blesse you if yee be righteous vers 28 Ps 5.12 Ps 115.13 2. Tim 4.6 and â—ith favour hee will compasse you as with a shield Hee will blesse them that feare him both small and greate And now my children I have not much more to say to you for the time of my departure is at hand If yee doe heartily love your God I know that yee will affectionately love each other yee will be observant to your guardians and instructours yee will be courteous unto all Be not dismayed at any crosse or affliction at any losse or povertie which may fall upon you Mat 6.33 Deut 28.8 Ex 23.25 but seeke yee first the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and then all other things shall be added unto you Then the Lord shall command the blessing upon you both in your store-houses in all that yee set your hands unto Hee shall blesse your bread and your water Deutâ— 28.3 and take away sicknesse from the midst of you Blessed shall yee be in the citty and blessed shall yee be in the field vers 4. Blessed shaâ— be the fruits of your bodies and the fruit of your grounds and the fruits of your cattell and the increase of your kine and the flocks of your sheepe vers 5. Blessed shall be your basket vers 6. and your store Blessed shall yee be when yee come in and blessed shall yee beâ— when yee goe forth c. 7.13 The Lord will love youâ— and will blesse you and multiplie you buâ— will allso blesse the fruit of the wombe unto you and the fruit of your land and your corne and your wine and your oyle and the increase of your kine and the flocks of your sheepe in the places where yee shall live c. 28.12 Hee will open unto you his good treasure the heaven to give the raine unto your land in his season and to blesse all the worke of your hands Gen. 49.25 and yee shall lend unto many and yee shall not borrow Hee shall helpe you and blesse you with the blessings of heaven above blessings of the deepe that lyeth under and blessings of the breasts of the wombe And that hee may thus blesse you the same Lord direct your hearts preserve you in his blessing All that I can doe now is to pray for you and my weakenesse will hardly permit mee to doe that yet so long as I can speake I trust I shall pray and in my petitions remember both my selfe and you While I am yet alive it is my duety to pray for you and it is your duety allso to pray for mee The Lord graunt that wee may all doe what hee requireth at 〈◊〉 hands Doe not yee grieve too much that I am so neere my rest for it is the decree of â—…y God and the longing expectation of my â—earied selfe The Lord give you patience to â—ndure this affliction and the Lord give mee â—atience and perseverance unto the end Now I goe the way of all the earth 1. King 2.2 Keepe yee the Charge of the Lord your God to walke in his wayes to keepe his statutes vers 3. and his commandements and his judgments and his â—estimonies as it is written in the Scriptures that yee may prosper in all that yee doe and whithersoëver yee turne your hands The Lord give you the blessing of Iudah Deut. 33.7 and â—eare your voyces and let your hands be sufficient for you and let him be an helper to you from your enemies and the Lord give you the blessing of Benjamin vers 12 The Lord cover you all the day long and dwell betweene your shoulders And the Lord give you the blessing of Ioseph vers 13 Blessed of the Lord be your land for the pretious things of heaven for the deaw and for the deepe that coucheth beneath vers 14 and for the pretious fruits brought forth by the Sunne vers 16 and for the pretious things put forth by the Moone and for the pretious things of the earth and fullnesse thereof and for the good will of him that dwelt in the hush The eternall God be your resuge vers 27 and underneath you the everlasting armes 2. Sam. 7.26 And now ô Lord God let it please thee to blesse the house of thy servant Vers 29 and with thy blessing letâ— familie of thy servant be blessed for ever Deut. 26.15 ps 67.1 Lâ—… downe from thine holy habitation from heare and blesse them O my God he mercifull uâ— them and blesse them and cause thy face to 〈◊〉 upon them And now with Iacob I have made an 〈◊〉 of commanding you Gen. 49.33 and ready I am to gathâ—… up my feete into the bed and to yeeld up the 〈◊〉 and to be gathered unto my fathers Onâ—… come yee neere my deere ones that I 〈◊〉 kisse you and that my cold and clammy haâ—… may be layed upon your heads that I may once more blesse you and dye Fare-well my prettie ones farewell the children of my deare affection 2. Cor. 13.11 I must leave you and I hope I shall leave my God with you who will be unto you a father of mercies and 〈◊〉 God of all consolation Once more fare-well 1. Pet. 3 8. 