And to receiue and enioy this glory there is no other way but by death Death onely fetches vs and brings vs thither Now as a young Prince liuing some-where in banishment would exceedingly reioyce to see a messenger sent by the King his father to fetch him home and to set him on his Throne Euen so ought a childe of God to reioyce when God sends vnto him his Messenger Death to fetch him vnto his eternall kingdome Yea so much the more then such a Prince by how much the more the Kingdome of heauen doth excell all the Kingdomes of the world For it is better to be one day in the Palace of heauen sayes Dauid then else-where a thousand Psal 84.11 Priuiledge of the life to come For what haue we on the face of the earth that should make vs desire to stay here If we giue ouer this life which is but temporall and full of miserie and trouble wee obtaine a life on high where there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying Reu. 21.4 neither shall there be any more paine If heere wee depart from our earthly parents we are entertained there of our heauenly Father Math. 5.45 If heere wee leaue our chiefest friends and kindred wee meete there with our brethren in Christ cloathed in long white garments Reu. 7.9 If heere wee loose our Gardens and faire Pallaces wee finde our selues there in Paradise where the tree of life is continually growing If heere we remoue out of a famous Citie wee become there Citizens of the heauenly Ierusalem Heb. 12.22 Or if here we forgoe our Princely honours there we are named children of the most high Luk. 6.35 Yea if here we forsake euen an earthly Kingdome we possesse there a heauenly Kingdome Luk. 1.33 whereof there shall be no end The seeing of God When further wee proceede and consider that we are promised there to see God and that we shall see him as he is Math. 5.8 how can wee but hope to see the holy Trinity with full satisfaction 1 Ioh. 3 2. Wee shall see him in whose presence is the fulnesse of ioy Psal 16.11 and who shall say then vnto vs Enter into thy masters ioy Math. 25.21 O what an vnexpressable ioy will this bee What can our mindes imagine or hearts wish more If the Queene of Seba cryed out that those men were happy which stoode before Salomon to heare his wisedome 1 Reg. 10.8 how happy will those be that shall stand before Iesus who is the wisedome of his heauenly Father And if Iohn the Baptist leaped for very ioy at the presence of Christ Luk. 1.44 while he was yet in his mothers wombe And Simeon was satisfied when hee had but seene the childe in the Temple Luk. 2.30 what ioy and satiety will those receiue that shall see him sit at the right hand of his Father in eternall glory The three Apostles of our Lord when they had but a very small resemblance therof in that short transfiguration of Christ how soone did they forget set light by the world with all her appurtenances cried out Master it is good for vs to be here Luk. 9.33 and let vs heere build vs tabernacles What doe those Apostles now feele Or what doe they say now with all those that perfectly behold his glory and dwell in it The honour of our soules When we farther yet consider that we our selues shall obtaine there the Crowne of glory 1 Pet. 5.4 that fadeth not away as Peter speakes And that Gods children being by Christ iustified shall shine forth as the Sunne in the Kingdome of their Father Math. â—3 43 and be as the Angels of God in heauen Math. 22. â—0 yea are there to raigne for euer and euer Reu. 22.5 What heart what soule can chuse but long exceedingly to forgoe this world and to attaine to the presence of God Dauid cries out As the Hart panteth after the water brookes Psal 42.1 so panteth my soule after thee O God My soule thirsteth for God for the liuing God when shall I come and appeare before God Now that which he longed for euery true beleeuer after this life once ended shall for euer enjoy The meeting of the body and sâ—ule together But whosoeuer farther will cast his eyes on the generall resurrection of the dead may finde yet farther matter of ioy and comfort Euery one may in some sort conceiue how vnspeakeably these two old friends soule and body will reioyce when after many ages they shall meete againe and perceiue that each of them is in a happy estate 1 Cor. 15.45 But chiefly when this corruptible shall haue put on incorruption and this mortall shall haue put on immortality and bee partaker with the soule of heauenly delight Yea the Lord Iesus shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like vnto his glorious body Phil. 3.21 What is there in heauen or in earth more excellent or what can bee imagined that deserues rather to be desired Yea with our corporall eyes we shall behold Christ This it was euen this I say was it wherewith Iob comforted himselfe in his long continued miserie and which did releeue him in his greatest agony I know sayes he that my Redeemer liueth and that hee shall stand at the latter day vpon earth and though after my skinne wormes destroy this body yet in my flesh shall I see God Iob 19.26 whoâ— I shall see for my selfe and mine eyes shall behold and not another Stephen the Martyr had assurance hereof in this life for hee being full of the holy