on thirty asse colts ruled over thirty cities Iudg. 10 3.4 of Ibzan having twise as many children thirty sonnes and thirty daughters living to see them all married Iudg. 12.8.9 of Abdon that had fourty sonnes thirty nephewes all honourable riding on seventy asse colts vers 14. ibid. then what must the honour of Adam Evah have bene in all their innumerable sonnes daughters being all Lords and rulers of the earth and all the creatures therein subdued unto them to have seene all these come about them by course that with bowed knees to honour them with stretched out armes to embrace them with loving cheerefull countenances to rejoyce them with obedient hearts to serve them such children as had never offended them nor any besides such as never had givē any occasion of greefe to them or of complaint to others According to the proportion of the cause both in respect of their number of their excellent graces their joy must have bene a thousand times greater then the joy of other parents that yet have counted themselves happy in their children Their dayes without decay should have bene lengthened and their yeares drawne out with comfort their eyes never dimmed with age like Isaac that could not know one sonne from another Gen. 27.1 c. but their youth should have bene renewed more then the Eagles by eating the tree of life in the midst of the garden so with a quick sence and fresh memory ever have enjoyed a deligtfull conversation with their posterity l To come from the joy of parents to marke the childrens happines consider we againe the love ascendent by which the posterity of Adam should have had comfortable communion with their elders from the next parents upward for an hundred generations unto Adam for according to the phrase of Scripture a man that lives an hundred yeare is said to see his children unto the third fourth generation and so according to this speech we may well reckon an hundred generations more from Adam to our time Now as childrens children are the crowne of old men so the glory of children are their fathers Prov. 17.6 and every one of the last generation having had an hundred fathers one older then another to Adam all living together and all of them holy patriarkes the oracles of God unto their children full of wise counsell holy instructions and divine consolations as full of love tender affection which could not but have yeelded pleasant words like the hony combe sweetnes to the soule health to the bones Prov. 16.24 what joy then in this state of innocency should have bene to the children in such a communion where every one should have had an hundred crowns of glory more every one of their fathers being better unto them then any crowne of the finest gold of Ophir or Vphaz That we may the better conceive of this let us suppose that which might have bene according to the first foundation of the world let us set before our eyes Adam dwelling in paradise in Eden as in the center of the habitable world and all his children placed round about him in this order that the next succeeding generations should inhabit in the next circle or climate a little more remote from him and the next ensuing generations should be planted yet a little further off so the next following still further and further unto the hundreth generation reaching to the ends of the earth And to speake now even of those that were furthest off of the last generations when they at any time should have desired to visit their first parent Adam to have communicated with him oh what comfort what pleasant recreation and refreshing of their soule might that have bene unto them Suppose it had bene an hundred dayes journey more yet no labour before the fall was painefull no travell should have bene wearisome no danger should have molested them in the way in passing through an hundred countries a man should have met with no barbarian while there was no confusion of languages in the world every one they met should have blessed them in the name of the Lord and have bene ready to goe with them a mile or more brought them on their way if they would Matt. 5.41 Vnder every tongue there should have bene hony milk of gracious speech of pleasant discourse and their lippes should have dropped as an hony combe Cant. 4.11 At the end of every dayes journey a man might have come to lodge at the mansion place of his owne naturall father or grandfather though every day still with him that should be by one generation older then the former Every harbour in each country should have bene a delightfull paradise and their deare parents their noble progenitours should there have entertained them with all the pleasantest fruits of their garden rejoycing over thē putting them into their bosome powring out their hearts unto them above all materiall food their sweet conferences according to the work of Gods Spirit in his children Psal 44.1 78.3.4 their stories of old matters which they had seene workes of divine providence the yeares of Gods right hand all of mercy benefits while no sinne had bene in the world their narrations of divine visions their talke with God according to that course which God had begun with Adam before the fall these conferences should have bene a spirituall banquet their best cheare more pleasant then the