve and helpe him that was falne into the hands of [Page 331] thieves, having no respect of his Country or religion; but in consideration that hee was a man himselfe, hee had compassion, and tooke pitty of the miserable case and perill of the man distressed, therefore it is a good and charitable deed, and to be used of all men, to­wards their Christian brethren, to relieve, helpe, suc­cour, and comfort the needy, distressed, and afflicted person; not onely for that hee is afflicted, but for his Saviour Christ his sake, who hath commanded it: wee ought to doe good to all men, as the Apostle saith,Gal. 6.10. Espe­cially to them which are of the houshold of faith: there must mercy also be shewed unto him that is chastened for his sinnes. God is well pleased withall, and doth require it, as wee may perceive in Esay, where he charged the Moabites lovingly to entreat the Israelites, whom hee had scourged for their sinnes, Hide the chased, saith he,Esay 16.3, 4. and bewray not them that are fled, let them that are per­secuted dwell with thee, and be thou their refuge. There­fore seeing that it is a worke of true goodnesse to have pitty and mercy upon the distressed and afflicted; wee ought not to enquire after their religion, life, and oc­casion of their affliction, at what time wee ought to succour them, but for compassion sake to bestow our ayd and reliefe upon them, in their distresse and mise­ries, as men afflicted; for their misery and affliction doth sufficiently declare their wants and necessities: but when the afflicted is thus perplexed, vexed, grieved, and in anguish, they must patiently suffer and beare them, and not despairingly runne to desperation, nor to rest dissolute and carelesse what become of them, but they must in Christs Name repaire unto God, who although he be offended, will yet shew mercy; for hee doth not cast off upon every offence, nor revenge every wrong as the world doth,Luke 15.20. but like the Father of that unthrifty sonne, receiveth againe him that strayed, and lovingly imbraceth him; that returneth unto him, by [Page 332] true and serious repentance, faithfull prayer, and holy contemplation and uprightnesse of living, with the consideration of Gods purpose in afflicting him, for hee may not censure these evils or the least of them to come by chance, as the world often and most rashly and unadvisedly affirmeth, or that they befall him by reason of the unfortunate Planet,Psal. 73.5. Esay 47.13. under which he was borne, as the starre-gazer fondly maintaineth; for the Lord God Almighty, that high and incomprehensible Jehovah, Revel. 1.8. that everlasting Alpha and Omega, He which was, and is, and is to come: he is the former, framer, crea­tor, preserver, and governour of all things, and who but hee, made and prepared those famous starres in the Firmament,Iob 38. Esay 51.13. Psal. 89.13. Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, who spread forth the Heavens like a curtaine? who limited the North and South climates? who made the Sunne and Moone but hee? and therefore let all men thinke, that his creatures which he hath formed, framed, and placed, for the use and behoofe of man, for the distin­ction of times and seasons, and to give light unto the earth, and his creatures thereon, keepe every of them his Sphere as a walke, whereas unto a continuall taske they are tyed, by the omnipotent Commander, who keepeth them without variation in the first course, do­ing their continuall service and labour for the behoofe of man, as other creatures doe, and are not as Gods or governours of mans nature; neither can they dispose of their inclinations, constitutions, or affections, or make them happy or unhappy, but are ruled, gover­ned, and commanded by God, as other inferiour crea­tures are to stand and move at his pleasure: the Sunne stood still in Gibeon, and the Moone in the Valley of Aialon, Iosh. 10.13. 2 King. 20.10. and that for a whole day; so the Sunne at the commandement of the Lord retyred ten degrees, in the Firmament, as a signe for Hezechias health: which pro­veth that these creatures are as all other, even subject [Page 333] to the will of the superiour Governour, who needeth not the helpe of such weake meanes to worke the long or short life of man, the happy or unhappy estate of man, the poore or rich portion of man,1 Sam. 2.6, 7, 8 or any matter belonging to the soule or body of man, but all cometh from his sacred wisedome and divine providence, all men are in his hands as the clay in the Potters, and he frameth and forgeth of all formes, and fashions;Rom. 9.21. some to honour, some to dishonour; some to bee high, some to bee low; some to bee rich, some to be poore; some to be reverenced, and some to bee de­spised, afflicted and persecuted; and every man must rest contented with his portion, bee it good or bad, sweet or sowre.

And therefore bee not so hardy and voyd of reason, as to dreame that thy constitution, inclina­tion good or bad successe in thy proceedings, the pros­perous or adverse issues of thine endeavours; thine estate, poore or rich, or thy troubles and afflictions, proceedeth from the influence, dominion, rule or power of these creatures, but that a divine and supernaturall cause worketh that in thee, which the wit of man can­not conceive, wherein though the world afford thee no comfort,All our affli­ctions, trou­bles, miseries, and calamities which happen unto us com­meth of our sinnes. yet art thou bound by an inward bond of duty to acknowledge all thine infirmities, all thine af­flictions, and all the crosses which happen and fall upon thee, to proceed even from thine owne sinnes, and filthy corruptions, as buffets to rouze thee from the for­getfulnesse of thy duty to his sacred Majesty, for thy ro­ving and ranging astray, after vaine and foolish things, superfluous desires, and overmuch negligence of thy cal­ling, and in great love and favour, doth thy loving father give thee these gentle corrections, even of mercy to re­claime thee from the way of sinne unto a more sincere and sacred course of life.Heb. 12. So that the troubles and mi­series, and all the adverse things that can befall us, are [Page 334] Gods gentle chastisements to his children, to reforme them, but to the obstinate and unbeleeving, they are messengers of his judgements,Numb. 14.2. Judg 6. Judg. 10. and utter renunciati­on; who by his punishments waxe worse and worse, who doe murmure and grudge at the course he taketh to amend them, as did the rebellious Israelites whom he did often visit in mercy before he entred into judge­ment with them; hee calleth us by his punishments from perils, to the end wee should not be subject to the dangerous security of a pleasing estate here in this world, wherewith he seeth us apt to be intangled: he doth as it were fetter us with the shackles of adversity, that we should not have scope to daunce after the Mu­sicke, and sweet syrens tunes of this worlds happinesse, which so enchaunteth men of liberty and lovers there­of, that they are thereby led, as it were by a golden line, to the everlasting pit: but for the truely penitent and faithfull believer, he hath prepared and provided an endlesse rich and surpassing Diadem of absolute glory,Rom. 8.17, 18. a beautifull City, the Kingdome of joy, the Kingdome of eternall consolation. If with patience they beare this moment of tryall and fatherly light yoake, though to flesh and blood most sharpe and unsavory, yet will hee mixe them with spirituall sweetnesse and inward consolation. God dealeth most providently for his children, and turneth even their teares into great joy, and their lamentations into songs of melody: and al­though his working seemes strange unto flesh and blood, and hard measure to be crossed, yet God seeth it necessary for us, therefore take it not grievously to fall into troubles, to sustaine miseries, to endure cros­ses, and to abide afflictions: neither thinke it strange, for as the Apostle Saint James saith,James 5. it hath beene the portion of Gods dearest children, from the beginning, and will be for ever found true,Psal. 91.14, &c that Great are the trou­bles of the righteous; and as true it is, that the Lord will [Page 335] delivers them out of all. Dan. 3. What greater danger could there be, then to be in the firie furnace, as was Sidrach, Misach, and Abednego? yet did the Lord so qualifie the force of the fire, mortifying, as it were, the nature thereof, that it nothing annoyed them; yet it did consume the mini­sters of their execution. What greater perill could there be, then to be in the Lyons denne with Daniel? Dan. 6.16. & 24. yet the Lord shut up the mouthes of the Lyons, that they could not hurt him; but yet they devoured his accusers. It is much to be in misery, in want, in sicknesse,1 King. 19. Judg. 15.18. Luk. 16.20, 21. and full of sores with Job, to be in hunger with Elias, to thirst with Samson, poore, sore, and naked with Lazarus, impri­soned and accused with Joseph, persecuted, banished, and in exile with David, with Jeremy, with Peter, Gen. 3.9. 1 Sam. 21.22. & 27. Acts 14.19. to be stoned with Paul, and infinite others; yet did the Lord deliver them out of all their troubles: such is the force of a sound confidence and trust in the Almighty God, who in mercy worketh by outward crosses, the inward comfort of his children, and sheweth compassion alwaies upon them, according to the multitude of his mercies. And as sin is the root from whence springeth all our af­flictions, crosses, miseries, and calamities, both inward and outward; and our offences is the cause of Gods displeasure against us, and God in his displeasure pow­reth forth both crosses and curses upon sinners;Temporary to the elect, and eternall to the reprobate. therfore it behooveth every man carefully to consider the cause of his troubles, whether hee be falne into the same by his owne riot, wanton lascivious or licencious life, and by his ungodly conversation and neglect of the feare of God; for which things sake,Ephes. 5.6. Col. 3.6. the wrath of God comes upon the children of disobedience, and he powreth out of the cup of his indignation upon them, either in judgement, to their condemnation,The reprobate cannot breath one thought of repentance. and so to be per­petuall, or else to recall and reclame them from their wicked waies, that they may be saved, and so to live for ever. Therefore let every man acknowledge and confesse [Page 336] their sins unto God, be truly penitent, and crave pardon for them,Esay 49.8. and fall downe before him in hearty prayer, and he will heare them, grant their requests, and deliver them out of all their troubles and afflictions, and give them the reward of everlasting life: for we cannot be so ready to come unto God by prayers,God accepteth of our desires in stead of per­formance. but he is as ready to meete our petitions, and in a most fatherly loving manner hee imbraces us, and graciously accepteth of our humble desires; so that the godly men have no cause to faint undet the burthen of their miseries, but that they may thereby the rather gather unto them­selves continually more and more strength through the benefit and supply of Gods continuall inward succour and comfort; for even their adversities, their bitter af­flictions, and their miserable calamities, shall all turne to their blisse,Psalm. 32. and perpetuall commodity. Great plagues remain for the ungodly, but whose putteth his trust in the Lord, mercy imbraceth him on every side.