2. Tim. 4.23 Love as brethren and the God of love and peace be with you The Lord Iesus Christ be with your spirits Grace be with you all Amen subject 26 THE TWENTIE-SIXTH SUBjECT Teares of a dying woman wherein is set downe her religious exercises 1 A Soliloquie in which is set forth 1 A desire of life 2 The certaintie of death 2 A godly preparation against the minuit of death 3 A prayer of the sick 4 The consolation of the godly in the hower of death 5 The resignation of the soule into the hands of God exercise 1 â—he Soliloquie wherein is set forth part 1 1. A desire of life THE EjACULATION â—sal 5. vers 1. Give eare to my words o Lord consider my meditation vers 2. Hearken unto the voice of my cry my king and my God for unto thee will I pray VVHen Ahazia had fallen downe through a lattesse in his upper chamber 2. King 1.2 that was in Samaria and was sick of 〈◊〉 fall hee sent messengers to enquire of Baal-zebub the God of Ekron whether hee should recover of that dangerous sicknesse Every one desireth a fore-knowledg of events that they might prevent those dangers which otherwise might ensue Herein mee thinks wee endeavour a kind of imitation of our maker labouring unjustly for his attribute of prae-science But if wee desire what hee forbiddeth wee seeke but our destruction in the pursuit of our desires Of some things hee often permitteth us a fore-knowledg and somethings againe hee hideth from us that so both by ouâ— knowledg wee may conjecture at what a blessing wee should have enjoyed had not Adam transgressed and allso that by our ignorance wee may
child by grace and adoption I am sure that hee will be my father by providence and protection Hee it is who sayd that hee would leave in the midst of Ierusalem Zeph 3.12 an afflicted and poore people but with all bee promised that they should trust in the name of the Lord. Hee that correcteth mee for mine offences intendeth my conversion the fault is in my selfe if it turne to my ruine Hee taketh away earth that hee may give mee heaven for both hee seeth I cannot graspe at once Thus hee at once both punisheth mee for mine offences and provideth for my happinesse Yet though hee punisheth hee doeth it not hastily nor yet un-expectedly if I justly consider it First hee threatneth before hee scourgeth and warneth mee to obey before hee chastiseth Thus by his Prophet Is 20.3 hee saith Like as my servant Isaiah hath walked naked and bare foote three yeares for a signe and wonder upon Egypt and upon Ethiopia vers 4. So shall the King of Assyria leade away the Egyptians prisoners and the Ethiopians captives young and ould naked and barefoote even with their shame un-covered to the shame of Egypt Mee hee threatned too before hee thus visited mee but mine eares were deafe I stopped them and refused to hearken to the voyce of the Lord. Every sicknesse of mine owne or my friends every losse of mine owne or my neighbours was a menace â—…om the All-mighty Often did I see his â—…gments upon others but I minded them â—…t as if it nothing concerned mee what fell â—ot on my selfe Children of Princes doe â—eldome feele the smart of a rodde but are â—errified by the stripes which others receave Thus the Lord dealt with mee when hee scourged others but I pittied not them nor yet my selfe just it is therfore that none should now commiserate my case in the depth of my distresse Yet when I consider that this my poverty come's from God mee think's it is a testimomie as much of his love as of his severitie I know assuredly that his servant Iob did suffer more then my calamitie amount's unto yet hee repined not at his losses but glorified his maker Iob. 1.21 The Lord gave say's hee and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the name of the Lord. Thus if I magnifie him who sendeth this correction I shall not sinne in my sufferance vers 22 nor charge him foolishly Mar. 10 25. Hee who sayd It is easier for a Camel to goe thorow the eye of a needle then for a rich man to enter into the Kingdome of God even the same Lord said to the young man in the Gospel If thou wilt be perfect Mat 19 21. goe and sell that thou hast and give to the poore and thou shalt have treasure in heaven and come and follow mee Had I thought of heaven in my seeming prosperitie I should not so much have beene tormented with this present losse But I who before neglected the poore am ranked now in the number of them I who expected my heaven upon earth have here my hell that I may have heaven hereafter Why then should I murmur at this blessing from God and deeme this a losse which is sent for my advantage Surely if I doe but endeavour to vallew the joyes of eternitie I shall rejoyce at my deliverance from the possessions of the world Such hast did Zacheus make from the tree when my Saviour did promise to become his guest and with such contempt of the world