remaining daies of our life seeing we are called to be heires of an heavenly inheritance shall we any longer minde and affect earthly things nay rather with the holy Apostle Philip. 3.8 9. Let us accompt all things to bee but dung in respect of the excellent knowledge and fellowship of the Lord IESUS Seeing CHRIST must be our comfort in death when all other comforts will forsake us let us make him out joy and pleasure and our portion in this life and so shall he be both in life and death an advantage unto us O most gracious Lord God and our mercifull heavenly father give us grace we most humbly beseech thee seriously to consider of this high calling of ours being by adoption made thy children members of CHRIST and heires annexed with him of glory of rebels and slaves of Sathan made the happie servants of our blessed Redeemer nay more then so his friends Iohn 14.15 Henceforth call I you no more servants but friends yea more then friends for he hath made us his brethren Heb. 2.11 He that sanctifieth and they which are sanctified are all one wherefore hee is not ashamed to call them brethren O transcendent and wonderfull comfort God the Father cries from heaven This is my beloved sonne in whom I am well pleased heare him The Sonne againe speaking unto us here on earth saith Iohn 20.17 I ascend unto my Father and to your Father and to my God and your God He that is my God and my Father is also your Father and your God Therefore goe ye unto him and with confidence cal upon him as your Father and your God and hee will heare you and helpe you O most glorious and most merciful heavenly Father confirm us more and more in the assurance of thy eternall love free grace and unchangeable mercies towards us in Christ Iesu that in lively sense and inward assurance thereof wee may with comfort and cheerfulnes waite for love and long for his appearing 2 Tim. 4.8 for our deliverance from this bondage of corruption and receiving of us to himselfe in glory To whom with thee O Father of mercies and God the Holy Ghost most holy glorious and ever blessed Trinitie in the unity of one only true and everliving God of incomprehensible glorious essence and most adored and coeternall Majestie be all glory praise dominion and thankesgiving ascribed for ever and ever Amen Amen Amen FOR A Seventh MEDITATION OF MOUNT TABOR NOw my soule having by our most gratious GODS fatherly indulgence and mercie had time and beene enabled though with much humane weaknesse to consider distinctly and severally of those sixe maine points of meditation propounded unto us for Mount Tabor the same indeed comprehending all manner of spirituall comforts and refreshings for the Christian soule wee are by course and order come to a seventh stepp which very name puts mee in minde of the seventh day of our weeke the fittest of all the rest for heavenly contemplations Almightie GOD after his six daies worke of wonder in the creation of the visible World consecrating the seventh day for a holy rest to himselfe and for his owne immediate worship and service which was the Iewes Sabbath and the glorious resurrection of God the Sonne manifested in the flesh for the most gracious worke of our redemption being also celebrated in the Church ever the seventh day of the week which is the Christians Sabbath and both of them types of that everlasting Sabbath which the triumphant Church shall celebrate for ever in the kingdome of Heaven The consideration of which particulars might bee a theme large enough and fit enough for a seventh Meditation of Mount Tabor But being sensible of my owne weaknesse I am resolved here to set up my rest and instead and place of this seventh and concluding Meditation of mine to set downe two exercises of this kind heretofore composed by me the one fitting the Christians Sabbath to the worlds end the other a contemplation of the new Ierusalem and heavenly Sabbath world without end recommending the foure other heads of meditation set downe by Master Downâ—m and the twelve priviledges of the faithfull set downe by Master Byfeild as fit arguments for divine contemplations to such as are better able to travell therein no day of the weeke no nor of our whole life being to bee exempted from that most necessary duty of daily renewing our faith and repentance whereof see Downam at large in his Guide to Godlinesse lib. 3. cap. 2. A MEDITATION On the Incarnation and Passion of our most glorious Saviour the Lord Iesus and our blessed union with him alluding to the song of Simeon called Nunc Dimittis SImeon was one of those which waited for the Messiahs comming Israels consolation Whom that himselfe should see before he died was shewed to him from God by revelation And when the Virgin mother brought her Son up to the Temple to present him there Simeon by motion of the Holy Ghost came in and praising God with joyfull cheere The blessed babe with arms he gently claspt about This Swan-like song divinely warbling out O Lord since thou hast let me live to see the Christ thy promised salvation Whom thou hast now prepar'd reveald to be before the face of every nation A saving light unto the Gentiles who in darknesse and in shade of death did dwell The glory and the way of peace unto thine owne beloved people Israel Now lettest thou thy servant blessed Lord Depart in peace according to thy word If Simeon at the sight of Christ a child new come into the world for our salvation That glorious work not then accomplished was yet so wrapt with joy and exultation As disesteeming all the world beside he had no mind of living longer here How then O Lord should I affected be who live in this thy Gospels light so cleare My Saviours acts and sufferings all to see And know the benefit therof belongs to me O thou divine peace-maker