seest and feelest a thousand times more than thou didst upon Earth and yet thou canst bear it vvith delight thou art now vvelcomed to thy Fathers house by Christ the beloved of thy Soul now thou hast heard him say Come thou blessed of my Father and Well done good and faithful servant enter thou into the joy of the Lord and vvear that Crown vvhich vvas prepared for thee before the foundation of the World O that all the Relations vvhich thou hast left behind thee may live thy Life and die thy Death and live vvith Christ and thee for ever and ever Amen Amen He Dyed June 1657. Aged 23. 24. and was Buried in Kelshall Church in Hartfordshire FINIS Books printed for and are to be sold by Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside SERMONS on the whole Epistle of Saint Paul to the Colossians by Mr. J. Daille translated into English by F. S. with Dr. Tho. Goodwin's and Dr. John Owens Epistles Recommendatory An Exposition of Christs Temptation on Matth. 4. and Peters Sermon to Cornelius and circumspect walking By Dr. Tho. Taylor A practical Exposition on the 3d Chapter of the first Epistle of Saint Paul to the Corinthians with the Godly mans choice on Psalm 4. v. 6 7 8. by Anthony Burgess Christianographia or a description of the multitudes and sundry sorts of Christians in the world not subject to the Pope by Eph. Pagit Dr. Donns 4 to Sermons being his 3 Volumes Pareus Exposition on the Revelations Choice and practical Expositions on 4 select Psalms viz. The fourth Psalm in eight Sermons The forty second Psalm in ten Sermons The fifty first Psalm in twenty Sermons The sixty third Psalm in seven Sermons Forty six Sermons npon the whole eighth Chapter of the Epistle of the Apostle Paul to the Romans Both by Tho. Horton D. D. late Minister of Saint Hellens An Analytical Exposition of Genesis and of twenty three Chapters of Exodus by George Hughes D. D. Books 4to The Door of Salvation opened by the Key of Regeneration by George Swinnock M. A. An Antidote against Quakerism by Steph. Scandret An Exposition on the five first Chapters of Ezekiel with useful observations thereupon by William Greenhil The Gospel Covenant opened by Pet. Bulkley Gods holy-Mind touching matters moral which he uttered in ten Commandments Also an Exposition on the Lords Prayer by Edward Eston B. D. The Fiery-Jesuit or an Historical-Collection of the rise encrease doctrines and deeds of the Jesuits exposed to view for the sake of London Horologiographia optica Dyaling universal and particular speculative and practical together with a description of the Court of Arts by a new Method by Sylvanus Morgan Regimen sanitatis salemi or the Regiment of Health containing directions and instructions for the guide and government of mans life A seasonable Apology for Religion by Matthew Pool Separation no Schism in answer to a Sermon preached before the Lord Mayor by J. S. The practical Divinity of the Papist discovered to be destructive to true Religion and Mens souls by J. Clarkson An Exercitation on a question in Divinity and Case of Conscience viz. Whether it be lawful for any person to act contrary to the opinion of his own Conscience formed from arguments that to him appears very probable though not necessary or demonstrative The Creatures goodness as they came out of Gods hand and the good-mans mercy to the bruit-creatures in two Sermons by Tho. Hodges B. D Certain considerations tending to promote Peace and Unity amongst Protestants Mediocria or the most plain and natural apprehensions which the Scripture offers concerning the great Doctrines of the Christian Religion of Election Redemption the Covenant the Law and Gospel and Perfection The Saints triumph over the last enemy in a Sermon at the Funeral of Mr. James Janeway by Nath. Vincent The vanity of man in his best estate in a discourse on Psal 39. 5. at the Funeral of the Lady Susanna Keate by Richard Kidder M. A. The Morning-Lecture against Popery or the principal errors of the Church of Rome detected and confuted in a Morning-Lecture preached by several Ministers of the Gospel in or near London Four useful discourses 1 The art of improving a full and prosperous condition for the glory of God being an appendix to the art of Contentment in three Sermons on Philip. 4. 12. 2 Christian submission on 1 Sam. 3. 18. 3 Christ a Christians life and death is gain on Philip. 1. 21. 4 The Gospel of peace sent to the sons of peace in six Sermons on Luke 10. 5 6. by Jeremiah Barroughs Dr. Wilds Letter of Thanks and Poems A new Copy-Book of all sorts of useful hands The Saints priviledg by dying by Mr. Scot. The new World or new-reformed Church by Doctor Homes The Vertuous Daughter a Funeral-Sermon by Mr. Brian The Miracle of Miracles or Christ in our Nature by Dr. Rich. Sibbs The unity and essence of the Catholick Church-visible by Mr. Hudson Dr. Prideaux ' s Fasciculus controversiarum Theologicum Brightman on Revelations Canticles and Daniel Seamans-Companion Canaans Calamity The intercourse of Divine Love between Christ and the Church or the particular Believing soul in several Lectures on the whole second Chap. of Cant. by John Collins D. D. Large 8vo Heart-Treasure or a Treatise tending to fill and furnish the head and heart of every Christian with Soul-enriching-treasure of truths graces experiences and comforts The sure mercies of David or a second part of Heart-treasure Heaven or Hell here in a Good or Bad Conscience by Nath. Vincent Closet-prayer a Christians duty all three by O. Hâ—yword A practical discourse of Prayer wherein is handled the nature and duty of Prayer by Tho. Cobbet Of quenching the Spirit the evil of it in respect both of its causes and effects discovered by Theophilus Polwheile The re-building of London encouraged and improved in everal meditations by Samuel Rolls The sure way to Salvation or a Treatise of the Saints mystical Union with Christ by Richard Stedman M. A. Sober Singularity by the same Author Heaven taken by Storm The mischief of sin both by Tho. Watson The Childs Delight together with an English Grammar Reading and Spelling made easie both by Tho. Lye Aesop's Fables with morals thereupon in English-Verse The Young-mans Instructor and the Old-mans Remembrancer being an Explanation of the Assemblies Catechism Captives bound in Chains made free by Christ their Surety both by Tho. Doolittle Eighteen Sermons preached upon several Texts of Scripture by William Whitaker The Saints care for Church-Communion declared in sundry Sermons preached at St. James Dukes-place by Zech. Crofton The life and death of Edmund Stanton D. D. To which is added a Treatise of Christian-conference and a Dialogue between a Minister and a Stranger Sin the Plague of plagues or sinful sin the worst of Evils by Ralph Venning M. A. Cases of Conscience practically resolved by J. Norman The faithfulness of God considered and cleared in the
Time made no furrowes in the face you see He died young yet few did more then he He spent himselfe for God and now is blesst After hard labour with Eternal Rest Invisibles Realities Demonstrated in the HOLY LIFE AND Triumphant Death OF M r. JOHN JANEWAY Fellow of Kings Collegde in CAMBRIDGE By JAMES JANEWAY Minister of the Gospel LONDON Printed for Tho. Parkhurst and are to be sold at the Bible and three Crowns in Cheapside neer Mercers Chappel and at the Bible on London Bridge under the Gate 1674. Christian Reader THE Love of Christ in his holy ones and the great usefulness of such History command me to take it as a pleasing office to commend this real description of a Saint to thy serious perusal and imitation The good acceptance and success of the late published Life and Death of Mr. Joseph Alleine the more encourageth me to serve thee in this As to the credit of the Narrative let it be enough to tell thee that his worthy Brother Mr. James Janeway intimately acquainted with his most secret life is the writer of it I have no hand in it my self And if thou live in or neer London where he is now well known I will not be beholden to thee to believe it especially if you also know the other most credible