great desire aye till they bee gotten But spirituall delights as a Father said Cum non habentur sunt in fastidio Cum habentur sunt in desiderio Before they bee gotten they are loathed But are they gotten they are loued So long as our Soules are led hoode-winkt in this our moody and mistie mortalitie wee cannot thorowlie perceiue this O that wee had heartes to consider O that wee could rightlie mind the thinges that are aboue O that our hearts were wained froÌ„ this our natiue soile a place of hunger and cold a place of nakednesse sicknesse and sorrow that wee might earnestlie desire to bee into that holie Land where wee shall feast on the Tree of Life and drinke of that Crystall Riuer with pleasures for euermore So long as wee are in this our mortalitie wee must bee still looking till our change come which being once made wee shall neuer change anie more O then the sweetnesse of the Crowne shall for euer allay the sowâ—…enesse of the Crosse. The sicke Man Mine heart is wonderfullie rauished with such purpose I finde my Soule silent within mee that it may hearken and giue good heede to that which ye say Blessed be he who createth the fruite of the lips O Lord come let thy Spirite take houseroume into mine heart Now let vs come to our purpose againe So farre as I can obserue your minde is that we all shall know one another in Heauen but without regard to anie carnall consideration whether they were our Father oâ—… Mother or our Sister The Pastour It is euen so For if any particular respect should be had to any it should be of a man to his wife or a wife to her husband who must leaue both father mother and cleaue vnto another for to become one flesh Yet so it is that in Heauen there shal be no more particular respect betweene them than these whom they had neuer seene before The Lord hath made this plaine The Saducees who scorned the Resurrection hauing told Christ that there had beene seuen brethren in Israel which all had married one wife one after another and that last of all the woman died also Now said they In the Resurrection whose wife of them shall shee bee Iesus answered and saide The children of this world marie and are giuen in marriage But they that shall bee accounted worthie to obtaine that world and the resurrection from the dead neither marrie nor are giuen in marriage Neither can they die anie more for they are equall vnto the Angels and are the Children of God beeing the Children of the Resurrection Certainelie at that day none of these seuen brethren will claime any more acquaintance vnto that woman than vnto her whom they had neuer seene before that day What created thing can allure the eyes of the creature where the Creator is visiblie seene as hee is Whom haue I in Heauen but thee said the Psalmist As the Sunne by his beames at his first rising darkneth all the glorious stars of light so that they seeme to flie away from his presence quite out of the heauens So shall the loue of God himsâ—…lfe like a greater Light darken and dazle all other desires whatsoeuer No by-respects shall bee able to hinder vs to haue ouâ—… eye to the maine Wee shall loath all thinges that we may feast on his facâ—… wherein is fulnesse of joye The sicke Man I desire Sir to know of you whether or not there shall bee degrees of Glorie in the Heauens or if all shall bee alike in honour The Pastour The most part are of that opinion that there shall bee diuerse degrees their opinion is founded vpon these words There is one glorie of the Sun and another of the Moone and another glorie of the Starres For one star differeth from another star in glory So also is the Resurrection of the dead it is sowen in corruption it is raised in incorruption Some of the Learned who esteeme that there shall bee diuerse degrees of glorie in Heauen think that no such thing is intended in these wordes but onelie as one Starre differeth from another in glorie so shall the bodie after the Resurrection differ farre in glorie from the estate wherein it was in this life according to this it is said It is sowen in corruption it is raised in glorie for to declare the different estate of the godly heere and heereafter For this assertion concerning degrees of glorie this seemeth to bee most cleare which is said by Christ to his Apostles Behold saide Peter wee haue forsaken all and followed thee What shall wee haue therefore And Iesus said vnto them Verilie I say vnto you that yee which haue followed mee in the regeneration when the Sonne of man shall sit on the Throne of his Glory yee shall also sit vpon twelue Thrones judging the twelue Tribes of Israel The sicke Man Before yee proceede I pray you to cleare these words That yee which haue followed mee in the regeneration when the Sonne of man shall sitte on his Throne yee also shall sitte vpon twelue Thrones I vnderstand not well what the word Regeneration signifieth there To follow Christ in the regeneration what can that bee The Pastour These wordes bee diuerslie read Some reade them this way Yee who haue followed mee in the regeneration Others reade them after this maneâ—… joyning there-with the following words In the regeneration when the Sonne of man shall sitte on his Throne yee also shall sitte If the words be so joyned Yee who haue followed mee in the regeneration 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word Regeneration is taken as the most Learned esteeme for the preà ching of the Gospel which Christ brought into the world whereby a new creation or regeneration of mens heartes and Soules hath beene made in the world So to follow Christ in the Regeneration is to embrace his Gospel whereby we are regenerate But in the opinion of the most part 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Regeneration heere is rather to be joyned with the words following after this manner In the regeneration they shal sit vpon Thrones according to that In regeneration is as if he had said In renovatione mundi vel post renovationem mundi in alterò seculo That is In the renewing or after the renewing of the World Indeede regeneration here seemeth â—…hieflie to signifie the Resurrection and restoring of our bodies The sicke Man It would appeare by that saying of Christ in S. Matthew that the Apostles shall sit vpon twelue Thrones in greater dignitie than anie others The Pastour It would seeme so to be As for Moses Enos and Elias and so many worthie Prophets most glorious instrumeÌ„ts of Gods grace in this world it would seeme that their glorie there should bee greater than that of common persons Manie of them that sleepe in the dust of the earth shall
thinke vpon these solitudes and mansions of silence I faint at the verie thought thereof Oh my deare Soule wilt thou abide with mee no longer If thou depart my Beautie my Colour my Conference my Companie and all is gone Oh shall all my senses now bee closed vp shall I speake no more heare no more see no more than if I were a stone Must I nowe goe remaine into the myre of mortalitie the place of silence Must I abide the long nights among the Graues places fearfull to the liuing where men make no resort O wretched weakling that I am by Death as I see I shall bee grapled to the ground where I shall bee forced to make my bedde in the da◅ke The Soule My Bodie bee not thou disquieted I am but for a little space going before thee for to take seasin of Heauen for thee and for mee Though I bee absent for a space I shall neuer forget thee In Gods appointed time I shall come againe and fetch thee out of the muddie moulde of mortalitie At the first blast of the last Trumpet I shall come downe shall enter into thee and quicken thee againe At that time God shal cleanse thee from all thy corruptions and shall mak thee like an Angel of God My sillie Bodie wee haue taken much pains together for to get a rest which we haue looked long for but culd not find now goe to thy rest till come againe for to bring thee to eternall repose If thou were cōmanded to goe to labour to pains thou should haue some cause indeede to whine and to shrinke as one hampered in a snare But the Lord is now desiring thee like a wearied man to goe to thy rest for to sleepe soundlie into a bedde wherein thou shalt no more bee disquieted with dreames or with visions When thou shalt once awake thou shalt bee still with Iesus If in mercie hee hath made mee to preuent thee in the possession of eternitie let not his fauour toward mee worke in thee anie heart rising against that Majestie who as the Potter doth with his clay may doe with all his creatures what hee pleaseth The Bodie But O my Soule the Graue is fearefull It is a retired solitude and a place of silence a place of filthie stinke I abhorre to thinke of it how that in that dungeon of darknesse and denne of corruption I must lye downe naked implunged in myrie slime among wormes a lumpe of most vile and lifelesse clay Alas my Soule The Soule My Bodie bee not discouraged The Graue is a place where the bodie must lye till with the Eagle there it cast its Bill a meanes for to renew its youth So soone as once there it hath cast the old slugh of Nature incontinent thereafter it shall become a new creature Except saide Christ that the corne of wheat fall into the ground and die it abideth alone Haue patience but a little New corne will come at the day of the resurrection The dayes of mans mortalitie are the Lords seede time The bodies of the Saincts are his seede the Church yard is his fielde Suffer now the Lord to sowe his owne ground Bee not disquieted nor cast down with griefe It shall bee thy gaine to goe downe to the graue There shalt thou be sowne in corruption but thou shalt bee raised in incorruption Thou shalt be sowne in dishonour but thou shalt bee raised in glorie Thou shalt bee sowne in weaknesse but thou shalt bee raised in power Thou shalt bee sowne a naturall bodie but thou shalt bee raised a spirituall bodie See what by Gods mercie shall bee the great gaine of the Graue After that the Graues of the godlie shall bee ripe the Lord by an infinite power shall make all their bodies to bee taken vp for like fine wheate to bee laide vp within his heauenlie Girnals When thou shalt arise it shall bee to an immortall happie life Haue patience for a little space and bee not crabbed Yet a little while and I shall not see thee and againe a little while after the resurrection I shall see thee when thou shalt bee transchanged into the blessed estate of glorious immortalitie Then shall I dwell in thee without anie spot or wrinkle Let the hope of this temper thy present griefe Let not the Graue afray thee my deare Body for it is the last bed which euerie man must sleepe in Lye downe into it gladlie Bee content with the silke worme an argument of the resurrection to bee enwrapped for a space in thy Winding sheete till the chill colde winter-tide of this mortalitie bee pas◅ At the glorious spring of eternitie at the returne of the Sun of righteousnes so soone as the heat of the beating beames of Gods loue shall pierce in vnto thy Graue in a moment in the twinkling of an eye thou shall be quickened and raised vp yea renewed and refined from the sinfull dust of corruption and after that carried aboue the brightest azured skies vnto the place of immortalitie among pleasures for euermore The Bodie I cannot but lament and waile to bee depriued of thy companie My dearest Soule full deare art thou to mee If two strangers had beene but some fewe dayes in their journey together they will haue a certaine regret for to leaue one another What wonder is it then that wee two who haue beene of such olde acquaintance mourne at this last and long adew The Soule As thy loue is great toward mee so is mine also great toward thee my Bodie But seeing it is the will of him who married vs together that nowe wee bee put asunder wee must submit our selues vnto his good pleasure This separation shall be but or a little space and that for the well of vs both The husband will saile the seas and goe farre from home in hope to returne with aduantage The same hope encourageth his wife to liue lik a vvidow for a space At last the husbāds returne with expected profite is welcomed with greater joyes thā was his former presence It shall bee so with vs my deare Bodie At my returne in the day of the Resurrection there shall enter such a joy into thee as eye neuer saw eare neuer heard yea which neuer could enter into the heart of man As the long dark night maketh the morning seeme sweete to the wearied watch who hath long looked for it so shall our little absence be a certaine commendation of that presence which after the great day shall bee for euer Cease in time I pray thee to stick at such earthlie conceits I may no longer tarrie with thee the Crowne of immortalitie is alreadie in sight The Bodie But alas howe is this that thou should goe to glorie before mee and leaue mee in the dust of death a peace of moulding clay Haue I done anie wrong but by thy counsell and direction What haue I beeene but the instrument of thy