juyce of the pomegranate above any spiced wine to rejoyce the heart And thus as they proceeded in their journey they might still at every harbour have drunk older sweeter and mellower wine of consolation still have bene entertained by their more ancient fathers which could tell them of things done before that patriark was borne with whom they had lodged the night before And when they had thus in order passed on along by an hundred patriarks their owne fathers in every station from day to day had bene filled with more more comfort then at last comming to their first parent old Adam the patriark of patriarks to his garden in Eden finding him there in his integrity without any decay of Gods image in him strong in body minde flourishing as a greene olive tree encreased abundantly in wisedome in all the gifts of holines righteousnes oh what joy should it have bene to have come before him seene him eye to eye to have bene heartily welcommed by him with all joy to be owned by him as his children to have had him layd his hāds upon them blessed them in like manner to have saluted their most deare mother Evah to have bene embraced kissed by her But especially it would then have bene a principall comfort to have receyved the Sacrament with him to have gone into the midst of the garden with him whiles aire as God brought these
wisedome power goodnes of God shining in his creatures even the least of them the many profitable lessons which may be learned from them whereabout he had many singular observations and secondly the blessed condition of the Saints glorifyed touching which he had many divine and heavenly speculations towards his end spake so effectually of these things what appertaines thereunto that to them that were with him he seemed to be in heaven already insomuch as they wished themselves in the same way wherein he was carried on so cheerfully His sufficiency abilities for the worke of the ministery wherein he laboured above fourty yeares how mighty he was in the Scriptures how skilfully profound in expounding difficult places applying them to the benefit of soules with what evidence and power his preaching wrought into the consciences of his hearers how cleerly and fully he could refute convince an adversary of the trueth how prudent and judicious he was in mannaging Church affaires giving counsel advise in weighty businesses these the like pearles shining in that crowne of pastorall endowments wherewith he was qualifyed above many others are abundantly testifyed by those that have bene most interessed therein doe in great measure appeare in what is here and elswhere published may be in like manner further manifested as occasion serves if need were could be confirmed by the testimonies of the learnedest of our age For other maine helpes whereby men are fitted for the ministery his skill was rare in the languages that conduce unto the understanding of the Originall text of the Scriptures the severall interpreters thereof Besides what is ordinarily required in this kinde he could to good purpose with much ease make use of the Chaldean Syriack Rabbinicall Thalmudicall Arabick Persian versions commentaries Now whereas the station which God had appointed unto him was for the chiefe latter part of his time at Amsterdam yet as the godly learned have professed none hath more soundly oppugned that insolent sect for which that place hath bene so much reproached by many in our native country Witnesse his Arrow against the Separation of the Brownists which yet stickes in the sides heart of their cause though some impenitēt of their Schisme gnaw their tongues and cease not to blaspheme the Churches of Christ If he had bene as forward to send forth what he had done in those controversies as they are to trouble the presse with their pamphlets the world had seen at least thrice so much as it hath already of his paines in this kinde As for the unhappy differences raysed of later yeares in about the Church committed to his charge what ever some have deemed they that have bene rightly informed and impartially weighed what hath bene done have approoved his wisedome faithfulnes uprightnes in the whole carriage of those businesses We that have in great part bene privy to his retiredest thoughts demeanour at those times have had assured evidence of the integrity of his heart therein which he hath also witnessed unto the end For the controversies themselves God hath therein greatly pleaded his cause sundry wayes both at the very time of their rising since especially And as opportunity shall require others may in due time behold what he hath done in defence of himselfe the trueth against that which is published by others But of those and the like his paines in their season now somewhat must be sayd of this Treatise which is here put into thy hands It containes the summe of that which was delivered in divers sermōs to his owne flock in the yeare 1628. At the same time it was penned in such manner as we found it after his decease Divers passages especially towards the end were reserved for second thoughts when he might returne to a further survey Though he had bene often importuned by others to publish these his Meditations yet partly by his owne slownes to come abroad in that manner partly