attestors I know that many such Histories shew more what the writer could say than what the Person was or did But here both He and his Relations and those whom he lived with were all so neer us and are many of them yet so intimately known to me and others that there is no place for doubting left us I confess such instances are very sad to my thoughts while I am desiring the welfare of mankind on earth To hear of the death of an Infant who might have proved we know not what or of an useless person or of an aged Christian who hath profitably run out the course of nature is nothing so sad to me as to hear of the removal of such excellent young men when they are prepared for their work and just beginning it But God is infinitely Wise and Just and more Merciful too than we can be He knoweth what he doth and why and is accountable to none about the measure of his benefits nor the reasons of his various disposals But the great Judgments which since his death have befallen these Kingdomss do partly tell us that it is no wonder if such men were taken from the evil to come of whom the world hath so notoriously declared it self unworthy It is fitter for such lights to shine in Heaven than to be put under a bushel here on earth And for himself he hath run long enough who hath toucht the prize He hath sailed long enough who is come safe to the harbour And he hath lived long enough who is readiest to die Though I wonder at the lengthning of my own life which hath been threatned by God and Man these thirty three years or more yet alas how much less have I lived than this man did who am yet far short of his heavenly preparations I am ashamed to read that any thing of mine was a help to his attainments and to find that at almost sixty years of age I am much below what he was raised to at twenty three O that God would give my frozen age such warm reflections from these his remains that according to my need I may receive more from him that is dead than ever he did from me alive If his own Reverend Father received so much from him why may not I also have some quickning even by the dead through the fruits of the spirit left behind him and the same spirits quickning influx upon me And may I but so Die how harmless how welcome will Death be We think it great pity that he lived to preach but two Sermons in the world That same poor ignorant dull Congregation had not been instructed and awakened by his Doctrine and his spiritual servour had not by dispersed writings enflamed the souls of thousands with the same Heavenly Love and Zeal But who knoweth yet but that this one Narrative of his Holy exemplary Life and Death may do as much as more numerous or Voluminous writings The many Volumes of holy Lives of antient Docters Martyrs and later Divines Philosophers and others in Germany England and other Lands have done much good and are still very useful and a pleasant and profittable recreation O how much better than play-Books and Romances But experience tells us that God still poureth forth as large measures of his spirit as heretofore he did If holy Augustines life after so much pollution and holy Hieroms life qui fatetur se non fuisse virginem were so laudible and examplary O how much praise do I owe to God for his grace upon his Servants who am yet acquainted with so great a number of holy laborious faithful ministers who I have great reason to believe not only to have all their lives been free from all gross heynous sins but also to have laid out their zeal their time their labours so sincerely and self-denyingly for God and the good of souls as that I cannot but hope that if those who are against their Preaching of the Gospel were but as well acquainted with them as I am they would be their friend and forward to promote their work I know one Temptation the Reader is like to meet with to hinder his profiting by this example Even to think that Mr. Alleine and Mr. Janeway by Overdoing did but cut short their own Lives and that their excessive lobours in meditation prayer and other duties did deprive the Church of the benefit of much more which they might have lived to do and therefore that such examples are not to be imitated but stand as warnings to us not to over do and destroy our bodies as they did To which I answer 1. I am one my self that wish both of them had done somewhot less in that part of duty which hurt the body and overmatched their strength And I am not perswading you that every man must needs Preach as oft as Mr. Allen or study aud meditate as long as Mr. Janeway and he did Men have their various capacities and oportunities and works 2. But yet I dare not charge either of them with sin because I know not their particular motives 3. And perhaps their lives had been as short if they had done less as are the lives of many hundred Students who favour themselves more than any wise men would wish And it was Gods mercy that they who had but a short life to live should do more than any that live to the period of natures course And Methusalems life and theirs is equalled now Whom have you known that by longer living hath got more holy readiness to die 4. But I beseech you distinguish well between that part of their work which was really like to overthrow their
in them To instance in a particular or two One time perceiving one of his Brothers asleep at Prayer in the Family he presently took occasion to show him what a high contempt it was of God what a little sense such a man must have of his own danger what dreadful hypocrisie what a Miracle of Patience that he was not awakened in flames After he had been a while affectionately pleading with him it pleased the Lord to strike in with some power and to melt and soften his Brothers heart when he was about eleven years old so that it was to be hoped that then the Lord began savingly to work upon the heart of that Child For from that time forward a considerable alteration might be discerned in him When he perceived it he was not a little pleased This put him upon carrying on the work that Conviction might not wear off till it ended in Conversion To this end he wrote to him to put him in mind of what God had done for his Soul begging of him not to rest satisfied till he knew what a thorow change and effectual calling meant I hope said he that God hath a good work to do in you for you and by you yea I hope he hath already begun it But O take not up with some beginnings faint desires lazy seekings O remember your former tears one may weep a little for sin and yet go to Hell for sin many that are under some such work shake of the sense of sin murder their Convictions and return again to folly O! take heed if any draw back the Lord will take no pleasure in them but I hope better things of you He would also observe how his Brethren carried it after Duty whether they seemed to run presently to the World with greediness as if Duty were a task or whether there seemed to be an abiding impression of God and the things of God upon them His vehement love and compassion to Souls may be further judged of by these following expressions which he used to one of his Relations After he had been speaking how infinitely it was below a Christian to pursue with greediness the things which will be but as gravel in the teeth if we mind not the rich provision which is in our Fathers House O what folly is it to trifle in the things of God! but I hope better things of you did I not hope why should I not mourn in secret for you as one cast out among the dead O what should I do for you but pour out my Soul like water and give my God no rest till he should graciously visit you with his Salvation till he cast you down and raise you up till he wound you and heal you again Thus what with his holy example warm and wise exhortations prayers tears and secret groans somewhat of the beauty of Religion was to be seen in the Family where he lived CHAP. V. His great love to and frequency in the duty of Prayers with remarkable success HE was mighty in Prayer and his spirit was oftentimes so transported in it that he forgot the weakness of his own body and of others