did hee entertaine my Redeemer Lu 19.8 that hee said unto him Behould Lord the halfe of my goods I give to the poore and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation I restore him fowre fould That Sycomore tree which never before or since had fruite bare then a publicane ripened for Christianitie Unwilling should I have beene to have performed either of the promises of Zacheus when I enjoyed those vanities which I termed goods for I ever was as slow to the acts of charitie as to those of justice But what I kept from others is now taken from mee and what I was un-willing to restore is returned to the owner Shall I therfore reine at him because hee required his owne Shall I murmur at him for that fault which is mine Hee found mee false and would trust mee noe longer Must this his know ledg redound to his dishonour Shall I blame him for his discoverie of my false-hood and negligence and not rather ingeniously confesse the guilt of my wickednesse 'T is I 't is I that am unjust 't is hee 't is hee that is righteous and yet though I am unjust and hee is righteous my sinnes are punished to my greater advantage I am now in this povertie made liker unto him for to the Scribe hee said The foxes have holes Mat 8.20 and the birds of the aire have nests but the sonne of man hath not where on to lay his head House hee had none yea and friend hee had none for even those did crucifie him whom hee came to redeeme One of his disciples became a traitour and when hee came to his owne Io 1.11 his owne receaved him not When hee was hungrie instead of figges hee found nothing but leaves Mat 21 19. and at another time hee contented him selfe with a piece of a broyled fish Luc 24 42. and an hony-kombe When hee was thirstie hee was offered vineger to drinke Io 19.29 Mat 27 28.31 and never was it knowne that his garment was changed save when the Iewes put on him the skarlet roabe and when they had mocked him they tooke't from him againe The disciple is not above his master c 10.24 nor the servant above his Lord. If hee be my master I shall be contented with my povertie if hee be my Lord I shall rejoyce in my losses Povertie is the liverie which his servants weare but this povertie is seated more in spirit then in purse for those hee pronounced truely blessed and to them hee promised the kingdome of heaven Mat 5.3 The poore that are wicked hee double hate's both because they neglect their common dueties and for contemning that poverty which hee send 's for a blessing Those who have least of temporall goods should most be busied about things eternall The rich have some plea for neglecting his service because they are busied in managing their estates but the poore have noe pretence for failing in their dueties to whom God hath afforded nothing for their hinderance Is 66.2 To this man will I looke saith God hin selfe even to him that is poore Yet hee stayeth not here but farther describeth what poore hee intendeth and saith Even him that is of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my word Prov 19.1 It is onely the poore man walking in his integritie who is better then hee that is perverse in his lipps The prophet doeth promise that The meeke shall increase their joy
be as constant in my prayers as the man â—as constant in his attendance at the poole At â—y gate ô Christ I must I doe continually â—e Thy blood ô Iesus is the onely Bethesda â—r my distressed soule Lord leade mee into â—…at poole of blood by the hand of faith and then I shall not distrust the effect of that â—ver O cleanse my soule and then I shall willingly submit to thy pleasure for my body But still ô still my paines increase and my flesh consume's I pray and I begge and I beseech and yet I find noe ease noe reliefe The continuance of my sicknesse doe's but â—each mee the ignorance of the Physitians or â—he deadnesse of the druggs and potions I am dyeted and I am physicked and my body is become the very shop of an Apothecarie and yet I find noe ease noe comfort 'T is true that thirtie and eight yeares continuance of a maladie hindered not Christ from curing with a word But if it had remained longer could hee have done the like Yes surely why not Hee himselfe could as well have dooâ— that as have given power to his Apostles tâ— restore the Criple who had beene fortie yeaâ—… lame This was done by Peter and Iohn for the man that was above fortie yeares ould Act 14 22. c 3.2 and had beene lame from his mother's wombe even on him was shewed this miracle of healing I may hope for some favour too from the hands of my God for though to mee it might appeare allmost a miracle that I should recore yet with God it is as easily effected by a word as was the greate creation of heaven and earth I will therfore submit to his