the Lord opened Heaven which made him say I saw the Visions of God The great Jehova Deodate in his Annotations did after a speciall manner Illuminate his understanding facultie and did reveal to him such divine and ravishing secrets as did far surpasse any human capacity with which some pretious Jewels of the Lords have been so spiritually transported that they have sweetly breathed out their celestiall souls into the armes or bosome of their Lord Christ their salvation as Simeon did desire here to doe One wel observed of late that there is nothing which hath so great an influence upon a holy man or woman nothing doth so much affect their hearts as a clearer discovery of the visions of God as when Job said I have heard of thee by the hearing of the eare but now mine eye seeth thee Job 42. And saith St. Augustin who is said to be 12. years old when our saviour suffered Euse Eccle. Hist lib. 3. Exo. 34.6 oft wished to have seen Christ in the flesh as Ignatius that blessed Martyr did 1. Ther 's a sight of God in his divine attributes and so he proclaimes himself in the hearing of all the peopl The Lord the Lord God mercifull and gratious long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth c. Aquin. 2. There is a sight of God in his eminencie excellent greatness so appeared he to Moses out of the midst of a burning Bush and to Abraham Jsaak and Jacob by his Name Jah that deminutive of the Word Jehovah Exo. 3.2 Psa 68.4 or God Almighty and All-sufficient 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So by his name I am ver 14. This is my name saith he forever and this is my memoriall unto all generations ero qui ero Thus the Israelites saw him in his excellent greatness which he did so display before them 3. There is a sight of God's surpassing purity and holiness of his nature and so the Angels and soules of the Saints departed and now in Heaven do see him Isa 6.3 and so the Seraphims who cried one to another Holy holy holy is the Lord of hosts the whole earth is full of his glory 4. Ther 's a sight of the plenarie blessedness and fulnesse of God Gen. 17.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 filling all things of which God himself told Abraham saying I am the Almighty God walk before Mee and bee thou perfect 5. Ther 's a sight of Gods dominion and Soverainty Isa 6.5.6 at some glimpses of which said the Prophet Isaiah Wo is me for I am undone for mine eyes have seen the King the Lord of hosts c. 6. There 's a sight of God in his providences who doth so dispose of Ep. 1.11 Mat. 6.26.27 Rev. 4 11. and order all things according to the counsell of his own will that he doth whatsoever pleaseth him both in heaven and earth he provides maintenance and subsistence for the host of all his works vegetative sensitive or rationall whether animate or inanimate Mat. 10.30 For the Lillies of the field for the Foules of Heaven the very haires of our head are numbred Ps 74.17 Job 36 27. Job 37.10 He orders the day and the night Summer and winter Heat and cold and he maketh small drops of water By the breathing of God frost is given and the breadth of the waters is straitned 7. There is a sight of God in the face of Christ viz. a reconciled God and Father in Jesus Christ and which more fully to make known this God and Father 2. Cor. 4 6. hath commanded the light to shine out of darknesse to give the light of the knowlege of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ So that as the great body of the sunn gives light to the worlds hemisphere Mal. 4.2 so does God in Christ by the son of righteousness sending forth the blessed beames of Evangelicall grace and glory shine upon the Church Gloria Dei hic est perlucida refulgens Oecolamp in Eze. 43.2 and give saving light into darke sovles and doth blessedly break in upon blind men and women who before sate in mufled darknesse and in the shaddow of death Reader heed these things well for they carry light life and power in them 8. And lastly vosti haec fidei contemplatio tranfigurativa appellatur Theod. epus Cyâ—i de fide in Epiph. there is a sight of God in the person of Christ and that is when we do apprehend a Godhead filling the humane nature with most unutterable apprehensions of God his Divinity and when by the powers of rich grace we do come to apprehend our selves so farr interessed in the two natures of the second person for ever made one Christ as to conceive and believe our selves to be the chosen cum Deus sese suaque câ—gnoscibilia largius perfectius patefacit suis Mercer in Job 4.5 and beloved of God in Christ before the world was and by the mighty work of free grace do begin to finde our selves accepted beloved redeemed and saved by our Lord thus set before us whom blessed Simeon looks here on corporally and spiritually as his own Christ as his salvation by meanes of the most Holy and happy continuance thus many Prohets and Kings have desired to see Luk. 10.24 of all the three Persons in the Trinity whereat Simeons heart became wonderfully enlarged It being given in to him from above according to the promise of the Holy Ghost that he should not see death before he had seen the Lords Christ Iunius in Isaiam Simeons sight here was not only ocular and intuitive but but intellectuall and fiduciall being Divinely revealed to him as the visions of Daniel Ezekiell and John for his sight was a manifold vision Epist ad smyrn Policarp of the Lords Christ in person in his natures in his offices so that Simeon was as it were transfigured Isa 22.1 Epo verò post râ—surrectionem in carne cum vidi ubi ignatius habet locum tempur personas quicum petro erant ipsa verba Christi as Peter James and John and carried into the vallie of visions to whom God pleased also to Communicate a vision of rapturing loves as to the Church in the Canticles and as unto blessed Jgnatius but after his resurrection when he appeared unto Peter and those who were with Peter his words be and I also after his resurrection saw him Simeon was communing with the promise Promisit sâ— deus compariturum in nube Levit. 16.2 Nubes fuit symbolum inhabitantis dei miserentis ac eos servantis quuÌ„ templo Salomonis sancto sanctorum primùm importaretur arca digressis commodùm sacerdotibus ex adytis nubes replevit domum domini nec sacerdotes subsistere poterant ut administrarent prae nube illa quandoquideme rat repleta gloria domini domus domini 1. Regum 8. verùm
יהוה A Religious TREATISE UPON Simeons Song OR Instructions advertising how to live holily and dye happily Composed at first for the use of the truly pious Sir ROBERT HARLEY Knight of the Honourable order of the Bath But since published by Timothy Woodroffe B. D. Pastor to the Church at Kingsland in Herefordshire Job 42.5 I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear but now mine eye seeth thee London Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the three Crowns at the lower end of Cheapside over-against the great Conduit 1659. Christian Reader WEe having perused this ensuing Treatise bearing the Title of SIMEON'S SONG and being desired by the worthy AUTHOR to prefixe a line or two we can do no less then give it a kiss of peace and send it away recommending it to thee for a sound and savoury discourse and such as wanteth not a pleasant quickness to hold on thy appetite and we do believe that all who love the Lord and wait for the consolation of Israel that their eyes may see his salvation will upon perusall find it answer their time and pains and will then judge as do JOHN ROWE S. WOOD. TO THE Much Honoured Collonel Edward Harley Son and Heir to THE Renowned Sr ROBERT HARLEY Knight of the Honourable Order of the BATH Much Honoured Sir LEt my boldness crave your favourable acceptance to Epistle you and put your name in the frontispiece of this precursor to your Fathers happy departure â—hose tendency was to be serviceable unto his celestial transfiguration This Epistle is an historicall Narrative of him who was a worthy pattern of much goodness in life and therefore said to your self and others of his own flesh and blood Children I have taught you how to live and now I do teach you how to die his name but mentioned was and is as a pretious ointmeÌ„t poured out your religious fixedness in these changeable times your discreet zeal for the advanceing of your Lord Master's kingdom with your unfained love to the truth more then all arguments besides indigitated to me that yours must be the patrociny especially when I shal add the interest which you had in such a Fathers heart who is now departed from among the living and yet still lives with the Lord hee had great things in reversion held in capite from heavens magna charta and is now gone to take the plenary possession of them Whil'st Sir ROBERT HARLEY lived I dare say his enemies being Judges he much studied the art to live well and as years and weaknesses towards his dissolve did approach hee studied as much the art to dye