A NARRATION OF THE GRIEVOVS VISITATION AND DREADFVLL DESERtion of Mr. PEACOCK in his last sicknesse Together with the sweet and gracious issue in his comfortable restauration to the joy of Gods salvation before his most blessed end and heavenly death Decemb. 4. 1611. PSAL. 37.37 Marke the perfect man and behold the upright for the end of that man is peace PSAL. 37.24 Though he fall he shall not be utterly cast downe for the Lord upheldeth him with his hand PSAL. 71.20 Thou which hast shewed me great and sore troubles shalt quicken me againe and shalt bring me up againe from the depths of the Earth PSAL. 102.18 This shall be written for the generation to come and the people which shall be created shall praise the Lord. LONDON Printed by R.H. for Robert Milbourn at the signe of the holy Lambe in Little Brittaine 1641. TO THE CHRISTIAN READER THose foure leprous men at the gate of Samaria 2 Kings 7.3 When they had eaten and drunke and carried away Silver and Gold and Raiment from out of the forsaken tents of the flying Syrians and had hid the same their Conscience eftsoone gave them the checke for so engrossing to their own use and particular benefit what the God of ISRAEL had in mercy intended and by miracle provided for that whole City and Kingdome Ver. 9 Then they said one to another WEE DOE NOT WELL THIS DAY IS A DAY OF GOOD TIDINGS AND WEE HOLD OUR PEACE Even so this Narration of Mr. PEACOCKS Visitation comming happily to my hands and I upon through-reading and serious perusall thereof finding it to set forth a most singular president and rare example of GODS correcting Iustice in giving over this deare Saint his faithfull servant this MAN OF GOD for so a late reverend Divine * M. Bolton Instruct for afflicted consc p. 84. worthily enstyleth him to the buffettings of Satan terrours of hell conflicts of a selfe-accusing Conscience and likewise to hold forth the tender mercies and melting bowels of the LORDS Fatherly compassion in bringing him even to the suburbs of bell the gates of death (a) Psal 9.13 seemingly yeelding him up into the pawes and jawes of the devill himselfe and yet then plucking him as a brand (b) Zech. 3.2 out of the fire recomforting his dejected soul binding up his broken spirit pouring in a more pretious Balme than that of (c) Ier. 8.22 Gilead into his wounded and bleeding conscience I say hereupon my thoughts forthwith suggested this unto me that I SHOULD NOT DOE WELL to conceale any longer this Mirror of Gods Iustice and Mercy being as well an Antidote against DESPAIRE that dangerous whirle poole and gulfe into which FRANCIS SPIRA seemed irrecoverably to fall to sinke and perish in on the left hand and also to bee a curbe of restraint unto a warning piece and counter-poyson against PRESUMPTION on the right hand the Rocke that so many millions of men everlastingly miscarry and split themselves upon for as the women sang of Saul and David 1 Sam. 18.7 that Saul had slaine his thousands and David his ten thousands so where some few upon an awakened and rouzed conscience die despaireingly infinite is the number of presumptuous sinners who like the Fish in Jordan friske and play and take their pastime in the sweet silver-streames of this lifes comforts till they be unawares suddenly engulfed into the Dead Sea arrested by grimme death Gods Serjeant and haled by devils unto the disobedient soules (d) 1 Pet. 3.19 20. now in prison reserved in chaines under darknesse (e) Iude 6 unto the judgement of the great day without baile or mainprise Doubtlesse whosoever is wise will seriously and seasonably consider of this (f) Psal 107.43 and other like remarkable administrations of divine providence and being carefull of his owne standing in the state of grace will worke out his owne (g) Phil. 2.12 salvation with feare and trembling This surely is the use God would have men to make hereof not to be a nine-daies wonder or a naked subject of fruitlesse discourse but to learne righteousnesse (h) Isa 26.9 thereby for if these things were done in the greene tree (i) Luk. 23 31. what will become of the drie And if the righteous scarcely bee saved (k) 1 Pet. 4.18 where shall the ungodly and sinner appeare It is a fearefull thing (l) Heb. 10.31 saith the Apostle to fall into the hands of the living God That (m) Ioh. 1.29 Lamb of God our blessed Saviour himselfe when he stood in our stead upon the crosse was ready even to sinke under that unsupportable weight and burthen (n) Psal â—8 4 of our sinnes and the feeling apprehension of his Fathers fierce wrath for the same and cries out in that perplexed agonie and dereliction (o) Mat. 27.46 My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee Oâ— the terrours and intolerablenesse of a Conscience wounded by sinne The spirit of a man may sustaine (p) Prov. 18.14 his infirmity but a wounded spirit who can beare Not only the desperate cries of Cain Iudas Latomus Bolton p. 83. and many other such miserable men of forlorne hope but also the wofull complaints even of Gods owne deare children discover the unsupportable horrours of a galled Conscience yelling and crying out with the stinging sense of the arrowes of sinne (q) Iob â— 4 the poyson whereof drinks up mens spirits Thus Hezekiah Isay 38.13 Thus Iob Iob 