Generall Rules directing a Christian in a godly life.

EVery day thou drawest neerer to thy death, judge­ment and eternity; therefore thinke every day how thou mayest be able to stand in that most strict and se­vere judgement of God, and so live for ever: keepe therefore diligent watch, over all thy thoughts, words, and actions,Eccles. 12.13, 14. Ephes. 4.2, 3. because hereafter thou must give an exact account for them, at the last day of judgement, whether it be good or evill: be carefull to suppresse every sinne in the first motion, before it be ripe in thee: let sinne be to thy heart a stranger,1 Sam. 12.3, 4. not a home-dweller: take heed of falling oft into one and the same sin, lest the custome of sinning take away the conscience of sinne, and then [Page 337] shalt thou waxe so impudently wicked, that thou wilt neither feare God, nor reverence men; which to avoid, thinke every evening that thou shalt dye that night, and thinke every morning that thou shalt dye that day; doe not therefore deferre thy conversion, and thy good workes till to morrow, for to morrow is uncertaine, but death is most certaine, and every day hangs over thy head; nothing is more contrary to godlinesse then delay. If therefore thou contemnest the inward calling of the holy Spirit,Ecclesiast. 18.22, &c. thou shalt never attaine to true con­version. Deferre not therefore thy conversion and good workes till thy old age, but offer unto God the flowre of thy youth; for no age is fitter for Gods service then youth, which flourisheth in strength both of body and mind; and as thou tenderest the salvation of thy soule, live not in any wilfull filthinesse; for true faith and purpose of sinning, can never stand together: approve thy selfe to be a true servant of Christ, and study al­waies to walke in the way of the Lord, and thinke of the worlds vanity to contemne it, of death to expect it, of judgement to avoid it, of hell to escape it, and of heaven to desire it: consider in every thing the end, be­fore thou dost attempt the action: let thy conscience deterre thee, to eschew every knowne sin, and obey God in every one of his commandements; but if at any time through frailty thou slippest into any sin, wallow not in it, but speedily rise out of it by unfaigned repen­tance, praying for pardon till thy conscience be pa­cified, thy hatred of sin increased, and thy purpose of amendment confirmed.

God gives many blessings, lest through want, being his childe, thou shouldest despaire, and he sendeth thee some crosses, lest by too much prosperity, playing the foole, thou shouldest presume; but in all thy will, have an eye to Gods Will, lest thy selfe action turne to thine owne destruction: count therefore Christ thy chiefest [Page 338] joy, and sin thy greatest griefe: estimate no want to the want of grace, nor any losse to the losse of Gods favour; and then the discontentment which grows by outward meanes,1 Tim. 6.8, 9. shall the lesse perplexe thine inward mind, and bestow no more thought of worldly things, then thou needes must;Col. 3.1, 2. for the discharge of thy place, and the maintenance of thine estate; but still let thy care be greater for heavenly then for earthly things, and be more grieved for dishonour done unto God, than for an injury offered to thy selfe: but if any private injury be offered unto thee,Psalm. 139.21, &c. Eccles. 28. Rom. 12.13.20.21. beare it as a Christian with patience. Never was an innocent man wronged, but if patiently hee bare his crosse, he overcame in the end; but if thou frettest and vexest at thy wrongs offered, the hurt which thou doest to thy selfe, is more then that which thine enemies can do unto thee; neither canst thou more re­joyce him, then to heare that it throughly vexeth thee; but if thou canst shew patience on earth,Deut. 32.35, 36. God will shew himselfe just from heaven; but if thine enemy still con­tinueth in his malice, and increase in his mischiefe, give thou thy selfe unto prayer,Jerem. 11.20. committing thy selfe, and commending thy case unto the righteous judge of heaven and earth, and in the meane while, waite with David on the Lord;Psal. 27.14. be of good courage, and he shall comfort thine heart: undertake not an evill case for no mans sake: for it is not that man, but God that shall judge thee; doe not therefore preferre the favour of men before the grace and favour of God, and esteeme no sinne little: For the curse of God is due to the least, and the least would have damned thee, had not the Sonne of God died for thee;Ezek. 9.4. Mark. 3.5. bewaile therefore the misery of thine owne estate, and as occasion is ministred, mourne for the iniquity of the time; pray to God to amend it, and be not thou one of them that make it worse: in thy conversation be thou courteous towards all, grie­vous to none, familiar with few; live piously to God­ward; [Page 339] to thy selfe, chastly; to thy neighbour, justly; shew favour to thy friend, shew patience to thy enemy; let thy good will be towards all, and shew thy bounty to them that have need; thinke often of the shortnesse of thy life, and the certainety of thy death, and wish rather a good life then a long: die daily to thy selfe, and mortifie the vices of the flesh; so in death thou shalt live unto God: let mercy appeare in thy affecti­on, goodnesse in thy action, curtesie in thy counte­nance, humility in thy attire, modesty in thy neigh­bourhood, and patence in tribulation; alwaies thinke upon three things past, the evill which thou hast com­mitted, the good which thou hast omitted, and the time which thou hast pretermitted: thinke alwaies upon three things present; the brevity of this life, the difficulty of being, and the paucity of them that shall be saved: alwaies thinke upon three things to come; death, then which nothing is more horrible; judge­ment, then which nothing is more terrible; and the paines of hell, then which nothing is more intole­rable.

Every evening reconcile thy selfe to God by prayer for thy sins past that day, and give thankes to God for giving thee time to repent: there are three things a­bove thee, which never let slip out of thy memory; the eye that sees all, the eare that heares all, and the dread­full Judge which punisheth all: bewaile the evils past, remember thy sinnes, grieve for them, and pray for amendment; remember Gods justice, that thou maist bee kept in feare; remember Gods mercy, that thou maist not dispaire: as much as thou canst withdraw thy selfe from the world and the vanities therof, and addict thy selfe wholly to the service of God; stu­dy to please none but Christ, and feare to displease none but him: pray unto God to pardon and forgive thee what is past, and to governe and amend in thee, [Page 340] what is to come. God hath communicated himselfe wholly unto thee, therefore communicate thou thy selfe wholly unto thy neighbour, that is the best life, that is busied in the service of others; shew reverence and obedience unto thy superiour, instruct and defend thy inferiour, give counsell and ayd unto thy equall; let thy body be subject to thy minde, and thy minde to God: for thy workes doe not passe away, but are cast as certaine seeds of eternity.Gal. 6.8. Therefore if thou sowest in the flesh, of the flesh thou shalt reape corruption; if thou sowest in the Spirit, of the Spirit thou shalt reape life ever­lasting: after death the honour of the world shall not follow thee, neither shall thy heape of riches follow thee,Revel. 14.13. neither shall thy pleasures follow thee, neither shall the vanities of the world follow thee, but thy workes shall follow after thee. Therefore to day ap­peare to be such in the sight of God, as thou desirest to be esteemed at the day of judgement: learne to live in this life, as thou wouldest obtaine eternall life; for in this life is eternall life obtained or lost: therefore let holy meditations bring forth in thee knowledge,Prov. 15.8. and knowledge compunction, and compunction devotion, and let thy devotion make earnest intercession unto God by prayer, for the silence of the mouth is a great good for the peace of the heart.James 1.19. O the shame, when a mans owne tongue shall be produced as a witnesse a­gainst himselfe, to the confusion of his owne shame. Therefore let thy words be few, but advised, forethinke whether that which thou art to speake be fit to be spo­ken: affirme no more then what thou knowest to bee true, and be rather silent, then to speake to an ill or no purpose.