make answere Oh but I am pressed with an heaui◅ hand I feare much my last houre My Soule is sore troubled The Pastour Learne of Christ in his trouble Now said hee is my Soule troubled and what shall I say Father deliue◅ mee from this houre But for this cause came I into this houre Father glorifie thy Name As hee did so doe yee Hee fearing the houre was earnest with God in prayer for to bee deliuered from it and yet most humblie submitted himselfe vnto his Fathers will So doe yee If ye feare greatlie that houre pray feruentlie that God deliuer you from it and yet notwithstanding let God haue all his will of you His will shall eu◅r bee your well The Sicke Man But alas my paines are grea◅ my breach is like the sea Gods rod vpon mee is torne with stripes and worne to the stomps In my torments I both feare and feele his wrath If hee loued mee would he scourge mee with such scorpions The Pastour Whom God loueth hee chasteneth and scourgeth euerie Sonne whom hee receiueth By this yee see plainelie that hee will receiue none to himselfe but those whom hee is minded to scourge This scourging whereof yee complaine is Gods loue-token telling you that hee is minded for to receiue you Woe ◅o the Childe whom the Father will not correct God commandeth louing Fathers to chastise their children till they cry His command is also that they bee not hindered for their cryes Chasten thy Sonne said God while there is hope and let not thy Soule spare for his crying So long as there is life there is hope While God chasteneth you it is a token that there is hope Woe to that man whom GOD disdaineth to strike It is a sore word when a Father or a Master saith to a Childe I despaire of him there is none hope I giue him ouer will strik him no more It was a fearefull vvord that God said to the rebellious Israelites I will not visite your Daughters when they are harlotes nor your Spouses when they are whoores That is I will correct them no more but let them runne head-long to their owne destruction Woe to him vvhom God vvill not correct Certe tunc magis irascitur Deus cum non irascitur God is most angrie when hee seemeth least to bee angrie The wicked are most fearefullie plagued when God spareth them most Let not therefore your sore paines discourage you but rather comfort you as beeing a speciall token that God will receiue your Soule What reckes what this Carion suffer if so be that God receiue the Soule Shall I not drinke of my Fathers Cup said Christ * To drinke of a Kings cup it vvould bee thought an honour See then vvhat honour is in the affliction of the godlie thereby they drinke of the King of Heauens cup This is also a token of our friendship vvith Christ vvhen wee drinke vvith him of one cuppe Men will not drinke of one cuppe with their enemies Rejoyce then Sir to drink vvith Christ in your Fathers cuppe Though this cuppe bee bitter at the brimme the bottome will haue a pleasant farewell Thinke vvell vpon this Sir and possesse your soule in patience despare neuer of Gods mercie though hee seeme to bee angrie depend vpon him trust into him though hee should slay you In confidence of h◅s Loue rest and sleepe in his bosome hang on him saue his honour by trusting in him If this yee doe I assure you that yee shall dye sweetlie resting into his armes The sicke Man I finde Sir my paines greatlie to increase The Pastour Bee of good comfort If your paines increase God will increase your patience with your paines he is mercyfull and will surelie strengthen you in the weakest houre Gods strength is made perfect in weaknesse In the meane time bee fighting out the good fight manfullie Hold vp your hands with Moses against Amaleke Pray feruentlie to your God that hee would cast into your memorie all the good thinges that euer yee heard or reade wherewith your Soule as with a rempart may bee guarded against the houre of temptations Pray oft-ten with Christ Father deliuer mee from this houre What say yee Sir It appeareth that there bee some thing into your mind yet that vexeth you The sicke Man This Soule of mine is verie loath to depart from this bodie They be of olde acquaintance haplie long shall it be before they meete againe Friendes cannot bee but sorie while they shedde The Pastour That is naturall to all But grace in the Godlie must rule Nature Wee must gladlie leaue all for to goe liue with Christ we must deny our selues for to confesse him we must desire to be dissolued for to bee with him hee who loueth any thing better than him shall not bee found worthie of him Your Soule say ye is sorie to goe from the body What are our bodies for the present but prisons of clay Let them goe to clay till the day of the Resurrection come when those painefull prisons shall bee turned into pleasant Palaces What reckes of an inch of time heere on Earth in respect of eternitie in Heauen Should a mans heart so itch after an inch of Earth that hee would desire to tarrie from Heauen but an houre The Soule must turne its backe vpon the bodie for to turne its face vnto the God of Glorie This is but a childish temptation It is for women children to weepe at the taking of adewes chiefelie while these that depart are going to a better condition of life Because the day draweth towards Euening it is now time for mee to remoue I hope God willing to come againe the Morrow and to visite you that I may minister vnto you some Spirituall comforts In the meane time seeing your minde hath bene so perplexed with carnall temptations concerning Life Lāds Children and Riches Cause read vnto you this night in mine absence the Book of Ecclesiastes from the beginning vnto the end where ye shall see as in a glasse the vanitie of all these things wherewith your Soule now is most enamoured If ye haue time cause also reade vnto you Iob 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Before I goe Sir it shall bee best that I recommend you vnto God by prayer The first Prayer for the sicke Man O LORD in whose hands is the gift of the Spirit of groanes inspire our heartes at this time that with an heauenlie disposition wee may fall downe before thee vpon the knees of our Soules quicken our dead and drowsie heartes to the performance of this duetie of calling vpon thy Name Thou is not close handed to these that seeke thee in sinceritie wee are ashamed O LORD euen wee all who are heere before thee on the Earth thy Foote-stoole wee are ashamed for to face the Heauens the Throne of thy Majestie Our heartes are
in his heart Thou vvho made a Cake of Barley bread to tumble vpon the tents of Midian ouer turne them thou can easilie worke great vvorkes by weak meanes It is thy custome to make thy strength perfect in weakenesse Let this poore sicke Patient heere haue the proofe of the practise of thy custome Let his Soule like a Doue enter in at the cliftes of the Rock let it creepe in by the wounds of Christ vnto his blessed bowels there to bee warmed with Gods most feruent loue Whether shall hee goe LORD to whom shall hee make his mone but to thee Whom hath he in heauen but thee O LORD now the day is farre spent and the wearisome night approacheth Before wee goe let vs obtaine our sute that thou would make thy vvrath to relent a little Let not our prayers bee powred out in vaine wee will not admit a refusall therefore set vs not off till another time abandon not this troubled Soule Thou who hast said vnto man Say not vnto thy neighbour Goe and come againe and to morrow I will giue thee if thou now haue it O LORD practise thine owne precept wee are heere come not for to buy but to begge thy mercie for thy distressed Seruant Thou cannot denye but thou hast mercie for this is euer true Mercie is with thee Seeing then LORD now thou hast it wee vrge thee with thine owne directions say not Goe and come againe to morrow I will giue thee By such a delay thou should but enhance his griefe Alas LORD what rest shall his wearied Soule get all this night if thou delay and drift him vntill morrow O come come and powre into his heart the comfortable bowels of thy compassions Powre into his Soule the powers of thy Spirit wherby hee may bee reuiued and goe softlie the rest of his time in the bitternesse of his Soule Refresh his parched Conscience with the dew of thy grace Deare Father for Christs sake let not hardnesse of heart creepe any more vpon him Receiue him softlie into thine Armes this night and cause his spirit to rest into thy bosome Whether hee sleepe or hee wake make all his thoughts to run vpon thee In the darknesse of the night make thy loue like light to breake in vpon his Conscience as the shining light that shineth more and more vnto the perfect day Seeing Satan the lord of the night the prince of darknesse is most combersome in the night we intreat thee that thou would shield and preserue him by thy mercifull and powerfull protection Make his Soule to stand vpon a continuall watch that it may bee readie with a well furnished Lampe for the comming of his Lord Make the day of thy mercie to breake and all the shadowes of temptations to flee away O Father heare helpe for the sake of the dearest blood of thy Sonne the alone purger of the Soule and the chiefe softner of hardened heartes bee thou a Sanctuarie vnto this troubled Soule Create vpon him a cloud and smoke by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night joyne the direction of thy fire with the protection of thy cloud O giue now thy blessing vnto this halting man Souple and loosen his stiffe and stupefied joyntes that beeing drawne by thee hee may runne after thee Fence and garde his soule by thy grace till thou bring him vnto glorie O Iesus pray thou for him whom Sathan hath sought to winnow let him bee found