spirits Indeed the acquaintance that he had with God was so sweet and his converse with him so frequent that when he was ingaged in duty he scarce knew how to leave that which was so delightful and suited to his spirit His constant course for some years was this He prayed at least three times a day in secret sometimes seven times twice a day in the Family or Colledge And he found the sweetness of it beyond imagination and enjoyed wonderful Communion with God and tasted much of the pleasantness of a Heavenly Life And he could say by experience that the ways of wisdom were ways of pleasantness and all her paths peace He knew what it was to wrestle with God and was come to that pass that he could scarce come off his knees without his Fathers blessing He was used to converse with God with a holy familiarity as a Friend and would upon all occasions run to him for advice and had many strange and immediate Answers of Prayer One of which I think it not altogether impertinent to give the World an account of His Honoured Father Mr. William Janeway Minister of Kelshall in Hartfordshire being sick and being under somewhat dark apprehensions as to the state of his Soul he would often say to his Son John O Son this passing upon Eternity is a great thing this dying is a solemn business and enough to make any ones heart ake that hath not his Pardon sealed and his Evidences for Heaven clear And truly Son I am under no small fears as to my own estate for another world O that God would clear his love O that I could say chearfully I can die and upon good grounds be able to look Death in the face and venture upon Eternity with well-grounded peace and comfort His sweet and dutiful Son made a suitable reply at present but seeing his dear Father continuing under despondings of spirit though no Christians that knew him but had a high esteem of him for his uprightness he got by himself and spent some time in wrestling with God upon his Fathers account earnestly begging of God that he would fill him with joy unspeakable in believing and that he would speedily give him some token for good that he might joyfully and honourably leave this world to go to a better After he was risen from his knees he came down to his sick Father and asked him how he felt himself His Father made no answer for some time but wept exceedingly a passion that he was not subject to and continued for some considerable time in an extraordinary passion of weeping so that he was not able to speak But at last having recovered himself with unspeakable joy he burst out into such expressions as these O Son now it is come it is come it is come I bless God I can die The Spirit of God hath witnessed with my spirit that I am his Child Now I can look up to God as my dear Father and Christ as my Redeemer I can now say this is my Friend and this is my Beloved My heart is full it is brim full I can hold no more I know now what that sentence means the Peace of God which passeth understanding I know now what that white stone is wherein a new name is written which none know but they which have it And that fit of weeping which you saw me in was a fit of over-powring love and joy so great that I could not for my heart contain my self neither can I express what glorious discoveries God hath made of himself unto me And had that joy been greater I question whether I could have born it and whether it would not have separated soul and body Bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within me bless his holy Name that hath pardoned all my sins
and sealed the pardon He hath healed my wounds and caused the bones which he had broken to rejoyce O help me to bless the Lord he hath put a new Song into my mouth O bless the Lord for his infinite goodness and rich mercy O now I can die it is nothing I bless God I can die I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ You may well think that his Sons heart was not a little refreshed to hear such words and see such a sight and to meet the Messenger that he had sent to Heaven returned back again so speedily He counted himself a sharer with his Father in this mercy and it was upon a double account welcome as it did so wonderfully satisfie his Father and as it was so immediate and clear an Answer of his own prayers as if God had from Heaven said unto him thy tears and prayers are heard for thy Father thou hast like a Prince prevailed with God thou hast got the blessing thy fervent prayers have been effectual go down and see else Upon this this precious young man broke forth into praises and even into another extasie of joy that God should deal so familiarly with him and the Father and Son together were so full of joy light life love and praise that there was a little Heaven in the place He could not then but express himself in this manner O blessed and for ever blessed be God for his infinite grace O who would not pray unto God! verily he is a God that heareth prayers and that my soul knows right well And then he told his joyful Father how much he was affected with his former despondings and what he had been praying for just before with all the earnestness he could for his soul and how the Lord had immediately answered him His Father hearing this and perceiving that his former comforts came in in a way of prayer and his own childs prayer too was the more refreshed and was the more confirmed that it was from the Spirit of God and no delusion And immediately his Son standing by he fell into another fit of triumphing joy his weak body being almost ready to sink under that great weight of Glory that did shine in so powerfully upon his Soul He could then say now let thy servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seen thy Salvation He could now walk through the valley of the shadow of death and fear no evil O how sweet a thing is it to have ones interest in Christ cleared how comfortable to have our calling and election made sure How lovely is the sight of a smiling Jesus when one is dying How refreshing is it when heart and flesh and all are failing to have God for the strength of our heart and our portion for ever O did the foolish unexperienced world but know what these things mean did they but understand what it is to be solaced with the believing views of Glory to have their senses spiritually exercised could they but taste and see how good the Lord is it would soon cause them to disrelish their low and bruitish pleasures and look upon all worldly joys as infinitely short of one glimpse of Gods love After this his Reverent Father had a sweet calm upon his spirits and went in the strength of that provision that rich Grace laid in till he came within the Gates of the New Jerusalem having all his Graces greatly improved and shewed so much humility love to and admiring of God contempt of the World such prizing of Christ such patienee as few Christians arrive to especially his Faith by which with extraordinary confidence he cast his Widow and eleven Fatherless Children upon the care of that God who had fed them with this Manna in his Wilderness state The benefit of which Faith all his Children none of which were in his life-time provided for have since to admiration experienced And it is scarce to be imagined how helpful this his precious Son John Janeway was to his Father by his heavenly discourse humble advice and prayers After a four moneths conflict with a gainful Consumption and Hectick Fever his Honoured Father sweetly slept in Jesus CHAP. VI. His care of Mother and other Relations after his Fathers death AFter the death of his Father he did what he could to supply his absence doing the part of Husband Son Brother so that he was no small comfort to his poor Mother in her disconsolate state and all the rest of his Relations that had any sense of God upon their spirits To one of which he thus addressed himself upon the death of a sweet Child Daily observations and every mans experience gives sufficient testimony to it that afflictions of what kind soever by how much the seldomer they are the more grievous they seem We have of a long time sailed in the Rivers of Blessings