WHosoever thou art, of what­soever degree, sex, or Condi­tion, if thou hast not as yet entred the feild agaynst the [Page 2] common- Enemyes of thy sal­vation, let mee advise thee now at this very instant whilst thou art reading this sum­mons to buckle on thy armes, and march out speedily, it is Arme, arme, arme. high time, the Enemyes are growne strong and potent for want of opposition, whilst thou lyest sleeping out thy time they have almost entered, nay they have allready také posses­sion of thy soule; dost thou not perceive how they beginne to smother the thoughts of hea­ven, to quench the good mo­tions 1 Thes. 5. 19. of the spirit? they are ready to advance theyr owne Diabolicall thrones in thy heart, sinne beginnes to reigne Rom. 6. 12. 7. 23. in thy mortall body; the [...] of the members rebels agaynst that of the spirit, thy understanding is darkened, thy will instead [Page 3] of conformity to Gods is growne rebellious, all the facultyes both of body and soule are ready to yeild them­selves weapons of unrighteousnesse to sinne; is it not high time Rom. 6. 13 then to look about thee? and greive not that holy spirit that Ephes. 4. 30 hath marked thee out to; a better designe; thou hast in thy Baptisme received prest mony to fight under Christs banner, and to continue his faythfull Souldier to thy lifes end; didst thou not there pro­mise, Catechis­me in the booke of Com. Prayer. and vow to forsake the Devill and all his workes, the pompes and vanityes of the wicked world with al the sinfull lusts of the flesh? this was the end of thy Baptisme, & let mee tel thee plainly, it is great pi­ty that ever that Sacramentall water should have wet thy [Page 4] face, if thou shouldst now for­get the end of thy Christian calling; who made thee a Christian? thou wast not Non natus, sed factus Christianus borne so, no naturall worke (I am sure) hath done it; Chri­stianity growes not on the bitter Roote of Nature, thou art therefore called of God to bee a Christian, thou art called of Christ to bee a Christian Philip. 3. 14. Souldier. S. Paul gloried more as hee was a Christian by calling, then as an Apostle by his function; hence it is that a Christian calling is the con­fluence of all happinesse; if it G. Na­zianzen. were possible to contract all the excellencies that are in Excel­lency of the Chri­stian cal­ling. Math. 13. 45. most eminent callings, the same are to be found in Christians, A Christian is that Mercator gemmae, hee that selleth all hee hath, and trafficks for the Pearle; [Page 5] a Christian is the Right Soul­dier that fighteth the good fight; 2 Tim. 4. Rev. 5. 10. a Christian is that Royall Priest that is made unto God who shall reigne on the earth: lastly hee is the man that fits on the white horse which had a bowe, and a Crowne given him better then the Crownes of Kings and Princes. Rev. 6. 2. these Heathens were surely foolish that called Christians poore Originalls but of yester­day, a fond people they were that thus judged; not to speake of Crownes, put but in priviledges of Chri­stians. the honors which attend on Christians, they will be found unspeakable; what is like unto that of talking with God? wal­king with God? bearing the Gen. 17. 3. Act 11. 26 Gen. 4. 22. 1 Tim. 6. 12. Rom. 8. 15 name of Christ? fighting under his banner? entertaining the spirit into our hearts: excellent [Page 6] also are the Priviledges that attend on Christians, the com­fort 1 Pet. 1. 8. 1 Tim. 1. 5 1 Thes. 1. 6. of joy, unspeakable, peace, of conscience, joy in the Holy Ghost, as S. Paul hath is concerning the Jewes, to whom belong the adoption and Rom. 9. 4. the glory, and the Covenants, and the giving of the law, and the Dignity of Christians service of God, and the Promi­ses; hence it is that they are 1 Pet. 2. 9. stiled [...] generation, a Royall Priesthood, an holy Na­tion, a peculiar people: if it bee thus whilst we are in the Race, how glorious will it bee 1 Cor. 9. 24. when wee have finished our Course? if it bee thus in the Combat, what will it bee in 2 Tim. 4. 7 the Conquest? if there bee so much honour in the per­son that grace hath made a Christian, what then is to bee found in the grace it selfe▪ [Page 7] every man riseth to honour three ways.

• 1 By Favour.
  A Chri­stian made honorable by favour.
• 2 By Descent.
• 3 By Vertue.

And a Christian hath all these severall rises; but it is grace that makes him truly noble; procul dubio ea est vera Nobilitas quae in favore Dei S. August. [...]onsistit, there is not a greater [...]onour then to bee in favour [...]ith God.

The Bereans are called No­ [...]le Act. 17. have not I planted bee a Noble vine? (sayth God) of the Church. Jerem. 21. are there not vessels of [...]onour 2 Tim. 2. 20? all [...]ese titles of honour are given regard of Gods especiall [...]vour, this is the estate of a [Page 8] Christian by Gods favour truly honorable.

Secondly, a Man is honorable by descent when hee cometh 2. A Chri­stian made honorable by descent Rom. 8. 15 Mar. 3. 35. from honorable parentage and untainted house, if title, & des­cent make honorable then may the Christian bee accounted truly noble. Hee calleth God, Father, Christ, brother; whosoe­ver shall doe Gods will which is in heaven he is Christs brother, and sister, and Mother; here is a noble alliance. Matth. 12. 50.

Lastly, a Man is made noble by vertue, and that's the cheife A Chri­stian made truly ho­norable by vertue. Nobility, here it is that a Chri­stiā hath his primeexcellence; for vertue is not to bee found out of Christianity, moral vertues are but shadowes, in a Christian, every vertue is a grace, and grace is that which ennobleth states Prov. 14. it [Page 9] sets the stampe of Honor upon Christians, nay it enno­bleth soules. S. Paul, S. John, Ephes. 3. 8. Luk. 16. 20 Lazarus, to themselves they were but ragged, but grace made theyr soules so honorable that they had a guard of An­gells to convey them into A­brahams bosome; thus the gracious calling of a Christian is made honorable both in body and soule, good reason; it is a calling of God distinguished from others of men, other callings are honorable by way Great difference betwixt the calling of Chri­stians, and that of Men. of assignement, this flowes immediately from God, it hath its deduction from him, doth not depend on any thing from man, this is the right calling, all others are but crafts and trades, then surely if Chri­stians have theyr calling from God, a Christian is a man of [Page 10] God, but if the name and pra­ctice agree not, aliud profes­sione, aliud conversatione, then the name of Christianity is not a Comfort but confusion, the true marke of a Christian is not magna loqui, but vivere: it were better bee a bad Heathen then a bad Christian, to have the forme of Christianity, and 2 Tim. 3. 5 not the power is meere hypo­crisy; omne nomen ab actu a S [...]holler is knowne by his study, a Merchant by traffick to practice godlynesse is the proper Act of a Christian, and the buffetings of Sathan are the markes of a Christian Souldier, yet not every scratch or scarre can bee tearmed the Churches glory, but when it is as some times: with the Ro­manes, quot vulnera, tot ora, so many wounds, so many tongues [Page 11] to expresse the glory of God; all those wounds which are received in warres for the Countryes good are Gods ho­nour, it was the saying of Maelius, that hee had no armes, or coate of Heraldry to bragge of Hae cicatri­ces sunt meae imagi­nes. Sal [...]st. In ipso non sunt vul­ner a sed ego habco in ipso claro loco. but those honorable scarres received in combat for his Countreys safety; thus Telamon upbrayded Ʋlisses, that he had more words then wounds; it was Alexanders honour to goe bare in that place where hee was wounded; thus did hee likewise encourage his Father being lame of his foote, goe on and shame not to limpe, every step you treade is a pace of honour; here was glory but not in Christ, the wounds were stigmata, but not stig­mata Christi, here was glory, but in the concrete, not in the Gal. 6. 18. [Page 12] abstract; then is the true glory when Christ is made the ayme of all encounters, then what­soever The true works of a Christian Souldier. blowes shall bee endured will appeare as so many ho­norable trophyes erected to his glory.

Adde unto all this for thy further encouragement, the Justice of the Chri­stian Soul­diers cause. Ephes. 6. 7. Justice of the quarrell be­twixt thee and the Enemyes, no bad cause. God himselfe hath commanded to put on the whole armour, to resist the Jam. 4. 7. 1 Pet. 5. 8. Devill, to be sober, and vigilant, surely then the cause must needes bee good, otherwise the Lord of hoasts would not have thus farre enjoyned it.

As the cause is just; so the Conse­quence of the cause. consequence is of no small im­portance, no lesse then the glory of God, the honor of the Lord of hoasts, and the eternall [Page 13] salvation of thy poore distres­sed soule, nay thou shalt bee no sooner in the feild, but the Pax belli filia. daughter of warre, the peace of God, and of thy owne con­science shall salute thee, even Col. 3. 15. that peace of God which passeth all humane understanding, that peace of conscience which is so unutterable, but no such peace Phil. 4. 7. Peace the end of all the Chri­stian Soul­diers com­bat. Psalm. 2. 4. (sayth God) to the wicked. Esay. 52. 25. Hee shall bee like the troubled sea that cannot rest. v. 20. he that sitteth in heaven shall laugh his security to scorne whereas thou after the Victory shalt have the golden Crown of Christs approbation, the applause of Saints and An­gels: thus shall it bee with the man whom the King loveth. Ester. 6. 6. if thou dost but fight, I will assure thee of Victory, I know the willing­nesse Matth. 26. 41. [Page 14] of the spirit and the weake­nesse of the flesh, being under Christs standard, if thou Encou­ragement to take up armes. lookest on thy owne weake­nesse, and the Enemyes strength there is small hope, but if on Christ Jesus the Captayne of thy salvation, no cause of doubting, hee hath coold Heb. 2. 10. the Enemyes courage, bruised the Serpents head, hee may hisse Gen. 3. 15. at thee; but cannot hurt thee, his sting is out; hee was once strong, but now Christ the stron­ger hath spoyled him of his ar­mor Luk. 11. 21. 22. Col. 2. 15. wherein hee trusted, and divided the spoyles, hee was a mighty Prince in worldly Canaan, but good Josiah hath subdued him: on then in the strength of Gods holy name, bee not white liverd, shew not thy selfe a fresh water Souldier seeing thou hast re­ceived [Page 15] a The signe of the crosse. Military Sacra­ment in Baptisme, and given up thy name to Christ, to whom thou owest thy life by a double right, first, for giving it thee, then for restoring it being lost, thy life through sinne was morgaged, but Christ hath redeemd it, the condition to continue his faythfull Souldier to the end.

Wilt thou then digresse from the proper end for which thou wast made? did God make thee to lust after sinne? to delight in sinne? to act sinne? no surely; God made thee for this end that thou mightst do good, and Matth. 4. 10. live to his glory; It makes mee stand amazed, when that I consider of the fiercenesse of the Lyon, and the mildnesse of the Lambe, the cruelty of the [Page 14] [...] [Page 15] [...] [Page 16] one and the gentlenesse of the other, and yet that men should bee so foole-hardy as to hugge Extreme folly of the wicked. the one, and so besotted as to reject the other, to leave Christ, that Lambe of God which taketh Joh. 1. 29. away the sinnes of the World, and to fight for the Devill, that roaring Lyon which seek­eth 1 Pet. 3. 8. whom hee may devour. O inhumane and more then monstrous that any age should produce such a crew of Miscreants, such a Dungeon of iniquity! what to rebell a­gaynst God? to deface his Image Josh. 22. 19 1 Cor. 15. 49. in their soules, and to set up that of the Devil; but let them take their course, Christ knowes whose they are, vos ex Patre Diabolo esti, &c. yee are of your father the Devill and Joh. 8. 44. his workes yee will doe. Let this then animate, and encourage [Page 17] thee to fight this battel, to serve God, and to doe good, not to spend thy time idly, non vitam veluti pecora, not to rowle out thy dayes in doing no good as indeede brute beasts do, bestirre thy self ther­fore, rowse up thy spirits, think on the thing that is before thee, presse forwards towards Phil. 3. 14. the marke, thrust through the crowde of worldly employ­ments, but looke not back like Lots wife lest thou bee par­taker of the like Apostasye. Luk. 17. 32 Pares culpae pares paenae A Souldier being in skirmish with the Enemy if hee lookes back, it argues a Cowardize, or carelesnesse in him. So thou being a Souldier in this spirituall combat, if thou shouldst looke back minding more thy pleasures, and thy profits, those onyons, and flesh­pots Numb. 11. 5. [Page 18] of Egypt; what would this argue? but eyther a fear­fulnesse or a secure careles­nesse in thee, and then where­as Lots wife was turned into a Piller of salt, God shall turne thee out of his presence with that fearefull sentence, Ito maledicte &c. depart from m [...]e thou cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devill, and his Angels, Luk. 25. 41.

Being now encouraged for the fight, that thou mayst bee the better enabled to give the onset, it will bee necessary that I show thee the use of the Armor, wherewith thou art to bee furnished, for it is ill fighting without Armes. The weapons then which serve to 1 Pet. 5. 8. conquer that roaring Lyon (as the Apostle cals them) bee these.

• [Page 19]1 The Girdle of Truth.
• 2 The Breast-plate of Righteousnesse.
• 3 Shod with the Prepara­tion of the Gospell.
  Gods Ar­mory. Ephes. 6. 14.
• 4 The Sheild of Fayth.
• 5 The Helmet of hope, or salvation.
• 6 The sword of the Spirit.

The first peece of Armor, or Weapon (for so I call it) is the Girdle of truth in these The first weapon of Gods Ar­mory. words; having your loynes girt about with the Girdle of Truth; here now thou oughtst to have thy soule fenced, and encircled about with this Girdle of Truth, otherwise called uprightenesse of heart, 1 Cor. 1. 14. Joh. 24. 12 and singlenesse of heart, that no evill or corrupt thoughts may adventure to enter in, [Page 20] and that the whole heart may seeke after Righteousnesse, for God layes charge to the whole heart, and hee layes clayme to it also, hee will have all or none; hee admits of no division; why? because it is just that thou shouldst give it him, and that for a twofold Reason.

First, because God made the heart, and therefore most Reasons why God should have the heart Ps. 100. 5. 2 Reason. Deut. 10. 12. right to it, It is hee that hath made us, and not wee our selves.

Secondly, God did not onely make the heart, but hee doth also sanctify the heart, and saveth it being made, hee is Cordis Gubernator the di­rector and Ruler of thy heart; is it not Reason then that hee should have the whole heart to himselfe, and not to [Page 21] part stakes with any other? hee will not have part of it given over to sinne, and part kept for himselfe, hee will have it all: and it must bee a heart girt with the girdle of truth, it must bee girt close to him, intimating thus much that Truth is not ashamed of it selfe, nor doth it shame others that professe it, but it will truly adhere, and stick close, (as a Girdle doth to a mans body) to those which do most advance, and defend it.

The second peece of Armor is the Breast-plate of Righte­ousnesse, The se­cond wea­pon of Gods Ar­moury. having put on the Breast-plate of Righteousnesse. Now as before was comman­ded Verity, so here is enjoyned Sincerity. Truth went before, Righteousnesse followes after, [Page 22] as the Breast-plate, and the Girdle touch each other, so Righteousnesse, and Truth being met doe kisse each other, Psalm. 85.

The Righteousnesse that here is meant, is, the Righte­ousnesse What is meant by the Braest­plate of Righte­ousnesse. of Christ made ours by imputation so that by this imputation of Christ, thou art made partaker of him, and his merits; a great Priviledg! but the mayne utility of this Breast-plate of Righteousnesse The use of the Breast­plate. doth most appeare in the pla­cing of it, to defend the heart. In hot, and feirce warres you know that a Breast-plate is one of the needefullest peeces of Armor you can have, the Reason, is because it covers, and fences the heart; now you know the heart is a Principall in a man, it is primum movens, [Page 23] & ultimum moriens, the first living, and the last dying; if The Heart to bee carefully guarded. the body or any part of it bee but ill affected, the heart is truly sensible thereof, how necessary is it then that thou shouldst have a Breast-plate to secure it? just so it fares with this Breast-plate of Righ­teousnesse, it covers the heart, and doth defend that which is most subject to be offended with sinne: how therefore shouldst thou labour for to bee furnished with this Breast­plate of Righteousnesse, which is so highly esteemed of, or at least should bee? how shouldst thou have thy heart defended with this Breast-plate to keepe o the darts off sinne from it, to oppose, and extinguish sinne in it, for if sinne once get footing in thy heart, it will [Page 24] quickly spread it selfe through the whole man, if thou hast Jam. 3. 13. Righteousnesse in thy heart, it must needes oppose sinne, but have a care, the heart is de­ceitfull above all things: and therefore it is that God doth so often call to thee for thy heart, my sonne give mee thy heart; what then shall bee Prov. 23. 26. thought of those godlesse, and gracelesse persons? what will befall, and light on them that do as it were give the [...]selves Voluntarily to the D [...]vill? leaving in theyr hearts a roome for the Devill there to inhabit, and take so much delight in the acting, and pro­secuting their lusts to the full, till al last theyr iniquity being come to the full, God shall requite them in the fulnesse of wrath for ever more.

A third weapon is to have your feete shod with the prepara­tion The third weapon of Gods Ar­moury. Ephes. 5. 16. of the Gospell of Peace; those that goe to warres will pro­vide that they goe not bare­footed, nay, they are so farre from going barefoted, that they will bee provided of the best bootes, or shooes that possibly they can procure to hold out the weather; and to keepe them warme. So thou that art a Christian Souldier must endeavour to have thy feete shod with the preparation of the gospell; so that thy paths, and wayes may bee the wayes of Righteousnesse, and Peace: for if thou expectest to come to the Kingdome of God which is Righteousnesse, and peace, thou must walke in peace, and have thy feet shod with Righteous­nesse, and Peace.

Thou seest that it is tear­med the Gospell of Peace, and why? because the Gospell is Why the Gospell of Peace. peaceable and full of Consola­tion, whereas the law is ri­gorous, and full of condemna­tion, therefore to make thee to adhere the more unto the Gospell, and to relinquish the deedes of the Law, here is a great inducement set upon it in calling it the Gospell of Peace.

The fourth weapon is the sheild of faith; Above all things The 4 weapon of Gods Armory. take the sheild of fayth whereby thou mayst bee able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. It is to bee confessed that in warres a sheild is most usefull, and necessary, for by it darts are repelled, and driven back; the reason, because it covereth the whole body; So this [Page 27] Sheild of faith which is here both commanded, and com­mended is so usefull, and so necessary that a Christian Souldier cannot bee without it, for it covers the whole man, and repels the severall assaults, and affronts of the Devill;

Secondly, it is very necessary Necessity of the sheild of faith. for a Christian, to have this sheild of faith, because hee cannot live without it, for the just shall live by faith, with­out faith it is impossible to please God, and whatsoever is not of faith is sinne: so that it is im­possible No life without faith. to bee without this excellent sheild of faith, for hee cannot bee without Gad, and therefore not without saith which brings to God.

Now because God calls to us to shew our faith by our Jam. 2. 6. [Page 28] workes, it will bee therefore not amisse to shew thee what The works of faith. are the workes, or operations of faith, and they are two fold.

First, it operateth in thee sincere love, and charity both First work of faith is love. 1 Joh. 4. 16. towards God, & towards thy Neighbour; love is the fulfilling of the whole law, and if faith which worketh by love doth produce, and create love in Gal. 5. 6. thy heart, thou canst goe no higher step then love, for if thou truly lovest God, thou wilt truly serve God: now if thy faith hath no operation, it is but a dead faith; for the Devills themselves have Jam. 2. 2. faith, they beleeve, and tremble, credunt fide, tremunt timore they beleeve through faith, 1 Cor. 13. 2. and tremble through feare, yet they fayle in this one thing, they neyther love God, [Page 29] nor man; It behooves a Chri­stian therefore, to let faith have a full worke in him, it must bee a working faith, like unto Aarons precious oyntment which ranne downe from his head to the beard, and so to the Ps. 133. skirts of his cloathing; diffu­sing, and spreading it selfe through all the powers and facultyes of thy soule, all thy words and works must sa­vour of faith, for as it is a sheild to cover the whole man so it must diffuse it selfe through the whole man.

The second operation of faith is perseverance in good Second worke of faith is perseve­rance. Exitus acta probat. workes: it is not enough to beginne well but thou must end well; Charity to the poore is a good worke; Prayer is a good duty, but if thou doe not as the Apostle sayth, pray conti­nually, [Page 30] and thy love endure to the end, thou mayst fayle of 1 Thes. 5. 17. thy end; faith will make thee to persevere when that thou beleevest in God, and trustest on him till at last thou arrivest at that heavenly habitation which is the end of all thy hopes. It is hee that endures to the end shall bee saved. God Math. 24. doth promise salvation but it must bee in the end; when thou hast done thy worke, then it is that God will pay thee they wages. The la­borious husband-man there­fore though hee toyle, and Spes alit agricolas. moyle all the day long, yee he cheeres up himselfe that hee shall not onely have a quiet rest all night, but that hee shall bee payd for his labour. The Captayne as hee passeth through the pikes, comforts [Page 31] himselfe that in the end of the battell hee shall have a Victo­rious conquest with great spoyles; and thus it fares with every good Christian; though the waters of affliction rise high, the flouds of sorrow Were it not for hope, the heart would breake. [...]oare, and lift up theyr voyce yet hee sayles on, hee rides through the storme till hee arrive at the wished port; and why? because hee knoweth that [...]ee which endu [...]eth to the end the same shall be saved. Sal­vation is not set up onely for those that enter into the lists, nor for those that put them­selves upon the trayned band of Christianity, but for those Non otian­tibus Coe­lum. that strive; it is praenium cer­tantium: this if any thing, will make thee enter into the lists, and being there to lay about thee; It is no hard measure [Page 32] to bee put thus to it, if tho [...] lookest but upon the prize that's heaven; he is but [...] faynt-hearted Souldier tha [...] will not strayne a joynt fo [...] heaven; it was otherwis [...] with that victorious army [...] Martyres, they did not stay till troubles came but met them and did not only entertayn [...] but welcome them; but that's not all, as heaven is praemiu [...] certantium, so it is praemiu [...] vincentium, the Conqueror Reward, vincenti dabitur, to him that overcommeth shal [...] bee given a Crowne of life, not every slight combating will Rev. 2. 7. serve the turne, but the con­stancy of the end; Judas was in the lists when hee confessed that he had betrayed innocent bloud, thus in the confusion of thy sinnes thou dost but [Page 33] combat, not overcome, but stay not there, adde unto thy con­fession, hearty sorrow for thy sinnes, that ever thou didst offend so good a God, so grati­ous a father; adde unto faith, pa­tience, unto patience godlinesse; unto godlinesse; brotherly kind­nesse; & with brotherly kindnesse, love; for if these things bee a­mongst, and abound, they will make you that you never shall be idle 2 Pet. 1. 5. 6. &c. Iob. had Job 42. 10. many encounters, but the per­severance to the end was the Crowne of all; S. Paul had ma­ny stripes, endured much im­prisonment, stoning, shipwrack, though every foote of ground hee trod, was a mine to blow him up, yet for all that, not a Crowne, but then when hee had fought the good fight of faith, when hee had finished his [Page 355] Course, then with joy hee stretched out his hand for the Crowne, hence-forth (sayth hee) is layd up for me a Crowne of Righteousnesse; & quid tu 2 Tim. 4. 8. Paulo acceptior. Dost thou thinke to have it without a Victory, it cannot bee, vince [...] dabitur it is only for them that conquer, for them that continue to the end. Then com­fort thy selfe in this that thou art not bidden to fight, but for a prize, not to labour but for wages, though God might enforce thee, yet hee invites thee, when hee calls thee to it, it is for a Reward; if it bee to repentance hee will ease thee, if to affliction he will give thee patience; if to suffer with him then thou shalt bee sure to reigne with him, and if to perseveronce then thou shalt [Page 35] have a Crowne of Righteous­nesse which God the Lord will give thee in that day, and not only to thee but to all them that love his appearing, and continue to the end; there is a sublimit as [...]atiae as well as gloriae; faith [...]ove, patience, charity may bee in theyr height, but perseverance is the top of all, that sets the Crowne upon thy head, that only lyes at the threshold of heaven, non qui pugnat habet victoriam, non qui currit habet palmā, sed qui perseverat, corona­tur; Finis coro­nat opus. it is he only which endu­reth to the end shall be saved.

