am most bounden and to assure mine owne conscience of the truth of mine adoption by the syncerity of my heart and thorough sanctification that so by the sweet beams of thy grace shining into my dull and feeble soule I may with cheerfulnesse and comfort wait the good houre when my blessed Saviour IESUS shall call me from hence home to himselfe peace in and I shall leave mortality and imperfection behind me for ever Amen The Fourth MEDITATION of Mount TABOR How happie a condition it is for thee upon thy perseverance in grace to be assured of thy salvation Places of Scripture shewing how this benefit and priviledge belongs to us EXod 15.2 The Lord is my strength and song he is become my salvation Esay 45.17 Jsrael shall bee saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation yee shall not be confounded nor ashamed world without end Jeremy 31.3 The Lord hath appeared unto me saying yea J have loved thee with an everlasting love therfore have I extended loving kindnesse unto thee Ioh. 4.42 And know that this is indeed the CHRIST the Saviour of the world Ioh. 14.1 IESUS having loved his owne which were in the world he loved them unto the end Ioh 15.16 You have not chosen me but J have chosen you and ordained you that you should goe and bring forth fruit and that your fruit should remaine that whatsoever yee shall aske of the Father in my name hee may give it you 9 As my Father hath loved me so have I loved you continue ye in my love 11 These things have I spoken unto you that my joy might remaine in you and that your joy might be full Romans 1.16 J am not ashamed of the Gospell of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth Romans 11.29 The gifts and calling of God are without repentance 1 Corinth 1.9 God is faithfull by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his sonne Iesus Christ our Lord 8. Who will also confirme you unto the end that yee may bee blamelesse in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ Galatians 2.20 Christ liveth 〈◊〉 me and the life which I now live iâ— the flesh J live by the faith of the son of God Phil. 1.6 Being confident of this very thing that he who hath begun a good worke in you will performe or finish it untill the day of Iesus Christ Acts 4.10 Bee it knowne unto you all that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth whom ye crucified whom God raised from the dead doth this man stand before you whole 11 This is the stone which was set at nought by you builders which is become the head of the corner 12 Neither is there salvation in any other for there in no other name given under heaven amongst men whereby we must be saved Acts 13.26 Whosoever among you feareth God to you is the word of this salvation sent 1 Tim. 1.5 Christ came into the world to save sinners Heb. 7 22. By so much was Iesus made a surety of a better testament 25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him The fourth MEDITATION of Mount TABOR NOw my soule hath the Lord in mercy brought us to a fourth step of these our meditations which is a blessed consequent of the three former For being redeemed from our sinnes which was our first step and in the second received to our heavenly Father and in the third made his children by grace and adoption we are thereby become sure upon our perseverance in grace of finall salvation which brings us to this fourth step making our condition even in this earthly pilgrimage most happy and safe notwithstanding any inward or outward afflictions temptations terrors torments we shall or may be exercised withall in our way to heaven For hee that is sure of grace here and glory hereafter what can possibly trouble him seeing Romans 8.18 the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall bee revealed in us and 2 Cor. 4.17 our light afflictions which is but for a moment worketh for us a farre more exceeding waight of glory And how is it O my soule that we are brought to this blessed condition of safety and happinesse even by the same our most blessed Saviour only with whom we began in the first step of these meditations For hee is Alpha and Omega the first and the last Heb. 12.2 the author and finisher of our faith neither is there salvation in any other as is before quoted and recited Oh then my soul here are we to renew our daily repentance for our offences past and our humble faith in our almighty Saviour who hath acquitted us from them all and is thus graciously pleased to goe along with us and will confirme us unto the end that wee may bee blamelesse in the day of the Lord IESUS O most gracious Lord and Saviour who hast begun thine owne good worke in me thy poore weake and unworthy servant finish the same for thine owne glorious names sake and by thy holy spirit dwell in my heart for ever that for being both in soule and body throughly purified and sanctified unto all holy duties of true humiliation and godly sorrow for my sins and corruptions and of new universal obedience in the remaining houres of this transitory life J may with cheerfulnesse and comfort passe over the same and not with patience only but with joy and thankefulnesse waite for the time of my change and dissolution when thou shalt be pleased to call me home to thy blessed selfe in glory Amen Amen The Fifth MEDITATION OF MOUNT TABOR How pleasant a state it is to live without feare of death and hell Places of Scripture shewing this comfort to belong to the fa thfull HOsca 13.14 I will ransome them from the power of the grave J will redeeme them from death O death J will be thy plagues O grave J will be thy destruction Esay 25.8 He will swallow up death in victorie and the Lord God will wipe away teares from all faces Mat. 16.18 Vpon this rocke viz. the faith of Christ will I build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevaile against it Rom. 7.24 O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death 25. I thanke God â—hrough Iesus Christ our Lord. Rom. 8.1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus for the Law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death 1 Cor. 15.54 Death is swallowed up in victorie 55. O death where is thy sting O grave or ô hel where is thy victory 56. The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the law 37. But thanks be to God who giveth us the victorie through Iesus Christ our Lord. 2 Timoth. 1.10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our