which God hath plentifully poured forth among us now if we come where the Waves of affliction do but a little more than ordinarily arise we begin to have our souls almost carried down with fears and griefs yea the natural man if not counter-powred by the Spirit of God will be ready to entertain murmuring and repining thoughts against God himself Whereas if all our life had been a Pilgrimage full of sorrows and afflictions as we deserved and had but rarely been intermingled with comforts we should have been more fitted to bear afflictions Thus it is naturally but we ought to counter-work against the stream of nature by a new principle wrought in us and whatsoever Nature doth err in Grace is to rectifie And they upon whom Grace is bestowed ought to set Grace on work For wherefore is Grace bestowed unless that it should act in us It hath pleased the Lord to make a breach in your Family There where the knot is fast tyed when it is disunited the change becomes greater and the grief is the more inlarged So that herein you who are most moved are most to be excused and comforted The strength of a Mothers affections I believe none but Mothers know and greatest affections when they are disturbed breed the greatest grief But when afflictions come upon us what will be our duty Shall we then give our selves up to be carried away with the grieving passions Shall we because of one affliction cause our souls to walk in sadness all our days and drive away all the light of comfort from our eyes by causing our souls to be obscured under the shades of melancholy Shall we quarrel with our Maker and call the wise Righteous Judge to our Bar Doth he not punish us less than we deserve Is there not Mercy and Truth in all his Dispensations Shall we by continual sorrow add affliction to affliction and so become our own Tormentors Are we not rather under afflictions to see if any way we may find a glimpse of Gods love shining in towards us and so to raise up our souls nearer God Is there not
himself He was an excellent Example to his younger brethren and his wise instructions and holy practices did not a little influence them He was a prudent Counsellor and an assistant that could not well be spared to his eldest Brother who was not a little sensible of that personal worth that was in his younger Brother whom he would prefer before himself as one whom he judged God had honoured with far greater parts graces and experiences than himself The younger also did as humbly and heartily respect and honour him as a serious Christian a Minister and his elder Brother who had obliged him with more than ordinary kindness When he was but young yet he began to be taken notice of by antient Ministers and Christians though his modesty was so great that his huge parts were not a little obscured thereby and his vast worth was so ballasted with humility that he made no great noise in the world and most were ignorant of his singular worth A wise man that was intimately acquainted with him would say of him that he was like deep waters that were most still a man of hidden excellency There were few that knew how close he walked with God and at what a high rate he lived and how great a trade he drave for the riches of that other world All which he laboured as much as might be to conceal CHAP. VII His return to Kings Colledge after his Fathers Death His holy projects for Christ and Souls WHen his Father was dead he returned again to Kings Colledge and was a member of a secret Cabal which began to carry on notable projects for Christ and souls and to plot how they might best improve their gifts and graces so as that they might be most serviceable to God and their generation Their custom was frequently to meet together to pray and to communicate studies and experiences and to handle some question of Divinity or in some Scholastick way to exercise the gifts which God had given them Some of this company did degenerate but others lived to let the world understand that what they did was from a vital principal Amongst whom this young man was none of the least who had a design upon some of the juniors to ingage them if possible before they were insnared by wicked company when they came fresh from School After some time most of his dear companions were transplanted either into Gentlemens families or Livings and this Mr. Janeway being one of the youngest was for a while left alone in the Colledge But he wanting the comfortable diversion of suitable godly society fixed so intensely upon his studies that he soon gave such a wound to his Bodily-constitution that it could never be throughly healed CHAP. VIII His departure from the Colledge to live in Dr. Cox's Family AFter a while Dr. Cox wanting a Tutor for his Son in his house sent to the Provost of the Colledge to make choiâ—e of a man of true worth for him In answer to whose request the Provost was pleased to send Mr. Janeway who did neither shame him that preferred him nor disappointed the expectations of him that entertained him but by his diligence profound learning and success in his undertakeing did not a little obligâ— the relations of his Pupil But his pains were so great and his body so weak that it could not long bear up under such work so that he was forced to ask leave of the Doctor to try whether the change of the Air might not contribute somewhat to the mending the temper of his Body which now began sensibly to decay Whilest he was in that family his carriage was so sweet and obliging and his conversation so spiritual that it did not a little endear his presence to them so that I question not but some of that Family will carry a sweet remembrance of him along with them to their Graves and I oft heard him owning the goodness of God to him in the benefit that he got by the graces and experiences of some Christians in and relating to that Family whose tender love to him he did gratefully resent upon his Death-bed CHAP. IX His Retire into the Country and His first Sickness HE now leaves the Doctors house and retires himself into the Country to his Mother and eldest Brother who did not spare to use their utmost diligence and tenderness to recruit the decays of nature but hard study frequent and earnest prayers and long and intense meditations had so ruinated this frail Tabernacle that it could not be fully repaired yet by Gods blessing upon care and art it was under-propped for some time Whilst he was in this declining condition in which he could have little hopes of life he was so far from being affrighted that he received the sentence of death in himself with great joy and wrote to his dearest relations to dispose them to a patient compliance with such a dispensation as might separate him and them for a while And to wean their affections from him he solemnly professed that as for himself he was ashamed to desire and pray for life O saith he Is there any thing here more desirable than the injoyment of Christ Can I expect any thing below comparable to that blessed Vision O that Crown that Rest which remains for the people of God! and blessed be God I can say I know it is mine I know that when this Tabernacle of Clay shall be dissolved that I have a house not made with hands and therefore I groan not to be uncloathed but to be cloathed upon with Christ To me to live is Christ and to die is gain I can now through infinite Mercy speak in the Apostles Language I have fought the good fight henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown incorruptible that fadeth not away When he perceived one of his nearest Relations distressed at the apprehensions of his Death he charged him not to pray for his Life except it were purely with a respect to the Glory of God I wish said he I beg you to keep your minds in a submissive frame to the will of God concerning me The Lord take you nearer to himself that you may walk with Him to Whom if I go before I hope you will follow after Yet after this he was through mercy finely recovered and his friends were not without some hopes of his living to be eminently instrumental for Gods glory in his generation After he was recovered in some measure he fell again to his former practice of ingaging deeply in the secret great duties of Religion which he constantly practised except when God discharged him by sickness secret prayer at least three times a day somtimes seven times yeamore besides family and Colledge-duties which were before hinted he set a part an hour every day for set and solemn meditation which duty he found unspeakably to improve his graces to make no small addition to his comforts His time for that duty was most commonly in