Let thy heart and tongue ever goe together in hone­sty and truth,1 Pet. 2.1. hate lying and dissembling in an other: detest it in thy selfe, or God will detest thee for it; for he hateth a lyar, and his father the divell alike; let not [Page 341] thine anger remaine when thou seest the cause removed, and ever distinguish twixt him that offendeth of infir­mity and against his will,Prov. 6.30. Acts 3.17. 1 Tim. 1.13. Psal. 59.5. and him who offendeth ma­liciously, and of set purpose; let the one have pitty, and the other justice: in matters of accusation, be first assured of the truth, then censure, and as thou tendrest the reputation of an honest heart, never let malice in hatred, make thee to reveale that which love in friend­ship, bound thee a long time to conceale: for as God breeds among men truth, peace, and amity, that wee should live to doe one another good; so the divell daily soweth falshood, discord, and enmity, to cause if he can, the dearest friends to devoure one another. Rejoyce not at the fall of thine enemy, for thou knowest not what shall bee the manner of thine owne end; but bee more glad to see the worst mans amendment, rather then his punishment, hate no man, for feare least Christ loves him, and be angry,Pro. 24.17, 18. Rom. 5.8, 10. and turne his wrath from him unto thee: love thine enemy, for Christ loved thee when thou wast his enemy; by the merits of his blood hee requireth thee for his sake to love thine enemies,Eph. 2.4, &c. Math. 18.24, 28 deny him, being a Christian, if thou darest: hee asketh but forgivenesse for forgivenesse; petty forgivenesse, for the infinite forgivenesse of Almighty God; therefore though thou thinkest thine enemies unworthy to bee forgiven, yet Christ is worthy to bee obeyed. Doe no­thing in the sight of a civill friend, for which thou canst not be safe, unlesse it bee concealed; nor any thing, for which if just cause be offered, thou needest feare him: if that he proves thine unjust enemy: If thou beest disposed to be merry, have a speciall care to three things: That thy mirth be not against Religion, that it be not against Charity, and that it be not against Chastity: then be as merry as thou canst, onely in the Lord.Levit. 19.12. Speake not of God, but with feare and reverence, as in his sight and hearing: for seeing we are not worthy to use his holy [Page 342] name in our mouthes,Deut. 28.58. Rom. 9.5. much lesse ought wee to abuse it vainly in our talke; but to use it ordinarily in vaine, rash, or false oathes, is an undoubted signe of a soule, that never truly feared God. Pray therefore with David, when thou art to speake in any matter that may move passion:Psal. 141.3. 1 Thes. 5.26.14 2 Thes. 3.5. Levit. 19.17. Psal. 15.5. Deut. 15.13, 14. Set a watch, O Lord before my mouth, and keepe the doore of my lips. In praising, be discreet; in saluting, courteous; in admonishing, friendly; in forgiving, mercifull; in promising, faithfull; and bountifull in recompencing of good service, and other friendly cour­tesies: making not the reward of vertue the gift of fa­vour.

Doe no evill though thou mightest, for God will not suffer the least sinne, without bitter repentance, to escape unpunished. Leave not undone any good that thou canst, but doe thou nothing rashly, nor any thing till thou hast first taken counsell of Gods word,1 Sam. 30.8. of the lawfulnesse thereof, and praying for his blessing to blesse thy endeavour; and then doe it in the Name of God, with cheerefulnesse of heart committing the suc­cesse unto him, in whose power it is to blesse with his grace, whatsoever businesse is intended to his glory: and when thou art tempted to doe any evill worke,1 Cor. 7.5. re­member that satan is where his businesse is. Let not the child of God bee the instrument of so base a slave: hate the worke, if thou abhorrest the author; and re­member with Ioseph, Gen. 39.9. that though no man seeth, yet God seeth all, in all places: fly therefore with Ioseph from all sinne, as well those that are secret in the sight of God, as those that are manifest in the eyes of men; be therefore as much afraid of secret sinnes,Luk. 8.17. & 12.2. as of open shame, and so avoid all in generall, so as thou doest not nurse nor allow to thy selfe any one particular or dar­ling sinne: for the craftie divell can hold a mans soule as fast by one, as by many sinnes, and faster by that one that doth please thee, than by all those which begin to [Page 343] be abhominable unto thee: and as thou desirest to a­void sinne, so be carefull to shun the occasion;Prov. 5.8. love all good things for Gods sake, but love God for his owne sake: whilest thou holdest God to be thy friend,Psal. 118.6, 7. Prov. 16.7. thou needest not feare who is thine enemy: for God will ei­ther make thine enemie to become thy friend,Rom. 8.31. Gen. 32.4, &c. Exo. 32.27. &c. or will bridle him that he cannot hurt thee. No man is over­throwne by his enemy, unlesse that first his sinne hath prevailed over him, and God hath left him to himselfe: therefore he that would bee safe from the feare of his enemies, and live still in the favour of his God;Num. 42.43, &c. let him redeeme the folly of the time past, with serious repentance; looke to the time present with religious diligence, and take heed to the time to come, with care­full providence.

In effecting good actions, distrust not Gods provi­dence, though thou seeth the meanes either wanting or weake: and if meanes doe offer themselves unto thee,Iudg. 7.17, &c. be sure that they be lawfull, and having gotten lawfull meanes, take heed that thou relie not more upon them, then upon God himselfe; labour in a lawfull calling, for it is Gods ordinary meanes by which hee blesseth his children with outward things: pray therefore for Gods blessing upon his owne meanes, and in earthly businesse beare an heavenly minde; doe thou thy best endeavour, and commit the whole successe to the fore-ordayning wisdome of Almighty God, never thinke to thrive by those meanes, which God hath accursed:Matth 16.26. that will not in the end prove gaine, which is gotten with the losse of thy soule: therefore in all thy actions endeavour with Saint Paul to have a cleare conscience towards God and towards men.Acts 14.16. Give every man the honour due to his place, but honour a man more for his goodnesse then for his greatnesse, and of whom so­ever thou hast received a benefit unto him, as God shall enable thee, remember to be thankfull, acknowledge [Page 344] it lovingly unto men, and pray for him heartily unto God; and count every blessing received from God, as a pledge of his eternall love; and as a spurre to pricke thee on to a godly life; be not proud for any externall worldly wealth, nor for any internall spirituall gifts: not for externall goods, because they be momentany, and will shortly be taken away; not for any internall gifts: for as God gave them, so will hee likewise take them away: if forgetting the giver, thou shalt abuse his gifts; to puffe up thine heart with a pride of thy owne worth, and to contemne others, for whose good Almighty God bestowed those gifts upon thee; hast thou any one vertue that doth move thee to be selfe-conceited? thou hast twenty vices that may better vilifie thee in thine owne eyes:Be truely the same thou seemest to be. be therefore the same in the sight of God, who beholds thy heart, that thou seemest to be in the eyes of men that see thy face: content not thy selfe with an outward good name, when thy conscience shall tell thee it is undeserved. A deserved good name for any thing, but for godlinesse, lasts little, and is lesse worth: in all the holy Scriptures, wee never reade of an Hypocrites re­pentance; and no wonder: for, whereas after sin, con­version is left as a meanes to cure all other sinners, what meanes remaines to recover him, who hath converted conversion it selfe into sinne? woe therefore unto the soule that seemes religions, and is not the same: marke the fearefull end of notorious evill men, to abhorre their wicked actions:Numb. 23.10. marke the life of the godly, and imi­tate their life and actions; and their blessed end: obey thy betters,Psal. 37.35, 36, 37. Esay 58.5, 6. observe the wise, accompany the honest, and love the religious. And seeing the corrupt nature of man is inclined to hypocrisie; beware that thou use not the exercise of religion,Mat. 23.27, 28. as matter of course and custome, without care and conscience, and make no more shew of holinesse outwardly to the world, then thou hast in the [Page 345] sight of God inwardly in thine heart: keepe thy speech cleane from all obscenity, and let thy talke be gracious,Ephes. 4.2 [...]. Prov. 31.26. Psal. 139.20, 21, 22. that hee that heares thee, may grow better by thee; and be ever more earnest when thou speakest of religion, then when thou talkest of worldly matters; if thou perceivest that thou hast erred, persevere not in thine errour; rejoyce to finde the truth, and magnifie it; study therefore three things especially: to understand well, to say well, and to doe well: endeavour to rule those that are under thy charge and authority, rather by lo [...]e than by feare: for to rule by love, is easie and safe; but tyranny is ever accompanied with care and terrour: oppression will force the oppressed to take any advantage to shake off the yoake that they are not able to beare; neither will Gods justice suffer the sway that is grounded upon tyranny, long to continue: rule therefore over Christians, being a Christian, in love and mercy like Christ thy Master; make not an occupation of any recreation, the longest use of pleasure is but short, but the paines of pleasure abused, are eternall; use there­fore lawfull recreation so farre forth,Prov. 21.17. Phil. 4.8, 9. as it makes thee fitter in body and minde, to doe more cheerefully the service of God, and the duties of thy calling; be there­fore carefull henceforth, to make use of thy short time that remaines, as a man would of an old lease that were neere expired; doe not waste and consume thy time in idlenesse, sports, playes, and toyish vanities: for man was not created for sports, playes, and recreations, but zealously to serve God in religion, and conscionably to serve and helpe his neighbour in the use of his vo­cation, and by both, to ascertaine himselfe of eternall salvation: esteeme therefore the losse of time,Ephes. 5.16. Luk. 16.2. Matth. 25.21. one of the greatest losses; redeeme it carefully, and spend it wisely, that when that time shall come, thou mayest be no longer here on earth, thy master may welcome thee with an [...]uge bone serve, and give thee a better in heaven: [Page 346] in thy prayer,That is well done, and wel­come good and faithfull servant. Matth. 6.6. pray fervently and devoutly; for God detests the service of the outward man, without the in­ward heart, as hypocrisie: so hee counts the inward ser­vice, without externall reverence, to be mere prophane­nesse; therefore hee requireth both in his worship: in prayer, therefore, bow thy knees in witnesse of thy hu­miliation, lift up thy eyes and thy hands in testimony of thy confidence; hang downe thy head, and smite thy breast in token of thy contrition; but specially call upon God with a sincere heart; serve him holily, serve him wholly, serve him onely: for God and the Prince of this world, are two contrary Masters; and therefore no man can possibly serve both: the more thou art se­parated from the world,Prov. 15.8. the more acceptable thou art unto God: aske faithfully of God whatsoever thou de­sirest to have, and whatsoever thou hast, give thankes unto God for it; hee that is not thankefull for that which hee hath already, is unworthy to receive more, and Gods grace ceases to descend, when our thankes cease to ascend: whatsoever happeneth unto thee, make use of it for good: when thou art in prosperity, thinke that thou hast just cause to blesse and praise God: when thou art in advesirty, thinke that thou art put in minde of thy repentance and conversion:Prov. 14.25. when the glory of God, or good of thy neighbour doth require, speake the truth,1 Kings 22. and feare not the face nor frowne of man: for sometimes the frowne of a Prince may be the favour of God; neither shall flattery still hold in credit, nor truth alway continue in disgrace.