of life and death of salvation and damnation at that Acts 2.20 great and terrible day of the Lord wherein 2 Pet. 3.10 the heavens shall passe away with a great noise and the elements shall melt with fervent heat the earth also and the workes that are therein shall be burnt up the dead raised the living changed and all mankinde brought together to give a most strict accompt not for their ill works alone but for their neglect of good duties not for actions alone but for their words and that not for filthy and mischievous words only but for every idle word and the thoughts of the heart And this my soule is that infinite almighty and most glorious and dreadful Majestie against whom we have rebelled in the highest treasons his wisdome power justice being incomprehensible and his wrath insupportable O come let us worship and fall downe prostrate with all aweful reverence trembling and feare and then in the second place consider how infinitely gracious and good this our most blessed God the King of eternall glory hath beene to such a worme and vile wretch as my unworthy selfe For besides those most blessed and extraordinary priviledges which I have with my countrey-men in being borne an Englishman in the time of the most glorious Sun-shine of the Gospell of grace seconded with such Halcyon daies of blessed peace the publike miracles of mercy which God hath wrought even in my life time in the preservation of this Church and Kingdome our gracious Princes our selves and our posterities specially in these two famous deliverances never to be forgotten by any true English heart from the Spanish invincible Armado and the Popish hellish Powder plot O blessed Lord God how infinitely good and gracious hast thou been unto me most unworthy in all the particular passages of my earthly pilgrimage First in spirituall blessings by thy preventing mercy keeping me from some grievous sinnes into which my owne wicked corruptions by Sathans damnable enticements had els drawne me In thy sparing mercies in my acting of other sins wherinto I was faln In thy pardoning mercies that miracle of miracles in translating me out of that damnable estate of mine unregenerate time into rhe glorious liberty of thine owne children of grace and adoption in IESUS CHRIST and for thy renewing mercies by the work of thy holy spirit making me to loath all sinne and to apply my selfe to all duties of holinesse and righteousnesse in universall new obedience to thy most holy will and a constant will and resolution to serve and please thee love feare adore and obey thee in all true repentance and sanctification all the remaining houres of my life and lastly for the assurance thou hast given me of the upshot of all thy finall and crowning mercies in the life to come Then again in temporall blessings by preserving mee from harme in most desperate dangers giving mee the helpe of good education blessing me with a most gracious and comfortable fellowship in marriage and us both with hopefull children and grandchildren especially for our eldest son the true staffe of our age and for thy bountifull providing for us and them in outward necessaries and shewing us mercy in all our occasions yea good Lord for thy fatherly chastisements sent amongst us and therein for that gentle paralyticall infirmity of mine owne aged body whereby I have beene gratiously taken off from worldly cares and employments and have held and still by thy goodnesse have this blessed time and opportunity for heavenly meditations and Christ in preparation of my self for my change and dissolution and my finall translation into those glorious mansions which our most blessed Saviour hath provided for us in his heavenly kingdome O most blessed Lord God how shall I poore weakling do to admire thy providence adore thy Majestie love feare serve and obey thee and glorifie thy most holy name as I am most bounden and heartily desire to do in all sincerity duty and thankfulnes for all thy numberles and incomprehensible mercies blessings comforts and deliverances vouchsafed unto me even in this fraile life and valley of teares and for the glorious upshot of all thy crowning mercies reserved for me in the life to come Oh fill my heart with thy gracious spirit for enabling me to pay my humble vowes unto thy Majestie in all true sanctified obedience and faithfull and serious endeavours of soule and body to walke acceptably before thee from henceforth and for ever Amen And now my soule should wee in the third place consider how wickedly and ungraciously I have misbehaved my self all the days of my flesh towards this most high glorious almighty and most dreadful Majestie and towards this most gracious and mercifull God and Saviour of ours But here alas I am