Hell it self in as much as the cause doth eminently contain all and more evil than the effect This is the spiritual death whereby we are dead in sin the fruit of the first curse Thou shalt die the death The souls life in this world is its being in God and living to God and injoyment of God and the souls eternal life will be so to know God as to be formed into his likeness and to be received into a full participation of and communion with God The souls death here is its being fallen off from God and its being carried into its self and its eternal death will be an utter separation from him Now mankind being thus fallen from God Christ is sent for this very end to bring man back again to God and then man is brought unto God when he is brought out of that state of self-love into that state whereby he gives up himself wholly to God Thus the soul being quickened by the spirit of God leaveth off living to its self which was its death and lives to God which is its life Here comes in the great duty of denying of our selves for Christs sake which indeed were no duty if there were nothing in us contrary to God This then is our duty not to seek our own things before the things of God to lay Gods glory as the foundation of all our actions and if there be any thing in us contrary to that to give it no leave to stand in competition with God Now were this deeply rooted in our hearts how would contention anger wrath and heart-burning and all things of this nature cease Such influence would the taking Gods part against self have into the quiet and peace of men that it cannot be without it We see how wisely God hath ordered things that the very act of mans being off from God should be the cause of confusion war and misery and what can be more just and equal than this that God who is the author of our being should be the end of our being O then that once our minds were again reduced to this frame To live wholly to God! O that we were wrought into a through prejudice against self which stands between us and true peace I beg of you to spare some time from the world and retire into privacie where you may apply this to your own soul My prayer to God for you out of the strong yearnings of my soul towards you is that he would make this effectual to its intended end for the inward peace of your soul for your comfortable walking with God in this life and that condition wherein the wisdom of God hath placed you I writ these lines with the strength of affection I feel fear grief compassion working strongly O pity me in the midst of all these whilest I cannot call to remembrance the cause of these without a flood of tears Fulfill therefore my joy in being of one mind yea if there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort in love if any-fellowship of the spirit if any bowels of mercy fulfill ye my joy and be like-minded having the same love being of one accord of one mind Phil. 2. 1 2. I leave you to the love and mercy of God and to the working of his spirit which alone is able to put life and power into these words Which that he would do is the earnest request and servent prayer of yours John Janeway Now upon a faithful perusal of this Letter it pleased the Lord to give a meek and more complying spirit and in a great measure it wrought its intended effect The noble design of this sweet peace-maker took so far as to produce an ingenious acknowledgement and sorrowful bewailing of the want of that self-denial humility meekness and love which doth so much become our sacred profession Upon the hearing of this good news how strangely was this good man transported Upon the receipt of a letter from the former friend which gave no small satisfaction hopes that his former indeavours were not in vain And that he might drive the nail to the head he speedily backs his for former Letter with a second which speaks these words Dear Friend MY soul is inlarged towards you and my affections work within me and yet give me leave now to lay aside those weak flames of natural affection and to kindle my soul with divine love Here there is no fear of running out too far while all is in Christ and for Christ O that now I could let out the strength of my soul not as to your self but as to God! O that my heart were more inlarged that it may be comprehensive of a more full true Christian love God is altogether lovely and to be loved for himself and we are so far dark ignorant and blind as we do not see and account him most amiable O let me have such discoveries of his excellency that my heart may pant thirst and break for its earnest longings after the richest participations of him that I may for ever be swallowed up of his love O that I may love him a thousand times more than I do That I may rejoyce in him and take the sweetest complacencie delight in him alone that I could let out my affections most where I see any thing of himself any beams of the image of his holiness and that beareth the impression of his spirit Had you visited me from the dead could my affections have moved more strongly or my rejoycings have been greater than they were at the receipt of those lines which I had from you wherein so much of Christ in you and the goodness of Christ to me did appear Fulfil my joy in the Lord refresh my bowels and let not my rejoycing be in vain If it hath pleased the Lord to make the imperfect weak indeavours of his unworthy servant any way subservient to his own glory in you it is that which I account my self unworthy of desire to receive it from him as a manifestation of the riches of his free goodness to my self knowing my self to be unworthy to be his instrument in the meanest service much more in so great a one as this is Hoping and perswading my self of the effectual vvork of my former letter I am incouraged to write again both because of my promise and your expectation and the vveighty nature of the subject that I vvas then upon vvhich vvas Love True Christian love which is a thing so comly so beautiful and sweet and of such vveighty power in all actions to make them divine excellent that there is no labour lost in indeavouring to get more of it even in those in vvhom it most aboundeth The Apostle 1 Thes 4. 9 10. Though he knew that they vvere taught of God to love one another and that they did it towards all the Brethren yet even them he beseeched to abound more and more in that grace of love The former principal