Ghost sayes the Scripture looked vp stedfastly into heauen Acts 7.55 and sawe the glory of God and Iesus standing on the right hand of God With this firâ—t Martyr of Christ let vs then coÌ„tinually cast our harts eies of faith towards heauen and fixe them wholly on Christ crying out with him Lord Iesus receiue my spirit Yea when wee can neither crie nor speake any more Let vs all with Hanna 1 Sam. 1.15 powre out our soules before him And the Spirit will make intercession for vs Rom. 8.26 with groaning which cannot be vttered and wee doubtlesse with the afore-said Stephen shall see heauen open and when our time comes with him dye in the Lord. Yet if it shall please God after all our good preparation An appendix to lift vs as he did the fore-mentioned Ezechias from our bâ—d againe and to restore vs to health let vs take good heede that we doe not neglect likewise with the same King Es 38.20 to sing songs in the house of the Lord all the dayes of our life that is euermore to be thankfull vnto him to serue him and to praise him So the diseased person whom Iesus had healed at Ierusalem was presently found in the Temple Ioh. 5.14 The Prophet Dauid teacheth vs
might suffer that wrath and punishment which man by sinne had deserued and so satisfie Gods Iustice for mans transgressions All which in due time being fulfilled Ioh. 19 36. so many are now still acquitted before God as come to beleeue in him For he that beleeueth in him is not condemned Ioh. 3.18 but he that beleeueth not is condemned already This Sonne of God as a Lambe without blemish and without spot hath offered vp his pretious blood vnto God for vs 1 Pet. 1.19 saith St. Peter And thereby taketh he away the sinne of the world Ioh. 1.29 saith St. Iohn and consequently the sting of death 2 Tim 1.10 Yea death it selfe is abolished by his appearanee sayes St. Paul Whosoeuer then is thus armed with faith in his Sauiour Christ how caÌ„ death or its sting hurt him Hee that beleeueth on the Sonne 1 Ioh 3.36 hath euerlasting life as St. Iohn witnesseth Death indeed doth retaine its force to kill our naturall flesh with a dart but this Shield or Buckler so defends our soule that this dart cannot touch it Now what a comfort is this for a dying man that now wee may freely vse the words of the Apostle O Death where is thy sting 1 Cor. 15.55.57 O Graue where is thy victorie But thankes be to God which giueth vs the victory through our Lord Iesus Christ But many a one findes himselfe 3 Point but faint in faith Confirmation of weak faith How shall I know certainly thinkes hee whether I be one of those which God hath called chosen to enioy his gracious promises or of those thaâ— haue nothing to doe wiâ—h them A man mighâ— indeede here answere the Lord knoweth his 2 Tim. 2.29 And he that as St. Paul farther â—eacheth doth certainly feele the testimonie of the holy Ghost within him Rom. 8.15 may vndoubtedly assure himselfe of his saluation This is certaine and he that feeles this can haue not better inâ—â—ruction Yet will we endeauour to set these in the way to find true Christian comfort who through weaknesse of faith doe not feele such a testimonie in their sicknesse First then the Sauiour of the world giues vs this certaine token He that belceueth and is baptized shall be saued Mar. 16. â—6 but he that beleeueth not shall be damned Whosoeuer therefore findes himselfe to haue beene baptized in the name of God and besides hath often beene present at publique prayers and preaching of the word of God and beene inuited to the holy Sacrament may already hope that he thereby is called to the vniâ—ersall or at lâ—aâ—t to the visible Church of Christ And whosoeuer doth further perceiue in his heart that Gods spirit hath called him to his Church and doth beleeue that Christ his blood is sufficient for the wiping out of all his sinnes yea doth conceiuâ— that GOD himselfe doth proffer him his redemption if onely hee can but embrace it with stedfast faith the same though he cannot yet vndoubtedly beleeue it must know that God hereby sets saluation before his eyes And if we haue further found a continuall inclination in our selues to heare the word of God to obserue his commandements and as we said before to a true repentance of our negligence we may safely beleeue that wee are in the way which leades to Christ his sheepe-fold For he sayes himselfe My sheepe heare my voyce Ioh. 10.27 and I know them and they follow me Yea if we endeauour to imploy our selues in all good workes to be obedient to Christ we haue already some fruites of faith And if we haue the fruits wee must also haue the roote though yet couered with earth or with our earthly thoughts For we must assure our soules that the good Lord will 2 Chro. 30.19 pardon euery one that prepareth his heart to seeke God As King Hezekiah prayed for those Israelites that did eate the passeouer without due purification according to the Law As also St. Paul comforts and encourages the Corinthians saying If there be first a willing minde it is accepted according to that a man hath 2 Cor. 8.12 and not according to that hee hath not Besides if wee feele in our conscience that God loues vs we may certainly conclude out of St. Iohns