how shall I admiâ—e and praise thy mercy infinite That being God our nature wouldst assume and to thy sacred person it unite That so thou being God and man in one 〈◊〉 perfect Mediator might become To God for man who els had perished and without thee beene utterly undone Good Lord how should my soule affected be At this thy wonderfull humility That thou th' almighty maker of the world for by thy word all things at first began Should'st yeeld thy self a creature to become and to be made twise made for sinfull man Made of the blessed Virgin so to take with our fraile nature our infirmities And made under the law to undergo the burthen of our sinnes and miseries How then good Lord should I affected be To this great work of mercy towards me That thou to whom all powers in heaven did bow and thought it their honour to be serviceable Should for us wretched men descend so low as to be born heire in a homely stable Laid in a cratch pursued
the feare of Death and Hell 6 How rich and stately a thing to be heire of glory Say to thy self as Paul to the Corinths 1 Cor. 5.8 Let us feast and be merrie CHRIST hath made us holy-dayes our Paschall Lamb is slain have any more cause to be merrie With these Soliloquies mingle some Ejaculations to Heaven for â—râ—ce and aid and descend not this 〈…〉 till thou findest and feelest thy soule in some cheerly plight revived and warmed with these spirituall Flaggons of Wine in the strength whereof thou mayest walk all the day following And this in plaine termes I call using of faith and living by faith which if thou wilt duely inure thy self unto thou wilt not marvell why I call it ascending Mount Tabor thou wilt stay thy selfe upon good proof It is good to be here daily to be here often to come hither oh that this did as clearly appeare to the world in this matter of faith as it doth in all other habits graces gifts vertues and good things whatsoever that the principall beautie and benefit of them consists in use fruition and action not the bare profession yea the very increase and perfection of them Vse limbs and have limbs The more thou dost the more thou mayest Vse will bring perfectnesse and thorough disuse things perish and come to nothing As the Plough-share laid up rusts and consumes employed glisters doth good and lasts the longer Let any man diligently and throughly improve the greater will be his faith and great comfort it will bring in And againe after the end of the Sermon in his Epistle to the Reader which he purposely then enters and not before it to leave the better impression he hath a farther passage to this effect Let me minister unto thee an Interrogatory or two and answer me in good serious sooth betweene God and thy soul Hast thou and dost thou thy self letting others alone live by faith Proove and examine thyselfe and take for instance this present week or day past wherin thou readest this little Manual How hast thou or usually dost thou spend the day What thought didst thou awake withal what was the morning draught for thy foule next thy heart What hath cheered and made thee merrie in private and in company whether thy sports or thy meales more then the heavenly ejaculations Deale plainly not with me and this Booke which yet shall witnesse against thee if thou refuse to practise it when thou hast read it but with thy selfe Hast not thou challenged some time more or lesse halfe a quarter of an houre at the least in the day for this exercise of thy faith if not as it is neglected by most men not for dayes or weekes but for moneths and yeares let thy heart smite thee for thy folly and say have I lived or rather not lived by consuming pretious time in vanities How commeth it about that the greatest part of my life is the least part wherein I have lived Oh then recover and recollect thy selfe before thou go hence wilt thou die before thou hast lived as boies slabber their books before they have learned their lessons Oh learn to live this life it is never too late it is never I am sure too soone It is no shame for thee to learne it of what age or condition soever thou be The Introduction to my MEDITATIONS OF MOUNT TABOR My work is done I can no longer toyle under the restles cares of worldly things Come then my soul let 's prove another while what sounder comfort thought of heaven brings For here we see by selfe-experience the fruits of this world wheresoe're they grow In Citie Court high place of eminence in Cottages or Countrey shades below Yeeld but the spirits vexation If not confusion Or vanity at best The spirits illusion Then leaving all below let us ascend the sacred Mount of Tabor where we may With humble quiet thoughts attend our Saviours call from day to day For we should now make every day our last not needing or desiring any more If God another to our life shall cast spend it likewise with thanks to him therefore And so being freed from earthly perturbation Make heavens care our daily meditations Waiting the period of our fraile lifes story Vntill his calling of us to himselfe in glory The first Meditation How excellent a thing it is to have all our debts cancelled Places of Scripture shewing how this benefit belongs to us Daniel 9.24 SEaventie weekes are determined upon thy people to finish transgression to make reconciliation for iniquitie and to bring in everlasting righteousnesse and to annoint the most holy vers 25. Messiah the Prince 26. who after sixty two weeks shall be cut off but not for himself â—sayâ— 3.5 He was woundâ—d for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes are we healed Matth â— 2 IESUS seeing their faith said to the sicke of the Palsie sonne be of good comfort thy sins are forgiven thee And undoubtedly saith Bishop Cowper this is a standing sentence spoken not only to