confounded wâ—h shame astonishment of heart and horror of conscience but to think of the manifold frailties prophannes pollutions of my youth and the sinful negligencies rashnesses improvidence unfruitfulnes and unthankfulnes and other sins and transgressions of thought word or deed of my whole mispent life by past Yea O Lord my God in my ungrateful and froward neglect of thy gracious time of visitation graunted mee of thine unspeakable mercie these foure last yeares aswell for my sound humiliation and serious daily repentance for my manifold sins and corruptions as for improving that precious time in those gracious duties and spirituall exercises publike and private which my conscience tels me I should have performed with more fervour of spirit feare and trembling and syncerity and intention of heart then I have done But O Lord I finde that were mine eyes fountaines of teares powred out every moment of my life should my heart fall asunder into drops of blood in my brest for anger and indignation against my selfe for my grievous sins and transgressions yet should I come infinitely short of that sorrow and hearts griefe which mine offences would justly require and exact at my hands And therefore O Lord my God though it bee my most earnest suit and the earnest desire and constant prayer of my humble soule that my hard and dull heart may by thy grace be so softned and quickned as to be truly broken and dissolved into sighs of true contrition and that I may weepe day and night for my sinnes and offences all my life long unto my dying houre yet all could not serve to draw thy mercy upon me for the least of my transgressions for in the point of redemption of mankind and purgation of sinne nothing could serve the turn but the precious blood of IESUS CHRIST God and Man in one person blessed for ever Either the sonne of God must die or else all mankind be eternally damned and their sinnes only are properly said to have pierced him who at length are saved by his blood Come then my soule let us set our humble faith on worke to lay fast hold upon this blessed Saviour of ours who only is become our reconciliation and peace-maker
Christum transit in Christum By the first CHRIST becometh ours by the second we resigne our selves unto CHRIST and become his And these are the two hands of faith By the one we receive mercy from God by the other wee render son-like obedience unto him and if we believe as we ought to do that God is become our Father and do so apprehend him in Christ then ought we again to shew by our chang of life and new obedience that wee have rendred our selves to be his For of all those that came to CHRIST in the Gospell none went away as they came and they that are truly in him get vertue from him which workes in them the similitude of his owne life so as this meditation O my soule doth properly spread it selfe into two branches First the glorious priviledges and comforts wee receive by our adoption and then our most bounden duties to our most gracious God for the same There is a naturall adoption which is defined to be a lawfull act imitating nature found out for the comfort of them who have no children of their owne but this spirituall adoption of us differs farre from it For it is a lawfull act transcending nature found out by the Lord our God for the comfort of children that want a father Wee being by nature miserable Orphans having no father to provide for us It pleased the Lord our God to become our father in Christ and to make us his sonnes and daughters by adoption not for any benefit he receives of us for nothing can arise by the meanes of any creature to that most high and alsufficient Majestie but that hee might have some upon whom to bestow his benefits for the declaration of the glory of his rich mercy Yet both adoptions agree in this that they flow from the pleasure and goodnesse of the adoptant and that there are given to him that is adopted the priviledges of a son which by nature he hath not but where the naturall adoptant cannot change the nature of the partie adopted It is otherwise with us For if God by the grace of adoption make us his sonnes he will also by the grace of regeneration make us new creatures and therefore whosoever continues in sinne cannot challeng any interest in this divine priviledge only the sanctified are entitled to it Here also let us to our unspeakable comfort observe that the sonnes of God know most certainly that God is become their heavenly Father For in this that they are taught of God by his owne spirit to acknowledge him and call upon him with boldnesse as upon their father they cannot be deceived of their generation but with more freedome of spirit yea and surer knowledge they call God their Father then any son of the world is able to call upon his earthly Father Here also we are taught that we cannot pray unto God but by the spirit of adoption who is the parent that begets prayer as the mother who conceives it is the humble and contrite heart For no proud uncleane or hard heart can pray unto God And certainly unlesse the holy spirit testifie unto us that God is our father and hath made us his children wee dare not goe neere him to crave good things from him and therefore herein appeareth the Fatherly indulgence of our God towards us We are here in the valley of death in heavines through continuall afflictions and temptations The time is not yet come wherin the Lord will communicate unto us his glorious presence to fil us with that fulnes of joy which is in that blessed vision The time is not yet come wherein we must ascend