well for his aim and end was to live in Jesus and to dye in Jesus to whom to live was Christ and to whom to dye was gain This blessed servant of the Lord was much ashamed that hee had lived so long before he lived to God but this he did also viz. most religiously sincerely bless God in my hearing that for forty years or thereabouts before his death his soul was fixedly resolved to live to God who I doubt not but he is blessing God with SIMEON that he departed in peace in a good old age and full of grace Ignobled greatness had no value in his heraldry he well foresaw that a Saint hath the richest coâ—t and that nothing in heaven or earth doth so honour and enoble a family or person as true Religion as God in Covenant as Christ in chief therefore saith Christ to his Church since thou wast pretious in my sight thou hast been honourable and so long shall an house stand before the Lord and their Almond tree â—ud and flourish observe O you Gentâ—y and the Lord Jesus will put the rod of power and authority into such hanas for else wâ—at is birth but a dunghill flower or parentage but a filthy cloth and all the titles of honour and embellishments of the worlds glory but sublunar and stained vanities all whose tendency is towards the dust But to be a son of grace and a true believer is more true honour then to bee Theodosius the Emperour this was the judgment of good old SIMEON in this Book Your religious Father I hope none will call this flattery was eminently known to be a Worthy indeed one of the Gospels great Worthies heavens favorite Christ's friend and Christ his friend for whose sake he cheerfully forsook all and exposed himself and all that he had on earth to the fury and malice of his and Christ's enemies and said oft in evill times hee would trust God with all Seneca said wel to Polibius Salvo Caesare non est de fortuna conqueri So this noble Patriot would not did not murmur and complain when brought very low nor durst he implead or pass an hard sentence against God under any check of providence but say God is good his will is best and blessed bee his name thus he acts dependance on Jehovah and his faith in the sure mercies of David then hee prays and looks up looks up and prays again he praies waits waits praies he hears believe then he humble his soul with fasting renewes his covenant with his God so keeps up his confidence mean while searcheth his soul after secret lurking corruptions if he could find any way of wickedness allowed in him that he might lay aside every weighty the sin which doth so easily beset us and run with patience the race that was set before him looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross despised the shame is set down at the right hand of God Heb. â—2 1 2. It 's abundantly known he was of a publick spirit and layd out himself beyond his strength to bee doing good at every call of providence not only in a Parlamentâ—ry way wherein religious Sir ROBERT HARLEY was ever chosen by his country to be one in Gospel or Church-work within his sphere and capacity he had an inlarged and a pious heart together with a liberall hand however he did streighten himself and his and engâ—g his credit that hee might shew bowell-kindness to the despised but faithfull ministry of the Gospel and to the indigent members of our Lord Christ not onely in his native country but even to peregâ—ines exiles And since I have touched the Ministry his love to all the worthy labourers in the Lord's Vineyard is much known where-ever himself was well known and for his Country Hereford City and County must not bee silent to praise God for him whose pious care for their spirituall good hath excelled since they do enjoy many faithfull able and painfull Ministers mostly by his choice bounty and liberality who else in all probability had layen waste and old as many other places do or else had been under seducers not teachers of sound Doctrine under Idol shepherds dumb doggs and ignorant leaders who are destroyers not builders
dy Ibid. 4 Hee lades them with sweet apprehensions of infinite love 133 How to entertain the approach of death 134 And death it self in the article of death 135 136. Whether it be sinfull to fear death 137 Ans Not simply unlawfull 138 Basely to fear death a sin 138 Who lead an evill life must needs fear death Ibid The Saints fear death and others but from divers principles 139 It 's not improbable but we maâ— enjoy relations after death 142 How to shut up our own eyes and bind up our own jaws in death 143 4 Exhortation Let not friends grieve over-much for them that dye in the Lord. 144 Friends may weep a while but not too long ibid. 145 Friends may use laudable ceremonies about the dead 146. Friends may be at cost with the dead ibid. 147. Friends may keep sad mourning seats Ibid. Rules of advice to living Friends 1. To mourn with moderation 149. 150. 2. With timely pacification 151 152 153. 3. To be satisfied with the goodness of God yet continued to thee who survivest 154. 4. To be comforted again 156. 5. Our mourning not without a good mixture of joy 158 159. 6. Labour an holys acquiescence in the al-suffiency of thy Lord God 180 161 162 163. Imprimatur EDMUND CALAMY The Author's Letter to Sir ROBERT HARLEY about the beginning of his long sickness Honorable Sir AS I do much bless God for the Religious stedfastness in such vertiginous times when so many reeds have been shaken with every wind so I am confident you will ever bless God for that your house was built upon the Rock and for the excellencies of Christ and of his attractive loves to your soul who made you sick of love after the more full injoyment of him who is a head of fine gold and a Cluster of Camphere the Lord your righteousness the chief of ten thousand who hath invited you to repentance unto life and to more daily communion with his excellency Pardon my boldness Gracious SIR possibly God will use my little Talent to warm your heart with the shining love of Jesus Christ so peerless so sweet so chast so full so unchageable so adequate and magneticall in all his Mediatoriall works upon your soul I say upon your soul so miraculously saved by the Lord and pulled out of the suburbs of Hell so unexpectedly so undeservedly so freely in the day of your souls first love espousall to his blessed self Time was Noble SIR that your Honour walked in the way of your own heart bathed and rolled in a worldly Paradise of princely favour when your thoughts were too much I presume taken up about additionalls with which to enamell your present state with worldly contentments whose emptiness together with your Christlesseness the God and Father of all your mercies discovered in his own time to that your pretious soul and withall did let down some beams and glimpses of the unum necessarium more necessary then to be born to live to be fed and clad I mean Jesus Christ and him crucified when heavens infinite mercy caused the day to break and the shadows to flye away presently upon which you must confess with godly Junius statim mihi alio facies apparuit when you then heard with other ears understood with another intellect saw with other eyes spake another language and with a new tongue read the Scripture with another spirit and understood with another sense and understanding yea and acted by other principles then before old things then vanished away all things became new But how I answer by that power of God that exceeding greatness of power which raised Christ from the dead and set him at the right hand of God SIR thus you came to know Jesus Christ and him Crucified which is above all knowledge especially to know our selves to be Crucified with him Oh! that is wisedom indeed and knowledge most transendently excellent for it will make a man wise to salvatioÌ„ Besides thus to know Christ and thus to know him for our selves is of most excellent use to us at present since it is not onely an informing and speculative knowledge but a conforming and reforming a practicall and operative knowledge which works mightily on the unregenerate part perswading that also by degrees to bee Crucified with Christ and to live more intirely by the faith of the Son of God who loved us and gave himself for us Pretious soul this life by faith is life indeed the present life naturall is a death to this life but the believers spirituall life that is a life purchased at the dearest rate viz. by the most unvaluable blood of Christ It 's to live in God the Father spiritually to live in Jesus Christ by the mysticall union and by the sanctifying Spirit of God breathing this life into dead souls and quickening our dead dry bones enabling impowering us to cry Abba Father by the Spirit of his Son and loosing the tyed tongue to say from our own particular interest O Lamb of God which takest away my sins all my sins the sins of all my liâ—e nay all my other mens sins all the sins of my vile nature nay my sins of the first Adam and all this