foretold that Doomsday should be upon such a day although he blamed their daring folly that would pretend to know that which was hid from the Angels themselves and that the Devil could not acquaint them with yet granting their supposition to be true what then said he What if the day of Judgmennt were come as it will most certainly come shortly If I were sure the day of Judgment were to begin within an hour I should be glad with all my heart If at this very instant I should hear such thunderings and see such lightnings as Israel did at Mount Sinai I am perswaded my very heart would leap for joy But this I am confident of through infinite mercy that the very meditation of that day hath even ravished my soul and the thought of the certainty and nearness of it is more refreshing to me than the comforts of the whole world Surely nothing can more revive my Spirits than to behold the blessed Jesus the joy life and beauty of my soul Would it not more rejoyce me than Josephs wagons did old Jacob I lately dreamed that the day of Judgment was come Methought I heard terrible cracks of thunder and saw dreadful lightnings the foundations of the earth did shake and the Heavens were roled together as a garment yea all things visible were in a flame methought I saw the graves opened and the earth and Sea giving up their dead methought I saw millions of Angels and Christ comming in the clouds Methought I beheld the antient of days sitting upon his Throne and all other Thrones cast down Methought I beheld him whose Garments were white as Snow and the hair of his head like pure Wool His Throne was like the firely flame and his wheels as burning fire a firey stream issued and came forth from him thousands of thousands ministred unto him and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him and the Judgment was set and the books were opened O but with what an extasie of joy was I surprized Methought it was the most heart-raising and soul-ravishing sight that ever my eyes beheld and then I cried out I have waited for thy salvation O God and so I mounted into the Air to meet my Lord in the Clouds This I record only to shew how far he was from being daunted at the thoughts of death or Judgement and to let other Christians know what is attainable in this life and what folly it is for us to take up with so little when our Lord is pleased to make such noble provisions for us and by a wise and diligent improvement of those means which God hath offered us we may have an entrance administred to us abundantly into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ O how comfortable how honourable and how profitable is this state These are your men that quit themselves like Christians This is true gallantry noble manhood real valour This was the condition of Mr. Janeway for about three years before he died I will not deny but that he had some clouds but he usually walked in a sweet even humble serenity of spirit and his refreshing joys were more considerable than his dispondings and though he daily questioned many actions yet did not question his state but had his heart fixed upon that rock that neither waves nor winds could shake His senses were still so spiritually exercised as that he could look up to Heaven as his Country and Inheritance and to God as his Father and to Christ as his Redeemer and that which is scarce to be heard of he counted it the highest act of patience to be willing to die and a very great pitch of self-denial to be contented to be in this world and to dwell on this side a full and eternal injoyment of that royal glorious One whom his soul was so much in love with In a word he had the most earnest desires to be dissolved and to be with Christ that I ever saw read or heard of since the Apostles times CHAP. XVII His last Sickness and Death AND now the time draws nigh wherein his longings shall be satisfied he is called to his last work and truly his deportment in it was honourable his carriage so eminently gracious so meek patient fruitful joyful and thankful that it made all his friends stand and wonder as being abundantly above their experience and reading and those Christians that saw him could not but admire God in him look upon him as one of the most singular instances of rich grace and even bless God that their eyes ever saw or their ears ever heard such things and had such a sensible demonstration of the reality of invisibles He falls into a deep Consumption His body is now shaken again and he falls into a deep Consumption but this messenger of God did not in the least damp him Spitting of blood was no ghastly thing to one that had his eye upon the blood of Jesus faint sweats did not daunt him that had always such reviving cordials at hand It 's matter of joy to him that he was now in some hopes of having his earnest desires satisfied After he had been a while sick a sudden dimness seized upon his eyes by and by his sight quite failed and there was such a visible alteration in him that he and others judged these things to be the symptoms of death approaching But when he was thus taken he was not in the least surprized but was lifted up with joy to think what a life he was going to looking upon death it self as one of his Fathers servants and his friend that was sent as a messenger to conduct him safely to his glorious palace When he felt his body ready to faint he called to his Mother and said Dear Mother I am dying but I beseech you be not troubled for I am through mercy quite above the fears of death it 's no great matter I have nothing troubles me but the apprehensions of your grief I am going to Him whom I love above life But it pleased the Lord to raise him again a little out of this fainting fit for his master had yet more work for him to do before he must receive his wages Although his outward man decayed apace yet he is renewed in the inward man day by day His graces were never more active and his experiences were never greater When one would have thought he should have been taken up with his distemper and that it had been enough for him to grapple with his pains then he quite forgets his weakness and is so swallowed up of the life to come that he had scarce leisure to think of his sickness For several weeks together I never heard the least word that savoured of any complaint or weariness under the hand of God except his eager desire to be with Christ be counted complaining and his haste to be in Heaven be called impatience Now 's the time when one might have seen Heaven and
the Glory of anothee world realized to sense His faith grew exceedingly and his love was proportionable and his joys were equal to both O the rare attainments The high and divine expressions that dropped from his mouth I have not words to express what a strange triumphant angelical frame he was in for some considerable time together It was a very Heaven upon earth to see and hear a man admiring God at such a rate as I never heard any nor ever expect to hear or see more till I come to Heaven Those that did not see cannot well conceive what a sweet frame he was in for at least six weeks before he died His soul was almost alwaies filled with those joys unspeakable and full of glory How oft vvould he cry out O that I could but let you know what I now feel O that I could show you what I see O that I could express the thousandth part of that sweetness that I now find in Christ You would all then think it well worth the while to make it your business to be religious O my dear friends we little think what a Christ is worth upon a death-bed I would not for a world nay for millions of worlds be now without a Christ and a pardon I would not for a world be to live any longer the very thoughts of a possibility of recovery makes me even tremble When one came to visit him and told him that he hoped it might please God to raise him again and that he had seen many a weaker man restored to health and that lived many a good year after And do you think to please me said he by such discourse as this No Friend you are much mistaken in me if you think that the thoughts of life and health and the world are pleasing to me The world hath quite lost its excellency in my judgement O how poor and contemptible a thing is it in all its glory compared with the glory of that invisible world which I now live in the sight of And as for life Christ is my life health and strength and I know I shall have another kind of life when I leave this I tell you it would incomparably more please me if you should say to me You are no man of this world you cannot possibly hold out long before to morrow you will be in eternity I till you I do so long to be with Christ that I could be contented to be cut apeices to be put to the most exquisite torments so I might but die and be with Christ O how sweet is Jesus Come Lord Jesus come quickly Death do thy worst Death hath lost his terribleness Death it is nothing I say Death is nothing through grace to me I can as easily die as shut my eyes or turn my head and sleep I long to be with Christ I long to die that was still his note His Mother and Brethen standing by him he said Dear Mother I beseech you as earnestly as ever I desired any thing of you in my life that you would cheerfully give me up to Christ I beseech you do not