as good corne vpon thy barne floore vnto the praise of thy heauenly glory of thy diuine grace Blesse thy beloued Church vniuersall purge her from all Shifmes diuisions which breed great thoughts of heart Decke and decore her with puritie vnitie the two most precious spirituall jewels of thy Spouse make her fertile like a broodie Vine Direct our gracious Soueraigne in all his ways Guide him by thy Counsell and afterward bring him vnto glorie Blesse his Royal Match the Queenes Majestie make her a Nuâ—…se mother in Israel a blessed Mother of blessed Children Blesse all the Estates of thiâ—… Land blesse thy Ministerie adornâ—… their breastes with thy Vrin and thy Thummim thy light of doctrine and perfection of life Blesse vs all who are heere humbled before thy face this night while our bodies shall goe to bed for to rest grant that our Soules may goe rest in the armes of thee our most louing GOD and Father To thee with thy Sonne and the Spirit of Grace wee giue all praise and glorie for euer Amen Cause read vnto you this night whâ—… ye awak Psal. 6 Ps. 49. Ps. 102 ps 130 The grace of God and the peace oâ—… his Spirit bee with you The sicke Man The Lord direct you Sir in all your wayes I looke ye shall returne the morrow earelie Thinke vpon that where we left at last I look that yee shall cleare that matter more aâ—… large at our next meeting My God bee with you THE THIRD DAYES Conference Of spirituall temptations The Pastour THE Lord blesse you Sir according to yourâ—…d sire I am come againe to visite you in your bedde of languishing The sicke Man I was looking for you for since yee left mee yesternight I may say with Iacob Sleepe departed from mine eyes My conscience all this night hath beene like a boiling pot O but weake man is borne to manie sorrowes his dayes are few and euill The best of them is builabour and sorrow But let vs now begin where wee left The Pastour Our last conference as yee may remember was concerning Christ in whose wings I said was health for healing of your woundes I declared vnto you that he is so tenderlie touched with the feeling of our sores that hee hath declared that these that touch vs touch the apple of his eye Hath this beene the matter of your nights meditation The sicke man That which ye haue said of Christ Sir is true There is indeed health in his wings and helpe in his hands But alas Christ will not bee helpefull but to these that are of a strong Faith My Faith is both faint and fectlesse nothing but a smoke of Faith The Pastour Christ hath said plainlie that hee will not quench the smoking flaxe S. Peter was not a man of strong Faith when in his voyage to Christ vpon the sea hee beganne to sinke Said not Christ vnto him Thou man of little Faith why hast thou doubted The Lord reproued him for the weakenesse of his Faith but neuer coost him off for the littlenesse thereof The sicke Man That was another matter Christ was with his Apostle There was vertue into that hand wherewith he gripped the sinking man as was vertue in his garment while the hemme thereof was but touched Such a weake Faith as mine cannot reach vp so farre as to touch him into the Heauens The Pastour Though your faith bee weake that Christ also be bodily
ruines Listen vnto his voyce crying to all sorrow beatē sinners Come vnto mee Thinke often vpon this Sir if ye desire comfortes in your distresse The great worke of mans redemption finished by the Blood death of God is a worke worthie of continuall wondering As for the work of the Creation it cost the Lord but his Will and his Word But the worke of mans redemption was a costlie worke it was chargeable to God it cost him the best thing that hee could giue euen the lif of his Loue our Lord O what a mercie O what a liuelie Loue The meditation of this worke should worke in our heart a louing compulsion and a compelling loue The thought of this made S. Paul to say The loue of Christ constraineth mee What shall a Christian man feare hauing Christ his Brother to bee both his Aduocat and his Iudge his Suretie and his Sauiour Was not his blessed Bodie displayed abroad vpon the Crosse with his armes spred a crying jesture a jesture crying with a voyce Come vnto mee all ye that are leadened and wearied Oh that we were sicke for the loue of him who died for the loue of vs Oh that we were wounded with loue vvhen vvee remember his precious wounds from which gushed out the streames of our Saluation Flee Sir to the holes of this Rocke flee to the bores of his woundes runne not with Adam vnto the shrubbes for to hide your selfe from God heere is your hiding place in the Lords deepest wounds Hee is the fortresse of your Faith our strength and our stay the onelie helpe and ground of all our hopes our warrantable justice Hee onelie is the bodie of all spirituall comfort all other things were they neuer so specious are but shew and resemblance Shroud your selfe vnder his protection and throw no more your selfe vpon temptations whereby ye may bee disabled from manfullie fighting out the good fight followed with a Crowne filled with massines of glorie The sicke Man Now well is me that euer I heard tell of Christ Blessed bee the day the Sonne of God was borne But alas where are the holes of that Rocke where my wearied Soule may enter in The Pastour Lift vp your lumpish thoughtes seek first to the naile holes in his feet beginne humblie creepe in into these lowest wounds and there for a space settle your abode kisse his sacred Feete wash them with the true teares of repentance wype them with the haires of your head from thence looke vp and come to the naile holes of his Hands Bee busie there like a Bee sucke out of them the Honey of Heauen from thence goe to the Speare hole in his side Let your Soule sit downe there and croud like a Doue euer till Christ let it in into the hole of the Rock the place of its euerlasting rest If once the faithfull Soule Christs Turtle win in into the fortresse of his woundes from thence it will boast all the enemies of its Saluation Frō thence wil it cry to the flesh crouch There it careth not for the Serpents hissing nor for the Cockatrices denne nor for the Graues gaping nor for Deathes dungeon nor for the Popes Purgatorie his pardons his dirges and his Trentals which bring fatte morsels to Baals Priestes Christ is mine will hee say Hee is to mee aduantage both in death and life As the Doue found no footing till shee came to the Arke so the Soule can find no rest till it come to Christ I◅ euer totters til it leane vpō his Loue. Happie is the Soule that is secured with the seale secret impression of Gods fauour The sicke Man If I had faith to belieue all wold be wel I acknowledg that there is sufficient helpe in Iesus but such a helpe is only for these that are strōg in faith my faith is both faint fecklesse The Pastour Christ hath said plainelie that he wil not quēch the smoking flax S. Peter was not a man of strong faith whē he began to sink down into the Sea Said not Christ vnto him Thou man of little Faith why hast thou doubted Hee reproued him for the weaknes therof but cast him not off for the littlenes thereof The sicke Man That was another matter Christ was with him Christ took him by the hād * Ther was vertue in the grip of Christs hand as was in the hem of his garment while it was touched Such a weake Faith as mine cannot mount vp so high as that it may reach vnto Christ into the heauens The Pastour Though your faith bee weake and Christ also bee absent in bodie yet bee not for that disquieted he is present in his God-head As for the weaknesse of your faith pray God to strengthen and increase your faith Faith though little is of great force a graine of it is able to remoue Mountaines and cast them into the Sea I pray your Sir to intreat God for a fixed heart for as I perceiue endlesse are the mazes of Sathans circular temptations which vnavoidablie if they bee not barred out by grace wind themselues into mans heart with a slie and craftie insinuation The sicke Man O man of little faith that I am if I had Faith I would belieue that I had it if I had Faith I am perswaded that I should haue Peace Being justified by Faith wee haue Peace towardes God That Peace I seeke and cannot finde These troubles wherewith I am tossed plainly argue that my Faith is failed The Pastour I answere that who euer are justified by Faith they also haue peace toward God though such a Peace bee not euer felt That which a man feeleth not is not euer absent A man in a trance knoweth not that he liueth and yet hee is not altogether depriued of life The tree seemeth to be dead in time of Snow and frost and yet it hath life and sappe at the roote These then that are justified by Faith haue Peace but their peace is not euer sensible but often is disturbed with fearefull temptations The sicke Man I desire to know of you what is that yee properlie call the peace of Conscience The Pastour I take the qualmes of Conscience chieflie to proceede from a sense of Gods wrath kindled for some sins of commission or omission Sathan also with his billowes bloweth at this fire yea often while God is pacified he assaulteth the sillie Soule with false feares and counterfeit alarums Nowe when by the vertue of Christs intercession the fire of Gods wrath is quenched the Conscience of man beginneth to settle and growe calme and in stead of accusing vs any further it beginneth to excuse and acquite vs before the Tribunall of our God Vpon this doeth ensue a pleasant calmenes quietnesse and rest in the Soule of a sinner Though this Peace bee sore enuied and often troubled by Sathans railing and
tempestuous Sea All these things that shall appeare are called Fore runners sent before to tell all the Faithfull that when they shall see them that they lift vp their heades and looke vp for to see their Redemption that is neere S Luk compareth the time of all these things that appeare before the Lords comming to the spring time when trees begin to budde When the buds shoote foorth saith hee yeâ—… know that Summer is at hand So likewise yee when yee see these thinges come to passeâ—… know that the Kingdome of God is nigh at hand The sicke Man All these fore-said things bee buâ—… buds as I see forewarning vs of the Summer season wherein the Lord shall come But what is that which S. Matthew saith that after all these thinges shall appeare the SIGNE of the Sonne of man in Heauen What is that which hee calleth the SIGNE of the Sonne of man in Heauen What SIGNE thinke yee that to bee that shall bee seene in Heauen after that the world shall bee made new The Pastour The interpreters varie much in their opinions concerning this Signe what sort of Signe it should bee Some thinke that it shall bee the signe of the Crosse vpon which the Lord hang This SIGNE as some think shal be seene into the Aire before the comming of the Lord Such a signe as some write was that which Constantine saw in the Aire while he was going to battell against the enemies of Christ With this signe was heard a voyce vttered in these words IN HOC SIGNO VINâ—…HS Others thinke that by the SIGNE of the Sonne of man is to bee vnderstood Christ Himselfe who is called The Signe of the Sonne of man as Circumcision in Scripture Language is called The signe of the Circumsion I incline rather to thinke with Beza that that signe shall bee some great Majestie and