Darkness for my Sin that would not lay hold on the Means of Grace IV. NEXT The Four Elements in their order accuse me And First The Heavens acquaint me they have supplied me with Light to my Joy and Comfort The Air whispers me I have given thee all manner of Fowl my Region affords to be at thy Command The Water violently speaks I have given thee all manner of Fish to eat And the Earth opens her Mouth saying I have given thee Corn Wine and Oyl to nourish thee but how hast thou abused these Mercies to the Contempt and Dishonour of our Creation Therefore let our Benefits redound to thy Punishment let the Fire consume thee the Water overwhelm thee the Air fann and winnow thee the Earth swallow thee up and Hell devour thee V. THE Holy Angels which were appointed by the Almighty to minister unto me in this Life and to be my Comforts in the Life to come they accuse me for by my Sins I have deprived my self of their Ministry in this Life and Hope of their Fellowship in the World to come the Voice of God's Divine Law accuses me either I must fulfil it or perish to perform the one is impossible and to undergo the other is intollerable VI. GOD the most severe Judge and potentest Executer of his Eternal Law accuses me Him I cannot deceive who is Wisdom it self from him I cannot fly who is Power it self and reigns every where Whither then shall I fly Psal. 139. 7. Even to thee O Blessed Jesu my alone Redeemer and Saviour I hear a Voice which bids me hide my self in the clifts of the rock Cant. 2. 14. Thou art that Rock and thy Wounds are the Clefts in them will I hide my self against the Accusations of all the Creatures VII My Sins cry aloud even unto Heaven but thy blood which was poured forth for my sins cryes louder Heb. 12. 2â— My Sins are potent to Accuse me but thy Passion is effectual to Defend me the Unrighteousness of my Life is powerful to Condemn me but thy most perfect Righteousness is powerfuller to Save me I appeal therefore from the Throne of thy Justice to thy Mercy-Seat but I dare not appear before thy great Tribunal unless thy holy Merits interpose betwixt me and thy Judgment MED II. That the Cross of the Holy Jesus should excite us to Repentance Rom. v. 8. While we were yet sinners Christ died for us BEHOLD my Soul thy Saviour's Sufferings the Wounds of him that was crucified and the Torments of him that expired on the Cross That sacred Head at which Angels tremble is platted with a Crown of Thorns That Face which in Beauty exceeded all Mankind's is spit upon by the Ungodly Those Eyes brighter than the Sun in his Meridian are obscured in Death Those Ears which were accustomed to hear Angelical Anthems are infested now with arrogant Speeches and scornful Reproaches That Mouth from whence proceeded Divine Oracles and dictated to Angels their Celestial Lessons receives nothing but Gaul and Vinegar Those Feet which the devout Magdalen kissed and wiped with the Hairs of her Head are fastened with Nails Those Hands which stretched out the Heavens like a Curtain are now extended on the Tree of Shame II. THAT Body the Deity 's Temple is scourged and wounded with a Spear Nothing escap'd the malicious Jews but his Tongue and that was meekly exercised in Praying for his Persecutors And he who now Reigns in the highest Heavens underwent all this for lost Mankind He felt the Pains of Hell and cry'd out My God! My God! Why hast thou forsaken me Mat. 27. 46. So great was his Agony and Anguish that he which comforteth Angels stood now in need of one to comfort him III. IF this happens to the Just what shall become of wretched Sinners What measure shall the Almighty take with us for our Offences who is so wrathfully displeased with his well-beloved Son for the Sins of the whole World O God of infinite Mercy take from us these stony Hearts of ours and give us Hearts of Flesh that we may tremble at thy Word and melt at thy Judgments Lord let us not forget thy Acclamations and Tears Thou cryedst from the Cross Behold O ye Sons and Daughters of Men what I suffer for you Was ever Grief so great or any Sorrow like unto my Sorrow But O Thou whose Property it is to have Mercy convert our stubborn Hearts unto Thee MED III. Of the Fruits of Repentance Mat. iii. 8. Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance THE Foundation of a Holy Life is True Repentance and where that is acquired Remission of Sins and Eternal Life succeeds Why then do we deferr our Repentance and procrastinate it from day to day To Morrow is not in our possession and to Repent sincerely is not in our power but when the Judgment-Day is approach'd we must render an Account not only for one Day but for our whole Lives II. ACKNOWLEDGE and bewail thy Sins so shalt thou find God in Christ appeased towards thee I even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions saith the Lord Isa. 43. 25. inferring our Sins are enrolled in the Court of Heaven Turn away thy face from my sins begs the Royal Prophet Psal. 51. 9. Demonstating that our Iniquities are in God's sight Be converted unto us O God prayeth Moses therefore our sins do separate us from God Isa. 59. 2. Our sins have answered us complaineth Isaiah ver 12. and do accuse us before God's Tribunal Cleanse me from my sins is the Psalmist's Petition Psal. 51. 2. Concluding our Sins in appearance are sordid in the Eye of the Almighty III. SIN is the Distemper of the Soul which moved David to cry out Heal my soul for I have sinned against thee Psal. 41. 4. It is for Sin that we are blotted out of the Book of Life So said the Eternal Whosoever shall sin against me I will blot him out of my book Exod. 32. 32. We are cast off by the Almighty for our Sins which made David deprecate Cast me not away from thy presence Psal. 51. 11. Sin torments the Mind and dries up the Moisture as the Psalmist experienc'd Restore me to the joy of thy salvation Psal. 47. 12. IV. Sin is infectious says the ProPrphet Isa. 24. 5. The earth is defiled by the inhabitants thereof which have transgressed the law Our Sins press us down to Hell else the Psalmist had not broke out saying Out of the deep have I cried to thee O Lord Lord hear my voice 130. 1. Sin is the spiritual Death of the Soul So says the Apostle We were sometimes dead in our sins Ephes. 2. 1. By mortal Sin Man loseth his Creator who is the infinite and Incomprehensible Good therefore to be deprived of him is an infinite and incomprehensible Evil. And as the Almighty is the chiefest Good so Sin is the chiefest Evil. V. CALAMITIES and Punishments are not absolutely Evil for many times from them Good is
leisure IV. THUS these Temporal Objects of Vanity and Pleasure chase away our Thoughts from Heaven and its Celestial Raptures We can spend the Flower and Beauty of our Years in Vice and think the Almighty will be well enough pleas'd with the Deformity of decrepit Age We can sport and revel our Piety and Time in vain and frivolous Delights and conclude our selves potent enough to compel Heaven and become Religious when we are bowed down with Infirmities and have nothing left us but Repentance and a Tomb. V. WE are so highly pleas'd with the Sweetness of Sense that we are negligent of any greater Felicity and so extraordinary much delighted with the Happiness of Sinning freely that we could willingly embrace that Religion which tolerates Vice most We place all our Devotion with the luxurious Epicure in the Riots of Nature Jolly Meetings are our best Religious Exercises a Sermon is as troublesom and melancholy to us as a Funeral and to hear of our Latter-end in the mid'st of our Pleasures sounds like a Lecture of Death the unwelcome and faint Eccho of the Grave VI. LET the Preacher instruct us never so earnestly to remember our Creator we rather chuse to follow Satan's Doctrine to enjoy this World as long as we can and entertain Thoughts of Heaven at our leisure And shall the Lusts of this vain World O Lord be greater in my Soul than the Love of Thee Shall the temporary Allurements of Sin eclipse the Memory of thy Glory My Life I know is but a Span and yet I beseech thee abreviate that rather than it shoud be spent in a neglect of Thee better this Earthly Tabernacle of my Body be dissolv'd than become a Theatre for Sin to revel in VII LET me pay unto Nature the due Debt I owe her sooner than perhaps she would summons it rather than run deeper in score with thy Justice 'T is far better I should die and be lost in the memory of the World than to forget thee Thou broughtest me at first from nothing not to sin but to serve and fear Thee and has impressed in me a Ray of thy blessed Self that I might not seek my own perverse Will nor pursue this vain World but heavenly Mansions inure me therefore to Thee that I may behold those solid and ravishing Joys and Consolations that is in serving of Thee what Tranquility accompanies thy Grace that so I may no longer follow my own depraved Sense but my Saviour VIII IT is none of the least Sins of our Youth