hinder me now I am going to rest and glory I am afraid of your prayers lest they pull one way and mine another And then turning to his Brethren he spake thus to them I charge you all do not pray for my life any more you do me wrong if you do O that glory the unspeakable glory that I behold My heart is full my heart is full Christ smiles and I cannot chose but smile can you find in your heart to stop me who am now going to the compleat and eternal injoyment of Christ Would you keep me from my Crown The arms of my blessed Saviour are open to imbrace me the Angels stand ready to carry my soul into his bosom O did you but see what I see you would all cry out with me how long dear Lord come Lord Jesus come quickly O why are his Chariot-wheels so long a coming And all this while he lay like a triumphing conqueror smiling and rejoicing in spirit There was never a day towards his end but as weak as he was he did some special piece of service in for his great Master Yea almost every hour did produce fresh wonders A Reverend Judicious and holy Minister came often to visit him and discoursed with him of the excellency of Christ and the glory of the invisible world Sir said he I feel something of it my heart is as full as it can hold in this lower state I can hold no more here O that I could but let you know what I feel This holy Minister praying with him his soul was ravished with the abundant incomes of light life and love so that he could scarce bear it nor the thought of staying any longer in the world but longed to be in such a condition wherein he should have yet more grace and more comfort and be better able to bear that weight of glory some manifestations whereof did even almost sink his weak body had he not been sustained by a great power his very joys would have overwhelmed him and whilst he was in these extasies of joy and love he was wont to cry out Who am I Lord who am I that thou shouldst be mindful of me Why me Lord why me and pass by thousands look upon such a wretch as me O what shall I say unto thee O thou preserver of men O why me Lord why me O blessed and for ever blessed be free grace How is it Lord that thou shouldst manifest thy self unto me and not unto others even so Father because it seemeth good in thy eyes Thou wilt have mercy because thou wilt have mercy And if thou wilt look upon such a poor worm who can hinder Who would not love thee O blessed Father O how sweet and gratious hast thou been unto me O that he should have me in his thoughts of love before the foundations of the world And thus he went on admiring and adoring of God in a more high and heavenly manner than I can clothe with words Suppose what you can on this side Heaven and I am perswaded you might have seen it in him He was wonderfully taken with the goodness of God to him in sending that aged experienced Minister to help him in his last great work upon earth Who am I said he that God should send to me a messenger one among a thousand meaning that Minister who had been praying with him with tears of joy Though he was towards his end most commonly â—n a triumphant joyful frame yet sometimes even then he had some small intermissions in which he would cry out Hold out faith and 〈◊〉 et a little while and your work is done And when he found not his heart wound up to the highest pitch of thankfulness admiration and Love he would with great sorrow bemoan himself and cry out in this Language And vvhat 's the matter now
O my soul vvhat vvilt thou canst thou thus unworthily sleight this admirable and astonishing condescention of God to thee Seems it a small matter that the great Jehovah should deal thus familiarly with his Worm and wilt thou pass this over as a common mercy What meanest thou O my soul that thou dost not constantly adore and praise this rare strong and unspeakable Love Is it true O my soul doth God deal familiarly with man and are his humble zealous and constant love praise and service too good for God Why art not thou O my soul swallowed up every moment with this free unparalell'd everlasting Love And then he breaks out again into another triumphant Extasie of praise and joy and expressed a little of that which was unexpressible in some such words as these Stand astonished ye Heavens and wonder O ye Angels at this infinite grace Was ever any under Heaven more beholding to free grace than I Doth God use to do thus with his creatures Admire him for over and ever O ye redeemed ones O those joys the tast of which I have Those everlasting joys which are at his right hand for evermore Eternity Eternity it self is too short to praise this God in O bless the Lord with me come let us shout for joy and boast in the God of our Salvation O help me to praise the Lord for his mercy indureth for ever One of his brethren that had formerly been wrought upon by his holy exhortations and example praying with him and seeing of him as he apprehended near his Dissolution desired that the Lord would be pleased to continue those astonishing and soul supporting comforts to the last moment of his breath and that he might go from one Heaven to another from grace and joy imperfect to perfect grace and glory and when his work was done here give him if it were his will the most easie and triumphant passage to rest and that he might have an abundant entrance administred into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ At the end of the Duty he burst out into a wonderful Passion of joy Sure that was joy unspeakable and full of glory O what an Amen did he speak Amen Amen Amen Hallelujah It would have made any Christians heart to leap to have seen and heard what some saw and heard at that time and I question not but that it will somewhat affect them to hear and read it though it be scarce possible to speak the half of what was admirable in him for it being so much beyond president it did even astonish and amaze those of us that were about him that our relation must fall hugely short of what was real I verily believe that it exceeds the highest Rhetorick to set out to the life what this heavenly creature did then deliver I say again I want words to speak and so did he for he saw things unutterable But yet so much he spake as justly drew the admiration of all that saw him and I heard an old experienced Christian and Minister say it again and again That He never saw nor read nor heard the like Neither could we ever expect to see the glories of Heaven more demonstrated to sense in this World He talked as if he had been in the third Heavens and broke out into such words as these O He is come He is come O how sweet How glorious is the blessed Jesus How shall I do to speak the thousandth part of his praises O for words to set out a little of that excellency But it is unexpressible O how excellent glorious and lovely is the precious Jesus He is sweet He is altogether lovely And now I am sick of Love he hath ravished my soul with his beauty I shall die sick of Love O my friends stand by and wonder come look upon a dying man and wonder I cannot my self but stand and wonder Was there ever a greater kindness was there ever sensibler manifestations of rich Grace O why me Lord why me Sure this is akin to Heaven and if I were never to enjoy any more than this it were well worth all the torments that men and Devils could invent to come thorow yea even a Hell to such transcendent joys as these If this be dying dying is sweet Let no true Christian ever be afraid of dying O Death is sweet to me This Bed is soft Christs Arms and Kisses his Smiles and Visits sure they would turn Hell into Heaven O that you did but see and feel what I do Come and behold a dying man more chearful than you ever saw any healthful man in the midst of his sweetest enjoyments O Sirs Worldly pleasures are pitiful poor sorry things compared with one glimps of this glory which shines in so strongly into my Soul O why should any of you be so sad when I am so glad This this is the hour that I have waited for About eight and forty hours before his Death his eyes were dim and his sight much failed his Jaws shook and trembled and his Feet were