this Paralytick but as a generall proclamation to every believer This is my blood of the new Testament which is shed for many Mat. 26. â—â— for the remission of sins I came not to call the righteous Mark â— 17 but sinners to repentance To give knowledge of salvation unto his people for the remission of their sinnes Luke â— â—7 Through the tender mercy of our GOD â—erâ—e â—8 whereby CHRIST the day spring from an high hath visited us To give light to them that sit in darknesse and in the shadow of death Verâ—e â—â— to guide our feet in the way of peace That repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations Luke â—4 47 Behold the Lambe of God which taketh away the sins of the world Iohn â— 2â— And he is the propitiation for our sinnes Iohn 13. â— To him give all the Prophets witnesse that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins Acts 10.43 Acts 13.32 We declare unto you glad tydings how that the promise which was made unto the Fathers Verse 33. God hath fulfilled the same to us their children in that he hath raised up IESUS againe Verse 38. Be it knowne unto you therefore that through this man is preached unto you the forgivenesse of sins Verse 39. And by him all that believe are justified from all things from which yee could not be justified by the Law of Moses Rom. 3.24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in IESUS CHIRST Verse 25. Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousnesse for the remission of sins Heb. 9.26 But now hath he appeared to put away sin by the Sacrifice of himself Verse 27. And
abroad and in his anger to doe mee the greatest hurt hâ—e could which then he thought to be to fall under the rod he dealt with all the prompters that none of them should helpe me and so as he thought I must necessarily be beaten When I found my selfe at this strait I gathered all my wits together as we say and listned the more carefully to my fellowes that construed before me and having also some easie word to my lot for parsing I made hard shift to escape for that time And when I observed my adversaries displeasure to continue against me so as I could have no helpe from my prompters I doubled my diligence and attention to our masters construing our next lesson to us and observing carefully how in construction one word followed and depended upon another which with heedfull observing two or three lessons more opened the way to shew me how one word was governed of another in the parsing so as I needed no prompter but became able to bee a prompter my selfe and so the evill intended to mee by my fellow scholler turned to my great good Let all those who have found the like gracious worke towards themselves as many have in matters of more moment if they observe it come joyne with me in praising the Lord for the same whose providence governeth all things and who doth powerfully declare himselfe to bee the only true God by such over ruling the powers of darknesse and the malicious and evill intentions of men bringing light out of darknesse good out of evill life out of death and making all things worke together for the good and comfort of them that feare him O mercifull Lord God who even in my childhood didst shew mee this grace and favour as thou hast often done since in many cases of extremitie give mee grace to magnifie thy blessed name therefore and of thy free grace and unchangeable mercie continue thy goodnesse to mee thy unworthy servant for my support in my last need that death may not be death unto me but a passage from temporall to eternall life and a change of the one for the other as it is to all thine elect according to the mighty working of our Saviour dying for us whereby he hath purchased eternall life for every poore penitent soul that believes in him Blessed be the Lord our strength and our redeemer for ever Amen 7 Vpon six verses of the 12 Chapter of S. Luke IN one of my paper-books which I had when I was a school-boy I find this short note written with mine own hand at that time Lu. 12.35 to the 40. v. whether it was the text of some Sermon I then heard or upon what other occasion I then wrote it is forgotten as all worldly things must shortly be with me But now turning to the place of that Gospel I find it to be a part of our blessed Saviours Sermon to his Disciples not long before his passion and to contain a most waighty and necessary duty enjoyned to us all for our timely preparation for death and our Lords second comming in these words following Vers 35. Let your loynes begirded about and your lights burning Vers 36. And ye your selves like unto men that waite for their Lord when hee will returne from the wedding that when he commeth and knocketh they may open unto him immediately Vers 37. Blessed are those servants whom the Lord when he commeth shall finde watching verily I say unto you that hee shall gird himselfe and make them to sit downe to meat and will come forth and serve â—hem Vers 38. And if he shall come in the second watch or come in the third watch and find them so Blessed are those servants Vers 39. And this know that if the good man had known what houre the thiefe would come he would have watched and nâ—t have suffered his house to be broken thorough Verse 40. Be ye therefore ready also for the sonne of man commeth at an houre when you think not In which word our blessed Saviour requires of us for our own good and finall comfort an hourely watchfulnesse and preparation for the time of our change that we may be ready when it commeth telling us plainly that it will come at an houre we thinke not and therefore to be expected and provided for that houre if we will be safe urging this most needfull dutie by two examples or parables the one from the happie reward of so doing twise