that we are negligent and forgetful of Thee our Creator And no wonder we are ignorant and insensible of the Joys to come that live in such a constant and continued neglect of Heaven Make me therefore O my God seriously to consider that had I the perfect Fruition of all I could wish or long for here I should not only be unsatisfied but in the end find how miserable he is that fixeth his Heart on any thing but Thy Self Teach me therefore so to enjoy the World that I lose not Thee nor the Memory of that Blessed and Eternal Reward Thou hast promised to them that Honour and Fear Thee MED VI. General Rules for a Godly Life Ephes. xv 16. See then that ye walk circumspectly not as fools but as wise redeeming the time because the days are evil EVERY Day Death approaches thee and then follows Judgment and Eternity Therefore think often how thou may'st be able to Answer in that most strict and severe Judgment Look circumspectly unto thy Thoughts Words and Actions for at that great Tribunal thou must render up an exact Account Eccles. 12. 14. Every Evening and Morning entertain thy Thoughts of the pale Messenger and deferr not thy Repentance till the next Day for the Morrow is uncertain but Death is certain and waits no Person 's leisure II. NOTHING is more opposite to Piety than Procrastination If thou contemnest the inward Voice of the Holy Spirit thou will never attain to a sincere Repentance Make it thy business and study to walk in the Law of the Lord. In thy Conversation be Affable and Courteous to all Perplexing to none and Familiar with few To God live Piously to thy self Continently and to thy Neighbour Justly Shew Favour to thy Friend Patience to thy Enemy thy Good-Will towards all and thy Bounty to whom thou art able Always call to mind Three things past the Evil committed the Good omitted and the Time pretermitted And ever bear in mind Three things present the Brevity of this present Life the Difficulty of being saved and the Paucity of them that shall be saved III. LET thy Evening Prayers ascend and humbly confess the Sins of the Day past and think how many are in danger of Hell-fire Let the last Day of the Seven correct and amend what Enormities thou hast committed the whole Week Shew Obedience to thy Superiours give Counsel and Aid to thy Equals and Defend and Instruct thy Inferiours Subdue thy Body to thy Mind and thy Mind to the Will of God Heartily bewail thy past Evils and set not thy Affections on Temporal Enjoyments but fix them on that which is Eternal Mourn for Sins upon remembrance of them and often remember Death that thou may'st cease from Sin Let the Justice of the Almighty keep thee in Fear and his Mercy preserve thee from Despair IV. WITHDRAW thy self as much as thou can'st from the World and addict thy self wholly to God's Service In Pleasures and Delights be vigilant of thy Chastity in Riches exercise thy Humility and in worldly Affairs neglect not Piety Be studious in pleasing none but thy Saviour neither fear to displease any but Him Deprecate Him always that his Will may be done on Earth as it is in Heaven and beseech Him to forgive thee what is past and to guide and govern what he has wrought in thee for the future V. ABANDON all Hypocrisie for God judgeth not according to external appearance but according to the Heart In thy Words take heed of vain repetitions Mat. 6. 7. because for every idle word thou must give an account in the day of judgment Mat. 12. 36. Let thy Words Works and Actions be good or evil they pass not away but remain as Seeds of Eternity And the Apostle assures us If thou sowest to thy flesh of the flesh thou shalt reap corruption but if thou sowest to the spirit of the spirit thou shalt reap life everlasting Gal. 6. 8. Neither Honours Riches Pleasures or Vanities of this Life can attend thee after thy Glass is run out Set a low value upon what thou possesseth but esteem highly what thou wantest VI. LET Holy Meditation produce in thee Knowledge and Knowledge Compunction and Compunction sincere Devotion The Silence of the Mouth creates Peace in the Heart and and the more thou separates thy self from the World the more acceptable thou art to the Almighty Whatsoever thou requestest ask it of God and whatsoever thou enjoyest resign
