THE AFFLICTED Mans Vow: WITH HIS MEDITATIONS, AND PRAYERS. Afflictio, Approbatio. Written by John Mabb, of the Inner Temple, Gent: and sometime Student there. LONDON: Printed by Thomas Snodham and are to be sold by John helm, at his shop in S. Dunstones Church-yard. 1609. TO THE RIGHT WORTHY AND honourable KNIGHT, Sir John Egerton. WIthout rain the Plant withereth, and without encouragement Learning fainteth: a benefit bestowed deserves thankfulness: and your Honors favour enforceth my acknowledgement of the great comfort received by you in my godly studies. Wherefore I cannot but sort your virtues with the Honourable, and your Praise with the Worthies. And although the Sea hath no need of the small Riuers, yet do they run into it; nor the moon of the Stars, yet do they rise with it: so the fullness of your Honors wisdom needs no view of my mean and simplo studies; nor the light of your knowledge the perusing of my slender and unlearned labours, yet am I bold to present them unto your Honour, who in abundance of meekness did never repel the industrious, nor disdain the simplo,( as I by experience haue formerly found by your good acceptance, and do still hope of your honourable continuance.) At this time therefore I do Dedicate unto your Honor, the Afflicted mans Vow, made in his perplexity& penitency,( he lately beholding Adams Tragedy,) wherein he perceived Adams sin as a heavy ston falling vpon him, and all mankind, ready to bruise and to grind him to powder, had not Christ in mercy put under his hand for his great and most happy preservation. Wherefore your Honor shall find this afflicted man now meditating, praying, and praising God, wishing earnestly( if it were possible) while he lived in this world, that the thoughts of his hart might be always clean, the words of his mouth ever holy, the works of his hands ever just,& the ways of his feet ever plain: that in the end he might with God rest in peace, and be glorified with him in heaven. To the which place and glory, I beseech the almighty to bring you and your noble posterity, to your everlasting and hopeful joys without end. Amen. Your Honors faithful and devoted to command John MABB. To the Reader. GEntle Reader, is Adam our Father dead, and shall not wee his Children mourn? can we behold his tragedy, and not see our own misery? his loins did beget corruption, and our sins bring forth affliction. Who is there but hath transgressed? who then but ought to be corrected? True it is, that most profitable is the rod that brings us unto God. For the floods of affliction, and the trying fire of adversity, are to no other end sent from God unto his children, then by the one to wash their uncleanness, and by the other to purge their dross, whereby they might be made as pure and perfect Gold, fit for the heavenly temple of the Lord. Difference there is, between punishment and affliction: by the one God in his wrath rooteth out for to destroy, but by the other he correcteth in his love for to restore: the seven yeares service doubled vpon Iaakob was to make him rich; but the seven yeares famine sent vpon egypt was to make them poor. Iosephs imprisonment was for his preferment, but the Bakers for his punishment: Daniels casting into the Den was for his glory, but the throwing in of his accusers was for their shane: Christ his cross was Pauls crown, but a stumbling block to Iudas to throw him down: murmur brings misery, but patience felicity. wherefore thy afflicted friend( most Christian Reader) doth counsel thee to pray in thy adversity,& thou shalt be comforted, to beleeue, and thou shalt obtain, and to perform thy vows which thou hast made unto the Lord thy God: the which lest thou shouldst forget, and bring a punishment vpon thee, I here present them unto thee, being as it were the copy of the covenants which thou hast made and sealed up in thy baptism unto God. The which that thou mayest truly keep and meditate vpon all the daies of thy life, God almighty grant for his glory and thy comfort, to whose grace and everlasting mercy I heartily commend thee. Thine in the Lord, John MABB. THE AFFLICTED Mans vow. AFFLICTION. WHose thoughts, but shall be troubled with 2 Dan. 4. verse. 2. Nebuchadnezers, for to behold? and whose speech, but shall be 4. ve 16. stopped for a time, with Daniel to declare the vision of the verse. 11. felling of the three, the verse. 12. breaking of the branches, the shaking of the leaves, the scattering of the fruit, the leaving of the roote, the binding of the stump, and the wetting of the due? Yet I must not say to the elected Saints, as Daniel did to Nebuchadnezer, 4. ve. 16. ( the meaning thereof be to them that hate you.) For by the falling of the three, is meant the humbling of the soul: Degrees in affliction. the breaking of the branches, the weakening of the strength: the shaking off the leaves, the fading of the glory: the scattering of the fruit, the loss of the riches: the leaving of the roote, the oblivion of the name: the binding of the stump, the hope of restoring: None, but haue some affliction. and the wetting of the due, the grace of reviving. And thus are we all as trees planted by God in this world, some tall like Cedars; some low like the Vine; yet the one must be hewed, and the other must be pruned. For there is no exception but some affliction in one kind or other, must befall unto all; The end of affliction is to know God. but especially, to the Saints of God Dan. 4.22 till they know that the heauens haue the rule( even the most high that dwelleth in them,) and that he ever giveth his blessings to whomsoever he will. Wherefore, O ye children of men, let my counsel be acceptable unto you,( as Daniel said to Nebuchadnezer, 4. ver. 24. break off your sins by righteousness, and your iniquities by mercy unto the poor, lo let there be an healing of your errors. Sweet is the issue of Affliction, though unpleasant in the taste: for our heavenly physician knoweth our corruption, and therefore he doth minister unto us a bitter pill, to give us a good and sound purgation; for the settling of sin, is poison to the soul, and the reigning of the flesh, the ruin of the spirit: but by affliction the soul is healed, and the spirit sanctified, sin expelled, and the flesh subdued. Satans temptations which he practiseth, in his malice to divert us, Satans malice, by our faith and patience turneth to our good. are Gods trials, which he suffereth in his love to convert us: for his buffetings are turned into blessings, and his tyranny into tranquilitie; the ston which he throweth, returneth vpon himself, and the fire that he kindleth is his own destruction: for without his temptations and assaults, there were no trial of our faith, 1. Pet. 1.6.7. though now for a season,( saith the Apostle) ( if need require) we are in heaviness, through manifold temptations, that the trial of our faith being much more precious then gold that perisheth,( though it be tried with fire,) might be found unto our praise and honour and glory at the appearance of Iesus Christ: Ver. 9. receiving the end of our faith, even the salvation of our souls. So then to the elect and faithful, the divels temptations( but Gods afflictions) are in the end for the great glory of God, and for the comfort and profit of his children: Al enticing evil must be repelled by the opposite& prevailing good. for the evil is repelled by the good: the divels suggestion to disobey, is confuted by obedience: his suggestion to presume, confuted by reverence: the suggestion to doubt, confuted by faith: the suggestion to murmur, confuted by patience: the suggestion to riot, confuted by temperance: the suggestion to pride, confuted by humility: the suggestion to lust, confuted by chastity: the suggestion to covet, confuted by content: the suggestion to oppress, confuted by charity: and the suggestion to reuenge, confuted by love. Why then, afflictions whether inward or outward, in respect of satan, they are like the Iud. 3.1.2 Canaanites ever warring and fighting against the beloved Israel: but in respect of God, Affliction comfortatable in the end. they are as his heavenly messengers, which bring us glad tidings, that if we faithfully resist unto the end, and Reu. 3.5. overcome, wee shall be clothed with white array, and receive the 2.17.29 precious white ston and morning star, that shall make us to shine in glory; our names shall never be put out of the book of life, but wee shall be as everlasting 3. ver. 12 pillars in the temple of God, and shall 3. ve. 21. sit with Christ, in his throne, even as he hath overcome, and doth sit with his Father in his throne. Surely, there is but one way to enter into the kingdom of heaven, and that is Act. 14.22. through many tribulations, the Mat. 7.14. gate being straite, and the way being narrow, and having as it were, violent fire on the one side, and raging seas on the other side; like unto the Deut. 8.15.16. Israelites passage to the land of Canaan, weary and troublesone: and like unto 2 Sam. 24 13. Dauids straite, wherein he saw famine before him, the sword behind him, and pestilence round about him; and one of these he must taste before he could behold the favour and joyful countenance of the Lord. Affliction may be compared to Gen. 29.17.31.32. Leah who was blere eyed, but yet she had many more children then R●hel: for the beauty and glory of worldly prosperity is not in the dwellings of affliction: yet the comely graces, as faith, hope, patience and humility are the daughters of adversity. prosperity hurtful in the end. prosperity is like unto the Israelites Psal. 78.29.30. quails, luscious in the mouth, but loathsome to the soul,& like unto Iona. 4.7. jonas gourd, flourishing in the day, but withered in the night. What profit is it for a King to sail in a stately ship, if he want a Pilot? surely, his fear and danger must be great: and what availeth all the riches of this world, if we want a guide to bring us unto God? certainly we shal fall into the hands of theeues, and spiritual robbers. Our faithful Pilot, and guide therfore unto God must be affliction, Affliction must help to bring us unto God: her property, and virtue. for her knowledge is heavenly, her direction straite, her eye watchful, her labour careful, and her prayer faithful: shee passeth by the dangerous rocks, and keepeth in the Psa. 80.5 deep: she aspireth not unto the hills, but walketh in the valleys: tears are her meate, and tears are her drink: the 129.3. plowers plow vpon her back, and make long furrows: shee 126.5.6. goeth forth weeping, and carrieth precious seed, but shee shall return with ioy, and bring her sheaves with her, even fruitful sheaves, everlasting peace, plenty and felicity. For who knoweth not but that the cleanest corn is thrown into the ground, the purest gold is tried in the fire, the sweetest grape is trodden in the press, and the holy lamb is for the sacrifice? No wound is cured except it be preached, and that is painful to the patient: and no soul fully sanctified, unless it be afflicted, which brings sorrow for our sins, and causeth us speedily to turn unto the Lord. Hos. 5.14 I will be unto Ephraim ( saith the Lord) as a Lion, and as a Lions whelp unto the house of judah, I, even I, will spoil and go away, I will take away, and none shall rescue it: I will go and return to my place, till they aclowledge their fault, and seek me, in their affliction they will seek me diligently. Behold I haue fined thee, but not as silver, I haue chosen thee in the furnace of affliction: for the burdens of egypt made Israel Exo. 3.7. cry unto God, and in the time of their distress they sought him early. Ps. 86.7. Dauids troubles made him pray: Is. 38.2.3 Hezekiahs sickness made him weep: and the Luke. 15.16.20. prodigal childs misery made him seek his fathers mercy: for whomsoever the Lord loveth, he Heb. 12 6 chasteneth, and scourgeth every one that he receiveth. And wee must in no wise think to escape afflictions while wee live in this world, Worldly policy can not prevent gods chastening, nor avoid his plagues by any of our own policy, strength or power, as did the stubborn and disodedient Iewes imagine, who would fly into egypt, and not be subject unto Nebuchadnezer as the Lord commanded them. For even in our safest palaces, places, and prosperity can the Lord touch us, find us, and follow us, as he did those mutinous and rebellious people: for it had been better for them to haue served Hos. 9.6. Nebuchadnezer with patience, then to haue perished in egypt; For lo, they are gone( as they think) from destruction, but egypt shal gather them up,( saith the Lord) and Memphis shall bury them, the nettle shall possess the pleasant places of their silver, and the thorn shall be in their tabernacles. Affliction then can be no tyrant unto the patient and faithful, forasmuch as the Lord doth sand it unto us: and as he said unto the remnant of judah, jer. 42.11 fear not for the King of Babel, of whom ye are afraid, for I am with you to save and to deliver you from his hand, and I will grant you mercy, that he may haue compassion vpon you, and he shall cause you to dwell in your land: but if ye say, ye will not dwell in this land, neither hear the voice of the Lord your God; saying: Nay, but wee will go into the land of egypt, where we shall see no war, nor hear the sound of trumpet, nor haue hunger of bread, and there will we dwell:( and now therefore hear the word of the Lord, ye remnant of judah: thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israell) if ye set your faces to enter into egypt, and go to dwell there; then the word that ye feared shall take you there in the Land of egypt, and the famine for the which ye care, shall there hang vpon you in egypt, and there shall ye die. So likewise when the Lord hath appointed us unto any affliction whatsoever in this world, It is good to be subject& patient under the Lords hand. we must be obedient and subject under his hand, for Rom. 8.28 he ●s with us to save and deliver us from the cruelty of temptations, and to turn all for our good and prosperity, reserving mercy and compassion for us, if we put our trust in him: but if wee be murmuring and rebellious and will put our confidence in worldly helps and means, and will fly from the Lord, disobaying his ordinances, then what we feared shall take hold vpon us, his wrath and anger shall consume us, and we shall see his face no more: For who knoweth the will of the Lord? therefore if he should kill us, let us say with job. 13.15. job, I will put my trust in him: and say of affliction, as Christ said of joh. 11.4. Lazarus sickness, this is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the son of God might be glorified thereby: For as we certainly hope of the 1 Cor. 15.22.23 resurrection after death, for our glorification, and thereby death is become profitable unto us: so we must assuredly hope of a reward after affliction for our 2 Cor. 1.5 consolation, and thereby affliction is become comfortable unto vs. Affliction is Gods seal where with he marketh his children. For affliction it is as the seal of the living God, wherewith his seruants are sealed in their foreheads unto eternal life. For red from Genesis to the revelation, and you shall find that all the Saints both Patriarks, Prophets, and Apostles, in some sort or other, nay Christ Heb. 11.36.37 himself haue been tempted, afflicted, persecuted, tormented. For how can it otherwise be when as Iam. 4.4. this world is at enmity with God, and here doth satan that Eph. 2.2. and. 6.12. prince of darkness ruleiby possessing the hearts of most part of men being wicked and ungodly.) And besides wee living in this world cannot be freed from sin Rom. 6.7. till after death: and the Rom. 6.23. reward of sin in the iustice of God is eternal death, but in mercy the 1 Cor. 15 54.55. Patient suffering in this world hath a recompense of glory in the world to come. sting of death is taken out that it shall not hurt the Saints: yet must they for a while here be 2 Cor. 12.7. bufferted, that the flesh may be humbled; be despised, that they may be honoured: they must Mat. 5.4. mourn that they may be comforted: be imprisoned, that they may be freed: they must suffer Mat. 5.6. Dangerus is their estate that haue no affliction. hunger, that they may be satisfied; be naked that they may be clothed: afflicted that they may be comforted; abjected that they may be glorified. Hard then and fearful is their condition which haue no affliction in this life, either inward or outward: inward, by 2 Cor. 7.9.10. hearty sorrow for their sin with true repentance; or by a strong Eph. 6.10 15 fight against the world, the flesh and the divell by faithful resistance: outward, which is either in body, goods, or name: for the wicked because they haue no Psal. changes,( but live at ease in pleasure, plenty, and delight) they call not vpon God; nay, they think there is no God: the divell lulleth them a sleep, and maketh them( like beasts) fat against the day of slaughter. But against the children of God who must of necessity pass through the narrow and troublesone seas of this world, The devil is an open enemy against the righteous. the divell hath on the one side, his bulwark of inward temptations; and on the other side, his fort of outward afflictions, shooting at them, if he could to stop, nay, to sink them, that they might not go unto the heavenly land of Canaan. But by how much the more our danger, and trouble is in this life, by so much the more is our reward and glory in the life to come, when as we shall arrive at the haven, yea heaven of eternal rest: For no Heb. 12.11. chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous, but afterward it bringeth the quiet fruit of righteousness unto them which are thereby exercised. Wherefore 12. ye that are afflicted lift up your hands which are down, and your weak knees which are feeble: and counsel ye, comfort ye one another, and say with a joyful heart: Come, Hos. 6.1. and let us return unto the Lord: for he hath spoyled us, and he will heal us: he hath wounded us, and he will bind us up. After two dayes he will revive us,& in the third day he will raise us up, and wee shall live in his sight. Then shall wee haue knowledge, and endeavour ourselves to know the Lord this going forth is prepared as the morning, and he shall come unto us as the rain, and as the latter rain vpon the earth. Thus after trouble shall wee find rest: after a storm a calm; after sorrow, ioy, and after death, life. Our Father Abraham lived in ur of the Caldees, but in the end he came unto the land that flowed with milk and Hony: Ps. 120.5 david remained a long time in Meshech, and dwelled in the tents of Kedar, but in the end he came to Shiloh, and to the holy hill of Sion. God is unto his children in the day of adversity a cloud to cover them, and in the night of affliction a pillar of fire to comfort them. Affliction is like a Nurse, who while she swadleth us up strait, and that for our good we cry, but when we come to knowledge and strength, we do give her thanks and then rejoice, Heb. 12.8 For, If ye be without correction( saith the Apostle) whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons: Morcouer wee haue had the fathers of of our bodies which corrected us, and we gave them reverence, should we not much rather be in subiection unto the father of spirits, that we might live? for they verily for a few dayes chastened us after their own pleasures, but he chasteneth us for our profit that wee might be partakers of his holinesse: without the which no man shall see the Lord. The use then of all is this: That we consider what is the cause of affliction: four things to be considered in affliction. The cause is our sin. Who it is that sends it: It is God. To what end: he sends it for our good. Who are the instruments that bring it: For the most part satan, or his wicked members, cruel men vpon the earth. Why then consider: job. 14.15.16. None that liveth can say that he is pure and without sin: for 1 joh. 1.8 If we say wee haue no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us: If so thou art a sinner, then look certainly for some one affliction or other: and suffer and bear it patiently( as 2 Sam. 16.6.10. david suffered Shemey,) and answered Abishay, saying: What haue I to do with you ye sons of Zeruiah; for he nurseth because the Lord hath bidden him curse david; who dare then say, wherefore hast thou done so? suffer him to curse for the Lord hath bidden him:( and that was for david sin in murdering of uriah.) And by this affliction david was also put in mind of his grievous transgression, ( which begot in him penitiencie, patience, and most humble submission to the will of God) and stayed also his seeking of reuenge against Shemey. And this example of david is a worthy president for us, To forgive our enemies that do persecute vs. that wee in like manner should willingly forgive our enemies and persecutors, by calling of our own sins to remembrance, and the purity of Gods iustice in correcting us for our sins, and his great mercy in calling us thereby to repentance: and that the wicked are sent and appointed of God, as his instruments to humble us, and to beate us down; that we might be raised up unto newness and holinesse of life thereby, and therefore there must be no striving against the pricks: welcome therefore must be affliction at all times, in our Youth and in our age, seeing it is the blessed messenger of God to bring us unto him: Affliction is the messenger of God. not suffering us to continue in our sins, lest wee should perish and be condemned with the world. Another use may be drawn from hence: which is, the consideration of the difference& degrees of afflictions. Degrees& disterences in affliction. For some are great, some small, some many, some few, some fearful, some favourable, some short, some durable. For Iaakobs sorrows were not like Iobs, nor Zedekiahs troubles like Nebuchadnezers. God sendeth unto some distracted and agony of mind: to some diseases and deformity of body, to some loss of children: to some loss of friends: to some loss of goods: to some banishment: to some imprisonment: to some disgrace: to some an ignominious death: to some poverty: to other some strange misery( which is,) men possessing riches, but without content: Our sins deserve great afflictions and many, but God is merciful in correcting. having children but no comfort: many friends, but few faithful: a dainty Wife, but nothing dutiful. If a man haue but one of these afflictions( as few or none but haue some of them) then let him consider the multitude of his sins,& praise the Lord, that he hath not heaped up a multitude of afflictions vpon him,& let him compare his afflictions with others mens, and no doubt he shall find and withall confess, that in comparison of others, he is a most happy man; and that God unto him is good and gracious, remembering his mercy and covenant made unto his children, that none of them shall be Luk. 40. tempted above their power, nor suffer more then they are able for to bear; and that in due time they shall haue a most happy issue with their temptations. Not to behold affliction with an earthly eye. And let no man that hath his afflictions( be they never so small) behold them with an earthly eye; for then they are like a big and tall ship remaining vpon the land, which cannot be removed, no not with great strength, but let them presently dig and cut( let them sigh and pray,) for the waters of comfort, that they may come& flow unto their souls, from the fountain of Christs mercy: and then be their afflictions never so many, or never so heavy, yet the flowing stream of Gods love shall easily remove and carry them away far from them. Besides, Christ hath born our afflictions for us, and made them an easy yoke unto us, if so we put our trust in him. know that our afflictions are become the burden and yoke of Christ Iesus, which he willingly beareth, and hath submitted himself unto for our sakes, the which although at the time of his passion they were heavy unto him, by reason of our sins; yet now he hath altered and changed them to be Mat. 11.28.29.30. light, and easy for us to bear and undergo, both in respect of his great might to support us, and in respect of his great love to comfort vs. moreover, if God should sand many crosses and afflictions unto us, one vpon the neck of another, as one wave overtaketh another; yet let us account of them as the husbandman doth of his heavy sheaf of corn: rejoice in them, and bear them courageously, knowing that they haue much fruit, and great recompense of reward. Heb. 10.32 Now( therefore saith the Apostle) call to remembrance the dayes that are passed, in the which after ye had received light, ye endured a great fight in afflictions. 