by the urgency of other occasions their desires could not then take place But being moved againe when his end drew neere his weaknes would not suffer him to review it and perfect what was wanting he was content I should set it forth in such manner as I could Albeit I have had some trouble in bringing together what was scatteredly set downe in some places extending into plaine words what was left in concise notes and short intimations yet I have purposely avoyded the adding of any thing that was not in the Authors Manuscripts though I should leave some abruptnes in the discourse and harshnes in the phrase I have onely adventured to set downe the contents at the beginning of every Chapter so as thou mayest with ease possesse thy minde with the whole matter of it readily turne unto what thou desirest I need not here discourse of the excellency usefulnes of this Treatise When thou hast read it attentively without prejudice then judge whether the matter intended be not carried along with all soundnes of judgement and demonstration of the spirit of life power whether here be not pithily comprised the summe of what the Scriptures afford of life death whether most poynts of Christian Religion be not here illustrated with some singular observations and in a word whether the whole doe not argue that he was a Scribe excellently instructed unto the kingdome of God The God of all grace glory make thee wise in closing thy thoughts with these Meditations happy in the enjoyment of that blessed end unto which they give directions Thine in the Lord R. PAGET The order observed in this Treatise The first part declareth How God calleth men to Remember Death in generall by the memorials of it in Gods shortening the dayes of man Cha. I. pa. 1 Persons times places of all sorts Cha. II. pa. 18 Man himself what appertaines to him Cha. III. pa. 44 The approch of death about the dead Cha IV. pa. 72 Particularly the death latter end of the Godly the happines of their condition Cha. V. pa. 93 compared with the primitive estate of the old world Cha. VI. pa. 112 Vngodly their woefull wretched end Cha. VII pa. 154 beheld in the visible memorials of Hell Cha. VIII pa. 188 The second part prepareth for death by Generall instructions touching Life and happines the Well fountaine of it in God Cha. I. pa. 229 Sure onely way unto it by Christ Cha. II. pa. 269 The motions of grace in the exercise of Mortification the Nature acts enemies of it Cha. III. pa. 303 Meanes whereby it is wrought Inward the Spirit of grace Cha. IV. pa. 326 Outward the Ordinances Workes of God Cha. V. pa. 349 Vivificatiō the nature working of it Cha. VI. pa. 377 Particular directions concerning Peculiar preparatives unto death Cha. VII pa. 395 The feare of death helpes against it Cha. VIII
thereunto The ordinary Sacraments of the old Testamēt were Circumcision the Passeover In circumcision there was a painefull cutting off of the foreskinne a marke for the mortification of the flesh printed in the body of man for a perpetuall memoriall of this duety so that the Holy Ghost under the phrase of circumcision doth oft describe our mortification unto us as Deu. 30.6 Ier. 4.3.4 Rom. 2.28.29 Col. 2.11 Godly sorrow is a knife of mortification to circumcise the heart to cut off the foreskin superfluities of sinfull lusts In the passeover the separation of the lambe from the tenth day unto the fourteenth day the killing of it sprinkling of the blood the rosting of it eating it with sowre herbes unleavened bread Exod. 12.4.6.7.8 c. did represent the deadlines of sin purged in such manner even by the blood of Christ the undefiled lambe slaine for us to be applyed unto us sprinkled upon us to be eatē with sowre herbs of godly sorrow for sin a purging out of the old leaven of maliciousnes putting off the old man his workes that we might be a new lump 1. Cor. 5.7.8 That which the Sacraments represented unto them was in like manner signifyed by the Sacrifices of the old Testament by laying handes upon the head of the beast that was slaine burnt for sacrifice Lev. 1.4.5 c. and these of many kindes in great number every day upon divers occasions and especially upon their feast dayes when many thousands were sometimes sprinkled him with water to make him cleane Num. 19.14.21.22 but a dead beast did not defile all that came into the tent or stable where it was IV. Not the carcasses of all beasts but onely of those that were uncleane beasts did defile men not the carcasses of sheep oxen goates doves harts hindes roes c. but the carcasses of swine camels vultures c. Lev. 11. but for men the carcasses of all men whosoever cleane or uncleane good or bad did defile all that touched them Num. 19.11 V. The bodies of uncleane beasts did not defile but onely when they were dead otherwise it was lawfull to ride upon horses mules camels and asses as Christ did according to the prophesy Zech. 9.9 with Matt. 21 2-7 but the bodies of uncleane men while they were living did defile other men many wayes as we see in the lepers and such as were defiled with other naturall uncleannesses Levit. 