to our father yet to keep us in the meane time that wee faint not the Lord hath sent down his holy spirit into our hearts to comfort us O fatherly care O wonderfull love That spirit the comforter descended once according to CHRISTS promise upon the Apostles in a visible manner and doth daily descend in a secret and invisible manner into the hearts of the godly lest the children of the marriage chamber should be swallowed up with heavines through the want of their Bridegroome And this glorious Ambassador teacheth us to cry unto God as upon our Father which if we doe with this spirit of adoption it is effectuall enough to draw downe upon us all those blessâ—ngs which the Lord communicates to his children His name shall bee sanctified in us his kingdom shall be advanced in us we shall not want our daily bread he will forgive us all our sins and preserve us that we fall not into temptation and deliver us from evil For all comforts rest under this name of father if we can so call him in faith the riches of his mercies are ours O blessed Lord God what manner of man should I bee in holinesse righteousnesse and heavenly-mindednesse answerable to this high and holy calling and how unworthy a wretch have I shewed my selfe of so great mercy when instead of worshipping fearing loving and obeying this most gracious Lord and heavenly father in all things I have yeelded to the filâ—hy allurements of his and mine owne most malitious and accursed enemy in many vile pollutions of my prophane youth and the many rash indiscretions sinfull neglect of good duties unfruitfulnesse and unthankfulnesse of my after time Here here my soule is a fit opportunity for me to breake out into holy mourning and lamenting for the manifold sinnes and offences of my mispent life past which now appeare the more abominable and heynous in mine eyes when I look back and consider in what strict and precise humiliation with what universall holy obedience dutifulnes and carefull watching over my thoughts words actions I should have walked before this blessed God almighty mine heavenly father whom I have so ungraciously offended O most blessed spirit of adoption God the Holy Ghost most glorious sealer up of my precious salvation looke downe in thine infinite mercies upon my poore humbled and afflicted soule and have compassion upon me Descend ô Lord my God by thy heavenly grace into my heart and purifie and sanctifie it into a holy Temple for thine owne blessed residence for ever to mollifie and melt it into the sighs and teares of true contrition and repentance for the sinnes and iniquities of my life past and then withall to raise it up by faith to see my selfe fully acquitted and discharged from them all in the precious blood-shedding of my deare Lord and Saviour IESUS CHRIST the promised Messiah God in the flesh manifested and so to enable me with the hands of humble and true faith to lay fast hold upon him and his merits for me and upon this blessed priviledge of being in and by him the adopted son of my heavenly father unto the assurance of my finall and everlasting comfort and peace Quickning and strengthning me unto all holy duties all the remaining daies of my earthly pilgrimage whereby to glorifie my heavenly father as I
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
letter the middlemost the iota out of this one word and the rest will answer fumus smoak which also will teach us another lesson of the vanitie of all earthly things and these two lessons well conned will bring us from the consideration of the two former lessons to bethinke our selves of the last the future tense Quid erimus what we shall bee hereafter That like the children of grace and wisdome whiles we are yet in the first tense the time present we may provide our selves of spirituall comfort against wee come to the following tenses that when wee are to say our last lesson having learned our Christs crosse well afore hand in the present tense of this life wee may by his merits and mediation be finally received into the blessed mansions of his heavenly kingdome when time shall be no more which the Lord of all grace glory and mercy grant unto us all of his infinite goodnesse through IESUS CHRIST our only Saviour and redeemer Amen 17. Vpon three words written with a Cole in a great Iudges house THe noble Lord Chancellour Ellesmere was wont every morning in term time after the dispatching suitors of the better ranck in his great chamber and gallery in York-house to come into the Chappell to publike prayers wherein the meanest suitors might accompany his Lordship who upon ending of prayers came through a waiting-roome downe the staires into the Hall and so through it into his Coach that all petitioners might take their oppertunities to put up their complaints or deliver their petitions to himselfe Those staires being made with severall halfe paces wainescotted on every side to a mans height with a faire white wall above it In which wall in the most perspicuouâ— place obâ—ious to every mans eyes that should come downe the staires one morning against his Lordship should goe to Westminster there was written with a cole in faâ—re large Italique letters these three words Tanquam non reverturuâ— which my selfe having then occasion to attâ—nd his Lordship did read as himselfe and others diâ— or could hardly forbeare to doe they stood so in the eyes of all those that came downe the staires wh â—her some scholler fearing oppression y some mighty adversary wrote the sâ—me to give his Lordship that necessary watchword or upon what other occasion or by