Thy Heavenly Kingdom Amen MED XX. Of Chastity Rom. xii 1. I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service HE that would be entertain'd a Disciple of Christ must wear his Livery of Sanctity and Chastity For God is a Spirit of that infinite Purity and Chastity that no unclean thing must presume to approach his Presence It was the Opinion and Saying of a wise Person That the Chastity of the Body and the Sanctity of the Soul are the two Keys of Religion and Felicity Now if the Body be not preserved pure and immaculare from all Sordidness the Soul cannot be ardent in Supplication Our Bodies are the Temples of the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6. 19. And therefore we must be very vigilant and sollicitous that we defile not this Body which is the Habitacle of so great a Comforter II. OUR Members are the Members of Christ Let us not then make 'em the Members of an Harlot but let us cleave unto the Lord with Fidelity and Continency that we may be one Spirit with him and be pure as he even is pure The swinish Sodomites were smitten with Spiritual and Corporal Blindness and their burning Lust was punish'd with an Element proper to their crying Sins and the Almighty will inflict the same Punishment on all obscene and incontinent Persons with a Fire not to be extinguished For the smoak of the torments ascendeth up for ever Rev. 14. 11. Nature hath taught us not to be guilty in the Eye of the World and shall not the Checks of our own Consciences impede us from committing Enormities iu the Eye of Heaven III. DENS Caves nor Corners can exclude ns from the Divine Omnipotence All Hearts are open to his Omnisciency all Desires are known and from him no Secrets can be concealed His Omnipresence is of that potency that the Voice within us upon the Grand Inquest will bear Testimony against us and our own Enormities being empannell'd will condemn us upon the Verity of the Verdict And who would not relinquish this momentary sensual Pleasure to evade everlasting Burnings If the Smoke of that concupiscible Fire ascends up to the Nostrils of the Almighty nothing can purge the Odiousness of it but infernal Flames IV. OH let then the Remembrance of a Crucified Saviour crucifie in thee all inordinate Affections and the Thoughts of a tormenting Hell quench in thee all the fiery Darts of the Wicked Let Fountains of Tears spring from a sincere Repentance extinguish in thee this conflagrating Carnality and let the fear and dread of the Almighty mortifie that concupiscible Enemy that the Allurements of it may not delude thee Consider with thy self the ill Consequents which are its Concomitants it is full of Anxiety and Folly Abomination and Ignominy and without Repentance must partake of everlasting Punishment V. LOOK not on the fawning outside of this Temptation but flie from it as you would from a Serpent Check the first Motions of it for if you once fall to reason aud article with it it will prove like the Element of Fire if not quench'd in due time grow too great to be conquer'd Next flie Idleness which is the native Soil for these abominable Weeds to grow in and be always employ'd in whatsoever lawful Vocation or Business God hath been pleas'd to allot thee that when the Tempter comes he may find thee fortify'd against Temptations 'T was Idleness allured David to Adultery Had he been busied as Ioseph was he had withstood the Temptation VI. THINK often of Death's Summons and that his cold Hand will one day chill that Blood which was so apt to be inflam'd and then tell me whether Mortification is not more suitable to Death-bed Thoughts than Sordidness and Obscenity Be frequent in Prayer and bring the Unclean Spirit to Christ that he may cast him out And to your Prayer add Fasting for this Kind goeth not forth but by Prayer and Fasting And indeed Temperance is a great Antidote against this Sin of Sodom for many times our Tables become a Snare to us for in pleasing our luxurious Palate we make Provision for the Flesh to fulfil the Lusts thereof And by Epicuring of it so here what can we expect when we depart hence but the rich Glutton's Fate even to want a drop of Water to cool our Tongues VII REMEMBER thou must give an account for every idle and unprofitable word Mat. 12. 