Shew the strength of thy wisedome in instructing; shew the strength of thy power in helping, and the strength of thy riches in doing good to the poore and needy: let not adversity cast thee downe; neither let prosperity puffe thee up: let Christ be the marke in the imitation of thy life;Acts 3.21. follow him in the way, that thou mayest overtake him in his country: in all things have [Page 347] a speciall care of profound humility,1 Pet. [...].8. and be ardent in charity; cleave unto God, and lift up thy heart to him by charity; let humility keepe downe thy heart, that thou beest not proud; judge God to be a father for his clemency, and a Lord for his discipline; a father for his power and gentlenesse, and Lord for his severity and justice: therefore love him as a father piously;Psal. 37.5. feare him as a Lord necessarily; love him, because he willeth mercy; feare him, because he willeth justice; commit thy way unto the Lord, and put thy trust in him;Phil. 2.13. ac­knowledge thy sins, and proclaime his mercy, and thou shalt have ease in thy misery: O God, thou that hast given us grace to will the good, give us also grace to perfect the good which thou hast willed.

Of Gods Glory.

VVHatsoever wee doe,Colos. 3.17. let us doe all things to the glory of God: for God created all things by his power; but to his owne glory: for that was the ho­ly end for which he created them: for as waters are de­rived from the Sea, returneth thither againe; so all things that are, being derived from the mighty power of God, returne their duty, service, and the honour of all their actions to God, discharging every one their duty and service in the maine Ocean of Gods glory; the which, though it receive not augmentation of honour by the supply of any his creatures, being infinite, of him­selfe, yet all creatures being his owne, it doth please him to force the obedience of every creature to give some proofe and testimony of his justice or mercy, whereby God may receive glory in their acknowledgements. God then is glorified in all his workes, but in a double manner; hee is principally glorified in the workes of his mercy, he is also glorified in his judgements; but [Page 348] the riches of Gods glory,Rom. 9. [...]5. Osee 1.10. Deut. 26.18, 19 consisteth principally in the vessels of his mercy, because thier glory is his glory, and hee doth dignifie himselfe in their advance­ment. Therefore did God choose the Israelites for his peculiar people, that by his most powerfull delivering them, and by their demonstrations of duty and service, God might bee honoured in the memory of his great­nesse over all the world, and receive glory in the re­port of his admirable protection: God is also glori­fied in his judgements: for though the reprobate and damned in their lives, they rather care to dishonour God their Creatour, yet will God be honoured in the punishment of their lives, and force them to give de­monstration of his justice and holinesse: for God can turne their ends and purposes to his owne end and glory, and make that set forth his glory, which was intended to his dishonour: and those that will not give him glory for his mercy, his justice will in despight of ungodlinesse compell them to give him glory for judgement, though God esteeme it the greater honour to be glorified in the witnesses of his mercy, because in Gods nature mercy is preheminent and doth triumph, yet it is much to the glory of God, that the witnesses of his judgements, shall be prompted by their lamentable experience, to acknowledge that God is infinite both in power and justice: therefore we ought both to glo­rifie God,Iob 36.24. and to glory in God; for if we glory in any thing but in God & godlinesse, we are condemned; & if we glorifie in any thing but God, we are likewise con­demned of him: for he is our strength, and light of our countenance: he hath ordayned us for an holy end, to his glory, and if we glorifie him here on earth, he will glorifie us with himselfe in Heaven: but if we neglect to glorifie him that is our glory, hee will glorifie himselfe in our destruction, and make us in the feeling torments of our damnation, glorifie him with this acknowledge­ment, [Page 349] that he is God of most excellent soveraigne Ma­jesty, and that hee is most gracious in his mercy,Vers. 22, 23, Psal. 18. but most terrible in his judgements: and with this acknow­ledgement will God bee honoured of the divels and damned creatures, whose intollerable and unsufferable torments in their condemnation, shall bee arguments of proofe to conclude Gods glory.

Seeing God hath created all things for his owne glory, and seeing that hee will be glorified in the seve­rall executions of his justice and mercy, in the salva­tion or damnation of his creatures:Job 37. & 38. for in all sensible things there is a speciall nature, in which they are obe­dient, whereby they glorifie God in finishing the end of their creation, for which they were ordayned. God hath commanded the motion of the Heavens,The purpose of Gods pro­vidence pro­ceedeth with­out stay to the determinate end and effect which he had before ordai­ned should come to passe. the in­fluence of the Starres, the nature of the Elements, and the severall nature of every severall thing to keepe their course: all these continuing their course and nature, give most notable demonstrations of Gods glory, by whom they were created, and thus disposed in na­ture: if these things which are subject to time, and must perish, doe notwithstanding discharge the duties of their nature, and so by consequence approve them­selves to be the instruments of Gods glory: shall men then, whom God hath created for the like end of his glory; and to whom hee hath given a soule divine and of most excellent understanding, and for whom hee hath created the world, the most admirable worke of his owne hands: shall these bee carelesse in this high duty? and shall the elements and unreasonable creatures be carefull? shall men be exceeded of beasts, in the ex­ecution of their reasonable service? God hath not threatned their neglects with hell, and the torments thereof; nor promised to reward their diligence with Heaven and the joyes thereof: but God doth both promise and threaten men, yet are men lesse carefull [Page 350] then beasts. This may worthily remember those men, or rather those beasts, who make a God of themselves and their unlawfull pleasures, and then dedicate them­selves their labours and the glory of their actions to a godlesse, prophane, and licencious trade of life: those that will not glorifie God of choice, must not doe it by force; for the time will come when God will whip them for their prophane, ungodly, and licentious living with the roddes of his judgements, and make them in despight of ungodlinesse to glorifie God in suffering of the torments of hell, and their owne con­science, and with horrour without profit or pitty to acknowledge God, and the terrible justice of so great a Majesty.

This should remember all the children of God, that in all the cares of this Christian life, they have their maine respect to Gods glory, and that God have the first place in their hearts, even before the desire of their owne salvation: and that their salvation be desired ra­ther that God may be glorified thereby, then to desire to glorifie God for their owne salvation, that so God may bee first in all our cares, that wee love him more then owne soules, and preferre his honour before our owne salvation. Therefore let all men love and honour God for his owne sake, love him for his goodnesse, love him for his truth, love him for his mercy, love him for his justice; and let this love be so respectlesse of all by considerations as that neither heaven, hell, nor our owne soules, perswade us so much, as the reverence and zea­lous affection we have to the love of God: for he that thus loveth God, doth glorifie him, and shall bee sure to be glorified of him eternally in the Heavens.