whom the same was written I know not But I am sure that both his Lordship then and all that did read it or shall reade this hereafter may make good use oâ— such a memorandum though but written with a cole to make us the more warie and watchfull of our words or actions when wee goe abroad out of our houses chambers or closets even for this reason because we may happen not to returne againe How should such a meditation worke in the Clyents mind for peace and reconciliation and the Lawyers tongue for syncerity and truth in the Iudges conscience for justice and equity in every man and womans heart for avoiding of evill doing if they would but thinke of these few words and consider whether they would speake or doe thus or thus if they were presently to die or whether thus or thus behave themselves abroad if they were not to returne againe to their homes O mercifull Lord God have mercie upon us poore wretches of frailtie whose very memories are so depraved by our naturall corruption that what is indelebly written in our hearts and consciences we wilfully suppresse when wee are about any evill or mischiefe how mischievous soever iâ— proove afterwards to our selves or others Pardon good Lord our former neglects of such usefull meditations of our owne mortality and howsoever wee neglect these and the like remembrances from mortall men give us grace we beseech thee to shew our obedience to the Commandement of our Saviour who must also be our Iudge Matthew 24 42 Watch for you know not the houre 18. Vpon consideration of one Muscle of the eyes of man more then of any other creature IN the creation of man Almighty God intending in that admirable and choice peece of all his workes to joyne an heavenly soul and an earthly body together did even in the frame of that body by that Muscle of the eye give man to understand his owne excellencie above all other creatures which having only muscles for the use of their natures his goodnesse added one to the eyes of man that hee might looke up directly to Heaven from whence his better part came the soule having especiall use of that motion of the eye in prayer and meditation that this power of lifting up the eyes without might put us in minde of lifting up our hearts and souls within to our good God who gave our eyes that motion to that purpose as also that the body was to looke unto and performe service to the Creator as well as the soule and to exercise that muscle in the works of grace as the other are used for the necessary works of nature and withall to shew us that as when our eyes are intentively lifted up towards heaven wee cannot looke downeward or to any thing below so our minds should be affected in al our spirituall duties to God neglecting all worldly things therein and keeping our soules to him alone O mercifull Lord God pardon the errours of mine eyes forepast and sanctifie them to make these gracious uses for the time to come and that both mine eyes and all other the members and faculties both of soule and bodie may be consecrated to thy faithfull service in universall obedience that when these eyes shall be shut up fr m this mortall light my soule may be received into the glorious light of thy heavenly kingdome through the merits and mediation of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Amen 19. Vpon the name of God proclaimed IN the 34. Chapter of Exodus it is thus written vers 5 The Lord descended in the clouds and proclaimed the name of the Lord vers 6. The Lord the Lord God mercifull and gracious long suffering and abundant in goodnesse and truth 7 keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquitie and transgressions and sin and that will by no meanes cleer the guilty visiting the iniquity of the Fathers upon the children and childrens children unto the third and fourth generation In which words of our heavenly fathers own proclaiming what blessed arguments of comfort are involved for the poore sinner if he consider the severall titles that the Lord hath given himselfe in this most gracious proclamation For though the two first titles proclaime his soveraign dominion and supreme Majestie for our most due and bounden humiliation before the Lord our maker and the last title shewes his just hatred of sin and his unpartiall justice to worke his true feare into our hearts yet all the rest which M. Bolton 349. reckons to seven times as many proclaime nothing but his superaboundant mercy and goodnes to shew us how transcendent he is in pitie and compassion to the truly humbled
without interruption in the straight paths of grace and vertue unto eternall glory And so much more need have wee to looke well to our way and arme our selves well for it if wee consider how dangerous a companion the soule carrieth with it or rather is carried by in this dangerous race even our owne sinfull and sensuall flesh and withall how many ambushments of thieves murtherers and robbers lye in the way hunting for our soules as wee passe by and offering to the flesh any manner of sensuall delights to betray the precious soule which it should carrie straight to heaven by getting it to turne aside into some other crooked and by-paths of sinne and wickednesse Via vna multa de via How many by-paths crosse the way of grace to draw the soul out of the way of life by the allurements of honour pleasure profit worldly-preferment ease good fellowship and a thousand varieties to make the soule neglect that unum necessarium of walking in Gods feare and keeping constant in the way to heaven wee must not therefore thinke of sitting downe or standing