pleasure and 〈◊〉 upon his goodnesse Hee is a God of mercy an tender compassion hee is the greate Physitia both of soule and body hee hath allways delighted in acts of charitie It was his promise upon some conditions to heale a whoâ—… land 2. Chr 7.14 for his owne words are If my people which are called by my name shall humble themselves and pray and seeke my face and turnâ— from their wicked wayes then will I heare from heaven and will forgive their sinne and wiâ—… heale their land I am one of the people ô Christ that is called by thy name for a Christian I am though a sinfull and a feeble Christian and thou hast humbled mee with this thy visitation and grace thou hast given mee I blesse the for it to humble my selfe in the consideration of mine iniquities and to pray and to seâ—… thy face Lord perfect thy good workes and make mee turne from mine iniquities and then heare mee from heaven and forgive my sinne and if it may stand with thy eternall decree heale thy servant Hee hath likewise shewed his mercy even in healing of waters 2. King 2.21 for his Prophet Elisha went forth to the spring of un-wholesome waters and cast salt in there and said Thus saith the Lord I have healed these waters there shall not â—e from thence any more death or barren land So the waters were healed vers 22 according to the saying of Elisha the Prophet Lord I have waters too that require thy helpe for they are un-wholesome they are sinfull I weepe and I lament my teares runne downe on my cheekes Lam. 1.2 and all either with extreamitie of anguish or feare of death or despaire of thy power to restore mee to health few of them are for my sinnes few of them for my transgressions But some hope I have that thou wilt likewise heale these waters for allready thou hast cast some salt into them I find by my tast that they are brackish that they are brinish Lord let mee be noe longer a barren land but make mee fruitfull in good works Col 1.10 Ps 1.3 that I may be like unto a tree planted by the rivers of water that bringeth forth his fruite in due season and then though this leafe for a time may faile though the flower of my body may be cropped or mowed for the harvest yet I know that my Redeemer will not cast it into the fire but will make it spring up hereafter in eternall glory Hee hath allso healed the persons of diverse of his people Ps 107.20 for so saith the Psalmist Hee sent his word and healed them delivered them froÌ„ their destructions Is 19.22 So Isaiah prophesieth concerning Egypt saying The Lord shall smite Egypt hee shall smite and heale it and they shall returne even to the Lord and hee shall be intreated of them and shall heale them O what comfortable words were these to Egypt Hee may if hee please cheere mee up allso with the like for hee hath allready smitten mee and in his loving kindnesse hee hath so sanctified this affliction that by it hee hath made mee to returne unto him O Lord now if it be thy pleasure be thou intreated of mee heale mee This God is the same God who speaketh by the mouth of Moses and saith See now that I Deut 32.39 even I am hee and there is noe God with mee I kill and I make alive I wound and I heale neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand This is the same Lord whom Hannah did magnifie in her thankfull Song and said The Lord killeth and maketh alive hee bringeth downe to the grave 1. Sam. 2.6 and bringeth up This is the same God of whom Iob his servant professeth and boasteth saying Hee maketh sore Iob. 5.18 and bindeth up hee woundeth and his hands make whole This is the same Lord VVhom David commandeth his soule to magnifie and saith Ps 103 1. vers 2. Blesse the Lord ô my soule and all that is within mee blesse his holy name Blesse the Lord ô my soule and forget not all his benefits Who forgiveth all thine iniquities who healeth all thy diseafes vers 3. and who redeemeth thy life from destruction vers 4. this God is the same God who alone hath power over soule body can if hee pleaseth preserve them both Hee it is whose mercies were promised to his Church when by his Prophet hee said The light of the Moone shall be as the light of the Sunne Is 30.26 and the light of the Sunne shall bee seaven fold as the light of seaven dayes in the day that the Lord bindeth up the breach of his people and healeth the stroake of their wound Hee it is who giveth such Euangelicall promises to penitent Iudah and saith I have seene his wayes and will heale him c 57.18 I will leade him allso and restore comforts to him and to his mourners I create the fruite of the lipps peace peace to him that is farre off vers 19 and to him that is neere saith the Lord and I will heale him This is hee who inviteth Israel to come unto him and saith Returne yee back-sliding Children and I will heale your backsliding