words that we are of those vnto whom God hath sent his Sonne to be a propitiation for our sinnes 1 Ioh. 4.10 And if besides we finde that we loue God we may also vpon St. Pauls word expect the things which God hath prepared for them that loue him 2. Cor. 2.9 And what is this but a token of our faith Wee may then yea must still cry out and pray with the childs father in the Gospell Mâ—r. 9.24 Lord I beleeue helpe thou mine vnbeliefe Assuredly trusting that as Iesus restored that mans Childe to his corporall health hee will also worke vpon our soule that cure that shall be effectuall to procur the saluation of it And if euer wee haue felt in our prayers especially being at deathes dore that the Spirit did beare witnesse with our spirit Rom. 8.16 that we were the children of God We may freely bee confident that this God his mercy remaines constant towards vs. For hee still continues the same towards them that doe not willingly for sake him Yea though our very conscience do witnesse against vs that with desire and greedinesse wee haue since that time committed many sinnes yet is it no small comfort if shee can also witnesse vnto vs that after the committing thereof we haue often cast our selues downe at Gods feete with true sorrow and repétance For this is indeed the fault condition of Gods children Nor can this true repentance proceede from any but from God who is the fountaine of all good If then he send vs true repentance hee endeauours our Saluation if hee endeauour it he will performe it God in his word bids vs Comfort the feeble minded 1 Thes 5.14.15 wee may therefore well beleeue that hee himselfe will doe it Let vs then as it followes there pray without ceasing 1 Pet. 1.13 and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought vnto vs at the Reuelation of Iesus Christ Comfort against the temptation of the deuill But if any man there be that cannot perceiue or feele in his soule a stedfast hope that his prayer is heard of GOD but finds himselfe deprest by meanes of his riotous and vnruly life he must not therefore giue himselfe ouer to despaire It is true indeede that Sathan our enemie who assaults euen the holiest minded men oft in their extreamitie hath sufficient matter to torment this miserable creature withall But shouldest thou marke iniquities Psal 130.3 O Lord who shall stand But there is forgiuenesse with thee The Lordour God is a mercifull God If we be sinners Deut. 4.31 wee are those that Christ came to redeeme For he came not to
call the righteous Math. 9.12 13. but sinners to repentance for sayes he the whole neede not the Physitian but they that are sicke Let vs only earnestly runne after him Call on him by faith as did the sick the blinde the lame as St. Mathew hath distinctly set downe and wee may yet be cured with them Yea rather before them for our Sauiour came into the world to heale the sicknesse of the soule and did but heale their bodily diseases thereby to moue them to giue him leaue to take their soules in hand And by these externall things he would haue vs to feele his infinite loue Salomons words indeed befit him well who telleth vs that Lone couereth all sinnes Pro. 10.12 Sinne indeed is so strong that it did hinder man from entring into heauen into which as yet hee neuer had set foote But the loue of God was of farregreater might that caused him to send his onely begotten Sonne into the world out of heauen 1 Ioh. 4.9 where he was in all glory and that to this end that euen the feeblest might liue through him This incomprehensible loue St. Paul termeth the riches of his grace Eph. 1.7 These riches then and this infinite treasure of his loue is the true wedding grament Mat. 22.12 that will hide all our sores at the wedding of the King and will richly adorne all wretched and forlorne soules notwithstanding any estate of pouerty or misery that their sin haâ—h brought them to if onely they can sit it vnto themselues by faith Therefore if the deuill assaile vs Iam. 4.7 let vs resist him saith the Apostle and he will flee from vs. If hee doe obiect and testifie against vs that we haue not with Maries zeale chosen the better part Let vs constantly hope that neuerthelesse Ioh. 11.5 seruing Christ with Marthas vprightnesse wee may notwithstaÌ„ding be beloued of him If he shall suggest vnto vs that we must not thinke to see that vnspeakeable ioy of the third heauen which was shewed Paul to that Elect vessell of God Luk. 23.46 yet let vs constantly trust that we shall enioy that blisse in Paradise which was granted to the Thiefe on the Crosse If hee tempt vs with the text of Holy writ that GOD doth not heare the prayers of sinners Mich. 3.4 let vs answere him with Holy writ againe Math. 4.10 Depart from me Sathan God sweares by himselfe Ezech. 