13.26 Iob 6.4.8 Iob 7.14 15. Thus David Psal 32.3 4. And into the like depth of spirituall distresse three worthy servants of God in these later times were plunged and pressed downe under the sense of Gods anger for sinne 1. Blessed Mistris Bretergh upon her last bed was horribly hemmed in with the sorrowes of death See the discourse of the holy life and Christian death of Mistris Katherine Bretergh the very pains of hell laid hold on her soule she said her sinnes had made her a prey to Satan she cryed out Woe woe woe A weake a wofull a wretched a forsaken woman with teares continually trickling from her eyes 2 Master Peacock that man of God in that his dreadfull visitation and desertion recounting some smaller sinnes burst out into these words And for these saith he I feele now an hell in my conscience But thou shalt reade more concerning him in the following Narration 3. What grievous pangs and sorrowfull torments what boiling heats of the fire of hell that blessed Saint of God Iohn Glover felt inwardly in his spirit saith Master Foxe no speech outwardly is able to expresse Acts Mon. in the story of Master Robert Glover pag. 1557. Being yong saith he I remember I was once or twice with him whom partly by his talke I perceived and partly by mine owne eyes saw to be so worne and consumed by the space of five yeares that neither almost any brooking of meat quietnesse of sleepe pleasure of life
terrible horrours I thanke God I never continued in any known sin against my conscience He was willing that wee should pray with him Kneeling downe he said He was then uncapable of prayers Afterward hee kneeled downe of his owne accord shortly after he broke out into such speeches I damnable wretch Those are not your words saith one you cannot deny but you have good experience of Gods mercy c. I cannot Then be comforted for Whom he once loveth he loveth for ever Yet Satan took such advantage at his infirmities that though he could finde some comfort yet no particular assurance You have lived profitably saith one I have endeavoured You are now humbled and the Lord lookes you should aske mercy Master Dod was sent for who being come they were private awhile afterward comming unto him againe Master Dod put him in minde of Gods kindnesse whereof hee shewed him foure parts 1. To take small things in good part 2. To passe by infirmities 3. To be easie to be intreated 4. To be entreated for the greatest sin there is now in you Now for the image of the olde man Adam sin and sorrow there shall be in you the image of the new man in holinesse and happinesse and righteousnesse The life to come might be set out by three things 1. By the estate it selfe happinesse holinesse and glory 2. By the company every one shall love you better than any one even the best can love you here 3. By the place There are three differences between the afflictions of the good and bad 1. From the cause for they come to the good from Gods love 2. In the measure as far as they need and are able to beare 3. In the end for their good Of those former doubts we after heard not a word from him upon the Sabbath day he desired to be alone after noone he was fearefully troubled In his countenance appeared evident tokens of a sorrowfull minde borne up with a weake body his spirit was wounded Satan had foiled him Those his terrible wrastlings with temptations griefes of conscience and restlesse terrours none can understand much lesse expresse but he which felt them Satan had winnowed him and shewed him nothing but chaffe his tender conscience was grieved with the fiery darts of the devill pointed with the edge of sin and sense of Gods heavy wrath as through a false glasse the dazeled eye of his astonished and amazed soule could see nothing but hideously-appearing sinne and the terrible image of death and damnation he had drunke deeply of the dregs of hell his adversary had represented unto him his owne most gracious God as a most severe Iudge displeased angry and chiding with him yea yeelding him up into his clawes that so by this deadly stratagem hee might take from him all hope of help that way and so not only stop the sensible flowing of Gods grace and cut the chaines of Gods love wherewith he had tyed him and would draw him after him but finally break his Christian soule O that you had seen and that wee which were present had had eyes to have seen his seeming forlorne soule with what barkings of conscience and with what too heavy burdens of sin waves of fearefull thoughts blustering blasts and surging stormes of Gods heavy displeasure he was tossed turmoiled and dashed against rockes of despaire more then in danger of his soules shipwrack happy were we if neither through frowardnesse nor blindenesse of judgement wee did inconsiderately passe by or prophanely deride Gods judgements by thinking that they either happen casually or by forgetting of them suddenly If we could but rightly discerne it we should finde nothing more profitable than to have the image of this gracious though now afflicted soule in our consciences hereby wee may see that The righteous scarcely being saved 1 Pet. 4.18 there is no place for the wicked and ungodly to appeare And truly we may thinke that our God even sent it for our sakes that