blessed Jesus as freely as ever the rain did fall or the Sun did shine never to impute any one of them to me but acquitting and absolving thy poor creature meerly for thy mercies sake to justifie me for ever before the eyes of thy glory nor is this all O Father of mercies says the pardoned soul but thou dost also richly engratiate thy poor servant to be the beloved Spouse of thy dearest Son and to confer that grace of Adoption to bring me nigh to thy self by the blood of Christ yea to confer sanctification on mee that I might also partake of thy divine nature of a Briar to make me a sweet Rose of a Lyon a Lamb of most deformed defiled abominable within and without to make mee lovely comely fair as the Moon beautifull as the Sun so to take me into thy most holy Covenant with thy self and to give me a propriety in all things in heaven and earth Thus life is mine and death is mine the world is mine things present and things to come all is mine I am Christ's and Christ is Gods a very strange Paradox a very large Inventory yet no larger then the New Covenant in which God hath said I will be your God and you shall be my people that 's proof enough for qui habent habentem omnia habent omnia here is a Bee-hive of the sweetest honey much beloved in the Lord before your the effectuall calling like the wandring Bee your honour went from flower to flower from one tree to another and found but little sweetness if any at all and what ever it was you were content to forsake that too for Christ but then you said as Jacob in another case I have enough my son Joseph is yet alive
I have my joy sweet Babe let this Song be a Lullaby for thee and a Funerall for Me sleep thou in mine armes while I depart in peace Simeons resolve and willingness to die Simeon resolves to die willingly so freely doth his heart breath out and his tongue expresse what he had so well resolved on Simeons time in which he wills to dy neither sooner nor longer His time even now Lord no sooner nor no longer Lord say Amen to my desires Note his relation in which he stood in the word Servant answering relatively unto the word Lord and so 't is between a Master and servant And here let us observe Simeons humble acknowledgment of his relation Simeons humility in being the Lords Servant A Servant indeed he was both in heart and life both in word and deed an humble worshipper of the Lord God who as he had been graciously preserved by him in a 1000. dangers all his life long and much owned from his Mothers womb till now So he will now resigne up himself in death to the safe custody and farther favour of so good a Lord and Master In the words be two parts 1. A Proposition Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart c. 2. A Confirmation For mine eyes have seen thy Salvation In the first he proposeth the large desire of his soul as if he had said Lord long have I lived and have seen all the Vanity that is under the Sun and thought I could never have my fill But now Lord since thou hast made me see the emptines of the creature thy fulnes why do I live any longer in such a place as earth is In such a condition as mortals are Lord now lettest thou thy Servant depart in peace What depart out of thy publique service now in the Temple no but by thy leave but thou Lord permitting let my long imprisoned pretious soul depart this body and this body and soul depart out of this present world So now he desires death which is resolutio animae a corpore as the Philosophers call death who say that there is a strong ligament between the soul and the body which death doth unty and so deliver up the person either to a better Qui pacatum habent Deum et pacatam conscientiam illi in pace moriuntur or worse place Simeon here desires to depart in peace who as he was at peace with God and with his owne Conscience So he desiers to die in an holy calme and sweet peace Hitherto of the proposall next briefly of the Confirmation For mine eyes have seen thy saluation .. The happy death of every gratious Simeon is much exalted by the promises of God which in Christ Jesus are yea and Amen to the praise and Glory of God 2 Cor. 1.20 As if Simeon had said Domine jam moriar alacriter Lord I will now depart for mine eyes have seen thy Salvation Lord now said thy Holy Oracle truth which was delivered me to believe Isa 5.2 All the ends of the earth shall see the Salvation of our God Isa 52.10 And I Simeon my selfe do see the person and the thing viz Christ and his Salvation which he shall bring to all Nations Nor is this all but he speaks of the Offices and actings of Christ saying which thou hast prepared before the face of all people Isai 49. out of Is 49. I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles that thou mayest be my salvation to the ends of the earth Him whom man despiseth Him whom Nations abhor Kings shall see and arise Prices also shall worship because of the Lord that is faithfull And to be the glory of thy people Israell Here 's high exaltation of the Tribes of Israell because from amongst them shall Christ come according to the flesh and the consequent of Simeons Song was 2 Luke 33. 1. The parents of Christ they marvell especially considering what they lately heard from the blessed Angels 1 Luke 30. what the Shepherds reported of him 2 Luke 34. 2. Simeon blessed them and said to his Mother Mary behold this Child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israell Now as Solomons throne had six ascending Ivory steps over laid with gold 1 Kings 10 18. so here be six steps of ascent for the poor soul to come very near to a greater then Solomon even to the everlasting King of glory 2 Cor. 11.2 who hath a long time been preparing every gracious soul to be a Bride for himself and to enjoy the Lord Jesus in his blessed arms with everlasting conjugalls Where first note the time now presently without farther stay Secondly note his desire to enjoy and adore him more and more fervently Thirdly note his dutifulnesse in the appellation he givs himself the name of a servant Fourthly the dignity of his Master in the word Lord one of great command power and place Fifthly the ground of his request the word the infallible word let me dye according to thy word according to thy word of promise Sixthly the condition in which he did desire to dye and that was in peace Simeon now had the Lord Christ in his armes who made peace who came and brought peace who was peace and the very God Prince of peace Ah soul that 's the only time for thee me to die when we have gotten Christ into the arms of our faith then then not before we can sing with Simeon Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace for when Christ is thus in thine arms thou art in his arms also so reciprocally do these two lovers clip and embrace each other Now a word both of this proposall and confirmation in the manner of his speech The words be the humble prayer of a gracious servant to his Lord viz. to die presently in peace but according to the minde and with the good leave of his Lord Quest But who is Simeon here or what it Simeons condition Answ 1. A servant but an honourable one for he was the servant of the Lord of life and glory Answ 2. A servant bound by strongest obligations of oath and covenant Answ 3. A servant during life nay a servant for ever to a Master whose service is perfect freedome Joh. 8.36 but what freedome can such a servant ask or expect yes this great Lord hath a blessed freedome an everlasting jubilee to grant to all his servants that aged Simeon foresaw and that hee askes Mistake me not Simeon desires not askes not to be freed from the service of his Lord but askes to be translated into an higher into a more celestiall and evangelical service according to the faithfull word of promise made to him by his Lord and so heartily desires and prayes to depart from faith and hope to fruition from prayers to praises from feares and doubtings of a misgiving heart to a most sweet tranquility to fear