33.11 that hee hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked man turne from his way and liue yea there is more ioy in heauen ouer one sinner that repenteth Luk. 15.7 then ouer ninety and nine iust persons which neede no repentance Therefore let vs turne our hearts to God Rom. 8.25 hope for that we see not and expect it with patience Doe we not heare from Christ himselfe that Iamentable voyce My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee Luk. 23.48 Yet presently after that Father into thy hands I commend my spirit Wee must also know that this our trembling for feare of Gods wrath is a token that wee doe not with worldlings carelesly neglect our sinnes or seeke to hide them from Gods sight But that we feele them with Dauid and doe confesse them vnto him and therefore may hope with him that the Lord forgiueth vs our transgressions Psal 32.5 Wee haue with the Prodigall serued the world and the deuill but now in our pouerty and agonie wee cry out with him Father I haue sinned against heauen and in thy sight Luk. 15.20.21 and am no more worthy to be called thy Sonne wherefore wee must expect that our heauenly Father will be moued with compassion and receiue vs with a kisse This straying Prodigall childe when hee so spake knew not whether his Father would receiue him into fauour againe or not yet hee found good successe with it Wherefore let vs for whose instruction and encouragement this is recorded assuredly hope that if we doe the like God will likewise receiue vs. For to haue compassion on his children is the true nature of a father which that we may assure our selues to finde in God our Lord Iesus Christ to our great comfort puts this name in our mouth in the very beginning of our prayers Let vs then cry out without ceasing Math. 6.9 Our Father forgiue vs our trespasses deliuer vs from euill and wee doubtlesse in him shall finde the right affection and effects of a Father Let vs obserue also the two Disciples that had in a manner lost both faith and hope and trauailing towards Emaus were troubled in their soules concerning the death of Iesus Christ who they had hoped as they complained should haue deliuered Israell Luk. 24.21 but now seemed to haue lost that hope And out of the aboundance of their heart their mouth vttered these things vnto a stranger in the field Now what befell them Did the Lord reiect them because they told him this euen to his face No hee tooke pitty rather on their infidelity and was with them ere they thought on him And so let vs hope beyond hope that our Redeemer mercifully now stands and beholds our perplexity though we see him not And that he in due time will very kindly and assuredly let vs feele his compassion and ayde Yea if God sent the Prophet Nathan 2 Sam. 12.7 to that King that priuately by adulterie and murther had sinned against him and if he prepared a crowing Cocke Math. 26.75 for that Apostle that publiquely had denied him and beheld them both with the eye of his compassion before euer they thorowly perceiued their owne sins or euer thought of repentance O may not we then beleeue that he will haue mercy on vs who haue our heart harder prest downe by our sinnes then if a milstone lay on it and lie now sighing to be releast Yea we must beleeue it when the Sauiour of the world himselfe saith it Behold hee is so mercifull vnto those whose hearts are sore opprest with the burthen of their sinnes that he doth not stay till they finde him But hee seekes them and cries out himselfe with a loude voyce Come vnto me all yee that labour and are heauie laden Math. 11.28 To what end to oppresse them no certainly I will giue you rest saith he Let a man obserue this well and ruminate priuately on it and his heart shall be forced to powre out secretly before the Lord either these or the like words A comfortable meditation O Lord Iesu Almighty God the onely Sauiour of the world doest thou call mee wilt thou refresh me Thou thy selfe in whose power onely the sauing and condemning of my soule doth consist Doest thou promise me this who art truth it selfe and that because I finde my selfe loaden wiâ—h many sins O Lord what or whom neede I then to feare I come I come I am he whom thou callest Behold I
our comfort delight and refuge Let vs then no longer lye weltring in sorrow lest by ouerlong lamenting wee encrease Gods wrath and prouoke him to correct vs with a heauier crosse If a Father should send one of his children into a farre Country to see and learne fashions and the childes brother in the meane while should neuer linne complaining that hee had lost his play-fellow would not this continuall whining at the last out-weary the Father Surely when his words could not herein preuaile with him hee would at the last better instruct him with a rod and so make him to be quiet Therefore let vs also willingly yeeld our necks vnto the yoake of Gods will and in patience possesse our soules Luk 21.19 that our impatience draw not his wrath downe vpon vs. Wee must not like children still cry and whine nor thinke that our loue due to the dead requires it of vs. They themselues would chide vs if our of heauen they should behold our endlesse lamenting for them True loue should giue vs occasion of ioy If ye loued me Ioh. 14.28 ye would reioyce saith Wisdome it selfe because I said I goe vnto the Father We must then bannish our of our hearts by a manly or rather a Christian courage this discomfort and manifest our strength by our patience For as Salomon sayes Hee that ruleth his Spirit Pro. 16.32 is better then he that taketh a Citie The holy Scipture that sayes Let the dead bury the dead Math. 8.22 whose