The excellency of this sheild of faith, is, that it doth The ex­cellency of the sheild of faith. not only cover the body but is also a meanes to preserve, and keepe the other peeces of Armor from danger; what is the breastplate of Righteousnesse [Page 36] without the sheild of faith? without faith all thy good workes, all thy Righteousnesse will bee as nothing; whatsoever Rom. 14. 23. Gal. 11. 12 is not of faith is sinne; It is faith only that justifies by the merits of Christ, and not by the workes of the law. O the excellency, and efficacy of faith! It is stronger then Lyons, by it Daniel closed up their de­vouring jawes; it is stronger Dan. 6. 21 Dan. 3. 5. then fire, not a hayre of the three children was touched, nor any part of their cloathes singed; it is stronger then wa­ter, when that Elisha the Pro­phet made the Iron to swim; 2 King. 5. 6 R. B. faith is that powerfull favourite of heaven, it hath speedy ac­cesse to Christ. A man may be dumbe, overwhelmd with horror of conscience, and as it were even stifled by Sathan, [Page 37] or by reason of some great sinne, not able to speake for himselfe, yet where faith re­sides, prospectabit ex altissimo sanctitatis suae Jehova, God will looke downe from his Ps. 102. sanctuary, that hee may heare the mourning of such as be in Captivity, and deliver the children of death; nay hee will do thus much, if there be but singultus fidei, a sob, or a sigh of faith, nay, which is lesse, if but a pant of faith pre­sent it selfe, I will up saith the Lord, & helpe them, & set them Ps. 12. at rest; nay which is least of al, though the pulse of faith beat not atal, though David be like The very panting of faith pre­vayleth with God a deafe mā which heareth not, or as one that were dumbe not opening his mouth, yet God will looke downe upon him in mercy, as hee did [Page 38] upon the poore man sick of the Palsey. Faith is the Co­venant Math. 19. 2 of all Evangelicall pro­mises, it is the hand that must bee reached out to receive all blessings, Christ exacts it only, Christ appropriates all to faith, he lookes quite through patience, and charity upon faith; faith is the Mother of all these Androgothemos in the 11. of the Hebrewes; faith giveth name to Christians, it sets the stampe on the metall, by the stampe of Caesars image the coyne was knowne to whome it did belong, by the impression of saith; a beleever is knowne to bee Gods peculiar, Act. 15. 9. by faith the heart is clarifyed, and cleansed, by faith being dead thou art revived; by faith thou art regenerated, and Ephes. 2. 8. borne agayne; by faith thou [Page 39] art justified, preserved, and thy Ro. 3. 28. soule eternally saved, by faith thou art raysed from sinne to newnesse of life; by faith thou knowest God, and art blessed of God; lastly by faith thou mayst through Gods assistance expel the Devil, and malignant en­counters, and so in the end having fought the good fight, attayne everlasting Sal­vation, an inheriance that ne­ver fadeth, nor never will de­cay, Ths. 1. 58. but will endure for ever.

The fift weapon is the Hel­met of hope, or salvation, take The fift weapon of gods ar­mory. the Helmet of salvation; A Hel­met in warres is res per necessa­ria more then ordinarily useful it doth not only keep off darts that might otherwise be offen­sive, but makes him that wears it looke the Enemy in the face couragiously, and to goe on vi­ctoriously; [Page 40] Even so he which trusteth to this Helmet of hope, marcheth on undātedly against all the Assaults of the flesh, the world and the Devill, it makes him looke death in the face, as­suring himselfe of victory; it makes him invincible in the day why called the Hel­met of hope. First Rea­son. Heb. 6. 9. of triall, & it is called the Hel­met of hope for two Reasons.

First; because Salvation is the mayne end of thy hope, which thou doest stil expect, and wayt for; It is called Anchora animae, Hope is the Anchor of the soule by which itlayeth fast hold on Christ, therefore it is that the Apostle couples both together, Thes. 5. 6. and for an Helmet the hope of Salvation, intimating that Sal­vation is the end of our hope, and confidence.

Secondly, Hope is a meanes Second Reason. to obtaine Salvation, it is one [Page 41] of those steps which thou must climbe to Heaven by, by Hope wee are saved; Hope will cause Ro. 8. 24. thee to rest assured of Gods protection. The Mariner ha­ving cast Anchor lyes downe, and sleepes securely, so he that hath cast the Ancor of his Hope in Heaven, whose hope is in the 1 Cor. 15. 19. Lord, needes not then to feare any thing, but may say, and that as confidenly as ever Da­vid did, I will not be afraid of ten thousand of men that have set themselves against mee round a­bout. Againe thou knowest an Anchor must be cast vpou the Ps. 3. 6. firme ground, else it is nothing the better, so thou must cast the Anchor of thy hope on God who is both firme and stable, not relying upon any sublunary or terrene thing, but on him alone; Trust in the Lord there­fore [Page 42] with all thy heart, and good reason, he is a shield to them that Pro. 3. 4. trust in him: wait patiently for the kingdome of heaven; watch and pray, hoping and ex­pecting Pro. 3. 5. Lu. 21. 26. for the Lords comming; hope patienly but yet constantly the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ, say with David, The Ps. 142. 2. Ro. 5. 2. Lord he is my hope, my Rock, and my salvation; this hope in the Lord will make thee to rejoyce; it wil make thee be of good chear, and lastly it will make thee blessed: Blessed is the man that Ps. 31. 24. trusteth in the Lord & hee whose hope the Lord is. Iere. 17. 7.

But now as the Hope of the Righteous is blessed; so the hope of the wicked shall pe­rish; Iob. 18. 31 if thou lovest therefore the salvation of thy owne soule let me advise thee to get Sanctified hope, casting it on God, and [Page 43] heavenly things, leaving, and ut­terly, abolishing all transitory pleasures, and glimmering profits that may any way draw thee from this blessed hope of heaven.

The sixt weapon is the sword of the spirit, take the sword Sixt wea­pon of Gods ar­mory. Eph. 6. 17. of the spirit which is the word of God No Souldier goeth to warres without a sword, it is vsefull both to defend, and of­fend, to defend himselfe to offend his Enemy: So he that fights in this spirituall warfare must be sure to take the sword of the spirit with him, to defend him­selfe from the Devil, and to of­fend him that is alwaies assalt­ting him. The warfare it seems is spirttuall so must the weapons be; as for this sword of the spirit, the word of God it is lively in 2 Cor. 10. 4. 5. operation, it is profitable for all it is instructive, it is reprehen­sive, [Page 44] looke but through that sacred book of God, and thou Heb. 4. 1 2. shalt finde that it doth afford helpe to every one, under what crosse, in what state so­ever; art thou wounded in con­science? there is comfort art thou distressed in thy body? there is remedy, there is a salve for every sore, comfort for evey convert. Men commonly now adayes weare swords by their sides, as they walk along the streets to prevent danger that might ensue, if they should be sur­prized by any at unwares. So shouldest thou alwaies have this sword of the spirit along with thee to bereadily prepared for the least encounter of the E­nemy, Right use of the word of the Spirit. so that, if he should come upon thee with the most po­werfull temptations, tell him boldly, Scriptūest; It is written, [Page 45] I must not offend god, who hath been to mee so mercifull & so loving a father, Ioseph was well armed with this sword, when hee was tempted of his M ^ris. How (saith he) can I doe this great wickednes, & not sin a­gainst Gen. 39. 9. God? so that if thou shoul dest be tempted to this, or that sin, as to ly, to swear, to deceive and cozen, answer with Ioseph, How can I do this great sinne a­gainst God? &c. and by this meanes thou mayest soone o­vercome the Devil, and all his violent temptations.

Mee thinks the very eye of God should be as a sword to cut offsinne, or at least wise should make thee to abstaine from sinning, for when thou goest about to commit this, or that sinne, presently thou maiest thinke that the eye of God is [Page 46] over thee, to see and behold what thou doest, the eyes of the Lord are upon all the sonnes of men, to give everie one according to his wayes, and according to the fruit of his wayes; how then Ier. 3 29. darest thou doe that in his presence who is Lord over all, which thou art ashamed to do in the sight of the most inferi­our of his creatures?

Do but converse with that word of God, and thou wilt Excellen­cy of the word of God. finde it otherwise, the excel­lencies of it can no way be ex­pressed. It is the word of com­fort, and trueth, it administers Eph. 1. 15 Phi. 4. 7. 2 Kin. 20. 19. 1 Pe. 12. R. 010. 7. 1 peace to thy soule, and comfort to thy conscience; it is good to thy soule, by it thou art regenera­ted & born agayne, by it, Faith is begotten in thy heart, It is a light unto thy feete, and a lan­thorne to thy paths to direct thee [Page 47] in the waies of vertue and piety, It is (as Christ himselfe Ioh. 17. 27. testifieth) the word of trueth and life, it shewes that God in Christ hath reconciled the world 1 Cor. 3. 1. 1 Pet. 2. 25. Heb. 5. 14. unto him by the remission of sinnes; It is milke for babes, and meat for stronger men, seeing then that the word carrieth such power along with it re­ceive it, and embrace it as a word of power, when it cometh home to thy conscience do not like a child put off the plaster from thy sore finger be­cause it smarteth; againe as it is a word of consolation, with what devotion shouldest thou read it, and with what attention shouldst thou heare it preached but above all how carefull shouldst thou be to practise it? what then remains but to take tolle, lege tolle, lege this sword of the spirit, this word [Page 48] of God into thy hands, out with it on al occasions, make a sanctified vse of it, & then be assured of spiritual comfort here, and eternal salvation hereafter.

So now I have done with the weapons belonging to a Christian souldier, which thou must put on, I say, put on, for it is not enough to have wea­pons, but you must put them on, and arme your selfe with them, put on then the whole ar­mour of God that thou mayest be able to stand, and resist in the evil day against the world the flesh and the Devil. Amos. 6. 3

Being thus compleatly ar­med, and readie for the skir­mish, take notice, that it is not enough to have one part armed, and the other part un­armed; Advise to be com­pleatly ar­med. but you must put on the whole armor of God, if thou [Page 49] doest otherwise the Devill is a cunning enemy, and hee will soon espie it. It is reported of Achilles the Graecian Captayne that his Mother being warned by the Oracle dipt him in the River of Lethe to prevent any danger that might ensue by reason of the Trojan warre, but Paris the Trojan his in­veterate enemy understanding also by the Oracle that he was impenetrable all over, except the heele, went presently, and shot him in the heele, whereof hee dyed. So if thou dost but leave any part unarmed, the Devill will be sure to hit that, let not so much as thy eye bee unarmed, if it bee, hee will present one lewd object or Job 31. 1. Deut. 16. 19. other to thy sight to allure thee; if it bee thy eare, he will make it listen after bad counsel; Prov. 17. 14. [Page 50] if the tongue hee will make that a world of mischeefe; if the hand hee will make it ready Jam. 3. 5. to act all sorts of mischeefe, if the foote hee will make it swift Prov. 13. 4 to shed bloud; if a Ship do but spring a little leake at any part of her, she will in short time bee over-whelmed; If thou dost but leave any part of thy soule ungarded, sinne will presently enter in, and being once in, sinke thee into the nethermost pit of hell. Stand therefore, and watch when the howre of thy visitation cometh, watch, and see the kindnesse of Ps. 17. the Lord, be ready at all assayes to repell these grand, and potent enemyes.

Lastly, I will now shew thee being thus armed, and prepared, how thou must use and put on thy armes, and that [Page 51] must bee with prayer, praying alwayes with all prayer, and Prayer to bee used at the putting on the Ar­mor. supplication for all saynts; praying unto God that hee would send thee his spirit. Prayer is the meanes, and the manner how the weapons should bee used; It will not bee amisse then to shew the use of prayer.

• First, how thou must pray.
• Secondly, when thou must pray.
• Thirdly, to induce thee the more to it I will shew the power and effi­cacy of prayer.

For the first of these, how thou must pray, and in this How to pray. thou art commanded to use three motions; Aske, and you Math. 7. 7. shall have, seeke and you shall [Page 52] find, knock and it shall bee opene [...] unto you: here is first Gods par [...] to thee; secondly, thy part to God; thy part to God lyes in these words, Aske, Seeke, Knock; thus explaned, aske, with the mouth; seeke with the heart; knock with the hand, First, aske with the mouth. God created the lippes, and doth therefore require the lippes; Joakin the Father of the Virgin Mary said, cibus po­tusque erit mihioratio, Prayer shall bee meate, and drinke to mee; If thou wouldst but make prayer to bee foode, and meate, and drinke to thee, thou wouldst find it more excellent nourishment to thy soule, then any corporall foode can possi­bly bee to thy body; and as there is difference betwixt the soule, and body, the one being [Page 53] mortall, the other immortall, the one corporall, the other spi­rituall; Difference betwixt the foode of the body, and the soule. the one temporary, the other eternall; so there is a great difference also betwixt the foode of the one, and the foode of the other, the bodily or corporall foode goes in at thy mouth to nourish thee here in this world, but the spirituall foode of the soule (which is Prayer) doth proceede out of thy mouth to keepe thee, not only in this world, but to bring thee to heaven in the world to come.

The Righteous mans prayer is his delight, and of prayer Prov. 15. 8 there bee three kinds.

• The first is, Prayer meerely
  Three sorts of prayer.
  mentall.
• The second is, Prayer meerely vocall.
• [Page 54]The third is, Prayer bot [...] mentall, and vocall.

These three sorts of Praye [...] have reference to the three motions, Aske, Seeke, Knock Prayer meerely vocall is to pray with the tongue without the heart, this is that sort which God doth so much ab­horre, to mumble over a few prayers and yet not know what wee say our selves, Appropin­quant ore sue, & labiis suis ho­norant me, cor autem à me pro­cul amovent. They come neere unto mee (sayth God) with theyr Esay. 29. [...]5. mouth, and honour mee with theyr lippes but theyr heart is farre from mee; they put that farre from God which he doth most love, and that's the heart. Lip labour is nothing worth Lip-ser­vice to God ab­hominable in Gods eye without the heart, [Page] [...]hat makes the lip acceptable: here are a sort of people [...]hat make their lips theyr owne, saying, who is Lord over [...]s? but that's not the way to [...]ome acceptable to God, to make theyr prayers to become as sweete smelling incense be­fore him, or to become so powerfull as to pull a blessing [...]ut of Gods hand: if thou de­sirest therefore to pray aright, [...] with the mouth, seeke with the heart, knock with the hand.

The second kind of Prayer Ps. 12. 4. Second sort of prayer. is, prayer meerely mentall that is meditation, to meditate or pray with the heart without the tongue; this is allowed by God, and approved by him in the practise of all the Prayer mentall by God ap­proved. saynts. When the children of Israel were passing through [Page 56] the red Sea seeing Pharao [...] hoast behind them, and [...] Sea before them murmure [...] agaynst Moses; but what di [...] Moses? hee cryed unto th [...] Exod. 14. 14. Lord. Cur ad me clamas? wh [...] cryest thou unto mee? (Sayt [...] God) whereas it is not ex­pressed that Moyses sayd any thing at all, only it was his inward, and ardent prayers to God in the behalfe of the children of Israel: pray then with thy heart, and pray with thy understanding also, and if place, and time will admit 1 Cor. 14. 15. pray with thy heart and tongue together.

The third kind of Prayer is mixt Prayer, both mentall, and Third kind of Prayer, mentall, and vocall. vocall included in the words, Aske, Seeke, Knock, for to aske with the mouth, to seeke with the heart, and to knock [Page 57] with the hand is that, which God so much calls for, wee will render (sayth the Prophet Hosea) the Calves of our lippes Hos. 14. 2. that is, both the heart, and the tongue.

Thus I have breefely shewed thee, what is thy part to God, which is to aske, and to aske aright, now I will shew thee what is Gods part to thee, and that is to give, Pe­tite & vobis dabitur; Aske, and you shall have, do but aske, and he will give, every one that asketh receiveth, and every Math. 7. 8. one that seeketh, findeth; what­soever you aske in prayer if Joh. 15. 7. you beleeve, you shall receive it: what then will this gift bee? what is it that thou shalt re­ceive? blessings spirituall, bles­sings temporall, the gift of God is eternall life through Rom. 6. 23 [Page 58] Jesus Christ our Lord.

The second branch or mo­tion of Prayer is, thou must Seocnd motion of prayer, to seeke with the heart. seeke with the heart; for the asking of the mouth hath never prevayled without the seeking of the heart; but the seeking of the heart hath oftentimes prevayled without the asking of the mouth; let not then thy heart goe a wandring after the pleasures of the world when thou art at thy devo­tions; God doth promise to bee found of those that seeke, with the heart; If thou wilt seeke Deut. 4. 19 him hee will bee found of thee, as David instructed his sonne Solomon; and agayne those 1 Chron. 28. 9. Prov. 8. 17. Heb. 11. 6 that seeke him shall find him, yet agayne, hee is a rewarder of them that diligently seeke him; many other places there are, which through the word [Page 59] of God thou mayst find all of them instancing this truth God will be found of them that seeke him. Ps. 4. 5. that God will bee found of them that diligenly seeke him: when therfore thou prayest, enter into thy chamber, when thou hast set open the doore of thy lippes, then enter into the chamber of thy heart, but what must thou doe when thou art there? sweepe away all thy sinnes with the besome of Repentance, and then ga [...] ­nish and adorn it with a godly life, as Solomon garnished his Temple before hee prayed in it, 1 Sam. 7. 27. 1 King. 9. 1.

Now for Gods part, in this Particular, do but seeke with thy heart, and he will surely be found, he that seeketh find­eth; here is thy comfort that Math. 7. 28 God will be found when thou seekest aright, when thou art [Page 60] heavy, and weary laden do but seeke, and he will ease thee; Math. 11. 29. now thou knowst every thing that a man seeketh for, is not presently found, so when thou seekest God though he will not be presently found, seeke him yet diligently, and [...]ve not over till thou have found him: I but sayest thou, Object. I have long importun'd God by prayer, yet after long expectation not a sil­lable of any answer at all, to this I answer; Answ. looke to thy prayers, as Anglers do to their baytes, if they catch nothing they looke upon the bayte, then mend it, and throw it in again, so m [...]st thou looke to thy prayers that they be not min­gled with carnall corruptions, thou askest amisse, and that's the reason thou speedest not: Ja [...]. 4. 2. thou wouldest have health, [Page 61] God knowes sicknesse to be better for thee, thou desirest understanding, God knowes that it would but puffe thee up; if thou prayest for wealth it must not be to abuse it in wantonnesse; if for wit not to mayntaine errors, have a care how ever not to beg for sinfull things; advise what to do, so live before men as before God, so pray to God as if all the world were present.

As for the true seeking of God, it must bee done sincere­ly, when all things are reje­cted for Gods sake: whom have [...] in heaven (sayth David) but thee, yea when God is thus Ps. 73. 25. sought, then all the affections dictate nothing, but the prayses of God: agayne, seeke him with mourning as Mary Ps. 145. did for Christ; the Church in Luk. 2. 48. [Page 62] the Cantic [...]es for her beloved, & for the place where thou must seeke God, it is not on a bed of The right way to seeke God Cant. 3. 4. doune, but in a feild of brambles, not cursorily but heartily: thus seeking thou shalt bee sure to find, thus praying thou shalt as­suredly obtayne, nay, so great is his love that he wil give more blessings then thou desirest. The Centurion desired Christ Esay 56. 1. to speake sed verbum unum but one word, yet hee found more, there was one word for the healing of his servant, but Math. 8. 8. many more in the commenda­tion of his faith. Solomon desi­red wisedome, but God gave him wealth, and length of dayes 2 Chron. 1. 12. into the bargayne, one thing hee desired, but received two things more that hee thought Gods great love to them that seeke him. not on; see here the love of God that when thou seekest [Page 63] him, hee comes and meetes thee halfe way, and if thou canst not find him, yet thou shall be found of him, and not only so, but when thou hast Habendo eū omnia ha­bes. found him hee gives thee more then thou didst seeke for; yet further see Christs infinite Luk. 19. 20. love to come, and seeke, and save thee that wast l [...]st. Ecce sons amoris, behold the very fountayne of love, what! was it not enough to come to seeke thee, but to save thee also? O the depth of the love of Christ, and of the wisedome and knowledge of God; how un­searcheable are his judgments, Rom. 11. and his wayes past finding out?

Lastly, seeke God because that all happinesse is in him only thou mayst seeke a friend but easily misse him; Riches, Honours, and preferments are [Page 64] the only things that are now adayes sought, for whereas Riches have wings, a few The un­certanty of Riches. theeves, or a sparke of fire sends them packing; or if they stay so long with us as death thy do but like S. Pauls Act. 20. 38. friends bring us to the grave, as they did him to the Ship, & there leave us; nay, Man gathereth riches, and cannot tell Ps. 39. 6. who shall enjoy them; sometime they passe not to friends but Strangers, this is the vanity which Solomon saw, that a man should have riches, and Eccles. 6. 2. treasures, and not to have the power to eate thereof, but a stran­ger should eate thereof. Not unlike to our Pack-horses that carry great burthens for others, and get nothing but gall'd-backs for themselves. Sometimes riches passe to [Page 65] enemyes; thus did those of Haman to Mordecay. But I Esth. 8. 2. have children (sayth the Rich-man) what though thou hast? they may bee given from thy children to enemyes thus was it with Saul, when the Amalekite brought his Crowne, and bracelet unto 2 Sam. 1. 10. Vix gaudet tertius hae­res. David: admit his children have them, yet how long do they keepe them especially if ill gotten? though thou hast them fast in thy hand, yet they have a squint-eye still looking upon others; there is no more hold to bee had of them, then Saul had of Sa­muels lappe, they do but like 1 Sam. 15. 27. the Raynebowe shew them­selves unto us in all their daynty colours, and then they vanish away. That great Conqueror of the world [Page 66] caused to bee paynted on a Table; A sword in the com­passe of a wheele, shewing that what hee had gotten by the sword, was subject to bee turned about by the wheele of fortune: seeke then for God, labour to bee rich in grace, in faith, in humility, lay up trea­sures in heaven, in these thou Omnium rerum vi­cissitudo. Math. 6. 19. shalt bee thy owne heyre, in the things of this world, an­other man shall bee thy heire, nay, thou shalt bee haeres Dei, cohaeres Christi, get this, get al, no man can want that hath Christ at his Table, as at the marriage of Cana in Galile Joh. 2. 9.

As for Honour, how do men scramble up those craggy Honos, onus paths that leade thereto; and what is honor? it is not in ho­nor [...] but in honorante the [Page 67] meere breath of others; Ho­nors like pictures seeme fairest furthest off, but if you come neerer you shall find that under the thinne skinne of honor lyes a vast corps of trouble, and vexation.

And for Preferment, that last great Idoll of the world, how do men gape after it? whence comes it? It comes neyther from the East, nor from the West, nor from the South (sayth the Psalmist) but why did hee leave out the North? Ps. 75. 6 to shew, that much might bee done by endeavour, by use of meanes, but for all that, God would have one place to come in at; seeke then after God, for in having him thou hast all things.