and doubt no more from paines and dolours to perfect ease from miserable comforters to the God of all Consolations Job 16.2 Rom. 15.5 2 Cor. 7.5 Heb. 2.14 Heb. 12.23.24 from troubles without from fears within from sin death and him that had the power of death to eternall heavenly joyes to the great assembly to the lambs redeemed ones to perfect holiness and endless happinesse and to Jesus Christ himself to be partaker with him of heavens glory yea of that very glory which himself had with the Father before the world was Joh. 17.5 and to be possessed of that very glory which the humanity of Christ hath at this present time at the right hand of God Simeons eye of faith was poring to look through the dark cloud of his infirmities upon this dazling glory and so doth beg his freedome to be discharged of his earthly Tabernacle according to the word of his Lord. now I shall endeavour to summ up all and to mould the proposition of this ensuing Treatise in one most certain conclusion Doct. Such may upon just cause desire to dye who have seen the Lords salvation as Simeon did here Many have unjustly desired to dye upon unjust considerations as Cato Cleombrotus Lucretia and others quia Spiritus latenter jusserat lib. 1. cap. 21. but they may alone upon just grounds desire to dye who have an eye within the vaile and an eare to hear the spirit bid them now be willing to dye Those sacred Virgins who in the sack of Rome chose to prevent the barbarous heathen prostituting their bodies to uncleannesse by a volunta-murthering of themselvs had no warrant at all nor ought they under any pretence have fled unto so desperate a prevention this but by the way They alone who have had a gracious aspect upon the Lord can bee rightly willing to dye they who have so looked into the promise that they are assured God will shew them their Lord first believingly and then beatifically do also look upon death which was wont to be so formidable as very much changed for now death is no longer a destroyer but a deliverer no longer a punishment or a curse but a blessing yea death to a bliever is one legacy in that rich Inventory of the Epistle to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 3.30 all things be yours death is yours While death was in the Devills power death was an enemy but Christ hath made it a friend and a blessing a bridge to passe over from the vail of tears into the Kingdome of glory As Haman provided for Mordicai so death intended a curse and mischief but accidentally it proves a blessing and to be desired Indeed to men without God and Christ out of Covenant and without the word of promise death is of all terribles the most terrible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and a most rigid executioner of divine wrath and vengeance but to the Godly so 't is a servant of the Lords and our servant to unlock Heaven gate and to admit the precious souls of Christs redeemed ones into Christs bosome such do quietly send away their souls to heaven whereas the ungoldly man or woman who is an unbeliever his soul is taken from him Luk. 12. Job 27.8 and as Job speakes will they nill they they would fain live longer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but they must not they cannot so inexorable is death to them but every Simeon is willing to resign when his Lord shall please he dyes not because he must dye but because he willingly subscribes to the Lords fiat This Conclusion is confirmed by manifold witnesses To me to live is Christ 1 Phil. 21. to dye is gain But Paul was here in a great straight 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 23. having strong arguments on both sides to desire life and to desire death therefore saith I am in a straight between two having a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needfull for you that your rejoycing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me Another testimony of this truth proposed is in St. Paul's second epistle to the Corinthians 2 Cor. 5.1 For in this we groane earnestly desiring to be cloathed upon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with our house which is from Heaven For we that are in this Tabernacle do groan being burthened not for that we would be uncloathed v. 4. but cloathed upon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that mortality might be swallowed up of life Now he that hath wrought us for the self-same thing is God v. 5. who also hath given us the earnest of the spirit so goes on Therefore we are alwayes confident v. 6. knowing that whilst we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord For we walk by faith not by sight we are confident I say and willing rather to be absent from the body u. 7. and to be present with the Lord. Quest But whence all this Q. Answ From the Apostles hope A. and expectation he had of Heaven that mortality might be swallowed up of life according to the testimony and earnest of the spirit of God that after this life he shall be cloathed upon with life and glory that then he shall be with the Lord Thus much his faith had shewed him And thus much for the confirmation We cannot see Christ in his coessentiality with the Father and with the Holy Ghost Such a sight of God here below would be inconsistent with a mortall and sublunar beeing and would swallow up the Creature man as the Schoolmen do affirm But here against doth Gregory object What may we not se who see the Lord 's Christ Especially seeing him God-man as Simeon here did no longer in the type but the truth it self qui videant videntem omnia quid non videant Greg. sol lib. 4 cap 33. St. Augustin doth well answere this and the like objections saying we can see no more of God and of Christ then God shall please to manifest unto us or then Christ shall please to reveale unto us as he did to Moses when God did put him in a clift of the Rock Exod. 33.22.23 what breaking forth of his glory the Lord shal please to discover unto us finite creatures those we may see Visione intelligibili videntar ea quae sunt à nobis intelligibilia Aug. But the Father goes on further we may see much of God with our intellect I meane of such things as are intelligible and thus many things of God and Christ do fall within our capacity and as we are able to bear them thus visions be some darker some more lightsome some persons have more day and some more night yet at the best our sight here is but obscure as the old man's sight through his spectacles I say some Saints have cleerer visions as Ezechiel to whom
flesh 1. Jo. 2.16 the lusts of the eyes and the pride of life with troubles of divers kinds with discontents every moment under the emptinesse of the creature the groaning creature which we do too much rely upon besides what troubles what wants what feares what doubts what losses what crosses is every day filled up withall what malice and envie from the men of the world for godlyness sake if but in appeareance Ps 35.19 What slanders lyes and mischievous reports shall be vented and sent abroad to blur and cloud a gratious conversation As David complaines of mischiefe divised and contrived against him a poor innocent without any cause on his part What unrighteousnesse oppressions what self-seekings what vain-glory confusions divisions what rendings of Christs seameles coat enough to make any good Simeons heart to ake and his eyes like the pool of Heshbon to stand full of tears of water and under all these abominations as branches of the curse together with the vanity all things are exposed vnto even the unreasonable creatures do groan yea Rom. 8.22.23 the whole creation groaneth together under its vanity and the dear servants of God cannot but be very sensible and be willing to draw forth their desires after that glorious liberty and happier condition laid up for them in the safe hands of Simeon's Lord. Nay this good old man had learned under what vanity all things below Christ did groan how far from home they were and under how perillous and sojourning a condition How obvious they lay to the grudgings of the worlds Naballs and how their ears are daily beaten with the barkings of balaamitish curs who drive designes to set the world their earthy god above Jesus Christ these things ran much in Simeons heart Besides the personall evils and sufferings of decrepit old age of languishing sickness under a world of bodily infirmities the seizure of mortall diseases which do ascertain death not to be farr of And although we know that we must dye yet wee know not how soon The pinching pains and incessant dolours of a worn-out decaied body at the best but of a crazy constitution supported like an old house with the propps and buttresses of art and nature ready every moment to fall about our ears making us wish in the morning Deu. 28.67 would God it were even and at even would God it were morning All which laid to heart makes blessed Simeon desire to dye and live no longer but to dye in the arms of mercy no matter how soon to wish to sigh to groan and heartily to long for a principle of faith and hope to depart in peace Good old Simeons desire is the desire of restlesness after that which is above all desirable even rest and salvation in Heaven with the people of God who rest from their labours Rev. 14.13 and their works follow them Ah soul had'st thou but a sweet taste of this blessed rest remaining to the people of God! Heb. 4.9 Gal. 5.22 hadst but the fruits of the Spirit in any gracious measure thou wouldest bid all adieu and couldest willingly part with all on earth such as honour pleasures profits friends neerest and dearest relations with all thy earthly interests and contentments yea with all thy lands revenues and life it self and wouldest sigh and groan within thee as old Simeon did after the fuller enjoyment of thy Lord and dearest Christ waiting for the adoption to wit the redemption of thy body 3. A desire of Contentment 3. a desire of contentment Rev. 12.1 Good old Simeon hath enough of life Rev. 12.1 being clothed with the Sun hee can now tread the moon under his feet And as Saint Paul have a low esteem of all things beneath Christ Phil. 3.8 and can say Psa 116.7 as David Return to thy rest O my soul for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee And hence doth gracious Simeon desire to acquiesce in his Lord and to dye by his statutum est who is life it self to possesse him possessing whom he is assured to possesse all things therefore said well-contented Simeon Lord let me be translated hence in thy good time to be inseperably with thee to all eternity 4. of Admiration 4. A desire of admiration Simeon might well admire the glory and excellency of that Salvation on which his eye of faith was so fixed and stand amazed Malac. 