Let us therefore discharge the summe of all our acti­ons into this Ocean of Gods glory, let us propose and pursue that end onely: let us not respect the vaine shews and purposes of men: let us esteeme them light, and [Page 351] value them lesse; let us remember that they are transi­tory, deceiving and destroying vanities, and will leave vs, flatter us, and will deceive us; let us reduce to me­mory, the mighty Monarches of the world; the most admirable in naturall enduments; and the most fortu­nate in earthly prosperities;Jerem. 2.3. when wee examine their worth, wee shall find nothing, but a bare remembrance of their names,Eccles. 9.5, 6. and those neglected by the power of time; themselves and their regards are vanished; their acts are perished, and all these things worne out, and almost forgotten with the use of time, because the end of their actions ran not this holy race of Gods glory, but had divers disagreeing ends and respects: death hath deprived their soules, the grave their bodies, the world their estates, and time their names; and such destroying ends doe necessarily follow such affections: for when Gods glory is not the absolute proposed end of a mans life, there is nothing can happen to such life, but ex­treme misery; even the bounty of nature, and the trea­sure of fortune are miserable tormentors, which present themselves with friendly faces,Psalm. 4.5. but bring in their hand dangerous and fearefull destructions; therefore in every action, and in every worke wee undertake; let us first in the feare of God, propose our lawfull end, Gods glory, that hee may have the honour of all our actions, to the comfort of our soules, Amen.

Of the uncertainty of mans life, and the ex­pectation of death.

THis life wherein wee live, is rather a death,4 Esdr. 4.14. because every day we die; for every day we spend some of our life, and grow neerer to our end by a day; this life is full of griefe for things past, full of labour for things [Page 352] present, and full of feare and care for things to come: our ingresse into this world is lamentable, because the infant begins his life with teares, as it were, fore-seeing the evills to come; our progresse is wicked, weake and vile, because many diseases, troubles, losses and crosses torment us, and many cares afflict us: our ingresse is horrible and terrible,Revel. 14.13. because wee doe not depart alone, but our workes doe follow us, and wee must passe from death to Gods severe judgement;Hebr. 9.17. we are begotten in uncleannesse, we are conceived in sinne; we are nourished in darknesse; we are brought forth in sor­row and misery, we live in paine, and die in anguish; we were a wretched burthen to our mother; we are stran­gers in our birth, and pilgrims in our life; wee are compelled to part away by death: the first part of our life is ignorance, the middle part is overwhelmed with cares; and the later part is burthened with grievous old age. All the time of our life is either past, present, or to come; if it be past, it is nothing; if it be present, it is fleeting;Gen. 3.19. if it be to come, it is then uncertaine: from earth we came, and earth wee beare about us; earth we tread upon;Job 7.1, &c. and to earth wee must returne againe; the necessity of our birth is base, of our life miserable, of our death lamentable. The life of man is a continuall warfare, because there is in this life a continuall fight between the flesh and the spirit;Gal. 5.17. what true joy then can a man have in this life, when there is in it no certaine felicity? what thing present can delight us, when all things like a shadow doe passe away? but the judge­ment of God which hangeth over our heads, doth ne­ver passe away. Againe, what thing can delight us, when that which wee so dearely loved, is taken from us, and quite ended, and griefe that shall never have end, doth approach every day still neerer unto us?Nazianzen. this is all wee gaine by long life; to doe more evill, to see more evill, and to suffer more evill, and maketh our accusati­on [Page 353] the greater at the last day of generall judgement. What is man, but the slave of death, and as a passenger on the way, and hath no certaine continuance? his life is shorter then a moment, lighter then a bubble, more vain then an image, more empty then a sound, more brittle than glasse, more changeable than the wind, more unconstant than the aire, more fleeting than a shadow, and more deceitfull than a dreame; what is it but the expectation of death, the stage of mockeries, the sea of miseries, a viall of blood, which every light fall breaketh, and every fit of an ague corrupteth? course of our life is a labyrinth; wee enter into it when wee come out of the wombe; and goe out of it by the passage of death; this life is fraile as glasse, as sli­ding as a river, as miserable as a warfare,; yet many seemes much to desire it: the vaine felicity of this life doth outwardly delight, but if wee presse it with a more weighty consideration, it will appeare to be vile and wicked; therefore, O deare soule, doe not suffer thy cogitations to set up their rest in this life;Psalm. 42. 4 Esdr. 4.26, &c. but let thy minde alwaies pant and breathe after the joyes to come; compare the short moment of time here, with eternity which shall never have end; this life here, po­steth away; yet in it doe wee get or lose eternall life; this life here, is most miserable, and yet in it doe we get or lose everlasting life; in this life we are subject to many calamities; yet in it doe wee get or lose the joyes everlasting: if therefore thou hopest of ever­lasting life, use the world, but let not thy heart cleave unto it; negotiate in this world, but fixe not thy mind unto it. The outward use of worldly things is necessa­ry, and hurteth not, unlesse thy inward affection cleave unto them; heaven is our country, the world is but the way unto it, and place of our sojourning; this life is our sea, but eternity is our heaven; be not therefore so much delighted with the momentany tranquillity of [Page 354] this world; but be carefull to attaine to the haven of everlasting happinesse. This world is sliding and uncon­stant, and doth not keep faith with her lovers; but doth often times flie from them, when they have most hope of it. The safest way then, is to expect every houre our de­parture out of this present life, and to prepare our selves for it by hearty and serious prayer and repentance: the world is now so worne away with a long consumpti­on, it hath even lost the face, with which it was wont to seduce her lovers.

1 Cor. 1.3.But he that cleaveth unto the Lord is one spirit with him: For as the carnall copulation of the man and wo­man maketh of them one flesh;Math. 19.5. so the spirituall con­junction betweene Christ and the faithfull soule maketh of them one spirit: as the soule is the life of the body, so is God the life of the soule: as therefore that soule doth truely live, in which God dwelleth by spirituall grace; so likewise that soule is dead, which hath not God dwelling in it; and what rest can there be to the soule that is dead? that first death in sinne, doth necessa­rily draw with it the second death of damnation:Revel. 20.14. Whosoever therefore doth firmely cleave unto God with his love inwardly, enjoyeth divine consolation; his rest can no outward things disquiet: for in the midst of sorrowes hee is joyfull; in poverty hee is rich; in tribulations secure; in troubles quiet; in contumilies and reproches of men still; and in death it selfe living: hee regards not the threats of the tyrants, because hee feeles within himselfe the riches of divine consolation; hee is not sorrowfull in adversity, because the holy Spirit within doth comfort him effectually; hee is not vexed in poverty, because the goodnesse of God doth continually succour him; the reproches of men doe not trouble him, because hee enjoyeth the delight of divine honour; he regards not the pleasure of the flesh, because the sweetnesse of the spirit is more acceptable [Page 355] unto him. [...] [...]ot the friendship of the world; because he seeketh the love of God, who is a mer­cifull father, gracious, and a friend unto him: hee feareth no death; because in God he alwaies liveth: hee feareth not Lightening, Tempests, Fire, Water-flouds, the sorrowfull aspects of the Planets, nor the obscuration of the light of Heaven; because hee is carried up above the Sphere of Nature; and (by faith) he resteth and liveth in Christ: he feareth no mortall nor evill power; because he that liveth, and overcomes in him, is farre more stronger then the Divell, that (in vaine) labours to overcome him: hee followeth not the inticements of the Flesh; be­cause living in the Spirit, hee [...]eeles the riches of the Spirit; and by the vivification of the Spirit,Gal. 5.24. morti­fies and crucifies the lusts of the Flesh: hee feares not the Divell his accuser;1 Ioh. 2.1. because he knowes Christ to be his Intercessour; the true rest of the Soule hee grants unto us, who is the onely Author thereof. O Christ with-draw our hearts from the love of this world, and stirre up in as a desire to thirst after the Kingdome of Heaven; to thy eternall glory, and the unspeakable com­fort of our Soules.

Of temporary Death, and of the severall estates of Salvation and Damnation.