pronouncing those servants blessed whom the Lord when hee commeth shall find watching the other from the danger of neglecting this watch wherein we wilfully give the thiefe opportunity to breake our house thorough to our utter undoing That if the former reason of reward and blessing will not moove us out of love and dutie to see so gracious a Lord and for our owne finall glory to be ready with our loines girded all carnall and worldly affections suppressed and our lights burning in bumble 〈◊〉 repentance and obedience to open unto him at the first knock yet the very feare of being surprised by that cruell murthering thiefe our ghostly enemy who every houre watcheth to take us at advantage for bringing us to utter confusion should awaken us and make us careful to put this holy duty into serious and conti uall practise for our owne finall safety and peace and the glory of our most graâ—ious God in our salvation reckoning every day and houre to be our last and so graciously imploying our few remaining daies of mortality here as neither desiring nor needing any morrow that so whensoever wee shall be called hence we may be ready and enter into the joy oâ— our blessed Lord and Saviour and remaine with him where he is in glory for ever and ever Here this weake meditation of mine I will conclude with M George Withers prayer and meditation upon the 98. Psalme O Almighty Son of God we blesse and praise thee for the manifestation of thy mercy to the whole world is the miraculous work of our redemption thou didst come unto us in despised weaknesse yet hast thou therein shewen such unresistable power that it prevailed against the wisdome of the worldly wise and magnified thy derided crosse above all the most renowned deities of the Gentiles This thou didst by appearing in a contemptible state oh how glorious and how powerfull wilt thou be in thy second comming It now draweth niâ—h O let it not come upon us as a thief in the night but as the travaile upon a woman who keepeth a just reckoning and joyes in the hopes of her birth more then she feares the paines of her trâ—velling so according to the counsell of thy holy Spirit we may expect and receive thee with praises triumphs and rejoycings Amen Vpon a Stage-play which I saw when I was a child IN the City of Gloucester the manner is as I think it is in other like corporations that when Players of Enterludes come to towne they first attend
by it when the meanest scullion oâ— his kitchin and the poorest cripple at his gates were therby made their Lords Kinsmen being all Adams children as well as himselfe And what pitch of honour had he gotten from that common ancestor of al mankind but what we all his posterity by wofull experience finde to bee pitch indeed the guilt and infection of sin and the fruit of it death Objects proper for shame sorrow and humiliation no way for honour or vain-glory Adam himselfe being made but of red earth and he and his posterity to returne to earth againe O most blessed Lord God blessed and magnified be thy most holy and glorious name who after many generations hast raised up a mighty salvation for us in the Lord Iesus the second Adam sonne of thy servant David according to the flesh as thou didest speake by the mouth of all thy holy Prophets which have beene since the world began by whom we have redemption and deliverance from the guilt and punishment â—f the first Adams rebellion and from all the power and malice of that old wily serpent who overthrew him in the terrestriall paradise and are by the blessed promised seed of the woman the Lord our righteousnesse God manifested in the flesh for our redemption restored to a better inheritance even the Paradise of God his owne heavenly Kingdome Let all the Monarchs and States of the world fall downe before thy glorious foot-stoole O most blessed Lord and Saviour and worship and rejoyce in thee the only God of our salvation and let no man glory in the antiquitie of his noble ancestors for no man can goe higher then the Lord Lumleys Pedegree But let every true Christian how meane soever or wretched here and though by nature in the first Adam a child of wrath and perdition lift up his head with joy unspeakable and glorious being in and by this second Adam our blessed Saviour and his holy Spirit by adoption and grace made the child of the most High the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and thereby become truly noble indeed And let all the Potentates of the earth aspire to this spirituall honour by regeneration in CHRIST then to all the pompe and glories of a thousand worlds with the good Emperour Theodosius who thanked GOD more for his being made a member of CHRIST then the Emberour of the world for the best and noblest nature amongst the children of men brings forth nothing but corruption onely grace makes truly noble and everlastingly happy 13. Of a Felon making of a comfortable end at his Execution AMongst all other charitable deeds of that worthy man of God Master Perkins in the Vniversitie of Cambridgâ— his manner was as I have heard to visit the prisoners condemned at the Goale deliveries there not onely in the prison for their spirituall instruction and preparation before their execution but to accompanie them also at the place where they were to suffer whither divers schollers and others of good â—ancke also usually resorted one of which spectators a fellow of Trinitie Colledge made relation to mee of a comfortable worke upon one of the felons at one of the executions more remarkable then the rest to this eâ—â—ect The prisoner being a strong lustie fellow in the vigour of his youth in his going up the ladder discovered an extraordinary lumpishnesse and dejection of spirit and when he turned himselfe to sit upon an upper round to