13.46 15.5 c. 2. Cor. 6.17 To have touched a venomous toad had lesse defiled then the touch of a most glorious king or the touch of the fairest woman though but the hemme of their garments without the least motiō or lust of evill when they were but ceremonially polluted VI. He that was defiled with the carcasse of an uncleane beast was not required to wash more then his clothes but he that was defiled with the carcasse of a dead man or some other uncleane persons was required to bathe himselfe in water also Num. 19.19 Lev. 15.13 VII Those that touched the carcasses of uncleane beasts were purged with common water Lev. 11.25.28 those that were defiled by touching of the dead were not to be purged but by water and blood to wit by a speciall water of purification made with the ashes of a red heifer Num. 19 2-9.17 By all this it appeares how marvellous great the pollution of mans sinne is which God would have him so many wayes to be put in minde of to avoyd the tent and company of wicked men that by so many exercises of mortification he might learne to touch no uncleane thing As David in detestation of himselfe sayd unto the Lord I vvas as a beast before thee Psal 73.22 so we are here taught to consider and confesse that we are worse then beasts as it is also elswhere noted for our mortification Esa 1.3 Ier. 8.7 Prov. 6.6 c. f Moreover whereas it is a speciall very sight of the creation which way soever we turne us might serve to abase and humble men before the Creatour To this end are they propounded by the Spirit of God unto us the height of the heavens the depth of hell the length of the earth bredth of the sea Iob 11.8.9 The terrour evē of some creatures is such that man is ready to die and perish at the sight of them The sight of an Angel made the watchmen and keepers of the grave to quake and become as dead men Mat. 28.4 When the Disciples thought they saw a spirit they were troubled and cryed out for feare Matt. 14.26 At the sight of the Leviathan men are cast downe when he rayseth up himselfe the mighty are afraid because of breakings and terrours beginne to purify themselves to confesse their sinnes to pray for the pardon of them and to seek reconciliation with God Iob 41.9.10.25 This hath God ordained for the mortificatiō of sinners that hereby they might conceive how unable they are to stand before him Whē the Lord would make Iob to be vile in his owne sight and to abhorre himself in dust ashes he sets before him the glory of the creation and his majesty shining therein and leads him along in the spirit to behold the cheef of them ranked in order before him Iob 38. 39. 40. 41. ch with ch 41.4 42.6 And even unto this day God doth sometimes speak unto us as it were out of the whirlewind and by the sight of the heavens the earth the seas doth call us unto mortification The Lord sometime giveth dayes of darknes and gloominesse of cloudes and thick darknesse Zeph. 1.15 he clothes the heavens with blacknes and makes sackcloth their covering Esa 50.3 in their mournefull countenance they call us to thinke what cause of mourning we have Yea in them the wrathfull countenance of God is as it were pourtrayed before us a smoak is sayd to come out of his nostrils and devouring fire out of his mouth when he thunders from heaven sendeth forth his lightnings for the terrour of sinners and for the mortification of their corrupt and wicked lusts Psal 18 8-14 29.1 c. 97.2.3.4 1. Sam. 12.16.17.18 By the sight of the raging roaring sea bounded within the sands the Lord cals mē to feare before him to trēble at his presence Ier. 5.22 And whereto serve the storms upon the sea if not for the mortification contrition of heard-hearted serve to humble them and call to their minde their owne unworthines which then especialy by comparison of Gods free love with their contrary deserts doth more appeare unto them So it was with David humbling himselfe before God in the consideration of his mercies 2. Sam. 7.18.19 even as Mephibosheth had done to him in another case 2. Sam. 9.7.8 so did Elizabeth Luk. 1.43 If Abigail might say of her marriage with David Let thine handmaid be a servant to vvash the feet of
us further by applying unto us the merit of his sufferings Then as the childe neesed seven times so the new creature the converted soule doth manifest the truth of life received by severall degrees at the first neesing a new disposition appeares at the second new motions at the third new affections at the fourth new will purpose at the fift new fruits and workes at the sixt new thankesgiving and praise in joy of the holy Ghost so much in this life at the seventh neesing the old man is utterly abolished the flesh shaken quite off and the spirit caryed into a heavenly kingdome clothed with a white robe of perfect righteousnes in Christ the fulnesse of spirituall life Therefore all is to be sought principally in Christ c The outward meanes whereby the Spirit quickeneth are the ordinances and workes of God The primary ordinances of God are his Word Prayer Sacraments and Discipline The word of God is the word of life Deut. 32.47 Ioh. 5.25 6.63.68 Act. 5.20 a tree of life Prov. 3.18 the immortall seed 1. Pet. 1.23 that quickeneth the soule which cleaves unto the dust melteth for heavines Psa 119.25.28 By prayer men finde life for themselves Ioel. 2.32 Rom. 10.13 Esa 38 2-5 give life to others 1. Ioh. 5.16 Baptisme shewes us the laver of regeneration or new birth Act. 