minds that curse which wretched Ham the father of Canaan receaved from Noah when hee saw his nakednesse and tould his brethren Gen 9.25 Cursed said Noah be Canaan a servant of servants shall hee be to his brethren But because Shem and Iaphet tooke a garment vers 23 layd it upon their showlders and went backward and covered the nakednesse of their father and their faces were backward and they saw not their father's nakednesse therfore hee sayd Blessed be the Lord God of Shem vers 26 vers 27 and Canaan shall be his servant God shall enlarge Iaphet and hee shall dwell in the tents of Shem Canaan shall be his servant Consider with your selves that I am your mother Whatsoever imperfections yee have discovered in mee doe in some kind reflect even upon your selves for as your bodies were mine so my credit and good name you must account to be yours But I cannot thinke that yee will neede more advice for this which even nature it selfe should teach you to practise My time is but short my speech beginneth to saile mee I will not trouble you with much allthough something more I must say unto you which I hope yee will remember when I shall sleepe in the dust Your first and chiefest duety must allways be for the service of your God If yee will dayly observe the benefitts which hee sendeth you yee cannot choose but thanke him dayly for his blessings Let it be your care to ground your actions upon his written law Vnder-take nothing which is not warranted by his word and goe forward in nothing by unlawfull meanes or to a bad intent Beginne all in him and continue in him and end in him and hee himselfe will be your reward If yee allways preserve religion in your hearts yee will allways have quietnesse and content in your minds First make him your God and then distrust not his providence noe nor his love and compassion while yee remaine his children In whatsoever vocations yee shall leade your lives be sure that yee be conscionablie industrious and laborious in them then leave the event and the blessing to his good pleasure I would feine have you be his children much more then yee are mine for yee have nothing from mee but your sinne and corruption but from him you must expect both grace and glory If therfore yee strive to blesse and magnifie your God yee may be sure that your God will both blesse and glorifie you his children Prov. 10.22 Remember that the blessing of the Lord maketh rich and hee addeth noe sorrow with it Take heede therfore to your selves let him be in all your thoughts for even for them yee must account at his greate tribunall Take heede unto your words that they give none offence either to God or man Ps 62.4 There is a sort of people who blesse with their mouths but they curse in their inward parts I would not have you be of the number of them Ps 109 17. for as they love cursing so it shall happen unto them they delight not in blessing therfore shall it be farre from them vers 18 As they cloath themselves with cursing like as with a garment so it shall come into their bowells like water and like oyle into their bones Take heede allso unto your actions that there be not wickednesse in the intent nor sinne in the prosequution of them for howsoëver they shall appeare in the eye of the world they will be stricktly justly examined by the righteous judg First be yee sure that yee blesse your God and then yee may expect a blessing from him Deut 8 10. When yee have eaten and are full then yee shall blesse the Lord your God 1. Chrâ— 29.20 Remember the congregation of Israël how they blessed the Lord God of their fathers and bowed downe their heads and worshipped the Lord. Neh 9.5 Remember how the Levites encouraged the people unto it and said unto them Stand up and blesse the Lord your God for ever and ever and blessed be thy glorious name which is exalted above all blessing and praise Remember how the Psalmist moved them unto it when hee cryed Ps 66.8 O blesse our God yee people and make the voyce of his praise to be heard be thankfull unto him Ps 100.4 and blesse his name Remember how David resolved saying Ps 16.7 I will blesse the Lord which hath given mee counsell Remember how hee decreed saying I will blesse thee while I live Ps 63.4 I will lift up my hands in thy name Remember how hee encouraged his soule to this duety saying Ps 103 1. Blesse the Lord ô my soule and all that is within mee blesse his holy name vers 2. Blesse the Lord ô my soule and forget not all his benefits Who forgiveth all thine iniquities vers 3. who healeth all thy disease Remember how hee practised it when hee blesse the Lord before all the congregation 1. Chr 29.10 and sayd Blessed be thou Lord God of Israël our father for ever and ever vers 11 Thine ô Lord is the greatnesse