4.2 at the raies of this Sun of righteousness which shines not into every soul and saith Oh! the pretiousness of this salvation which is so attractive as to draw out my soul out of my body my soul and body out of this present evill world but for blessed ends blessed be thou my Lord that I may worship thee in Heaven as the four beasts did and the four and twenty elders when they fell dow before the Lamb And sung a new son saying Revel 3.9 thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof for thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation Blessing honour glory and power be unto him and unto the Lamb for ever and ever So much in answer to the two Questions 1. What this sight is 2. What this desire of Simeon is Reasons why all Christ-seeing Simeons may desire to dye Because old Simeon found himself delivered from the curse of the first Covenant Gen. 2.14 which was eternall death as it holds proportion with the blessing in Paradise eternall life and he found himself delivered from the wrath to come by him who was to dye and to destroy him that had the power of death Heb. 2.14 Job 33.24 He found himself delivered from going down into the pit death was in it self the sentence of the law and the recompence of an offended God but old Simeon found the jaws of death broken and this beast of prey now becomes unable to hold him no more then it was able to hold Jesus Christ and therefore all Simeons may insult in their death over death and say Hosea 31.14 used by the Apostle 1. Cor. 15.55 O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory the sting of death is sin the strength of sin is the law but thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ Death doth deliver us from and periodize all wrongs vices infirmities bodily pains and labours all the piercing cares of this life and all vain pleasures As after Noah had been tossed but one year upon the waters Gen. 8.4.20 how glad was he to land on Mount Ararat so old Simeon after many years wearisome days and nights fluctuating on the waters of worldly perturbations O how glad was the good old man of a resting place where he could say hîc ero salvus as the long sick man did write upon his grave stone hîc ero sanus Reason 2 Because
all blessed Simeons do see their salvation future as present so doth faith prevent time and is the evidence of things not seen and the substance of things hoped for Heb. 11.1 Luk. 19.9 This day is salvation come to thy house as when Christ called Zacheus from the tree salvation is actually begun then in a believing soul who is said to have his conversation in heaven Phil. 3.20 while he is below Whence he looked for a Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 15.18 And when death comes believers do not dye but sleep nothing of them dyes but their sins their imperfections and afflictions yea the very being of sin is done away as when the house is pulled into pieces all the ivy roots in the wall are destroyed Reason 3 Death opens a door to believers to be received into Christs armes into the bosome of glory Our loosing from the body is to be joyned to Christ 2 Cor. 5.8 and that is very sweet here is a mysticall union to Christ but no glorious presence no that 's the crowning mercy which is kept till after death Now judge you here you are a prison there enlarged here you are absent from your head your husband your Lord and King eternal but by death the soul is put into the hands of the blessed Angells and by them is presented to Jesus Christ to be for ever with the Lord in glory This Simeon foresaw and therefore said Lord now lettest c. Which dvides itself into these Reason 4 three heads 1. The conflict between soul and body in death 2. The necessity of death in regard to soul and body 3. The blessed advantage which soul and body finde in death 1. Great is the conflict oft times the spirit may be willing when the flesh is unwilling which two twins do a great while stand at loath to depart Jacob was not by Ge. 45.26 and by willing to leave his Countrie and the Land of Promise to goe to his Joseph Israel not by and by willing to go out of Egypt Exo. 5.21 though it were to terminate a long and tedious captivity in Egypt Exo. 12.40 Phil. 1.23 of 430 yeares Pauls Cupio dissolvi did not by and by break forth till the weight of sin carnal conflicts the buffettings of Satan and manifold persecutions did load and weary his pretious soul together with a tedious mortality but then this gratious servant of the Lord became willing to put off his body of sin and death together and with Simeon to say Lord now lettest c The same hand which doth take down our earthly Tabernacle doth build for us a surer and eternall habitation made without hands in the Heavens at which change 2 Cor. 5.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eccl. 12.7 the soul is taken to God that gave it till the last day when soul and body shal be made capable of those higher enjoyments which Jesus Christ hath dearly purchased and prepared for them a tast whereof our Lord was pleased to give unto Peter Mat. 17.2 James and John in the transfiguration and unto St. Paul when he was raptured into the third heaven 2 Cor. 12 2 both which some have thought to be more comprehensive then this vision of old Simeon here and yet all the dear Servants of God do in some aspect see Christ before they die and amidst some fears and misgiving thoughts do abundantly long to see him more 2. the necessity of death in regard to soul and body No mortall wants any thing so much as immortality and wants do necessiate men to desires stormes drives many goodly shipps into harbours war doth force the stoutest men to holdes and forts so the soul and body of the Lord 's gratious ones much pinched with the sence of their wants of glory to come and of their beatificall fruitions promised them be necessitated with blessed Simeon to desire to die that they may passe over troublesome Jordan to enjoy the promised blessings of celestiall Canaan where soul and body shall be refreshed enriched Ps 24. and eternally glorified with Jesus Christ their everlasting King of glory which thing our Saviour doth sweetly breath out by St. John Joh. 17.24 in that prayer of his Father I will that those whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my glory q. d. that they may behold my transforming glory 1 Cor. 13.12 Can the glory of grace that comes by Christ represented to us as in a glasse so transforme a soul as Simeons in the text hath the glory here by mediums such a power then what will it be when we shall behold it without meanes Something Simeon did reach after in his holy wish which he could not comprehend here below though he had his Lord Christ in his armes but he will rejoyce in God his faviour he will believe Job 14.14 and hope well he will expect and wait with holy Job till his change come when he knew his joy shall transcend the joy of harvest or that of men dividing the spoile 1 Pet. 1.8 it being a joy so unspeakable and full of glory See then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that death is necessary to prepare the soul and body for immortality of which more in the third branch of this fourth reason as followeth 3. The blessed advantage which soul body find in death after death Phil. 1.12 presently the soul begins to be in it's prime for whilest she was in the corruptible body she was ruled by corrupt sence and violently carried by loose appetite driven and compelled against it's own gratious desires to give way in some part to a body of sin for she can hardly look out at the eys but looks upon a baited hooke nor hear by the eare but there is the serpents voice nor the tong taste but there is some gall in that honey nor the hand touch but there is a defilement nor the foot tread but there 's a net and every sense a member of the body ready to be a Judas to the soule to betray her with a kiss Now what wise Simeon will not be willing to depart to exchange a dungeon for a pallace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 copper for gold base beggery for high honour a short lease of base heath of barren and craggy rocks Gen. 3.23 1 Pet. 1.4 for the garden of Eden a paradice nay for an inheritance inmortall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and incorruptible For as one said to live here is to be halfe dead at least death hath the all of a great part of our lives and dead works I think have above the one halfe of the most sanctified ones here who yet do die dayly 1 Cor. 15.31 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 7.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they may live the more to Jesus Christ For the body the body of death as Paul calls it is but let