2.38 with Tit. 3.5 Ioh. 3.5 and the dead-harted are quickened by meditation of the grace represented sealed thereby By the Table of the Lord the fainting spirits are relieved revived through that spirituall food which is there exhibited 1. Cor. 11.24 The admonitious of Discipline are the corrections of life Prov. 15.31 therein is consolation for those that are ready to be swallowed up of sorrw 2. Cor. 2.7 By these things men live in all these is the spirit of life vivification Esa 38.16 therefore as we would have the life of the new creature to be dayly increased within us so are we to attend upon that word of life night and day to pray incessantly to watch thereunto with all perseverance and thankesgiving to sanctify ourselves for an holy use of the Sacramēts from time to time to submit unto Discipline for mutuall edification so to wait for spirituall life thereby to be ministred unto us d The secondary ordinances of God for vivificatiō of the new man are an holy Feast a holy Watch unto the Lord. As mirth is compared to the song in the night when a holy solemnity was kept Esa 30.29 Paul Silas sang together at midnight Act. 16.25 till midnight did Paul continue his speech unto the disciples at Troas Act. 20.7 And such meanes are the godly still upon occasion to use for their quickening in their spirituall life sitting under the shadow of him that is the true vine Ioh. 15.1 drinking the wine of his promises plucking the grapes of his consolation cōforting the poore heavy hearted communicating their joy one to another using his gifts in all sobriety and thankfulnes for their mutual support in this time of their pilgrimage e After these follow the tertian ordinances so to speake meanes of an inferiour order rank to wit Vowes and Covenants for the helpes of spirituall life As a religious feast and watch serve for the quickening of the soule in the use of the first and primary meanes so these in the third degree serve to binde us to the use of the secondary each supporting an other Vowes promises to God serve to binde us to the observance of other godly exercises at a certaine time we see how the godly upon occasion vowed to offer unto God a bullock a ramme a lamb or goat male or female more or lesse insomuch that the sacrifices are sometimes called by the name of vowes the Lord accepted that vow of so small a matter Lev. 7.16 22.18 23.38 Num. 15.3 18.14 29.39 Psa 116 12-19 Mal. 1.14 with Act. 5.2.3 ch 21.23.24.26 And so now when men vow unto the Lord and binde themselves unto any particular work of mercy towards the poore or to keep a love-feast or any watch or to performe any labour of love unto the Lord for the quickening of themselves others the same is a sacrifice of sweet odour unto the Lord. Phil. 4.18 2. Cor. 8.4.5 Heb. 13.15.16 In like manner the covenants promises made unto mē whereby they binde themselves to one another for the performance of some dueties of religion or mercy together are also approoved meanes of mutuall comfort and vivification David bound himself by covenant to Ionathan 1. Sam. 18.3 to the Elders of Israel 1. Chro. 11.3 to other worthies cap. 12.17.18 And what his covenant was with the man of his covenant that profaned it we see in the Psalme of his complaint namely to be as guides to one another to take sweet of this way application of the former truth the Lord hath in his word given further light and direction by certaine peculiar workes which himselfe hath cōmended unto us as having pregnant special reference to our latter end to procure some more distinct certaine comfort by the particular observatiō practise of thē And therefore whereas some godly and christian friends doe mutually desire of one another some directiō counsell for their preparation to their end to such besides a general resolute purpose to have respect unto all the commandements of God in al things to keep fayth a good cōsciēce I would cōmend these dueties following I. In the first place a dayly invocation of the name of God for his help and assistance in this particular poynt that they may be prepared to die to leave this world come with comfort into the presence of God to stand undismayed before the throne of his grace The comfort of a happy end is worthy a speciall prayer every day for that particular benefit The maine blessing that Paul could wish unto Onesiphorus that had so oft refreshed him was this that the Lord would grant unto him that he might finde mercy of the Lord in that day 2. Tim. 1.18 And this he prayes for the Thessalonians that their hearts might be stablished unblameable in holines before God evē our Father at the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ with his Saints 1. Thes 3.13 againe that their whole spirit soule body might be preserved blamelesse unto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ 1. Thes 5.23 Now that which Paul so earnestly desired for his dearest friends that is also worthy to be desired of us for ourselves every day If Paul prayed night and day exceedingly to see the faces of his godly friends 1. The. 3.10.11 and that by any meanes he might have a prosperous journey cōming unto them for their mutual comfort how much more cause have we to pray night day with exceeding longing to see the Lord face to face to