and the power and the glory and the victory and the majestie for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine thine is the Kingdome ô Lord and thou art exalted as head above all vers 12 Both riches and honour come from thee and thou reignest over all and in thine hand is power and might and in thine hand it is to make greate and to give strength unto all Now therfore our God wee thanke thee vers 13 and praise thy glorious name And remember how Ezra blessed the Lord Neh. 8.6 the greate God and all the people answered Amen Amen with lifting up their hands and they bowed their heads and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground Thus if yee blesse him if yee love him if yee honour him if yee obey him hee will so blesse you that yee shall delight in his service and be filled with his goodnesse Carie in your minds those words of the Psalmist Ps 128.1 Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord that walkeeh in his wayes For thou shalt eate the labour of thine hands vers 2. happy shalt thou be Ier 17.7 and it shall be well with thee Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord and whose hope the Lord is Gen. 25 11. Remember how after the death of Abraham God blessed his Sonne Isaak So hee may you and so hee will you when I your poore feeble mother am streched forth and returned to the earth if yee will heare his â—…yce and observe his statutes If so yee will â—oe Deut 14.29 then the Lord your God will blesse you in â—ll the workes of your hands which yee shall doe Hee who created man in his owne image both â—ale and female and blessed them Gen. 1.27 even the same Lord will
the Soliloquie A resolution for the time to come VVHile the earth remaineth sayth the Lord to Noah seede time and harvest cold and heate summer and winter Gen 8.22 day and night shall not cease This is a faithfull promise of the true God and therfore cannot be questioned or doubted by Christians But how long shall these seasons last Onely as long as the earth remaineth And how long shall the earth remaine God onely knoweth that it is not in the power or reach of the wisest upon earth to limit the time thereof A time will come Mat 24 35. when heaven and earth shall passe away when the Sunne shall be darkened and the Moone shall not give her light vers 29 and the Starres shall fall from heaven and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken but of that day vers 36 and hower knoweth noe man noe not the Angells in heaven but the Father onely The earth I know shall have a time of dissolution and her funerall piles shall be kindled and fired by him Is 30.33 whose breath like a streame of brimstone doth kindle Tophet Yet though I know not how soone this time shall be expired I hope it may be deferred for many ages and so peradventure it may be But what if it be What can the delaying thereof advantage mee How many ages have passed since the creation of the world How many millions of people have had their successions since the death of Abel I neither was created with the first nor for any thing I know shall I remaine with the last If therfore the earth and the seasons of the earth shall continue a thousand yeares if yet I live not out that thousand yeares what can the age of the world advantage mee Why then doe I fasten my hopes upon future times Why doe I confidently reckon upon yeeres to come or moneths or weekes or dayes Nay why upon to morrow Why upon an hower Why upon a minuit There is nothing more sure then that my former dayes are past and gone and may not be re-called Nothing is more certaine then that the present instant is short and cannot continue And nothing againe is more uncertaine to mee then the future time whereon I depend Moreover If I were sure to live a certaine proportion and number of dayes or weekes or moneths 2. King 20.6 if I were sure that the Lord would adde unto my dayes fifteene yeares as hee did to Hezekiahs yet how doe I know that hee would give mee grace to repent in those fifteene yeeres An impenitent life is but a living death and which is worst of all after that cometh judgment Heb 9.27 If then I vainely flatter my selfe with a hope that my life shall be prolonged and relying upon the broken reede of that deceaving hope if I deferre my repentance I doe but hope that God will lengthen my dayes that I may increase my sinnes so by consequence that my punishment may be increased There is indeede a sort of coveteous people in the world which promise to themselves a continuance of their lives that they may increase their riches These are they which say Iam 4 13. To day or to morrow wee will goe into such a citty and continue there a yeare and buy and sell and gett gaine vers 14 whereas as the Apostle saith they know not what shall