36. And how much more then will thy Account extend to obscene Speeches and sordid Actions Of what Continuance thy Life hath been while brought to a Period and what multiplicity of Sins soever thou hast committed thy Accusers and Accusations will be equivalent Then those secret Thoughts which thou never resented'st will apparently prove thee obnoxious before the great Tribunal From thence thou can'st not flie nor deceive the Omnipotence with vain Excuses neither can'st thou appeal from that Sentence which will be pronounced against thee for there will be Verity in the Inquisition and Severity in the Execution VIII THEREFORE whil'st thou art on this side the Grave endeavour to adorn thy Immortal Part with the fragrant Rose of Charity the dulcified Violet of Humility and the innocent Lilly of Chastity When thou enter'st the List to conquer this formidable lustful Enemy if the Fight seem difficult animate thy self with this Assurance That the Conquest will be Glorious Thou must vanquish it as thou would'st a sturdy Beggar give it a positive Answer and it is vanish'd but shew it Encouragement and it will prove like the Snake in the Fable when warm by the Fire to fall a hissing If thou would'st not have this Enemy to rule over thee entertain it not in the least corner of thy Heart but earnestly beseech God to keep thee in Sanctity of Life and Chastity of Body MED XXI Of Purity of Heart Mat. v. 8. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God IF Innocency be the Robe of Heaven who then would not diligently strive to be adorn'd with Purity It is no wonder the Kingly Prophet was so importunate for a clean Heart and a right Spirit If this be the Recompence of true Sanctity who would neglect Religious Duties Beatifical Spirits What Felicity and Purity do ye enjoy that behold the glorious Face of your Heavenly Creator Who would not indefatigably be industrious to imitate your Seraphick Example here that he might resemble you in your happy Station and possess Eternal Joys such as the Heart in all his Divine Raptures never knew Shall the imposterous and perfidious Vanities of this Transitory World allure our Hearts and divest us of the Hopes of this Celestial Glory the Fruition of this splendid Vision II. A Magnified Vision in Comparison whereof the Regalities of this Lower Orb the Trophies and dazling Splendors of the Optick Nerves and the Lustre of the whole Universe is not worth the gazing at A
Almighty and by Legions of apostate Spirits haled away to the dismal Place of Horrour and Confusion where they shall languish under the pressure of intollerable Punishments and by Wonder of Omnipotency shall in Torrents of Fire endure Extremity of Frigidity and in Rivers of Ice be tormented with perpetual Burnings There they shall feed the Worm that never dies and transude in those Flames which cannot be extinguish'd And the Consideration of the Perpetuity of those Supernal Felicities which they rejected for Vanities and of the infinite Continuation of their infernal Tortures will shipwreck all their Hopes in the formidable Gulf of Desperation and plunge them into the bottomless Abysses of the lowest Hell The Prayer O BLESSED Father since Thou art Formidabe in Thy Judgments and Thy Anger is a Consuming Fire since those incorrigible Sinners who despise the Offers of Thy Mercy shall become the Victims of Thy implacable Vengeance and glorifie Thee in unimaginable Pains since Thou hast appointed a Season when an Eternity of Felicity or Misery shall be the Reward of our Actions and we must either stand or fall according to our handy Operations Vouchsafe that the Contemplation of these weighty Verities may be such a prevalent Inducement to the Amendment of our Lives that we may work out our salvation with fear and trembling Let not the pernicious Allurements of this fraudulent World make us negligent of the Wrath to come but let us walk with that aweful Care and vigilant Circumspection that we may appear with Joy in that dreadful Day wherein the greater part of mis-call'd Christians shall be consign'd to an Immortal Ruine and Destruction MED XXVII Upon Hell Isa. xxxiii 14. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burning ETERNAL Death is the dreadful State of the Damned by which they are not only depriv'd of the Presence of the Almighty but are also tormented with perpetual Suffering both in Soul and Body Oh how horrid is it then to incurr the Displeasure of the Divine Omnipotence How strangely infatuated are ye O senseless Sinners to run on so swiftly in the Ways of Sin Tell me Can you freely receive your Wages which is Death and take up your Habitation in Everlasting Burnings there perpetually to abide for ever II. COULD we but obtain by Divine Permission a Visionary Prospect of that incorrigible Miscreant and Traytor Iudas what a Scene of Horror would that be to behold him violently dragg'd by Infernal Spirits and loaded with Chains