we with whom it is too usuall to dally with God might know Heb. 10.31 that it is afearefull thing to fall into his hands Our faith is tryed in earnest when as the Lord hideth his face from us for if we love God above all it cannot be but that at the losse of the rellish of his favour or least taste of his displeasure our soules should be in bitternesse tormented wounded thrust through yea and swallowed up with desolation It is a wonder to see in the world how we will ride and runne and carefully will seeke physick and use dyet by any meanes to avoid bodily paine and how carelesse we are of the unprofitable fits of the soules mortall sicknesse It is not in our owne power to apprehend grace when we will and a harder matter it is than we can conceive to lift a poore soule up that is cast downe with the sense of Gods wrath If a violent passion may so far transport the minde what may we thinke of this restlesse trembling when the soul after long tossings seeth it selfe drowned and overwhelmed with a deluge of sorrow proceeding from the everlasting threats of shame and confusion of face in the presence of the Almighty Consider the body laden with a burden neither portable nor evitable and thence gather the struglings of an overladen soule Consider a man ready to fall from an high Tower to the Earth and thence gather the estate of another falling from heaven with a spirituall ruin into hell Consider a childe when the mother hideth her face from it and terrifies it with a bug-beare and therein take view of the estate of a poore Christian whose chiefest happinesse having consisted in being joyned and united to his heavenly Father having now lost his presence or being affrighted with the devill as if he were ready to lay hands on him Consider the estate of a debtor cast off by his best creditors and gather that of a Christian being bankerupt with his God Consider the estate of a man once in favour afterward adjudged to death by his Prince without hope of pardon and repriving and gather that of a Christian who after his citation and arraignment at the tribunall seate of God stands condemned and is wholly deprived of obtaining pardon and delivered into the hands of the devill The Lord needs not to seeke wilde beasts to punish us or such like executioners of his wrath to torment us he may finde enough within us all the furies and devils cannot invent a grievouser torment then a wounded conscience One by it apprehended needs not more accusers or tormentors his many thoughts of sins as if he stirred a nest of Waspes come buzzing about his eares and as a man indebted once laid hold of makes him faster daily His loving friends may stand by the prison and call him but he being fast fettered can not come forth You shall see him now in his Purgatory not that Papisticall sin-satisfying fiction the Popes Jayle but that
escape safe to that land of righteousnesse (r) Psal 143.10 And thither also must we arrive through the streights of death and therefore that we may looke that King of terrours (Å¿) Iob 18 14. undauntedly in the face it stands us all in hand to watch Here wee may see the Lords champion this blessed servant of God in the lists resisting (t) Heb. 12.4 unto blood combating and encountering with most dreadfull temptations whose turne may be the next wee know not God may call any of us out unto the duell and turne Satan loose upon us hand to hand we had need therefore before hand learne the use of all our spirituall armour (u) Eph. 6. as Saul taught Iudah the use of the bowe * 2 Sam. 1.18 The strength we must stand and withstand by is not our owne not from nature no nor grace it selfe it is God that must teach (w) Psal 144.1 our fingers to fight he must cover our head in the day of battell (x) Psal 140.7 We are here all militant and must bid battell and abide it or else no victorie Satan reserves his most dangerous ambushments and desperate assaults to the last Here thou maist perceive how where and when he useth most mortally to strike and so stand upon thy guard To keep thy conscience safe shot-free and unwounded is the maine-service Herein I exercise my self (z) Acts 24.16 to have alwaies a conscience void of offence toward God and toward men If that bird of the bosome sing sweetly in our brest it makes no matter what dirdams and stirres be from the world Therefore make much of conscience it must stand us in stead and be our best friend another day Walke in the light thereof It is a blessed thing to keep it tender But alas how doe men muzzle stifle and choke it up how doe they noise and drum in its eares that the cries thereof may not be heard 2 King 23.10 Ier. 19.2 as the Idolatrous Jewes in the burning of their children to their Idols O Brethren saith Francis Spira take a diligent heed to your life Relation of Francis Spira pag. 112. make more account of the gifts of Gods Spirit than I have done learne to beware my misery thinke not you are assured Christians because you understand something of the Gospell take heed you grow not secure on that ground be constant and immoveable in the maintaining of your profession confesse even untill death if you be called thereto he that loveth father mother brothers sisters sons Luk. 14.26 daughters kindred houses lands more