33 Partly while ye were made a gazing stock both by reproaches and afflictions, and partly while ye became companions of them which were so tossed too and fro. 34 For both ye sorrowed with me for my bonds, and suffered with ioy the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye haue in heaven a better and enduring substance. 35 Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. For ye haue need of patience, 36 that after ye haue done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. 37 For yet a very little while, and he that shall come, will come, and will not tarry. PRAYER. O Most just, holy, merciful and omnipotent God, thou alone dost punish, and no man can redeem, thou alone dost correct, and no man can control, thou alone dost save, and no man can condemn. Pardon I beseech thee my sins, for they are many, purge my corruption for it is great, look not vpon my merits, for they are vile: every mans sanctity is polluted, and all his purity defiled. wherefore, to me, O Lord, to me thy poor seruant, belongeth shane and confusion: but to thee mercy, iudgement, and glory. Destroy not I humbly entreat, O heavenly Father, the workmanship of thine own hands, but hast to comfort me, and make thy corrections my instructions, that in patience for a while I may here possess my soul, and in thy promise haue an assured hope to live with thee for ever in the life to come, through Iesus Christ my Lord and onely saviour. Amen. VOW. WAs it not Iacobs fear and love of God, that made him Gen. 28.20.21. make his vow to God? and did not Ma. 26.33.35. Peter make his vow to Christ, vpon his zealous love to him, as 1 Sam. ●0 16. jonathan did to david? and was it not the josh. 1.13.16.17. remembrance of blessing received, that made the Israelites make their vow, and covenant with Ioshua to serve the Lord? Why then, here behold the afflicted mans Religion, his thankfulness and his love to God, in making of his vow to fear, to praise, and never to forsake the Lord. For affliction doth beget: deliverance should confirm, and in our prosperity we should perform our Psa. 66.13.14. Vows which wee haue made unto the Lord. But as there may be a draft of a goodly pattern or model for building of a stately house: A godly vow must be performed. which if it be not set forward and erected, is but a paper, not a palace. So the promise of every holy vow, may make a faire show and demonstration of a holy course and christian plot, to rear and raise up the inward man to be a beautiful and holy building unto God: but if it be not performed it is a shadow not a substance; a word, not a work. Therefore the performance of a vow, is the praise of the promise, as wee may see by the example of david, when he said; I Psal. 119 107. haue sworn, and will perform it, that I will keep thy righteoas judgements, O Lord:( not that he had free will or power to do it) but showing thereby his inward affection and careful receiving of them in his heart: and so is it meant, where it is said; Luke. 11.28. Blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it: that is, faithfully lay it up in their hearts, with a full intent to practise it, when God shall give a just occasion thereof. But in every vow four things are to be convidered: First, 4 Things to be considered in every vow. that it be holy and religious: Secondly, that it be discreet and gracious: Thirdly, that it be possible and perspicuous: And lastly, that it be charitable and glorious. Holy and religious: grounded vpon the word of God; for that must be a Psal. 119.105 light to our feet, and a lantherne to our paths. Discreet and gracious: done with deliberation and aduise; Pro. 15.22 Do nothing rashly, but take counsel, and be well advised in all thy ways. Possible and perspicuous: able to be performed; presume not to Mat. 4.7. tempt the Lord thy God, but use the means which he hath ordained for his glory and thy good. Charitable and glorious: tending to the honor of almighty God, and good of man; Rom. 15.5.6. Let all things be done in love, and for the praise of God. 1 Chron. 28.2.3. david in his zeal made a vow to build a Temple to the Lord: but his warres and troubles were hindrances thereunto, diversity of vows. that he could not perform the same; therefore it must be done in his sons dayes, who was a King of peace: and yet Dauids vow was holy and religious; but not possible and perspicuous. judge. 11.30.31. Iptah made his vow to offer a sacrifice of praise to God with the first thing that should meet him out of the doors of his house, when he should return in peace from the battle: A vow must not be partly good, and partly evil but absolutely good this his vow was holy and religious,( in his intent) and possible and perspicuous, but not discreet and gracious, nor charitable and glorious: for the killing of his daughter was rather cruelty then piety. 1 King. 19 2. Iesabels vow to kill Eliah was possible and perspicuous,( if so Eliah had not fled,) but it was neither holy nor religious, discreet nor gracious, charitable nor glorious. And Mat. 14.7. Herods vow unto the dancing damsel, was deliberate and possible, and so was the Act. 23.21. Iewes vow when they assembled themselves with an oath, saying, that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul: but this their vow was neither holy nor religious, nor yet charitable nor glorious. How to discern of an upright vow. Wherefore every vow must be tried as gold and silver is tried( to wit) by the tange, tincture, touch and teste. For a mans vow must first haue taste of religion, then a sound of discretion, then an approbation of ability, and lastly, a confirmation of love and piety; so that, religion, discretion, four main links to tie every vow. ability and piety, they are the four links to tie and chain every vow: and these must run together as the four wheels spoken of in ezekiel, which had one Ezech. 10 10 form, and their fashion, and their work was as one wheel in another wheel, signifying their inseperabilitie, and unity: for religion must not go, nor run without discretion, nor ability without piety. 1 Cor. 14 40 Let every thing therefore be done honestly and by order, and let us not disturb nor Eph. 4.30 grieve the good spirit and grace of God in us, by striving to satisfy our own opinions or affections without religion or discretion. vows also may be either general or special: by the first, at the anointing and Coronation of Kings, vows were solemnly made from them to God, to serve him aright, and also unto the people to do them right: as did 2 King. 23 3. josiah, 2 Chron. joash, and Nehe. 5.9 12 Nehemiah: and by the second, the Israelites at the preaching of z Azariah repented, and made a covenant or Vow to seek the Lord: and in the time of Ezra. 10.3. Ezra, they likewise vowed to put away their strange wives, who did entice and draw them from the Lord. apparent then it is, every holy and good Vow is as as a bond to bind us unto God. that every holy covenant is as a holy bond, whereby wee bind ourselves for ever unto God, vowing our duty, love& obedience unto him, as a faithful subject doth unto his Prince, and by our Vow, as with a bridle, wee are kept back from doing of evil, and through it, as with a goad, wee are pressed forward to do good. The use hereof is: that every man and woman take heed what vows they make before God or man: having especial regard, unlawful vows are not to be performed. that they be not to dishonour God and break his Law, nor to confounded and destroy nature, nor to hurt and impoverish our neighbour, nor to neglect and hinder our calling: for all such vows are utterly unlawful, and in no sort to be kept. For wee cannot serve Christ and Belial, destroy, 2 Cor. 6.15. and preserve life, do Rom. 3.8. evil, and yet do good; be idle and yet seem to labour: Wherefore as Christ spake unto Luke. 10.11.14. Martha, so it must be taught unto us, that one thing is necessary, namely, that wee embrace and vow the thing that is good, and refuse and disavow the thing that is evil. And further wee may also learn, A lawful and holy Vow, a token of true& perfect religion. that the binding of a mans self with a vow to God: it declareth his religion and care to keep a good conscience according to his power, in laying the judgements of God( which are past and are to come) up in his heart, to avoid and fly from sin thereby: and also to meet with the weakness, frailty and infirmity of his corrupt nature, which for the most part is Rom. 7.18 heavy and sluggish unto any good work, Mans dulness and backwardness unto good. and therefore by his vow he is provoked and stirred up to a greater care and regard to serve and praise the Lord. every Vow then made in piety and charity, is both a good token of a contrite heart and good conscience, and of a true, sound, faithful and sanctified Christian: In what manner a Vow must be made. But such vows must be made with fear and reverence, and with earnest prayer and steadfast resolution to continue in the same, lest by our relapse and back-sliding wee become as Reu. 3.16 lukewarm Laodiceans, serving our own selves,& observing the time, but not the Lord. And again we are here taught to beware of the subtlety of Satan, Satans subtlety to prevent a holy vow,& his questioning with the godly thereupon. who goeth about to keep back and hinder every good minded man and woman from making their holy vows, or faithful contract with God; alleging unto them after this manner; Indeed you desire and would gladly vow, and make a covenant with God( as you seem) to serve and obey him all the dayes of your life: but take heed, for when you haue so vowed, you shal find yourselves further off from performing your vows then ever you were before: And no doubt I shall take you tripping vpon some breach or other, and then assure yourselves, I will not spare but accuse you before the Lord, you having so presumptuously made a vow unto him, and yet so wilfully haue neglected, broken and violated the same. But to bar and overthrow this subtle persuasion of satan: The way to repel his suggestion. First we must not fear for all his suggestion to make our promise unto God, to do the thing that is good: every one hath made a holy vow in baptism which must be kept. for we haue already made it unto him in our baptism, without which wee could not be received into the Church, which like a mother nourisheth us: nor obtain the blessing of God the father, who hath begotten us: nor be made members of God the son, who hath redeemed us: nor receive comfort from God the holy Ghost, who hath sanctified us: We therefore having the approbation of the Church dedicating: the love of the father receiving: the grace of the son presenting, and the help of the spirit directing our vows to God; why should wee be dismayed to make our holy vows, Holy and discreet vowes must comfort not discourage vs. when as we do them in sobriety not unadvisedly, in humility not presumpteously, making our prayer and invocation unto God, that it would please him to direct& strengthen us to make and perform our vows unto him, because of ourselves we are corrupt& weak, and not able to think nor apprehended a good thought, much less to perform or do any good work? For 1 Cor. 1.30 all our sufficiency, wisdom, righteousness, and sanctification is of, in, and through Christ alone, Heb. 7.27 who saveth us, and maketh intercession for us, presenting our souls and bodies, prayers and vows, as most pure, holy, acceptable& blamlesse before his father. And when as,( after our vows thus made) wee through infirmity, or through great and inevitable necessity do unwillingly break the same, Our infirmities must not dismay us, when as against our will, wee break our vowe. either by omitting or committing what wee should or should not: the 2. Cor. 8.12. will in this case, and the desire to perform our vow is before God accepted and taken, as for the deed. For it is not Rom. 7.17 We must make amends when we do offend you, but sin that ruleth in you, that causeth you to offend. Yet withall we must thus remember, that whensoever time and opportunity serveth, we do without all fail redouble what before we ought to haue exercised, whether it be in praying, or in reading, or in meditating, or in conferring, or in doing the works of piety and charity: and so God foreseing our thoughts and beholding our religious care and careful labour in his love and fear,( we still longing and sighing to perform our vows to him both effectually and formallie,) such a transmitting or ouerpressing of the manner for a time, An vnwilling sin hath a release of punishment. is Rom. 7.24.25. no transgressing in the matter for a punishment And therefore in this unwilling, yet sometime necessary omission, it can in no sort be counted such a sin, as that it should exasperate or urge a grievous guiltiness to our consciences, or present a dying fear to our souls, the which Satan in his cruelty may seem to threaten, and in his malice willing to pursue. But let us in the name of God proceed to make our holy vows to him, and let them bee as Deut. 6.8. frontlets before our eyes, and as a most precious chain about our necks, and as pleasant bracelets about our arms, accounting ourselves more glorious in our virtues, then Acts. 12.21. Herod in his robes. Luk. 10.27. I promise and vow two things: holiness to God. righteousness to man. None of the four essential and divine parts of religion can be seue read from the worship of God. In my promise of holiness, I vow four things, to Worship God. love God. fear God. Praise God. To worship him aright, according to his word. To love him for his mercy, according to his grace. To fear him for his judgements, according to his iustice. To praise him for his benefits, according to his goodness. By the first I hate all Deut. 4.15.23. idolatry. By the second I Rom. 3.23.24. renounce any inherent or cooperate righteousness in me to merit my salvation. By the third, I fly presumption and security, and with reverence do Acts 2.37. tremble and fear at the threatenings and judgements of almighty God against sin and sinners. By the fourth I detest all Ps. 106.20.21. senseless ingratitude, and do pray for and desire evermore to haue a lively feeling, Ps. 107.1.2.31.32 and loyfull apprehension of Gods benefits towards me, which might stir up my love and thankfulness unto him, all the dayes of my life. None of the four essential and civil parts of righteousness can be seucred from our auetie to man. In my vow of righteousness, I consider four things: Obedience, Iustice, charity, Content. By the first I must show myself Rom. 13.1 subject to the higher Powers, both in word, thought and dead, reverently esteeming them, honourably speaking of them, and dutifully obeying them,& that for conscience sake in all things,( wherein God is not dishonoured, either in his dignity, or in his truth) for all subordinate and inferior powers are 1. Pet. 2.13.14.15. Rom. 13.1.2. ordained& instituted of God: and they that resist the power, resists the ordinance of God, and shall receive unto themselves iudgement. By the second I must do right to all men, in temporal and civil causes, and Mat. 7.12. do as I would be done by, for this is the Law and the prophets. By the third I must love every man( but especially those that are of the household of faith) because he is my brother and Mat. 22.38.39. neighbour, and this my love, I must show in doing good unto him, not seeking to Rom. 12.17.10. reuenge, not to slander, not to oppress, not to disdain, not to revile him; for if I 1. joh. 4.20. love not my brother whom I see, how can I love God whom I see not? and my love unto him must not onely be expressed and extented to his body onely, but also to his soul, Rom. 15.7.1.2. labouring and striving to bring him home, and to win him unto God, and that with all meekness and gentleness, when as either by blindness or wilfulness he hath erred and gone astray, and departed from the truth. By the fourth I must take heed of 1 Tim. 6.10 covetousness,( which is the roote of all evil) enticing and tempting man to Mat. 25.24 reap where he sowed not, and to gather where he strewed not: and therefore I must be 1 Tim. 6.8.9. content in whatsoever estate God hath placed me) and not to covet or possess, either by collusion or extortion, whatsoever belongeth unto my neighbour,( be he either poor or rich, high or low, wise or foolish, young or old.) And from these two roots, virtues reward. ( holinesse and righteousness) do spring and grow the most rich and pleasant fruits, ioy and peace for evermore. PRAYER. O merciful, Gracious and eternal God, which givest bountefully unto them which ask of thee in faith& steadfast hope. I humbly beseech thee to assist me with thy grace and holy spirit, that I may be able to perform and execute my good purpose and intent concerning my holy service towards thee, and my righteous dealing towards men. And forasmuch as I know assuredly that the World, the Flesh, and the divell, will seek my destruction, because I haue vowed myself thy seruant: grant therefore O Lord Iesus, that as thou didst overcome them al in the Mount by thy power and word: so I by thy might and same word may likewise overcome them in this valley of tears and misery,( the wicked world,) of which grant good Lord, that I be not, although for a time I rest in it; and that I may fight a good fight, and continue faithful unto the end: that after this life I may enjoy a crown of eternal glory in the world to come, and dwell with thee for ever. Amen. MEDITATION. I. drew. GOD finishing his work, did take a view, and Gen. 1.31 saw all that he had made, and lo, it was very good: david praying for jerusalem, desired God to take a gracious view thereof, and to Psal. 48.12.13. tell the towers therein. Man( being as it were a little world) he was created; but he forgot his maker: Mans sin the cause of his sorrow and ruin. jerusalem a glorious city, was name holy, but she forsook her Lord: the one hath lost his innocency, and the other her sanctity: man is now become mehuman,( troubled,)& jerusalem jericho, execrable to the Lord. losing of gods favor makes us subject to the divels fury. And whereas God before did take a view of them with great love and delight for their preservation: Now satan pursueth and compasseth them with great malice and despite for their confusion. For behold, Man is afflicted, and jerusalem is dejected. But as Nehe. 2.13 Nehemiah, went about the walls of jerusalem mourning, and josh. 6.15. Ioshua about the walls of jericho marching; the one to view the breaches for to build them up; the other for to view the strength, for to throw them down: so man must now 2 Cor. 13.5 look into himself with sound iudgement, Man must examine& look into himself. and compass about his own heart, and the thoughts thereof, which haue been a long time ruinated by sin, desiring God in all humility and repentance, that he would vouchsafe to raise him up, and make him a new and perfect 1 Cor. 3.9. 2 Cor. 5.2. building, sanctified and holy unto the Lord; and that from henceforth he would be his gracious deliverer, and a strong tower, and Psal. 18.2 rock of defence to save him from his enemies; and to due him with a lively faith& strong courage to 1 Pet. 5.8 9. resist the force and subtlety of satan, and to compass him about with the wisdom of the spirit, and power of the Word of God, to make him to fall, to Iam. 4.7. fly, and to depart, being never able to rise nor to to return again to hurt or to destroy the soul. Wherefore let every man and woman, being tempted after this sort, Mans consultation in temptation and how he ought to answer satan. make question, examine, and take view of themselves; saying: I am made and Gen. 2.7. created; and shall I not worship? I am saved and Eph. 1.7. redeemed; and shall I not rejoice? I am Thes. 4.3. sanctified and cleansed; and shall I not give praise? I am Eph. 4.21 22 taught and instructed; and shall I not learn? I am a Mat. 25.14.15. steward, and haue received; and shall I not account? I am Gen. 2.7 dust and earth; and must I not die? I haue a 7. soul, and if so I 17. sin; must I not be judged? Behold I will now therefore Mat. 4.10 worship God my Father, and him onely will I serve: I will Luk. 1.47. rejoice in Christ my saviour, and him onely will I love: I will Psal. 89.1 give praise to God my comforter, and his help will I crave: I will Psal. 119 15.16. study in Gods word, for his law is my delight: I will Mat. 25.20.21. increase my talent, and I shall find reward: I will Psal. 90.13 learn to die, and it will keep me from sin: I will Mat. 7.1. The Christian profession in holiness& righteousness with true sincerity is a greatwork and painful fight. judge myself, and I shall not be judged of the Lord. This is a work and a great work, a fight and a strong fight, for every Christian man and woman to worship God aright in true Phil. 1.9, 10, 11. knowledge without superstition; to Rom. 10.3, 4. trust in Christ alone in a lively faith without arrogation: to 11, 36, glorify him alone in a pure heart without dissimulation, to red& hear his word in an humble spirit without 12, 3. presumption, to exercise our calling in a just 1 Thes. 4.6. course without corruption: to spend our dayes in a 11. quiet life without Phil. 2.2, 3. contention: and to cease from sin in a settled mind without Heb. 6.4, 5, 6.& 2. Pet. 2.21 relapsion. For the enemies of man are many, and the enticements great to draw him from the Lord. The divell he is subtle, blinding the soul to bring it to idolatry: mans mind is Luk. 18.11, 12. proud, bragging of self righteousness, and refusing Christ: the Gal. 5.17 flesh is rebellious striving against the spirit,& provoking him to sin: the Iam. 4.4 world is enticing, hating God, and turning man from heaven: hell is devouring, expecting his destruction: death is 1. Cor. 15.55. cruel, watching to Luk. 12.20. arrest him: and furies and Reue. 9.3, 4. Locusts are ready to torment him. Consider then and take a view, is it an easy thing for a man to obtain knowledge and faith, that he might become the true seruant& child of God and free from so great enemies? how ought we rather, earnestly to labour and seek for knowledge, that wee might not be snared with idolatry, the most shameless Hose 2.2. whore and harlot of impiety? how ought wee continually to pray for faith, that wee forsake not Christ our onely and alone saviour? and of what conversation and holynes of life ought we to be, Eph. 6.11. that we might not be condemned with the world? Rom. 13.14. see therefore, take and put on the whole armor of God; yea, put on Christ Iesus himself, who is our strength, 1 Cor. 1.30 righteousness, and sanctification, for he is our head, Eph. 5.23 30. and we his members, he is our captain, and we his souldiers: he is that lion Reue. 5.5. of the tribe of judah, which hath lead captivity captive, and given gifts to men, and if so we believe in him, we are his Israel, of the faith Rom. 4.12 of Abraham. We must not be discouraged, but take a good heart to fight against satan, for God is our help. Let not our simplicity in the light of the Gospel, discourage us to fight against the subtlety of satan, in the darkness of error: for God will instruct our souls in wisdom, and guide our tongues to speak for his glory: for 1 Cor. 1.25 the foolishness of God is wiser then men, and the weakness of God is stronger then his enemies. Why then should we fear in the evil daies, when as our heavenly and spiritual captain is ready to defend us: our furniture good and strong able to preserve us: The strong and heavenly furniture for our spiritual combat. For how can we haue a better helmet then Eph. 6.17 salvation, for to ward and bear off the blow of condemnation: or a sharper 17. sword then the word, to cut a sunder superstition: or a stronger 16. shield then faith, to repel the darts of temptation: or a sounder 14. breastplate then righteousness to bear the shot of iniquity, or a more religious 14. girdle then verity, to compass the soul, to keep out heresy: or what fitter 15. shoes then the shoes of peace, Our deliverance is in and by Christalone. to walk in the path of charity. Wee see then our estate and danger what it is; and our recovery and safety from whence it comes: the view of the one is fearful, but the obtaining of the other joyful. Man therefore must know himself,& confess that through his own foolishness he hath Rom. 7.23 been taken, bound, and lead, whither he would not, or at least, where he should not, as the Philistines did judge. 