I will now shew thee the third motion or particular of [Page 68] prayer, and that is, thou must knock with the hand, as much The third motion of prayer is to knock with the hand. Jam. 4. 5. as one should say, doe as you say; as thou sayst well, so thou must doe well, shew thy faith by thy workes, let thy Religion shine through thy life, and con­versation. Bee not like those that pray, and practise not; God will certaynely abhor such, because their hands are embrued in blood; If that a sub­ject Esay. 1. 15. should offer up a Petition to the king, having his hands blood [...]ly dyed in the blood of his sonne, dost thou thinke that hee would accept of it? by no meanes; hee would surely bee so farre from ac­ceptance, that hee would make him feele the severity of law; And thus it is, if thou shouldst offer up thy prayers to the King of Kings with thy hands [Page 69] embrued in the bloud of his sonne, the Lord of life, still cru­cifying Heb. 6. him afresh by thy sinnes, which are as so many speares thrust into his pre­tious side; doest thou thinke hee would accept of it? I trow not: knock then with a Reli­gious hand if ever thou desirest Math. 7. 8. God to open unto thee. Aske and thou shalt bee sure of temporall things, seeke, and God wil give thee spiritual blessings; so knock and hee will give thee eternall life [...], that is hee will open the gates of heaven, and give thee everlasting happinesse more then thy heart can wish, or thy tongue desire.

Now these three motions, Aske, Seeke, Knock, being put together make up that third kind of prayer which I have heretofore discover'd already.

But before I passe any fur­ther, mee thinks I heare thee whisper this Objection, Object. which not only thou, but many thou­sands object unto themselves viz. that there were some that did knock, and yet they were not opened unto. Luke 13. 24. Luk. 13. 24.

To this I answer, Answer. they did not knock with a Religious hand, not with the hand of faith, they had no oyle in their Lamps; It is not enough to say well, but to do well; not to have Religion only at the tongues end, but to have it truly in the practise of it, those had Lampes, but no oyle. Reli­gion Math. 25. 1. without practise, and that's the Reason they were excluded: they are not No­minals but Reals that are ad­mitted into Gods Grammar. [Page 71] There are some that shal knock and say, Lord, Lord, have wee not prophesyed in thy name, and in thy name cast out Devils, Math. 7. 23 and in thy name done many wonderful things? some agayne shall knock alowde, and call strongly to the Lord; saying, Lord, Lord open unto us; Ora­tionis instantia est pulsatio, Luk. 13. 25 Prayer is indeed a spirituall knocking, and this prayer of these damned ones, was a well compacted one, if it had come from beleevers; for,

First thing they desired was, Res optima, the opening of heaven, and prayer is able to doe it, prayer is an excellent picklock, thus did Eliah, and the Theife on the Crosse open heaven.

Secondly, theyr Prayer was modus optimus, a Prayer of [Page 72] unity, they all beganne to say, and it was a prayer of fervency, they were hot in the pursuite, like the children of Israel in extremity, they cry aloud to the Lord for releife; there's the unity of their prayer.

Thirdly, it was scopus opti­mus the best object on which they could fasten themselves, they go to the Fountayne-head, they ingeminate the word, Lord, Lord; and it is that word where all good men beginne their prayers; Prayer is called a Conference with God; if it hath not relation to God, it hath not the definition of prayer, they of Rome pray to Saynts and Angels, but it is most sure, that if it bee not Domine it cannot bee Domina if hee that cals out Lord, Lord [Page 73] shall not enter, then hee that prayes to my Lady wil hardly find admission, therefore this prayer of theirs was well ter­minated, and in that regard a good prayer. But what of all this? here's goodly blossoms but no fruite at all; these things are seemingly good but all these will not serve the turne, that which doth follow poysoned all the rest which may bee reduced into these 4 heads.

First, it was Oratio extorta, the feare of Iudgment brought them to it; in this life God often called unto them but they would not heare, they thought as too many do that a Lord have mercy upon mee at their death would have, done it, but now to their ruine they behold hell open to re­ceive [Page 74] them, heaven shut upon them, they there for cry out, Lord, Lord open &c.

Secondly, it was Oratio hy­pocritica, it had all forme, but not the least power of Godli­nesse in it, a Godly man cals Lord, and Piety doth ingemi­nate the word, but these damned creatures could not say with David, my Lord, and my God; but this prayer of theirs as it was verball, so not cordiall, as verball not reall: they had despised Christ in this life, they would not have him but Barrabas, not his saving grace, but their owne vile affections, and now when their workes as fruits of their faith should have pleaded for them, now it is that they belch out hypocriticall expressions for the obtayning of that [Page 75] which their owne incredulity had in this life forfayred.

Thirdly, it was Oratio arro­gans, a most saucy, arrogant Prayer, what did they thinke that God would bee pleased with sounds? they cry aloude unto God; it is true if a man bee deafe wee stretch out our throates unto him; but what presumption was this to call out thus unto God, who is nigh unto all them that seeke Ps. 34. 18. him? hoc non est [...]rare omni­potentem, sed derogare; but there is a worse thing in it then all this, they came cloathed with their sinnes be­fore him, whose pure eyes can endure no uncleanesse; they did dye in their sinnes, and filthinesse, and then were past washing, or cleansing; it was therefore Opus auda­ciae [Page 76] an audacious prayer.

Fourthly, it was Oratio in­tempestiva, an unseasonable Prayer, when the gate is shut one minute is too late, momen­tum est unde pendet aeternitas, there is a moment of time whereon depends eternity: but that must bee in this life, for God heares prayers only in a time accepted; here is the place, and here is the time too, hereafter is neyther place, nor time, serò levavit dives oculos; prayer is a grace of the way, not of the Country; prayers hereafter are turned into prayses, this prayer of theirs must needes therefore bee unseasonable: now you have the Reason why Christ knoweth them not, knock they may, but let them knock never so long Christ will not open, because Math. 7. 22. [Page 77] they are workers of iniquity.

Knock therefore with the hand of faith as hard as thou canst, even at this beautifull gate, and say with the Psalmist, Arise Lord why sleepest thou? Ps. 44. 23. then thou shalt have this blessed answer returned, I will arise, and sleepe no longer, and will open unto thee, so that I say, Aske, and have, Ps. 12. 5. Math. 7. 8. seeke and find; knock and it shall bee opened unto thee.

Thus I have shewed thee the three kinds of prayer wherein there is thy part to God, and Gods part to thee, The man­ner how to pray. I have also shewed thee the manner how thou must pray, now I will proceede to the second branch, that is, the time when thou must pray, pray alwayes, that is to have a heart alwayes composed to 1 Thes. 5. 17. [Page 78] prayer. Leave then that fond excuse which too many now a dayes make to themselves, to put off prayer, and say that by reason of theyr employ­ments they have no time for prayer: just may it bee with God to send a Plague of Pe­stilence upon such carnall Gospellers, which may hinder their employments, that they may have vacant time enough to call unto him, and [...]o bee left voyd of excuse; but if thou wilt have thy procee­dings prosperous, pray; if thou desirest to spend thy time wel, pray; bee it for peace, bee it in warre, bee it in time of pesti­lence, bee it for superiors, bee it for inferiors, be it for things spirituall, or things temporall; bee it for the state of the whole Church, bee it for any parti­cular [Page 79] member therein afflicted bee it to be freed from those Divine Service of the Church most use­full. troubles which the crafts and assaults of the Devill, or man shall worke agaynst thee, pray stil; and excellent are those formes, which the Liturgy of our Church presents unto thee upon these and all other occa­sions whatsoever. Thou mayst Dan. 6. 10. reade how that the Prophet Daniel prayed three times a Ps. 119. 164. Act. 10. 3. day. David prayed seaven times a day. S. Paul gave him­selfe continually to prayer. S. James his knees were hard­ned like the hoofes of a horse by constant kneeling in prayer: Prayer an excellent way to prevayle. but the knees of most men in these dayes are like those of Elephants, not able to how at all; how many are there that pray not once a day? not once a weeke? nay, how many [Page 80] thousands that call not to God at all, how do they thinke that God will defend them? Certainly he will not do thou therefore get thy selfe within the compasse o [...] his protection, pray, powre out thy Soule before God, and if conveniency of place will not admit the expression of thy mouth, use holy me­ditations, Col. 4. 2. which is a kinde of talking with God; but withall pray alwayes and watch in the Great need of Prayer at all times same; In the time of warres there is alwayes a sentinell watching to prevent the so­daine incursion of the Enemy, and sure I am that thou art alwayes at enmity with the Divell; he still strives to as­sault thee, thou hast need therefore to be still upon thy guard, stand out in defiance [Page 81] looke to him close or else he will creepe in at one loope hole or other; but as in wars the watch seeing the Enemyes approach, gives notice to the Generall, do thou likewise; if the Devill chance by some nonslight or other to come so neere as to close with thee, call to Christ Jesus that great Cap­taine Heb. 2. 10. of thy salvation, under whose banner all true Christi­ans fight, and have vowed to continue his faithfull soul­diers to their lives end, at whose very appearance that grand Enemy of Mankind will make a sodaine retrayte, not daring like a Dunkerker to board a ship that is thus mand, and provided with ammuni­tion.

I have now shewed thee how to pray, and when to [Page 82] pray now for thy [...] greater en­couragement in the com­bat I will declare the power, and efficacy of prayer.

The very meanest and sil­liest beast in all the wilder­nesse is not so much appalled at the roaring of the Lyon, as the Devill that roaring ly­on is affrighted at the prayers of a true Christian, and why? because he knowes them to be so prevalent with God; Prayer is so forcible, that no­thing can withstand it, by it Daniel stopt the mouthes of the Lyons, and by it Jonah Dan. 6. 22. opened the mouth of the Whale. By Prayer Eliah Jonah. 3. 8. locked up the heavens so that it did not raine upon the earth Jam. 5. 17. for the space of three yeeres, and six months, and then againe by Prayer hee made raine to [Page 83] descend from heaven upon the Earth in great abundance, so that the Earth brought forth its encrease. It was the Prayer of Joshua that made that nim­ble post of Heaven who like a Gyant deleghts to runne his course to stand stone still in the mid­dest of the firmament; when David was at his wits Josh. 20. 12 end, and did but pray that the wicked counsell of A­chitophell might come to nought, God stept in with comfort, and caused Achi­tophels 2. Sam. 17. counsell to end in a halter; The Apostles being met together, did by prayer make the very house crack where they were. Prayer is of that force that it will conquer Act. 4. 31. Gods attrybutes, it will lay hold on Gods arme, even that arme which hath [Page 84] done such wonders of old, and will hold it and as Iacob R. H. did, never let him go till he Gen. 32. 26 give a blessing; It will fetch God downe from heaven, S. Paul knew it well enough. Our saviour was so powerfull in prayer whilest he was in the Examples of praying men. garden that he fetcht down Angels: therewas never but one Transfiguration & that was occasioned by prayer, St. Ste­phen by it got St. Pauls Con­version; and by the same way St. Paul had his eye sight restored & his understanding enlightned Act. 9. 11. by prayer Moses was called fi­lius precū the sonne of prayer, if Moses did but pray Gods anger was appeased, and the Plagues from Pharaoh were Exod. 33. 8. sodainly removed By devout Prayer the pestilent affecti­ons of the mind are healed &, [Page 85] the bodily passions cured; Prayer is avertue that prevai­leth against all temptations, a­gainst all cruell assaults of in­fernall spirits, against the de­lights of this lingring life, and the violent motions of the flesh, So St. Jerome; by prayer (saith Cassiodore) the anger of God is asswaged, pardon is procu­red, punishment avoyded and Antisthens large rewards obtayned; nay a very Heathen himselfe could say thus much, that the surest way for men to avoyd the danger of their enemies was to be busily occupied in devout Praier. It is the only ladder to climbe up to Heaven by. In the time of persecution no better way Prayer the onely way to the throne of grace then by Prayer; it is via aequissima, The most equall way; for where Prayer is the Advocate, [Page 86] God is the Ʋmpire; it is via tutissima the most safe way, all humane dependances may be intercepted but nothing can hinder prayer from its ascent to heaven; it is a strong peece of armor that will stand out the shock of any feirce en­counter whatsoever. Prayer is also via mitissima the mildest way, it is armor but for defence only; and lastly is via prom­ptissima the most ready way, other wayes may admit of de­layes, there may be rubbes in the way, but Prayer is swift Prayer wil make way through all difficulties. is violent in its motion, it is in heaven before it is out of the lips, no persecution can stop it, not any afflections can intercept it; the tongue, the lips may faile in their Office but no cruelty can once reach the duty of Prayer; if perse­cution [Page 87] be a batching, Prayer can prevent it: if the Cloudes of affliction beginne to over­cast, Prayer can make them wast a way as the morning deaw but admit that persecu­tion Hos. 6. be come, that thy soule is as it were drenched in afflicti­on Prayer can divert them, and though the sunne set in sorrow, yet joy comes in the morning; when freinds faile then comes in God with con­solation so that I say in all things pray, be conversant in prayer, if any thing trouble thee, pray still, the holy Mar­tyrs when they wrote any let­ters to their freinds, they con­cluded with this word Pray thrice repeated Pray, Pray, Pray to intimate the continuall & comfortable use of Prayer.

Now I have shewed thee [Page 88] the Christian Armour, with the manner how thou shouldest use it: now I will discover the Adversaries against whom thou must fight, but first give mee leave to counsell thee (as the Apostle doth) to stand Ephes. 6. 14. 1. Cor. 16. 13. Gal. 5. 1. [...] Phil. 4. 1. fast in the fayth, and quit thy self like a man; stand fast also in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made thee free, and againe I say stand fast in the Lord, stand therefore ready, stand sure, and stand to the end, and then be assured of a victo­rious Conquest in the con­clusion.

The first Enemy that pre­sents himself in the lists is the The first Enemy the World. world; how potent this E­nemy is many in the world can testify who are yet captivated by pleasures of it, not being able to helpe themselves but [Page 89] live, and dye profest slaves to their great Lord and Master This Enemy the World, is with out thee, whereas the Flesh is within thee, and the Devill about thee yet they have clap­ped hands together, they joyne their forces together to deceive, to intrap and to en­tice the very children of God to their most wicked allure­ments. Looke therefore a­bout thee, and first see whe­ther all be well at home, whe­ther thou beest at peace with­in thy selfe, whether any in­bred corruption lyeth lur­king in thy heart, that is a friend to the world, looke to The flesh a private E­nemy. thy own flesh that false see­ming freind of thine, least it doe betray thee; do not connive at the flesh, if thou dost it will be a ready way to [Page 90] have thy throat cut, for this one enemy within thee is more then tenne without thee, like Jehohanan, and Shimeon, who did almost as much hurt to Jerusalem with­in, as Titus and all his war­like Souldiers did without: or like those Traytors in the Trojan horse, fifty of them will do more hurt in one night then tenne thousand open enemyes in tenne yeeres.

An Enemy besieging a Town, the besieged within shut up the gates, lock up all the ports, and keepe a constant watch COR Civitas O­mnipotentis Regis. and ward that no man may come in to discover their strength: do thou likewise shut up the gates of thy heart, the gates of the City of the great God that no rotten, or [Page 91] evill communication may pro­ceede from it out of thy mouth, 1. Cor. 6. 19. or that no allurements of the world come into it to betray it, but alwayes keepe it un­spotted, and pure, like to the Temple of the holy Ghost. Now having given thee an Item of the impediments in this battle & discovered the sly ambush­ments of the Enemy, in setting thy selfe agaynst thy self, I will shew thee a way how to wayle thy selfe and to come off victoriously; and thus it is.

Let not thy conscience bee spotted, and defiled with sinne if Hic [...]murus aheneus esto Nil tonscire sibi. it be; it will fly in thy face, and so become one of thy greatest opposers; on the contrary, having thy conscience pure, how uncontroulably dost thou come on, & how vi­ctoriously [Page 92] dost thou come off in this Christian combat? live then in a good conscience before Act. 13. 1. God; exercise thy selfe alwayes to have a good conscienct voyd Act. 16. of offence toward God, and to­wards man; purge thy consci­ence Heb. 9. 14. 2. Tim. 1. 3. 4. 2. from dead workes; serve God with a pure conscience, not having thy conscience seared with a hot iron: having thy con­science Mens con­scia recti. thus qualifyed, come what will come, thou needest not feare at all, let the Flesh come, let the Devill come, let the World come, let them all come they shall not be a­ble to touch one haire of thy head, or do thee the least harme possible.

Now thou art come to joyne battle with this Enemy the World, that the world is an Enemy is without all doubt [Page 93] hee that seekes to deprive, and cozen thee of thy estates, and never leaves till hee have brought thee to beggery cannot certaynely bee thy freind, such is the World that seekes to deprive thee of thy heavenly state, and so bring thee to misery; Alas! what is the world but vanity of va­nityes? Eccles. 1. 2. Solomon found it Prov. 30. 8. so, and thereupon advised to remove farre off all vanity, denounceth a Judgement a­gaynst Esay 5. 19. those that draw ini­quity 1 Cor. 3. 20. with Cart-ropes of va­nity; yet the very thoughts of man àre vayne, and the ima­ginations Rom. 1. 21 of a man are vayne, so naturall is it for a man to live in vanity; but for thy part cast these cords off; for the frindship of this world is Jam. 4. 4. Enmity with God, here thou [Page 94] hast as it were presented unto thee the effigies of the world The world nothing else but vanity. now I will shew thee the glory thereof; Let a man hold up the richest colour agaynst the sunne as Skarlet, Purple or the like, nay let a man that delights in gay cloathing make himselfe never so fine, and go never so costly, and let him bee beset with orient Iewels, yet I say put all this agaynst the sunne hee shall see but a black and darke shadow for all this fayre substance: such is the end of all this worldly trash, let it be esteemed never so much, Pleasure, and Profit will be but black when darknesse is upon the moun­taynes, nay they will not only bring sorrow to the heart, and palenesse to the lookes but which is worst of [Page 95] all, darkrnesse, yea thick dark­nesse that may bee felt: yet Exod. 12. strange it is to see how many men now a dayes delight in this world, how like children they runne and catch after butterflyes, goe after sha­dowes, setting up a rest here where there is no continuing City: What comfort, or Rest is Heb. 11. 6. to bee found here? goe but a long the streetes and thou shalt find some singing, and but step further, and thou shalt see some mourning, the bels tolling for poore expi­ring soules, others carryed to their long home, Rachel Math. 4. mourning for her children because they are not; what alasse is the life that is here enjoyed! take but a short view of the severall ages, of the se­verall estates, of the insepara­ble [Page 96] adjuncts, of this life and The life of this world miserable in all estates. In the Ages. it will easily appeare that meerely to live, is no great happinesse.

First, an Infant, that's a life of pitty nine months close Prisoner in the dungeon of the wombe, not beholding the light, which when hee comes into, how sadly hee salutes it, presaging his hard welcome, shaming that hee is naked, lamenting that hee is borne, repining that hee is borne to misery, then if his Cradle proves not his Coffin; he lives a Child, that's a life of folly in his speech, thoughts, and Actions; youth succeeds, that's a life of sinne Manhood the flower of all a life of vanity; Old age that's a life of death; this is the life in ages, what is it thē in callings?

Man lives eyther single, In the Callings. and that is a free life but un­comfortable, or hee takes a wife, wed-lock is the schoole of patience; demure Sarah chid with Abrahā; blear eyed Leah wrangled with Jacob, scorne­full Micol scoffed at David, stubborne Vashtay will not come at Ahashuerus call; and tis no better in the men, dis­creete Abigail lights upon a churlish Nabal; Pilate was as unkind a husband as an un righteous Judge denying his wife the life of our blessed Saviour: whether the life bee private or publike whether wee eate the bread of carefull Industry, or the sweete un­swet for bread of an unacquired Patrimony, in the most retired quiet plentifull condition something fals out still veri­fying [Page 98] that of our Saviour, Sufficient to the day is the sorrow of it; breifely thus by a learned Gentleman.

Looke where you will, like Noahs Dove, thou shalt finde no rest for the sole of thy foot, how much evill company doth the world present unto thee? come (say they) let us be merry, and spend the time in jollity, let us eate, drinke, and be merry for tomorrow wee shall dye, and 1 Cor. 15. [Page 101] they have authority for what they say, they have a Prince to countenance them out, but their prince, and they shall be cast out both toge­ther. Joh. 12. 31. Is it so then? what re­mains? Doth the whole world 1. Joh. 5. 19 lye in wickednesse? Seeke then the kingdome of God, Christs Joh. 18. 36. kingdome is not of this World; and that thou mayest the bet­ter steere thy course in this tu­multuous sea of the World, have a care to keepe off these two Rocks.

• 1 Gilded Pleasures.
  Gilded Pleasures Golden Profits maine im­pediments of Christi­anity. Nulla est. sincera v [...] ­lupt as.
• 2 Golden Profits.

For the first, what is this gilded or paynted pleasure? it is a paynted shadow for there is no true pleasure in this world though thou lyest upon the bed of Ivory, and eatest the Lambes of the flock, [Page 111] and the Calves out of the stall, and sing to the sound of the Violl Amos 6, 4, 5, 6. Eccles 11. 1 inventing instruments of Mu­sick, and drinking winne in bowles, yet what of all this? thou shalt at last come to judge­ment yet for all this how do men rowle out their pretious times? how do they cry out, here's a heaven upon earth? how do they set a side this day and that day? one day for their pleasure, another for their profit, such a day to receive their Rents, such a day to take their pleasures but what of all this time is set a part for Gods service? ei­ther for duties publicke, or private; heres no Remembrance Amos. 6. 6. of the afflictions of Joseph, no holy emulation with David In Templum Domini eamus let us go to the house of the [Page 112] Lord, there is the true heaven­ly pleasure to be found, instead of all this, there is swea­ring and swaggering, hunting, and hawking, hawking after foules whilest the Devill that 1. Tim. 5. 6 cunning fowler is laying nets for their soules, they cry Ea­mus come let us go, but whi­ther? to do wickedly, I and they go in troopes too, and they have good fellowship too, but alas! what fellow­ship is there in such unfruit­full workes of darknesse? Could but the voluptuous man thinke, and verily beleeve that saying of St. Paul that he that liveth in pleasures is dead whilest he liveth, he would not go on so merrily as he doth, but let any man tell him that he is dead, he would present­ly answer, how can I be dead? [Page 104] who is more lively, or hearty then I am? who takes lesse The carnal man a mere dead man. care then I? who hath lesse trouble then I have? do I looke as though I were dead? but let mee tell him whosoe­ver he is, that he is the very Picture of death, he is in a spirituall lethargy, dead in sinnes, and trespasses yet sees it Ephes. 2. 1. not, feeles it not, he sees not the hand writing upon the wall which made Belshazers knees Dan. 55. knock one against another, hee sees not the hand writing in the scripture that the wages Rom. 6. 23 of sinne is death, and thus it is with the drunkard; he takes much pleasure in his Cups but if he did but consider that there was mors in olla, death in the pot, he would not take off his cups so roundly, what is this more then to live in plea­sure, [Page 115] and wantonnesse to bee lovers of pleasures, more then 2 Tim. 3. 4 lovers of God, how sweete a name too do they give their pleasures? sweete pleasures; for my part I do wonder what they do or can sweeten, can they sweeten death here? or can they sweeten death here­after? can they sweeten the paynes of hell? Solomon had as much pleasure as the world could afford, hee had costly houses, fayre Vineyands, gar­dens, Orchards, hee had much cattel, and much coyne, hee had also men servants, and mayde servants, hee had men singers and women singers, what his eyes delighted in hee witheld not from them, but what was the issue of all this goodly pleasure? hee looked on all his workes that his hand had wrought, and [Page 116] that this was also vanity, and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sunne. Set Eccles. 2. 11 then thy cheefest delight and pleasure in God at whose Right hand are pleasures, and fulnesse of pleasures for ever Ps. 16. 11. more.