a religious respect We may illustrate the point by these following considerations only first observe that we are not delivered from the necessity of dying naturally no Heb. 9.27 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that statute must stand that all must be subject to the necessity of dying believers and unbelievers nor are any delivered from subjection to sickness and diseases nor scarce any from pains at the hour of death nor from seperation of soul and body but all Simeons deaths be comfortable in these respects 1. The sting of sin is death a poysonfull sting but Jesus Christ on his Cross did take away this sting of death he disenabled death to hurt his redeemed ones nay our Lord did insult over death Hosea 13.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saying by his Prophet I wil redeem them from death O death I will be thy plagues O O grave I will be thy destruction and by his Apostle O death where is thy sting c. insomuch as death is now made the Saints friend 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who before through fear of death were all their life subject unto bondage 2. As our Lord hath delivered us from the sting and fear Heb. 2.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so also from the curse of death by which our death had been a dreadfull inlet and passage to the second death nay he hath delivered us from the curse of sickness pain and mortality c. like that meal cast into the pot of bitter pottage 2 King 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when the sons of the Prophets cryed out Death in the pot Death in the pot Rom. 8. so doth Jesus Christ heal and sanctifie our very trouble and afflictions that they shall do us more good and work together for the best to us viz. to bring down the tympany pricke the bladder of pride to crucifie or quench our lusts to cool our rash anger and raging passion to unmask our hypocrisie and generally to beat down the body of our corruptions and to help us to put off the old man more and more which as the Apostle and Saints do more lay to heart so they do more earnestly groan to be cloathed upon with our house which is from heaven 2 Cor. 5.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. By death the Saints be delivered from the dominion of death which was very high and imperious and did extend to the souls as well as the bodies of men Now the satisfaction of Christ which he made to divine justice and the redundancy of his merits dayly presented to his Father have prevailed to cut deaths dominion short and to loose the bands of death from off us as easily as Sampson did loose the green cords wherewith he had been bound But why then be the Saints of God punished at all with a temporall death Ob. Death is not properly a punishment An. nor inflicted by the Lord in wrath First for that in the forgiveness of sin wrath is quite taken away and God blots out their transgressions for his name sake Secondly death is turned into a blessing by the hand-worke of Jesus Christ opening a new and living way unto that rest which remaineth to the people of God Heb. 4.9 Ps 116.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pretiosa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi bono habilis Thirdly pretious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints Death is compared to a common gate in a city castle or garison at which the prisoner enters as the way unto his dungeon but the friends honour'd ones albeit they come in at the same gate do obteine princely and noble entertainment so death is common to all godly and ungodly to the one it is a door of entrance into life to the other a door of entrance into eternall death Q. Why do any truly godly ones fear deaths since it is so friendly to them A. Because some of God's pretious ones have through abundance of naturall fear many and strong misgivings of heart yet do much expostulate with themselves about it saying Why art thou cast down Oh my soul Psa 42.5.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Why are thou so disquieted within me trust still in God c. Some of Gods dearest servants have very strong apprehensions of death and the circumstances there-about and but low and weak apprehensions of Jesus Christ and so their eyes be too much fixed on their outward things which they leave behind them and two little on their Father into whose hands they should commend themselves and all that they call theirs and too little on Jesus Christ at the right hand of God for them and lastly too little on those masions of glory which the Lord Jesus hath prepared for them to each of whom our Lord may say as to Peter why art thou fearfull Mat. 14.31 O thou of little faith Come give me thy hand come rely depend and believe more strongly and thou shalt not fear to tread on the sinking waters of death Little faith breeds great feares May not a wicked man desire to die Q. 2 Yes but not as a wicked man A. but as a discontent and so the godly and wicked may both have desires to die For the godly Elias a gratious servant of God sick of great impatience sits him down under a juniper tree 1 Kings 19.4 and saith it 's enough Oh Lord take away my life for I am no better then my Fathers So good Jeremiah curseth his birth-day Jer. 20.14 and repents him that ever he lived or had been preserved to be then alive 2. A wicked man also though not as such anone but in some desperate condition may be willing to die as wicked Saul 1. Sa. 31.4 ashamed to live and astonished to think of his reproach spake to one 2 Sa. 17.23 and another to kill him So Ahitophell wearie of his life went home set his house not his soul in order Mat. 27.35 and hanged himself So Judas his horrible guilt forced him out of his wicked life So some notorious malefactours have laid violent hands in prisons and else where on themselves rather then live longer to be made examples and monuments of publique shame But these wretches be acted much by Satan himself or by his instruments as when Job's wife comes to her husband with Job 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Benedictiones Dia holi sunt maledictiones curse God and die What ever Job's wife was otherwise I 'le not insist but sure I am now she was an instrument of Satan Where by the way observe That Satan is restless to bring the deare Servants of God to think and speak evill of him in their extremities Satan will perswade us to ease our selves mitigate our grievances by evill meanes saying sin and die curse God and die Observe he sometimes suggests that it is not sinful to seek or wish ones owne death He would
up for thee so vile a wretch I say didst think it was halfe true which was told thee of the desirablenes and excellency of Jesus Christ to all believers in and after their blessed change Loe now what ever discovery here hath been made all the tongues of men and Angels are not able to reveile the hundredth part of thy beatificall fruition in the bosome of glory who dost depart this fraile life in the true relation of a dear Servant of God who dyest in that blessed peace according to the Word of God Thus much of this sweet consolalation Which divides it self into six particulars 1. That Death is spoiled of it's power to hurt us and of a conquered foe is made a friend 2. Saints cannot miscarry in their death because Christ is with them 3. All the godly have the first fruits of glory in hand 4. The saints honour glory and immortality is already prepared and reserved for them in heaven 5 Death is an haven after a storm a rest to all laborious saints a sure hiding place and sanctuary to soul and body 6. The saints promised and hoped for happiness coms sure at last Which happiness hath been amplified 1. In the matter blessedness in God enjoyed 2. In the manner the beholding of Gods face Next followeth the exhortation which is four-fold 1. To be thankfull for this sight of Simeon 2. To prepare for an happy death Solidly Timely 3. To submit to God's dispose in life or death 4. Not to mourn overmuch for them that dye in the Lord. 1 Exhortation Let all gracious Simeons be truly thankful for their sight of Christ with any glimpse of true faith Mal. 4.2 this is Oculata fides or faith illightned with a beam of the Sun of righteousnesse holding forth glorious things laid up in store for the admirers of Jesus Christ for all those whom he hath drawn near unto himself with the sweet honey-combs of his matchless love Cant. 1.4 Cant. 4.10 and with the sweet savour of his costly oyntments and with that untold unvaluable mine of evangelicall grace Look on blessed Saint fix thine eyes upon that Covenant-goodness into which thy poor soul is admitted and be thankfull which Covenant was the birth and product of God the Fathers everlasting love and mercy to all his seeing Simeons Deut. 7.7 the Legacy of free grace of the Father Son and Holy Ghost richly enamelled with royall priviledges and most gracious promises comprehending all those jura regalia of the remission of sin Rom. 9.4.5 of justification before God of adoption and son-ship And by the way observ that Remission of sin which Christ did bleed out for thee who scarce ever didst bleed out a tear for him 't is a choice mercy bestowed on none Rom. 11.23 but such as are vessels of mercy viz. Gods pretious people those blessed ones whom God makes the objects of blessedness Exo. 34.6.