16.21. samson: but let him rejoice and be thankful unto God, for Christ hath 1 Cor. 15.53.54. broken the chains of death, and shaken in pieces the pillars of darkness, and crushed the Gen. 3.15 head of that subtle serpent to his everlasting destruction. Let us now then with Ps. 121.1. david lift vpour eyes to heaven from whence cometh our salvation, and pray with him: saying, Ps. 90.13 Lord teach me so to number my dayes, that I may apply my heart unto wisdom. The use then hereof is, that no man or woman can either give glory unto god, be obedient to his word, rejoice in his promises, or be thankful for his mercy, unless they take a true view of themselves, Th● sight of ourselves brings unto us the knowledge of our sins. what they are, and then they shall see their being, to be created: their nature corrupted: their will infected: their knowledge darkened: their faith abated: their sin hated: death procured, and hell prepared. And then, even then will they be forced to cry out, and not before, saying, Rom. 7.24. O wretched man or woman that I am, who shall deliver me from the body ●f this death? So Gen. 3.7.8. Adam when he saw his nakedness, then did he fear; and when 1 King. 22 34 Ahab felt his hurt, then did he fly: wrath and death are the swift arrows of God, wounding the heart of the wicked, to make them see their misery: but most happy are they, that with the discerning and taste of sin, can say unto their souls as the children of the Prophets said unto 2 King. 4.40. Elisha, O thou man of God, death is in the pot: So O thou image of God, Rom. 6.23 death is in sin: taste not therefore, nor feed no more thereof; and then shalt thou find life unto thy soul, and health unto thy body: wisdom will be thy guide, and glory shall be thy crown: For Rom. 2.10 unto every one that doth good, and continues in well-doing, shall be honor, and glory, immortality and eternal life. PRAYER. O Al-seeing, Wise, wonderful and Almighty God, I thy poor seruant, that by Nature( and through my sin, ignorance and frailty,) am dull, heavy and blind, and cannot perceive, nor see mine own errors, danger and misery, wherein I am; being ready daily to fall into the pit of everlasting death: do most humbly beseech thy majesty to stay me by thy hand that I fall not, and to direct me by thy spirit that I go not astray from thy Commandements: for thou hast made me to feel mine own weakness by laying thy hand vpon me; and hast made me see mine own sins by setting them now before me. Pardon therefore O Lord, and forgive me all my faults, and cleanse me from my sins; wash me and make me clean, so shall I be acceptable in thy sight, and I will praise thy Name for thy great Mercy, through Iesus Christ my Lord and onely saviour. Amen. MEDITATION. II. trinity. THe 1 Kin. 7.21 Porch of the Temple in jerusalem was supported with two pillars, and not with one: So every cause in iudgement should be proved by two Deu. 19.15 witnesses, and not by one: Peters conscience did not condemn him, till three Mat. 26 69.71.72 witnesses did accuse him: and the malicious Scribes and pharisees would not presume to accuse Christ( whom they hated) under two 60. witnesses at the least. But as two twins may be divided, as appeared by Gen. 25.12 Iaakob and Esau: so two witnesses may be confuted as were the wicked Susan. 1.54.58. Mans testimony may err. Iudges. Mans testimony may be corrupt, either through covetousness and malice, or else it may err through folly and ignorance: and so by the one or by the other, all men are Ps. 116 11 liars. But now behold a trinity of truth without falsehood; The perfection of the Trinity. a trinity of peace without discord; a trinity of power without fear; a trinity of holinesse without sin; a trinity of mercy without hate; a trinity of iustice without corruption: a trinity of unity without division; and a trinity of eternity without end: a doctrine Eph. 3.9.10. mystical to the world, but revealed by the word. God is this trinity: for in the joh. 1.2 beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, 3 and that Word was God: All things were made by it, and without it was nothing that was made. 4 In it was life, and the life was the light of men. God Gen. 1.3. said, and it was done: God 4. saw, and it was good: God 22. The trinity seen in the creation. blessed, and it brought forth: the act was in power; there is God the Father: the sight was in love, there is God the son: the blessing was in grace; there is God the holy Ghost: blessed, because 1 joh. 3.1. loved; loved, because Gen. 1.27 created: and yet man created must 1 joh. 1.7 walk in the light, because without the joh. 3.19. light he can haue no life, and without joh. 15.4.7. life, he can haue no love. If wee haue life, wee must abide in God with love, Except we abide in God, we are yet still dead in our sins. for he hath loved us; and praise him for his goodness, for he hath blessed us, otherwise our life is but death, our light but darkness, and our wealth but woe. For what benefit is it unto us to be created, if wee be not loved of God? but if wee do live in sin we cannot 1 joh. 3.6.8 abide in God, nor God in us, yet wee are still his creatures, but not beloved of him: the cause is not in him but in us: for Gods work in the creation is good, but mans work in the transgression is evil: and Eph. 1.4. election it is the fruit of Gods love; but Rom. 7.11 rejection it is the fruit of mans sin. sin was foreseen in the knowledge of God, and so was it forewarned in the love of God: wherefore obedience was necessary to be shewed from the creature to the Creator, Obedience necessary for fear of punishment. and to that end was the precept given, and the law instituted; threatening punishment by death from the Creator to the creature, if he did disobey: So the Rom. 7.12 Law then was good, holy and just, which did prohibit sin: but mans will was proud and obstinate which would not obey, but committed sin; for the will of man in his Gen. 1.27 creation, was holy and powerful, able and sufficient to resist sin, but being puffed up in pride,( 3.5.6. aspiring for a deity, and not content with his estate,) contemned Gods precept, and thereby pulled down Gods heavy wrath vpon him and his posterity: and therefore Adam being the roote of all mankind, Sin is the poison and baine of all mankind. by his sin, hath now corrupted and made unfruitful all the three. Yet God in great mercy, as he took pity vpon the root so hath he in his tender love, anew Rom. 11.24. engrafted in a right olive three many of the branches; and others in his iustice hath he utterly cut off,& removed for ever: but notwithstanding, his majesty it greatly to be magnified both in the 22. The holy trinity the efficient cause of mans salvation. one, and in the other. And the efficient and onely cause of Gods mercy and mans salvation, is the everlasting and admirable love of the trinity, consenting in unity; and as it were holding graciously a heavenly parliament; therein consulting how to restore man to his former estate,& to deliver him from eternal captivity, The wisdom and mercy of the trinity. yet so, that God being most just, might execute his iustice against man, and being most loving, might show also his mercy unto man. O wonderful and heavenly wisdom to reconcile and unite so strange a conclusion! O great and infinite mercy to pardon and forgive so great a transgression! But now let us more plainly and a little further behold& see to our great comforts, the mystery of the trinity; To know the mystery of the Trinity is most necessary for man. without knowledge whereof, sin cannot be discovered; repentance procured; faith established; hope confirmed; love continued; patience embraced; nor ioy increased. It is most true, that by the Rom. 7.7. The Law is the ordinance of the King. Law cometh the knowledge of sin, and the Law it is the ordinance of the King; and therefore whosoever breaketh the Law, offendeth the King: if then we aclowledge not God the Father, to be our heavenly King, wee cannot submit ourselves unto his law; and so consequently haue no knowledge of sin, nor motion to repent. And further, if any haue a faithful and true friend, him will he beleeue: in him is his hope: and him will he love: But man not knowing God the son, who like a most faithful joh. 15.14 15. friend hath laid down his life for him, how can man Rom. 10.14 beleeue or hope in him, of whom he hath not heard, or at least wise will not learn to know? And Gal. 5.22 love, patience, and ioy, being the fruits of the spirit, how can they remain or abide in that man, Acts. 19.2 who hath not heard, whether there be a holy Ghost or not; or at lest wise will not desire to be taught and instructed therein? For as no man can joh. 1.18 cap. 14.6. come unto God the father but by God the son; so none can ver. 26.20 Sanctification, redemption, and election, do go and consort together. come unto God the son, but by God the holy Ghost: for we are sanctified, because we are saved, and wee are saved because we are elected: The love of the Eph. 1.3.4.5.6. father begetteth, the love of the son redeemeth, and the love of the holy Ghost sanctifieth: the spirit giveth faith: the son giveth life: and the father receiveth unto grace: Heb. 11.6 without faith we cannot please God, 1. joh. 1.2. without the son, we haue no life, and joh. 14.11 without the father wee cannot be in the son. The joint and cooperate workking of the trinity, in the redemption of man. For the whole trinity ever was, and is cooperating and coadiuting working, and helping together to bring man to salvation, and therefore none of the persons in the trinity, must be omitted, or forgotten, either in the anology of our faith, or in the offering of our prayers; for in the mystery of the Trinity, all are as one, The essence of the trinity is coequal, although the persons be distinguished for the glory of God, and capacity of man and one is as all: For their eternity and glory is coequal, being but one and the self same God, in nature, essence and substance; although it hath pleased God in the effects and propriety of his iustice, mercy and grace, to manifest himself unto man by three several persons, for the better capacity and understanding of man, to apprehended the great mystery& work of his salvation; and to behold the infinite wisdom and iustice of God in the order and manner of his redemption: as also to stop the mouth of Satan, that he should not upbraid God of injustice, in punishing him alone and sparing man, who likewise had offended God, God took our nature vpon him in the person of Christ. as well as he. And therefore God himself took vpon him our nature distinguished from the Godhead but joh. 12.27.28. strengthened, upheld and sanctified by his spirit, to the end that his person, thus being in the love of God, and name his onely son Mat. 1.22 Iesus the saviour of the world, should actually, really and truly stand before Gods iudgement seat, Christ being the pledge for man unto God dyed and suffered for us, to answer and pay the debt of our obedience. as the bail& pledge of man, to answer for mans sin, not onely for the guiltiness thereof, but also for the punishment thereof; which Christ performed and 1 joh. 3.16. endured in his love for man: for in him there was no 1 Pet. 2.22. sin, and therefore by 1 joh. 2.1.2. him( they which do beleeue and trust in him) are justified before God: and he also suffering for sin, by his power hath 1 Cor. 15.55.56 overcome Satan, sin, death, and hell, to free& deliver the penitent and faithful from eternal death. The admirable love of the trinity, unto man. And so the love of the father is bestowed vpon us in the love of the son; and the love of the son in the love of the father: for joh. 17.22.23. whom the father hath elected, the son hath saved,( by satisfying his fathers iustice, through his obedience, and purchasing his fathers love through his righteousness:) and whom the son hath saved, the father also hath elected: for he never cast away nor condemned the obedient, but they that are saved by the son, are obedient in the sight of the father, as being engrafted into the son; and through faith made perfect members of the son; and through love are freely justified by the son: and whom the father hath elected, and the son saved, those also the holy Ghost hath sealed up unto eternal life and sanctified: For there are 1 joh. 5.7 three witnesses and evidences in heaven of mans salvation, Our salvation assured by three witnesses. God the father, in love and wisdom begetting: God the son in love and righteousness begotten: God the holy Ghost in love and grace proceeding: and these three are one, trinity in unity, and unity in trinity, not divided in the deity nor differing in nature, but distinguished in the persons, and severed by order, and that onely for the better apprehension of man in the plain and true understanding of the mystery of the trinity, declaring unto us the loving& free establishment and eternal ratification of the salvation of man in the wonderful and infinite mercy and wisdom of God: Our consciences must be fully satisfied of the love of the trinity. So that now if wee fail of the seal and witness of any of these persons in the trinity, to assure our consciences of Gods love& mercy towards us, wee fail of all. For as in the convaiances& grants of temporal possessions three things are required to make a perfect dead& assurance in Law, ( to wit) signing, sealing and delivering, and yet all these three are but the act of one; How the heavenly in heritance is assured unto man. so in passing the great Charter, or magna charta of our heavenly inheritance three things were required, love electing, there is the signing: love redeeming, there is the sealing: love directing, there is the delivering: and yet these three are but the act of one. The Father electing, the son redeeming, the holy Ghost directing, and 1 joh. 5.7 yet but one God. And further also to haue the door opened whereby we might enter to haue possession of this heavenly inheritance, according to the form of this heavenly Charter, wee must make petition unto three, and yet they are but one in unity of consent and action. Like as a King having one onely son, Similitude of the unity of the trinity. and one most faithful counselor, sendeth his Son with his counselor to war against an enemy, furnishing them with al strength and provision for the service: and the victory being gotten by the son, he giveth the honour principally to his Father, and yet the King will neither grant redemption of captives, and prisoners without the son, nor title of honor and dignity to any without his counselor, making attestation to all his people, that as his son, and his most faithful counselor hath done nothing without his will and direction, giuing the glory unto him; so neither will he do any thing without the consent of his son,( who hath as it were freely offered his life in war for the pleasure and honor of his Father,) neither yet without consent of his counselor,( who hath faithfully obeyed his commandement, and not disposed of his treasure without the liking of him and his son,) and therefore all persons whatsoever that would haue access unto the King, he willeth and commandeth that they make petition to his son, by the help and motion of his faithful counselor, without whom the King will neither grant or admit either presence or petition. In like manner God the King of Kings, hath sent his Mat. 3.16.17. onely son Iesus Christ, accompanied with his faithful counselor the holy Ghost, Christ sent of his Father, accompanied with the holy ghost to overcome sin, death, and hell. furnishing him with all strength and power from above, to make war against his enemies, satan, sin, death and hell: and his son 1 Cor. 15. overcoming and getting the victory by joh. 10.17 18 laying down his life at the will& pleasure of his Father, and giuing the glory and honour unto him alone: his Father hath witnessed and proclaimed unto the whole world, that he hath Mat. 28 18.19. given al power and iudgement to his son, and the riches of grace unto his faithful counselor the joh. 14.26 holy Ghost, to dispose thereof at the liking and consent of the Father and the son. And therefore whosoever will enter into the gate of everlasting life, to haue possession of eternal glory; he must make petition to the Father by the 1 joh. 2.1.2. mediation of the Son, and to the son by the assistance of the holy Ghost, without whose joint acceptance and consent, it is decreed in heaven by the wisdom of the Father, and that for the glory and honour of the son, that none shall enter into his heavenly and celestial rest: The knowledge of the Trinity brings great comfort unto the soul. so that wee see the trinity in unity, and unity in trinity of the eternal deity distinguished in person, for the comfort of man, but one in essence for the praise of God. And therefore whom God the Father hath elected, those the son hath saved; and whom the son hath saved, those the holy Ghost hath sanctified; and whom the holy Ghost hath sanctified, those the son hath saved; and whom the son hath saved, those the Father hath elected: So that this three-fold cord( the means of our salvation,) it must not be broken, it is like Sampsons locks, they must not be cut off, for if they be, we shall leefe our strength, and become captives unto satan. O the goodness and loving kindness of the Lord, so plainly to reveal the mystery of our salvation, it springing and arising from the fountain of his mercy, and yet agreeing with the sincerity of his iustice: teaching us thereby that as we haue cause to rejoice, so wee should tremble and fear before him, for as he is merciful, so is he just, and therefore our service unto him, must be in a loving fear, and fearing love, all the dayes of our lives, to praise and to glorify him for ever. The use of all then is this: that wee consider the glory of mans estate in his first creation what it was, The estate of man before sin, and after sin. he being made after the image of God in holinesse and righteousness, then able to resist sin, had he not afterward willingly and wilfully yielded himself to be overcome of satan; and so he obeying sin, wee may consider the misery of man, by his consenting thereunto,( the wages thereof being eternal death:) and that the onely way and means to free him from this death, was the admirable and incomprehensible love of the trinity, freely issuing from the goodness of the deity, who fore-seeing that sin would strive against obedience, ordained a Law to prevent sin, and pronounced iudgement and death, against the breakers of the Law, that neither Men nor Angels might think themselves to be as Gods, but as creatures bound to serve and obey God their Creator, and maker both of heaven and earth. And further wee are to mark and note the infinite wisdom of God, The wisdom of God in punishing sin, and yet pardoning sin. how in the work of mans redemption he executes his iustice against man, and yet shows mercy unto man, declaring himself a just God in mercy, and a merciful God in iustice. Which saying may seem like unto Sampsons riddle: Out judge. 14.14. of the eater came meate, and out of the strong came sweetness: For through sin the Law reigned unto death, nevertheless where Rom. 5.20 sin abounded, theregrace abounded much more; that as by the offence of one, the fault came 18. on all men to condemnation, so by the justifying of one, the benefit abounded toward all men to the justification of life. For Adam dyed, but Christ suffered; Adam sinned, but Christ obeyed; iustice took hold vpon the one; and Mercy was shewed toward the other: and how this was wrought it is plain, that ther was no justifying righteousness in Adam, but that onely the wisdom, love and Holinesse of the God-head,( the trinity in unity, and unity in trinity,) ordained a means for man to pass from Death to Life, as he made a way for Israell to pass through josh. 4.5. jordan, into the land of Canaan: Yea, light Luk. 1.79 hath shined unto them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death. And therefore how joyfully may the faithful now triumph and say, 1 Cor. 15 55.56.57. O Death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the Law. But thankes be unto God, which hath given us victory, through our Lord Iesus Christ. If so then sin deserved death, and the iustice of God could not be appeased but by death, even by the suffering of the body and soul under his heavy hand and displeasure; both which the whole and perfect Mat. 26.38.39. humanity of Christ did feel, when he yielded himself obedient unto the death,( even the death of the cross,) yet after 28.6. raised up his body from death to life, by the power of the deity, having then fully satisfied the execution laid vpon him by his Fathers iustice, for the debt of our obedience, and so God in his love and infinite wisdom ordained a means to free us from the same, even by his onely son Iesus Christ, whom he sent into the World to die for us, and was witnessed from heaven to be the onely mediator for our salvation,( if we do beleeue in him.) God redeeming us we must not lightly estee me of sin, which caused the death of Christ. God therefore thus taking care for us, and showing mercy to save and redeem us from eternal death: wee must not hereafter either lightly esteem of sin, giuing our careless consent, or passage thereunto; nor slenderly account of the great riches and treasure of our salvation, so dearly bought and purchased by the most precious blood of Christ, and graciously given unto us, by the goodness of the trinity, under a threefold witness and eternal verity. But if Man or Woman regard not their salvation, but do embrace sin, contempning God and all goodness, and despising the riches of his great love and mercy, not taking any care for to do their duties either to God or man, nor having any pittle or remorse to their own bodies and souls, but like cruel tyrants and murtherers of themselves do run headlong and desperately vpon the sword of Gods iustice: eternal life decreeed for the elect in the high court of the trinity: and eternal death there also decreed for the reprobate, who is an enemy to the trinity. then let them know and be most certainly persuaded that as the Trinitic, in their most high and gracious Court of mercy, hath certainly and everlastingly decreed for the elect, faithful, and truly believing Christians, eternal and everlasting life, with God in heaven: so the same trinity, in their most just, most equal, and most righteous Court of Iustice, hath certainly and everlastingly decreed for the reprobate, wicked and vnbeleeuing eternal death with the divell and his Angels in Hell fire for evermore. And were it not that the place, iudgement, and torments, which are appointed for all sinners, in Gods Iustice, were most certain, what needed then a saviour, so wonderfully begotten in the love of the trinity, to be revealed unto the World in Gods Mercy? Wherefore O wicked Men and Women, deceive not yourselves; Gods work and Word is not in vain: Repent, for