Now I will shew thee the second impediment or hinde­rance in the way to salvation, and that is golden Profit, this it quid non mortalia pectora co­git. is which draweth away many from the consideration of goodnesse, & their owne hap­pinesse how many are there that like the foole in the Go­spell sing Requiems to their soules, and why? because they have goods layd up for many yeares, his goods were the ground of all his mirth, his profit was the cause of all his pleasure, but God made [Page 117] him, a foole upon Record for Luk. 12. 19. his labour; Thou foole this night shall thy soule bee taken from thee, &c. yet strange it Per mar [...] per terras currit mer­cator ad Indos. is to see what suing, what running, what riding, what sayling, what swimming? and all to get a little profit, which is no sooner had but pre­sently betakes it selfe to it's wings, and flyeth away; but Prov. 23. 5. this is not to use the world as though they used it not, not to 1 Cor. 7. have the conversation witbout covetousnesse, not to have the 1 Pet. 1. 15 conversation in heaven from whence there is expectation of a Saviour; Object. I but sayth the car­nall Philip. 3. 20. minded man if I should pray, and follow this heavenly calling so much I should soone become a beggar.

Answer. To stop this fond and fooish Objection, and plea [Page 118] for advantage of sinne, let him first tell me what advan­tage sinne hath at any time procured, hee that winneth the whole world, and looseth his owne soule hath but a poore Math. 16. 26. bargayne of it, cannot a man live unlesse hee spend his whole life in carking, and caring for the things of this world? cannot a man have time for God, and his calling too? Religion must bee the unum the one thing of this life, but not the unicum the only thing of this life to doe that and nothing else, a man may serve God in Carking care for­bidden. the performance of his cal­ling, no man is forbidden to follow his calling but hee is desired to give God a place with it. There is a great diffe­rence betwixt the Church bell, [Page 119] and the market bell; the market bell ringes but once, yet at the sound of it what running is there to the market by troupes, happy is hee that gets thither first; but for the Church that may ring Peale after peale one Peale after another yet much a do to get a man to the Church, and if his body bee rung into the Chureh yet a thousaud to one but his mind is gonne a wollgathering after the things of the world, the very Math. 6. 21 desires of his heart are upon the world, the world is his treasure and there his heart is Phil. 3. 8. also, but it is otherwise with a child of God, all things with None but Christ. None but Christ is the Godly mans note him are but dung, and drosse in comparison of Christ Jesus, hee lives in this world but not according to this world, hee [Page 120] lives in the flesh but not ac­cording to the lusts of the flesh, hee so useth the Creature that hee alwayes hath an eye on the Creator, but let thy con­versation bee in heaven from Philip. 1. 23. whence thou expectest a Sa­viour; first in thy meditations on God and heavenly things; secondly in thy affections de­siring to bee dissolved, and to bee with Christ which is best of Act. 23. 1. all; Thirdly, in thy practise, living in a good conscience toward God, and towards men, though thy hand bee upon the Helme yet let thy eye bee upon the starres, thy heart being thus planted in heaven thy hands thy head thy foote will become the happy instruments of Gods glory, and all that is within thee praise his holy name.

This Enemy the world [Page 121] being thus layd open and dis­covered, The Chri­stian Sol­dier in battle a­gaynst the world. stand ready armed, and take unto thee the sword of the spirit which is the word of God, take this I say into thy hand, and strike with it. If the world seeke to allure thee to pleasure, hit him home with that saying of Solomon, hee that loveth Pleasures shall bee a poore man, Prov. 21. 17. and 1 Tim. 5. 6 agayne with the Apostle, hee that liveth in pleasure is dead while hee liveth; and at hin a­gayne with that of Job; My delight must be in the Almighty, Rom. 6. that the wages of sinne is death, and therefore thou must not, thou mayst not, thou darest not doe this great tre­spasse, and so sinne agaynst God; but if the world shall still per­sist to tempt thee, reach him with Gods promises which [Page 122] hee hath made to these that take pleasure in him, that hee that delights in him he will give him his hearts desire, Psalm. 37. 4.

If the world come upon thee agayne with profits and riches, tell him that the trea­sures Prov 10. 2 of wickednesse profit not, but Righteousnesse delivereth Esay 44. 9. from death. Prov. 10. 2. and agayne that delectable things Math. 6. 26 shall not profit, Esay 44. 9. and what were it for thee to winne the whole world and to loose thy owne soule. But if for all this the world shal stil assault thee, at him boldly, & tel him that, Godlinesse with content is great gayne 2 Tim. 6. 6. and profita­ble to all things 2 Tim. 4. 8. Now for the close off al that I may take thee quite off from Exit us act a probat. the world, and the things [Page 123] thereof consider the end, it may beginne well but I am sure it will end ill, thou mayst take the pleasure of sinne for Prov. 16. 2. a season, but the issue thereof is the wayes of death, there is but one end, and bee assured that that end will certaynely come, and that perhaps The end of world­lings con­siderable. sooner too then thou art a ware of; doe but consider the end of covetous Achan. Josh. 7. 25. take but notice of the end of greedy Ahab 1 King. 22. 34. looke but into the end of miserable Gehezi 2 King. 5. 27. but above all forget not that wretched end of trayte­rous Judas who for thirty peeces of silver betrayed his owne deere M ^r. Math. 26. 15. see what ends they all came to here, what portion they have now, and what they shall [Page 124] have hereafter; Let al those that thus forget God remember least hee sodainly teare them in peeces & there be none to deliver them; by this time I hope thou art well furnished to encounter, Ps. 112. and come off bravely with this great Idoll the world, but behold there appeareth a se­cond Enemy, the flesh; by his The se­cond Ene­my, the flesh. Non intus ut in cute. out side hee should bee a freind, such a freind hee is I am sure that thon broughtest from home with thee, but trust him not if thou doest hee will in the end deceive thee, whereas the world is without thee this freindly Enemy is within thee, and therefore the more pernicious because hee is in thy bosome, a serpent hugged in thy breast, one that is at bed and Anguis. in [...]rba. boord with thee, but since [Page 125] thou canst not tell which way to avoyd him be alwayes prepared for him, watch him narrowly, and take him off betimes, suppresse the rising of evill motions, foris hostem si non habes invenerit domi; if thou hast not an enemy a broade thou shalt alwayes be sure of one at home, thy flesh thou must have aut hostem Fronti nulla fides. aut socium, eyther a freind or an enemy, how like a freind doth thy flesh looke? but how like an Enemy doth hee lurke? that hee is an Enemy is with­out all doubt, an Enemy I meane to thy salvation, for the flesh lusteth agaynst the spirit, and the spirit agaynst the flesh and these are contrary one to the other Gal. 5. 17. there is no Gal. 5. 17. agreement betwixt God and Belial, and there cannot bee [Page 126] any correspondence betwixt the flesh and the spirit. One Na­tion being injured by another doth by way of Revenge make a Provision for warre and then beginnes a fearefull Battle on both sides; so it is betwixt the flesh, and the spi­rit; the spirit assayles the flesh, and the flesh by way of Revenge sets upon the spirit agayne, hence is that advice of the A­postle, abstayne from fleshly lusts 1 Pet. 2. 11 which warre agaynst the spirit. 1 Pet. 2. 11. here is now open warre proclaymed, no articles of Peace to bee entertayned, it No peace betwixt the flesh, and the spirit. must bee tryed out by strength of armes, it must be fought out to the last. Since it is thus it is the highest poynt of Christian valour to overcome these lusts of the flesh for in doing so thou art more then a Con­queror [Page 127] in Christ Jesus, Ille qui­dem qui suam affectionem vin­cit, libidines refraenat volupta­tes spernit, iracundiam tenet, avaritiam coercet, caeteras animi labes re [...]ellit, &c. hee truly which can overcome his affe­ctions, bridle his lusts, despise pleasures, master his anger, &c. he only is the truly happy, and Cohibet qui sua vota sapit. couragious man; for these lusts of the flesh are they that warre not only agaynst thy soule but agaynst the Lambe, these are they which keepe thee back from praying, or pray­sing God; these are they which make thee have such bad suc­cesse in all thy undertakings, that make all things go crosse with thee, yea these are they which deprive thee of life here, and eternall life, hereafter, if thou livest after the flesh thou [Page 128] shalt dy Rom. 8. 13. Wilt thou then hugge such a serp [...]nt in thy Rom. 8. 13 breast and not oppose him? nay not only hugge but nourish him in thy bosome, even him that will teare out thy heart, I meane pull away thy heart from God; looke then into the law of God, S. Paul had not knowne sinne if the law had not sayd, Thou shalt not covet; Rom. 7. if thou hast Rom. 7. a desire also to know what these rebellious lusts are, thou shalt know them by theyr disagreement with the mo­tions of Gods spirit. S. Paul saw another law in his members rebelling agaynst the law of his mind, and leading him captive to the law of sinne, Rom. 7. 23. Rom. 7. 23 here's the law of the members that is the law of the members that is the good m [...] ­tions [Page 129] of the spirit, the law of sinne resisting the blessed No agree­ment be­twixt the flesh and spirit. meanes of grace, here's rebelling agaynst God one way; with­drawing the mind from hea­venly cogitations another way, so that when the blessed A­postle would do good evill was with him, when hee set before him selfe the law of God, and thought to do accordingly then steps in the flesh and makes a Rebellion with the spirit so that the evill that hee would not that did hee, Rom. 7. Rom. 7. 19 19. if thou then desirest to have any part with Christ thou must crucify the flesh with the lusts, and affections thereof Gal. 5. 24. for what good Gal. 5. 24. action soever thou art about to doe this body of sinne the flesh will intercept thee; doth the spirit tell thee it is good to [Page 130] pray unto God, and prayse his The flesh an oppo­site to all [...] good mo­tions. holy name? no sayth the flesh it will be too tedious, and wearisome so to doe; doth the spirit bid thee fast, and bring thy body under by no meanes (sayth the flesh) eate, drinke, 1 Cor. 15. and bee merry, this course of fasting wil pine away thy body too much; art thou at any time struck Sermon sick that by reason of thy sinnes the very flames of hell flash in thy conscience; come sayth the flesh, this is but a fit of Me­lancholy, drinke a Cup of wine to drive the sorrow from thy heart, here's now the true difference betwixt the flesh, and the spirit, the one is willing but the other is weake, Math. 26. 41. the spirit drawes to God, the flesh hasts on to the Devill: seeing then that these fleshly [Page 131] lusts have such predominance he that doth overcome his cor­ruptions daily standing strongly in the defence of Christ is a greater conqueror then ever as yet lived.

The first advice then that I shall give thee shall be that Advise a­gainst fleshly lusts. of Socrates though an Hea­then yet his councell is good, Homo vince teipsum; O man overcome thy selfe, how ma­ny are there that are able to beare a way great Monarches & Kingdomes by conquest, and yet are borne a way, and bea­ten downe by theit owne lusts? Phillip the Macedonian, Alexander the great, Cyrus that Monarch, Zerxes, Da­rius, and others very Vali­ant, couragious and stouthear­ted men, they had wonne by force and power many King­domes, [Page 132] and Nations, had devastated, and depopulated ma­ny great, and famous Ci­tyes, yet for all this when they came to this poynt, the cheefest of all the rest they could not overcome their own untamed and unbridled lusts, but were so swayd with the concupiscence and desire of them, that I may very well conclude, Se ipsum vincere maxima est victoria, It is the greatest victory to o­vercome thy selfe. Bis vin­cit qui se vincit (Sayth ano­ther Heathen) he overcomes twice that overcomes in such a victory as this is. Valentinian the Emperor said at the point of death, that he did most of all glory in one victory, a­bove all his great conquests whatsoever, and being de­manded [Page 133] by those that stood a­bout him his friends & acqua intance what victory that was, O saith he, Inimicorum nequis­simum devici, I have conquered my most wicked enemy, my owne flesh; a most famous and no­ble conquest indeed this is that which made St. Paul come off Victory o­ver the flesh is vi­ctory in­deed. with Rejoycing, I have fought the good fight, I have fi­nished my course &c. And for every man thus to do it is no easie matter, a man must undergo many a hungry meale indure many agrevious afflicti on, sustayne many a losse, suffer many a crosse, fetch many a grone, shead many a teare before he can fully over come this unbridled flesh; Anger a notable Champion for the flesh. I will instance but in one per­ticular lust of the flesh, and that is, Anger; for how ma­nyare [Page 134] there that are so transpor­ted with Anger, and the desire of Revenge that they have quite lost the nature though they still retaine the names of Christians, he is now a daies in no request that hath not a bigge looke, and a bold pre­sumptuous carriage I meane to outface wickednesse, and to colour it over with a faire glosse; nay this passion of Anger is so violent that it spa­reth neyther man, woman, nor child, freind nor ac­quaintance, and this it was that made Solomon confesse that Anger is cr [...]ell, and wrath is raging, but who can stand before Envy? Prov. 27. 4. What saith the Cholerick man Prov. 27. 4. if that he be but dishonored with any thing, or any thing hath crossed him; flesh and [Page 135] bloud cannot endure it, it is true indeed flesh and blood of it selfe cannot sustaine or in­dure it; nnlesse the God of heaven, give patience to support, and undergoe it: O how irkesome is a crosse to flesh and blood, but if the holy spirit of God were the dire­ctor it would teach a lesson Matt. 5. 24. even to pray for Enemies, that brought them, Moses prayed for the stubborne and un­faithfull Jewes even then when they rebelled agaynst him. Exod. 32. 11. Exod. 32. 11. Blessed St. Stephen in the midest of tor­ments prayed, for his Enemies, Lord lay not this sinne to their charge. St. Paul wished him­selfe to be accursed from Christ Act. 7. 60. that his kinsmen the Israelit [...]s might be saved. Rom. 3. 9. But above all, that patterne Rom. 3. 9. [Page 136] of true patience, Christ Je­sus himselfe, who so dearly Examples of true pa­tience. loved us: even when wee were Enemyes, that he gave himselfe to the death of the Crosse for sinfull mans sake, and as he hung on the Crosse, prayed to his heavenly fa­ther, not for his freinds, not for the Angels, but for sinfull man who was his utter Enemy. Luk. 23. 24. These are written for thy examples, Luk. 23. 24 these are patternes for thy i­mitation, these being set be­fore thy eyes, and well con­sidered will take off thy haughty and cholerick spirit, suppresse thy dominering & swaggering carriage, and bring thee down to the depth of all humility.

Now I have discovered this Enemy the Flesh wi [...]h some [Page 137] of the choicest of his company, how strong they a [...]e, how they lye encamped, what seeming frendship they make the easier to make way for their own vi­ctory and thy ruine, I have also shewed thee how hard it is to put them to the foyl, I wil now use some motives to encou­rage thee to the battle, then being well prepared, I will put the sword into thy hand wher­by thou mayest be able to o­vercome them all.

Then first of all consider with thy selfe that to harbour First Mo­tive to be armed a­gainst the flesh. these lusts is a sinne, and to be lead by them is a great Offence to the Almighty, be advised then by St. Paul not to make Rom. 13. 14. Care of the mayne chance commen­ded. provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof Rom. 13. 14. thou mayest provide for the flesh in seeking after mayntenance and [Page 138] providing meat and drinke for the body; but thou mayest not fulfill the lusts thereof when by immoderate eating, and drinking thou surfettest with gluttony, and drunknesse, thou maiest provide for the flesh in the diligent labour of thy hands to get som competency of estate for thy better subsi­stance Esay 3. 15. in after times; but thou mayest not fulfill the lusts there­of when to encrease thy estate thou dost it in the oppression of thy brethren, in the grin­ding of his face either by cruel extortion, or biting usury againe it is the same blessed, Apostles proposition that thou mayest walke in the flesh 2. Cor. 10. but thou mayest not warre after the flest. 2. Cor. 10. 3. every child of God hath fleshly lusts in him, and divers suggesti­ons [Page 139] of his corrupt flesh re­mayning, but hee doth sup­presse, and keepe them down that they shall not rule over him, he is alwayes strugling, and striving against them, in so much that if he offend at any time, it is not he but sin that dwelleth in him. Rom. 7. 17. Sinne may dwell but shall not raigne in his mortall body Rom. 6. 12. there is in him such a combustion between the flesh, and the spirit that he cannot be at Rest, nay he will not ly downe in his sinne and continue in his shame, can two walke together ex­cept they be agreed? can thy spirit, and thy flesh, which Amos. 3. 3. are Enemies lye together, and be still without any resistance except they be agreed? If it be so it is a certaine signe that [Page 140] thou, and thy sinne are well Quam be­ne conveni­unt. agreed together; it is the manner of lewd, and wic­ked livers thus to be at ease they are ready to say, I thanke God I have none of these troubles, my heart is at ease, I have no griping in my conscience, but all goes well with mee, but let mee tell them it is a signe that sinne is the cheifest copesmat, and The car­nall mans security. companion with them, that their fellowship is with the un­fruitfull workes of darknesse; put then on a holy▪ resolution not to warr after the flesh, no [...] to be lead by the lusts of the same; thou knowest how u­suall a thing it is if that a friend would have thee to doe Ephes. 5. 11 any thing, or goe any whi­ther, which having resolved with thy selfe not to go, or [Page 141] not to do, thou answerest, I am resolved otherwise, and so forbearest the action ac­cordingly, how could I wish that thou wouldest but re­solve if the flesh provoke thee not to fulfill the lusts thereof, from henceforth to know no man after the flesh 2. Cor. 5. 16. and as no man, so nothing that may draw away thy mind from God, or lead thee to the performance of thy fleshly de­fires, but rather to have no fellowship with them, and to reprove them. Eph. 11. 11.

In the second place to adde Second Motive to be armed against the flesh more courage unto thee that thou mayst bouldly stand out in defiance of the flesh consi­der the end of all, the end, I say proves all, and indeede Finis cor [...] ­nat opus. the end will be without end [Page 142] never to end till thou cōmest to Hell there to be in endlesse torment for ever; flesh and blood cannot inherit the King­dome of heaven, there is an im­possibility in it, it cannot; for in that place entereth no un­clean thing, no dunghil cogitati­ons can bring thee thither, then dost thou thinke to sowe to the flesh, and reape in the spirit? thou canst not do it be not deceived with such windy hopes, if thou sowest to the flesh, thou shalt of the flesh, reape corruption. Gal. 6. 8. 1 Cor. 15. 5 not the Crowne of immorta­lity which is the fruit of the spirit; it is playne then that he which makes his heaven here upon earth, not bet­tering himselfe in the way to the t [...]ue heaven is the worse and so the neerer to Hell, O [Page 143] what a miserable condition that man is in that makes his flesh his guide there are too many wofull examples alrea­dy, be not deceived, thy corrupt lust being sinfull the Rom. 6. 23 wages thereof must needs [...]e death; cozen not thy owne soule to expect any better re­ward, to winne the world, to pamper thy flesh and to loose thy own Soul, will be but a sory bargaine in the co [...]clu­sion.

Now having prepared, and encouraged thee to the The Chri­stian Soul­dier in bat­tle against the flesh. Combat I will put the sword into thy hand, wherewith I would have thee to lay a­bout thee, for the Enemy stands upon his defiance, and resolves to stand it out to the Adultery the first Champion of the flesh utmost, if he shall set upon thee with one of his prime [Page 144] Champions, Adultery; feare him not he shall be surely put to death. Lev. 20. 10. if this will not serve the turne answer him, that God is on thy side, and as he is the great Judge both of heaven and earth so he will come to Judgement against him and all his Companions. Mat. 3. 5. But if the Enemy shall be so audacious as to lift up his head againe, let him know that thou hast nothing to do with him, that thy conversa­tion is in Heaven from whence Phil. 3. 22. thou expectest a Saviour, but for his part thou art sure that he hath no interest therein, God hath spoken it, & you will beleeve it, that no Adulte­rer 2 Cor. 6. 9. shal inherit the kingdom of heaven. if Idolatry should appeare in the second ranke turne not [Page 145] to him. Lev. 19. 4. but flye from him. 1 Cor. 10. 14. and keep [...]ot thy self from him. 1 Joh. 5. 21. againe if this great, Enemy shall at any time bring Idolatry a second Champion of the flesh that great Generall of his Ar­my against thee, which is drunkennesse tell him that he is a woefull wretched leader, wo to the drunkards of Ephraim Esay 28. 1. bid him awake, weepe, and howle, Joel. 1. 5. as for thy part thou art resolved Drunken­nesse the great Ge­nerall of the Army. to take heed not to be over­prest with him. Joel. 1. 5. nor to be drunke with wine wherein there is excesse. Ephes. 5. 18. But if any of his pot company shall yet stand out, tell them boldly, that there are twelve miserable discommodityes that will arise from their socie­ty,

• [Page 146] The soule is endangered,
• The body is infected,
• Reason is troubled
• Understanding dulled,
  12 Discommodityes of inordi­nate drin­king.
• Commendations banished,
• Sustenance wasted,
• Letchery provoked,
• Man-hood defaced,
• Beastlynesse resembled:

And lastly God sayth, no drunkard shall inherit the king­dome of Heaven.

• It spends the time vainely,
• Consumes money wickedly,
• It causes the drop [...]ie and o­ther diseases,
• It is the high way to beggery
• It causes freinds forsake them
• The godly to abhor them,
• Neighbours to shunne them,
• Youth to mock them,
• [Page 147] Their own houshould to de­spise them,
• None to regard them,
• God to forsake them,
• And the Devill to take them,

Then who would be a Drunkard? This raging drunken Adversary with his staggering troopes hath like a large tree almost over­spread the whole kingdome, nay almost the whole world, I could wish it to be cut down to the Root that neither stock, stemme, nor stump of it might once appeare above Toto grassa­tur in Orhe. ground, I could wish that there were some course taken with those that make a trade of drunkenesse, if there were a mulct set on every sutling boothe belonging to the Comp, I meane a fine set on every Taverne and Alehouse out of [Page 148] which any were seen to come Drunke then there would be speedy Reformation, if the house were thus punished for selling of dunken cups there would be fewer drun­kards, if there were no Recei­vers there would be no thee­ves; It was a strange law that if the Parent brought in his child drunke before the Ma­gistrate he was to be stoned, Deut. 12. 20. By this it may appeare what hatred God hath to drunknesse; As for those that will not be reclay­med I could wish that as the poore BP. being taken by the Donatists had two dead dogs tyed unto him so they might have the like tyed [...]nto them and led about the streetes for he that gives himselfe to drinke is no better then a dog [Page 149] that returneth to his vomit a­gaine. Justice for these things is already fallen on her knees and it is to be feared will ere long fall upon her face in the continuance of such wicked and debauched courses. Sweairng with his Ruffians.

If swearing with his ruffians shall aff [...]nt thee in the next place, let him know that the land mournes under him and therefore he shall be cut Jer. 23. 10 off Zach. 5. 3. as for thy part sweare neither by heavan, or earth nor by any other oath, let thy toung be made the numpet of gods glory, let thy com­munication be yea, yea, and [...] so thou [...]alt not fall into condemnation. Math. 5. 34. To summe up all, if the Ring­leader of all those [...]roopes that Lust the Ring-lea­der of all the troopes is lust, whether it be fornica­tion uncleanes or wantonnesse [Page 150] shall set upon thee, take no­tice that he is a deadly dange­rous Enemy, he that is lead by him shall set himselfe a­gainst God the Father who ought to be gloryfied in his body. 1 Cor. 2. 20.

Secondly, against God the sonne as he is head of the Church.

Thirdly agaynst God the holy Ghost in regard of his body, whose Temple it is. 1 Cor. 6. 19.

Fourthly, against the Church, no such thing saith Thamar to Ammon ought to be done in the Church 2 Sam. 13. 12.

Fiftly, against the Common­wealth Jerem. 23. 10. The sinne of lust ag­gravated.

Sixtly, against the Party whose Chastity is violated. Levi. 21. 7.

Sevently against freinds, his owne body whose vessell is to bee possest in holinesse and not in the lust of concupiscence 2 Thes. 4. 4. here it is that many are visibly marked in the faces, and are never with­out an Almanack in their bones.