speake to the people looked with such a ruefull and heavie countenance as if hee had beene halfe dead already where good Master Perkins standing at the foot of the ladder laboured to cheere up his spirits and finding him still in agony and distresse of mind called upon him in words to this purpose what man what is the matter with thee art thou afraid of death Ah no said the prisoner shaking his head but of a worser thing Saist thou so said Master Perkins come downe againe man and thou shalt see what Gods grace will doe to strengthen thee whereupon the prisoner comming downe Master Perkins tooke him by the hand and made him to kneele down with himselfe at the Ladder foot hand in hand when that blessed man of God made such an effâ—â—tuall prayer in confession of sins and aggravating the same in all circumstances with the horrible and eternall punishment due for the same by Gods justice as made the poore prisoner burst out into aboundance of â—â—â—â—es as the fervencie of the prayer gave occasion and when the blessed Preacher found that he had brought him low enough even to hell gates hee proceeding to the second worke of his prayer to shew him being truly humble and unfainedly penitent the Lord Iesus the Saviour of all penitent and believing sinners stretching forth his blessed hand of mercy and power to save him in that distressed estate and to deliver him from all the powers of darknesse did so sweetly presse the same with such heavenly art and powerfull words of grace upon the soule of the poore prisoner as cheered him up againe to looke beyond death with the eyes of faith to see how the blacke lines of all his sinnes and debts owing to Divine Justice were crossed and cancelled with the red lines of his crucified Saviours precious blood so graciously applying it to the prisoners wounded conscience as made him breake out into new showers of teares for joy of the inward consolation which he found and gave such expression thereof to the beholders as made them lift up their hands and praise God to see such a blessed change in him who upon the prayer ended rose up from his knees cheerefully and went up the Ladder againe so cheered and tooke his death with such patience and alacritie of spirit as if he actually saw himselfe delivered from the hell hee feared before and heaven opened for the receiving of his soule to the great rejoycing of the beholders Blessed bee thy most holy and glorious name O Lord our good God for all those gracious endowments and abilities wherewithall thou hast and dost furnish thy Ministers of the Gospell of peace for the converting of sinners unto thee and for bringing home the wandring ones and rescuing their soules out of the Lions mouth not only amongst those many of the meaner sort that suffer in our ordinary Circuits and Goale deliveries but also amongst our great men and Nobles capitall offenders at the Tower some of whom the spectators seeing their Christian and gracious preparative for death and their behaviour in it have adjudged more happie in their ends then in all the glorious pompe of their greatnesse before Good Lord increase the number of thine able servants furnished both with gifts and willing mindes to visit comfort and help those poore children of death in that their greatest and last need that they may then by thy grace feele that which all thy children doe in their greatest distressesâ— that mans extremity is Gods blessed opportunitie for their finall comfort
Loâ—â— IESUS CHRIST who hath abolished death and hath brought life and immortality to light through the Gospell Heb. 2.14 Forasmuch thâ—â— as tâ—â— children are partakers of flesh and blood he also himselfe â—ook parâ—â—y the same that through death â—eâ— might destroy him that had the power of death that is the divell 1â— and deliver them who through 〈◊〉 were all their lifetime subject to bondage Revel 1.18 I am hee that liveth and was dead and behold I am alive for ever more Amen and have the keyes of hell and death Revel 2.11 He that overcommeth shall not be hurt of the second death Ioh. 5.24 Verily verily I say unto you he that heareth my words and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death to life Ioh. 8.51 Verily verily I say unto you if a man keep my sayings he shall never see death Revel 20.6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection on such the second death hath no power The Fifth MEDITATION NOw my soul are we by Gods goodnesse come to the fifth step of these our meditations to consider how full of sweet comfort and contentment the life of him is or ought to bee that lives without feare of death and hell Death being in its owne nature the extreamest of evils in this life the king of terrors to every living thing and hell the most horrible dungeon of everlasting torments to the just feare of both which the wicked of the world are every minute subject None but those children of grace here that are sure of their salvation hereafter can live this pleasant and fearelesse life There is a first and a second death the death of the soule saith Saint Augustine went before in the soules departure from God and the death of the body followed by the soules departing from the body the soule first left God willingly yea wilfully and therefore is compelled unwillingly to leave the body Now from both these deaths are we delivered by the Lord Jesus For our soules being by him freed from sinne are reconciled unto God and so exempt from that wrath to come and from the power of the second death for ever And from the first death we are so delivered from it that albeit in the owne nature it be the center of all miseries and a fearefull effect of Gods curse on man for sinne yet to the godly the nature of it is also changed so as now it is not the