death is at hand, the Mat. 3.10 Axe is laid unto the roote of the three, and every three that bringeth not forth good fruit shall be hewn down and cast into the fire. PRAYER. O Lord God, thou which art most just, holy, righteous and merciful: I aclowledge thy great love in my Creation, and my misery by my rebellion: for thy iustice might haue pressed me down into confusion, but thy mercy hath raised me up unto salvation. And the mystery of my Redemption thou hast revealed unto thy seruant, applying thyself unto my capacity, to the end that I might the better apprehended thee, the trinity in unity, and unity in trinity, God my Father in electing me, God my saviour in redeeming me, God my Sanctifier in comforting me. And thou hast also O Lord declared thy iustice in the death of thy Son, that I might fear thee; thy mercy in sending of thy son, that I might love thee; and thy goodness in giuing of thy holy spirit, through the mediation of thy son, that I might praise thee: thy Iustice testifying thy hatred unto sin; thy Mercy showing thy love unto man thy grace declaring thy holinesse, which also thou wouldest should remain and be in man. For whosoever dwelleth not in thee, and thou in him, and believeth not the trinity in unity, and unity in trinity, being not able to apply the work of thy redemption unto his own soul, in hope of his salvation; that mans sin remaineth, his conscience will accuse him, thy iustice will condemn him, hell will receive him,& the divell will torment him. Wherefore O almighty and everliving God, I humbly pray thee to give me thy grace that I may at all times be humbled in my soul before thee, confessing my sins, calling unto thee for mercy, believing thy promises, and fearing thy judgements; and that thy holy spirit may rest and dwell in me for ever, to guide and to direct me unto thy heavenly kingdom: through Iesus Christ my onely Lord and saviour. Amen. MEDITATION. III. CHRIST. THe sun in the firmament giveth light unto the Earth, but the son of God gives joh. 1.4. life unto men; the one nourisheth the sense, but the other comforteth the soul: the one Ps. 19.6. compasseth the heauens, but the other searcheth the hart: nothing is hide from the heat of the one, and nothing can be kept secret from the Psal. 33.13.14. knowledge of the other: the one is glorious in his light, yet sometimes shadowed with clouds: and the other was Luk. 2.52 gracious in his life, but sometimes wronged with Mat. 11.19. reproach. Behold therefore as when the sun shineth in his strength, so now the son of God sheweth himself in his power, what he is, and what he did. Christ from all joh. 1.1. eternity, 3.16. begotten in the love of his father, Gen. 3.15 promised in paradise, Exod. 12.5.13. prefigured in the Law, Isay. 11.1.2. preached by the Prophets, joh. 1.29. revealed in the Gospel, Mat. 1.20 sanctified in the womb, Idem. born of a Virgin, manifested in the flesh, and declared mightily to be the son of God: whose birth was honoured by the appearance of a glorious Mat. 2.2. star, he being the light of the world: whose dignity was proclaimed by the 2.1.2. wise-men of the East, he being the King of the Iewes: whose office was published by an Luk. 2.10.11. angel from heaven, he being the saviour Christ the Lord: whose 13. praise and honour, was sung and set forth by a multitude of heavenly Souldiers, he being our spiritual captain: whose Mat. 3.16. baptism was solemnized by the presence of the holy Ghost, he being the second person in the trinity: whose 17. name was given by his heavenly Father from above, he being his beloved son in whom he was well pleased: vouchsafed to be lead Mat. 4.1. aside of the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil, that wee might not be overcome of temptations: and 2. fasted forty dayes, and forty nights that we might learn to abstain from fleshly lusts, which fight against the soul: the 11. Angels ministered unto him, that wee might understand the great and painful work, that he was to undertake for our redemption: he Mat. 5.2. preached and taught the Gospel of the kingdom, that wee might know the way unto salvation: he 15.30. healed every sickness and every disease amongst the people that we might perceive the corruption of our nature, and the perfection of his love: he put to silence the Mat. 22.16. Herodians, saducees and pharisees, that we might wonder at his wisdom; and study to be wise as serpents, Mat. 10.16. but innocent as doves: he fed 14.19.20 many thousands with small provision, but so blessed it that it did suffice: he joh. 2.9. turned water into wine: the Mat. 8.27 winds and seas obeyed him: the 29. divels trembled and were cast out before him: at his word the Mat. 21.19. fig three withered: joh. 11.43.44. Lazarus came forth out of his grave: the Mat. 17.27 fish brought tribute money out of the sea; the Luk 19.30 colt was sent& became tame to bear him; men and children Mat. 21.8 9. spread there garments and cast boughs in the way, and went before him, singing that heavenly song, Hosanna, in the highest; his Mar. 14.15 chamber was ready trimmed in jerusalem; his supper prepared; his will obeyed; and all this did he, to show his mercy, power and dignity, that wee might aclowledge him to be the Lord of heaven and of earth, and the gracious saviour of the world. And further this eternal Word, Christ willingly suffered death to accomplish the work of our redemption. this heavenly King, this son of God, this saviour Christ the Lord, to whom all creatures, and principalities, and powers are subject, did most willingly submit himself under the heavy hand of his Father, for to finish and accomplish the great work of our Redemption: for after his Ma. 4.1. baptism he was tempted by Satan, but then he overcame: but when he was to drink of the 26.38. cup of his Fathers wrath, undertaking the account and punishment for us, he then was heavy unto death, and groaned under the weight and burden of our sins; he went into the garden; his soul sighed; he Lu. 22.44 sweat water and blood; he prayed; he cried unto his Father saying; If it be Mat. 26.39 possible, let this cup pass from me: yet not my will, but thy will be done. After that he was traitorously 49.50. apprehended, falsely 60. accused, injuriously 67. buffeted, wrongfully Mat. 27.3.4. condemned, ridiculously 29. crwoned, scoffingly saluted, vilely 38. accompanied, and cruelly nailed vpon the cross: and in his pain and unspeakable agony; his heavy and mourning eyes beholded his enemies laughing and 39. triumphing; his chased and pitiful ears heard them 40. taunting and reviling; his sacred lips tasted of their bitter potion 43. gull and vinegar; and his innocent heart was joh. 19.34 pierced with a spear, unto the death: thus he suffered, and thus he dyed, enduring sorrow, shane, and death for vs. But( will some say) could sorrow, objection touching the suffering of Christ. answer. shane and death, take hold vpon the person of the saviour of the world? Yea, his humanity suffered, and in all obedience& patience endured the sentence of his Fathers iustice, receiving not for himself, but for us, the punishment and reward of sin: but the sanctity and innocency of his humanity,& the glory and majesty of his deity, were witnessed and manifested at the time of his death, by Mat. 27.45 darkness of the heauens mourning, the 51. vail of the Temple renting, the earth quaking, the stones cleaving, the graues opening, the 52. dead bodies of the Saints arising, and the 54. hearts of the living trembling and fearing: for even the Centurion& his Souldiers, who lead Christ to his execution, beholding these things, greatly feared and said; truly this was the son of God. And his body being thus dead and cruelly martyred, it was of many privately pitied and lamented; but by 57. joseph of Arimathea, a faithful Christian, and honourable counselor, it was openly and boldly begged of Pilate, tenderly taken down from the cross, carefully 59. wrapped up in clean linen clothes, and richly entombed in a new sepulchre, hewn out of a rock, wherein never man lay; odours and costly Mark. 16.1 ointments by holy Women, were plentifully prepared to embalm it; and his Disciples with great heaviness and sorrow did mourn and bewail it; but they which Psal. 126 5. sow in tears shall reap in ioy; Christ went sorrowing in his passion, and carried 6. precious seed with him( Faith and Patience,) but he returned triumphing at his Resurrection, and hath brought his sheaves with him,( Victory and Glory.) The great and infinite love of God to man to die for him. The immortal God took vpon him the person of mortal man to die for man, that man might live in him, and sleep no more in sin: the glorious son of God was made a mean seruant, to Mat. 11.28. bear the burden of our iniquity, that we might be 29. eased from the yoke of eternal misery. The heavenly joh. 10.11 shepherd was willing to lay down his life for his silly sheep; and the 1.4. light and life of the world suffered itself for a time to be darkened, and covered with the vail of death, that in the end by force breaking through the bars and clouds of darkness and of death, Christ hath overcome death for vs. it might shine more glorious and gracious unto the sons of men: for what greater glory unto God, then victory over his enemies, even Satan, sin, death and hell? and what greater grace or favor unto man, then a free grant of his liberty from cruel captivity, and a rich gift of an immortal inheritance in eternal felicity. Christ our saviour is Mat. 23.6 risen from the dead, death hath lost her 1. Cor. 15.55 sting, and hell her might, the earth also trembled& Mat. 28.2 quaked when he broke open the gates of darkness and of the grave; and a most glorious 2. Angel descended from heaven to role back the great and weighty ston from the door of the sepulchre, The glorious witness and testimony of Christs resurrection. which was both sealed up, and guarded strongly with a watch, that angel as his seruant sat without vpon the ston staying& attending ther to give testimony of his resurrection unto the faithful; at the sight whereof the keepers were astonied, and became as dead men: and in the Sepulchre there were two infallible and joh. 20.12 angelical witnesses testifying his resurrection; one Angel sitting at the head, another at the feet, where his most sacred and crucified body once was laid: the Mat. 28.11. Watch came into the city jerusalem, and shewed unto the high Priests all the things that were done, but they stopped up the Souldiers mouths with 12. money, that they should not 13. declare this wonder and this truth, lest that they for their cruelty and infidelity should be hated of the whole world, for putting of the Lord and saviour of the world to death. But to confounded this wicked project of theirs; Christ after his Resurrection appeared unto Mar. 16.9 Mary Magdalen, and to his Disciples, in 7. galilee, yea, Thomas was willed to put his joh. 20.27 finger into the print of the nails, wherewith Christ was nailed unto the cross, and to put his hand into his side: he Luk. 24.36.43. talked and did eat with his Disciples, he joh 20.22 breathed on them, and said; receive the holy Ghost, for all Mat. 28.18. power is given unto me in heaven and in earth: and after he had spoken unto them, he was Mar. 16.19 received into heaven, where he sitteth at the right hand of his Father, and from thence will come at the last day in great glory and majesty, to judge both quick& dead. And these things are joh. 20.31 written that wee might beleeue, that Iesus is the Christ the son of God, and that in believing wee might haue life through this name, for evermore. Amen. The use hereof is, that every man& woman must learn to know the nature, dignity; What benefit it is to haue perfect knowledge of Christ. office, goodness and power of Christ: in knowing whereof, their faith shall be more strengthened, their hope confirmed, and their patience increased: For as in human studies; artes, and moral learning, it is no profitable manner of teaching to demonstrate conclusions before the principles be taught: so in attaining unto spiritual knowledge and increase of grace, God himself, who is the fountain of all things, must be first known, and then wee shall praise him in his works, and rejoice in his mercy, who hath given life and salvation unto men, which was the cause and end for which Christ came into the world. A woman in travail, being delivered, if shee should desire but to see the feet onely of the Babe, and not the head, face, and body, would shee not be counted a strange, unkind and foolish woman? So man being in travail and sorrow under sin; Christ must be fully& perfectly understood. but salvation having appeared by the coming of Christ into the world, is it sufficient for us to look onely vpon the death of Christ, it being the last extreme( or foot as it were of his sufferings& passion,) and not to behold the dignity of his nature,( he being God?) the pre-eminence of his government,( he being the head of the Church?) the beauty of his goodness,( he having love and mercy shining in his face?) and the painfulness of his labour,( he sustaining and bearing it in his body.) If wee should omit the view of the whole proportion and nature of Christ, and take knowledge but of a part thereof, wee then shall see and discern him as the Mar. 7.24 blind man did the men, whom he saw, and took for trees: so looking but vpon the death of Christ we onely shall see him crucified on a three, his humanity suffering both shane and sorrow, which can give us little comfort: But wee must lift up our eyes as Ge. 24.63 isaac did when he looked and saw a far off Rebecka his beloved coming: and not cast them down as Abraham did when he 23.2.3. sat by the corps of Sarah mourning:& then we shall see Christ beautiful, shining as the sun, and coming like a bridegroom but of his chamber, 1 Mat. 25 6 appareled in great majesty and glory, he being God all-sufficient, both by his power creating us, and also in his mercy redeeming us: and so must wee behold the deity of Christ with all his attributes, and properties, in fear and admiration: and consider of his humanity with all his actions and sufferings in ioy and consolation: for by the one he is able to do all things for us; and by the other he hath shewed himself willing to come unto us; that wee might freely come to him, and to his Father also, by believing in his name, that he is God and a saviour unto us;( by destroying sin, death and hell for us;) that we might be made heirs of eternal life through him, and being sealed with his spirit, and sanctified by his grace, might in the end be made Mat. 5.28 perfect, as his Father which is in heaven is perfect. And therefore they that desire to be members of Christ, must necessary learn to know him aright, not in part but in all, that the whole nature of man might fear and sorrow to commit sin,( which is the sting of death) and to rejoice and desire to do the works of holinesse and righteousness, to be engrafted into Christ; without whom there is no Eph. 2.4.5 salvation, and in him we cannot be, unless we do know, Rom. 10.9 beleeue, confess, love, obey, and honour him as we ought to do even withall our Mat. 22.37 hart, with al our mind, with all our strength, and with all our soul. How great then is their error, A fearful thing to neglect the knowledge and worship of Christ. and sin, that haue neglected this knowledge? and how fearful is their estate, that haue contemned, and daily do blaspheme the name of Christ? but they must know, that for this their neglect and contempt, they shall surely Eccl. 11.9 come unto iudgement, and that before him whom they haue despised, and he shall then give Reu. 14.7. sentence against them in the honour of his majesty, and purity of his iustice, because they haue been inrepentant and malignant sinners, and refused the grace offered, and salvation; choosing rather to walk and abide in in the way of death, then in the way of life; and therefore their portion shall be with the wicked, and their sin shall never be done away. But blessed are the faithful, for their Reu. 21.14 right is in the three of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God, and their ioy shall be everlasting, and none shall take it away from them. PRAYER. O eternal God and saviour of the world, Christ Iesus, the knowledge of thee is exceeding ioy unto my soul, for thy being is eternal, thy love infinite, and thy glory wonderful: When thou wast vpon the earth, thou didst show thyself gracious in humility, singular in wisdom, painful in Labour, patient in Spirit, pitiful in Mercy, just in Action, and obedient to thy Fathers will; thy soul was afflicted, and thy body crucified, not for thyself but for me, to deliver me from thy Fathers wrath, that I might be made heir and partaker of eternal life with thee in heaven. O Lord make me evermore to delight in this particular and gracious knowledge of thee, that I may still admire at thy glory, wonder at thy love, study in thy law, and be thankful unto thee for thy mercy, praising and magnifying thy name for ever for my great salvation, which was promised in thy love, performed by thy passion, assured by thy resurrection, and now reserved in heaven for me, with glorification for ever. Amen. MEDITATION. IIII. HEAVEN. ADam sinning was Gen. 3.24 cast out of Paradise: but Abraham believing was brought into 24.3. Canaan: the earth is corrupt, and the souls of the Saints are grieved, the world was 7.19.20. drowned; and it shall be 2. Pet. 3.7 burned. Iaakob being Gen. 28.11.12. weary was comforted with his dream, and steven at his Acts. 7.55.56 death was refreshed with his joyful sight: the revel. 12.2.6. woman in travell,( the Church afflicted,) is strengthened, because her child is received, and a place for her is also prepared. The hope of rest and reward makes labour and trouble easy. The pilgrim endures his journey in hope of his rest: and the soldier the fight in hope of his honor: and our glory, rest abiding place, ioy, comfort, and Canaan, is heaven; where Christ sitteth at the right hand of his father( having all power given unto him both of things in heaven, and of things in earth. heaven is taken diuers ways in the scriptures; as for Mat. 3.2 grace, begetting: for 13.11.19. doctrine, directing: for 18.3.4. glory, exalting: we cannot be glorified, except we be edified; we cannot be edified except we be sanctified: For grace is the door, knowledge is the key, and glory is the ioy of the kingdom of heaven. The glory of heaven is incomprehensible. To describe this glorious heaven; what man is he that can declare it, when Paul was astonished, and could not reveal it? for the tongues of Angells cannot sufficiently express it, Acts 22.18. nor the heart of man( were it a sea of wisdom) sufficiently apprehended it, nor the eyes of the Saints, were they as pure and as quick as the light) sufficiently discern it. It is a Mat. 13 44.45. treasure hide, and a Idem. pearl most precious; wee must sell all that we haue, and buy it: although in this world we do behold it, as the jeweller doth the ragged Diamond, or any other precious ston, being rough, vncut, unpolished, and the beauty hide: but the jewellers knowledge apprehends the virtue of the one, and the faith of the godly beholds the glory of the other: for we now see in Rom. 8.24. part, but after this life ended we shal possess the fullness of those joys, in the heavenly kingdom which we hoped for. Is this world, heaven is to be preferred before this world. think you, glorious in creation; pleasant in variety; beautiful with delight; rich in possession; and comfortable in fruition? heaven is far more glorious; for it is the? Psal. 35.17. throne of almighty God, the King and onely Lord of all the world, but the earth is his footstool, and the creatures therein are his seruants, all being mortal, vanishing and vain; the pleasures thereof momentary, the beauty fading, until wee die,& our bodies be changed we cannot see the glorious, and heavenly kingdom with these eyes. the riches flying and the comfort ending. Indeed heaven is hide from our earthly eyes, by the glorious firmament which is as a courtaine drawn before us, being spangled with stars and beautified with the sun and moon, glittering and shining, that we cannot look into the chamber of the heavenly bridegroom, until such time as our corruption, 1. Cor. 15.53. shall put on incorruption, and our mortality, put on immortality: And the felicity in heaven is infinite, The felicity in heaven great. for there is Reu. 22.5 light without darkness, 21.4. ioy without sorrow, glory without shane, variety without want, beauty without blemish, riches without corruption, and comfort without ending? for the 22.1. fountain of life is there ever running, the 2. three of life is there ever growing, the 19.7. Angels and Saints are there still rejoicing, and their glory and life is ever continuing; their love is 14.4. holy without corrupt affection, their thoughts are heavenly without any earthly 5. cogitation: there is the Nat. 22.3. wedding feast prepared for Christ and his Cant. 6.2 espouse; Reu. 19.7 4.4. 