Eightly, agaynst his owne good name, he that committeth, Adultry shall find dishonor, and his Reproach shall never he taken away, Prov. 6. 34.

Lastly, agaynst his owne soule, whoredome, and wine have taken away their hearts, Hos. 4. 11. thus runnes hee on like a foole to the stocks for correction, Prov. 7. 22. and so hee is excluded out of heaven, Rev. 21. 8. Is it so then? walke honestly as in the day, not in chambering and wantonnesse. [Page 152] Rom. 13. 13. the Corinthians held lust to bee such an in­different Wicked men make a mock of sinne. adversary that at the last they swallowed downe incest; how common lust hath beene with the Romanists let the discovery of the dissolu­tion of Abbyes testifye; E­rasmus observing it to bee usuall amongst great ones tearmes it Lusus magnificus the Noblemans Recreation, what duels have beene about a base prostitute? thats the cause why such a fogge hath lately overspread us; as for thy part when thou seest this man doe this or that if hee be pa­tronus causae, he shall be socius poenae and thou shalt never burne the lesse in hell for ha­ving such company; then pray more earnestly, refrayne bad company, thus did Joseph or if [Page 153] thou chance to fall into such, demeane thy selfe so that thou mayst bee like fish keeping it selfe fresh in the midst of salt water.

Secondly, looke to thy Eyes, else the Enemy will creepe in at those win̄dowes, thus Job Job. 31. 1. made a Covenant with his eyes, have a care of reading Iasci­vious bookes, viewing wan­ton pictures, freq [...]enting stage playes &c.

Thirdly, cast off Idlenesse, The way to shun lusts. that's the pillow of lust, for hee that is busy in his calling shuts the doore upon many a wicked temptation.

Lastly, meditate on Gods Iudgments, fast often, make good use of what hath beene all ready discovered, thus goe on, and prosper, I wish thee good luck in the Lord, up, and [Page 154] bee doing and the Lord God of heaven be with thee.

The third grand Enemy to The third Grand Enemy, the Devill. Mans salvation is the Devill, his dominion is great, the other two the world and the flesh are under his command, whereas the one is within thee, and the other without thee, so this is alwayes about thee, the holy spirit of God hath set him out by divers names, and titles, but more especially hee is tearmed.

• 1 A roaring Lyon. 1 Pet. 4. 8.
• 2 A Murtherer. Joh. 8. 44.
• 3 A Prince of the Ayre. Eph. 2. 3.
• 4 The accuser of the fayth­full. Rev. 12. 10.

First, hee is a roaring Lyon The Devil a roaring Lyon. seeking whome hee may devoure, [Page 155] and very fitly is hee called a Lyon for what the world can not doe by alluring objects, and 1 Pet. 1. 8. the flesh by its inticing allure­ments the Devill (if hee can) will doe by his Lyonlike inva­sions, he is also a roaring Lyon, for as a Lyon when hee loo­seth his prey doth swell, and roare for very anger; so this roaring Lyon when hee doth but loose, or rather when any child of God doth make an escape out of his pawes then hee roares, then hee maketh new fetches, then hee is ready to fly in the very face of God himselfe, how many assaults did hee make upon the pa­tience of Job, how many Job 1. crosse blowes did hee give him one in the neck of an­other, if the Sabeans theft and Vers 16. murther of his Cattle and [Page 156] servants cannot moove him, then the Chaldeans shall fill Vers. 17. up the measure of their thee­very, if this will not take, then the mercilesse flames of fire shall consume his sheepe and remaynder of his Cattle, Vers. 18. nay the stone and timber out of the wall shall silence his sonnes, and daughters in the midst of their eating and drinking, onely one shall bee left a live to torment his patience with the sad Relation thereof, yet further if none of all these will doe it then hee sets out a higher throate, and Nebuchad nezar like heates the oven of his malice seaven times hotter then before, he drawes an arrowe out of his owne bosome to shoote at him, sets his wife upon him on one side to pervert him, and his kinred [Page 157] on the other side to revile him, yet for all this Job sinned not with his lippes, n [...]r charged God foolishly Job. 1. 22. this is that which made the Devill roare aloude; The Ezek. 22. 25. scriptures every where set out the roaring of the Lyon to Esay 31. 4. bee extraordinary, the Hart thirsteth after the brookes of Ps. 42. 1. water, the yonge Ravens cry unto God for meate, and all Ps. 147. 9. other creatures in theyr kindes seeke their meate at Gods hand, onely the Lyon hee roares when hee hath no pray, and the Devill Amos 3. 4. hee roares too when he hath not some pretious soule or other to feede on, nay the Devill is worse then a Lyon The Devil more cruel then a Lyon. who if credit may bee given to history, spareth those that fall downe flat before him, [Page 158] but if hee should once catch thee at that advantage hee would trample thee under his feete and teare thee into a thousand peeces.

Secondly, as hee is a roaring The Devil a Mur­therer. Lyon so hee is a Murtherer, Joh. 8. 44. not a murtherer of one man, or of the men of one Towne, one City, one Kingdome, but of the whole world, of all Mankind, It was the Devils malice that brought Invida diaboli mors intra­vit Bona­vent. death into the world, it was hee that brought sinne first into the world, and sinne ushered in death, even eternall death; as for thy life naturall how doth this murtherer go about to take it away from The De­vils ayme at the life naturall. thee how doth hee adde Re­venge to Envy, and perswade a man that if such a man were dead then hee should bee a [Page 159] great man when that indeede many times hee is a happy man in his friends being, then having layd this golden bayte of preferment in his way, hee perswades to murther, so mise­rable is this life of nature that by the instigation of this Murtherer hee that careth not for his owne life is made Master of thine to take it away at pleasure. Agayne if The De­vils ayme at the life morall. it bee thy morall life. i. thy credit and good repute in the world how doth hee la­bour to deprive thee of that too, how doth hee puffe and blow to extinguish those ex­cellent lights which God hath set on a hill to enlighten others by their good lives, and Godly conversation; when the woman in the Revelation was as one would have [Page 160] thought got out of his reach into the wildernesse, yet for all that his malice finds out a way to overtake her, hee casts out water as it had beene a floud after her that she might bee devoured of the water, Rev. 12. 15. beiug got out of his fingers, hee [...]ends flouds of scandall, and opprobrious words after her to drowne if it were possible that good esteeme she had in the world; nay hee is the same still even to these dayes, what blaspemy agaynst Gods word it selfe, that it is but a trick of state policy to keepe fooles in awe, that it hath no more power then Aesops fables, calling it a dead letter inkie Divinity, a nose of waxe &c? what damnable hereticall opinions hath hee broached against that holy [Page 161] w [...]rd? what Atheisticall con­clusions agaynst the very essence of God himselfe in so much that Ireneus in his time could reckon up one hun­dreth and od hereticall opi­nions what scandalous asper­sions hath hee from time to time vomited agaynst the sacred Order of Priesthood, agaynst the professors and pra­ctisers of Gods word? wit­nesse the false Reports impo­sed on the deaths of divers Theod. Baeza. Joh. Calv. Will. Per­kins. that one dyed dispayring in Gods mercy, another raging mad with torment of con­science, a third trusting in his owne merits, and of late what adamnable Legacy was forged, and foysted on that late King of Pre [...]chers, but sufficiently vindica [...]ed by his sonne in a Joh. Lon­don. publike Auditory whereby [Page 162] the Devill was ashamed, and Dr. H. K: at S. Pauls crosse. his Instruments abashed? as for the Professors of Gods word, if any man doe but (as hee ought) make conscience of his wayes, stand upon the sanctifi­cation Religio nunc voca­tur simpli­citas, Bas. of the Lords daye, and other festivals, he is presently accompted more nice then wise; one that desireth to bee singular, one of God Almigh­tyes fooles &c. thus doth the Devill whet his tongue like a sword and shootes for his arrowes bitter words. Psalm. 44. 3.

Lastly, if it be thy spi­rituall life, whether the life of grace here, or the life of glory hereafter, how doth this Homicide by sinnes of all sorts Si non vi: tamen dolo. of all natures, by the obser­vation of all oportunities un­dermine to blow up that too: [Page 163] hee is his crafts master, his The Devil an old ex­perienced Souldier. experience is antient; ab ini­tio from the beginning of five thousand, and odd yeeres standing; It was he that first Bellum in caeto posuit &c. August form. 4. made warre in heaven, that first deceaved in Paradice, that made hatred and murther betwixt the two first brethren, Gen. 3. 3 Gen. 4. 8 he was the Primitive Incen­diary of all the world, and doth he not try us in all our The Devls aime at the life spiri­tuall. wayes, watch our steps nar­rowly? it is he that sowes the tares of corruption in all our Religious and civill un­dertakings, in prayers to God he strives to cast in distrust of what is prayed for; he chokes the hearer of Gods word Luke 8. 9. with the cares of the world, he labours to make the tempe­rate man a glutton, the continent man, luxurious; the Ruler, [Page 164] proud; the Governor to say with shame, Bring yee; he Hos. 4. hath an Apple for [...] Eve; a Gen. 3. 4. Grape for Noah; a Bribe for Gebezy; a Golden wedg, & Gen. 9 21. Babilonish garment for Achan, a Josh. 7. 15. Bag for Judas he can apply himself to al cōditiōsfital humours 2 Kin. 4. 12 Math. 24. if it be matter concerning the People, he can so order it that just commands shall be more questioned then obeyed, that sincere actions shall meet with sinifter interpretations, that The Devill is for all humors. common and easy burthens shall not be borne with dutifull chearefullnesse, nor publique cares sweetened with benigne acceptance, nay that all possi­ble endeavors whereby people may lead godly quiet and p [...]ace­able lives shall be requited with murmuring in stead of blessing. In the heart he puteth evill [Page 165] thoughts, in the mouth cor­rupt words, in the members, wicked operations; he makes thy hands strike with the fist of wickednesse, thy feete swift Esay 28. to shed blood, to conclude he strives to make the merry man dissolute; the sad man desperate: he promiseth ter­restriall preferment, that he may cheate thee of thy coe­lestiall Terrena promittit ut coelestia erripiat Cy­prian: de Zelu. &c. inheritance, he shewes thee meere shadowes that he may cozen thee of the sub­stance, thus doth he take a­way as neere as he can thy life naturall by some malicious plot or other, thy life morall by base and defamatory scandalls, and lasty thy life spirituall by ma­king thee dead in sinnes, and trespasses, and so in the con­clusion makes a small separati­on between thee and thy God [Page 166] world without end. Esay. 59. 3.

Thirdly as he is a Roaring Lyon, a Murthe [...]en so he is called Prince of the Ayre, Ephes. The Devil is Prince of the ayre 2. 3. he is not called Prince of the ayre for any Right that he hath to that Region, but he makes it his owne by usurpa­tion: As he is a Prince he hath many sworn slaves attendants but inespeciall manner hee hath some in service ordina­ry.

1 Atheists, who say in theyr hearts there is no God Psalme: 14. 1.

2 Magitians, that bar­gayne The De­vils Cour­tiers. with him to acomplish their own wicked ends. 1 Sane: 28. 7. Psal: 58. 5.

3 Idolaters, such as wor­ship stocks and stones instead [Page 167] of the true God. 1 Cor: 10. 7.

4 Hereticks, that ayme at the very foundation of faith to overthrowe it. 2 Tim. 2. 18.

5 Apostata's, such as prove Renegadoes, and depart from the fayth received. Heb. 6. 6.

6 All Antichrists, such as are called false Christs wherof (as Josephus relateth) there were great store in the Joseph: lib. 20. ch. 11. 12 14. time of Christ, to this Regi­ment may be added all those that set themselves a­gainst Christ who by their oathes and wicked practices crucify the Lord of life againe. Math: 24. 25.

These are the nobility, or rather ignobolity of this great Princes Court, subordinate unto these are many infernall [Page 168] Officers all children of disobedi­ence, too many have advan­ced Ephes. 2. 3. his diabolicall throne in their hearts, two shall be in a bed, two in the feild, two at the mill there's halfe in half for the Devill, one taken the Luke. 8. 15. other forsaken. Matth. 16. The seede of Gods sacred word fell upon foure sorts of ground, and but one of them good, that's great oddes three to one, three for that in­fernall Cur one for Gods king­dome, The Devil hath too many Ser­vants. three to be tyed up in sheaves and burnt with fire unquencheable, one to be gathered into Gods granary Luke 8. again there was tenne Lepers cleansed, nine of them clave to their ingratefull Mr. one onely returned thankfully to his heavenly preserver, here's nine to one Luke 17. 15. [Page 170] Nay Solomon found not one in a thousand, nay there was not found in all Jerusalem one man that executed Judgement, and sought the truth. Jerem. 5. 1. there was once but eight persons in all the world yet there was one that set up the Devils throne in that smal company. Gen. 7. Nay the whole world lyeth in wickednes. Joh: 5. 19. So potent, so great, so large a jurisdiction hath this blacke prince of the aire this prince of the world and darknesse, Ephe. 8.

Lastly as the Devill is a roaring Lyon, a Murtherer a Prince. So he is also an accu­ser, of the faithfull. Rev: 12. 10. The Devil an accuser of the faith full. he spares no time from accu­sing for sinne but that which hee employeth in temptation to sinne, or inflicting punish­ment [Page 170] on the sinne committed he is the first mover to sinne, and the first accuser for sinne, he busieth himselfe only in preferring bils of inditement a­gainst sinne to the Judge of heaven and earth who will not suffer it to go unpuni­she, how like an Informer doth he lye sculking, and pry­ing into the closest of mans heart that he might be able to lay that sinne to his charge which he himselfe tempted un­to, thus dealt he with our first parents, and this is his dealing with all the world at this time, thus did he ac­cuse Job unto God, Doth Job serve God for nought? Job 2. There is none that can be free from his most unjust ac­cusations.

Is it so then? Is the Devill [Page 171] a roaring Lyon? Doth he compasse the earth seeking whom he may devoure? well for all that he is but can is ea­ten a ligatus, a dogg tyed up in a chayne, latrare potest, mor dere non potest, well may he barke, bite I am sure he can­not. All the world was indeede cowd out by his power till Christ first broke his head in the wildernesse but now the meanest Christian through Christ that helpes him is able to make a jest of him Phil. 4. 13 and hell too. One of the sa­ges of Greece said, that it was better to have an army of sheepe with a Lyon for their Captaine then a Company of Lyons with a sheep for their leader; what though thou art a filly sheepe thou hast the Lyon of the of Judah for thy Com­mander, [Page 172] it is he that hath broken both the head of his power, and policy at once, I am sure he cannot hurt thee.

Is the Devill a Murtherer, doth he by sinne seeke to take away thy life spirituall? doth he by Scandalous, defama­tory reports go about to de­prive thee of thy life morall? doth he by some malicious plot or other labour to put out thy life naturall? feare him not, what though he kill thy body he shall not kill thy Math. 10. 28. Soule the Lord of life will de­liver thee, and blessed shalt thou bee when men speak al man­ner of evill of thee for his name sake. Math. 8. 7.

Is the Devill a Prince of the ayre? God of Heaven is above him? hath he a large power? what though it be so, it is for [Page 173] all that limited; hath he many sworne slaves attendant on him? doth he rule in the children of disobedience? both he and they are at Gods command and when they have dominered to the height then will that King of Kings, and Lord of Lords by his un­limited power clap them up in Everlasting chaynes of darke­nesse Jud. 7.

Lastly is the Devill an accu­sar of the faithful what though, God is the God of truth, he is a lyar. Job. 8. 44. cannot the children of God come to stand before the Lord but he must stand perking up a­mongst them ready to up­braide them. Job. 1. 6. Doth he never rest from Gods el­bow to give information, and to file up bills of accusation? [Page 174] what of all this Christ sitteth at the right hand of God interce­ding for thee, cancelling those hand writings of sinne and Sa­than, who then shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect Marke. 16 15. it is God that justifieth. Rom. 8. 33. and for this accuser Col. 2. 14 Psalm. 68. 8. pr [...]jectus est, he is cast out by the bloud of the Lambe. Rev. 12, 11. Death and the Devill are now swallowed up into vi­ctory 1 Cor. 15. captivity is now led captive that Leviathan who maketh the deepe to boyle Death, Sinne, and the Devill conquered by Christ. like a pot hath now an b [...]oke cast in his nose, and his jawes are pearced with the angle. Job. 40 21. Christs humanity was the bait which he nibled at many a time in the wildernesse and Isid: His­pal. Sent. lib. 1. elsewhere, but not percei­ving the hooke, little thinking of his Divinity was catcht in [Page 175] the conclusion, nay Christ did not leave him so but chaced him downe to those chambers of death the grave, they are not now any longer prisons, but dormitoryes, sweete places of repose for the Saynts departed; thus by the death of C [...]rist the last Enemy is de­stroyed too, thou art not now captive to death the sting is taken out; the death, of Saynts 1 Cor. 15. 1 Thes. 3. 14. Phil. 3. 11. Gen. 5. 24. Phil. 1. 23. is called a sleepe, a change; that of Enoch was a transla­tion, that of Eli [...]h an assump­tion, S. Paul called it a disso­lution, every thing altereth its property where Christ sanctifyeth, hee by the bitter­nesse of his death hath sweet­ned the extremity of ours, the life gave himselfe to death, where as men are usually buryed after they are dead, [Page 176] Christ after his death layd death in the grave, and hell in hell, the lake was buried in the lake, now h [...]ll where is thy vi­ctory thankes bee given to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Cor. 15. 57.

I have now shewed thee what the Devill is, how ra­venous for his prey, how cruell in his intendments, how po­tent in mischeife, and how false in his accusations what neede hast thou then to stand upon thy guard? doe but guird thy selfe with verity, and thou shalt easily withstand his hipocrysie; put on the breast­plate of Righteousnesse; and thou shalt soone oppose his Viciousnesse; take up the hel­met of salvation, and so thou shalt evince distrust, dispayre [Page 177] which all of them end in damnation; thou art not now to wrestle agaynst flesh and bloud but against principalityes, Ephes. 6. 12 and powers, against the Prince of darkenesse of this world, a­gainst spirituall wickednesse in high places, thy Enemy is spi­rituall, and thy weapons must not bee caruall, 1 Cor. 10. 4. doe thou but beginne to fast and pray hee'l soone bee cast out Math. 17. 21. Anthony the Abbat being demanded of his schollars with what armes hee used to resist the Devill sayd; The crosse of Christ, and Athanasius in vitaejus a stedfast faith its his passion are as a brazen wall against the fiery darts of hell, and the De­vill himselfe confessed thus Examples of holy men in conquest of the De­vill. much of a learned man; Tume semper vin [...]is, &c. Thou art still too hard for mee, when [Page 178] I goe about to r [...]yse thee in thy owne conceyte, thou throwest thy selfe downe in all humility; when I endevour to cast thee downe with dispayre thou lif [...]est thy selfe up by a lively faith in Christs merits, so that let mee doe what I can thou surely goest beyond me; follow not then his cōmands since another being demanded how hee could be so patient in the midst of so many grosse affronts offered; O sayd hee) I doe not like th [...] dogge [...]e and bite the stone that was throwne at mee, but seize upon the party that threw it; I doe not whine and whimper under the crosse that is layd upon mee but blesse God by whose per­mission Siquis abinimico lae­sus in Dia­boli caput [...]ffun dat. Bas. it is thus imposed, how ever I revenge my selfe upon sinne, and Sathan who were the onely occasion thereof, I set [Page 179] all upon the Devils score but never strike tallyes with him till I am fully revenged; another man strikes mee, an innocent, shall I therefore strike a third who offended mee not? shall I presently in the vent of my pas­sion fly in the very face of God and offend him; no, no, I will leave Revenge to him to whome it appertayneth, who will one day in the fulnesse of his wrath pay home that grand Enemy of mankind who thus seduc'd mee; this hath beene the constant practice of former times, and thus it should bee now, but alas the sunne sets blushing at the folly of too many in this Sted fast faith in Christ, a sure de­fence a­gainst the Devils as­saults. case, there is too much way given to the Devill. Is then a steadfast faith in Christ an im­penetrable bulwarke against the Devils assaults? is humility [Page 180] by his owne confession, a [...]ure way to goe beyond him. follow not then his com­mands since hee commands to sinne, bee not bound to his trade since hee trades to deceive, bee not a child in his goverment since hee is a Fa­ther of lyes, lastly bee not a subject in his kingdome since hee is a Prince of darknesse, but seeke to avoyde him as thou John 12. 11 wouldst avoyd the end, which is endlesse damna­tion.

Being thus prepared for the Battle, acquaynted with the power and malice of the Adversary, as also the mayne The De­vils ayme to obscure God's word. wayes how to foyle him by the Examples of Religious men in times past I will now put the sword into thy hand, that sword of the spirit, the [Page 181] powerfull word of God, but how doth the Devill strive to take off the edg of this sword? Theeves when they steale put out the Candle, this theefe doth strive to obscure the word for feare of discovery, how doth hee goe about to roule a stone to stop this Fountayne of living waters? Jerem. 2. 13 how doth bee labour to ob­literate these antient Records of thy salvation? lastly how doth hee endeavour to fal­sifye this last will and Testa­ment of thy heavenly Father? Heb. 9. 13. but all in vayne this sword hath a double edge it cannot be blunted, this word is lux mundi, not lux modii, it was formerly light onely in Goshen when all Egypt was darke besides, the Israelites onely had it when all the world besides had it [Page 182] not, the Heathens had some examples of this light, it shone unto them through some chinks onely but it is now sol mundi, all about our Ho­rizon, wee have it in a full Godsword shineth in fulnesse of light. Meridian, this Church of ours (God bee blessed for it) excels the state of all other Churches whatsoever, they had it in expectation, we in active exhibition, they lon­gingly desired to see it but mist it, but now it knocks at our doores, it is but ope­ning the windowes, and it comes in upon us, such a sunny light as this is can never bee obscured; this spi­rituall Fountayne is Puteus inexhaustibilis never to bee drawne dry, that which can make Rivers to flow out of the Joh. 7. 38. bellyes of beleevers must needes [Page 183] be full, hither it is that all be­leevers come to bathe and re­fresh themselves, it is not like that poole of Bethesda scanted Joh. 5. 7. Joh. 20. 25. [...]r want of roome here's room enough, not for a finger as Thomas put in, but for the whole man to turne himselfe round, such a Fonntayne as this then cannot easily bee s [...]opped;

Lastly these Records of thy salvation, this last will of Christ Jesus thy saviour are written with the bloud of the Lambe, and kept in the Roles of heaven, so that heaven itself, and earth shall passe a­way Math. 24. 35. but not one jot of them shall fall to the ground, is it so then? 1 Cor. 16. 13. take up the sword of the spirit, stand fast quit thy selfe like a man, and if in the first place, the Devill shall dishearten [Page 184] thee by laying thy sinnes to thy charge, let him know Math. 24. 35. 1 Cor. 16. 13 that the accusar of the faithfull is cast out. Revel. 12. 10. If hee charge thy conscience with many hainous sinnes, aske him, who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen Rom. 8. 33. The onset.

I but (saith hee) thy sinnes are so many that they cannot be pardoned, answer him, that the blood of Christ is able to cleanse thee from all thy sinnes; 1 Joh. 1. 7.

I do confesse (will he re­ply) that many sins may be par­doned, The Com­ba [...] [...]gainst the Devill. yetnot thine because thou livest in crying, and notorius sinnes, the very guilt whereof doth cry to Heaven for vengeance: bid him avoyd, and tell him with St Paul that Christ Je­sus [Page 185] came into the world to save sinners whereof thou art cheefe 1 Tim. 1. 15. as for the guilt of thy sinues though they were as red as Scarlet yet God will make them as white [...] snow. Esay. 1. 28.