vnspeakable glorie aboue all compasse of comparison glorious which shall appeare whereby the comming of that Lord shall bee knowne to all not to bee the comming of a creature but of Him who is Lord of all the creatures hauing a name aboue all names The Kings and Princes of the earth while they are among the multitudes of their Subjects by some glistering jewell will be discerned from all the rest or by the great respect that is carried to their persons by these that are about them All sheaues fell down before Iosephs sheaues So all creatures at his approach shall fall downe before him As before Ioseph in his progesse was a cry Abrech how the knee so at the comming of this Lord the Angels in a manner shall cry Abrech At his Name euerie knee in Heauen and Earth and vnder the Earth shal bow Before behind and aboue that Bodie of God both white and ruddie the chiefest among ten thousand shall bee such a glorie and throng of Majestie as shall bee a certaine signe that it can bee none other but the Prince of Eternitie hee being among his most bright and glorious Angels like a Sunne among the Starres The wordes of the Earth cannot beare such a signification as may expresse the glorie of this Signe Mine hearte is without mee while I think vpon the glorie of that Lord whom all cyes shall see that day with his golden Head and busâ—… Lockes Christ shall bee clothed in his triumphing apparell with such a brightnesse that the Moone shall be confounded and the Sunne ashamed as these who beeing clothed in course rayment are ashamed to be seene among these who are pasmented with gold In a word at his presence all powers shall shake and all creatures at his bâ—…cke shall obey The sicke Man After that that Signe shall appeare What thinke yee shall bee done The Pastour When Christ the desire of all Nations shall bee readie to come Hee shall send before him his Angels with a great sound of a Trumpet and they shall gather his dispersed and despised Elect from the foure winds from one end of Heauen to the other S. Paul saith That the Trumpet shall 〈◊〉 and the dead shall arise This shall not bee a brasen Trumpet but a â—…stiall which shall found so shrill with a princelie noise that all the creatures on Earth in Heauen and Hell shall heare it S. Paul hath three notable sayinges concerning the sound that shall bee heard at Christs comming First hee saith That hee shall descend with a shoute Secondlie With the voyce of the Archangel Thirdlie With the Trumpet of God The sicke Man The remembrance of that shout maketh mine eares to tingle and my heart stringes to tremble What a shout thinke ye that that shall bee The Pastour Some thinke that it shall bee a great noyse dinne such as is heard into hudge great assemblies It may bee a shout of victorie or of praise The Angels and millions of Sainctes who sing his praise continuallie cannot keepe silence that day They shal be all about Christ that day shouting for the joy of that desired day The worde shout in the originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properlie signifieth that sounding voice which the Mariners vse to others euerie one for to moue another to row Others thinke it to be like a cry of Souldiers qualis est militaris convasatio while they trusse all their baggage for to remoue The sicke Man For what cause chieflie shall this shout bee To whom shall it bee directed The Pastour It shall bee chieflie for the Glory of God It shall bee directed to the dead who are to bee raised vp by the power of God and by the meanes of his Seruants the Angels who at the raising vp of all creatures shall shout like Mariners heauing vp that which is heauy by force of their armes What Archangel that shall be or what shall bee that voyce One saith verie well Dies Domini revelabit The day of the Lord shall reueale it The Lord prepare vs for it O what a Glorie when Christ shall appeare with hands as gold rings set with the Berill and with a bright Bellie ouer laid with Saphires The sicke Man Is it your judgement that Christ the Iudge of the World shall come downe from Heauen with a great Majestie The Pastour It is certaine of the day of his comming againe may well bee said that which was said of his first comming This is the day which the Lord hath made In that day hee himselfe shall come downe in a Charet of a Cloude as hee ascended into a Cloude All the Glorie of Heauen shall bee seene that day The Father shall bee there in vnspeakable Glorie The Holie Ghost shall bee there with vnspeakable Majestie All the Saintes and Angels shall bee about Him like burning Lampes and glistring Suns The sicke Man What passage of Scripture letteth vs see clearlie the Glorie of his comming to judgement The Pastour That passage of Daniel
owne seeing it is said That the Father is he who shall put all things vnder his feete The Pastour The most learned Diuines haue considered that the Apostle there speaketh not of Christ as hee is Filius Dei eternus simpliciter simplie the Sonne of God but as hee is in the fo◅me of a seruant for that cause as is well remarked by the best wits none can affirme that in Christ is Secundaria divinitas a Diuinitie of a baser rancke * This wee must all know that Christ the Sonne the Father beeing but one GOD worke with one and the selfe same power As God the Father and hee are one so what power Christ man hath in subduing his enemies it may bee said to bee from the Father Because the Trinity is such a deepe mysterie as no humane Wit can search it thorow so the actions of the three Persons are such as no man can clearelie discerne them It is much for our shallow-wits to know the borders of Gods ways It is good in Gods mysteries s◅pere ad sobrietatem that our wisedome bee sober and not drunke with a giddie curiosity neither must wee d◅aw to the other extremitie as to flatter our selues in a sluggish dulnesse hauing no care to search the Scriptures with the men of Berea for to knowe that which it hath pleased God to reueale to vs It is good to seeke out carefullie though not curiouslie the knowledge of Gods reuealed will so farre as can make for the comfort of our Soules The sicke Man Certainelie the knowledge of such things is verie needfull for the comfort of these that are for to leaue this world And therefore I who loo◅ not for long sojourning heere desire to know the more earnestlie what good things the Lord hath prepared for his owne into that other world The hope of Glorie is like a strong hold against the feare of Death O◅ that I were that which I would bee There is now resting only one difficultie in the words of the Apostle which I neuer as yet could well vnderstand It is said That when all things shal be subdued vnto the Father then shall the Sonne also himselfe bee subject vnto him that put all thing◅ vnder his feete Is not the Sonne euen now subject vnto the Father If not how is it said That hee shall bee then subject vnto him The Pastour Christ as God is not at all subject vnto the Father but all the Godlie are subject both to Him and to the Father But as man Christ is with vs subject vnto the Father According to this a Father said well Christus in quantum Deus est cum illo nos subjectos habet in quantum sacerdos nobiscum illi subjectus est That is To Christ as God wee are subject as to the Father but as Christ is our Priest hee is with vs subject vnto the Father Moreouer it may bee saide that after the last Iudgement Christ shall bee subject vnto the Father because then all the Faithfull which are his Mysticall bodie shall bee perfectlie subject to the Father Christ the Head of the Church since his incarnation hath in his owne Person bene subject vnto the Father perfectly and so is hee yet But in his mysticall members below there is a miserable rebellion of flesh against the Spirit But when all shall bee gathered together in one Bodie into Glorie thē shall Christ be perfectlie subject vnto God both Quoad naturam suam tum quoad corpus mysticum In his humane Nature and in his mysticall Bodie which are the faithfull When all the Elect with their Head Christ shall be perfectlie subject vnto God then shall Christ bee fullie and finallie subject to the Father This seemeth to bee the true meaning of the wordes This is made cleare by the wordes following viz. That this subjection shall bee that God may bee All in all But this wee must vnderstand that this subjection of Christ and of his mysticall Bodie is not anie disgrace or disparagement to our Head Christ or to vs The trueth is that it is a moste Princelie honour to bee the Prince of Heauens subject It were better to bee the least subject of Heauen than the greatest commander of Hell The seruice of our God is greatest libertie The more perfect this subjection be the greater is our Glorie The subjection of a creature to God is the verie Image of God in the creature Gods Image in Adam was chieflie in his subjection to Gods will which was defaced by his rebellion which is the verie Image of the Deuill The sicke Man Wee are much beholden to our God who in his great mercie hath reuealed vnto vs all these things into his word His word may well bee called A Lanterne vnto our steps a light which enlighteneth the eyes burning clearer thā any Cresset-light warning from dangers The Pastour Indeede Gods word is a word of life and of light It is a sauing word the power of God to Saluation This power is onelie peculiar to the mightie operation of this word There bee in the creatures words and lines of words for to declare vnto man that there is a God that so man may be without excuse Day vnto day vttereth speach and night vnto night sheweth knowledge Their Line is gone out through all the earth and their words to the end of the world But all these wordes and lines are but lines of words concerning the creation All that they can say is but that there is a God a mouer a primum ens a first Be-ere whereby all things haue their beeing But in all these lines of words there is not one word of Christ the Redeemer There is not a day where the Gospel shinneth not that can vtter any speach or shewe any knowledge of that which concerneth mans Saluation wrought with the bloodie sweate of God There is not a word let bee a line in any worke of Nature concerning the great mysterie of Godlinesse Christ manifested in the flesh justified in the Spirit seene of Angels preached vnto the Gentiles beleeued on in the world and receiued vp into glorie The sicke Man O words worthie to bee written with the point of a Dyamond Seeing it is so this should mak vs to esteeme so much the more of the glorious Gospel which is the power of God to saluation of all beleeuers The Pastour The Gospel indeede is like a m◅st rich treasure digged into a fielde for which a man that hath found it will goe and sell all that hee hath that hee may buy that fielde for the treasures cause This Gospel is like a Sunne newly created in the heauens which shineth both day and night both in life and death with most glistring wholesome Beames wherby the vnwholesome cloudie night aire of iniquitie is rarified scattered and dispersed As the Sun in the heauens by its heate maketh al