7.13. there are the robes laid out, and the crownes set forth for the faithful and elect; there are the flourishing 9. palms of peace, to be put into their hands; and the 5.9. new song written, to be planted in their hearts; there are the 20.4. seats set up for iudgement; there is the glorious angel, that shall blow the last 11.15. trumpet; and there dwelleth God for ever, who will come in great 20.11.12 power and majesty, to judge both quick and dead. I must be 2. Cor. 12.4. silent, the glory of the heavenly place hath dimmed my understanding? it exceeds all earthly capacity, for it is a spiritual and eternal felicity, unseen, unheard, not to be conceived, yet most certain: that for the Saints and holy, it is appointed, The joys of heaven should draw every one to be willing to forsake the world. provided, and ordained. What man then that is young? that would not be old, to hasten to his grave; that his soul might enter and dwell in this heavenly paradise? What man that is rich, that would not sell all that he hath to obtain a crown of glory in this kingdom? What man that is poor, that would not desire to be clothed with the glorious robes laid up in this place? What man that is wise, that would not long to taste of the revel 2.7 three of life, which is in the midst of this heavenly garden? What man that is strong, that would not be a 3.12. pillar in this palace; what woman that is faire and beautiful, that would not wish to be decked and adorned with the morning 2.28. star, shining in this court, which gives great grace& glory unto all the Saints? It is not to be questioned, but that any one, having an estate for life in land, would be willing to surrender it for an inheritance, and having brass would be glad to exchange it for gold: our life is short: our riches dross: our pleasure vanity: our liberty, captivity: who then but should be most glad, to leave this mortallitie for immortality, things which are vile, for honourable: vain, for durable: bonds, for freedom and felicity? Our bodies are but as prisons, and the world as a wilderness. For as no prison is faire, nor wilderness pleasant, no more should any take delight to continue long in the prison of this earthly body,( the outward man:) nor in the wilderness of this world,( the troubles of this life:) because the one is infected, and the other filled with many evils. Wherefore let us with david thirst after God, as the hunted& chased Ps. 42.1.2 hart doth after the water brook; and with Paul desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ, Phil. 1.23 still longing to behold and see his face, as Gen. 45.18. Iaakob did to see joseph, whom his soul loved. The use hereof is, that wee consider of the great mercy of God in Christ Iesus, for our election, creation, whereupon, sanctification, vocation, preservation, and glorification: for had not God shewed mercy unto us in Eph. 1.4. love, in his election& foreknowledge before the foundations of the world were laid, and sent his son to die for us to satisfy his iustice, which otherwise should haue taken hold vpon us for our sins; hell, not heaven, had been the dwelling, place for vs. And therefore we are to rejoice and wonder at the loving kindness of the Lord, by reason that whereas natural love in every creature is begotten by a reciprocal and returning liking or affection from one to the other; Gods love to us is of his free grace. yet the spiritual love in God to man, is begotten of his free Eph. 1.5.6 grace, without any reciprocal worthiness or affection from man to God, for God hath begotten us unto himself, by himself, and in himself, and for himself: and we are fallen away from God, by ourselves,& from ourselves: and although it be repugnant to nature for love to link itself to hate, or one contrary to embrace another, yet behold the love of God to man; God hath loved us which were his enemies. man hath Rom. 5.10 1. joh. 4.10 hated God, but God hath loved man, redeeming him, and will also glorify him: A mercy above all mercies, a work above all works, a strange work; for God to make us of nothing being but a dead lump of day; to save us when we were nothing, being but a filthy lump of sin, and now to glorify us with him in heaven, that wee also might be made perfect, as he himself is perfect. Glorification is the most happy fruit of our redemption. For without our glorification, our creation and redemption, vocation and sanctification, had not been so comfortable, as now they are unto us: the Apostle Paul plainly proving, that 1. Cor. 15 19. if the elect and seruants of God had but onely salvation in this world, without hope of glory in the life to come; they were of al men most miserable. For we know that this world, it is at Iam. 4.4. enmity with God, and the godly by the wicked are Heb. 11.36.37. persecuted, afflicted, and tormented: The godly to be delivered from hell, and not to ascend to heaven, their estate were not so happy, but compassed with misery, living in this world. therefore if so redemption onely were granted unto us from the pains of hell, and yet we still to rest and dwell vpon the face of the earth, amongst the wicked and ungodly; what ioy? nay, what infinite, sorrow would not vex our souls and bodies, when as wee should see the wicked flourish and God dishonoured; his name blasphemed, his word despised: his Law contemned, and his worship scorned and profaned: besides we must be in continual Eph. 6.10.11. fight and warfare, against the world the flesh and the divell, being on every side assaulted, 2. Cor. 12.7. buffeted and distressed: but being once glorified and received up into heaven wee shall be free from all vexation, fear and danger; and for ever bee delivered from Satan, sin, and death: and this is the comfort of all the afflicted children of God in this world, that if they Rom. 8.17 suffer here with Christ, they also shall be glorified with him in heaven: for Reu. 14.13 blessed are all they, that hereafter die in the Lord,( so saith the Spirit,) for they rest from their labours, and their works follow them. Another use hereby ariseth, to assure us of the resurrection from the dead, and of the day of iudgement, for whosoever hath joh. 5.29. done well shall be raised up at the last day unto eternal life; and whosoever hath done evil, unto eternal death: Let every one therefore tremble and fear, and with the Mat. 25.10 wise Virgins labour and watch, with oil in their Lamps, that they may enter with Christ into his heavenly rest, and glorious kingdom, For Reu. 21.8. without shall be the fearful and vnbeleeuing, and the abominable, and murtherers, and whore-mongers, and Sorcerers, and Idolaters, and all liars; who shall haue their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death. PRAYER. O Lord God, I thy seruant do confess before thy majesty, that by reason of my infinite sins and transgressions, which I haue committed against thee, and against man, that I am not worthy so much as for to lift up mine eyes unto heaven, from whence cometh my salvation, nor to tread vpon the face of this thy earth, wherein I haue comfort and consolation: neither am I worthy O Lord to receive the least of thy blessings, and benefits, which daily thou dost bestow vpon me or vpon thy children, or vpon the sons of men, much less to enter into thy heavenly kingdom, the glory whereof is incomprehensible,& the inheritance therein undefiled, belonging onely to thy Saints and holy ones. Haue mercy therefore, O Lord vpon me, and wash me, and make me clean from all my sins, sanctify me with thy spirit, and prevent me with thy grace, that I may sin no more against thee, but ever hereafter led an holy and godly life before thee and before man, that in the end I may dwell with thee for ever in thy most blessed kingdom and heavenly Temple, through Iesus Christ my onely Lord and saviour. Amen. MEDITATION. V. PRESVMPTION. PResumption, it is a bold assuming or self conceit, either in the haughtiness, or ignorance of the mind, to do, command, or omit, what the will liketh, without respect or fear of any control or punishment by the higher power. In the first kind, in haughtiness of the mind: our Gen. 3.6. Parents Adam and eve transgressed, in taking and eating of the forbidden fruit. 1 King. 20 42 Ahab and 1. Sam. 15 9. Saul offended, the one in sparing Agag, the other Benhadab: the Mat. 12.38.39. Scribes and pharisees presumed in asking of a sign, as if they might command Gods power at their will and pleasure: But the resurrection from the dead by the parable of jonas must be unto the faithful and believing, the closing up and conclusion of all miracles. For as in the seventh day God Gen. 2.2. restend from creating, We are not presumptuously to expect and look for miracles: for they haue an end. so in the appointed time Mat. 12.38.39. Christ ceased and restend from doing Miracles: because that as he made all things very good in the creation; so what he spake and promised in his word, they are 2 Cor. 1.20 yea, and Amen, without alteration: therfore miracles in these times are not presumptuously either to be wished or expected for; but in the time of necessity when all outward means faileth, then are we to trust in the omnipotent power of God, desiring his help and mercy, that above our apprehension and expectation, he would sand unto us his immediate help and saluat on, which he hath ever promised, and will faithfully perform unto them that put their trust in him. Wilful and proud presumption. The worldly wise,( shall I not say the Atheists?) they presume of their fine and ouer-reaching wits, esteeming with the 1 Cor. 1.23 Grecians, the preaching of the gospel foolishness: but unto them it shall be the Mat. 9.55 savour of death unto death, and the heavy witness against them in the day of condemnation: the rich men presume of their riches, and with the Mat. 11.23 Capernaims do advance themselves on high, and do oppress and despise the poor; but they shall be cast down to hell, for their riches are corrupt, and they heap up treasure of vengeance against the day of death. The strong and mighty presume of their strength and potency, as did 1. Sam. 17 10 goliath, defying the God of Israell; and as did king 2 Kin. 14 8 Amaziah, challenging jehoash, and his people to come into the field and fight against him: but the one as a Dog, was strooken and killed with a ston; and the other, as a Thistle, was stamped and trodden to the ground. Beware therefore of Presumption in hautines of the mind, which is the sin of Lucifer: for the Pro. 8.13. fear of the Lord is to hate evil, as Pride and Arrogancy, and the evil way: and the mouth that speaketh lewd things I do hate,( saith the Lord.) In the second kind of Presumption, Wilful and ignorant presumption. in ignorance of the mind: many there be which do obstinately refuse the o waters of Shiloah that run softly, and are carried away head-long with the strong stream of Superstition or affection, to the sea of desolation, reloycing with Rezin, and the son of Remaliah, embracing either new and strange doctrine with the Libertines, or else doting vpon deceirfull vanity, with the Romaines; whereas they may easily and safely resort at home, if they would, unto the sanctuary of the Lord and congregation of the faithful, to hear the heavenly oracle of God;( his Word truly preached, his Name most joyfully magnified, and to behold the gladness of the Hearers, they being greatly comforted and edified thereby.) For wee all( if wee did regard our profession) should rejoice in the? Eph. 4.3.4.5. unity of one body, as spiritual members, knit to Christ our head; abounding in love one towards another, being called by one Spirit: wee all making show and seeming, and pretending to worship one God, to embrace one faith, to serve one Lord, to honour one Father, and to profess one truth. And certainly there is no way but one unto salvation,( which is joh. 14.6. Christ Iesus,) whom the Church of England most truly professeth and sincerely embraceth. But some exceptions are taken against our loose and carnal gospelers, Loose professors are an occasion of great offence& scandal to the gospel. who by their evil examples, and presumptuous living, do scandalise and slander the profession of our Church of England, whereby the ignorant do fall away, and make a separation from us: But wee wish with the Apostle, that Rom. 10.1 all might be saved, yet it is impossible but that some Mat. 18.7 offences must come,& be in the Church of God, but woe be to them by whom the offence cometh: for al were not holy amongst the Apostles, but there was one a back-slider, Mat. 27.70. denying his Master, and another Luke. 22.3.4. covetous which had a divell: the good corn hath Tares growing amongst it, and they must grow together until the harvest: the Goates do live amongst the sheep, and they must feed together until the day of Mat. 25. separation: many were the Scribes and pharisees, but few were the disciples, and therfore not the multitude but the regenerate and sanctified do make the Church of Christ. Wherefore let not presumptuous ignorance beguile and blind the souls of the simplo, but let them search the joh. 5.39. Scriptures, and also Acts 2.17 try the Spirits? whether they be of God or not, for the not knowing of the Scriptures is the cause why men do err and are deceived. Be wise now then ye presumptuous ignorant, and learn, and come unto the knowledge of the truth: for Christ knocketh at the door of your hearts and saith; Pro. 9.4.5. who so is simplo let him come to me, and to him that is destitute of wisdom he saith; come and eat of my meate and drink of the wine that I haue drawn: forsake your way ye foolish, and ye shall live, and walk in the way of understanding, Pro. 8.9. for all my words are plain to him that will understand, and strait to them that would find knowledge. O suffer not yourselves to be lead aside out of the way to Canaan, Some imperfections in the Church must not cause an utter falling away from the Church. because briars are in the wilderness, neither be persuaded to refuse the kernel, because the shell is rugged, nor to leave the living water because the fountain is troubled. For as a ship may sail and be in a right passage, and come safely to the haven, although it may haue either too many or want some tacklings: so although ourchurch may haue( which yet is not granted,) either too many outward rites, or want some reformation; yet all confess she holdeth and keepeth her main course and faithful passage to Christ alone the haven of her rest: and although she be weather beaten( as it were) with the blasts and storms of reproach, and black with the touch of some pretended imperfection: yet she is Can. 4.1. faire and lovely in the sight of God, and he will graciously adorn her, and make her all Psal. 49.13. glorious within; and in the end take her and receive her, as his most beautiful and beloved Reu. 21.9 espouse to rest and dwell with him in heaven for evermore. The use hereof is, that every man and woman do beware of proud thoughts, and perverse ignorance: the two daughters of Presumption, begotten by Satan the father of sin, and pride, and author of all error and heresy. And as to much 1. Cor. 8.1 knowledge( saith the Apostle) puffeth up,( if it be not seasoned with grace,) so much ignorance maketh blind, if so it refuse the means for knowledge( which is the light and sight of the soul.) Wherefore as we are taught not to presume to understand that which is not meet to understand, Rom. 12.3 so likewise we must take heed that we do not neglect to learn that which is most necessary for us to know. For as the spider gathereth her poison from the fullness of the fly, received from the sweetness of the flower: So Satan frameth and gathereth his poisoned argument, to make a man proud and Presumptuous, from the fullness of mans knowledge, which he hath received from the sweetness and bounty of Gods mercy and also as the sudden lightning dazelleth the eye& maketh it fearful to behold the light; so the flashing and subtle persuasions of Satan, tempered with some show of light, and mingled with fear, do shut up the Mat. 6.23 eye of the soul, that it dare not open the lidde, or look out for better understanding, it being shut up and closed in the darkness of ignorance. And when men are thus carried away with the fury of Presumption, better hope is there to tame a bear robbed of her whelps, and to remove a fool from his folly, then such from their pride and error: An ill custom corrupteth the soul. for custom changeth nature, and continuance in sin expelleth grace: and as age swalloweth up youth, so ignorance shutteth out faith; for without Rom. 10.14. knowledge wee can haue no faith; and without 4. faith there is no hope of salvation. Then a man being either Presumpteously over wise, or to preposterously ignorant; by the first he despiseth faith, and by the second he cannot attain unto it. So then there being want of true faith in both, neither of them can be in the estate of grace, but in a most daungerous and fearful condition of Condemnation. And as the Dan. 2.34. ston spoken of in Daniel, smote the image vpon his feet, as well, as it did remove his head: Ignorance as well as proud wilfulness punished. so the wrath of God will not onely destroy the haughty and proud thoughts of man, which may be compared to the head of fine gold; but also he will judge the base and ignorant affections, which may be compared to the feet of that image, which being broken together, became like chaff of the Summer flowers, and the wind carried them away. wherefore let every one in the apprehension of knowledge do as the mariner, humility and faith, the means to bring us, to true wisdom. who in his voyage at Sea, scaleth the degrees or height of the heauens by his poale staff, and soundeth the bottom of the sea by his plummet. So the rule and line to bring us to the true knowledge of the height and depth of the wisdom and love of God,( while wee sail in the sea of this world,) it must be humility and a lively faith, expressed and exercised in the works of holiness and righteousness, without the which wee cannot behold his goodness toward us nor beleeue in him. PRAYER. OEternall God, and heavenly Father whose judgements and ways in respect of thy essence, wisdom and glory, are past finding out: and yet in mercy thou hast revealed thyself unto the poor and simplo, that they might know thee, beleeue in thee, and that they might be saved, for not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty not many noble are called; but thou hast chosen the foolish things of the world, and things which are despised, and things which are not, to bring to nought the things which are: keep therefore I beseech thee thy seruant from presumptuous sins, and grant that I may still trust, hope, and rejoice in thee alone, and study ever to learn and to know thee aright, that thou maiest be unto me wisdom, and righteousness,& sanctification, and redemption, through Iesus Christ my Lord and onely saviour, who liveth and reigneth, with thee and the holy Ghost ever one God, world without end, Amen. MEDITATION. VI. MEDESTIE. modesty, it is the mean between impudency, and stupidity or dullness, hating pride, and avoiding folly: it is the usher, as it were, unto all other virtues, as the Prime-Rose cometh up before all other Flowers; for in the face of children it appeareth in the blushy, as the flower in the bud: yea, it is an herald unto mens& womens virtues, signifying their praises unto all beholders: and it doth not onely consist in the outward habit and countenance of man, but also in the very hart, True and Christian modesty, and the parts therof. in the word, and in the deed. For art thou fearful to enter into the secret counsel of God? there is thy modesty, confessing thy indignity: art thou unwilling to tempt the Lord thy God either in his power or in his graces? there is thy modesty showing thy sanctity: art thou condemning thine own merits? there is thy modesty, preferring Christs mercy: art thou contempning vain singularity? there is thy modesty, eschewing flattery: art thou temperate in thy feeding? there is thy modesty, showing content with sufficiency: art thou comely in thy apparel about thee, without costliness, and decent in thy furniture within thy house, without curiousness? there is thy modesty, showing humility: art thou sparing and religions in thy speech? there is thy modesty, showing wisdom& piety: art thou meek in suffering of wrongs? there is thy modesty, showing charity: art thou quiet and righteous amongst thy family? there is thy modesty, showing integrity? art thy patient in tribulation? there is thy modesty, showing faith and constancy: art thou not covetous in getting or keeping thy riches? there is thy modesty, showing liberality: art thou not licentious and wanton in thy flesh? ther is thy Modesty, showing chastity: Finally, what virtue is it, that is not accompanied with modesty? for without it a man cannot be truly righteous towards men, nor truly religious towards God: and therefore the Apostle Peter adviseth us; Let the 1 Pet. 3.4 hide man of the heart be uncorrupt, with a meek and quiet spirit, which is before God a thing much set by: And Paul willeth that Women do 1. Tim. 2.9 array themselves in comely apparel, with shamefastness and modesty, not with broidered bayre, or gold, or pearls, or costly apparel: But( as becometh Women that profess the fear of God,) with good works. For as love is 1. Cor. 13.13 preferred before Faith and Hope, in respect that it remaineth for ever in the minds of the holy Angels in heaven: so Mod●sti●, it is to be preferred before all other moral and civil virtues: because men wanting it, they quickly go astray, and are worthy to be reproved. moreover, it is the sign of penitency, the shield of innocency: for our first Parents sinning in Paradise, and in sorrow ashamed of their fact, Gen. 3.7. perceiving their nakedness, in modesty made themselves aprons or breeches: and 39.12. joseph to manifest and maintain his innocency in modesty, made hast to eschew& fly his Mistresses company. 9.23. Shem& Iapheth are called blessed for their modesty in covering their fathers shane;& 1. Pet. 3.6 Sarah praised for her modesty, the Matron princess of all holy women:) yea, Christ himself, the example of all examples, dignified this virtue of modesty; for he was lowly& holy in his life, and meek and patient in his death, and he hath left a lesson unto us for the making much and embracing of this virtue, saying; If thine 1 Mat. 5.29 30 eye or hand cause thee to offend,( meaning any vnchast or immodest affection,) pluck it out, and cast it from thee. For like as the water which cometh out of a sweet fountain refresheth the heart when it is dry, and oil being inwardly taken increaseth fresh blood to make a cheerful countenance: so modesty being the gracious gift of God, it rejoiceth the soul, thirsting after piety, and it doth disperse by the inward keeping of a pure and undefiled conscience, amiableness into the countenance. And so God hereby is much glorified, our brethren by our good example edified, and the modest person, justly praised and commended. The use hereof is, that every man and woman do beware of all uncivil and immodest words and actions, for Pro. 25.11 evil words corrupt good manners, and evil works corrupt good natures: the infection of the care is poison to the soul, and an evil object to the eye is a dart unto the heart: immodest words are not without immodest works, nor immodest works without immodest words, the one as fire inflameth; and the other as death destroyeth. immodesty embraceth all evil. For immodest thoughts are as powder, immodest works as shot,& immodest words as match to give fire to a murdering& devouring piece,( a shameless soul) drawn forward by Satan, planted by subtly,& discharged by presumption. No sin so forward to aid and assist presumption as immodesty, no sin so bold to sand and breath out blasphemy, as presumption: Gen. 9.22.25. Chams impudent and immodest gazing vpon, and report of his Father Noahs shane, brought his curse: and 2. Sam. 16 7.8. Shemies immodest railing vpon, and reviling of his Lord and sovereign King david, procured his death: 1. Sam. 17 10 Goliahs and Isa. 37.10 Senacheribs blasphemy, no doubt were first hatched and begotten in the seed of impudence and mmodestie: for what sin is not nursed and cherished by immodesty? when men and women do thereby cast away all shane and honesty, as do those that are proud and haughty, the drunkards and adulterers, extortioners and back-biters, railers and lying Pleders, murtherers and blasphemers: are not all these branded with the mark of impudency,& bear up their streamer and sails in the sea of sensuality? being without the fear God, and delighting in iniquity, Eccl. 3.29 drawing sin unto them as it were with cart-ropes and casting out their anchor into the pit of hell. O give not therefore, I beseech you, any passage or liking unto the least sin at all,( for it is baine and poison to your soul:) but especially unto immodesty; for it is the first touch to blaze out thy discredit( whosoever thou art) and the last link to hold fast al thy sins, in extreme rage and villainy. But let us remember the lesson of our saviour Christ, teaching us to learn of him to be Mat. 11.29 meek and lowly in hart; and that wee do strive to be humble and modest, sober and watchful, to resist and fly sin, and all 1 Cor. 5.9. apparance of evil; and certainly in the end wee shall find everlasting comfort and rest unto our souls, which God grant, for his son Iesus Christ his sake, unto us all. Amen. PRAYER. O Gracious, holy, wise and merciful God, who by thine own example, when thou wast vpon the earth, didst teach us to be humble and meek, modest in countenance, grave in gesture, gracious in speech, swift to hear, slow to speak, offending none, but doing good to all. Grant I beseech thee O Lord, and give grace that in all my thoughts, words, and works at all times, and in all places, I may observe& keep the laudable and heavenly Vertue of modesty, to thy praise and glory, and the good instruction of others, for thy mercy sake sweet Iesu. Amen. MEDITATION. VII. despair. despair, it is a wilful forsaking of faith& confidence in God, and in his promises, which ariseth either by beholding inwardly in the mind, the severity of Gods iustice for sin: or else by missing outwardly in this world things pleasurable or profitable to satisfy the lusts and desires of the flesh. In the first degree are such, which are possessed with a guilty conscience for sin, and with horror do behold the fearful presence of God, ready to take speedy vengeance against them for the same, and being without grace not able to apprehended and apply unto themselves Christ Iesus, the onely physician to heal their sins, and to cure this fit and malady of desperation, do either preoccupantly as they think to fly from the face of God, lay violent hands vpon themselves as did Mat. 27.5 Iudas: or else perseuerantly, by leading of a wicked life, do in their malice blaspheme and deny God; as did julian. But against this sin prayed david, saying; Psa. 19.13 Lord keep thy seruant from presumptuous sins, that they may not haue dominion, nor reign over me, so shall I be free and upright, and made clean from much wickedness. The divell most boldly and often doth tempt and assay the deere children of God, to bring them to the plunge, and to throw them down if he could, into the pit of despair. But although their faith may for a time, either through the fearful sight of their sins, or through the storms of afflictions be ouer-shadowed& clouded with fear( which is the handmaid to Despair, fear is the handmaid, and discontent the mother of despair. ) and may utter forth cries and groans, with grief and torment, which all are signs of discontent( the mother of despair,) yet neither weakness of faith, nor strength of sorrows are able to draw and bring the elect to the estate of de pair( which is a wilful malicious, and final laps or falling away from God for ever. For job. 3.3. job lamented the day of his birth, and desired of God that he might be cut off; for the 6.4. arrows of the almighty saith he, are in me, the venom whereof doth drink up my spirit, and the terrors of God fight against me: and david cried out in his affliction for fear and said, Psal. 88.14.15.16. Lord why dost thou reject my soul and hidest thy face from me? I am afflicted and at the point of death, from my youth, I suffer thy terrors, doubting of my life, thine indignation hath gone over me, and thy fear hath cut me off: and in another place the Prophet fainting in in his miseries, beholding the prosperity of the wicked, saith, Ps. 73.2.13.14. as for me my feet were almost gone, my steps had well near slipped, certainly I haue cleansed my heart in vain and washed my hands in innocency, for daily I haue been punished and chastened every morning; yet he trusted in the Lord;& Christ himself at his passion in the sorrow of his soul,( by reason of the heavy burden of our sins which he bare vpon the cross,) cried out with a loud voice saying, Mat. 27.46. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? and yet he was faithful and obedient unto the death. And many of the Prophets and seruants of God in the time of grief and sorrow 1. King. 19.4. jonah. 4.3. In the time of affliction there is infirmity in the dearest Saints haue desired death, the which wish and desire ariseth of the infirmity of the flesh by the sorrow of the spirit, but this weakness of nature should be strengthened by faith, and we are taught that in patience we must possess our souls, and not to faint in temptations, yielding cowardly unto Satan, throwing from us the shield of faith, and laying down the sword of the spirit, forgetting to pray, and to call to Christ our joh. 15.14. friend for help: for if so we hope and trust in him, though we should faint in our fight, yet he is present with us and will come in, to relieve and refresh us; for he is the 4.14. water of life; though we should be wounded, yet he is our chirurgeon to heal us: for he is the true Luk. 10.33. samaritan: though wee should fall yet he is our pillar of strength and chief Act. 4.11. corner ston to bear us up; though we should be led away captive, yet he is our captain to Isa. 61.1.2. rescue us, being the spiritual Reue. 5.5. lion of the tribe of judah, which hath led Ibid. 5.5. captivity captive, and hath most valiantly 1. Cor. 15.54.55. triumphed over the world, the flesh, the divell, hell and death: and not onely for himself, but also for us, that we might learn in all fearful trials and temptations to put our trust in him, who is both faithful loving, ready, and able to help and deliver vs. Not to fear nor be overcome in temptations. fear not therefore, O ye of little faith, when as ye are tempted and assaulted by Satan, turn not your back unto your enemy, but keep your job. 5.17. ground, stand fast and Mar. 13.7. fight a good fight, Lnk. 21.9. resist the divell and he will fly from you: his voice is 1 Pet. 5.8. roaring, but his throat is choked by the word of God: his darts are Eph. 6.16 fiery, but they are quenched in the fountain of faith: his arrows are Psal. sharp, but they are broken vpon the rock of hope? his armor is enchanted,( he being the subtle and deaf Adder,) but it is cut asunder with the sword of the spirit: his countenance is a Mt. 14.26. terrible, but is cast down by the Gal. 6.14 presence of Christ: he 1. Sam. 17 10.49. brageth, but he hath no might( against the Saints:) he nibleth at the Gen. 3.15 heel, but he is nipped on the head. Behold, Satan flies if we do resist. now he flieth; pursue therfore and overcome, the victory is yours, but the glory is the Lords; for he hath given strength to your weakness; God doth furnish us with all strength& power. courage to your faintness; and spirit to your dulness, for to prepare and strengthen you to fight: he hath also furnished you with wisdom for to order, with faith to fortify, and with hope for to supply the battle, and he there leaveth you not but still stirreth you up by watchfulness and diligence, to espy; by prayer and intercession to persevere; by fortitude to resist,& with resolution to pursue your enemy. wilful forsaking and falling from God is mans utter destruction. But if man do wilfully forsake the Lord, and not put his trust in him, then the divell is subtle for to tempt, and strong to overthrow both body and soul, and to cast them into the pit of despair: The means& degrees of despair. For he will first drive man into solitary musing, and then the mind grieveth, the heart fainteth, faith faileth, fear increaseth, sin appeareth, the Conscience trembleth, the fury rageth, and the tormented& distressed man without all pity to himself pierceth his own body and soul with the poisoned and incurable dart of c●uell murder: murder the issue of despair. by reason whereof he throweth himself headlong and most desperately down in the bottomless pit of everlasting darkness, from thence never to return to behold the cheerful and comfortable presence of God his maker, The miserable condition of the murderer of himself. but at the day of iudgement he shall see the glorious and fearful face of God his judge, whose voice shall be as Reue. 4.5. Thunder, pronouncing and declaring fearful woes, sorrows and eternal death, unto the damned and reprobate: And what hope or warrant is there for any inrepentant sinner, that he shall find salvation? and who so great& malicious a sinner against God, dying without repentance, as he that doth destroy the 1 Cor. 3.16.17. temple of God, defacing his Gen. 1.26. image, despising his law, contempning his promises, and flying from his presence? but there is a most sure iudgement denounced from heaven, that whosoever shall destroy the temple of God, him will God destroy; and whosoever Deut. 32.41. sheddeth mans blood, by man shall his blood be shed, and no inrepentant murderer shall enter into the kingdom of God. But the f●lo dese, The fearful distracted and end of a Felo de se. the murderer of himself, by his instant and sudden execution vpon himself, he working and labouring in blood; pain& death, destroying Nature, and distracting the mind, it is to be feared, and more probable, that he hath no use of the qualities and graces of the soul, whereby he might repent& call vpon God, so that he wilfully casting himself away from God,( not trusting& depending vpon his providence and mercy,) The business and strength of Satan in the execution of the Felo de se. Satan is most strong and busy as well to strangle the soul as the body, having entred into the man with his consent and action to make himself away, that he might never come in company or sight, either of God, Angels, or Men. But O foolish, sinful and desperate man, to think by thy cruel and bloody death, to fly from the presence of God thy maker, and that after this life thou thoughtst to haue no more motion or feeling of evil, nor unquietness of conscience( which when thou wast living vpon the earth, was as a thousand hels unto thee,) but that after death, thou shalt be as the beast that Ps. 49.20 perisheth and shall never rise to iudgement. O how greatly art thou deceived? forgetting that the more a man seeketh to hid himself, and fly from God as Gen. 3.8. Adam did, yet God will follow him and Iere. 23.24. find him out in the midst amongst the dead, as he did Adam amongst the thickest of the trees in Eden. for revel. 20 13 there is neither place, nor time, nor force, nor savour that can hid or deliver man from the sight and hand of God, who is the judge both of the quick and of the dead. And as in this fearful tragedy of man by laying violent hands vpon himself, Satan triumpheth in the destruction of man. the divell is the first Gen. 3.1. plotter of his fall; so he is the 1. King. 22 20.22. job. 2.4.5. chiefest triumpher in his destruction, and that because he hath competitors and companions to feel and endure the wrath of God as well as he: for nothing more Mat. 8.29 tormenteth Satan in his punishment under Gods hand, then the remembrance of mans felicity by Christ, the which if he can entice man to refuse or neglect, then rejoiceth he, and all evil spirits with him, as much at the damnation of man, as the Luk. 15.10 Angels of heaven at the conversion and salvation of man. And within this compass of distrust and despair, Want of outward and temporal blessings must not make us to despair and forsake God. are also comprehended and included( as is said before,) al those which for want of outward means to satisfy the lusts and desires of the flesh; as for riches, being in poverty; for pleasures, being in pain; for reuenge, being in malice, or for pride, being in discontent,( although they haue no touch or feeling of the sting of conscience for their sins,) yet do they lay violent hands vpon themselves, as did 1. Sam. 31 4. Saul and 2. Sa. 27.5 Achitophel; forgetting Gods care and power which he Psal. 107 2.6. sheweth toward his children, when they are in any distress: but Rom. 8.5. these men or women being fleshly minded, and making this world,& the pleasures thereof their God and Mammon; for the want of satisfying of their ungodly lusts which 1 Pet. 2.11 fight against the soul, they therefore throw themselves head-long by their own hands into the pit of hell. The remedy ●●ainst despair. But the remedy against this sin is Eph. 6.10 11 faith witht patience; and prayer with hope; without which a man is naked and without strength, and is ready daily vpon every assault to be overthrown of Satan; and therefore instead of 2. Cor. 7.10.11 worldly grief we must embrace godly sorrow; instead of Exod. 14.13 amazement, quietness of mind; instead of Mark. 9.24 weakness, we must pray for strength of faith; instead of fear show forth Eph. 6.10 fortitude by grace; instead of apparition of sin( presenting death) we must behold the Mat. 9.2. absolution of sin by Christ, who hath conquered death; instead of horror of conscience we must seek for 1. Tim. 1.19 peace; instead of prosecution of Gods wrath, Psal. 3.4. hope and assure ourselves of his merciful and gracious preservation in Christ Iesus. The use hereof is, that wee consider the malice and subtlety of Satan in seeking the destruction of man, The malice and subtlety of Satan. by drawing him to fear and discontent, and casting Faith nad Hope our of his his heart( which might bring unto him ioy and peace,) as also the weakness of man to resist the temptation, he forsaking God, and trusting to himself. We must be watchful. By which wee are taught to be watchful and careful in holy meditations and prayer, and not to embrace and love the riches of this world and pleasures of this life, Plenty& pleasure make sin to abound. lest by living too much in wantonness and plenty, or scraping too much together in covetousness and cruelty, our sins do abound and at one time or other, the sight and view thereof will be fearful and terrible unto us, not able to be endured, when as God in his iustice may leave us unto ourselves, to be a pray unto Satan, hell and death. Not to muse too much vpon sorrow and affliction. And that also in our trials, crosses and afflictions in this life, wee sorrow not above measure, nor muse too much thereon with worldly thoughts, but rather with a godly sorrow to desire pardon of almighty God for the same, praying for his grace and help to comfort us in the time of need assuring ourselves through faith and patience, to haue a most happy issue& joyful deliverance in the end, when it shall seem fit and convenient unto God for his glory and our good. And every one is to be advised( for fear to be led into this most dangerous temptation of despair) to beware of solitariness, To beware of solitariness. when either the motions of fear, or of doubt, covetousness or pride, want or disgrace do beat vpon our hearts, as the seas do vpon the rocks, striving and freting( as it were) to throw down our bodies and souls even unto hell. Satan taketh his advantage of time& place to distractand overthrow man. For as Satan taketh his opportunity of time and place, to beget sin in infidelity in the thought of man; so he taketh likewise his time and place to execute his malice and cruelty vpon man( in as much as in him lieth,)& no fitter place for the accomplishing of this his purpose, then private walks, gardens, or solitary woods or wilderness, for so he tempted 2 Sa. 11.2 david, and presumed also to tempt our saviour Mat. 4 1. christ. And therefore wee must be diligent and circumspectly, When we are alone, to meditate vpon good things. that when wee are walking and meditating in private places then to think especially vpon God and to prav unto him, calling for grace to sanctify our thoughts and to strengthen our faith, for then when wee are alone Nature feareth, the divell most fiercely assaulteth, and the soul without Gods especial aid fainteth and falleth, if not surprised and lead captive unto sin and death. And wee are also further hereby to learn, that not onely those who lay violent hands vpon themselves by taking away their lives, Wilfully to weaken or suppress Nature by worldly bestow is a most grievous sin. are in the case of despair, and murtherers of themselves: but also they who by freting and vexing, and grieving do surpresse Nature, weaken their bodies, and disquiet their souls; by means whereof they hasten their end, and shorten their dayes; for 2 Cor. 7.10. worldly sorrow causeth death; and the heart oppressed and surfeited with grief& cares can haue no faith, hope, or ioy in God. For as the fly the more she laboureth and fluttereth about the candle light the sooner she burneth, Not to beate too much vpon the things of this world. and consumeth herself: so man the more he busieth himself, and laboureth about the getting and obtaining of the things of this world; the sooner he is snared, taken, and destroyed. Wherefore a wise and religious moderation of our cares in faith and hope preserveth the soul and body, and bringeth unto us salvation, health and peace, which passeth all understanding, because our trust and confidence is in the Lord our God for evermore. PRAYER. O merciful, Omnipotent, just, and everliving God, without whose help, grace and goodness no man or woman can believe, nor patiently suffer, nor assuredly hope for salvation and deliverance, such, and so many are the afflictions, fears and doubts daily and continually compassing and besetting the body and soul of man, through the malice and subtlety of Satan, the world and the flesh, that in the eye and view of our own corrupt nature and understanding we do see ourselves most wretched, vile, and miserable creatures, ready to be taken and thrown into the pit of hell, by the hand of thy iustice, being not worthy to come into thy presence, nor to be partakers of the least of thy blessings. Yet O Lord our hope and trust is in thee, for thy mercy reacheth unto the heauens, and thy truth unto the clouds, thy ways are not as mans ways, nor thy works as mens works, for thy mercy exceedeth all thy works, and thou desirest not the death of a sinner, but rather that he should return and live. Yea, thou art ready to give grace, and all good things to those that ask thee in faith and humility. Increase this faith in me O Lord, and give humility, patience and hope unto thy seruant, which may bring assured peace unto my soul, and prosperity unto my body, by thy rich and infinite mercy, and gracious deliverance from all despair, through Iesus Christ my onely Lord and saviour. Amen. MEDITATION. VIII. FAITH. ALL the precious pebbles and pearls in the sea, the purest gold and silver in the earth, and the sweetest myrrh and Cassia in the East, are not to be preferred and esteemed before Faith, it being a Rom. 10.17 divine, spiritual and heavenly gift, beautifying, enriching and making sweet& Heb. 11.6 acceptable before the presence of Almighty God, the body and soul of man: It is like Gen. 28.12 Iacobs Ladder, by which we must ascend in love to God, and descend in charity to man: It is the ambassador of the soul, craving aid of God in time of need, according to his promise in the love of Christ: It is without limit or circumscription, following and attending Gods presence at all times, and in all places: It is without fear courageously breaking through Heb. 11.3.4 fire and water, stoping the mouths of Lions, The virtue and power of Eaith making valiant in battle, fighting against the world, the flesh, the divell, hell and death: it is without excess, making a man humble in prosperity, and patient in adversity: it is without envy, forgetting wrongs and injuries, leaving reuenge unto the Lord: it is without fraud, being innocent from evil, and wise unto that which is good: it is without want, making many rich, being content with that they haue: it is without worldly sorrow, being daily comforted and rejoicing in the Lord: it it always meditating on heavenly things, being ever willing to forsake all and follow Christ: the reason is, The subject, project, and object of Faith. because God is the subject or matter whereupon it worketh; godliness is the project or purpose whereunto it tendeth; and heaven is the object or delight, whereunto it looketh. To define it; it is the Heb. 11.1. ground of things which are hoped for, and the evidence of things which are not seen: without it wee cannot Ibid. 6. please God; by it we Ibid. 3. understand that the world was ordained by the word of God, and do as it were see and behold him which is invisible: It is infinite in apprehension, sound in iudgement, strong in believing, discreet in applying, and joyful in enjoying. Yea, it maketh and frameth the whole man ready and willing at all times to surrender and show itself obedient unto the will of God. And by this lively Faith, Faith pleaseth God, obtaineth a blessing and despiseth the world. Abels offering was accepted: Enochs body glorified: Noahs family preserved: an inheritance promised to Abraham: a child given to Sarah: and a blessing bestowed vpon Iaakob: by this Faith the rebuk or cross of Christ was greater riches unto Moses then the treasures of egypt, and greater glory unto Paul then his high authority when he was called Saul: by this Faith wonders in former times were effected; kingdoms subdued; and the promises obtained. wherefore we which now live, and our posterity after us, if wee will be counted faithful and the true children of Rom. 4.16 Abraham, we must daily and continually strive to apprehended, know, beleeue, apply, and enjoy Christ Iesus the Son of God, the saviour of the world: but our apprehension must be joined with humility, suppressing the wisdom of the flesh, and bringing it in subiection unto the wisdom of the spirit: our 1. Cor. 2.12.13. knowledge must be grounded vpon the word and truth of God, not vpon the precepts and doctrines of men: our faith must lay hold onely vpon Christ, as he is perfect God, able to redeem us, and as he was perfect man, willing to die for vs. We must rejoice in his promises which are gracious, true, and eternal, yea and Amen: and we must refuse our own righteousness, which is by the works of the law, for if righteousness,( justifying righteousness) be by the Law, then Christ died without a cause, Gal. 2.21 Rom. 4.14 Faith is made void, and the promise is of none effect: for to him that 4. worketh, the wages is not counted by favour, but by debt: and salvation cometh only by favor and by grace, not by the works of the law, because Rom. 3.9. all are under sin, both jew and gentle, and there is none that is righteous, and that doth good, no not one: Our applying also of Christ must be special and particular even unto our own souls, By faith we apply Christ unto ourselves. ( confessing our sins and vnworthynes, and believing that he is a saviour even unto us:) for general knowledge comforteth not the soul unto eternal life, Not general knowledge, but especial application proffiteth the soul of man. but the special application is the souls consolation; when as wee apprehending, knowing and believing the trinity of the Persons in the unity of the God-head, we can apply unto ourselves, the love of the father electing, the love of the Son redeeming, and the love of the holy Ghost sanctifying and comforting us;& so we applying the love of God unto ourselves, we shall haue the fruition and enjoying of his holy spirit in the comfort of his presence and assurance of his love and mercy toward us for evermore, we at all times remembering the nature and end of Faith which is heavenly and holy, The nature& end of Faith is to work holiness& righteousness. that we might exercise ourselves continually in the works of godliness, to the praise and glory of God, and salvation of our own souls. The use hereof is, that wee carefully and especially do consider of the virtue, power, and worthiness of Faith, which unto the soul is a quickening& refreshing, Faith is the quickening of the soul and body, for ioy and peace. as fire or heat is unto the body; for without Faith wee are dead, not able to apprehended or perceive the mystery of our salvation: and Faith it gives ioy to the heart, sight to the eye, speech to the mouth, readiness to the hand, and quickness to the feet, to think, behold, speak, work, and effect all for the honor and glory of almighty God. And in time of fear, it is a comfort, in time of fight a shield, in time of trouble a rock, and in time of death a sure pledge unto us of eternal life with God in heaven for evermore. All which benefits and comforts, who then so unwise, that would either neglect or forsake them? but without Faith we cannot attain unto them; Without Faith nothing is sanctified, nor can prosper. for nothing can be sanctified or blessed in us, or unto us without Faith, whether it be our bodies or souls, our children or seruants, our goods or labours, meat or drink, sickness or health, life or death; all without Faith is sin, or bringing forth sin, either in enjoying or insuffering. Our prayers without Faith are turned into sin; No holy exercise without Faith can be comfortable to the soul. our reading or hearing the word of God without Faith is unprofitable unto us, and bringeth forth sin,( being the savour of death unto death unto us:) for Faith in her proper nature brings forth love and Obedience unto eternal life, it being the roote of all divine worship, love and Obedience the fruits of Faith. and Christian righteousness: for without Faith we cannot beleeue in God, nor in his son Iesus Christ, nor trust in his promises, nor call vpon him for grace, and whosoever believeth not, and will not call vpon the Name of the Lord, and trust in him, nor in his life time will endeavour to attain unto Faith and hope in the blessed promises of Christ, that man is already condemned in the foreknowledge and iudgement of God. Also without Faith wee cannot be partakers of the blessed Sacraments, nor be admitted into the Church of God, nor be able to discern aright of the body and blood of Christ, and whosoever receiveth, and discerneth not the same aright, 1 Cor. 11.29 eateth and drinketh his own damnation. Finally, without Faith wee cannot fear& eschew the judgements of God, but