still or frisking out and in up and downe at our owne pleasure or leasure But the pace hee required is running the most violent earnest and speedy pace of all whereby wee are put in mind that as our li e runs away without ceasing so our labour speed and endeavour should be constant and perpetuall after that better life which shall never fade and to contemne this to obtaine that Notwithstanding every speedy or hastie running in the race of this life brings not to heaven but though we must runne yet wee should so run that we bee sure to obtaine There is a speciall manner of running required a singular and precise manner which how contrary soever to flesh and blood must bee undertaken and pursued or els all is amisse For there is a headlong running downe to hell Facilis descensus Averni and this is the way of good-fellowship as it is called wherein a man shall bee sure of companie enough but of such as forget God following the broad way of vanity which brings to destruction And there is a sidelong running of the hypocrite who runnes byas as if hee would keepe out of the broad way of destruction but falls into it at the last But our running should bee upright towards Heaven up the hill in the narrow strict and craggie way which leadeth unto life wee must runne to obtaine what we runne for and minde nothing else but to keepe our selves in that right way which will bring us to that end happie then is the soule that declines the many by-paths of sinne and vanitie and keepes constantly and carefully that one strict way of holinesse righteousnesse and sobrietie which certainly leads to eternall peace O mercifull Lord Jesu who are the way the truth and the life and knowest whereof wee are made and how unable to stand of our selves or to runne the way of thy Commandements assist and strengthen us by thy blessed Spirit of grace to finde out that gracious way of truth which assuredly tendeth unto life and then constantly to keepe in it all the daies of our pilgrimage that living and dying in faith and obedience wee may finally obtaine that crowne of righteousnesse which thine owne blessed selfe hast purchased and prepared for us in thine heavenly kingdome Amen Eamus post Christum quia veritas per Christum quia via ad Christum quia vita Bernard 22. Vpon a worthy Divines Letter resolving me in a case of conscience WHen it had pleased God to prolong my life beyond the great Climactericall yeare as it is called I thought it high time for mee to retyre my selfe from worldly employments that I might the better prepare my selfe for the time of my change and thereupon imparted my minde for ghostly counsell therein to a worthy and reverend Divine of my inward acquaintance who returned me such a gracious and learned answer by Letter for directing the Christian pilgrim into the right and safe way to eternall life amongst the divers opinions of thâ—se later and worst times as I thought fit to register it amongst the private meditations of mine that so pious a resolution in so weightie a case which in mine opinion might bee of good use to Gods Church might not die with me in a private Letter the words whereof are here faithfully set downe as followeth Sir I sent you in a Letter by my brother c. In meane while to your case of conscience if I understand it aright I thinke thus in few words The Gospell is a doctrine of mercy but not of liberty The Morall law though it cannot save or condemne us who are in Christ yet it still obligeth us no lesse if not more then others to all acts of pietie and justice Our redeemer freed us not from the obedience but from the penaltie of it the rigorous sanction of it is mitigated by the new covenant of grace for to us is no condemnation and if any man sinne we have an Advocate But the new Covenant is so far from dissolving of any commandement that it adds to them the more of faith and repentance And faith it self though it assure us of comfort in Christ yet it is under condition of our allegiance to God not only in some feeble good purposes and desires but in a constant universall actuall obedience For faith in the very nature of it implies obedience Romanes 1.5 and 16.26 1 Peter 1.14 and verse 22. It purifies the heart Acts 15.9 It worketh by love Galatians 5.6 And without doubt the faith which is not thus obedient purging working is but a fancie T is true the most holy Christian may sometimes by his frailtie or negligence be surprised by a suddaine temptation or foiled y a violent Jn that ease his comfort is in the merits of Christ But t is withall his duty speedily to recover himselfe and to walke afterwards more warily with his God Good will or good wishes are not enough where there is no more I feare there is little grace which where it is enables us to overcome the world 1 Ioh. 5.4.5 To resist the Divell Iam. 4.7 nay to overcome him 1 Io. 4.4 Ephes 6.11.13 to doe all actions of pietie in good measure Phil. 4.13 Mar. 9.23 Ephes 3.20 Iud. 24. verse to mortifie the deeds of the flesh Romans 8.5.13 briefly in spirituall conflicts to bee more then conquerors Rom. 8 37. T is true the best of men are but men at the best now and then sinning but then quickly repenting and for the most part carefully and conscionably walking And if you please to view and consider well these passages in Gods book Col. 3.9.10 Eph. 1.18 and 4.21.23.24 2 Cor. 3. â—8 Galat. 2.20 and 15.24.25 and â— 14. Philip. 2.13 Romans 8.2 wherein the truly regenerate is described by his Caracters and properties you will feare that many howsoever they seeme to themselves and others taking little care