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and proclaims himself in his glory as to Moses the Lord the Lord God mercifull c. and shall not such be thankfull Believing Simeon faith doth as it were antidate thy happiness and make things to come as if they were present and as one sayes substantiates things not yet seen and appropiate them to thy self Ps 60.7 as Gilead is mine Manasseh is mine These places were not then conquered but God had spoken in his holinesse and that was assured to Davids soul hee had made a sure Promise Psa â—32 7 Isai 55.3 Acts 2.30 Covenant and Oath to David and so a believer may say heaven is mine heaven is mine God and Christ everlasting glory is mine Faith looks on the promise as fulfilled already and put into its hand in the full assurance of it and after a sort into perfect enjoyment as when the Spirit brought Ezekiel in the visions of God to Jerusalem Ezec. 1.1 his body was commorant in Babilon's captivity by the river Chebar even then his spirit is said to be in Jerusalem for his spirit did lift him up between heaven and earth Ezec. 8.3 and brought him in those visions to Jerusalem The soul may be in sweet communion with God in heaven when the body may be in the earth Every Simeon's soul is in a sense in heaven already sweetly solaced in the beatificall Vision Mat. 5.8 Rev. 15.3 Rev. 2.17 Rev. 22.1.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. â— 9 and singing the song of Moses and the Lamb tasting the heavenly Manna and bathing her self in those rivers of pleasure which the Lord hath put within Christ's purchase and prepared for them that love him to which our blessed Lord doth point as a means of this enjoyment Mat. 6.21 Lay up your treasure in heaven for where your treasure is there will also your heart be A Simeon may be below Col. 3.2 and yet his affections above as Paul doth exhort set your affections on things above and not on things beneath so that a gracious soul is under a double consideration of earth and of heaven whose mind is not said to be where he is but where he likes and loves best and therefore have some of the Ancients wont to say that even here below the soul fetcheth many a flight to heaven with those dove-like wings of silver Psal 68.13 and those feathers of yellow gold in the Psalm 68.13 to see the God of Glory to speak with Jesus Christ at Gods right hand to present her petitions by her gracious Advocate and Mediatour at heavens Throne in expectation of a most gracious answer Again the soul flies up to heaven to visit those innumerable Angels and to contemplate the Patriarks and Prophets happiness to admire the Apostles honour to congratulate all the Assemblies of the first born and to salute the spirits of just men made perfect Rev. 4.1 this Saint John saw a door in heaven opened and he heard a voyce as it were of a trumpet talking with him which said come up hither and immediatly he was in the Spirit and behold a Throne was set in heaven and one sate on the Throne whence the Prophet John by a call from heaven coms up but how not Corporally but Spiritually then the Spirit lifted up the good man in sweet meditation and most holy affection as Simeon here whose gladded and thankfull heart breathed out this Song in the text Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart c. Then O believer put on thy white robes of holiness Rev. 7. â— 13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it s but a little while when with Elijah thou shalt ascend joyfully when those earthly raggs shall fall off and thy Christ shall cloath thee over with his bright garment of Glory bear up then blessed Saint rejoice and be thankful in hope of the glory of God it 's a duty becoming thee to be thankfull Rom. 5.2 See what argument Christ useth to raise up the drooping hearts of his
hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him who is the help of my countenance and my God direction 3. To be very reall in our thanks we must much revolve in our mindes and consider our great unworthiness and that we are unfit for any mercy as Jacob did Gen. 32.10 I am not worthy of the least of all thy mercies that we are then dead doggs as Mephibosheth humbly spoke to King David 2 Sam. 9.8 we must call to mind the number the kind the nature and the good of a mercy the freeness the fulness and choiceness of it and the suitableness of the loving kindness and be thankfull to admiration as David was often and as Simeon was here for his vision which was so adequate to his soul and bodies welfare here and hereafter in life in death and at the last judgment this will make a soul sing and say Luk. 1.69.70 Blessed be the Lord God who hath raised up such Salvation for so miserable a creature as I was and to say with holy David Bless the Lord O my soul Ps 103.2 forget not all his benefits and the better to recollect these mercies Christians must bee carefull to keep records of singular mercies of the year and day the matter the manner the measure the instruments as David did most sweetly for that out of these records shall be made up the song of Moses and the Lamb. 2 Sam. 8.16 2 Kgins 18.18 Joah the son of Asaph was Hezechiahs Recorder Psal 105.6 7 8 9 10 11. Read the 105 Psalm it 's wholly filled with rich enumerations of the Lord 's wonderous works from Abraham to the time of the planting of the Lords people in Canaan and they are bid to remember his marvellous works and the judgments of his mouth how he had remembred his Covenant for ever the Word which he commanded to a thousand generations his Covenant with Abraham his Oath with Isaac and confirmed the same to Jacob for a law and to Israel for an everlasting Covenant c. true thankfulnesse as its long-lived and written with infallible characters so it takes care to eternize the praises of the Lord and sayes as thankfull Job Job 19.23 24. O that my words were printed in a book that they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever have we done so that not God looses his glory and thy soul is too short in thy reall thanks direct 4. 4. Real thanks must be all to God self is little regarded so as Gods name and glory may be exalted Many are somewhat thankful when self is much concerned and wil praise the Lord Psal 68.4 when dangers be over Psal 107. when enemies be defeated cut off and destroyed when afflictions be over and sickness turned to health that now they may enjoy again their honor their ease their pleasure their estates in the world their corn and wine then they will give God thanks and blesse his name Hab. 1.15 they rejoyce and are glad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but still their thanks go no farther then self is concerned which the Prophet cals a sacrificing to their own nets and a burning of incense to their own dragg but such their thanks seldom goes higher then themselvs But I must tell them that those thanks which do begin and end in self bee not reall Christian thanks but true thanks do draw out the soul to bless the Lord for Jesus Christ and the Gospells for the manifestations of his glory power wisdome truth and all his goodness to his Church and for the prosperity of Sion when it goes well there O then thankfull souls will insult for joy and bee full of praises as the Israelites were at the bringing home of the Ark And David danced before the Lord 2 Sam. 6.12 14 15. 1 Kings 8. and was girded with a linnen Ephod And Israel brought up the Ark with showting and with the sound of the trumpet and at the dedication of the Temple as on the contrary when it goes ill with the Church and people of God it goes also ill with gracious souls 1 Sam. 4.13 14 15 vers 19. as with Eli and Phineas wife when the Ark was taken and when the glory was departed from Israell who called her son Icabod And thus so publike spirited was she that her life seemed to be bundled up in the wellfare of the people of God direction 5 True reall thankfulness does acquiesce in God can repose in the Lord his alsufficiency covenant goodness for such a one doth see all the enemies of his salvation ever fall down before the Lord 1 Sam. 5.4 Josh 6. to the 20. Gen. 3.15 Rev. 6.