Being thus foiled out at his owne weapon then hee will begin to make a new bout at thee, and tax thee of Presump­tion, saying; why dost thou presume thus of Gods mercy being so notorious a sinner, and that having not repented of thy sinnes it is now too late tell him againe, that At what time soever a sinner shall repent of his sinnes God will blot out all his misdeedes. Ezek. 18.

Then will he seeke to cast a mist before thy eyes, how knowest thou (sayth hee) [Page 186] whether God will accept of thy repentance or no: since formerly thou hast been so backward in this worke of Repentance; let him under­stand, that thou art assured that upon acknowledgement of thy sinnes God is just and faithfull to forgive them, Joh. 1. 9.

When all this will not The main battell a­gainst the Devill. serve the turne then he lifts up his arme to give the fatall blow, to challenge thy Faith that it is dead, and false; bid him keepe off for thou wilt show him thy faith by thy workes Jam. 2. 18.

Alas (sayth hee) thy workes, what dost thou speak of them, thy charity is vaine­glorious, thy obedience, fay­ned, thy Religion formall; and the best of them but hypo­criticall; [Page 187] answere him that thou art no hipcorite thou knowest nothing of thy selfe yet art th [...]u not thereby justified. 1 Cor. 4. 4.

Yea, but perchance [...]he will tell thee, that it is a great signe thou hast beene a notorious offender in re­gard that thy afflictions, and corrections lie so heavy upon thee, let him know that God doth scourge every sonne whom he receiveth, and by this thou [...]ther knowest that thou art a sonne & no bastard. Heb. 12. 7. 8.

He may perchance pro­ceede further, and say whereas thou lookest for p [...]ce at the hands of God thou art deceived for thou canst have no peaece so long as thou dost endure Afflictions. [Page 188] Answer him with the Psal mist The Lord speaketh peace unto his people, and to his Saints that they [...]urne not againe to fol­ly. Psalm. 85. 8.

When all this will not pre­vaile then he comes on afresh. Thou talkest (sayth hee) of Faith, and good workes but what is all this if thou art not elected: tell him thou art sure the Lord hath elected to himselfe the man that is godly. Psalm. 4. 3.

Being thus pinched then he is ready to challenge God The heat of the bat­tle against the Devill. of inconstancy, Gods will (saith hee) may change, & alter. It is false; the gifts, and callings of God are without. repentance. Rom. 11. 29. God was yesterday, to day, and the same for ever. Heb. 13. Nay let him know to his fatall [Page 189] downfall, and overthrow that the mountaines shall remove, and the hils fall downe but Gods mercy shall not depart from thee, if thou livest in peace, nor shall the Covenant of my peace (saith the Lord himselfe) fall away which hath compassion on thee.

I but saith Sathan if there Es. 54. 10 be no alteration in God, yet sure I am that thou art a chan­ger, changing thy good promises to evill practises, and though God is strong yet thou art weake. Answer him; thou art not kept by thy own strength but by the power of God unto salvation Rom. 1. 16. And for all thy weaknesse thou art strong enough to o­vercome Rev. 12. 11. the great Dragon by the blood of the Lambe Christ Jesus.

Then he labours to make thee distrust in God power, [Page 190] what (saith he) how darest thou depend on Gods strength since thou art so wicked a creature? what, hast thou Gods grace, and assistance at command? faint not for all this, but tell him boldly; that thy sufficiency is in God, it is true thou canst not ap­proach to Christ [...]xcept the Fa­ther draw thee, without him thou canst do nothing Joh. 6. 44. but on the other side, through Christ that helpes thee thou art able to do all things. Phil. 4. 5.

Well (saith he) though thou d [...]st trust in Gods strength yet thou dost not know whether God will helpe thee or not because his grace is free, and not at command; for answer shew him thy aff [...]rance, and cove­nant [Page 191] which God hath confir­med, and sealed with the blood of Jesus Christ, I will make an everlasting Covenant with them, that I will, never turne a­ [...]y Jer. 31. 33. from them to do them good, I will put my feare in their hearts that they shall not depart from mee. Exod. 26. 26. how­ever Sathan I will not require helpe of thee, for hardly canst The re­traite. thou helpe another when thou canst not helpe thy selfe.

Lastly, whatsoever it be that he shall lay to thy charge whether it be pride, malice, taking Gods name in vaine, &c. plead Christs suffering up­on thy repentance as a gene­rall release from all thy sinnes, this, if nothing else, will stop his mouth, & make him hide his head being utterly asha­med [Page 192] of so fearefull an over­throw.

Thus I have shewed thee how to repell the Devils as­saults as he is thus furious in the encounter, so he is al­so The Devil observes his times. very cunning in the observa­tion of his time, In times even of prosperity he knowes how to come upon thee David in his aboundnce found it more hard to resist his pleasures then to vanquish great Goliah He­zekiah was safer on his sick-bed then he was congratulated for his recovery, it is ease that slayeth the foole. Pr. 1. 32. That man had need to have astrong braine which the liquor of prosperity cannot overcome, hence it was that Moses chose rather to keepe his Fathers sheepe then to enjoy the pleasures of the Court for a sea­son [Page 193] but well doth the Devill know that hee was one of a thousand; when the wind sits in a corner blowing in pro­fits, and preferments, then is the time of trvall, the De­vill Time of Prosperity the Devils opportu­nity. Luk. 14. 16 layes about him, timidus in inalis tumidus in secundis, it was the yoke of oxen, the wife and the farme that hindred the ghests from the supper of the Lambe, these are the De­vils [...]aytes, have a care then and looke about thee if riches encrease set not thy heart upon them they will betray thee to the Enemy, hinder thee in the combat, and so deprive thee of life everlasting.

If this will not take, he can undermine thee with affli­ctions, sure I am that in affli­ctions man is then at the weakest, when his body is [Page 194] distempered with sicknesse his In time of affliction the Devill most vio­lent. mind cast downe through pre­sent calamity nay his very soule drencht in sorrow for sinne committed, then is the Devill at the very height of his strength not that hee is stronger in his owne na­ture but that hee is so strong over mans nature that is then so weake. It is with the Devill as with an Enemy seeing that by the helpe, and power of Gods spirit within thee thou hast oftentimes foyled him out: hee doth as it were give thee over, but when God shall but once lay his hand of affli­ction on thee then doth hee lay his hand also to make thee dispayre of the prote­ction of that arme which hath thus afflicted thee.

But thus much for thy better encouragement, and further comfort take a­longe with thee these se­verall consolations many in Comforts for poore afflicted soules. the right use of them have come off clearely and my life for thine they will make thee also in this combat, vi­ctorious.

First to bee afflicted is the coate of a true Christian the very Portion of Gods owne Afflictions are the Saynts Li­veryes. Elect; why doth the Devill labour to sinke downe the afflicted man into the pit of dispayre? no man seeketh to obtayne that which hee al­ready possesseth; it is playne that the afflicted are not re­gist [...]ed in the black roles of damnation, because the Devill doth so much endeavour to enter them therein, the Dra­gon [Page 196] in the Revelation did not fight with his owne souldiers, Rev. 12. the Devill rayseth not warres against those of his owne Re­giment, if hee should his king­dome Luk. 11. 8. 12. would not long stand. all his ayme is at the disconso­late soule, he there thinkes to get over because the hedge is low, but hee is deceaved; calamity is the true Christians Coate, and the crosse his Cogni­zance, by it hee is known under what Captayne hee is, in what hand hee is listed, whether hee bee a Christian, and if a Christian Souldier whether one of Christs own Souldiers and all this by the crosse, and more then this, in hoc signo vinces by this, signe shalt thou overcome. It was the hard-ship of Christ [...] thy Captayne to endure the crosse [Page 197] that thou mighst weare the Crowne, hee lay not in Pavi­lionibus fed in praesepio not in a Pavilion but in a Manger, dost thou then looke for a bed of downe in a field of warre? dost thou thinke to he sleeping in the tent whilst thy Captayn is fighting in the fro [...]t? it will not bee, let the trumpets sound, cry out unto the Church militant [...]eamus & nos ut moriamur oum [...]illo come let us goe and wenter our lives with him; thou art a member of that head Christ Jesus, the Captayne of thy sal­vation, hee fights, and so must thou doe too, follow him thy Leader, set thy eye upon him, Christ's correcti­ons the Christians instructi­ons. behold his wonds make them thy study let his scarres, nayles, and lashes bee thy contempla­tion, and in this schoole let [Page 198] thy whole lesson bee scirt Christ [...] crucifix [...]m to know Christ Jesus and him only crucified, no man wil looke for heaven at a cheap rate that sees his Saviour bleeding, can the servant bee greater then his Lord, or the S [...]ldier Nil despe­randum Christ [...] duce. greater then his Captayn fol­low him then through the De­sert with Moses; seeke him with the three children in a fiery furnace; O how God delights to see Job upon the dung hill scraping himselfe with a Posheard! Niniveh in sack­cloath, and ashes, a true Chri­stian tempted, that hee may be tryed currected that hee may be amended, and afflicted that his soule may be eternally saved.

Consider how large the Spirit of God hath beene in the probate of this p [...]yn [...], [Page 199] that Afflictions are the portion of Gods Etect. As many as I Rev. 3. 19. Exod. 3. 7. [...]v [...] (sayth God himselfe) I [...]ebuke and ch [...]sten, and in another place, I have seene the afflictions of my People, a Re­buke then is the signe of Gods God trieth those that belong to him. love, not his anger, and the Israelites did undergoe much affliction, and yet for all that they ceased not to be Gods people, they were afflicted but not rejected; corrected, but not confounded; but why doth God thus afflict his people? That he may refine them as silver is refined, and try them as gold Zach. 13. 9 is tryed, and how is gold tryed but in the fire, and how Gods children? but in the furnace of affliction; God ne­ver reveales himselfe but by the way of tryall, if it be in God ap­peareth in tryalls. the giving his word it is to [Page 200] try how men will conform themselves unto it; if in ta­king it away it is to try how they will deport themselves in the losse of it, if he heape on Riches, honours, Pre­ferments it is to [...]ry whether they will be puf't up or not; if he come with a backblow of Adversity it is for a tryall of Patience, Object. but why doth God try man thus? doth he not search the very reynes, and hearts? doth he not know whereof man is made? probat non ut ille sciat sed ut home se­ipsum sciat, Augusti∣nus Answ. he doth not try that he may know man, but that man may know himselfe, A loving indulgent Father bids the child put his finger into the flame of a Candle, not but that he knoweth there is heate there, but he [Page 201] would have the child to know it to be soe also; God knoweth that afflictions will scorch, but he would have man also to be sensible there­of agayne probat. (sayth ano­ther) Ambros. non ut inveniat hominem sed ut homo seipsum inveniat, God knowes that the heart Jerem. 17. 19. of man is deceitfull above all things, that it is full of intri­cate Labyrinths, and winding Meanders, God knowes very well that man is little better in his natural condition then a Vagabond Rogue that had rather ramble any way then with a Passeport to his owne Country, rather surfet here with the pleasures of sinne for Heb. 11. 25. Luk. 19. 22 a season then to take up the crosse and follow him into life eternall; God knowes all this and much more, but he doth [Page 202] try man that he may know it also, that being thus lost he may find himselfe againe: Object. but what needes all this tryall. Answ. If man were all gold then there were no neede of tryall, if all drosse the tryall were to noe purpose, but man is part gold, part drosse, part Spirit, part Flesh and therefore must be tryed; doth the Goldsmith cast a peece of Plate into the melting po [...] that it may be consumed? Doth God put his children into the fire of affliction that they Gods espe­ciall favour in the tryall of his chil­dren. may be confounded? no, right precious in the eyes of the Lord are the lives of all his say [...]ts he doth it that they might be tryed and purifyed from the drosse and corruption of sinne, so to rise more gloriously out of the flames then when at [Page 203] first they were put into them, that in the end being thus tryed, thus cleansed, and thus purified they may bee vessels of honor here, and vessels of Rom. 9. 21 glory hereafter.

In the second place doth not God the sonne, that great Captayne of mans salvation, Math. 16. 24. bid him take up his crosse and follow him? hee that desires the benefit of Christ gloryfied must first undergoe the hard­ship of Christ crucified, this was the point wherein S. Paul and Barnabas confirmed the An injun­ction from Christ to take up the crosse. faith, and patience of the Di­sciples, telling thē that through many tribulations, they must enter into the Kingdome of hea­ven, Act. 14. 22 as if they should have sayd; if ever you will come to the kingdome of God, or joyes of heaven, if ever you [Page 204] expect heavenly exa [...]tation it must bee through earthly tri­bulation; and thus also S. Pa [...] tutord his scholler Timothy that hee should not bee a­shamed of the Lord, but bee par­taker 2 Tim. 1. 8 of the afflictions of the gospell, heres the kingdome of heaven lock'd in with tribu­lations, heres the profession of the gospell hedg'd about with afflictions, but for thy comfort the holy spirit of God will sanctifye all these afflictions unto thee, assure thee of a free admission into those coelestiall places; let the dam of opposition bee made God in his mercy will comfort all that are afflicted. never so high, never so strong, the holy spirit will cause the great deepes of Gods mercy to bee broken up, the windowes of heaven to shoure downe all coelestiall graces, that in the [Page 205] end this poore weather-beatē barque of thine shall trium­phantly ride over that dam of opposition, and carry all im­pediments before it, which brings in the second consola­tion, that,

As afflictions are the Por­tion of Gods children so God Second Consola­tion. will protect them in all their troubles.

Hee that hath God for his protection needes not care Rom. 8. 31 what man can doe against him, hee that hath God on his side needes not care what affli­ctions he suffers; David found it so. God was a sheild for his glory, and the lifter up of his beaed, such a defence, and pro­tector that hee could lye downe and sleepe in the midst of all his troubles, Psalm. 4. ult. when was it ever seene that [Page 206] the righteous were forsaken, or their seede begging their bread God in af­fliction a sure pro­tector. Psalm. 37. 25. God himselfe tels the Church, when thou passest through the waters I will hee with thee, and through the Rivers they shall not over flowe thee. Esay 43. 2. troubles may come upon Gods Church, and people, but by Gods protection they shall not over­flowe them, persocuted they may be, but not for saken, cast downe but not destroyed; are 2 Cor. 1. 9. there not many [...]cular de­monstrations of Gods prote­ction? how many have beene with Hezekiah at the very pits brime with one foote in the grave yet have beene restored to their former health againe [...] In time of Gods visi­tation. was it not a great protection that the heavy hand of God should bee in one house, and [Page 207] not so much as touch the next adjoyning to it? was there not the same combustible stuffe in the one to fire it, as well as in the other? cer­taynely there was, but the pro­tecting hand of God was in the deliverance, looke up then thou drooping soule, lift up thy eyes to the hils from whence Ps. 94. 17. cometh thy helpe, there's no true helpe but from those hils, no protection but from heaven, it is God that doth bind up thy wounds, and heal [...] thy sicknesse, Psalm. 147. 3. build not up No true help but from God. then to thy selfe Castles of despayre, trust in Gods helpe, leane upon his protection, thus much I will assure thee that troubled thou mayst bee on every side, but not distressed, perple­xed but not in despayre 1 Cor. 4. 8.

Consider thirdly, tha [...] Third con­solation. God will hearken to the prayers of his servants, an [...] give them a gracious answer in their afflictions.

This is that which give [...] Christian audacity in the time God will answer the prayers of the affli­cted. of trouble, it is a great comfort that God will protect a man in his afflictions, but is a farre greater comfort to bee asured of that protection by the Re­ceipt of a gracious answer to his petitions commenced the Prisoner desires freedome; the afflicted desires ease; the Cap­tive desires liberty; the di­stressed desires comfort; what a comfort is this that they should be all of them answer'd in the fruition of their severall requests? take Gods word for it, that hee will answer th [...]se that call upon him, nay hee [Page 209] will bee with them in trouble, satisfie them with long life, and shew then [...] his salvation. Psalm. 91. 14. here's a gracious an­swer to Petitioners prayers, what could God have sayd more? Invocaverit me eum exaudiam, hee shall call, I will answer, here's no neede with Baals Preist to lanch thy selfe with knives, no man can say that God is a sleepe, here's quick dispatch hee is ready to heare the prayers of his ser­vants, hee is nigh to all them that call upon him in truth, hee will fulfill the desires of them that feare him, hee will also heare their cry, and save them. Gods rea­dinesse to answere the afflicted mans prayer. Psalm. 145. 18. 19. nay stand still, and wonder; Behold (saith the Lord, before they call I will answer; God is so nigh that the expression of the heart [Page 210] doth cause deliverance, Go [...] sees the very preparations o [...] the heart, and makes answ [...] accordingly; Mary was earl [...] Joh. 20. 1. at the sepulcher but Chris [...] was th [...] before her; he mus [...] rise betimes that goes beyond God. David was very early when hee confessed that his eyes prevented the nights watch Ps. 119. 148 yet for all that God prevents David, thou hast provented mee (saith he) with thy liberall blessings; God is so ready to heare, so nigh to answer that Ps. 41. 4. he stayes not for verball expres­sions, a sigh, a sigh, a sob, a teare of sorrow are all of them in hea­ven before that words are passed out of the mouth; what great inestimable love is here that every prayer whether men [...]all, or vocall, every cr [...], every sigh, every groane, shall [Page 211] be heard, and have the re [...]urne of a gratious answer? this being well considered will make much for the comfort of all troubled consciences, this being well applyed will set an edge on Christian fortitude, it will make thee to bee in love with God, and powerfull to withstand the violence of the Devill who tels thee that God doth not love thee, which in­troduceth the fourth poynt of consolation, which is;

That, God will not only give Fourh Consola­tion. a gracious answer in the midst of afflictions, but will give a pardon for all thy sinnes, and transgressions.

To bee protected in afflicti­ons is comfort, to bee assured of that protection is a great com­fort, but to have sinnes par­doned which were the cause of [Page 212] that affliction is the greatest comfort of all, it is the prayer God par­doneth the afflicted mans sinnes. of every good Christian to overcome his sinne, and to have his offences pardoned, knowing that sinne is the chiefe cause of crosses and troubles, so that if they would remove the judgment, the cause of it which is sinne must bee first removed, that must bee done by prayer, then doubt not of an happy issue, David found it to bee his comfort, Ps. 32. 5. he did but confesse, and the iniquity of his sinne was forgiven, consolamini populum meum (saith God himselfe) comfort yee, comfort yee my people, and spe [...]k [...] comfor­tably to Jorusalem, and cry unto her, that her warf [...]re is accom­plished, that her iniquity is pardoned. Esay 40. 1. here's [Page 213] comfort upon comfort, but wherein lyes it? first in spea­king comfortably unto her, then telling her that her war­fare is ended, but the cheifest comfort of al was that her sinnes were pardoned, but what man is it that hath this comfort? hee that sitteth downe in the dust; who is it that shall bee Job. 5. 9. thus refreshed? the heavy, and Math. 4. ult. weary laden; whose sinnes shall bee thus pardoned? the Peni­tent mans; who shall find ease to their soules? those that are in affliction; nay let but the wicked for sake his way and God Esay 53. 7. will abunda [...]tly pardon him too; shall the wicked upon his repentance bee abundantly pardoned? then much more he that suffereth for Righteous­nesse Math. 5. sake, hee is the vessell that God will powre consola­tion [Page 214] into, it is hee that shall be anoyn [...]ed with the oyle of gladnesse, it is hee only that in the end of a paynfull harvest shall bring home his she aves rejoycing; consider then seri­ously Ps. 126. 5. these things with thy selfe, see now whether these afflictions that God hath laid upon thee have brought thee on thy knees for mercy, if they have heres comfort in thy troubles, here's refreshment for thy heavy heart, here's ease to thy penitent soule, lastly here's pardon and that in abundance for all thy sinnes committed, what can I say more to make thee happy? here's mercy abounding, and comforts sur­rounding, sinnes forgiven and the pardon sealed with the blood of the Lamb [...] Christ Je­sus which shall never bee [Page 215] disanulled, but this is not all the pardon of sinne is but an entrance into the perfection of grace, which brings in the fifth consolation; That God Fifth con­solation. will perfect the work of grace in all his children.

What by our selves is de­fi [...]ient, in God is sufficient, God will perfect the great work of delive­verance. that which was before imper­fect is now through him made perfect who is perfection it self, God commanded Israell that they should not feare any thing, for (saith he) I am thy Lord, and God, I will strengthen thee, yea I will hel [...]e thee, yea I will uphold thee, with the right hand of my righteousnesse, here's a Esay 41. 10, 11, 12. gradation of encouragement till all end in perfection here's a procession from strengthning to helping, from helping to up­holding; man through sinne [Page 216] lyes groveling on the ground with his mouth in the dust, God omnipotent steps in and gives him strength, having some strength to rise he helpes him up, sets him on his legs againe, but doth God then leave him to stand to himselfe? Alas he would then soone fall, no, God will perfect the worke begun layes his hand under him, and daily by his protection upholds him causing him to grow from strength to strength till be become a perfect man in Christ Jesus. Esay that Evan­gelicall Prophet beginnes one of his Chapters with a divine Rapture Cautate coeli cx­ulta terra &c. Sing O Hea­vens, and be joyfull ô Earth, and breake forth into joy, ô mountaines, let that heavenly [Page 117] quire of Angels chaunt out the prayfes of God, let all the Creatures on the face of the earth make up the consort, nay if there be any place on the earth nigher to heaven then the mountaines, fuller of light then the mountaines, if any mountaine better then that of holy Syon, let them all come and take a part in this coelestiall song, what's the reason of all this musicall har­mony? why this general rejoy­cing? God hath comforted his people, and will have mercy on his afflicted, yet for all this Syon is not contented; the Lord 'saith Syon, hath forgot­ten mee; thou art deceived O Syon, can a woman forget her sucking child that she should not have compassion on the sonne of her wombe? yes; she may [Page 218] witnesse the exposall of di­vers spurious issues; but yet for all that (saith God) I will not forget thee, for a woman to forget her child is unnatu­rall; but I that am superna­turall will not forget thee, let what will come that can come, if thou beest forsaken of thy freinds, forgotten of thy acquaintance, lost to the Gods an­ger is but for a mo­ment world, yet I will bee thy fast friend, I will never forsake thee, never forget thee, I will stick close to thee, till I have perfected the great love I have conceived to­wards thee what though for a small moment I forsake thee, yet in great mercy I will gather thee, in a little wrath I may Esay 54. 78 hide my face from thee, but with everlasting kindnesse will I have mercy on bee: here's [Page 219] wrath, but it is a little wrath and that terminated, but for a moment; what then? God will perfect the comforts of his children with everlasting kindnesse and mercy; for a little wrath, and momentary punishment he will bestow ever lasting kindnesse and fa­vour for ever; The Lord (saith David) will perfect that which concerneth mee, the mercyes of the Lord endure for ever, forsake not the worke Psal. 138. 8. of thine owne hands, what is that which God will perfect in David? his everlasting mercies; when is the time it must be done? even in affli­ctions, forsake not the worke of thine hands; this it was that made St. Paul fillip off adversity, to glory in his in­firmity, what's the Reason? [Page 220] God saith he is made perfect in my weakenesse, here's Gods 2 Cor. 12. 9 strength made perfect in weakenesse, man at the lowest ebbe of misery made the subject of Gods perfection, there may be comforts in misery, Mans ex­tremity Gods op­portunity. by the accesse of friends, by wholsome counsell &c. but miserable comforters are they all, and imperfect, there's a mixture in them of carnall corruption, every good gifts, and every perfect gift comes from above. Jam. 1. 17. God is the perfect Operator, it No perfe­ction in a­ny earthly thing. is he that perfecteth that gra­cious worke in the heart, such perfection cannot be found in nature Philosophy cannot do it, Morality cannot; Lypsius in his booke de constantia may perswade thy unsetled affecti­ons, Seneca in his booke de [Page 221] tranquilitate animae may allay thy raging passions, Boetius in his booke de consolatione may somewhat raise thy droo­ping soule, these volumes alas are too litle to cover thy No booke so perfect as that of Gods word. nakednesse, looke for per­fection in the word of God, there's holes enough in that rocke to hide thy selfe, there's the true fountaine of purity, and perfection, it is Gods own word who is perfection it selfe, and without all doubt he wil be as good as his word, he will make his strength knowne 2 Cor. 12. 9 in thy weakenesse, whom he loveth, be loveth to the end, Joh. 13. 11 there's the perfection; no crosses, no losses, troubles, nor afflictions shall ever be a­ble to separate thee from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus, nay God will not onely fol­low [Page 222] thee with his love, and fatherly kindnesse, give a gra­ciouss ans [...]er in the midst of Rom. 8. 35. [...] thy afflictions pardon all thy sinnes, but he will also helps thee out of all thy afflictions, and deliver thee from all thy troubles.