yet the inward man is renewed day by day There bee some other good words following but my memorie faileth mee The Pastour I shall helpe you Sir in that matter The verse following is For our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for vs a farre more exceeding and eternall weight of glorie The sicke Man These bee the words indeede I finde great difficultie in these words I pray you to make them cleare What is that to say Though the outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed day by day The Pastour The interpretation of these words is that the corruption and decaying of the outward man by diuerse crosses and calamities Servit renovando homini interno is a meanes for the renewing of the inward man that we may grow in godlinesse By the outward man is vnderstood the bodie By the inward the Spirit the mind By the weakening of the bodie the Spirit is made strong The sicke Man But what say yee of these words that our light affliction which is but for a moment is said to worke for vs or to cause vnto vs an exceeding and eternall weight of glorie Is that the merite and worth of affliction The Pastour The Romane Church expounds it so that by such afflictions men merit euerlasting glory Indeed the words in the original seeme much to fauour that exposition The wordes are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cauficit parie operatur nobis that is Causeth or worketh that glorie But it is certaine that affliction yâ— is light for a moment both light short cannot be properlie a cause of an euerlasting and infinite â—…ight of glorie A moment cannot be the mother of eternitie That which is so light can neuer bring out an infinite weight But God who is infinite in poâ—…er maketh affliction a meanes for to bring vs vntâ—… glorie as good works are via regâ—… causa regâ—…di the way to the Kingdome but not the cause of reigning so through the way of manie tribulations wee must enter into Gods Kingdome The Scripture is the best interpreter of it selfe Abraham who was the Father of the Faithfull was not justified either by his doinges or his sufferings If Abraham were justified by workes hee â—…th whereof to glorie but not before God Shame shall come vpon him who glorieth of that whereof hee may not glorie before God I darre boldly glorie before God of his mercie and of my Lords merits but to glorie of mans righteousnesse a monstrous cloth is an abomination before GOD If sufferinges and calamities could efficientlie cause merit that infinite weight of Glorie how did S. Paul reckon when hee said I reckon that the sufferings of thâ—… present time are not worthy to be coÌ„pared with the glorie which shall bee reuealed in vs This maketh the matter cleare that our light afflictions of a moment cannot efficientlie and meritoriouslie purchase vnto vs an exceeding and eternall weight of glorie they are indeed good meanes wherby our Soules are fitted and furthered in the way to Glorie The sicke Man I euer hold that the surest ground that a man be little in his own eyes Sinfull flesh cannot bee too humble before God That Religion which giueth greatest glorie vnto God casteth mans own worth most down hath the clearest marke of trueth Daniel pointeth at this while hee saith O Lord righteousnesse belongeth vnto thee but vnto vs confusion of faces I am now satisfied in the exposition of these wordes wherein I did euer finde much difficultie Now Sir if your memorie serueth you can yee tell what is said by the Apostle in the Chapter following I remember that some notable thinges there be spoken of immortall Glorie The Pastour Indeede in the beginning of that Chapter there bee notable wordes For wee know saith the Apostle that if the earthlie house of this Tabernacle were dissolued wee haue a building of God an house not made with sand eternall in the heauens For in this wee groane earnestlie desiring to be clothiâ—… vpon with our house which is from heauen If so bee that beeing cloathed wee shall not bee found naked For we that are in this Tabernacle doe grone being burdened not that wee would bee vâ—…cloathed but cloathed vpon that mortalitie might bee swallowed vp of life c. While wee are at home in the bodie wee are absent from the Lord c. Wee are confident and willing rather to bee absent from the bodie and to bee present with the Lord. The sicke Man These indeede bee the words I could neuer well vnderstand them doubtles they be words full of comforts for these that are looking for a better Life I pray you Sir to giue mee the exposition thereof The Pastour Indeede Sir they want not great difficultie neither doeth that which I say make for the doctrine of papists who affirme that the Scriptures are obscure and therefore must not bee reade by the common people It is by reading that men purchase vnderstanding The Doctors themselues before they read are ignorant neither was it euer heard that Scriptures was abused so much by the common people as by these who are most Learned Where heare wee that the Merchand the Artifan or rurall men beginne Heresies Are not they forged in the vnsanctified braines of these in who are lodged the oppositions of science falsely so called It is oftest seene that throgh Philosophie and vaine deceit The Soule of man are spoiled not by ignorance of the simplest sort There is none obscuritie in Gods Word that should debarre the people young or olde from the reading of it The Letter which my God hath written vnto me I may open it and read it and see what my Fathers will is The Spirite of God in S. Iohn leading his haÌ„d hath set down these wordes I write vnto you Fathers c. I write vnto young men c. I write vnto you little Children c. Who hath power to forbid any man to read the Missiue Letter which his God hath written vnto him Moreouer there is such a Light in Gods word that will make a blind man to see The light of the Sun will shew and discouer hid things in darknesse unto him who hath eyes but cannot make a blind man to sâ—… But the light of Gods word Meiraâ—… Henaâ—…m facit ut oculi videant it maketh the eyes for to see In that Psalme also it is said That the Law of the Lord maketh wise the simple It is a great ignorance for Papist Doctors to close claspe their Bibles from the hands of the ignorant simple ones seeing by this word the simple are made wise It is written to the euerlasting praise of the men of Berea that after Paul had preached they searched the Scriptures for trying of his Doctrine These be the words of their praise These were more noble than these
in Thessalonica in that they receiued the word with all readinesse of minde and searched the Scriptures daylie whether these thinges were so As for difficulties we acknowledge that there bee many and great in Scripture but as for that which is absolutè simpliciter absolutelie simplie necessarie for our Saluation it is clearelie set down in Scripture if there be any difficulty in one place that which is there obscure will bee made cleare in some other parte of Scripture This much by the way concerning the obscuritie of Scripture Now to come to the wordes of S. Paul In the first verse it is said For wee know that if the earthlie house of this Tabernacle were dissolued wee haue a building of God an house â—… made with hand eternall in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some after this manner expourâ—… these words after that this body like a Taber nâ—…ele is takeÌ„ away from 〈◊〉 Soule the Soule shall bee in a beâ—… estate euen in euerlasting Glorie â—… to the Heauens The French marginall note vpoÌ„ this is that that eternall house in the he 〈◊〉 is the bodie after the resurrectionâ—… So long as we are here in the sinfull bodie the bodie is but like a Tubernacle vnconstant weake fraâ—… But in the heauens it shall be like 〈◊〉 house that is constant firme strong So corpus gloriosa ejus conditio the bodie and its glorious estate in thâ—… opinion of some is heere called 〈◊〉 house by that house then wee must vnderstand the glorie that is prepared for the Sainctes in he iuen which for its constancie and commoditie â—… called an house According to thâ—… the Apostle in the secoÌ„d verse saith That wee groane earnestlie desiring to bee cloathed vpon with our house which is from heauen That house from heauen is that Glorie which is from heauen Others of the Learned interpret that worde Superindui to bee cloathed vpoÌ„ vt siquis indâ—…tus est thoracâ—… superinduitur pallio Puâ—…o autem sic Explicanâ—…um ex versa 4 Sancti capiunt corpore câ—…lesti it â—… indui vt noâ—… prius exvantur corpore mortaliâ—…sed superinduantur câ—…lesti Sâ—… immortali hoc est â—… per 〈◊〉 transâ—…tationem absorbiator 〈◊〉 ab immortalitate Thus would hee say That the Sainctes beeing huing at the end of the world desired not to cast their mortall bodies from them but desire them to bee changed and cloathed aboue with immortalitie Mortalitie is one 〈◊〉 which must be put off that immortalitie may bee put on Others thinke that there be mention heere made of a double cloathing Alijs placet saith Beza primam vestem dici Christi justitiam alteram vero illius justitiae praemium quorum sententiae nolim praejudicium afferre the one they make to bee the righteousnesse of Christ the other the glorie purchassed by that righteousnesse S. Ambrose speaking of these words In this wee groane c. If so bee that beeing cloathed wee shall not bee found nacked saith Vt haec sit sententia destruendum quidem hoc tabernaculum morte sed ita tamen ut non pâ—…reat Imo ut corruptibilitate deposita restituatur nobis immortalitate induendum That is The Tabernacle of this bodie shal be dissolued by Death not so that it shal perish but that all corruption being taken away it may put on incorruption euen euerlasting glorie For if the bodie did perish then in that case the Soule should bee naked Now while wee are in the Tabernacle of the bodie beeing burdened with sinne and corruption wee grone not desiring to bee vncloathed that is altogether to want our bodie but that putting off the corruptions of the bodie wee may bee cloathed with immortalitie of life which shall swallow vp mortalitie with all cumbers and inconuenients whatsoeuer The Soule of man hath an ardent desire to bee clothed with immortality but hath not will to want its bodie without which it thinketh its selfe naked according to this the Apostle saith In this we groane earnest lie desiring to be cloathed vpon with our house which is from Heauen That is With glorie and immortalitie fast firme like an house If so bee that beeing cloathed wee shall not bee found naked That is Shall not want the cloathing and couering of our bodies The sicke Man My braine is so sore troubled that I cannot bend my Spirits so high for the vnderstanding of these things which are so far aboue my reach Happie is hee who with Dauid is not exercised in great matters which are too high for him Lord inlighten my mistie minde and make mee to know thee and thy Son Iesus Christ and him crucified Lord also helpe mee in the knowledge of all that may increase the knowledge of him into my Soule I haue heard you Sir at large vpon the last judgement and all the proceedinges thereof Yee haue also cleared some difficulties which this night did runne into my minde Nowe lest vaine thoughts should draw mine heart aside vnto toyes let â—…t please you to turne your purpose concerning the joyes of Heauen While I did behold but the outâ—…id of Heauen mine heart was euer rauished at the sight of that Tapestrie embroydred like most glorious Arrasse cloath O what Glorie muste bee within where the Lord himselfe is with all his endenized Citizens of glorie Let me heare you a little therevpon There by the grace of my God I hope to bee within a little space O what place of perfection and blisse my Soule longeth to dwel into that azured Palace Let mee heare of its Glorie The Pastour The prince of Philosophers most subtile in Naturall Science speaking of the heauens said That it was much to get any little knowledge therof All his knowledge câ—…ld reach no further but from motion to motion till hee come to the fiâ—…st Mouer who by the force of his Almightie arme turneth about these relestiall bodies But hee knew no more the great Mov â—… thâ—…n yee would know a man a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vpâ—…n the toppe of an Hill displaying aâ—… Ensigne or Standart While the Mouer were casting his Standart yee might perceiue the motion of a Banner and by that motion yee might easilie judge that there bee a Mouer and yet for all that be ignorant not knowing the man who is the caâ—… of all the motion whether he were your foe or your friend The Pagans saw the motions of the heauens as wee see the shaking of a tree moued by the winds I see the Tree shaken and the Branches rushing one vpon another I heare also the noyse I also know that the Mouer is that which wee call the Wind But whence this mouer commeth and whether it goeth or what moueth it no earthlie tongue can tell Pagans which haue not Gospel writteÌ„ in quicke Letters by the dead knowledge of Nature will come from ens to ens that is from beeing to being till they come to ens entium