than Christ is not worthy of him pag. 104 105. And in another place Take heed to your selves it is no light or easie matter to be a Christian it is not baptisme or reading of the Scriptures or boasting of faith in Christ though even these are good that can prove one to be an absolute Christian There must be a conformity in life a Christian must be strong unconquerable not carrying an obscure profession but resolute expressing the image of Christ and holding out against all opposition to the last breath he must give all diligence by righteousnesse and holinesse to make his calling and election sure Many there are that snatch at the promises in the Gospel as if they undoubtedly did belong to them and yet they remain sluggish and carelesse and being flattered by the things of this present world they passe their course in quietnesse and security as if they were the only happy men whom neverthelesse the Lord in his providence hath ordained to eternal wrath as you may see in S. Lukes rich man Luke 16. thus it was with me therfore take heed Thus he And that I may keep thee no longer from this so fruitfull a Treatise Reade advisedly this following Narration and thou shalt reape much good thereby To which end it is now published and presented to thy view by thy wel-wisher in the Lord I. C. MASTER PEACOCKS Visitation MAster Peacock the servant of God in the beginning of his Visitation for the space of two weekes and foure daies was full of most heavenly consolations shewing by sweet meditations and gracious ejaculations the entertainment he found with his God in his sicknesse with whom he so much desired to be acquainted in his health We are saith one comming to visit him miserable comforters Iob 16.2 Nay saith he you are good for this is ever the priviledge of Gods children that their very presence affords comfort Sometimes hee craved pardon for his actions and for the circumstances of them badly observed Otherwhile he desired to have some matter given him to meditate on Finally hee said his hope was firmly setled on the rocke Christ Jesus he hoped that the Lord would give him a place though it were in the lowest roome of his Saints and he thanked God that hee had no trouble of Conscience The Lord did not suffer Satan to vexe him insomuch that one seeing his great comfort feared lest hee would be overtaken with sorrow before his death He much rejoyced that the Lord had so disposed of him that he had seene his friends in the Countrey Here first was his yeelding unto death suspected and his hoped recovery doubted I thought said he I had been in a good estate but I see it now far otherwise for these things my Conscience laies against me 1. I brought up my Schollers in gluttony This some endeavoured to pull out by putting him in minde of 1. The preventing of many inconveniences 2. His well knowne moderation 3. The great care hee tooke for good conference when they were at Table with him But saith he while I was talking they did undoe themselves and further I did unadvisedly expound places of Scripture at the table many times and for these now I feele a hell in my conscience 4. Againe I have procured my own death by eating and drinking often like a beast when I was joysting up and downe to my friends in the countrey and now I see before my face those dishes of meate wherewith I clogged my stomack Well saith one to him if all these things that you accuse your selfe of were undone would you doe them againe Nay then doubt not but a reprobate would desire to be saved if a desire would serve the turn Indeed he may have a desire but of bare willingnesse not with an intent and purpose in using the meanes Another time a worthy friend of his asking him how he did he cryed out Sin Sin Sin What doth any lie on your conscience Yea. What My inconsideratenesse I did eat too much of such meat at breaking my fast such a morning my selfe being witnesse of his great abstinence could not but admire the tendernesse of his selfe-accusing conscience well said he God be thanked there is no greater as we must not extenuate our sins so neither must we too much aggravate them Let drunkards and gluttons have those most
would have believed us Yes Why not now when your judgement is blinded Oh the judgement of God! Call it as He calleth it Correction Oh my miserable heart Oh death A dead man cannot perceive himselfe dead and God quickneth the dead Oh if he would inlarge my soul This desire is good But it is without savour God in mercy will yeeld you a comfortable rellish Consider I pray you whereas you may object the Lord is strong and terrible Exod. 34.6 it followeth Mercifull withall But I am backward in seeking it He is gracious more forward than you can be backward But I have provoked him Hee is slow to anger But my sins are great But he is abundant in goodnesse and truth The Lord hath promised that He on his part will be our God and we on our part shall be his people For a while he commended him to God shortly after returning he prayed with him Cast your burthen upon the Lord. He hath rejected me Who made you his counsellor Deut. 29.29 Secre◠things belong unto God but revealed things to us wil◠you make Almanacks He doth manifest it Oh my abominable bringing up of youth he withall groaned