DEath is an ordinance of God, for the subjecting of the World; which is limited his time for the correction of Pride: it is a separation and absence of the Soule from the Body, whereby the Body is re­duced to his first matter earth; and the Soule brought to a sense of either justice or mercie. To understand this better, wee must consider Death in his originall and first being; also in his powerfull and generall con­tinuance; [Page 356] and the end or dea [...] [...] [...]at [...] the ori­ginall cause that gave Death life, was sinne; there­fore when Adam had eaten the forbidden fruit, and thereby committed sinne; then had Death his first beginning; for though Adam did not at the instant of the act die; yet at the very instant of the sinne, he was made mortall, and subject to the power of death: so God fore-told him,Gen. 2.17. that whensoever hee did eate thereof he should surely die: and from this bad begin­ning was Death first derived. So did the woman of Zareptha acknowledge that her sinne was the cause of her childs death: 1 King. 17.18. so have all the Children of God understood of Death and the cause thereof; and Saint Paul saith,Rom. 6.16. that Death is the wages of sinne: as if it were a necessary care in the justice of God, that all that committeth sinne, should have the reward and wages thereof, Death. Now the cause of this cause of Death was the Divell;Gen. 3. who envying the prosperi­tie of our nature, suggested his temptations to our first Parents, by whose disobedience we are all made mortall: so saith Salomon, Through the envie of the Divell came death into the World; and they doe prove it that doe hold of his side; and so from these two Parents the Divell and Sinne, was Death first derived, from whence hee had his being and first beginning. Wee must consider Death also in the passage of his life, or in his powerfull continuance, which is evi­dent in this respect, that Death hath a generall power over all Flesh, the which hee doth execute upon all, without respect had, either to the greatnesse or good­nesse of any:Ios. 23.14. therefore Death is called the way of all the World, Gen. 15.15. and the way to our Fathers; because, as our Fathers are gone the way of Death before us; so must wee after them, and our posterity after us for ever: for though Death be but one, & his office the cutting off the lives of all the world; yet it is to him but an easie taske, having the diseases of our flesh, and infinite o­ther [Page 357] occasions to attend him to the performance of the execution of his deadly office. His power then is generall over all, being limited by God and time on­ly; who though hee bring all Flesh to corruption; yet no Flesh can corrupt him, or procure favour in the strict execution of his Office.

The end, or the death of Death is the living righ­teousnesse of Jesus Christ, which he wrought by his owne death in his owne person; therefore saith the holy Prophet, that Death is swallowed up in Victory: Hos. 13.14. and Saint Paul saith,1 Cor. 15.25.26. that Christ Iesus must reigne till he hath put all his enemies under his feet, and that the last enemie that shall be destroyed is Death: therefore the Apostle (insulting over Death) saith, O death, verses, 55.56.57. where is thy sting? O Hell, where is thy victory? the sting of Death is sinne, and the strength of sinne is the law; but thanks bee unto God that giveth us victory, through our Lord Iesus Christ. Whereby it is evident that God by his sonne Christ hath given us victory over Sinne, Death and Hell, if wee doe faithfully be­leeve in him: and whereas before wee were all ser­vants of sinne, and the slaves of Death, wee are now made Conquerors, and despise them that did com­mand us. This happie alteration doth reach benefit to all the faithfull; but not to all men, therefore it is limited by God, and doth extend to such particulars onely, as are in his election; for though God cast the beames of his Sonne upon every mans face alike, and distribute his temporall blessings scatteringly as it were, without any heedfull respect where they fall: yet those favours that are eternall, and import per­petuity of happinesse, hee giveth them onely to his beloved Elect, barring all the reprobates from spiri­tuall grace, and eternall happinesse: and therefore, though the death of Christ hath disarmed Death, and blunted his weapons, that have wounded holy men; yet are those weapons still sharpe, and that Death [Page 358] is still living and made immortall against them that have not received the image of the Lambe of God; for though all men enter their graves alike, yet with different condition: holy and good men enter their graves,Mat. 9.25. as their houses of rest, where they quietly sleepe, and for a time repose in rest and safetie: but the wicked enter their graves as fellons doe their Prisons, to be re­served to a more terrible day of judgement. Eccles. 41.1.2. Therefore the Wiseman saith,Philip. 1.20.21. the remembrance of Death is bitter to some, and acceptable to other: for the godly make it their day of hope; but to the wicked, their day of feare. Death then in these divers respects of good and bad men hath a sting, and yet cannot hurt; is dead, and yet living; and by opening the gate of tem­porary death, doth admit the entrance either into e­ternall life or eternall death: the one is the most hap­pie condition of Gods chosen; the other, the most miserable state of the Reprobate and damned: for as this life wherein we breathe, is but a sacrament or little resemblance of that which is to come; so the terrour of a temporary Death, hath no proportion with the torments of everlasting Death, wherein both the body and the soule shall suffer such affliction as is beyond the power of imagination; infinite in measure, infinite in manner, infinite in time. To un­dertake to report of Heaven and Hell, Salvation and Damnation otherwise then is set forth in this Booke, is not in my purpose or power to describe them; but this we may know, that both are infinite: Heaven is infinite in time and happinesse; and Hell is infinite in time and torment: the one as Gods resemblance, is infinite good; the other as the Divels, is infinite evill: the one is hoped for, the other feared; to which all Mankinde must make their resort, and by the gate of Death, passe their temporall life to one of these to eternitie.

Seeing our sinne was the cause of death, and from [Page 359] our selves had his first originall, it ought to humble all men in their own estimation, and to acknowledge the great corruption of our nature, which makes us powerfull onely in doing evill, and in producing such bad effects, as cause our owne destruction, and the consideration of this may correct their proud opi­nion, that vainely arrogate such power unto them­selves, as to be the meanes in cause of their owne sal­vation, fondly and falsely thinking, that their eyes of nature are not blind in spirituall judgement; but ima­gine to have in themselves that vertue and power, which they only have by imagination: for if Adam by his sinne did produce, and give life to such a monster by birth as death is, what expectation then can bee had of our weake ability; who are in all respects but sinne? Adam's farre inferiours, and by much lesse able in the performance of any spirituall duty; Se­condly, seeing death hath universall power over all flesh, and seeing that there is no partiality in the exe­cution of this office, no dispensing of favour, no lengthening of time; but commeth certainly: but not certainely when: this may advise all men to godly action, and to live to day, as if they were to die to morrow; lest otherwise death commeth un­expected, and so prevent their good determinations, which being onely determined, and not done, availe us to no other end but griefe and unprofitable repen­tance: Againe, seeing all must die, and bee reduced againe to earth,Iere. 13.18. this should controll the proud am­bitious natures of men, who in this life insult over men of inferiour state, and dignifie themselves in their owne estimations, as if God had not made them of earth, or that the grave would not humble them, and make them earth againe. These men that value themselves rich, by having the beggarly gifts of for­tune, and despise the most rich treasure of Grace, Iere. 4.2. where it liveth in the banishment of poore fortune: [Page 360] these that despise death most when they live,P. l. 34.20. Note. and feare him most when they die, are here admonished to reforme this insolent behaviour, and to remember themselves, that how proud soever they be, yet they must be humbled in the grave, and that the wormes and corruption will destroy their pride; and in de­spight of greatnesse, make them inferiour to the meanest beggar on earth: and yet can death heape a greater calamity upon them, and open unto them the passage to everlasting death, and afflict them with the damned in torments perpetuall and infinite: thirdly, seeing that Christ by death hath slaine death, and hath taken his hurtfull sting from him, whereby he might be hurtfull to Gods Elect, it doth admonish a zealous duty of thankfulnesse in them in the merit of the Lord Jesus Christ, their Saviour. By whose meanes death is no death to them, but ra­ther life and advantage: by whom they have the doore opened to everlasting salvation; for so ought all men to understand of death,Note. as the common Jay­lor of all flesh: the world is the prison wherein we are shut; death, when he openeth the doore, delive­reth from prison, leadeth the parties delivered, ei­ther to liberty, or judgement: for so are all that die, transported from earth, either to heaven, which is their liberty, or to hell, the place of execution. Death then is that one key that openeth the double passage: the one to heaven, the other to hell: the one leadeth to salvation, the other to damnation.

Lastly, seeing that death is a repose, and rest from earthly labours, it ought to sweeten the sorrowes of this life with hopefull confidence, alacrity, and spiri­tuall comfort; notwithstanding most men doe re­pute the professours of holinesse, but base and abject people, and deride their simplicity in wicked world­ly policies; making holinesse a note of folly, and their owne audacious impudence, the onely marke [Page 361] of wisedome and deepe discretion: yet should not this discountenance a good cause, but rather con­firme a Christian resolution, and give boldnesse, and Christian courage to beare off with patience the contempts and disgraces of evill and wicked men, and secretly scorne at their base estimations, having their eyes of faith still fixed on the end of all things, death; with a settled confidence, that death will not onely give them rest from all their troubles and adversities, but admit them also into the blessed fel­lowship of God, the holy Angels and Saints, from whence they shall see their proud enemies cast into utter darkenesse, and obloquie, and with miserable desperation, acknowledge their wilfull neglects in Christian duties: thus the meditation of death, may give disgraced and afflicted Christians a life of hope, in the height of their extremities.