buriall yet notwithstanding was necessary with more reason ought to perswade vs that wee should let the dead bewaile the dead which is not necessary at al. But why doe we still let our thoughts dwell in the graue whither we haue willingly caused the bodies of our best friends to be caried and there to be left Let vs lift our heads higher Let vs erect our hearts toward heauen whither God hath directed their soules There the best part of them is yet liuing There their soules remaine by the operations whereof their bodies did here delight vs. There I say our friends yet liue This wee may learne of Iob to whom God afterwards as the holy Scripture witnesseth gaue twice as much as hee had before To wit for seauen thousand Iob 1.2 Iob 42.12 hee gaue him foureteene thousand sheepe and so forth But in stead of tenne children he gaue him but tenne againe How then were they doubled his liuelesse Cattell were stone dead His deceased children were aliue still in heauen and the ten more giuen him here made them vp twenty Let vs then obserue hence that although our louing parents husbands wiues and children or friends are departed out of this world yet for all that they be not therefore dead but aliue yea that they may still be called ours And what greater comfort or reason then can wee haue to stay or stop our mourning then this Or if we cannot haile our senses out of the graue let vs at least behold and consider their bodies there with the eyes of the true Apostolique faith and wee shall finde them there constantly expecting the resurrection of the body Sym. Apost and life euerlasting And this is that which the Apostle on good ground charges vs 2 Thes 4.18 to comfort one another withall Calling on God And to conclude though wee haue set downe much comfort and diuers remedies against sorrowes yet except the Lord build the house Psal 127.1 they labour in vaine that build it In vaine doe we take in hand to cure the body In vaine doe we instruct the spirit vnlesse God stretch forth his ayding hand All sorrowfull hearts must then fall downe before him in whom is the fulnesse of ioy Psal 16.11 and call vpon him continually to release them of their sorrow Hee can soone scatter through the light of his spirit all those thick clouds of misery which often euen against our owne will doe compasse vs about Let vs take heed onely that with Martha wee be not too much troubled Luk. 10.39 and let vs with Mary rather set our selues at his feete and willingly embrace his comforts Or if we cannot wholy keepe our selues from sorrowing let vs not weepe ouer the dead but with the daughters of Ierusalem weepe for our selues that yet liue Luk. 23.28 Let vs freely mourne for our cōmon sins that brought death into the world and striue to diminish them daily more more by repentance so shall this religious sorrow be comfortable vnto vs and procure vs an eternall ioy Which we entreat that Comforter to grant vnto vs Ioh. 14.16 which our Sauiour promised to send his Disciples Amen A Prayer for the sicke written by Mr. I. KING Minister of Gods word in London ETernall and omnipotent God most kinde and mercifull Father I thy poore creature dust ashes appeare before thy high diuine Maiesty with a hearty confession of my vilenesse and manifold sinnes wherewith in soule and body I am defiled and so wounded that from the sole of my feere to the top of my head there is nothing sound in me For in my vnderstanding is nothing but blindnesse in my will nothing but obstinacie against thy commandements my heart is a root of all iniquity my externall members are weapons of vnrighteousnesse yea through my disobedience incredulity ingratitude I haue so farre turned aside from thee and strayed from thy wayes that I am become a slaue to sinne and a childe of wrath whereby I haue deserued not only temporall punishments but euen eternall death and damnation if so be thou shouldest enter into iust iudgement with me But seeing that thou O Father of all comfort doest not reiect those that come vnto thee with true repentance of their manifold sins but hast promised to heare those that call on thee with a broken heart and a deiected spirit I now come vnto thee in confidence of thy bottomlesse mercy which thou hast showne and offered vnto me in thy welbeloued Son my Sauiour Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent into to this world to bee a ransome for all my sinnes And entreate thee O faithfull God and Father that thou mercifully wilt heare my prayer which I offer vnto thee in his name being now visited with a heauy sicknesse Grant that I through this thy fatherly chastising may so feele the greatnesse of my sinnes and heauinesse of the same that yet thereby I may not fall into despaire But that rather through this thy fatherly correction I may be moued to flie vnto thee with whom is much forgiuenes that doest not desire the death of a finner but that he repent and liue Thou that strikest and woundest indeede as a seuere Iudge with the sword of thy law but againe as a spirituall Chirurgion bindest vp and healest with the wholesome oyle of thy holy Gospell that bringest indeede thy children to the vttermost extremity as if it were to the torments of hell