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 4. ult 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Dagon did before the Ark irrecoverably to be demolished like the walls of Jericho such do see the seed of the woman break the serpents head and Christ himself riding conquering and to conquer do see Kings bound in chains and nobles with fetters of Iron in this consideration doth David lay himself down in peace who as from time to time his soul did recollect the Lords manifold great and glorious mercies conferred upon him so he said I will trust in him and he shall be my God for ever this he said after a long enumeration of Sea land-mercies he engageth himself in voluntary vows to devote and consecrate himself to the Lord that shall be all his work for time to come and he will wholly be the Lords not his own so had the Lord obliged his servant that he is at a stand what returns of thankfulness to make but at last concludes to offer thanks to pay his vows and to be for ever realizing the praises of his soul by declaring them and exemplifying them and improving them untill they do empty themselves into beatificall hallelujahs and he himself do sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of heaven Thus of real thankfullness Which sees fiducially into all the Lords covenant-goodness doth substantiate things not seen make things absent as present Thus wee have seen what bee true reall thanks which wil be found in some measure in all thankfull Simeons 1. There be very high praises of God and his Christ 2. They look far and search deep in the heart and in-side of the mercy 3. There 's humble acknowledgments of self-unworthiness 4. God hath the all of true thankfulness as all came out from him so it empties it self into God again 5. It acquiesces and reposeth in the Lord. All this did abundantly shine forth in godly men and so they do in every truly thankfull soul Thus of the first exhortation The second exhortation is to prepare for an happy death Solidly and Timely Exhort 2 ◠to prepare for an happy death Psal 90. Be we all exhorted to prepare for an happy death 1. Timely 2. Solidly 1. Timely thy days
bee assured of mirth without mourning of life without death of an immortal crown without any cross at all The fourth concerns thy consolation Consola and so bee comforted who tookest all due care to walk as a Christian with holy tender and abounding affections towards thy dear friend when and while he or shee lived with thee ask thy self what Christian communion thou had'st what care and watching over thy friend in all good offices of love didst discover thy self a friend to his soul did'st admonish exhort reprove or comfort him according to thy best ability and his necessity wa st much in prayer by humble seeking God to beg every blessing which thy friend did want did'st do all the offices of love to thy friend in his sickness or under any need of thy help if thou wast sincere in this matter thou mai'st be comforted and blesse the Lord who gave thee such an heart and now that the Lord hath taken thy friend into an higher story of divine favour be better perswaded well knowing that God calls thee now to other work upon which to attend and leave thy friend to the Lord betake thy self to serve his good providence among the living who do survive Somewhat wee see of this in David 2 Sam. 12. while the child was very sick David besought God for the child hee fasted and went in and lay all night on the earth nor would he bee raised from the earth by the elders of his house neither would he eat bread with them On the seventh day the child dyed of which when David had heard then he arose from the earth he washed and anointed himself changed his apparell and came into the house of the Lord and worshipped and when hee required they set bread before him and he did eat At which carriage of his his servants much marvelled saying what thing is this that thou hast done thou did'st fast and weep when the child was alive and when it was dead thou did'st arise and eat bread and David answered while the child was yet alive I fasted and wept for I said said who can tell whether the Lord will bee gracious to mee that the child may live but now hee is dead wherefore should I fast can I bring him baek again I shal go to him but hee shall not return to mee And David comforted Bathsheba Thus there is a time to be born Eccl. 3.2 and a time to dye a time to weep and a time to laugh a time to mourn and a time to dance Fiftly our dolorous mournings 5. A sweet mixture of joy and sorrow in our mourning must not be without some mixture of joy the losse of beloved friends may seem desperate and irrecoverable and the sorrow is the more exuberant but yet there is joy again which doth surmount in the gracious soul to allay it's bitternesse who can loose nothing of the creature but it is made up in God repaid in Christ with a great overplus therefore sorrow may not alwaies abide upon his spirit if he sorrow that any stream of his comfort is cut off it is but turning him to the fountain and he hath all made up to him again and he rejoyceth blessing God who saith to him as Elkanah to Hannah am not I to thee instead of more friends so says God to the mourner I am to thee instead of all more then all And thus as fast as doth thy sorrow abound so fast and faster do thy consolations superabound That dear friends be dead that is sad to hear of or to see but that mortality is put off to put on immortality that 's joyful that death hath swallowed up our friends may grieve us but that death is swallowed up of life that doth rejoyce us that friends be departed seems to begin a desolation but that they be delivered from their body of sin from grinding pains from destroying diseases from unruly lusts and sinful passions from strong and dangerous temptatitions from fiery darts from Satans wiles and methods all this is matter of joy you who exceed in your mournings for your loving parents and dear friends taken out of this world I may fear you believe somewhat in this worlds glory to be very lovely and truly good and more excelling then the Scriptures ever spake of and therefore you so mourn at your friends being bereaved of and taken away from that good when as indeed all that is below and sublunar is fading and perishing and all that is below Jesus Christ and the glory to come Eccles 1.2 stained vanitie emptinesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is but a melancholly lump of vanity and vexation of spirit which made the Psalmist say that every man in his best estate is altogether vanity you seem to forget that the whole creation groans under this vanity and travelleth in pain together till now and not onely they Rom. 22.23 but our selves also which have the first fruits of the spirit even we our selves groan within our selves waiting for the adoption to wit the redemption of our bodyes when God sees good to take away our gracious friends he takes them from such vanities and perturbations as under which they do groan that we might not onely be satisfied with his dispensation but blesse God and say be it so Lord according to thy word When you think of your friends long languishing sickness sore pains wearisome days and nights and of the cruell stroak of death then like Heshbons pools our eyes be full of water and like house-spouts tears run down our cheeks but man of sorrow recollect thy self and wisely consider that by deaths hand all pains sicknesses and sorrows are finallized and there shall never be one tear sorrow or pain more thy body is laid to sleep as in a sweet bed of roses till the generall resurrection and thy soul is at perfect rest and ease is carried by the blessed Angells into thy Lords armes of sweatest embraces and hath the same entertainment as Christs humane soul and body had after his blessed ascention whom the Angells brought to the Antient of days Dan. 7.13 so doth Christ present the souls of his Saints departed to the father Do'st grieve and canst not be comforted Oh change thy minds affection as thy friend is changed for he is received into heaven with the same acclamations as Christ himself was welcomed only it shal be according to thy measure and capacity By this time I hope I have wiped off all tears from thy eyes put a sweet handkerchiefe into thine hands to do it thy self Then meditate much and say it oft blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord or rather that sleep in the Lord that they may live for ever Pretious soul do not mourn unmeasurably for such who are triumphant in heaven being cloathed in long white robes and washed in the blood of the Lamb who at the generall restauration of all things shall claspe and imbrace