of Fire his Diabolical Countenance pale and Wan the Voice within him his Conscience Worm-eaten his Pestilential Skin cover'd with Leprosie from whence issues out Stinks not to be endured his Limbs and Body wounded and tormented and his Tongue filled with bitter Lamentations and Execrations What a dreadful Apprehension will the Vision of so deplorable a Spectacle create in thee III. SHOULDST thou in Contemplation fix that dire Object before thine Eyes and upon a strict Disquisition examine him saying Tell me O thou perfidious Iudas what Griefs what Pains and Torments are these thou undergoest What number of Years has thou reign'd in sulphurous Fire And how many Centuries of Ages must thou yet remain buried in Flames and roaring among the Infernal Crew His guilty and amazing Conscience would soon reply The Pains which which I endure are intollerable no intermission for Relief is here to be found but the Torments thus ininflicted are perpetual The least of our Miseries far exceed all Punishments which either the Justice of God or the Cruelties of Men upon Earth did ever execute Despair is our continual Associate and there is no vacant Place for Hopes of ever to be freed for these unexpressible Torments You upon Earth take your Ease you Eat and drink in full Bowls whil'st we want Water to cool our Tongues which are tormented in these Flames IV. Let the Thoughts of Hell's Terrors ever put me in a Method to escape their Fury Consider the Damned in their fatal Circumstances their Life is to die without expiring and their Death is to live in perpetual Punishment There the Tormentor is never wearied the Fire never consumes and the Torments never decrease And this Decree is according as the irrevocable Sentence requires the fulfilling of the Justice of the Almighty and the Reward due to wilful Impenitents and obdurate Offenders that they should never want a sufficient measure of Punishment who were continually glutted and never ceas'd from Sin V. There the least Sin has its peculiar Punishment wonderfully extracted out of its own Sordidness The Salacious shall inhabit in unextinguishable sulphurous Fire continually flaming from their own inordinate Affections The Epicure and Ebrious shall sigh in vain for a little Water to cool their Tongues The Outragious and Passionate shall snarl like mad Dogs and the Malicious and Uncharitable shall corrode their own Entrails The Wealth of the Misers shall be as Goads in their Sides and the Arrogant and Ambitious shall be hurried down from the Precipice of Scorn to the Bottomless-Pit of Contempt The Infatuated shall miserably deplore their mispent Time and pine away with Grief for their not being diligent VI. BUT O what strange Convulsions shall fasten on their Spirits and vulnerate and search the utmost of their Souls When they shall with Amazement behold themselves eternally bereft of the illuminating Vision of the Most Highest When they shall behold themselves eternally exil'd from the joyful and amiable Presence of Jesus that Omnipotence who created 'em to inherit His Kingdom that Saviour who purchas'd 'em to reign with Him in Glory then shall they execrate the Hour of their Nativity and those sordid Associates that enticed them to Ruine They shall exclaim against the Folly of the fraudulent Universe and belch out with a raving Distraction Are these the Products of those infatuated Desires whose empty Enjoyments we esteem'd our Happiness Alas what will our loose Liberties and those fond Delights we so eagerly chas'd after now yield us What Happiness receive we from those fleeting Honours and transitory Treasures we so highly valued They are all fled away as a Vapour and past away as a Morning-Cloud VII BUT the Sting and Torment perpetually endures and plagues our Vitals with Everlasting Anguish Thus shall they roar out but all is deaf to their Complaint Thus shall they lament but no Compassion shall relieve them O dismal Spectacle of a wicked Life O terrible Sequel of a destructive Death perpetually to wish for what they never can obtain perpetually to undergo that which is inevitable O magnify'd be Thy Divine Omnipotence that with such an indulgent Affection gives us timely Notice of our Ruine Save us O blessed Lord from all Impieties Oh save us for Thy Own dear sake Quicken our Minds against the Effects of Sin and with Thy Fatherly Corrections chastise us often that at last the Terrors of Hell may force us into Thy Heavenly Kingdom MED XXVIII Upon Heaven Psal.