death of the man but the death of sinne in the man Death saith Ambrose is the buriall of all vices for it is the progresse and accomplishment of the full mortification of all our earthly members wherein that filthie flux of sinne is dryed up in an instant it as a voluntary sacrificing of the whole man soule and body to the Lord the greatest and the highest service wee can doe to him on earth For where in the course of our life wee are continually fighting against our inordinate lusts and affections to bring them in subjection to Christ by death as it were by one stroke they are all smitten and slaine and the soule is offered up unto God in a sacrifice of full and perfect obedience And though this mortall tabernacle must bee laid to sleepe for a time in the grave which is Gods mâ—â—ld wherein it shall bee new moâ—ldâ—d and f amed fit for heaven yet my blessed Saviour who Romans 4.24 was delivered to death for our offences and was raised againe for our justification hath by his most glorious resurrection blessed be his most holy name not onely already made mee partaker of the first resurrection in this life from the death of sinne by grace and on such the second death â—â—â—h no power but hath also by my blessed union with him as one of the sanctified members of that mysticall body whereof himselfe is the glorious head assured mee of my bodies resurrection unto glory and peace for ever and that death shall restore it againe in better plight than ever it was before to bee againe reunited unto thee my immortall soule in joynt glory and immortality for ever And what is this fraile body to mee but my closet or inmost garment which I shall no sooner put off but it shall be sure of repose and thou mine enfranchised soule of joy and when I arise neither of you shall faile of glory O then my soule in this confidence and assurance of our finall peace come let us joyne together in this last earthly dutie wee have to performe of offering up unto our most glorious and mercifull heavenly father in the name and mediation of our most blessed Saviour IESUS CHRIST by the gracious assistance of God the Holy Ghost my selfe the whole man soule and body in an humble faithfull voluntary and most obedient and free sacrifice that hee mercifully accepting the same at our hands I may securely quietly patiently nay joyfully and thankfully depart hence in peace unto the God of my salvation Amen Amen The Sixth MEDITATION OF MOUNT TABOR How rich and stately a thing it is to be heire of glory Places of Scripture shewing how this transcendent priviledge belongs unto the faithfull ESay 43.6 Bring my sonnes from farre and my daughters from the ends of the earth 7. Even every one that is called by my name for I have created him for my glory Luk. 12.32 Feare not little flocke for it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdome Iohn 12.32 Hee appointed us a Kingdome Psalme 84.11 For the Lord is the sunne and sheild the Lord will give grace and glory Luke 22.29 Therefore I appoint unto you a kingdome as my Father hath appointed unto me 30. that ye may eat and drinke at my table in my kingdome Romans 8.16 The spirit it selfe beareth witnesse with our spirit that wee are the children of GOD. Vers 17. And if Children then heires heires of God and joynt heires with CHRIST if so bee that wee suffer with him that wee may also be glorified together Vers 18. For J reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to bee compared with the glory that shall bee revealed in us 21 Because the creature it self also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the gloriouâ— liberty of the children of God 30 moreover whom hee did predestinate them he also called and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified 2 Cor. 4.17 For our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a farre more exceeding and eternall waight of glory Gal. 4.7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant but a son and if a sonne then an heire of God through Christ Eph. 3.6 That the Gentiles should be fellow heires and of the same body and partakers of his promise in CHRIST by the Gospell Col. 3.4 When Christ who is our life shall appeare then shall wee
also appeare with him in Glory Philippians 3.20 For our conversation is in heaven from whence also we looke for the Saviour the Lord Iesus Christ Verse 21. Who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things to himselfe 1 Tim. 4.8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous judge shall give me at that day and not unto me only but unto them also which love his appearing Titus 3.7 That being justified by his grace we should be made heires according to the hope of eternall life 1 Pet. 5.1 The elders which are amongst you I exhort who am also an elder and a witnesse of the sufferings of CHRIST and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed 2. Feed the flock of God 4. And when the chiefe Shepheard shall appeare yee shall receive a crowne of glory that fadeth not a way 10. But the God of all grace who hath called us into his eternall glory by CHRIST IESUS make you perfect 2 Pet. 1.3 According as his Divine power hath given unto us all things that pertaine unto life and godlin sse through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glorie and vertue 11. For so an entrance shall be ministred unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdome of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ 2 Cor. 4.3 If our Gospell be hid it is hid to them that are lost 4. Jn whom the God of this world hath blinded the eyes of them that believe not lest the light of the glorious Gospell of CHRIST who is the image of God should shine unto them 5. For we preach not our selves but CHRIST IESUS the Lord 6. For God who commanded the light to shine out of darknesse hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of IESUS CHRIST 7. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellencie of the power may be of God and not of us The sixth Meditation NOw my soul are we by Gods mercy come to the sixth and uppermost step propounded to us in these our meditations namely to â—onsider how rich and stately a thing it is to be an heire of glory And this indeed must needs be the most high and transcendent priviledge of all that can bee bestowed upon the children of men who being by nature children of wrath and in bondage to sinne death and damnation are by grace brought to this most blessed estate of changing sinne into righteousnesse death into life and hell and damnation into heaven and glory And how comes this blessed worke to bee effected for us most unworthy wretches but onely by that most blessed Saviour and redeemer of ours God in the flesh manifested who brought us up the first step of these our meditations and so from steppe to step all along to this the highest of heavenly glory For hee is the onely naturall sonne of GOD and thereby the onely proper and immediate heire to that blessed inheritance whereunto hee hath a twofold right one by his eternall generation and so hee is the heire of his Fathers Kingdome in a manner proper and peculiar to himselfe alone The other right hee hath by purchase for by the merit of his precious death and passion hee hath purchased eternall liâ—e for all the members of his Churcâ— whom having espoused unto himselfe by grace wee also by that â—lessed union with him became heires annexed with him of the same glory In the first right he can admit no companion in the second all the members of his mysticall body are made partakers with him O my soul what shall we say to this transcendent dignitie of all truly penitent believers but as the Psalmist saith Psalme 87.3 glorious things are spoken of thee ô thou Citie of God so may we say of every citizen of the holy City new Ierusalem the Lambs wife Rev. 21.3 For God will dwell with them and they shall bee his people and God himselfe shall bee with them and be their God 4. and God shall wipe away all their teares from their eyes and there shall bee no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there bee any more paine For Psalme 144.15 Blessed are those people whose God is the Lord and are called to this happie fellowship and union with him who is the king of Saints O my soul come let us with all humble reverence heartily love and adore the Lord who hath of his free grace made us partakers of this unspeakable mercy let us rejoyce and bee glad in the Lord and let my heart and mouth be filled with his praises for ever For Esay 1.9 except the Lord had reserved mercy for us wee had beene made like unto Sodome and Gomorah whereas by this blessed Saviour of ours our most gracious Lord and husband the lots are fallen unto us in pleasant places and we have a faire heritage Blessed be the God of our salvation for ever and ever And although all the adopted children of God members of Christ are heires of this glorious inheritance yet is not the same diminished to any one of them for the rich portion of one shall bee no prejudice to another but every one shall bee filled with the fulnesse of the glory of God But withall we are to observe that howsoever in earthly inheritances the father must first die before the sonne come to the full possession thereof yet for this heavenly inheritance wee our selves must first die that wee may possesse the same For our Father is the ancient of dayes the heavens are the worke of his hands they shall perish but hee doth remaine we all shall wax old as doth a garment but he is the same and his yeares shall not faile for he is the Father of eternitie in whom there cannot fall so much as a shadow of change But as for us our condition is such that by suffering death we must enter into the kingdome we cannot see him so long as wee live nor bee satisfied with his image till we awake in the resurrection Therefore should the day of death be a ioyfull day unto us because it is the day of our glorious inheritance Dies mortis aeternae vitae natalis est and as this serves unto us for a speciall comfort in the houre of temptation and day of death so it should provoke us to answer this our heavenly vocation by the holy and heavenly disposition of our minds and affections whiles we live and a gracious and Christian preparation from day to day for the time of our dissolution waiting for it with cheerfulnesse and joy Seeing we are the sonnes of God shall wee not make it our studie and care to use all blessed meanes for renewing his image in us which our former sins have defaced and to serve him in holines and righteousnes all the
by tyrants rage tempted by Sathan made of men a scorne Sold by thy servant arraigned and condemned grievously scourged then crowned with thorne Naild to the crosse twixt two thieves crucified Pierc'd through the heart opprest in soul beside Most blessed Iesu why shouldst thou endure thy precious body peerlesly innocent Yea sacred and holy by the cruell hands of sinfull wretches to be torne and rent Was there no way to expiate my sins but all these torments must be laid on thee O wretched caytive I that did offend most gracious Saviour thou thus pitying me O let my heart weep teares of blood within For these thy sufferings and my grievous sin And thou deare Lord whose love unutterable hath made thee undergo all this for me Inflame my heart with holy fire that I with awfull love againe may worship thee With true repentâ—nt teares and contrite heart prostrate thy precious bleeding wounds before My Lord my God thus crucified for me with humble