vpon his light If a man cannot beholde the Sunne in the day hee may in the night behold his beames vpon the bodie of the Moone If his sight yet cannot suffer that hee may behold him in his second reflexe by beholding the Moone in a glasse If as yet his sight dazle there is a third and weaker reflexe By another glasse thou may gette the reflexe of that glassen reflexe Certainlie there must bee manie reflexes of Gods brightnes from one creature to another before that his invisible things can bee seene by vs What glorious beames of Gods face thinke yee be these which shine within that highest Heauen called Coelum Empyrium the fierie Heauen not that there is fire but because as the most Learned thinke it is purer than al the other heauens as much as the fire is purer than the other Elements O what shining brightnesse of God is to be seene there where all is more glauncing and cleare than that fire which Moses saw in the Bush. Let vs come down from thence to behold the glorious Stars the twinckling eyes of Heauen laughing vpon the godlie with their celestiall smyles O these bright and peerelesse Pearles Let vs from thence come downe to the two great Gouernours of the day and of the night from thence descend to the cleare pureaire so glauncing with the light of the Sunne as if it were all of Azure Come downe yet and vnder that are Aquae limpidae the cleare waters the mother of Pearles and of precious gold for the weakest eye there is terra opaca that thicke da◅ke duskish and lumpish masse of earth which a bleare eyed Leah may behold for in it to see without watering eyes the invisible thinges of God were it by looking vpon a Lillie or a Rose or vpon a Snaile or a Snaike Behold the goodnesse of God who hath sette his creatures by degrees in distance from the place of his inaccessible light that thereby the bleared eyes of men may get some glimpse of the shadowes of his invisible thinges which are of truest worth But O O O what a glorie and matchlesse fairenesse is there where God the King of Glorie is seene face to face O the glorie of the God-head The knowledge of the least sparkle of that glorie is not attainable by any carnall capacitie Because of that brightnesse that was in Moses his face by the reflexe of that Light which hee had seene but in IEHOVAHS backe partes it behoued him to couer his face with a Vaile when hee came for to speake vnto men Was the skinne of the face of a sinner so inlightened with bright beames from the Back of God that no man could behold it nor looke toward it till it was couered with a Vaile How many Vailes must God put betweene his face ours lest we should be dazeled with his glorie I take all the circles of the heauens the Fire and Aire aboue vs to bee as many obscuring Vailes which the Lord hath cast betweene the Glorie of his face the eyes of sinful man And yet in the Sunne hee hath fastened such a sparkle of his glorie that by his heate his brightnes he will cause man the king of creatures to bee ashamed to behold him Hee will cause him flie vnto the shadowes and goe with Gogle eyes of Glasse for to saue his eyes of flesh from the reflexe of his beames thogh blunted vpon the darke and duskie element of the earth See how mans sight is so weake that it cannot abide an earthlie blunted reflexe of that celestiall creature What shall I say more of the heauens which are so farre aboue vs Let vs come downe and learne humilitie at the feete of creatures below as at the feete of a Gamal◅ euen in this elementare Region of corruption Behold there is such a whitenesse into the snow which is but frozen and congealed blacke water that it will mak the dull sight of man so to dazle that when hee is entered into his owne house hee is not able to know the faces that are his owne yea many by such brightnes at last haue lost their sight Let mee yet come to an obscurer bodie The small printed Letters which wee read must be darkened with the blacknesse of inke and yet because the whitenes of the Paper scattereth so the sight it must bee gathered with the greenish colour of glassen Spectacles Now I pray you how should man behold that passing glory of his God who cannot behold the whitnesse of Paper but with borrowed eyes of Glasse Let men heare learne in his weaknesse to bee humble and to reuerence him that hath made so many creatures which for brightnesse he is not able to behold If poore man cānot behold the apparrell of Gods creatures clothed with light or with colours not seene without light If such a little glaunce is able to dazle his sight how should hee bee able to behold the King of creatures euen the great Creator him selfe whose backe partes are brighter than tenne thousand Sunnes Because of this great weaknesse caused into man by sinne man is remoued farre from the presence of this King lest hee should bee destroyed by the brightnesse of his beames If while the Sunne shineth with his beames darded directlie down the creatures are so parched with heate below that they are constrained to gaspe what should become of vs if Gods glorie should appeare at our verticall point without the interposition of many other creatures betweene him and vs If a little sparkle of his Glorie in the Sunne many thousand myles from vs maketh a man to faint sweate and gaspe what should become of vs if God himselfe the consuming fyre should approach vnto vs If the Sunne which seemeth to bee but of an hand-breadth hath such light and heate what should it bee if all the heauens were inlightened like the Sunne Though all the heauens were turned into a Sun they should not be of such brightnesse as are the backe-parts of IEHOVAH The Sun with all his light and heate may mak the face of man more obscure and duskie but cannot inlighten it But the backe partes of God printed such light into the face of a man that for brightnesse no man could behold it Mercifull God what stupiditie is this in man that hee will not consider what a Majestie this must bee whose obscurest parts are more bright than the Sunne and who with all is not confined with natural dimensions as with breadth or length but is aboue the Heauens infinitlie with infinite bounds and brightnesse the least sparkle whereof is more bright than if the whole Heauens were wholie tarned into a shining Sunne If men knew the pleasures that are there they wold not losse them for the painefull pleasures or rather vnpleasant paines of this sinfull life Alas that we are so carelesse of the attainment of such a weight of glorie
joyes that are aboue the Heauen of heauens Hee who with penne and inke would set out the greatnes of that glory which is to bee seene within that blessed Building should bee as who would foolishlie tak paines to paint the Sun with a coale In vaine shall a man prease to expresse that which cannot be spokē but into vnspeakable words Words come shorter than thoghts and thoughts come shorter infinitly than the thing it selfe The sicke Man I haue heard with great ioye of the vnspeakable glorie of God himselfe of the beautie of his Princelie Palace I desire now to heare some thing more at large concerning the estate of the Sainctes wherein they shall be when they shall dwell with God after the resurrection The Pastour It is most certaine that they shal be there into a farre better estate than wee can imagine For if Da◅id thought one day in Gods earthly hous◅ better th◅ a thousand else where what shall it bee when wee shall bee in Heauen the Citie of our GOD whereof God is the House and the Temple The Saincts shal be in such glorie there as that no earthlie tongue can tell If in this world by be holding in a glasse the glorie of the Lord wee are changed into that same Image from glorie to glorie what a change shal bee made when we shall see not Gods Image not in a glasse but himselfe face to face If the sight of his Image in the glasse of his Gospel hath such a working power as to change vs into the same Image heere on earth what a change shall bee made of vs in the Heauens when we shall see God euen as hee is All the godlie Gods warriours then shall liue in peace and rest As their life on earth was a continuall battell so shall their life in Heauen bee a perpetuall triumph Then the winter of their affliction shall bee past The stormes of their miserie shall blowe no more On Earth joyes and sorrowes are combined together In Hell is sorrow without any joye In Heauen shall bee joye without anie sorrow There they all in bleached coats of righteousnes shall blaze brighter than the Sunne God beeing in them shall burne in them as hee did in the Bush They shall burne but not bee consumed While S. Iohn was rauished in the Spirit he behelde a great multitude which no man could number all standing before the Lambes Throne cloathed in white robbes which had beene bleached from their blemish by the blood of the Lambe hauing the testimonie of two Senses he reporteth what hee saw and heard With his eyes hee saw them cloathed with white robes and Palmes in their hands The one was their innocencie the other was their victorie With his eares hee heard the songs of their triumph They cryed said hee with a loude voyce Saluation to our God which sitteth vpon the Throne With them were Angels Elders roūd about the Throne all falling down vpon their face and singing Blessing and glorie and wisedome and thankesgiuing and honour and power and might bee vnto our God for euer and euer Then with vncōquerable comforts shall all Christes crouding Turtles bee loueinglie comforted Then shall all their sighes bee turned into songs Then joyes vnspeakable shall fill all their senses without any surfet Euerie Sense shall receiue more than all mortal hearts can conceiue But which is of all good things the sweetest relish there shall bee such vnspottednesse of life and