Therefore let not the faithfull doe as the wicked doe, feare to die, but hope to die, intending the spirituall passage, and course of their lives;Acts 12. so as that their end may give them comfort without ter­rour, let us reduce to memory, what the holy Pro­phets, Apostles, and Martyrs have done, in this cause how carefull they have beene to preserve their lives in the memory of honest and godly reputation; how carelesse also have they esteemed their lives for the defence and reputation of the Gospel;Acts 7. being con­tent, nay carefull, not onely to give up their lives, but to give them up with torment for the testimony of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. To these men let us frame our imitation; let us care for our lives as they cared; let us also care to die as they cared, in every work of our life, let us remember our end, and at our end let us remember our hope, and in our hope our God: while we live here, let us remember that wee are prisoners, and in the bondage of our flesh; and when we die, we know that we shall have free­dome: [Page 362] and death that is cruell to others, will bee fa­vourable to us: and death that will kindle the fire of their affliction, will extinguish our: and doubt­lesse wee shall finde death more favourable unto us, than men: for by men wee are injured disgracefully, and reproachfully despised, most ignominiously af­flicted cast downe; by feares of enemies affrighted, our opinions doubted, our actions scanned, and op­posed, our endeavours misinterpreted and intercep­ted, and by wrongs of ill neighbours oppressed; our good name brought into odious reputation, and by disquietnesse betwixt false friends and open foes, in a manner confounded: Death takes us from all these feares and injuries: layes us in a peaceable grave: makes us sleepe in that bed of rest: protects our bo­dies: silences our name: and carries our spirit to his place appointed. Let us not therefore be moved by any example to feare death, but let us have a Chri­stian resolution to abide it with courage, nay with hope, without doubting. When we shall see the sons of fortune feare every little sickenesse, the serjeants of death,Ier. 4.2. we shall see the sonnes of grace deride them for their folly, for they never behold death, but in his ugly forme, to their terrour: but to these he ap­peareth most beautifull, pleasant, and of delightfull conversation: death is to them a Lion, but our Lambe: his actions in their Scene is tragicall, but in our comicall, and full of heavenly recreations. Whence commeth this?1 Cor. 15. It is our Savior Christ that hath thus caused it, his power hath done it, his hand hath wrought it, he hath tamed death, he hath ta­ken his sting from him, that it cannot hurt his Elect: he hath shut up hell, that hath gaped against us: and hath reconciled us to our graves, wherein wee may safely repose without feare and terrour: hee hath commanded death that would perish us, to secure us, and to present our full proportion before his judge­ment [Page 363] seat. This hath hee done, that is able to doe all things: he hath done it also for me, my faith per­swades me so. I will acknowledge my selfe therfore in most dutifull thankes to my God and Saviour, and in every time of distresse I will looke at death, and with that serious meditation receive a full propor­tion of comfort in my selfe, through the merit of my Saviour, Amen.

A Sweet Contemplation of the Beatificall joyes of Heaven, and Heavenly things: And the Blessed state of a regenerate Christian.

HEre my meditation dazleth, and cannot con­ceive, and my Contemplation is not able to discerne, and my Pen not able to describe that most excellent blisse and eternall weight of glory, 2 Cor. 4.17. & Rom. 8.18. whereof all the momentanie lightnesse of our afflictions and tribulations are not worthy, which all the faithfull Elect shall with the blessed Trinity enjoy:Rom. 8.17. 1 Kings 8.27. 2 Cor. 12 2.4. Psal. 19.5. from that time they shalbe received with Christ as joynt heirs, into that everlasting kingdome of joy, the heaven of heavens, or the third heaven, called Paradise: which Christ in his humane nature ascended, far above all vi­sible heavens: which by the firmament, as by an azu­red Curtaine, spangled with glittering starres, and glo­rious Planets, is hid, that we cannot behold it with the corruptible eyes of flesh: the holy Ghost, fra­ming himselfe to our weakenesse, describes the glory of that place, which no man can estimate, no not by such things as are most pretious in the estimation of man:Rev. 21.2. &c. and therefore likeneth it to that great and ho­ly City, named the heavenly Jerusalem. Therefore, O devout soule, lift up thy selfe above thy selfe, flie away in the contemplation of heaven, and heavenly [Page 364] things, make not thy further abode in this inferiour region, where is nothing but travells, and troubles, cares and trialls, sorrow and woe, feare, wretched­nesse,Col. 3.2. and sinne, and all deceiving and destroying va­nities: Bend all thine affections upward, unto the superiour place, where thy Redeemer liveth and raigneth, where thy joyes are layd up in the treasury of his Merits, which shall be made thy merits: his Protection, thy protection: his Death, thy life eter­nall: and his Resurrection, thy salvation: where He sits in his glorious Throne,Matt. 13.43. accompanied with all the many thousands of Saints and Angells, shining more bright than so many Sunnes in glory, sitting about him, and the Body of Christ in glory and brightnesse surpassing them all: and there from his Throne of majesty,Matt. 25.10. to the end. he shall in the sight and hearing of all the world, pronounce unto his Elect, Come yee Blessed of my Father, &c. Here is our blessed union with Christ, and by him with the whole Trinity: here is our absolution from all sins, and our plenary endow­ment with all grace and happinesse: here is the au­thour, from whom by Christ proceeds all our felici­ty: here is our adoption, our birth-right and posses­sion: see here is Gods fatherly care for his Chosen, from the foundation of the world. O the free, eternall, unchangeable Election of God, who hath given thee an eternall inheritance assured by an holy cove­nant made in the word of God, signed with the blood of his Sonne,1 Cor. 5.10. &c and sealed with his Spirit and Sacra­ments, his chosen Elect shalbe translated out of this wofull, wretched, miserable, and transitory world, into his eternall happinesse, his immortall and ever­lasting kingdome,Rev. 21. the Celestiall Canaan, that heavenly Ierusalem, so glorious by creation, so beautifull with delectation, so rich in possession, so comfortable for habitation: This shall be thine eternall happinesse in the Kingdome of heaven, where thy life shall be [Page 365] a Communion with the blessed Trinity, thy joy, the presence of the Lambe: thy exercise singing the ditty Allelu-jah: thy consorts, Saints and Angells, where youth flourisheth, that never waxeth old, beauty lasteth that never fadeth, love aboundeth that never cooleth, health continueth that never slacketh, and life remaineth that never endeth: There is light without darkenesse, mirth without sadnesse, health without sicknesse, wealth without want, credit with­out disgrace, beauty without blemish,Psal. 86.3. ease without labour, riches without corruption, blessednesse without misery, and consolation that never know­eth end: where they shal live for ever with him in ful freedome from all evill & in perpetuall fruition of all felicity: so that as nothing shalbe found in hell, which shall be desired; so nothing shall be desired in hea­ven, which shall not be found: there shall be mirth without mourning, a life without labour, and day without darkenesse, eternall happinesse, and happy eternity: there is neither sinne nor sorrow, neither penalty nor penitencie, neither foe nor frighting, nei­ther corruption nor contention: amity and no en­mity, faith and no fraud, godlinesse and no guile: love without lust, wisedome without wilinesse, simplicity without simulation, perpetuall solace, and solatious perpetuity, prosperous security, and secure prosperi­ty: There is no malady, no crosse, no curse, no vexa­tion nor calamity, no defect nor deformities,Rev. 22.3. no tu­mults nor troubles, no paine nor penury:Rev. 21.4. all teares shall be done away, all evills removed, all sinne abolished, all wants supplied: There shall be a per­fect, plenary, and perpetuall possession of all good things; even of God himselfe,vers. 3. who is Goodnesse it selfe: There shall be perfection of knowledge,1 Cor. 13.12. 1 Ioh. 3.2. 1 Cor. 13.10. Phil. 3.21. no defect in love, happy immortality, certaine security, constant amity, and secure tranquility. The Soule shall have perfection of Vertues, the Body shall be [Page 366] full of beauty, strength and agility: the whole man shall enjoy fellowship with God, fellowship with the Lambe, fellowship with the Angells: a happy society,1 Thess. 4.17. a sweet communion, all holinesse, all hap­pinesse, all joyes shall be enjoyed. The King is verity, the Law Charity, the Possession eternity: yea, the full fruition of Eternall God, who will be All in all unto us:1 Cor. 25.28. Indeed God is now All in all un­to us, but by meanes, and in a small measure: But in heaven, God Himselfe, Immediately, in fulnesse of measure, without all meanes, will bee unto us All in all the good things that our Soules and Bodies can wish or desire; Hee himselfe will bee salvation and joy to our Soules, life and health to our Bodies,Wisd. 13.16. beauty to our Eyes, musicke to our Eares, honey to our Mouthes, perfume to our Nostrills, meate to our Bellies, light to our Vn­derstanding, contentment to our Mindes, delight to our Hearts, pleasure to our Wills; And what can be lacking, where God Himselfe will be the the Soule of our soules? To conclude, we shal raigne like kings, with the King of kings for ever, with fulnesse of Grace in our Hearts, and a Diadem of Glory on our Heads, celebrating an everlasting Sab­both, and singing an Allelu-jah to the Lord for ever: where there is that unspeakeable splendour, and that most excellent order, and well ordered excellencie of that happy condition and heavenly company.