faith and reverence to adore Hating my selfe for all my grievous sins Which caused those thy grievous sufferings O let mine eyes powre forth whole streames of tears my heart dissolv'd to sighs of true contrition So to bewaile my sins and wickednes and that most miserable and forlorn condition Which guilt of sin sight of the wrath of God desert of hell and utter condemnation Might threaten me but that my hope is fixt on thee my Iesus God of my salvation Thou only blessed Lord canst succour me O save my soule which only trusts in thee For when the people were in Moses time by fiery serpents wounded mortally The brasen serpent was lift up by him that such as looke up to it might not die If such great vertue in that figure were the type of this thy crosse and reall elevation How much more vertue shall thy precious blood afford my sin-sick soule for my curation Then let my humble faith cleave fast to thee Sweet Saviour let us never parted be For when I look up to this crosse of thine five glorious victories my meditation Observes thereon to be atchiev d by thee for making sure the worke of my salvation The law of grace against the law of workes prevailing so to work my liberty Against my sin thy selfe deere Lord made sin that it might righteousnesse become to me Thy death O Saviour mine abolishing My soule unto eternall life to bring And thou the Prince of darknesse conquering that I might still the child of God remaine And lastly overcomming hell it selfe that I might heavens blessednesse obtaine Thus by thy precious death and passion my soules maine enemies are vanquisht quite And I set free now under th' law no more but under grace by thy rich grace and might O let thy spirit of grace still governe me That I may die to sin and live to thee That whiles I live I may divide my time betweene true godly sorrow for my sinnes And faithfull praising of thy holy name from whence alone my hope of comfort springs And so by lively faith being knit to thee thou by thy spirit dwelling in my heart Soule of my soule mayst day by day to me thy spirituall life and quickning grace impart And I by mysticall injunction be Truly though spiritually made one with thee Of which sweet union thou hast made me sure by those maine seales of thine eternall love Thy word of truth thy Sacraments of grace thy spirit of peace inspired from above And so by matchlesse mercy on thy part most blessed Lord and humble faith on mine Thou hast betroth'd thy glorious selfe unto my poore believing soule and made it thine One of thine owne to be disjoyned neâ—eâ— But live in thee to thee with thee for ever Why then should any mortall thing detaine me longer in this vaile of teares and sin Whose whole desire with blessed Simeon is to contemne the world and all therein To lay aside this robe of earth I weare that my redeemed soule may come to thee Whose blessed will is so declar'd that where Thou art thine owne shall also be Call then sweet Iesu as it shall thee please Into thy hands receive my soule in peace When my appointed time of change shall be For which my soule shall daily wait on thee A Contemplative Meditation of the new Ierusalem and the triumphant Church celebrating an everlasting Sabbath in the kingdome of Heaven entitled by mee Halelujah to Heavens King LEâ—ve O my soule this restlesse vaile below Which sin and sorrow by turnes still overflow Raise up thy thoughts to that supernall rest Which maketh all the Saints and Angels blest Who altogether do for ever sing Halelujah's to Heavens King There is erect the Godheads glorious throne More bright than many thousand suns in one Where thy deare Saviours body glorified That body which for thee was crucified Now raigneth with the Dietie In soveraigne blisse and Majestie That sacred head which here was crownd with thorns A crown of heavenly glory now adornes That hand which here did hold the scornful reed Now weilds the Scepter of al power and dread Those feet once naild unto the tree Trample on death and hel in victorie â—he holy citie new Ierusalem Is there prepar'd for just and perfect men With great high wals of Iasper built foure square Whereof the length breadth depth all equall are Of twelve foundations precious stone The twelve Apostles names thereon In twelve gates of pearles a peece on each side three At which twelve Angels the attendants be The st eets pure gold all shining like the Sun Through which the crystal stream of life doth run From out the throne of glory flowing The Tree of life on both sides growing Within those gates of glorious habitation None enter may but heires of salvation The Lambs redeemed his espoused wife Whose names are written in his booke of life The Church triumphant there set free Forever from mortality There live those blessed troopes of purest spirits In such excesse of joyes and true delights As neither eare can heare nor eye perceive Nor can the heart of mortall man conceive Prepared by the Lord of blisse Before all worlds for all of his Who living here the blessed life of grace Are hence translated to that glorious place Where thy deare Saviour keepes a roome for thee Then looke and long for immortalitie Waite his good houre and in waiting sin Halelujahs to heavens King A Meditation of Mans mortality MAn unto whom each houre in changes preacheth That all this Globe earths glory shall decay Believs that doome to mightier creatures reacheth Yet dreames it cannot hold in brittle clay So dull and heavie is his heart in ease To think of ought that may the flesh displease Then neerer come to his dull senses cry All flesh is grasse worm-eaten flowers mans pride It 's true saith he but tell him that himselfe shall die He rather thinks it true in all beside So reason traind to be self-pleasures thrall He thinks that