When a man is sick the Phi­sition prescribes some choice preservatives to prevent the malignity of a worse di­sease which might endanger the life, but afterwards up­on hopes of recovery, he administreth restorative cordialls for the better reco­very of his health, thus God that great Phisition of soules makes use of the former con­solation (as the Phisition of his preservatives) to keepe man, growne faint and heart sick with sinne, from a more [Page 223] dangerous disease of despaire which may bring on him the God the perfect Physition. Rev. 20 2. second death, but now he gives him the restorative Cordiall, takes him by the hand, tells him that the pulse of his faith beates well, assures him of the recovery of his health, and bids him be of good comfort, for he will bind up all his wounds heale his backsliding, helpe Marke 10. 49. him out of his afflictions, & de­liver him out of al his troubles; Jerem. 30 17. Health is the thing every sick man lookes for, joy is that Hos. 14 4. which the grieved spirit breaths after; every afflicted man long's for ease, every troubled spirit for helpe; here's health for the sicke, com­fort for the mourner, ease for the afflicted, and deliverance for the troubled spirit; David had a comfortable experience [Page 204] in all this, though in afflicti­ons God was his deliverer, though poore and needy yet the Lord thought on him, though afflicted, dejected, rej [...]ct­ed, though a very abject in Ps. 119. 153 Ps. 40. 17. the world, though table friends forsooke him enimies oppressed God a sure deliverance him and overwhelmed him, yet here was his comfort that God was his helper and de­liverer; did not God thus deliver Noah from the deluge of waters? was not Lot like a Firebrand snatch'd out of S [...] ­dome? Psal. 54. 4. Abraham was in agreat strait when he had like to have lost both his life and his wife at once, yet God relie­ved him by plaguing the hea­thenish Gen. 19. 22 King and all his hou­shold; but Abraham was har­der Gen. 12. 17 beset when he was com­manded to sacrifice his sonne [Page 225] Isaack, his onely Sonne, that Sonne in whom all the pro­mises of blessednesse were contracted, yet even then whilst hee was lifting up his hand to give the fatall blow, God step'd in with delive­rance, Isaac that Lambe was preserved, Abraham did but lift up his eyes, and behold there was a Ramme catched Gen. 22. 13. by the hornes in a bush behind him, him did Abraham take up, and offered in the stead of his sonne Abrahams extre­mity was Gods opportunity, so that it is become a Pro­verb: In monte videbitur Examples of Gods delive­rance. Deus, God will be seene in the mountayne. Thus Jacob was free'd from the service of churlish Laban, and deli­vered from the malice of his brother Esan; Joseph from [Page 226] the cruelty of his brethren; Moses from killing, drow­ning, Exod. 2. and starving; Eliah, from the malice of Abab, and Jesabell, being sed by an Angell, and the Ravens; Job 1 King. 17. 4. Job 41. 13. Dan. 9. 22. Jonah. 2. 10. 2 King. 19 35. from the dunghill; the three children from the fiery for­nace; Danyell out of the Lyons den; Jonah out of the belly of the whale: Hesekiah from the wicked intendments of Zenacherib: but above all how many, and how great have beene the deliverances of the children of Israel? from the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, in their mira­culous passage from Egypt through the red sea, many were their deliverances du­ring their forty yeares abode in the wildernesse; being come from thence and plan­ted [Page 227] in the land of Canaan, how were they infested by the Aramites, Amorites, Phi­listims, Zidonians, Amale­kites? and afterwards were they not carryed captives into Babylon? nay did not Haman conspire to roote them out that they might be no more a nation? yet for the this God was stil their delive­rer; but is not God the God of the new, as wel as of the old Te­stament? was he so great a God the God of the new as well as of the old Testa­ment. saviour under the law, and is hee not the like under the Gospell? he is semper idem, there can be no shadow of change in him, hee is yesterday, and to day, and the same for ever; his arme is not straight­ned, did not he deliver Paul & Silas, out of prison by the meanes of an Earthquake. Act. 16. 28. [Page 228] was not S. Paul after that rescued from the malice of the Jewes at Damascus? was hee not preserved from the Tyranny of Nero that boore who sought to roote up that small plantation of the Church? yet in despight of him God preserved a Church in his owne house, under his very nose, Salute (saith S. Paul) the saints that a [...]t Phil. 4. 23. at Neroes house; during those ten persecutions of the Pri­mative times what cruelty was not committed? what tor­ture was not exalted? one boyled in a caldron of oyle, S. John. S. Laur. S. Ignat. another broyld on a gridi­ron, a third devoured of wild beasts, a fourth flead alive, &c. but what of all this? God the Lord to whom belong the issues from death did so Ps. 68. 20. [Page 229] order it though there was a power to kill the body, yet there was no power to kill the soule, Math. 11. 28. these torments were but as so many viands to wast them into a better life, and that bloud of theirs thus inhu­manely spilt was made the Churches seminary; looke but still downewards unto these dayes, what an unex­pressable deliverance hath this Church of England had in the expelling of those Romish fogs, and mists of supersti [...]ion which for many yeares obscured the light of the Gospell, and sincere profession thereof? how is the candelstick removed of late in some parts of Ger­many? Amos. 8. 11. what a famine not of bread only but of the word of God, that bread of life is [Page 230] now amongst them? how is that country depopulated? their cityes wasted, and what the devouring sword hath passed over, biting famine hath overtaken; wee in the meane time stand as lookers on, surfetted as it were with the many and miraculous deliverances both of Church, Gods deli­verance to England. and state, witnesse the deli­verance from that Armado of Spaine (falsly termed in­vincible) in the yeare 1588. that of the powder plot hatched by a company of S. Peter men (salt Peter men I should say) in the yeare 1605, that of Gods heavy hand of visitation by the plague of pestilence in the yeare 1625, and in the last yeares 1636. 1637. besides many others, so that now this king­dome [Page 231] sitteth like the Queene of nations, every man in peace Rev. 17. 8. under his owne vine, and under his owne figtree, this is the Lords doings and it is wonder­full in our eyes; but to come yet nearer home, to our selves; I appeale unto any man living that hath not at one time, or other, had a large taste of Gods protection, and deliverance from some dan­ger, or other; how many had beene swallowed up quick whilst men rose up against them if God had not beene on their side: what shall I say then? Our fathers (saith Da­vid) Ps. 22. 4. trusted in God, they trusted, and hee delivered them, they called upon him, and were de­livered, they trusted on him, and were not confounded, goe thou thy wayes and doe like­wise; [Page 232] depend on Gods prote­ction, recount what he hath done for thy soule, blesse the Lord god of thy salvation who leadeth thee thus with his bene­fits Ps. 68. 19. blesse him in his infinite essence, and power; blesse him in his unbounded, and just soveraignty, blesse him in his preservations, blesse him in his deliverances, take heed of offering hollow observan­ces to the searcher of hearts, they that proclamed Christ at Jerusalem had not onely Advice to blesse God for al his delive­rances. Hosanna in their mouths, but palmes in their hands too, if thy hand blesse not the Lord, thy tongue is an Hypocrite; away with the vast complements of vaine formalityes, let thy lowd actions drowne the language of thy words, for God is thy [Page 233] deliverance, hee is the God of thy salvation, thus the bitter waters of Mara shall bee made as sweete as hony, crosses shall bee made bles­sings, corrections made in­structions to fortifie thy selfe against all the deceipts of the world, the flesh, and the Devill; when thou lookest to thy owne fleshly hands there is nothing but discou­ragement, when thou lookest to thy Spirituall enemyes there is nothing but terror; but when thou castest up thy eyes to thy mighty God there is nothing but confidence, no­thing but comfort; comfort thee, comfort thee therefore ô thou feeble soule, send thy bold defi [...]nces to the Prince of Darkenesse, heaven is high and hard to reach, [Page 234] hell is steepe and slippery, thy Flesh is earthly, and im­potent, Sathan strong, and rancorous, sinne subtle, the world aluring, all those yet God is the God of thy salva­tion, let those infernall Lyons roare and rampe upon thee, let the gates of hell doe their worst, let the world be a cheater, thy flesh a Traytor, the Devill a Tyrant; faithfull is hee that hath promised who will also doe it, God is the God of thy Salvation, bles­sed bee his holy name world without end. AMEN.

Thus having shewed the use of every peece of Armor belonging to the Christian warfare, the furious assaults, and subtle carriage of the se­verall Enemyes, the time of their onset, and the meanes [Page 235] how to come off with credit, I will now use three mo­tives that may stirre thee up to take armes, and being in the field to lay about thee.

First, the consideration of death that thou must dye, then there wil be no time to fight.

Secondly to consider the cruell torments of hell that Motives to take up armes. they may enforce thee to fight.

Lastly, to consider the Crowne and Reward (the joyes of heaven that they may allure thee to fight.

There is an Act of Par­liament First mo­tive. in heaven never to be repealed Statutum est omni­bus semel mori. dye thou must, death knocks equally at the hatch of a cottage, and the gates of a Palace, hee can top the highest Cedar as [Page 236] well as the lowest shrub; there is no man but is natu­rally walking downe to the chambers of death, every sinne is a pace thither, only Death un­avoyable. the gracious hand of God stayes him, every man living must bee reduced to the first principles of dust and ashes from whence hee was first taken, dust thou art, and to dust thou must return. Is there not an oppoynted time Gen. 3. 19. for man on the earth? yea but when is that time: hora nihil incertius, nothing more un­certaine, that's in Gods hand, hee that is the Lord of life hath set the period of thine, his omnipotence so contrives all events, that neyther Enemy nor casualty nor disease can prevent the houre of his appoyntment; [Page 237] there is no holding of the breath if God call for it; a Nothing more un­certaine then the houre of death. man may have some power over his outward members, but none at all over the in­ward hee may command the eye to see, the eare to heare, the hand to worke, but hee cannot command the heart to move, the liver to san­guine, the longues to blow breath, hee may swallow downe meate but cannot make the stomack to digest it, thats Gods peculiar; a payre of bellowes will fall of themselves but never rise to blow againe without assi­stance; the houre glasse will God is the Lord of life. runne out of it selfe but never runne againe except it bee turned, a man may send out his breath at his pleasure but not take it in againe with­out [Page 238] God, for in his hand is the breath of all mankind, Job. 12. 10. if that King of feare (death) bee charged with a warrant from God, hee doth not returne with a, non est inventus, some­times hee is sent in the night when man is most secure, thus hee came upon all the first borne in the Land of Egipt at midnight. Exod. 12. 29. some­times in the height of power thus he came also upon the Egyptians in the midst of all strength whilst they were pursuing the poore Israe­lites, even then when they were in the ruffe of all their glory their charriot wheeles drew heavy, and they were all choaked in the red Sea. Exod. 14. 27. Sometimes death comes whilst a man [Page 239] is at his Table, he comes indeed to many great mens tables but he is welcome to a few, thus did he salute Belshazar in the midst of his Cups quaffing in the bowles of the sanctuary. Dan. 5. 3. as a surgeon hides his lancet in a sponge, or his sleeve that he may the more secretly use it, so death hides himselfe sometimes in meate, other whiles in drinke, some­times Gen. 7. he lyes under the Table, when they of the old world were eating, and drinking then came the floud, and overwhelmed them; in the morning was the King of Israel destroyed. Hos. 10. 25. the shunamites child dyed at noone. 2 King. 4. 20. Ezekiels wife dyed in the Evening. Ezek. 24. 18. [Page 240] Sometimes death comes as he did upon the Rich foole witha, Stulte hac nocte; so whe­ther it be in the day, or night, in the morning, or evening, in prosperity, or Adversity; whe­ther full or fasting, the time is still uncertayne, some are taken away sodainely, many in their infancy, some in their youth, others in age, many dye younge, and the old cannot live long, hence it is that mans life is compared to a flower not for the stalk it growes on, that's too strong a simile, but to the flower which the breath of a child may blow off, nay not every flower neither, as the blos­some Mans life compared to a flower. of a tree that may stick fast two or three dayes, nor the flower of sonie strong herb which may con­tinue [Page 241] longer, nor the flower of the garden that may be preserved, but the flower of the field [...] subject to all wind and weather. Psalm 103. 15. Such is the brittlenesse of mans nature; if hee were made of glasse (saith S. Augu­stine) there were more secu­rity, let him be never so cha­rily Mans life more brit­tle then glasse. kept he must dye, a glasse is subject to nothing but a fall, it feares no feaver, nor age, nor plague, but man is sub­ject to a thousand accidents, he finds but one way to come into the world, but may easily see a thousand dores to goe out at; It is not policy nor Riches nor strength that will carry it out, Goliah had an hel­met of brasse upon his head, a Coate of brasse upon his body weighing five thousand [Page 242] shekels of brasse, (a burthen fitter for an asse then a man) he had also bootes of brasse upon his legges, & a sheild of brasse upon his shoulders when this beast was thus set out 1 Sam. 17. 15. with all his Caparisons, hee might be rather tearmed ho­mo aereus, then homo carneus, a man of brasse then a man of flesh, yet David found out a place in his fore head where there was no brasse, & so kild him, if death come with a Commission to breake up this house of clay, no man can say to him as hee saith to his Neighbour, come againe tomorrow; is death thus una­voydeable, is the time so un­certaine? do men so number Ps. 90. 12. their d [...]yes that they apply their hearts unto wisedome? Alas men live as though [Page 243] there were no death at all, like those that go to the In­dia's, never take notice how many have beene swallowed up in the waves but what some few have got by the voyage, looke onely upon those that are now surviving, not upon the many Mil­lions that are gone downe into the grave before them, they thinke on death as the Athenians did treate of peace never but when they are in blacks, It is a Custome in Constantinople that on that day the Emperor is crowned one presents unto him many stones out of which hee is to choose his tombestone; Phi­lip of Macedon had a boy to say unto him on all occa­sions, Memento Philippi, &c. Remember Philip thou art but [Page 244] a man; shall Turkes and Heathens do this, and shall not Christians remember their end? It is reported that the birds of Norwey fly faster then any others birds of the ayre, not that nature hath gi­ven any agility to their wings more then others but they knowing the day to be very short in that climate make the greater hast to their nests, this is that which God himselfe complaynes of, the storcke knoweth her appointed time, and the Turtle and the Crane and the Swallow ob­serve the time of their comming, but my people know not the judgements of the Lord. Jerem. 8. 7. Strange that birds shall make such practicall use of their knowledge, and that man who is the Lord over all [Page 245] the Creatures should not make use of his time, and so Psalm 8. 5 mend his pace to his long home the house appoynted for all living, hee that hath a great journey to ride, and a short time to ride it in, must needes ride the faster; hee that hath a great taske of worke to doe, and but a small time to worke in must worke the harder; here's no abiding place; where then? the Heavenly Jerusa­lem, Heb. 13. 14. thats a great Pilgri­mage, a long way thither, many rubs in the way, and but a very short time to go it in, a short life which in the twinckling of an eye, may be taken away, there is need then to pluck up the heeles, and to mend the pace thi­ther, and as it is a longe [Page 246] way, and but a short time al­lotted so there must be a great deale of worke done in the way too, that great worke of salvation, the greatest worke of all other, a worke that will make that a man sweate at it, a worke that must not be done by starts not be wrought onely but worked out, not easily Phil. 2. 12. neither, but with feare and trembling; set on then upon this great worke, the time wil come when there shall be no working, boc est momentum unde pendet aeternit as,; the time past thou canst not recall, the time to come thou art not sure of, the time present is that thou must make use of; Christ that good man of the house hath not yet shut too the doore, yet it stands open doe but knock and it shall be opened unto [Page 247] thee, now is the time, to day if thou wilt heare his voyce, this present houre, this very in­stant is the faire kept (as I may say) of forgiving of sinnes: It Time pre­sent to be used. may be now had at an easy rate, onely for forgiving them that trespasse against thee, but if thou tarry till the faire be ended; and who knowes how soone it may bee; seeing it hath lasted so long already there will then be no pardons to be purchased at any rate but thou must pay for thy im­providence with the utter­most farthing; put not off then from day to day, least thou come as it is said a day after the faire, but while it is cal­led to day, call thy selfe to an accompt, & let not the Sunne go downe upon thy impeni­tency to God, or upon thine [Page 248] anger to thy neighbour, de­ferre not til the last, and hope to creepe into heaven with a Lord haue mercy upon me, there was never but one that leaped so soone thither, he was one, that no man might dispaire, & but one that no man might pre­sume; at that time there will be but a little sand left in the glasse, the houre of mortality will be soone runne out, then will the Devill like a subtle Logician come upon thee with his best argumēt, casting such a mist of darkenesse be­twixt God, and thy soule that thou wilt hardly discerne the throne of grace, would'st thou not then sell all that thou hast to buy that pretious pearle of time? the Rich man tooke care for the enlarging his barnes but God would not stay the [Page 249] building of them, yet it is not certaine that thou shalt haue the warning that foole had, doe not the weekely bils in­forme thee of sodaine death? ther's, thunder without light­ning, death without a war­ning. A great manlying on his death [...]bed sent first for his Phi­sition to advise with him a­bout the recovery of his health, no meanes was left untryed but all in vaine, the Phisition gaue him up for a dead man, then he sends for his Advocate, or Lawyer, much time was spent with him in the making of his will where A true sto­ry of the misery of these times in the neg­lect of spirituall meanes. in the first place he bequeath? his soule unto god (a legacy usually left to God but he doth not many times claime it) then he settles his estate on freinds and kinred, strives to [Page 250] make the Inheritance of his Land, sure to his heire, and in the Interim neglegct his owne inheritance in heaven; yet however if it be but for fa­shion sake, he will not seeme to be utterly carelesse in that point, therfore in the last place he sends for the Phisition of his soule to consult about his spi­rituall estate, even then when he was hardly capable of any advice at al; his foole standing by desired him to give him the staffe he usually walked with abroad, his Master gaue it him but on conditiō that he should giue it backe again to the next hee met that was a veryer foole then himselfe) nay then said the foole) Master here take the staffe againe, for a veryer foole then you are shall I never meete againe, [Page 251] that did first send for the Phisition to strengthen your body, then for a Lawyer to settle you estate, and in the last place for the Preist to comfort your poore soule which should have been the first worke of all; what the foole put on his Master may be verifyed in too many who ravell out their pre­tious time tormented with the cares of this world, put­ting the evill day from them till it come to the last pinch when they are not able to disgest the bitter pill of Re­pentance, or take the potion of humility; A man that keepes an Accompt booke Advice to use time present. having written it quite through, lookes it over, and finds many blots, and blurres, and crooked lines so they [Page 252] having past their lives to the point of Death then in taking a survey of their whole life they perceive many blots of sinnes, many blurres of Ini­quity, many crooked lines of transgressions, but what booke is that which shall be found thus obliterated? the booke of conscience, that booke which shall be one day laid open when both great and Dan. 12. 12 small shall stand before God; all the bookes thou readest are to reforme this one booke, no booke shall be carryed along but this booke, what care had there need to be then to keepe it fayre? to looke it over every day not to post the accompt from day to day, least thou prove a Bankrupt in grace, and there be no time left to com­pose [Page 253] the great differences betwixt God, and thy poore engaged soule; when thou seest the sunne going downe say as people [...]se at the de­parture of a freind, God knowes whether I shall ever so you againe, and God in­deed onely knowes whe­ther thou shalt ever see that sunne rise againe, let then the present light of that sunne move thee to mend thy pace, not like the sunne on the dyall of Ahaz; to go 2 King. 20. 10. Josh. 10. 12. S. Am­brose. backwards, not like the sunne in Joshna's time to stand still, but like the sunne that David mentioneth as a gyant delighting to runne thy course, now is the time or never, adhuc constitit thea­trum, adhuc instat certamen, adhuc pendet praemixm, thou [Page 254] art yet upon the stage thou mayst come off with comfort, thou art yet in the race, the Reward is yet before thee, cry aloud unto God that in this thy Christi [...]n Combat he would teach thee the wayes wherein thou shouldst walke, call unto the Cap­taine of thy salvation Christ Jesus that hee would teach thy hands to warre, and thy fingers to fight, implore the holy Ghost to give a gra­cious assistance to all meanes undertaken therein, and lastly that thou mayst have a breathing time to lay about thee speake out in the voyce of the Church from battle murther and from so­dayne death good Lord deliver me.

One branch of that unre­pealeable [Page 255] statute of Heaven is that all men must dye but that's not all, theres yet an­other branch of the statute be­behinde, a bitter one, but after death the Judgement, Heb. 9. 27. theres more followes after death then the body, friends, After death judgement kindred, and acquaintance to see it layd in the dust, there's workes that will be followers Rev. 14. 13 too whether good or evill, the good ones to justifie, the bad ones to condemne, one pleades through Christ for justification, the other sues for condemnation, one stands ready at the throne of grace, the other at the barre of Justice then shall there be a reward There is a general day of doome to be ex­pected. proposed according to the worke, but that's not all nei­ther, there is a generall day of judgement too; that's the [Page 256] day that shall pay for all, Christ hath but six memora­ble dayes to be remembred, and he is cozend in the ho­nor that belongs to five of them who is it that truly va­lues Christ hath 6 me­morable dayes. that great day of his Na­tivity as it ought? that great, that splendent, that glorious day that day aboue thousand of dayes, ever to be renued ne­ver to be forgotten, worthy to be set in the almanack not 1 Christ­mas day. with red but with golden letters, are there not some that would raze out the bles­sed memoriall of this day, and chuse rather to be held foolish then not to be singular, & profane? are there not too ma­ny that make the honor of this day seeme rather an Hea [...]he­nish Bacchanall then a Christi­an Festivall? whereas every [Page 257] day to a Saint of God is a Christmasse day, and it is to be doubted that such will hardly keep every day that so much stumble and vilifie one day? The second day of Christ is that of his circumsci­sion, now it was that he made Col. 2. 14. himselfe a debtor to the law, and by this meanes hath can­called 2 New­yeeres day the Chyrographum, the hand writing of Ordinan­ces against us, the knife of Circumsicion, was on this dulled, take a knife and cut a stone the edge will soone be off, & petra erat Christus, Christ was the Rock having once touched him it would never out againe, if this day were regarded there would not be so many uncircum­sized hearts as there are a­mongst us.

The third remarkable 3 Good­friday. day is that of his passion that day when the price of mans Redemption was tendered downe and the summe payd on the Crosse not with cros­ses of silver, but with drops of blood that issued from his precious side, but how is the Memoriall of this day regarded? how is this great love of Christ [...]equited. The drunkard, and the glutton give him vinegar and gall to drinke, the proud ambi­tious man sets a crowne of Thornes upon his head; the swearer pearceth his side; the scorner buffets him; and they that abuse his Saints do nayle his hands, and feet; thus is the Lord of life daily crucified afresh. Heb. 6. 6:

The fourth day is that of 4 Easter­day. his Resurrection, that day whereon like a sunne of Righte­ousnesse he rose from the dead, and by the vertue thereof, to this day shineth in the harts of men regenerate, did he not Psal. 68. 18 on that day lead Captivity cap­tive? triumphantly insult over hell death, and the grave? 1 Cor. 15. 12 doth not the Sadduces deny the glory of this blessed day? do not men lye sleeping in their sinne? and not arise from the dead that Christ may give them light, they lye groveling Ephes 5. 14 in the graves of Corruption not regarding that Christ dyed 1 Cor. 15. 3. for their sinnes, and as on this blessed day rose againe for their Justification? this is the ri­sing of this sunne eclipsed, the blessings of this glorious day a­bused.