presumptuously run into them, continuing and delighting in sin, and that man or woman that thus sinneth without repentance, living without Faith, shall surely die without mercy; Reue. 21.8 For no vnbeleeuer shall enter into the kingdom of God. Seeing then that Faith is thus necessary for the comfort and salvation of man, we must use the means to attain unto this Faith, and to strengthen it, and to continue it in us, which is by hearing and reading of the Word of God, receiving the Sacraments, Rom. 10.14 exercising ourselves in prayer and in godly conference and meditations, and in the works of righteousness, and then shall our Faith flourish and bring forth plentiful fruit in love to God, charity to man, and everlasting peace unto our own souls. And hereby all Parents and Masters of Families are to take note and heed, Al parents& Masters of families must haue a godly care of their children and seruants, to bring them up in the knowledge and Faith of God. that they accordingly haue a diligent care to train and bring up their children and seruants in the knowledge and fear of God, by those ordinary and good means which are offered and appointed of the Lord, and commanded in his word, lest for want of knowledge they die without Faith, and so their blood shall be required at their hands: for ignorance cannot be the mother of devotion, but of infidelity and superstition, which causeth many to run head-long into the pit of condemnation. PRAYER. O almighty and everliving God, although by thy works and word wee may confess and aclowledge thee to be the true God& the saviour of the world: which the divels do also beleeue and confess, because thou wilt be glorified and praised by all thy creatures which thou hast made,( and that in spite of them.) Yet O Lord the sanctified, true, and lively apprehending and applying Faith is onely given by thee from above, as thy especial gift unto thy Saints and whom thou hast chosen unto eternal life. Grant therefore I most humbly beseech thee that I may haue evermore this true and lively Faith to remain in my heart, whereby I may certainly be assured of thy love towards me, giuing thee praise for thy mercy, and showing forth my obedience for thy glory, which hast shewed thyself to me a Father, a saviour, and a comforter for ever. Amen. MEDITATION. IX. SECVRITIE. SEcurity it is the minds whole content or delight settled in the pleasures of this world: the which enjoying, it cares for nothing, it employeth itself to nothing, nor feareth any thing; it is an unfruitful branch, springing from a a full( but a corrupt) three, ●rosperitie: whose seed is tares, whose fruit is tears,( when as men do possess the blessings of God in this life, but do not dispose them to the glory of God and comfort of their own souls. prosperity the cause of security; and destruction of the soul. ) For prosperity( if it be not moderated with humility and thanksgiving:) it doth not onely lull men asleep in security, but it maketh them blind, Psal. 10.5.6. that they are not able toperceiue either the evil past, present, or to come: much like unto those, who foolishly will gaze vpon the sun, until the brightness thereof doth blear their eyes, and make them blind, and so the glory of prosperity doth blear& blind the souls of men, that they make a 2. Pet. 3.3.4. mock at the judgements of the Lord, and sitting in the seat of iniquity; say in their harts; where is the promise of his coming? let him make hast that we may see it: and so contempteously& desperately they Amos. 6.3. to 7. put away the evil day far from them, as did the Gen. 7.5. wicked before the flood, and as did the men of 19.24.25. sodom and Gomorrah, who neither believed nor feared the threatenings of almighty God: so that the waters drowned the one, and the fire consumed the other, and that for their horrible and crying sins, which grew and increased by reason of Ezek. 16.49. security, ease, pride and fullness of bread, where in they did abound: And therefore our saviour Christ adviseth us against this sin to Mat. 26.41. watch and pray, for we 24.44. know not the time when the Lord will come unto iudgment, and happy are they that shall not be found secure, and sleeping: For Gen. 9.21. Noah in his security and sleep discovered his shane; 19.33. Lot committed sin; judge 26.19. samson lost his locks; 13.8. Holyfernes his head; and the foolish Mat. 25.10. excess a g●●at means of security. Virgines heaven. And the roote of security is plenty and excess, which either lifteth up the heart with pride and presumption, or else besotteth it with dulness and stupidity: The rich and mighty are infected with the first; Pride maketh man secure. and the carnal and fleshly minded overwhelmed with the second. Dan. 4.27 28. Nebuchadnezar in his prosperity vaunted and said; is not this great babel, that I haue built for the house of the kingdom, by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty? and the Luk. 12.19.20. rich man flattered himself in his riches, promising presumptuously unto himself both ease and long life: But Nebuchadnezar he was instantly told that his kingdom was departed from him; and the rich man presently even in a night was taken from his treasure. The carnal and fleshly minded like brute beasts do follow their filthy appetite and lusts, stupidity and dullness maketh man secure using and frequenting their daily sports with Gen. 10.8.9. Nimrod, their feastings with Dan. 5.1. Baltazer: their drinking with 1. King. 20.16. Benhadad: their whoring with 2. King. 9.22. Iezabell: and their idleness with market Mat. 20.6. gazers, and street walkers: preferring their delights and pleasures before piety and godliness, and lusting after the Exo. 16.3 flesh-pots of egypt with the children of Israel; wishing rather to enjoy the things of this world and the ease of the flesh for a season, with the hazard of their souls, then to suffer a little pain in this life, to gain everlasting felicity in the life to come. But they all must know that so long as they are puffed up with pride, Pleasure is the highway to destruction. deceived by riches, and besotted with pleasures, they are in the broad way, leading to destruction, their lamps are out, they are dead in sleep, the Mat. 25.10. bridgrome is passed by, the gate is shut and their being shall be without, not on the hills nor in the valleys, but in 22.13. helfire with the divell and his Angels for evermore: and then, but too late shall they find that the smooth stream of security hath a deep bottom, The end of Security most bitter. to swallow up their feasting with mourning, their mirth with heaviness, their laughing with weeping, their singing with howling, their embracing with wringing of hands, and their dainty feeding with gnashing of teeth. And within this compass of security, Negligence, a member of Security Negligence also may be included; which is knowledge without care, not regarding what is commanded by God unto us: and although it seemeth not in presumptuous manner directly to oppose or withstand what is commanded, yet in effect it bringeth forth the issue of disobedience to the dishonour of God and destruction of our own souls( without repentances. For it is a greater sin to Mat. 21.28. neglect, then not to do, because in neglecting there is sin with knowledge, but in not doing there may be sin by ignorance; and jer. 48.10 cursed be he that doth the work of the Lord negligently: but he that Luk. 12.47. knoweth his maisters will and doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes: And surely greater was the sin of Ion. 1.2.3 jonas to neglect his going to nineve then the sin of Acts 9.1.2. Paul in hastening to Damascus, for the one would notwhat he knew; and the other knew not what he did. Luk. 23.34. Christ he prayed for the simplo people that were his persecutors, because in ignorance they knew not what they did: but the Scribs and pharisees they wilfully Mat. 27.25. neglected their salvation, in desiring that his blood might be vpon them and their children, although they saw& knew both by his works and word, that he was the Mesias, and saviour of the world: So then by this sin man Rom. 2.5. heapeth up for himself wrath against the day of wrath, as the evil Mat. 25.18.30. steward did, who wilfully neglected the time to put out his talent; whereas otherwise by watchfulness and diligence wee should become Eph. 5.16 wise and sober redeeming the time because the dayes are evil. For most certain it is, that that man must perish by the sword, that when he heareth the alarum& Trumpet sound he will not prepare himself to the battle: and he must famish and starve in Winter, that will not gather in Summer: so those that 1. Cor. 6.1 2. neglect the time, and despise the grace that is offered unto them from above,( for their repentance and turning to the Lord,) when they cry they shall not be heard, when they knock it shall not be opened unto them; but God in his iustice will take away his grace and blessings from them, and bestow them vpon others, that shall bring forth better fruits then they; and then too late shall they repent, when they haue lost the Gen. 27.38 blessing with Esau, and neglected the covenant of grace with 1. King. 2.42. Negligence a grievous sin. Shemei. This sin of negligence it is a sluggish& bewitching sin, begotten by presumption, and nourished by case, delightful to the flesh, but painful to the soul; it hath a Reu. 9.7.10 Locusts face, but a Scorpions tail, the beginning sweet, but the end bitter unto death: for when God and his word, righteousness and iudgement, mercy and truth, wisdom and piety, peace and love is neglected and despised: what then remaineth but a fearful and perpetual separation of the wicked from the presence of God, who through their negligence and security haue suffered their garments to be defiled, their bodies infected, their souls perverted, their faith subdued, and their hope drowned, and they themselves fallen and sunk down into the bottomless pit of eternal death, where is darkness, and woe, lamentation, weeping and howling for evermore? The use hereof is, that we haue a care how we spend our time here in this world; that it be in watchfulness and diligence, in holiness and righteousness, for the time will come that we must render an account of our stewardship, and if we haue done well we shall receive a gracious and blessed reward, but if we haue done evil, our talent shall be taken from us, and we to be bound hand and foot, and cast into utter darkness, because while we lived in this world, we would not so much as stir and put forth our hand or foot to walk in the way of light, and do the works of righteousness: The gacious time of believing& working is onely in this life. for the time of believing and working is onely in this life, because the commandement and promise is given and made unto man, and man dying, his body becometh senseless and without motion, and turneth unto dust,& cannot put in action the things which are commanded: but his soul is eternal and a spiritual substance, ascending unto God; After death all works do cease, and the soul ascendeth unto God. and after the dissolution of the soul from the body, faith, hope, and the works of the law do cease, because these were the means of apprehension of the promises, and performing of obedience unto God in this life, but after this life finished, every faithful soul shall truly, really, and fully behold the comfortable presence of almighty God, and receive the possession of those joys promised and hoped for, and shall no more be bound by the law, because once being glorified, the soul of man shall be absolutely perfect for ever in holinesse and innocency, praising and giuing all honour and glory, and obedience continually unto the Lord for his salvation. And as the souls of the righteous after death, The souls of the righteous are free from any curse. are free both from the works and from the curse of the law; so the souls of the wicked after death are likewise free from the works of the law, but not from the curse of the Law, for by death the law ceaseth, but after death the curse continueth, and no man can work out his salvation after death, because the reward and iudgement of almighty God hath relation and respect unto our actions done here in this world, whether they be good or evil. The soul presently after death receiveth her absolute and eternal reward or iudgement And as God in his reward for a blessing of eternal life, maketh no delay, but crowneth the souls of the righteous with eternal glory; so in his reward for a curse of eternal death, he maketh no delay, but punisheth the souls of the wicked with eternal shane& confusion. Wherefore let every one take heed how he liveth and how he dieth; for as the three falleth, so shall it rise again: after death there is no intercession; Gods iudgement as it is without delay, so it is without alteration: and if so then wee haue no fear nor feeling of our sins in this life with repentance, wee shall haue no taste nor feeling of Gods mercy in the life to come by any assurance: for those that die without faith, and are not reconciled unto God, are as withered and fruitless branches, cut off, and ordained for the fire; and as all the water which is cast vpon a dead plant is in vain, prayers for the dead are vain. and cannot revive it; so the prayers for the dead, which haue died in their sins without faith and repentance are in vain, and cannot redeem them: and for the faithful being departed out of this life, prayers need not, for their souls are speedily received into glory, being elected in the love of the Father, redeemed by the death and passion of the Son,& sanctified by the grace of the holy Ghost: and without this election, redemption, and sanctification, there can be no salvation. And for the elect there needs no purgatory; nor yet for the reprobate; Purgatory an idle& needless fiction. for the purgatory doctrine is both frivolous and dangerous: frivolous, because it cannot redeem the reprobate, nor benefit the elect: dangerous, because it gives encouragement unto sinners to continue in their sin, hoping of a Purgation after death, which is impossible, and contrary to the course of the iustice and mercy of God in his election and reprobation, whereunto he hath appointed a place, either heaven or hell without participation. For as there cannot be a mean between election and reprobation to make an indifferent estate in salvation; so there cannot be a mean between heaven& hell, to make an indifferent place for purgation and redemption. And therefore tremble and fear, O ye wicked men and women, that live securely and at ease, and do daily rejoice and cheer up your hearts in the time of your youth, walking in your own ways, in pleasures and delights; but know assuredly, that for all these things, God will bring you to iudgement; and hell not purgatory shall be the place of your torment, appointed for the divell and his Angels, and for all that do live ungodly in this world. PRAYER. O Onely Wise, just, Holy and Righteous God, which hath planted and settled every man and woman in their several calling, to that end onely, that they might not be secure and negligent, but carefully to apply themselves to all holy, and righteous works while they live in this world, because by security and negligence there groweth omitting of all things which are good, and committing of those things which are evil: for the flesh being in rest and peace, maketh war against the spirit, and the pomp and pride of life bringeth shane and poverty to the soul. prevent me therefore, O Lord, I humbly beseech thee, by thy grace and holy spirit, that I sleep not in security and ease, nor give myself unto carelessness and negligence, lest with the evil Steward, and foolish Virgines, I should be condemned, and shut out of thy heavenly kingdom for evermore. hear me, O Lord, in this my prayer, and grant me my request, for thy dear sons sake, Iesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with thee, and the holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen. MEDITATION. X. HELL. SAmpsons judge. 16.21 bonds by the Philistines were not so great, nor jer. 52.9. Zedekiahs captivity by the babylonians so grievous, but that the bonds and captivity of death and Hell are far more intolerable, infinite, and eternal. But I suppose that some do doubt whether there be any Hell or no; Some do doubt whether there be a Hell or no. and do flatter themselves saying; If there be no Hell, then neither the iustice of God can hurt me, nor the mercies of God do me any good; and therefore I neither fear the one, nor respect the other; but I will live as I list, and after death I fear no evil. To answer and satisfy such, proof that there is a Hell. let any behold but with the eye of reason, and I will evidently show and demonstrate that there is a Hell, and place of punishment for all offenders against God. Nature distinguisheth between good and evil: then much more God in his love and iustice hath appointed a place distinguished for the good, and for the bad For do we not see in the natural creatures without sense, that there is light and darkness, fire and water, sweet and sour, beauty and deformity, loathsomeness and pleasing scents? and in the creatures sensible, do we not perceives simplicity and cruelty, protection and destruction, some offending, others revenging; every one eschewing danger,& seeking after good for themselves? And in man do we not see an heavenly spirit in a earthly body, praising virtue, and dispraising 'vice? Instiruting by iustice, a Rom. 13.3.4. reward for the good, and punishment for the wicked? And to what purpose hath God so ordained and distinguished his creatures, but that every man in the light of nature might know that there is good and evil, ioy and sorrow, pain and pleasure, sweet and sour, life and death? And although in respect of the creatures, al these things are but momentary and temporal, yet by way of comparison, mans soul which is eternal, be it holy, or be it sinful, shall find an eternal blessing, or an eternal curse and punishment; and for a man to say, that there shall be an eternal blessing, or an eternal curse and punishment, without either a subject or person to receive it, or without a place to contain it, were most absurd: and therefore unless men will deny the immortality of the soul( Gen. 1.26. 1. Cor. 15.45 which hath her being and essence from the life and eternity of God) they cannot but confess and fear the punishment of Isa. 9. to 12. Ps. 9.17.11 6. Mat. 25.41 Reu. 6.8. Mark. 9.43 44. 2. Pet. 2.4. Hell, ordained from all beginnings, for the wicked and ungodly. For if God in the creation hath made a distinction between his creatures in respect of goodness& beauty, how much more in his sentence and just iudgement,( in respect of mens works, to whom he hath given a law?) shall he make distinction between man and man, between the good and the bad, between the estate of the one, and the estate of the other, which shal not be temporal but eternal, as well for the body as the soul at the general resurrection? and although the body resteth without motion in the grave after the departure of the soul from it; yet we must not think that therefore we shall not come to iudgment, or suffer the pains of Hell; for God doth not forget a sinner, but his body as well as his soul is under iudgement, although not so presently as his soul; for the body must return unto the earth, and rest in the grave, The body doth rest in the grave after death for two respects. for two respects; the one, because the body is 1. Cor. 15.53. mortal, and therfore it must return to dust and be changed, that it might be made immortal; and the other, because the number of Gods elect, is not yet Reu. 7.3.14.6.7. complete and full, which being fulfilled, then Isa. 26.19 cometh the the day iudgement and resurrection of the dead; and then shall the 1. Cor. 15.42. bodies of all men be joined to their souls, and be made immortal, and they shall Mat. 24.30. see the son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory, Mat. 25.31. Reu. 20.11. sitting vpon the throne,& shal judge the quick and dead; and joh. 5.29. those that haue done good shall rise unto eternal life, and those that haue done evil unto eternal death. Therefore the resting of the body in the grave, is,( if a man haue lived and died wickedly,) but the renewing of his sorrow at the resurrection; that when he thought himself free from feeling any more pain, then he shall rise up from death, to be Mat. 22.13. bound hand and foot, and to to be cast into utter darkness, where shall be weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth; for the Mar. 94.4 Isa. 66.24. Dan. 7.11. worm of the wicked shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched, nor their torments ended, but their place and dwelling shall be Mat. 25.41. evermore with the devil and his angels, in that Reu. 21.8. The wicked vpon the earth find and invent torments for the godly; how much more hath God ordained torments for thewicked in Hell? lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the the second death. For if wicked men and cruel tyrants vpon the earth, could ordain and find a place of torment for the children of God that displeased them; Nay, for Christ himself; shall not God then much more, in his iustice provide a place of torment for Satan and his members which continually dishonour and blaspheme his holy name? Gen. 37.24. joseph by the hand of the wicked was cast into the pit, jer. 38.6. jeremiah into the dungeon, Dan. 6.86 3.21. Daniel into the Den, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego into the furnace, and Mat. 27.33. Christ in Golgotha was racked and crucified vpon the cross: and must not the ungodly, and reprobate then think, that God, the King, and judge of the whole world hath for them a pit, a dungeon, a den, a furnace, a Golgotha, a cross? yea, a pit without bottom, a dungeon without light, a den without mercy, a furnace without water, a golgotha without comfort, and a cross without redemption. O better therefore is it to suffer affliction for a while vpon the face of the earth with holy Shadrach Meshach and Abednego, then to go down quick into the pit for ever, with rebellious Num. 16.33. Corah, Dathan, and Abiram: and better is it to fear God that can Mat. 10.8. destroy both body and soul, and cast them into Hell, then to forsake God,& fear man that can but hurt the body onely: The day of iudgement is not far off. For he that hath promised to come to iudgement, will Iam. 5.8. come shortly and will not tarry; he hath his Mat. 3.12 fan in his hand; his Reu. 4.2. throne is set up for iudgement; the 10 2. book is opened; his Angel is ready to thrust his 14.15. sharp sickle on the earth, for the harvest is ripe; the sound of the last 11.15. trumpet is ready to be blown, Gods heavenly 19.1. Court is full of his Saints; the souls of the afflicted do now rejoice, and cry with a loud voice, 6.9.20. How long Lord, how long? The great sorrowes of the rebrobate at the day of iudgment. make hast and avenge our blood: Satan hath preferred the indightment,( Reu. 12.10. who accuseth man before God, day and night) the guilty conscience trembleth; the wicked are Mat. 22.12. speechless; and cannot deny their offence; thesentence is pronouncing; Reu. 4.5. thunder and lightning filleth the throne; the 11.15.18 shoute of the holy Angels and Saints increase the sorrows of the damned; 21.1. old things are passed; all worldly pleasures ended; the 9.2. bottomless pit openeth and smoketh; light and comfort vanisheth; darkness increaseth; the 14.10.11 fire devoureth; the worm gnaweth; death liveth; and the time of torments never endeth. Who then,( that knowing this, every one ought to fear sin, Hell being the place for all inrepentant sinners. but will tremble and fear to sin; Hell being the place appointed for all obstinate and inrepentant sinners? for the wages of sin is death; and every one that hath transgressed shal come& stand, not before a dumb and corrupt judge, but before the mighty, eternal, onely wise, just, righteous, and