O what joy will it bee to thy Soule, which was wont to see but misery, woe, afflictions, calamities, and sinfull sinning and sinners, now to behold the glory of the face of God, and to see Christ wel­comming thee with an Euge bone serve, Well done, and wellcome thou good and faithfull servant, Col. 1.16. Eph. 1.21. eneer into thy Masters joy: And what joy will this be, to behold so many thousand thousands of Cherubins, Seraphins, Angels, Thrones, Dominions, Principalities, Powers, [Page 367] all the holy Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs, Priests, Professors, and all the soules of thy Friends, Pa­rents, Husbands, Wives, Children and the rest of Gods Saints, who departed before thee in the true faith of Christ, standing before the Throne of Gods Majestie in perpetuall blisse and glory. How shall thy Soule be ra­vished to see her selfe (by grace) admitted to stand with this glorious Company, to behold the blessed face of Christ, and to heare the treasures of his Divine wise­dome! How shalt thou rejoyce to see so many thou­sand thousands welcomming thee into their heavenly so­cietie! for as they all rejoyced at thy conversion; so will they now be much more joyfull at thy Corona­tion.Luk. 15.1. &c. Who can sufficiently expresse the rejoycing of this heavenly Company, to see thee thus crowned with glory, Revel. 7.9. arrayed with the bright shining Robe of Christs righ­teousnesse, and to have the Palme of victory put into thy hand! Oh, what gratulations will there bee, that thou hast escaped all the miseries and afflictions of the world, the snares of the Divell, the paines of Hell, and obtai­ned with them thy eternall rest and happinesse? For there every one joyeth as much in anothers happinesse as in his owne; because hee shall see him as much be­loved of God as himselfe: yea, they have as many distinct joyes, as they have Co-partners of their joy; and in this joyfull and blessed state, the soule resteth and remaineth with Christ in Heaven for ever; the holy Angels, together with this blessed and heavenly Society there keepe (without any la­bour to distract them) a perpetuall Sabbath, to the glory, honour and praise of the aye-blessed Trinitie, for the creating, redeeming, preserving and sancti­fying of the Church, and the members thereof, and for his might, power, wisedome, justice, mercy and goodnesse in the government of Heaven and Earth: Therfore when thou hearest a sweet consort of Mu­sicke, meditate how happie thou shalt be when with [Page 368] the Quire of heavenly Angels and Saints thou shalt sing a part in that spirituall Hallelujah, on that eter­nall blessed Sabbath, where there shall be such vari­etie of pleasures, and saciety of joyes as never know tediousnesse of time or doing, nor end of delight and happinesse.1 Cor. 13.12. Oh life to be desired! Oh blessed felicitie, in which the most holy Trinitie shall be the perfection of all our desires, which we shall see without end, love with­out end, and praise without being weary, to see God will surpasse all ioyes, to see Christ, to live with Christ, to heare Christ, will surpasse all the desires of our hearts. What can there be wanting? what can be there beside to be desired or expected more?1 Cor. 15.28. Where God is all in all, and shall distribute to every one all good things according to the measure of his owne heart. If thou desirest life, if health, if peace, if honour. God shall bee there all in all; the blessed humanitie of Christ shall bee there present unto us, and shall entertaine us with a most sweet voice;Cant. 2.14. His voice is sweet and his face is comly, full of grace are his lips, and is crowned with glory and honor. There shall he be fulnesse of light to the understanding, Psal. 45.3. Ps. 68.32. &c. plenty of peace to the will, and continuance of eternity to the memory. The Sonne will satisfie the understan­ding with perfect knowledge, the Holy Ghost will satisfie the will with most sweet love, and the Fa­ther will satisfie the memory with the remembrance of both. Let the faithfull Soule be heere astonished, and adore the mercie of her Saviour; for hee doth not onely receive us his enemies into favour; but hee doth also forgive us our sinnes, and bestow upon us righteousnesse, and receive us into our heavenly in­heritance, and makes us like unto the Angels, yea like unto himselfe blessed for ever. Oh most blessed City! Revel. 21.23. celestiall Canaan! Oh heavenly Ierusalem, O the most holy seate of the most holy and blessed Trinitie! When will that Sunne rise upon mee which inlighteneth that holy Citie. We are yet banished from our Countrey; [Page 369] but there we shall enjoy an ample inheritance. Ioh. 1.12. To those that beleeve power is given to be made sonnes of God; and if we be sonnes, then are wee also Heires of God, Psal. 16.1. and co­heires with Christ. Lift up thy selfe, O devout soule, and long to come to the Lord, the portion of thine in­heritance, and thy exceeding great reward. Gen 15.1. What could the most ample mercie and bountie of God bestow more upon us? He gives us life, he bestowes his Son,Act. 27.27.28. and bestowes himselfe; if he had any thing greater in heaven or earth, he would bestow even that also upon us. In God we live, Gods Temple we are, 1 Cor. 3.16. God we possesse indeed; here in the spirit and in a Mistery; but in hea­ven in truth, and indeed: our hope there shall be­come our full fruition, and dwell with him for ever.Psal. 42.1.2. Come Lord Iesus, Come quickly, and make us partakers of that heavenly glory.

Esteeme not thou faithfull soule, the trifling plea­sures of this life to bee the way to this everlasting worlds wealth; nor the ignominious estate heere; nor troubles and afflictions to be any barre to prevent thee from the injoying of the full use and joyfull fru­ition of the glory there prepared for thee: bee assu­red that though thou want heere, thou shalt have ri­ches there; though thou hunger heere, thou shalt have fulnesse there; though thou beest ready to faint heere, thou shalt be refreshed there; and though thou be heere abjected and cast downe, and accounted as a dead man; yet shalt thou there live in perpetuall glory; and though thou hast run this comfortlesse race through this miserable earthly vaile; yet there shalt thou raigne for ever: the honour on this earth in comparison of that is basenesse; the riches of this world, is povertie; the fulnesse of this life is want; the joyes of this worlds Kingdome, are sorrow, woe, misery, sadnesse, griefe and calamitie;Psal. 53.1. and yet the Foole saith in his heart, that there is no other Heaven but this harmefull deceiving worlds happinesse; no [Page 370] other Hell but this Worlds bitternesse, no bitter tor­ment, then this worlds cares; no further helpe, then this worlds wealth: thus is the wisedome of man become foolishnesse, his glory turned into shame; mans power made of no force; and the faithfull poore that are heere despised, are there advanced; the sorrowfull are comforted, and the cast-awayes of this world are received to that blessed being, that cannot be expressed with the tongue, described with the Pen, nor conceived with the heart of man.

Psal. 55.6. O that I had wings (saith heavenly hearted David) that I might flye away from this worlds vanities, and to possesse Heavens eternall happinesse! Ph [...]lip. 1.23 Oh that I were dissolved (saith blessed Paul) that I might bee with Christ! Oh that I were in this place of such wished hap­pinesse, where I might rest from this Worlds labours, earthly miseries and transitorie vanities. Let us daily meditate of the greatnesse and Majestie of this high Heavens glorious and blessed estate, where we shall one day blesse our God, with the blessed Company of that most excellent Vnitie, where wee shall one day sit secure and free from the dangers, perils, trou­bles, crosses, and afflictions, which doe in this world assaile us on every side both within and without, that wee are never free from one calamitie or other.2 Cor. 1.3.4.5.6.7. Oh blessed are all they that are thus assured! blessed are the poore that shall have this Heavens riches! blessed are the base that shall be thus exalted! blessed are the low and cast downe that shall bee thus raised and advanced! and blessed are the Worlds despised, that shall have this Heavens happinesse! yea, happy is this worlds unhappy man, for he shall be happy for ever! Now therefore, O devout Soule, stand up, feare not, faint not; but give glory to this great God, praise this high and helping God; seeke him in time while it is to day; drive not off to pray to this God, notwithstanding any hope thou hast in mortall men; pray for, and reject not his [Page 371] gracious meanes, who in favour infinite, and mercie endlesse, moveth the hearts of men in this life to doe good unto such as hee seeth distressed; hee can finde out and afford infinite meanes to succour them that are his, and will not leave them forsaken, in danger;1 Cor. 10.13. for hee even here giveth his blessings as pledges of his never-failing love, that being visited in his mercy with timely comforts here, we may assure our selves of greater blessings in Heaven, where they are pre­pared for his faithfull Elect, beyond all that humane nature can aske or thinke. Therefore, (O devout Soule) sigh no more, sorrow no more, bee no more pensive at outward poverty, fret no more at the worlds crosses, grieve no more at the worlds mise­ries, dismay no more for thy many sinnes; but strive alwayes to stand in the favour of this high and hel­ping God, and hee will set thee free, and banish thy feare, and fill thy cup, and feed thee with the hidden treasures of his never-failing love. Vnto whom be given all Glory, Praise, Honour, Power, Might, Ma­jestie and Dominion now and evermore. Amen.