loue among the Saincts as the heart of man here cannot conceiue Euery one shall rejoyce of anothers wel as much as they shall doe of their own felicitie The enuious man seeds-man of all strife debate shall not be there All selfe-loue which is of a niggardlie nature enuious of the good of others shall be quite away in the place therof shall come such an heauenlie loue that shall make all the joyes of Heauen to be common As was in the primitiue Church so shall bee there but in greater perfection a communitie of goods One shall not say This is mine or that is thine But as wee shall bee all in Christ Christ in vs so shall wee bee all one in another filled one with anothers joye All state of strife then shal be farre away In Ierusalem aboue an euerlasting peace is within her walls and perpetuall prosperitie within her Palaces All the godlie glistering like starres shall rejoyce one into anothers light Euerie one of them by twinkling and be◅kning vnto other with celestiall smiles shall bend all their force for to giue glorie to the Sunne of righteousnesse the fountaine of all their light All Soules there shall bee most wonderfullie beau◅fied with internall externall and eternall happinesse There God onelie shall speake peace vnto his people and vnto his Sainctes who shall neuer returne againe to their folies Mans chiefe contentment in the heauens shal be in loue first with God and then of one with another O these euerlasting streames of contentmentes which shall flowe into these blessed breastes sequestred for euer from all doole and distresse The sicke Man Lord make all these thinges to liue freshlie in our memories My Soule is inflammed with loue to heare of that loue which shall bee betweene God and his Saincts and among the Sainctes themselues Your discourse Sir with a plausible and pleasant insinuation windeth it selfe into the affections of mine heart It hath alreadie winne mine heart to him to whome it most justlie belongeth Blessed bee his Name for euer Seeing yee were speaking of that vnspeakable loue that shal be between God and vs and also among our selues I pray you to say some thing more concerning that matter The Pastour I shall doe what I can brieflie As for God euery Soule shall loue him better than it selfe because it shall then perfectlie know that God hath loued it more than euer it was able to loue it selfe As for all the Saints wee shall loue them equallie with our selues as beeing all members of that mysticall Bodie Then and not till then shall bee the perfect practise of that second great command the summe of the second Table which is to loue our neighbour as our selues If the Soule of this naturall Bodie in the toyle of our pilgrimage hath such a commande ouer our naturall affections that it maketh vs to loue all the members and euerie member to worke equallie well for the good of another O mercifull God what greater loue shall proceede from that Spirite of Loue which shall bee in the Heauens euen the Soule of that mysticall bodie of all the Elect Looke how much grace surpasseth Nature and Glorie surpasseth Grace the Spirit of God which shall animate this bodie shall so much more straitlie make the members thereof to liue in Loue The holier the Soule bee within a man the greater loue concord is betweene his members
drawe the desires of his heart to abide into that P◅lace of pleasures where there is Light without Darknesse Mirth without Sadnesse Health without Sicknesse Wealth without want Beautie without blemish For the sake of thy dea◅e Selfe seale vp into his Soule the assurance of thy loue that in all bol◅nesse through the bleeding bowels of Christes compassions hee may come to the Throne of thy grace frō thence he may enter into glory O LORD the comfort the joye and the glorie of Israel Bee fauourable to thy distressed Sainctes dispersed vpon the Earth Thy Church here below is like a shippe on the sea Though it floate aloft it is fore tossed to and f◅o with wind and with waue thou therin seemeth whiles to sleep Now LORD at last awake in these boisterous blastes Master Master saue vs for wee perish Awake O LORD and rebuke the winds Alas O LORD thou seemeth now to lowre in thy wrath by driuing all our petitions from Thee with a darke and cloudie countenance so that these that trust in Thee are cleane dashed out of countenance while they heare the scorninges of the aduersaries who nowe waste and hauocke thy Vine Arise O LORD as a man of war Awake as one out of sleepe and like a mightie man that shouteth by reason of Wine Smite thou all the enemies in the hinder partes and put them to a perpetuall reproach Take the Cudgell into thine hand and stricke a way these Dogges which follow Thee but for crustes Let vs neuer bee colde or carelesse in the distresse of others but for to assure vs that wee are all members of one Bodie giue vs this pledge of mourning with these that mourne Make vs all to bee grieued for the affliction of Ioseph Blesse our gracious SOVERAIGNE with the Spirit of Wisedome and of Grace Rescue Him from all dangers both bodilie ghostlie Thogh Hee bee a Prince among men yet Hee is thy Subject Thou who by Grace hast made Him to reigne ouer thy people on earth at the end of his appointed time when the dayes of His Reigne shall bee happilie finished exalt Him highlie in the heanens among thy Sainctes and Angels So long as Hee is heere let Him know that it standeth Him fast in hand to bee an Hornager vnto Thee Direct him so in all His cariage that His whole life may bee to all His Subjects an holy patronage of good example Let Him neuer retract nor repeale that vow which Hee made at His Coronation for to maintaine the puritie of thy Gospel and for to bee a louing Father vnto thy people Cloth his enemies with shame but vpon Himselfe make His Crowne to flourish Blesse His Royall Match Make Her to striue stretch all the powers of Her Soule by prayer in searching the sincere knowledge of thy truth LORD in Her carefull search make Her to say at last with the Spouse I haue found him whom my Soule loueth I will not let him goe Thou LORD louest Trueth in the inward partes and therefore so sanctifie Her Hearte that She may day lie thriue in the power of Godlinesse Though all outward meanes should faile Her bee Thou to Her in stead of all meanes aboundantlie supplying Her with the power and presence of thy Spirit Leuell LORD Her Heart directlie to the loue of Christ of him crucified that by a true liuelie Faith in him Shee may shine among the Sainctes in Heauen like one who in a great measure hath beene receiued in Grace on earth Let thy Preastes bee cloathed with righteousnesse Blesse all our Nobles mak them truelie noble not like Ephraim whose righteousnesse was like the morning dew Let them neuer for feede or fauour slinke or shrinke back from the puritie of thy Gospel established in this Land Giue vnto vs all courage for the Trueth that wee may bee bold to resist euen vnto the blood not beeing like these who at the first in an hote and hastie zeale promise faire with Peter but anone at the first womanlie temptation start aside like deceitfull bowes Suffer no sinne to goe current with vs without check Let vs neuer follow the sway of tymes with sewed Cushions vnder our Elbowes LORD abide with vs this night As thou hast drawne the night Curtaine of darknesse vpon the face of the earth so bee thou a pillar of the cloude betweene vs and our enemies Hide our soules from Sathans temptations as by the cloudie pillar thou hid the Israelites from the Egyptians Make vs this night to sleepe softlie and soundlie in thine Armes that our bodies beeing refreshed with sleepe may bee the better enabled to morrow for to sette foorth thy Glorie in the work of our Vocation LORD let these our weake prayers come vp before Thee like Pillars of smoke perfumed with the liuelie sauoure of thy Son To whom with Thee and the Spirit of Grace bee endlesse Glorie and Dominion for euer Now Sir wee haue recommended you God to who is stretching out the Armes of his mercie readie for to receiue your Soule into the bosome of his Loue Make you nowe readie for him for in all appearance ye are not farre from the doores of death Bee vigilant in prayer lest Satan yet put in his leauen into the Spirites dough and so by sowring it make it distastfull to the Lord By a little droppe of filth the pure webbe of the Spirit will become a menstruous cloath The sicke Man The lost Sheepe is found I giue you most heartie thankes for that feruent prayer I pray God that it be heard in the Heauen as Solomon prayed for these that prayed in the Temple which he had builded saying Then heare thou in Heauen Lord graunt that these comforts and contentments bee not deceiuable feelinges and flashings of joye O Lord let not the Spirit of Grace in this new birth recoyle as once Zarah in Thamars wombe Seeing God hath furnished me with a new spirituall strength I wish that I culd imploy it well for the short space that I haue to liue among mortall wightes in this region of corruption O Lord stirre all the streames of mine affections toward thy selfe Wound ward weaken wasle all my delightfull and darling sinnes that my whole joye may rest on Thee command confine all my thoghts to thy selfe that by Faith my Soule may seaze and lay hold on the merits of Christ the celestiall Pearles of price Disburthen my soule of euerie weight that hangeth so fast on lest that thereby it should bee swayed away from Thee I finde mine hearte stirred with a feruent desire to powre out it selfe in prayer before God I pray you all that sit by to joyne your affections with mine into this worke The sicke mans Prayer for himselfe O LORD the Father of mercies and GOD of all Consolation bee present in thy great mercie with mee thy vnworthie seruant into this time of trouble suffer mee earth and ashes to speake