fearful God, who will reward every man according to his works, for there is no respect of persons with him. The use hereof is, that no man do live and spend the course of his life here in this world without fear of the dreadful judgements of God, and thinking vpon death and Hell: lest by forgetting the punishment, he doth despise the grace,& so his hart should either proudly be puffed up, saying with Exod. 5.2 Pharaoh, Who is the Lord? or senselessly be dulled, saying with the Ps. 14.1. fool, there is no God. For Caines Gen. 4.13 punishment made him both aclowledge the power of God;& the reward of sin, and the overflowing of the world by water, the burning of sodom by fire, the destruction of egypt by plagues, and the removing of kingdoms by war, do teach and show unto us the sincerity of Gods iustice, that he will never suffer sin to go unpunished, but as he hath made himself known unto all the world in majesty and glory by his works; and in truth and righteousness by his word, God will be magnified in his judgements against the wicked. so by his judgements and punishments he will be magnified in the destruction and overthrow of the wicked and ungodly, who haue blasphemed his name, broken his law, and made a mock at his coming unto iudgement: but certainly, he will come vpon them at unawares as a thief in the night, when they shall not be able to resist being dead a sleep in their sins, and then shall they hear his fearful voice,( being Reu. 19.16 God will call all to account. the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords calling unto them, Come, make account of your talent and stewardship which was delivered and commended unto you, for ye must be no longer stewards: I haue been absent, but ye haue been negligent: I haue been patient but ye haue been disobedient: I haue been bountefull, but ye haue been unthankful. I gave you trust but ye haue deceived me. I gave ye a law, but ye haue despised me. I sent unto you my Mat. 22.34.35. seruants, but ye haue evil entreated them. I sent unto you my 37.38. son but ye haue killed him. I planted Isa. 5.2. you as a vine but ye haue brought forth wild grapes. I built you as a temple, but ye haue polluted it. I choose you as a spouse but ye haue refused me: Wherefore I will now judge you for all your wickedness and abomination, saith the Lord; for Amos. 2.4 three transgressions, and for four I will not turn to you, because ye haue cast away my ways, and haue not kept my commandements, your lies haue caused you to err, after the which your Fathers haue walked. ye haue Ibid. 6. sold the righteous for silver, and the poor for shoes. ye haue 7. gaped over the head of the poor in the dust of the earth,& perverted the ways of the meek. Ye haue Amos. 6.3 put far away the evil day, and approached to the seat of iniquity. Ye haue 4. lain and stretched out yourselves vpon your beds of ivory. ye haue eaten the lambs of the flock, and calves out of the stall; Amos. 6.5 singing to the sound of the Violl; drinking wine in bowls; and anointing yourselves with the chief ointments, but none of you haue sorrowed for the affliction of joseph. Wherefore I 8 abhor both your persons and your palaces: and although ye seem to be as high as 2.9. Cedars, and as strong as oaks,( proud and oppressing,) yet behold, I will now destroy your fruit from above, and your roote from beneath: for I am even 13. pressed under you,( by reason of your iniquities,) as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaves: I can bear you no longer. ye haue heaped up vengeance for yourselves against the day of wrath. For the Ibid. 14. flight shall perish from the swift, and the strong shall not strengthen his force, neither shall the mighty save his life. Come therefore, take, bind, and Mat. 25.30 cast these evil, slothful, and unprofitable seruants into utter darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Most certainly then the reward of sin is death, The misery of Hell: being most fearful& terrible. and as certain the place for sinners is Hell, the lake burning with fire and brimstone for evermore. Woe worth therefore those pleasures which must be sauced with torments, and woe worth those persons that must live in hell, a prison,( a loathsome prison) from whence there is no redemption; torments( grievous torments) of which there is no remission; there is eternity without end; extremity without mean; watching without sleep; pain without ease; crying without comfort; wringing of hands without hope; gnashing of teeth without love; knocking, but none will open; calling, but none will answer; struggling, howling, turning, tossing in the fire, cursing, banning, suffering, yet never dead; dying, yet ever living; the senses daily quickened to feel the torments, and the soul continually understanding, to perceive and endure her eternal condemnation with the divell and his Angels. Whose heart so stony, that will not relent? whose presumption so great, that will not fear? whose mind so cruel, that will not pity his own soul, the which this night before to morrow,( it rejoicing and continuing in sin,) may go to hell? for mans life is but as a Ps. 396. span, as a job. 14.2.7.1.2. shadow, as a thought, a blast, a bubble, a flower, and all our dayes are but Gen. 47.9. few and evil. O let none, whether high or low, rich or poor, in what estate soever he be, live wickedly and pleasurably in a day, to go to hell in the night; or in a night, to go to hell in the day, but let them spend their time in holinesse and righteousness, not in Rom. 13.13 surfeiting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying, not in coveting and oppressing, not in lying and swearing, that so they may die joyfully and dwell with God eternally in heaven, where is fullness of ioy, and pleasures for evermore. For what shall it profit a man to enjoy the pleasures of the flesh for a season, and to win the whole world, and lose his own soul? PRAYER. O Holy and eternal God most righteous and mighty judge of the whole world, thou which canst not suffer thy law to be broken, nor thy name to be blasphemed, but hast threatened death to the breakers, and contemners thereof: and indeed for sin we see daily, that death taketh hold vpon all, and none can be redeemed from the power of the grave: and as death, O Lord, is thy Sergeant to arrest us, so Hell is thy prison to detain us, if we die in our sins; the door of this dungeon and bottomless pit is shut up more strongly and sure, then was thy sepulchre sealed by the Iewes, and guarded by the souldiers, for the key of this prison is given to thy holy Angel, safely to be kept,& never to be opened, but for renewing of iudgement and increase of the torments of the damned. I humbly beseech thee therefore, O Lord, to give me grace that I may tremble and fear at thy judgements, acknowledging thee to be a just and mighty God, able to punish, and confounded thine enemies, as thou art most gracious, willing and of power to preserve and glorify thy children: that so I may daily fear to sin, and learn to do well, giuing and ascribing unto thee; all power, majesty, might, honor, glory, and dominion, for ever and ever, Amen. MEDITATION. XI. PRAYER. PRayer, it is the daughter of Rom. 10.14. faith, begotten by 14. knowledge, and nourished by zeal; Psa. 6.6. fear keeps her waking, but 9. hope makes her rejoicing, the Ps. 51.3.4 sight of our sins presents the fear, but the 25.14. beholding of Gods mercy doth bring the ioy. The parts of Prayer to make it sweet and pleasant unto God are five: The parts of Prayer. the Knowledge of him; Faith in him; Psal. 119.139.111 Prayer if it be not perfect and effectual, it is to no purpose. zeal to him; fear of his wrath; and Hope of his love: For Prayer without Knowledge, is but blind devotion: without Faith, but abomination: without zeal, but lip verberation: without fear, but presumptuous intrusion; and without Hope, but desperate deploration. Therefore a man to hope of pardon and haue no fear of sin, is to presume of mercy: to fear and haue no zeal, is to fly the rod: but not to care for God, and to seem zealous, and haue no faith, is a vain profession, without religion; For, Rom. 10.14 how shall they call on him, in whom they haue not believed? and to make show of faith without knowledge, is as an eye without sight, not able to direct, but cause a man to fall into the ditch; For, Ibid. 14 how shall they beleeue in him of whom they haue not heard? Most dangerous then it is to neglect the reading of the Scriptures, A dangerous thing to refuse& neglect the reading of the Scriptures which must beget faith, and direct prayer, and increase knowledge exceedingly. and hearing of the word of God, by which wee must come to the true& perfect knowledge of him; for therein wee shall understand and learn of his nature, which is holy; of his wisdom, which is infinite; of his power, which is omnipotent; of his glory, which is incomprehensible; of his truth, which is infallible; of his Law, which is incorrupt; of his iustice, which is inflexible; of his judgements, which are importable; of his inquiring knowledge, which is inpreuentable; of his mercy ever abounding, The scriptures declare the glory, wisdom, power, iustice, mercy& goodness of God: the malice of Satan: and the misery of man. The scriptures bring comfort& ioy to the godly and elect. The blessed estate of the godly in heaven. of his love ever flowing; of his grace ever calling; of his spirit ever sanctifying; of his blessings ever alluring; of his goodness ever visiting man to come unto him: therein also shall we understand of his glorious Angels, praising and obeying him; of the divels fearing and trembling before him; of his creatures waiting and attending him; and of sinful man tempting and provoking him. But to the ioy of the elect, they may behold therein heaven gates opened unto them, the son of God Christ Iesus receiving them, his Father kissing them; the holy Ghost ouer-shadowing them; the Angels saluting them; rich garments made ready for them; crownes of glory bestowed on them; their heads annoynted; their eyes wiped; their cheeks washed; their lips sanctified; their hearts purified; their hands strengthened, Christ his glorious coming for the comfort of his Saints. and their feet prepared for to meet the lamb Christ Iesus; for he hath called and invited unto his wedding many people; his espouse, the church, is lovely and all glorious within; he is coming to meet her, his heavenly palace is most sumptuously trimmed, his provision and delicates are infinite, his officers and waiters are the Angels, and Archangels; the dowry and jointure which he doth bestow vpon his espouse is the kingdom of heaven;& the gifts and rewards which he bestoweth vpon his guests, are glory, and honour, immortality and eternal life: Christs fearful coming for the destruction of the wicked. this being done, the throne is set up for iudgement; the earth, sea, and hell do bring forth the wicked and reprobate to appear before the lamb, whom they most cruelly had persecuted and slain; but he is risen, The court of iudgement. and now triumpheth in power and majesty: the high Court of iustice is set; the patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, and Saints, are there openly advanced and preferred; there is great silence in heaven, the most large and high commission of the son of God is red; the books are opened; the prisoners are brought unto the bar, they are arraigned, indicted, accused, found guilty, condemned, taken, bound, and thrown into the bottomless pit of hell, The misery of hell. with the divell and his Angels: there is howling, roaring, weeping, gnashing, turning, burning, wishing, wanting, dying, but ever living; stung, but never cured; tormented, crying for ease, Consideration of the iudgement, or thinking of the joys threatened, and promised: may move aany soul to pray and delight in prayer continually. Prayer without knowledge is vain. but never to be heard, nor never to be released. What heart will not tremble to hear and red of this iudgement? what soul will not pray night and day to be cleansed from her sin, to be freed from this death? and what seruant of the Lord will not rejoice, praying continually for grace and help to continue faithful and obedient unto God, that he may be saved: And most certain it is that without the knowledge of these things, our many and babbling prayers are but like Pharaohs seven thin and blasted ears of corn, and like his seven il-fauoured and lean fleshed kine, far unfit to be an offering, or present for the Lord: for without knowledge prayer cannot be framed: Gen. 41.1. without faith it cannot be holy, without zeal it cannot be fervent, without fear it cannot be sorrowful, and without hope it cannot be comfortable: A fearful sin to keep and take away the Scriptures from the people And therefore how cruel are those Scribes and pharisees, which lock up the book of knowledge, the word of God, and the sacred Scriptures from the simplo people; commanding them to pray, but in ignorance; to worship, but in supperstion; they calling vpon Saints& Images, yea sometimes vpon divels? for many to whom they pray being cannonized for Saints, haue been in their life time most devilish, vile, and wicked men. But if they knew the Scriptures, God only must be worshipped and called vpon. they onely would pray to God, who is most jealous of his honour,& will not haue it to be given unto any other: for him only must we worship,& him alone must wee serve, because none but he hath created, redeemed, and sanctified us; none but he hath truly taught, given wisdom, and blessed us: and none but he shall come in glory, to raise us up, and to judge both quick and dead, and to give reward unto every one according to his works. And for our further instruction wee are to learn that Prayer is a speech which we make unto God, Prayer, what it is. with great reverence and worship; a petition, with a repetition of Gods iustice and mercy: a confession, with sorrow for our sin; and a profession, with a protestation for amendment of life. Wherefore wee must take heed of the carnal and worldly mens breuiate or short cut in Praying, A cauiate against short mumbling Prayers. who to colour and excuse their own sluggish and dull devotion, do condemn those that make long Prayers in zeal and grief of heart: affirming that a short Miserere or the Paternoster, is sufficient to please God,& obtain pardon for their sin. Indeed, it must in some sort be granted, that in time of necessity when as a man cannot either be suffered to make his Prayers unto God, Acts 7.57. as steven could not, for his enemies ran vpon him all at once and stoned him: or be watched, as Daniel was: Dan. 6.11. Acts 9.24.25. 2. Sam. 6.7. or be pursued, as Paul was: or be suddenly strooken with death as uzzah was: in all these and such like cases, a short Prayer and faithful, be it but a word, yea, a thought from the hart calling vpon God, is a most forcible& effectual Prayer in the sight of God. The Lords Prayer a president and pattern for all our Prayers to be founded& grounded vpon it. And the Prayer set down by Christ was not delivered by way of exception against any other Prayer, but as principally to be used as a special form, then which none can be better, so by way of direction to show that all our Prayers must be built and framed vpon the same substance and foundation, and also to show his wonderful wisdom in compiling so infinite a matter in so short a method; and to condemn the long Prayers of the Scribes& pharisees, who thought to be heard for their long and much babbling, which was merely formal and hypocritical: but our saviour Christ himself after the delivery of that Prayer,& also the Apostles continued long in praying,& used some other form and manner of prayer, but never varied from the matter and substance therof. Sundry occasions may justly cause and enforce long Prayer. For sometime the sight of sin condemning, sometime outward affliction pressing, sometime inward motions rebelling, sometime the love of God inflaming, sometime his benefits persuading, sometime dangers approaching, and lastly, death appearing, maketh a man or woman to poure out their souls before God, with long& many supplications, which either to the sorrowful or joyful in the Lord do seem but short, easy, comfortable& pleasant: and therfore david, Psal. 119.164. he often prayed unto the Lord, even seven times a day, and he desired that he might continue in the house of the Lord all the dayes of his life, to behold his glorious beauty, and to hear his holy oracle or word: whose example may condemn, and make all those ashamed which blasphemously do scoff& deride at the word of God, and at all holy exercises, saying; Tush, Atheistical scoffers at holy exercises. to follow the Church,& to hear many Sermons, it doth but increase melancholy, and hinder mens callings in their outward business: Indeed to such it is the savour of death unto death, and as poison to their souls, they preferring Mammon before Manna: but the time will come that a little, nay a tittle of the word shall be as deere to be bought to comfort their soul, 2. King. 6.25. as bread was in Samaria to comfort the body,& yet they shall not find it. For do they not by their contempt of reading and hearing of the word, openly oppose and withstand the wisdom and the gracious ordinance of God appoynted for mans salvation? O ye foolish men! No greater blessing or comfort for the body and soul in this life, then Prayer. what greater comfort inwardly to the soul, or blessing outwardly to the body, then by faithful prayer to call vpon the Lord for to bless our labours; and to hear or red his holy word, to direct us in all our ways? And notwithstanding we haue twelve hours in in the day to follow our worldly business in getting of outward riches, promotions and preferments, in seeking and getting whereof wee are never weary; yet for us to spend two hours in the day in holy exercises to obtain heavenly riches, Much time is spent in worldly business but little in godly and holy exercises. as faith, hope, wisdom, charity, meekness, patience, honour, and glory, and that for ever; we account every minute too much and every hour ten. If so therefore our outward callings( as ye will say) must be followed with such labour and diligence,& as it were night and day, without any intermission, why then, how much more should our inward calling be followed with diligence, watchfulness& prayer? A far greater& more special labour to get grace, then to get worldly riches. For every wicked man by his toiling and labouring may get riches,( through Gods sufferance, and that in his wrath:) but it is a far greater labour for his Saints to obtain the heavenly graces( through Gods mercy, and that in his love:) heaven gates are not opened unto any, but to those that watch and pray continually; heaven is not easily obtained. none can be Citizens& free of the heavenly jerusalem, but such who haue faithfully and painfully served for it, even night and day, Gen. 29.18. as Iaakob did for Rahel: the Lord heareth none but such as praise God earnestly with david, Psal. 34.1. Mat. 26.75 Gen. 27.34 & weep bitterly for their sins with Peter. Esau sought a worldly blessing with long entreaty and many tears, and thinkest thou to haue a heavenly blessing, Mat. 7.21. with crying and calling onely, Lord, Lord, when as thou never caredst to do and perform the will of the Lord? learn therefore, that the confession of the mouth without faith in the heart, or a cry of the voice without grief of the mind for sin, it is not an offering but an offence; no oblation, but an abomination before the Lord: wee cannot ascend unto the heavenly hill of Sion, 1 Sam. 14.4.13. but wee must with jonathan get up the rock, as it were with all four, hand and foot, heart and eye; We must not return unto the world when wee are in the way ascending unto heaven. for the way is narrow, raggy, steep, and dangerous, troubles without, and fears within, and therefore wee must make sure footing, and not look downward, nor behind us, nor shake hands with the enemy, lest he pluck us down head-long to our utter ruin and confusion. Let us therfore highly esteem and labour for the gift of Prayer, which being truly taught, and diligently sought, wee shall be made learned in Knowledge, strong in Faith, fervent in love, reverent in fear, and joyful in Hope, to our eternal comforts, and Gods glory, for ever. The use hereof is, To know God. that we diligently seek and learn to know God and his word, whereby we may be thus taught( as before is declared) to make& frame our prayers unto him in true Knowledge, perfect Faith, sound zeal, reverent fear, and joyful Hope: To be reverent in our prayers without presumption in the presence of God. and not to present before him ignorant, faithless, idle, presumptuous, and fruitless speeches, with careless behaviour, declaring our foolishness before him, and offending his ears, provoking his patience, and procuring his wrath: for the incense to be offered unto God, must be of the sweetest perfume; the sacrifice, of the fattest of the flock; and the first born must be without blemish which is dedicated to him. Exod. 4.10. Moses being wise, doubted and thought not himself eloquent enough to speak unto Pharaoh; Gen. 33.3. and jacob being discreet, feared to present himself before his brother Esau: But how many now a dayes being blind without knowledge, lame without charity, cold without zeal, dead without faith, Imperfect and presumptuous prayers are abominable in the sight of God. presumptuous without fear, and vain without hope, do( as it were hand over head) without all care, respect and reverence; rush into the presence of God, seeming and making show to come near unto him with their lips, when their heart is far from him; and can this service and sacrifice be acceptable unto the Lord? nay, he doth detest and hate it, for without a clean heart and pure hands, without true knowledge, and lively faith; and without godly zeal and christian love our prayers are as poison, and our sacrifices as Serpents to sting and infect our souls with death: for so was it with Nadab and Abihu, lieu. 10.1.2 who offered strange fire, and an unholy sacrifice before the Lord. It hath been and is the common course in this world, Outward professions are diligently learned; but heavenly knowledge is greatly neglected. that every man with great care doth strive to bring up his children in some moral studies or mechanical science or trade, for otherwise they will be far unfit for the Court or city: but alas, how few do take care and pains to train up their children or seruants in the knowledge of Gods word, and to exercise them in Prayer, teaching them the way to godliness, Godly instruction begets obedience, knowledge, love and thankfulness. and showing them Christ Iesus the rock of their salvation; and how Satan in his malice sought and devised their confusion, that thereby they might be made fit to give all obedience, honour, and glory unto God for their deuerance, and to offer up prayers and praises in his holy sanctuary for his most merciful and gracious preservation? The end therefore of prayer is to nourish repentance, to exercise our faith, to continue our patience, to confirm our hope, and to put our trust in God for evermore. PRAYER. O eternal, Wise and glorious God, without whose blessing neither knowledge, grace, nor wisdom can sink into the heart of man: for thou onely must make it ready, as good ground to receive the seed of thy word; thou onely must water it to make it fruitful; and thou onely must preserve it to make it happy. mollify therefore, O Lord, we beseech thee, and soften our stony hearts, that wee may learn to know thee, and to understand thy will, fearing thy majesty with reverence, and worshipping thee aright, rejoicing in thy promises, and trusting in thy mercies; that so our Prayers and praises which we shall offer up unto thee, may at all times be pleasing and acceptable in thy sight, and we evermore refreshed in thy love, through Iesus Christ our onely Lord and saviour. Amen. FINIS.