be to morrow For what is our life It is even a vapour that appeareth for a litle time and then vanisheth away And there is a sort of luxurious Atheists and Epicures which say Come yee Is 56.12 I will fetch wine and wee will fill our selves with strong drinke and to morrow shall be as this day and much more aboundant Wised 2.5 These are they which say Our time is a very shadow that passeth away and after our end there is noe returning for it is fast sealed that noe man cometh againe vers 6. Come on therfore let us enjoy the good things that are present and let us speedily use the creatures vers 7. like as in youth Let us fill our selves with costly wine and ointments and let noe flower of the spring passe us vers 8. Let us crowne our selves with rose-buds before they be withered vers 9. Let none of us goe without his part of voluptuousnesse let us leave tokens of our joyfullnes in every place for this is our portion and our lott is this And these are they which like the rich Epicure in the Gospel say unto their Soules Lu 12.19 Soule thou hast much goods layed up for many yeares take thine ease eate drinke and be merry All these suppose that man was created onely for meates and not meates for man They conceave that every one shall have a time of pleasure and wickedly they seeke it in the vanitie of the creatures But oh that both they and I might ever have those words of the All mighty sounding in our eares vers 20 Thou foole this night thy soule shall be required of thee and then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided This night Lord Yes this very hower this very instant thou mayst strike mee dead then as death leaves mec judgment shall find mee O it will be a time of horrour and amazement to those that prepare not for to those that expect not his comeing 1. Pet. 4.17 Saint Perer sayd long agoe that The time is come that judgment must beginne at the house of God and if it first beginne at us Lord put mee into that number what shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospel of God And if the righteous scarcely be saved vers 18 where shall the ungodly and sinners appeare Hearke Doest thou heare that ô my soule The righteous shall scarcely be saved This is true for it is the word of trueth It was inspired by his Spirit who sayd Straite is the gate Mat 7.14 and narrow is the way that leadeth to life and few there be that find it O how I tremble when I reade that scarcely and that few What shall I doe to be one of those few allthough I obtaine it never so hardly allthough I know that I shall scarcely attaine to it Lord I will repent but doe thou assist mee Lord I will be faithfull but doe thou increase my faith Lu 17.5 I will doe I say When How Am I sure of any time but the present moment Or can I stay the present instant and hinder it from flying Noe noe I cannot By thy grace therfore blessed God even now this very instant I doe repent and am unfeignedly sorrowfull for all mine offences this very moment I doe believe all that thou hast spoken in thy holy word I doe believe thee I doe believe in thee ô Lord helpe thou my un-beliefe Mar 9.24 If I shall have any more minuits allotted mee I wil number them with my teares
issue and my destroyer But I will hope for better and I will pray for better for I have a good and a mercifull God in whom I will trust To him I will fly both for remission comfort and succour I know that hee is offended with the sinfull progenie of my corrupted heart Ex 1.16 but to appease him I will destroy them all as the Mid-wives were commanded to doe by the Hebrew males Ps 137.9 I will gaine hapinesse by such an execution as was required upon the daughter of Babylon for I will take them and dash them both the greate and the litle ones against the stones Or if that will not destroy them I will use them as the Allmighty did the chariotts and the bost of Pharaoh I will cast them into the sea Ex 15.4 vers 5. vers 1. and the depths shall cover them The sea shall be my teares in which I will sinke them so deepe even the horse and his rider the heart that hath conceaved and the sinne that hath beene borne that they shall never rise againe Or if this yet will not suffice vers 4. I will use them as the Lord did the chosen Captaines of the King I will drowne them in the red sea even in the blood of my blessed Reedemer where they shall be sunke so deepe that it shall be quite forgotten that ever they were Thus shall my God be appeased and shall visit mee in love so that I shall not neede to feare when my throwes increase because I will depend on the rock of my salvation I will resolve with confidence and a setled mind that allthough hee slay mee Iob 13.15 yet will I put my trust in his mercy and I am assured that hee will send mee a happie