most deeply If you had done as the justest man you should stand need of Christs merits I or another may bring arguments but it belongs unto God to fasten them upon the soule I say to you as Noah said to Japhet Gen. 9.2 God shall enlarge Japhet c. What if your sinnes were as crimson God can make them as snow Isai 1.18 That is true of those that are capable Behold we make your estate our owne we have part of your sorrow who hath thus disposed our soules thinke you God And doe you thinke that he which causeth us to love you doth not love you himselfe I feare I did too much glory in matters of private service to God The nearer we come to God the more we see our owne vilenesse This is the use I make of it Blessed be God who hath not put our estate in the devils hands but kept it in his owne The devill hath now removed you and you thinke that all is gone out but God knows what and who is his An artificer can distinguish drosse from mettall and cannot God his from yours Well with Job lay your hand on your mouth Job 40.4 and hold your peace and so good rest have you Only consider your comfort though it be but small whence it comes from Gods word and servants no otherwise When he returned againe to give and take farewell he began to complaine Oh great and grievous The Lord knoweth what power he hath given you A father will put a greater burden on a stronger son but see the difference First when an earthly father or Master setteth his servant or son on worke they must doe it with their own strength but the Lord setteth on worke giveth strength too Be not discouraged you are now in your calling Oh my soule is miserable What then a father loveth his son as well when hee is sleeping as waking Ioh. 14.26 The holy Ghost calls to remembrance what you have heretofore taught and now heard and although I shall bee absent in body yet shall I be present in minde Be not covetous to seeke abundance by and by If Jacob could say to Esau Gen. 33.10 I have seen thy face as if I had seen the face of God much more should you thinke so of the children of God Christ come unto you I thanke God he hath begun to ease me He will in his good time God grant Thus hee tooke his last farewell Although we depart from our friends in the way yet we shall meet in the end One told Master Dod that he had uttered such words Now the Lord hath made me a spectacle Whereby he counselled one that attended him to be sparing in admitting commers in or speakers lest his braine should bee too much heated A friend of his comming to him asked him Dare you any more repine against God Why should I so God bee blessed It is a signe of grace But I have no means You have had them offered But not given with effect They shall I doubt not God grant but I feele it not He received a letter from a friend very respectively and much respected of them both wherin these words were written I heard I know not how true that our deare Christian friend Master Peacock is in great danger which hath much grieved and afflicted my soule and wrung from me very bitter teares if his extremities be such his tentations sure be like to be very sore Tell him from mee as one who did ever with dearest loving affection know and converse with him that I can assure him in the word of life and truth from a most just and holy God whose Minister I am that he is undoubtedly one of his Saints designed for immortality and those endlesse joyes in another world When it was read to him at these words I can assure him he said Oh take heed take heed Do you thinke that he would or durst assure you unlesse hee knew upon what grounds I deceived my selfe now God hath revealed more Another time one requested him that hee would make his friends partakers of the least comfort that the Lord had bestowed upon him as they had been partakers of his griefe If I had it I would gladly communicate it Search and take notice of the least How should I have any sense God denyeth the meanes Doe you thinke sense is a fruit of faith Yes At this season * For it was in the deepe of Winter Decemb. 4. 1611. although though the husbandman hath sowne much yet he sees nothing above groūd Applications doe not prove hold your peace my soule is broken Then the promise is yours I would gladly aske you one thing Now you will aske twenty Doe you seeke for grace in your soule I cannot How then can you know whether it be there or not It is dead The Lord in whose hands the disposing thereof is disposeth it for your good and his glory I thanke you What do you think of that place Joh. 20.23 Whosesoever sins ye remit they are remitted unto them You know how far they may goe The bargaine howsoever is not now to be made betwixt God and you Shortly after came one whom he much esteemed Oh I love said he your company for the grace that is in you and much more to the same purpose Suddenly after he breakes out into this ejaculation Oh God reconcile me unto thee that I may taste one dram of grace by which my miserable soule may receive comfort One secretly willed that man to desire him to repeat it againe Doe not trouble me with repetitions There being a Sermon he bad them about him to goe thither After he called one and asked him Whether the preacher being acquainted with his course of preaching did use his