cold and all the symtoms of Death were upon him and his extream parts were already almost dead and senseless and yet even then his joys were if possible greater still He had so many fits of joy unspeakable that he seemed to be in one continued act of Seraphick Love and praise He spake like one that was just entring into the gates of the new Jerusalem the greatest part of him was now in Heaven not a word drop'd from his mouth but it breathed Christ and Heaven O what incouments did he give to them which did stand by to follow hard after God and to follow Christ in a humble believing zealous course of life and adding one degree of grace to another and using all diligence to make their Calling and Eleâ—â—ion sure and that then they also should find that they should have a glorious passage into a blessed Eternity But most of his work vvas Praise a hundred times admiring of the bottomless love of God to him O vvhy me Lord vvhy me And then he vvould give instructions to them that 〈◊〉 to see him He vvas scarce ever silent because the Love of Christ and Souls did constrain him There vvas so much work done for Christ in his last hours that I am ready to think he did as much in an hour as some do in a year Every particular person had a faithful affectionate vvarning And that good Minister that vvas so much vvith him used this as an argument to perswade him to be vvilling to live a little longer and to be patient to tarry Gods leisure sure God hath somthing for thee to do that is yet undone some vvord of exhortation to some poor soul that you have forgot The truth of it is he vvas so filled vvith the love of Christ that he could scarce bear absence from Him a moment He knew that he should be capable of bearing of greater Glory above than he
and desired that she might be in travail to see Christ formed in the souls of the rest of her Children and see of the travail of her soul and meet them with joy in that great day Then He charged all his Brethren and Sisters in general as they would answer it before God that they should carry it dutiful to their dear Mother As for his eldest Brother William at whose house he lay sick his prayer vvas that he might be swallowed up of Christ and Love to souls and be more and more exemplary in his life and successful in his Ministry and finish his course vvith joy His next Brothers name vvas Andrew a Citizen of London who was with him and saw him in this triumphing state but his necessary business calling him away he could not then be by yet he vvas not forgot but he was thus blessed The God of Heaven remember my poor Brother at London The Lord make him truly rich in giving him the Pearl of great price and make him a Fellow-Citizen with the Saints and of the House-hold of God the Lord deliver him from the sins of that City may the world be kept out of his heart and Christ dwell there O that he may be as his name is a strong man and that I may meet him with Joy Then he called his next Brother whose name was James whom he hoped God had made him a spiritual Father to to whom he thus addressed himself Brother James I hope the Lord hath given thee a goodly heritage the lines are fallen to thee in pleasant places the Lord is thy portion I hope the Lord hath shewed thee the worth of a Christ Hold on dear Brother Christ Heaven and Glory are worth striving for The Lord give thee more abundance of his grace Then His next Brother Abraham was called to whom he spake to this purpose The blessing of the God of Abraham rest upon thee the Lord make thee a Father of many spiritual Children His fifth Brother was Joseph whom he blessed in this manner Let him bless thee O Joseph that blessed him that was separated from his Brothren O that his everlasting Arms may take hold on thee It is enough if yet thou mayest live in his sight My heart hath been working towards thee poor Joseph and I am not without hopes that the Arms of the Almighty will mbrace thee The God of thy Father bless thee with the blessings of Heaven above The next was his Sister Mary to whom he spoke thus Poor Sister Mary thy body is weak and thy daies will be filled with bitterness thy name is Marah the Lord sweeten all with his Grace and Peace and give thee health in thy Soul Be patient and make sure of Christ and all is well Then His other Sister whose name was Sarah was called whom he thus blessed Sister Sarah thy body is strong and healthful O that thy Soul may be so too The Lord make thee first a wise Virgin and then a Mother in Israel a pattren of Modesty Humility and Holiness Then another Brother Jacob was called whom he blessed after this manner The Lord make thee an Israelite indeed in whom there in no guile O that thou maist learn to wrestle with God and like a Prince maist prevail and not go without the blessing Then he prayed for his youngest Brother Benjamin who was then but an Infant Poor little Benjamin O that the Father of the Fatherless would take care of thee poor Child that thou which never sawest thy Father upon Earth maiest see him with joy in Heaven the Lord be thy Father and Portion maist thou prove the Son of thy Mothers right Hand and the joy of her Age O that none of us all may be found amongst the unconverted in the day of Judgment O that every one of us may appear with our Honoured Father and dear Mother before Christ with joy that they may say Lord here are we and the Children which thou hast gratiously given us O that we may live to God here and live with him hereafter And now my dear Mother Brethren and Sisters Farewel I leave you for a while and I commend you to God and to the word of his grace which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified And now dear Lord my work is done I have finished my Course I have fought the good Fight and henceforth there remaineth for me a Crown of Righteousness Now come dear Lord Jesus come quickly Then that Godly Minister came to give him his last visit and to do the office of an inferiour Angel to help to convey this blessed soul to Glory who was now even upon Mount Pisga and had a full sight of that goodly Land at a little distance When this Minister spake to him his heart was in a mighty flame of Love and Joy which drew tears of Joy from that pretious Minister being almost amazed to hear a man just a dying talk as if he had been with Jesus and came from the immediate presence of God ` O the smiles that were then in his Face and the unspeakable Joy that was in his Heart one might have read Grace and Glory in such a mans Countenance O the praise the triumphant praises that he put up And every one must speak praise about him or else they did make some jar in his Harmony And indeed most did as well as they could help him in praise So that I never heard nor knew more praises given to God in one Room than in his Chamber A little before he died in the Prayer or rather Praises he was so wrapped up with admiration and joy that he could scarce forbear shouting for joy In the conclusion of the Duty with abundance of Faith and fervency he said aloud Amen Amen! And now his desires shall soon be satisfied He seeth Death coming apace to do his office his jaws are loosened more and more and quiver greatly his Hands and Feet are as cold as clay and a cold sweat is upon him but O how glad was he when he felt his Spirit just agoing Never was Death more welcom to any mortal I think Though the pangs of Death where strong yet that far-more-exceeding and Eternal weight of Glory made him indure those bitter paines with much patience and courage In the extremity of his pains he desired his eldest Brother to lay him a little lower and to take away one Pillow from him that he might die with the more ease His Brother replied that he durst not for a world do any thing that might hasten his Death a moment Then he was vvell satisfied and did sweetly resign himself up vvholly to Gods disposal and after a few minutes vvith a sudden motion gathering up all his strength he gave himself a little turne on one side and in the twinkling of an eye departed to the Lord sleeping in Jesus And now blessed soul thy longings are satisfied and thou