issue to my tryalls and afflictions part 2 The Second part of the Soliloquie treating of the greatnesse of the pangs hazards and feares of a travelling woman SAint Iohn in the Apocalyps telleth us Rev. 12 1. that There appeared a greate wonder in heaven A woman cloathed with the Sunne and the Moone was under her feete and upon her head was a crowne of twelve starres vers 2. And shee being with child cryed traveâ—ing in birth and pained to be delivered That woman is the Church styled a woman both because shee is fruitfull and by reason of her subjection to Christ her husband The Moone is under her feete the pompe and prosperitie of the world is placed farre beneath her affections Her crowne of starres is the twelve Apostles This woman this Church is with child shee conceaveth by faith shee cryeth out in her devotions shee is pained in her sorrowes and severall afflictions and shee is delivered when her children are receaved into glory If Saint Iohn did liken her pangs unto the pinching throwes of a travelling woman it must needes be imagined that her paines were grievous Oh I feele I feele what her torments were resembled unto Such paines doe now beginne ginne to seize on mee as the greatest in the world have beene described by these Ier. 13.21 Such were threatned to Iudah Shall not sorrowes take thee as a woman in travell Such to Lebanon O inhabitant of Lebanon c 12.23 that makest thy nests in the Cedars how gracious shalt thou be when pangs come upon thee the paine as of a woman in travell Such to Babylon Is 13.6 Howle yee for the day of the Lord is at hand it shall come as a destruction from the All-mighty Therfore shall all hands be faint vers 7. and every mans heart shall melt and they shall be afraid vers 8. they shall be inpaine Ier 48.41 Kerioth is taken and the strong holds are surprised and the mighty men's hearts in Moab at that day shall be as the heart of a woman in her pangs Such to Edome c 49.22 The heart of the mighty men of Edome shall be as the heart of a woman in her pangs Such to Ephraim Hos 13 12. vers 13. The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up his sinne is hid the sorrowes of a travelling woman shall come upon him And such to the ungodly when our Saviour shall come in the clowdes When they shall say 1. Thes 5.3 Peace and Safety then sudden destruction cometh upon them as travaile upon a woman with child and they shall not escape Such as these were inflicted on those Kings that were assembled and passed by the citty of the great King on the north sides of the mountaine of holinesse Ps 48.6 Feare tooke hold upon them there and paine as of a woman in travaile Such on Sion Wee have heard the fame thereof Ier. 6.24 our hands wanâ— feeble anguish hath taken hold of us and paine as of a woman in travaile c 4.31 And againe I have heard a voyce as of a woman in travell and the anguish as of her that bringeth forth her first child the voyce of the daughter of Zion that bewayleth her selfe that spreadeth her hands saying Woe is mee now for my soule is wearied because of murderers Such on Damascus Damascus is waxed feeble c 49.24 and turneth herselfe to flee and feare hath seized on her anguish and sorrowes have taken her as a woman in travell c 50.42 Such on the King of Babylon Every one of the people of the North shall be put in aray like a man to battell against thee ô daughter of Babylon vers 43 The King of Babylon hath heard the report of them his hands waxed feeble anguish tooke hold of him and pangs as of a woman in travell Such on the Prophet Isaiah bewayling the captivity of the people Is 21.3 My loynes are filled with paine pangs have taken hold upon mee as the pangs of a woman that travelleth I was bowed downe at the hearing of it I was dismayed at the seeing of it And such on the people of God when they were caried into captivity c. 26.16 Lord in trouble have they visited thee they powred out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them vers 17 like as a woman with child that draweth neere the time of her deliverie is in paine and cryeth out in her pangs so have wee beene in thy sight ô Lord. O these sorrowes these pangs and paines this faintâ—esse of hands this melting of heart this anguish this wearinesse of soule this feeblenesse this turning to flee this paine of the loynes this bowing downe this dismaying and this â—…ying out in pangs is now my portion Deepe shall I drinke of this cup of trembling Is 51.17 it is allready at my mouth I quiver and quake at the bitternesse thereof Faine would I delay it faine would I forget what I must endure it I shift from place to place from seate to seate I wring my hands I tremble in my cold and fainting sweates Faine would I buy it off and be contented to offer the service even of