him And because I haue deferred my repentance till this houre whereby my Saluation is cutte off if I should die suddenlie Loe how my God in his mercifull prouidence to preuent my destruction calleth mee by a lingring sicknesse which stayeth till I bee readie and prepareth mee to mine ende like a preacher and maketh mee by wholesome paines wearie of this beloued world lest I should depart vn willing like them whose death is their damnation So hee loueth mee while hee beateth mee that his stripes are plasters to saue mee therefore who shall loue him if I despise him This is my whole office nowe to strengthen my bodie with mine heart and to bee contented as God hath appointed vntill I can glorifie him or vntill hee glorifie mee If I liue I liue to sacrifice and if I die I die a sacrifice for his mercie is aboue mine iniquitie Therefore if I should feare death it were a signe that I had not Faith nor hope as I professed but that I doubted of Gods trueth in his promise wh◅ther hee will forgiue his penitent sinner or not Hee is my Father let him doe what seemeth good in his sight Come Lord Iesus for thy seruant commeth I am willing helpe mine vnwillingnesse Heere is the end of that godlie mans speach As at that Brydell in Cana the best wine came last so shall it be heer◅ After the words of a godlie man I shall let you heare the words of God spoken by a man inspired by his Spirit euen the last words of Dauid the man whose praise is this that hee was a man according to Gods owne heart The last words of Dauid Dauid the sonne of Iesse said and the man who was raised vp on high the a◅ointed of the God of Iaacob and the sweete Psalmist of Israel said The Spirit of the Lord spake by mee and his words was in my tongue The God of Israel saide the Rocke of Israel spake to mee Hee that ruleth ouer men must bee just ruling in the feare of God And hee shall bee as the light of the morning when the Sunne riseth euen a morning without cloudes as the tender grasse springing out of the earth by cleare shining after raine Although mine house bee not so with God yet hee hath made with mee an euerlasting couenant ordered in all things and sure For this is all my Saluation and all my desire although hee make it not to growe But the sonnes of Belial shall bee all of them as thornes thrust away because they cannot bee taken with hands But the man that shall touch them must be fenced with yron and the staffe of a speare and they shall bee vt◅er lie burnt with fyre in the same place Alittle before his death at the inauguration of his Sonne Solomon he spake manie notable words among others these bee of great weight O Lord wee are heere but strangers before thee and so◅ourners as were all our fathers Our dayes on the earth are as a shadow and there is none abiding O Lord God of Abraham Isaac and of Israel our Fathers keepe this for euer in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people and prepare their heartes vnto thee That hundreth and two Psalme is excellent It is intituled a prayer of the afflicted when he is ouerwhelmed and powreth out his complant before the Lord. Heare my prayer O Lord and lette my cry come vnto thee hide not thy face from mee in the day when I am in trouble incline thine eare vnto mee In the day when I call answere mee spe◅dilie For my dayes are consumed like smoke and my bones are burnt like an hearth c. Seeing as wee see that nothing is stable in this world but as it is in that Sermon of the Preacher vanity of vanities and all is vanitie wee haue to intreate the Lord earnestlie as Moses did a little before his death That hee would so teach vs to number our dayes that we may applye our hearts to wisedome and to well doing All things below wither and decay our best beauties are w◅ithed and wrinkled by time But the beautie of the Lord is of euerlasting continuance Let the beautie of the Lord our God bee vpon vs. O the beautie of the things aboue O the beautie of the Firmament O these azured Curtaines spangled with stars of light What jewels of joy are within no mortall tongue can tell Looke vp nowe Sir with the eye of your Faith and visite these heauenlie Mansions and blessed buildinges for immortaltiie Yee are shortlie for to change for the better So long as our sillie Soules are here they are but poore Soules reading and meditating the mercies of God within a cottage of clay hauing nothing to see with but the weak light of the small Candle of grace a light dimmed and darkened with the reekie smok of our sinfull corruptions But so soone as wee shall bee dissolued by Death we shall come to the euerlasting Beames of a Sunne which by nothing is able to bee ecclipsed alight which knoweth no darknesse euen that Light which bringeth light out of darknesse Now Sir vp with your heart saile out your course Be like the Pylot who while hee hath hand on the Helme hath his eye fixed on the heauen Take now the Cuppe of Saluation the great Mazer of his mercie and call vpon the Name of the Lord Hee is worthie to bee praised for his vnspeakable fauour toward you He in great mercy hath toward you turned all the sharpe corrasiues of the Law into most sweete cordials of the Gospel He hath now made you free of all these terrours whereinto yee found your selfe once lyable Oh Lord how did once the sharpe edge of thy Law laide to his mourning heart cutte him thorow the verie gall But blessed bee thou who in thy great mercie hast cut the Cartropes of his sinnes where with hee was once kept fast vnder the most heauie bondage of Hell What say yee now Sir How is it of all Haue yee heard all these words and laide them vp into your minde The sicke Man I haue heard them all that with great comfort now mine heart is in heauen Christ by the vertue of his vnualuable Blood-shed hath takē away the gall of my guiltines Now my bodie is wholly dead to its paine and my Soule is whollie aliue to its glorie I see a Crowne of immortalitie which my Soule would not sticke to fetch thorow the brimstone beames of hell My Soule seeth the face of its Redeemer Christ with a soft hand is now loosing all the bondes of my miserie His most sacred Blood hath melted my marble heart Nowe come Lord Iesus come Long haue I looked for thy Saluation Nowe let thy seruant depart in peace for mine eyes haue seene thy Saluation O my deare Soule I summond thee with all thy powers and faculties to
sinne All the action is from thee Of all that is done amisse thou hast beene the inuenter the contriuer and arch-plotter God is no accepter of persons or of parties What then is my guilt that I shuld be behind thee left into the Graue a fearefull denne of death and pite of corruption What a miserie is this for me that I should lye vnder the power and bonds of Death a Carion vnder a Turfe warded in deaths most loathsome denne and abhorred jayle There must I lye chill with cold stinking and rotting with my mouth full of earth and my bellie full of wormes closed in a Coffine O what matter of melancholie is this that within a few dayes where are my two beautifull twinkling eyes shal be nothing but fearefull eye-holes in a rotten skull which shall bee nothing but a nect of clockes and abominable creeping thinges Within a few yeares this head which nowe lyeth softlie vpon this Pillow shall bee rolled and trinnelled vp and downe by the feete of the posteritie Heere a bone and there a bone and not a bone together all shall lye scattered heere and there the dogges shall play with some and Children shall playe with others some shall lye drying before the Sunne and others shall be bruised into pieces and grund into powder O what a change is in this our mortalitie Behold presentlie what a starueling I am beeing nothing but skinne and bone Behold and anone all shall be turned into stinke The Soule All such thoughtes are all but worldlie heauie dull and formall Suffer the Lord to sow his owne seede Thou art afraid for the Turfe of the Graue Care not for the Turfe for vnder it shalt thou bee as a pickle of Corne vnder a clod The Spring time of the Resurrection is not farre froe when thou shalt rise vp more beautifullie in honour power and glorie than euer thou was before Shall anie thing bee impossible vnto God Hee who in his death reuiued manie Sainctes vvhose bodies Death had fast vnder the key of its power shall with a blast of his voyce make open Gâ—…aues to let out all these who were prisoners of death from Adam vntill that day Let this comfort cheare vp thine heart my Bodie The Graue shall not bee able to keepe thee long As Ionah was vomited out of the Bellie of Hell so shalt thou bee deliuered from that Monsters mawe The Bodie But in the meane time what reason is it that I a carrionlie carkase shuld bee bund â—…oth hand and foote and committed close prisoner to the graue a cold and chillie house while thou art set at libertie Behold how alreadie I am both withered and wanzed The Soule The Graue to the Godlie is no prison but a resting bedde from their labours where God reâ—…resheth with sleepe the wearied bones of his beloued The Prophet saith That they rest in their beddes and that they enter in peace While the moulds are cast on them in the Graue it is but the drawing of their Bedde curtaine The buried bodies of the Saincts are in their graue lik Babs lapped in swadling clothes in their Cradles As a tyred man will not bee offended if hee bee sent to his bedde for to sleepe neither should the wearied bodie bee grieued to goe to the Graue the place of rest and quietnesse Bee not peeuish nor peruerse my Bodie enuie not mine happie estat Though the Graue should bee to thee a prison why should thou complaine because I am set at libertie If it hath pleased God in mercy to bee good to mee why art thou offended May not the Lord say vnto thee Is thine eye euill because I am good What happier should thine estat bee though God should command mee to bee buried besides thee May not God doe with his owne as hee pleaseth Hee might haue taken thee to Heauen and haue shute mee a prisoner in the Graue In his justice hee might haue cast vs both into Hell Thinke it then a mercie that hee is so good vnto mee who shall neuer count my glorie full till wee bee both crowned vvith immortalitie in the heauens Bee not offended at the Lords good will towards mee but rather thank him that he hath made death to bee temporall in his mercie which was eternall in his threatning Of a corrasiue hee hath made a cordiall Haue patience O distressed Body Suffer a little that God may be true Dust thou art and to dust shalt thou returne Dust beeing once deliuered from the power of the Graue shall reigne with God in glorie The Bodie is like gold which cannot bee rid of its drosse till it bee molten and dissolued Againe as this death is not total neither shal â—…t be perpetuall for at that first sound of the last trumpet all the beried bodies of that faithfull shall lik the Eagle cast the bill of their mortalitie Now mine olde companion and yoke-fellow art thou not content to goe to bedde and there to sleepe till the morning of theresurrection come That day shall mak an amends for all that we haue suffered in this valey of teares Then shall all thy confusion bee turned into comforts Let vs nowe bee content that the Lord loose the pines and slacke the cordes of this our Tabernacle of clay The Bodie Now glad am I my deare Soule that euer I had such a Soule as thee now my deare Turtle goe with my blessing to the seruice of our God Goe from the Crosse to the Crowne from a prison to a Palace from the mourning-weede to the wedding-garment Goe dwell with the Lord and the Lambe waite well vpon him Goe nowe from the blacke and dismall dayes of drooping distresse and dirtie distractions to joye to peace to pleasure to light to life to libertie Goe heare that happie harmonie of heauenlie Musitians in heauenlie Mansions where mercies blesse without judgments blasts Goe heare the voice of all the Menistrels of that celestiall Quire Bee thou aboue the Starres while I am vnder a Turfe All my comfort is in this that wee shall meete againe in Blisse Now blessed Soule prepare thy Lampe powre out thine oyle the heauenlie wooer the Bridegroome is come for to take thee to his Chambers of Charitie wherein are pleasures for euermore In hope of the Resurrection I goe gladlie to my Graue whereout of I am assured to arise for to meete my Redeemer in the clouds This Candle of my comfort shall neuer bee put out Nowe before wee shedde let vs shedde some teares The last raine of our afflictions wherewith we may bath the bruises of our Lord which he in loue did suffer for our glorie Now I goe to rest in the dust a prisoner of hope Goe thou to thy God attend well his seruice and court his Countenance for euer in his most pleasant Yuorie Palaces I am nowe refreshed with a cooling taste to immortalitie to come Farewell my deare Soule and truest Turtle mount