The [...]ifth day of Christ is 5 Holy­thursday. that transcendent one of his Ascention when he was taken up into Heaven, opened the kingdome thereof unto all bele­vers, and now at this very instant sitteth at the right hand Magnifi­cat. of God the Father Almighty, in­terposing himselfe betwixt his Fathers just conceived wrath, and sinfull mans trans­gressions, suing out pardons for poore repentant sinners, and laboring by all meanes that they may become mem­bers of that misticall body whereof himselfe is the head blessed for ever; what returne is made for the many benefits of Christs Ascention as on this day commenced, and to this very day and moment of time continued? Alas men do not lift up their eyes unto the [Page 261] hills from whence commeth their salvation, their conversation is not there from whence they expecta Saviour their mind is not placed on the right object, heaven and heavenly things, they creep upon their bellies (as though the curse of the Serpent had light upon them) licking the dust of the Earth Gen. 2. 4. which will one day choake them, their dunghill cogita­tions are setled onely upon the world and worldly things, but let them know that as Christ ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the father Almighty, so from thence he shall come to judge both the quick and dead, at whose comming all men shall rise againe with their bodies and shall give accompt for their own Athana [...]ius Creede. workes, and they that have done [Page 262] good shall go into life everlasting, and they that have done evill in­to everlasting fire; this is the day of doome, the day that will pay for all, the day of Christs Nativity may be slighted, the 6 Doomes­day. day of his Circumscision not re­garded, the day of his passion undervalued, the day of his Resurrection lightly set by, and that of his Ascention too much vilisied, but the ho­nour and Justice in the pro­ceedings Doomes­day a great day. of this great day shall bee acknowledged both by Men and Angels; nay the very damned soules in hell shall confesse, saying; Lord thou art holy and just in all thy wayes, and wee are by reason of our sinnes deservedly puni­shed; Dan. 7. 9. This day is called a­great day, first in respect of the Judge who is the Antient [Page 263] of al daies, the King of Kings & Rev. 19. 16 Lord of Lords, the great Creator both of heaven, & earth, hee that is faithfull, and true that judgeth and fighteth righteously.

Secondly, it is a great day in regard of the trayne that Dan. 7. 9. shall come along with this Why Doomes day called a great day. great Judge, thousand thou­sands of Angells shall stand be­fore him ready to execute his just commands.

Thirdly, it will be a great day in regard of the Prisoners that then shall be arraigned; all must appeare, none ex­empted, the Kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chiefe cap­taines, and the mighty men, Rev. 20. 12. and every bond man, and every freeman, all the sonnes and daughters of Adam from the highest to the lowest must [Page 264] then make an accompt for the workes they have done in the flesh; it may very well be called a great day, be­cause of the great things that shall be in that day, the great and universall judgment of the whol world, the great division of the good from bad, the glorification of the one, the condemnation of the Mat. 25. 33 other, then shall be the great separation of the sheep form the Luke. 3. 17 goates, wheat from chaffe one to the fold, th' other to the slaughter, one to the barne the other to the fire; that day shall be the Horizon, both of time and eternity, time shall then cease and be no more, eternity shall in that day justle out all time, the joyes pronounced to the Godly shall not be temporall, [Page 265] but eternall, the paines assigned to the wicked not for a season but for ever, time which hath been so much abused, that hath brought such things to passe shall then sur­render to Eternity, beleeve it, God hath sworne there shall be then no more time. Rev. 10. 6. The proceedings of that great day, the joyes pronounced, the judgements denounced shall be recorded and dated, but how? not with the day of the month, or month of the yeere; but with Eternity for ever and ever, lastly it must needes be a great day that shall be the close of all No day like that of Doomes­day. dayes, no day like it, in the day of Israels departure out of Egypt the course of nature was but inverted; Jordane was turned back, the moun­taines [Page 266] leaped like Ramms, & the hills as Lambes; in the day of Ps. 114. 3. 4 Joshua the Sune stood stil in the middest of heaven, and hasted not to go down for a whol day, in the day of Hezekiah the Sun went backward ten degrees in the dyal Josh. 10. 13 of Ahaz; in the day of Christs Passion the vail of the Temple rit through the middest, the earth shook the graves opened the dead arose the Sun was totally eclip­sed 2 King 20 9. so that there was darknes over all the land for the space of three houres; but in this great day there shal be neither Sun nor Moon, nor Starres, the Sunne of Righteousnesse but once appea­ring Mat. 27. 51 they shall all vanish; terratremet, mare mugiet, the ayre shal ring, the world burne, the Sea roare, if the whole Earth shal be shak [...]n, then surely the Pillars shal tremble, and if they [Page 267] stand not fast how shal man ap­peare who is but a clod of that earth? if the powers of heavē shal be shaken what shall become of those mē whose muddy minds Luk. 21. 26 haue not a thought of heaven? if Angels shal be thē at a gaze, how shall they be agast whose portion is with the deuil, and his Angels? if the righteous shall hardly be saved it must needes goe hard with the ungoldly. S. Cypriā, so much feared the day 1 Pet. 4. 18. of judgment that he quite for­got the day of his martirdom; holy S. Hilary having spent 70 yeares in devout contempla­tion was yet afraid of the Judgment-day, the Remem­brance Job. 23. 15. of that day was Jobs trouble and terrour; if these be in such a case ad quos Index to whom the Judg appeares in mercy, what shal they doe [Page 268] contra quos against whom he comes in Iudgment? if starres of such a magnitude beginne to twincle, what dimnesse will there be then in those of a lesser body? if such pillars shrinke under the burthen, what will become of slender tressles? surely they'lbe crush't in pieces; if this be done in the sappy greene tree what will be done in that which is more zere & dry? my advice shall be that of Moses to the Israelites be ready on the third day, and on the third day when it was morning there was thun­ders and lightnings and a thick cloud upon the Mount, and the sound of the Trumpet exceeding lowd so that all the People that were in the Campe were afraid; though there be many dayes Exod. 19. 15. assigned to Man yet there are [Page 269] three dayes in especiall, his birth, life, and death, that of his ingresse into the world, pro­gresse in the world, egresse out of the world; but this last day is the third day, looke to that day aboue all dayes, stand rea­dy for it, then it is that God who formerly came as a lo­ving Father will appeare as the great Judg both of heaven, and earth, then shall be heard the thunderings of accusa­tions, then shall be seene the very flashy lightning of hell fire in the consciences of most men, then shall the thick Cloud of their sinnes inter­pose betwixt them and the throne of grace; the Trum­pet shall sound, the aire shall rattle, the noise shall be the awakening of all flesh, in so much that the very elect who [Page 270] are within the campe of Gods predestination shall be afraid, what then will become of them which are without the Campe? such as never tooke up armes against the common Enemy, they sh [...]ll then stand amazed at the barre being ac­cused by the Heavens and the Earth and all the Creatures therin, cōtained, convicted by a Jury of Heavenly, & Earthly Inhabitants the blessed Saints and Angels, their consciences pleading guilty in stead of a Conscintia mille testes. thousand witnesses, then doth the Devill & sinne, the world, and the flesh cry out for sen­tence to be pronounced a­gainst the Offenders at the barre which is no sooner desi­red but performed, Go ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devill and his Angels, a [Page 271] sentece most fearefull because intolerable because irrevocable; intolerable because of the quality of the punishment pinching cold, scorching heat, more greevious then the cursed water to the sus­pected woman that caused her thigh to rot, her belly to swell, and made her dete­stable to all the People; ibi erit fletus &c. there shall be Num 5. 18. weeping for the fire that shall never be quenched, gnashing of teeth for the worme that never Paines of hell intol­lerable. dyeth, if wee be sick here in this life wee may haue soft beds to lie on, Phisitions to advise our health, friends and kindred to come by way of comfortable visits, & though all these faile yet there is to be had a good and gracious God to haue mercy on us, one [Page 272] that will lay his hand under our heads, and comfortably support us, but there's no soft beds but fire the most cruell of all other elements to wallow in, and not a drop of cold water to coole the scorched tongue, no Phisition to advize, but Devils to tor­ment, no God to haue mercy on us but hell and dispaire to seaze upon us, thus shall it be with them that forget God, miserable shall they be at their first ingresse into hels torments, there to heare the yelling, the howling, the crying of damned spirits, theres no comfort, no solace, no ease, no helpe, but horror, and vexation on every side, Bern. Med. cap. 19. alwayes burning yet never consumed; alwayes dying, and never dead; the best [Page 273] sights, and cheefest compa­nions shall be Legions of dam­ned ghosts, and furies; the dyet and fare shall be pinching hunger, and famine; the drinke shall be lakes of fire and brim­stone Rev. 14. 10 mingled with the pure wine of Gods wrath; and to make up the meale there shall be musick too, curses shall he the Hymnes, houling the tunes, blasphemy the ditties, lachrymae the notes, lamenta­tion shall be the song, and shricking the straines, sighs sobs and teares shall bee the dolefull descant and division; the Purple Ray­ments shall there be flames of fire, the hand shall there be seared, the heart wounded, the eyes blinded, the eares dulled, the feet scorched, and Paena sen­sus. all the body utterly con­founded, [Page 244] this shall be the state of the body in that day, but shall the soule go free? No; It was to the body as Simeon to Levi, a brother in iniquity and shall therefore participate of punishments with the body; The memory shall call to mind that which is past, the understanding shall consider that which is present, and doth shall joyne together to disquit them­selves; then shall it be thought upon how many good mo­tions have beene neglected, how often God knocking at the doore hath beene disregarded, what joyes are Paena damni. lost, what sorrowes are found how easily they might have beene avoyded and how im­possible it is to abtayne the least mitigation this of all is [Page 275] the greevous punishment of the damned in hell; hitherto I have shewed but the skirts and suburbs of hell, but this is the entrance within the walls, and the very gates of hell; that punishment of the body was paena sensus, a payne sensible enough, but this of the soule paena damni, though it be but a privative pu­nishment yet it hath a mi­serable positive effect, if ever misery deserved weeping of eyes, if ever losse deserved Horresco referens. gnashing of teeth this is the misery, that there shall be No losse like the losse of Gods fa­vour. never any comfortable fight of the blessed face of God, and this is the losse that there shall be an exclusion from all society with saints and Angels; if when the Arke of God was taken old Eli [Page 276] was so overtaken with griefe that he fell backward, and dyed; what a losse shall they be at that have lost the pre­sence 2 King 14. of God? Adam did but Gen. 2. 15. see the apple to be good for the taste but to be turned out of Paradise he found it very distastfull, what greater griefe even in this life then to live in M [...]sheck, and Psalm 84. sojourne in the tents of Kedar? it was Davids well day so to do; can the Israelites be merry in their Captivity? there's no musick with them; Psalm 127 they cannot sing under a strange king, their harpes hang upon the willowes as sad and silent as themselves are, their thoughts are upon Jerusalem, they cannot forget Syon; It was the greatest griefe that ever Tully had to be banished [Page 277] from his native Country, & though he met with many friends in Greece yet still did he cast his eye towards Italy, here was some comfort to meet with a friend in Roma re­linqaenda est, &c. trouble; but miserable is the case to be sent with Ovid from Rome to Scythia, from heaven to hell, from the com­pany of Saints and Angels, to the society of Devils and damned spirits, this is the losse of all losses, and then for aggravation of the punish­ment to see others sporting, themselves toyling; the Saints rejoycing themselves mourning; their concord their owne dis­cord; them exalted above the highest heavens, their selves cast downe into the nether­most hell, and therefore unto them who in old time [Page 278] were condemned ad lapidi­civ as this was some comfort that they neither saw so much their owne misery nor the happinesse of others; thus shall the wicked be tur [...]ed into hell and all they that forget God; but how long shall this state of the damned continue? for ever; that must needs be a long day that hath no end; Eter­nity of punishment is the hell of hell, to all men in misery there is some hopes of an end, The marriner when he hath The paines of hell end lesse. beene long weatherbeaten hopes for a safe arrivall; the Pri­soner after much durance for a Goale delivery; the Appren­tice after a hard service for a freedome; the Souldier after much bickering lookes for victory, but in hell nulla res, [Page 279] nulla spes, no hope, no com­fort at all; the bondage there is not like that of Israel in E­gypt Exod. 12. 40. to last onely 430 yeares; nor like that of the Captivity in Babilon to last but 70 yeares, but like that of Israel in Syria never to returne a­gaine, from thence there's no Redemption, the greatest crosse that can befall a man in this life is to be cast in prison, to loose lands and goods, to want the Company of wife, and children, yet he lives in hope to come out at last, or that God will raise up some comfortable supply of mony, meate, or good counsell, but in hell there's no hope of any end of Punishment, if a barne were full of corne and a bird should every yeare fetch one Kernell there were some com­fort [Page 280] that in time it would be emptied; if a Mountaine twenty miles about should have one shovel f [...]ll every yeare taken away, it would at last though long first be made a Molehill; but hellish tor­ments never have an end, their yeares never come out, the longer they continue the lesser hope, when as many yeares are expired as men in the world, starres in heaven, as many thousand yeares, as there are stones, and sands by the sea shore, yet still there be ten thousand more to come, for the misery shall last as long as God himselfe forever and ever world with­out end.

Is that day of the Lord so 1. Cor. 15. terrible in judgment? then judge thy selfe beti [...]es that thou [Page 281] maist not in that day, be judged; is that place of the damned so horrible? the society of Devils so comfortlesse? the paines to be endured so remedilesse, so endlesse? what then re­maines but to buckle on thy Armour, set the world, the flesh and the Devill at de­fiance, beate them off, keepe them at a distance, they are all of them marked out for judgment, the world shall with the frame thereof be consumed, neither flesh nor blood shall enter into the King­dome of beaven, as for the Devill he is bound in ever­lasting chaines of darkenesse till the judgement of the great Jude 7. day, then shall both he and they and all such as adhere unto them, or march un­der their colours in this life [Page 282] taste of the fulnesse of Gods wrath in torments for ever­more, joyne thy selfe ther­fore unto the Church mili­tant, strive not so much to know what manner of fire that of [...]ell is, as how to shun it; in all thy doings remember thy end, and Eccles. 7. then thou shalt never doe amisse, in this thy spiritual warfare fol­low closse thy leader Christ Jesus the Captaine of thy sal­vation and in all thy prayers joyne in the hu [...]ble voyce of the Church, In all time of tribulation, in all time of wealth, in the houre of death, and in the day of judgement good Lord deliver mee, Even so come Lord Jesus, come quickly.

If the certainty of death, Letany. and the uncertainty, of [Page 283] the houre doth not move thee to buckle on thy Armour, yet let the horrors of that great and terrible day, and the judgements to be denounced against all faint-hearted Renegado's inforce thee to enter the field, if none of these will do it, looke up wards; theres a Crowne layd up for every Conqueror let that allure thee, this if any thing will doe it. Reward is the Plū ­met that sets all Actions a going, especially the Reward of Heaven, a crowne of life, not that Heaven is a Reward in a proper but analogicall sense, it is a great digna­tion when God doth call that a Reward which is his owne free gift, if a man should fulfill all the Com­mandements yet heaven is [Page 284] more then he hath deserved, if (saith Macarius) I should play the souldier in the Chri­stian combat yet the Reward is far above the tryall, if a man should afflict his body a thou­sand yeares, yet one day in heaven goeth farre beyond all his troubles, heaven is therefore, not of debt but of grace non Remuuer at i [...] laborumsed merces liberalit at is, if it be of grace it is no more of workes Rom. 11. 6. doth God then propose heaven as the wages of his bountifull grace? what will not a man do to enjoy it; what toyle will not the husband-man undergo for a plentifull crop at harvest? will not the Soul­dier march up to the very mouth of a Canon, enter a breach, lye upon the cold [Page 285] ground p [...]r dieu, stand Sen­tinell exposed to wind and weather, and all this to get renowne, and credit? but what is a good harvest to the Labourer, or credit to the Souldier? things meerely momentary, here to day, gone to morrow, but whosoever he be that shall but fight the Christian fight, and therein vanquish the world, the flesh and the Devill, with all their temptations, provoca­tions and assaults, heres a Heaven is the Con­querors Reward. kingdome and Crowne too prepared for him, which as it is immutable so it is immortall, even a Kingdome Luk. 1. 33. eternall in the heavens, 2 Cor. 5. 1. [...] Kingdome whereof there shall be no end, a Crowne of Righteo [...]s [...]esse, no earthly thing comes within the 2 Tim. 4. 8 [Page 286] compasse of it, they are not to be found in the texture of this Crowne, it is Eter­nity that makes it up, tem­porals come in only by way of superaddition; it is in this life reposita layd up onely for S. Paul, but it shall in that which is to come, be impositae set upon the head of S. Paul; and not upon his head only but upon all their heads that shall with him fight the good fight of faith, then shall be imposed the golden Crowne of Christs appro­bation, Euge bone serve well done thou good and faith­full servant enter into thy Maisters joy, joy unspeakeable, there is no diving into the depth of it, the felicity can­not be imagined; the bles­sings [Page 287] cannot be numbred, so incomparable that they ad­mit No joy like that of heaven. of no equality, the tongve may expresse much the eare may heare more then the eye can see, and the heart of man conceive more then all of them, yet put all together they cannot apprehend the greatnesse of those joyes eternall, here only it is bare Earth that is enioyed under the first A­dam, but in the second Adam Christ Jesus there's Earth enlarged, every thing that wee enjoy is an essentiall heaven, our meate and drinke is manna, our cloa­thing white Robes, our Com­pany Angels, the Place, Hea­ven; there the King is ve­rity; the lawes, Charity: the honor, Equity; the Peace, [Page 288] Felicity; the life, Eternity: there's joy without sadnesse; health without sicknesse: light with out darknesse: life with­out death: ease without la­bour, wealth without wam: an Ocean of all selicity with­out the least drop of misery, Joyes of Heaven in utterable. many, and glorious things are spoken of thee ô thou City of God, whilst I am thus describing the King­dome of heaven, oh that I might with the holy A­postle be taken up into the third heaven: and whilst that I shall endeavour to blazon out the blisse of that caele­stiall place: oh, that the light of that glory might shine into my sinfull soule, that my thoughts being winged with the contem­plations of Angels I might in [Page 289] some sort comprehend the excellency of that glorious place which farre surmoun­teth every humane estimate, oh, that I were to parley with those blessed Spirits above, those vessels of glory the Saints departed; tell mee, oh tell mee ye noble Army of Martyrs what is that joy whereof ye are now made partakers that my soule being ravished with the glory thereof my pen might distill the Nectar of comfort to enflame the hearts of all those that shall at this time joyne with mee in this sweete meditation; but alas how shall he that ever was in darkenesse be able to describe that light that is so inaccessible? how can he that is of the Earth measure [Page 290] the heavens? no more surely then he which is a slave by birth, and base by his conti­nuall habitation is able in­geniously to describe the m [...]jestick state of Princes, if Nichodemus understand not the manner of Regeneration how shall he be able to con­ceive the excellency of glori­fication; of the infinite happi­nesse in that coelestiall life how shall I then speake? Earthly Jerusalem was pour­trayed by Ezekiel upon a tile so cannot the heavenly Ezech. 41 be, the joyes prepared for the Elect do exceedingly surpasse all humane appre­hension, obtayned they may be, valued I am sure they cannot: he in Tully said truly, that it is an easier matter to know what God is [Page 291] not then to tell what he is, Tully de Nat. deo­rum lib. 1 so may I say it is much easier to tell what is not in heaven then what is there: S. Au­gustine wrote two and twenty bookes of the City of God, how shall I then bring into the last gasp of these my Meditations the unity, the plenty, the beauty, the holinesse, the felicity thereof, when he himself confessed after all his endeavours, all that can be sayd is but a drop to the Sea, and a sparke to the fire: what is this world to heaven? a man may go Sr. Fr. Drake. round about it in three yeares, and odde dayes, it is lesse then a poynt in compa­rison, what is an acre of Land to the world? the light of a candle to that of the sunne? the life of a child to the [Page 292] yeares of Methusalah? what's the conceyt of a foole to the expeience of Noah who saw two worlds? such is the world to heaven, such our life to Eternity, a thousand yeares in heaven are but as one day; O while I write of those joyes eternall, how am I si­lenced! faine would I de­clare them but cannot con­ceive them, I am in a maze when I beginne to thinke of them, what then shall I say? what shall I write? Haven is a place of Rest, a City of excellent beauty, a Jerem. 6. 16. Rev. 2. 1. 4. 15. Luk. 22. 30 2 Pet. 5. 4 rare Paradice of Pleasure, a kingdome of Majesty, a crowne of glory, and life everlasting! O ioy unspeakeable! O hap­pinesse unconceiveable! O pleasures indurable! O tri­umphs admirable! what shal [Page 293] not such a prize as this make thee to fight? why dost thou stand still? hath the glim­mering pleasures, and delights of the fading world so be­numbd thy limbs, and be­witched thy senses that thou can'st not see paine from plea­sure, misery from majesty, de­ceits from delights? for such and no better is the worlds cheifest ioy compared with that of heaven; buckle on thy Armour, labour very earnestly to conquer, & subdue thy owne corruptions, the words allurements, and the Devils temptations; he that will reigne must conquer, and he that will conquer must fight valiantly, then for thy comfort S. John hath chal­ked out thy way to the Hea­venly Jerusalem, he hath Rev. 21. [Page 294] found twelve gates in it open day and night to entertaine departing soules repairing thither in the true faith, there shalt thou be entertained by the Patriarches, Abraham, Isaack and Jacob; by the Prophets Moses, and Elias; by the Kings, David, Heze­kiah and Josias; by the A­postles S. Peter, and S. Paul; by S. Stephen, and the noble Army of Martyrs, by the innumerable society of Saints and Angels, a multitude of Heavenly Souldie [...]s shall giue a volley of acclamations at thy entertainment, then shall be great ioy in heaven, then shall the wedding garment be The Chri­stian Soul­diers wel­come to Heaven. put upon thy body the Ring upon thy finger, a crowne upon thy head thus shalt thou be led out to the supper [Page 295] of the Lambe, God the Fa­ther shall take thee by the hand, God the Sonne shall place thee at his owne right hand, and God the holy ghost shall fill thee with the graces of his spirit, thus shalt thou see the goodnesse of the Lord in the Land of the li [...]ing, and thus shall it be with all those that have fought the good fight, finished their course, kept the faith, they shall with S. Paul and all these heavenly spirits receive the Crowne of Righteousnesse which God the Righteous Judg shall give them in that day.

Thus I haue set before thee life and death, blessing and cursing, therefore choose life that thou and thy seede may live, here's the horror ofhel Deut. 30. 19. for thy terror, the ioyes of [Page 296] heaven for thy encouragement, if the intollerable paines of the one will not enforce thee, let the unspeakeable happi­nesse of the other allure thee to fight, O the Joyes of the hea­venly Canaan! O the Ri­ches of those Diamonds that are set in that Crowne which shall impale the brow of every Conquerer! loose not then the hold of such a Crowne for a rappe on the fingers, vincenti dabitur doe but overcome, and thou shalt surely have it; to shut up all, looke behind thee there is h [...]ll; looke before thee there is heaven; if thou goest backeward hell will receive thee, and if thou stand still hell will overtake thee, but if thou runne forward Jehovah will crowne thee, which he grant [Page 297] for his mercye's sake, for Christ Jesus sake the Cap­tayne of thy salvation, and hereunto let all the Church militant throughout the whole face of the Earth say AMEN. AMEN.

Glory be to God on high.